We’ve Updated Our Prospect Rankings

We’ve made a lot of adjustments to our minor league prospect lists in the last week. We’ve added all top 10 round draft picks, regardless of whether they’ve signed, as only a handful will not and we’ll take them out if and when they fail to. We’ve added confirmed signings beyond the 10th round, and will keep adding those as they roll in. We’ve taken the graduated prospects off; you can see a list of those on the Prospects MLB Playing Time sidebar on the right side of the Prospects homepage. We’ve also moved over 120 prospects who were on the off-season lists around, and moved some onto the list who were eligible and weren’t included this winter.

What all of this means is that there are new team prospect lists, and a new overall top 124, as part of 1185 total prospects who appear on THE BOARD. Rays SS Wander Franco is now a 70 FV and the top prospect in baseball, just ahead of soon-to-graduate Padres SS Fernando Tatis Jr., who was also upgraded to a 70 FV.

Most prospects with new FV’s have only shifted a bit, up or down one tier. The most prominent players to move in this fashion are a throng of teenagers either drafted last year or being seen at length in the U.S. for the first time. This group — Giants SS Marco Luciano, Mariners OFs Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez, Mets SS Ronny Mauricio, Cardinals 3B Nolan Gorman, Orioles RHP Grayson Rodriguez, and Red Sox 1B Triston Casas — has started to separate from their same-aged peers.

Of the few players whose FV changed dramatically, the most relevant are Twins 2B Luis Arraez, who is making elite rates of contact and rocketed to the big leagues, and Indians RHP Zach Plesac, whose velo has spiked. Red Sox OF Jarren Duran was old for his level until his recent Double-A promotion, and his numbers are inflated by BABIP luck, but they’re not a total illusion and we think he may be a 50 FV if he hits at Portland the rest of the summer.

We didn’t peel many names off THE BOARD, even if they’re near the bottom of a list and struggling badly. We also shuffled draft guys a little as post-draft info came in on medicals, and updated reports from the college postseason and for hideout guys. Bobby Witt was a high 50 FV who we decided we were a bit low on and pushed into the low 55s.

THE BOARD is now live and will be updated regularly as we see or hear about players the rest of the summer. Follow the FanGraphs Prospects account on Twitter (@FG_Prospects) for BOARD updates, as we’ll tweet when we’ve added or moved someone. Also remember to check out the lists of future draft classes, which will also be updated at least weekly during summer showcases and college wood bat leagues. There will likely be one more sweeping update pre-trade deadline, in which a lot of players (July 2 signees, draft signing deadline guys) are added at once. That will come with a farm rankings update as well.

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sadtromboneMember since 2020
6 years ago

Seattle fans have got to be happy to see that despite the terrible performance of their team this year, it’s possible some more help is on the way. Kelenic, Rodriguez, Gilbert, White, and Dunn all look like they can play.

Goms
6 years ago
Reply to  sadtrombone

Jake Fraley and Ljay Newsome have popped a bit this year as well.

sadtromboneMember since 2020
6 years ago
Reply to  Goms

Eric had a pretty good writeup on Ljay Newsome (how do you pronounce that name?!) earlier this year in the quick-hit prospect notes. I’m a little surprised they’ve left him down in A+ for this long, because I can’t imagine he’s learning much more by crushing those guys.

Dewey24
6 years ago
Reply to  sadtrombone

NEW-sum.

sadtromboneMember since 2020
6 years ago
Reply to  Dewey24

I deserved that.