Who’s Up?
I’m working on rearranging my rankings this week, and I’d like to process some thoughts on this space before the new list goes live. Shout out to anyone in the comments who you think needs a new look.
Mets BY AJ Ewing (21) is plain stupid. He has been on a rocket ship for the past few months after failing to crack the top 100 consistently despite a strong showing in 2025. During the offseason as public-facing sites take a closer look, Ewing’s found itself in the top 50 for some people. Today, he is the best 25 person with a top ten offense. He has a 205 wRC+ through four big league games, so that’s exciting. While it’s unlikely he’ll maintain MVP-level pace, he’s already changed New York’s system.
Red Sox Franklin Arias (20, AA) is a great prospect for me now that the rookie triumvirate of Konnor Griffin, Kevin McGonigle and JJ Wetherholt have graduated. He took the spot by slashing .349/.431/.632 with eight home runs, four stolen bases and a 12.2 percent strikeout rate against a 9.8 percent walk rate. With Henry Bolte, another great jumper, now in the majors, Arias owns the most impressive baseball card for kids in that age-to-age format.
RHP Seth Hernandez for Pirates (19, A+) threw five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts in his High-A debut. It’s not a guarantee that you get any real conflict in the level. It might be next after a few more starts. In 33 professional innings, he recorded 57 strikeouts against 11 walks with a 0.82 ERA and 0.73 WHIP. Is this the best time to be a Pirates fan since the days of Bonds, Bonilla and Drabek? I think so. I think there is some conflict between the Cole, Cutch, Taillon groups, but that didn’t sound like the start of something big to me.
Seen on draft night as the type of top floor signing that could be signed for the right amount of money, Nationals SS Eli Willits (18, A) is hitting .266 in Low-A, but his on-base percentage is .401 and he has 24 stolen bases in 35 games. His 22.1 percent strikeout rate is a little higher than you’d like to see for a premium at that level, but he’s hitting hard (4 HR) and warming up to the weather. MLB Pipe moved him to fourth place in their updated top 100 this week, giving what feels like a high value to his defense and a chance to stay at shortstop. I’m nowhere near there in fantasy terms, but it’s undoubtedly been an encouraging start for anyone invested in their first player draft. I’d still buy him soft during the contention cycle, and he wouldn’t be a rebuild target for me, but you can bet someone out there reads Pipeline and rides the right pony. One thing here that is difficult to measure is that the organization itself is having a good season, we are talking about development. The new office has made some great changes, especially the use of technology to better simulate the appearance of the game board.
The Courage of Eric Hartman (19, A+) filled the box score in High-A, slashing .326/.408/.689 with 12 home runs, 14 stolen bases and an ever-improving 20.4 percent strikeout rate. He will turn 20 in a month and should be in Double-A soon after.
If you are in reconstruction for a long time, SS Luis Hernandez bullies (17, CPX) is one of the new ones you should want to own. He’s showing incredible power for a guy listed at 5’10” 172 pounds, hitting .390/.458/.805 with four home runs and two steals in ten games. He could be playing a full season of ball in a month. Crazy timeline. He doesn’t turn 18 until December.
So those are some of the fun things and there’s a lot more where that comes from, but it’s really fun to look under some of the arrows going down.
Who’s Falling?
It’s wrong Custodians C Cooper Ingle (24) moved him down the list when he hit .338/.517/.615 with five home runs in 23 games, but it’s also not a good sign that the club traded first-round pick and Tugboat Matt Wilkinson to the Giants for C Patrick Bailey. I mean, if Cleveland thought Ingle could catch them, wouldn’t they give him a shot first? I don’t know, maybe I’m overthinking it. Posey didn’t like Bailey, and Bailey didn’t hit. Maybe the guards just thought it was too good an opportunity to let it go. Bailey is 26 years old and probably the game’s best receiver (independently) and the game’s best thrower. In this stolen-base streak, that’s important–don’t overlook framing in this years Automated Ball-Strike challenge system.
It doesn’t feel right to move injured players down the list, though Walker Jenkins Twins (21, AAA) came out with a grade 2 joint sprain in his left shoulder, which sounds pretty bad to hit, although I think the right shoulder would be worse. I won’t put him down too much, but the boys are coming for him, and he’s nowhere to fight. Plus, the shoulder stuff is scary. Some guys get out of it. Some guys are not the same at all.
Mets RHP Jonah Tong (22, AAA) lost a strikeout this season, surrendering 24 walks, striking out two batters and throwing two wild pitches in his 38 innings. He also allowed eight home runs. Add to that a 5.68 ERA and some new questions about his future. It’s not hard to guess he’s working on a new wrinkle or two, and his delivery is such a Rube Goldberg machine that a piece out of place throws the whole job off course.
Thanks for reading!
