For the last few weeks, our attention has turned to the greenest of prospects, those whose professional careers only began in the last week, if they have started at all.
But as much as those young players mean to their new organizations, it'll be the prospects much closer to the Majors who teams will be counting on in the second half. Here's a look at one prospect to watch for each club down the stretch.
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AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
BLUE JAYS: Trey Yesavage (TOR No. 2 / MLB No. 54)
The Blue Jays’ farm system has had a great year, but at this point, it’s all about who could help the big club down the stretch. That’s still unlikely for Yesavage, who just represented the organization at the Futures Game, but that door isn’t closed just yet. A dozen different things would need to break in the right direction, from health at the MLB level to Yesavage’s stretch run in Double-A as his workload grows, but the Blue Jays need their 13 best pitchers on the roster and that’s a conversation that could still happen down the road.
ORIOLES: C/1B Samuel Basallo (BAL No. 1 / MLB No. 9)
Even though the O’s placed four catchers on the injured list during late June/early July, Basallo remained at Triple-A Norfolk with the organization focused on the 20-year-old’s long-term development. But he may not be there much longer. The Dominican Republic native hit 19 home runs over 62 games in the first half and got needed reps behind the plate. Basallo should arrive in the big leagues before the end of 2025.
RAYS: SS Carson Williams (TB No. 1 / MLB No. 29)
Williams got off to a dreadful start for Triple-A Durham, batting just .173/.277/.341 with a 37.9% strikeout rate at the end of May. But he got hot after that, producing a .283/.391/.611 slash line with 10 homers, 29 RBIs and a reduced strikeout rate in his next 32 games. He isn’t likely to help the Rays down the stretch when they have Ha-Seong Kim, Taylor Walls and José Caballero at shortstop, but a strong finish to this season could prove that he’ll be ready to be the Rays’ shortstop next year.
RED SOX: OF Roman Anthony (MLB No. 1)
The 21-year-old has a chance to be that rare rookie who has a minimal adjustment period to the Majors. He is already becoming a force in the lineup and usually hits third or second. Anthony seems unfazed by the spike in competition and seems capable of handing everything that is thrown at him. The only thing he hasn’t done yet at the highest level is hit for a lot of power. But it wouldn’t be surprising to see that start happening in the coming weeks.
YANKEES: RHP Cam Schlittler (NYY No. 10)
Schlittler provided a glimpse of his promise on July 9, stepping into Clarke Schmidt’s rotation spot and striking out seven batters over 5 1/3 innings in a victory over the Mariners. He gave up a couple of homers, but also clocked the highest velocity (100 mph) thrown by a Yankee this season. He’ll have an opportunity to stick around.
AL CENTRAL
GUARDIANS: Chase DeLauter (CLE No. 2 / MLB No. 32)
DeLauter looks poised to make his MLB debut this summer, but his physical status is a key factor. Injuries have limited the 2022 first-round Draft pick to 138 career Minor League games, and the Guardians were mindful of his build-up this season after he returned from March core muscle surgery. He recently has been dealing with right wrist soreness, but is having a strong season with Triple-A Columbus, slashing .278/.383/.476 in 34 games.
ROYALS: RF Jac Caglianone (former KC No. 1 / MLB No. 8)
Caglianone actually graduated from prospect status Friday, but he’s still only a month and a half into his big league career. The 22-year-old slugger is slashing .140/.196/.264 with four home runs in what has been a brutal start. But 35 games is a very small sample, and there’s still time for Caglianone to turn it around. Plus, seeing better results and the power that he’s built his game around would be the impact the Royals need in their lineup.
TIGERS: RHP Troy Melton (DET No. 10)
The Tigers’ aggressive promotion of Jackson Jobe down the stretch last year, from Triple-A Toledo in September to Detroit’s bullpen in the final week and into the postseason, shows they’re not afraid to give prospects a chance. That should create a lot of intrigue around Melton amidst a run of high-strikeout starts since joining Toledo in June. He has a big arm and wipeout stuff that could be useful in a bullpen that needs more strikeouts.
TWINS: INF Luke Keaschall (MIN No. 3 / MLB No. 44)
Keaschall provided the Twins an instant jolt of energy when he was called up in April, then suffered a broken arm almost immediately. He’s begun taking live at-bats and could start a rehab assignment soon. His slashing style brings a different and valuable dimension to the Twins lineup, and if he comes back strong, it would be an enormous boost.
WHITE SOX: LHP Noah Schultz (CWS No. 1 / MLB No. 15)
As the top left-handed pitching prospect in the game, Schultz already has made it to Triple-A Charlotte after 60 Minor League starts, potentially putting him in place for a later-season callup to the White Sox. The 21-year-old has struggled with the Knights, featuring an 11.91 ERA over three starts and he had a rough run during his second All-Star Futures Game appearance. Those tough times should help Schultz prepare for the next level, as the most important factor is getting his work and innings in preparation to join the ’26 White Sox rotation.
AL WEST
ANGELS: 2B Christian Moore (LAA No. 1 / MLB No. 48)
Moore is currently out with a sprained left thumb but is expected to return by early August. He hit .189/.302/.396 with three homers, a triple and eight RBIs through his first 18 career games, including a flair for the dramatic with several key hits late in games. The 22-year-old also played solid defense at second base and should help solidify the infield upon his return, while also gaining valuable experience for the future.
ASTROS: SS Brice Matthews (HOU No. 1 / MLB No. 95)
The Astros called up Matthews on July 10 and put him in the lineup at second for the first two games of the series against the Rangers. Matthews likely isn’t in Houston yet if the team didn’t have a rash of injuries, but he has a chance to open a few eyes, especially while Jeremy Peña remains on the shelf. At worst, Matthews could set himself up to come to camp next year and compete for the starting job at second base.
ATHLETICS: LHP Gage Jump (ATH No. 1 / MLB No. 65)
The A’s No. 1 prospect ranking by MLB Pipeline previously occupied by Nick Kurtz before he graduated is now held by Jump, and with good reason. The 22-year-old broke through MLB’s Top 100 list on the strength of a dominant debut season. He started out at High-A Lansing, where he posted a 2.32 ERA in six games (five starts) with 45 strikeouts across 31 innings, then earned a promotion to Double-A Midland, where he has pitched even better, recording a 2.01 ERA in 10 starts with 52 strikeouts across 49 1/3 innings.
MARINERS: C Harry Ford (SEA No. 4 / MLB No. 53)
Ford could be the organization’s most fascinating player to follow in the coming weeks, both in the context of the Deadline (he might be their most valuable trade chip) and what comes after (he’s as close to the Majors as any prospect in their system, and nearly made his debut last month when Mitch Garver had an injury scare). The club also selected one of the more-developed college catchers in this year’s Draft with their second-round pick (Luke Stevenson), adding even more intrigue to Ford’s longer-term status.
RANGERS: INF Cody Freeman
Freeman -- a fourth-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft -- hasn’t been widely heralded outside of the organization, but the Rangers have been impressed with his development over the past five years and called up the 24-year-old on Friday. Freeman was having the best year of his professional career with Triple-A Round Rock this season, hitting .315 with an .861 OPS. With the Express, Freeman has played second, third, shortstop and served as the designated hitter, but he has also caught 138 games across his entire Minor League career. The Rangers have been looking for offensive sparks all season, and Freeman could be a key piece.
NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST
BRAVES: INF Nacho Alvarez Jr. (ATL No. 3)
Alvarez missed this season’s first two months with a wrist injury and then strained his oblique after playing just a few games with Triple-A Gwinnett. He was recalled just before the All-Star break to replace the injured Austin Riley as Atlanta’s third baseman. This big league stint will give him a chance to quiet his critics, who grew louder last year when it was apparent he wasn’t ready to hit big league fastballs. If he shows he can hit and leads the Braves to believe he could handle second base if needed, his production during this second half could influence whether the Braves exercise Ozzie Albies’ $7 million option.
MARLINS: 1B/3B Deyvison De Los Santos (MIA No. 11)
Last year's Minor League home run champion hasn't put up the same power numbers this season, but he has shown marginal improvement in his strikeout and walk rates as well as an increase in his hard-hit percentage. The Marlins would certainly welcome the addition of the 22-year-old De Los Santos' pop in the lineup. He could see time at either corner-infield spot or at designated hitter.
METS: RHP Nolan McLean (NYM No. 4 / MLB No. 73)
Unlike basically every other top Mets pitching prospect of recent seasons, McLean hasn’t slowed down at all since reaching Triple-A Syracuse. Mets officials still want him to improve against left-handed hitters but that’s more a quibble than anything at this point. McLean’s ability to spin the ball is elite, and his 2.57 ERA at Syracuse suggests he could play a key role in the upcoming pennant race.
NATIONALS: 3B Brady House (WSH No. 3 / MLB No. 79)
House, 22, debuted on June 16 and made 23 starts at third base in the first half. He entered the All-Star break with momentum. House crushed his first Major League home run – and then his second – in a multi-homer performance on Saturday at Milwaukee. In his last seven games, House slashed .357/.379/.643 with five RBIs.
PHILLIES: RHP Andrew Painter (PHI No. 1 / MLB No. 8)
Painter is the organization’s most hyped pitching prospect since Cole Hamels. It’s a lot of pressure on him, but the Phillies think he can handle it. They said before the season started that they expected a July-ish promotion. If the promotion comes after the break or sometime in August, they need him to provide quality innings to possibly give them the chance to use a six-man rotation, keeping other arms fresher for an October run.
NL CENTRAL
BREWERS: RHP Logan Henderson (MIL No. 6 / MLB No. 88)
Of course all eyes will be on big right-hander Jacob Misiorowski, who was so sensational through five starts that he garnered the earliest invitation in MLB history to the All-Star Game. But there’s another right-handed pitching prospect in the system who could help down the stretch in Henderson, who already is 3-0 with a 1.71 ERA in four big league starts earlier this season as Milwaukee navigated a serious lack of healthy starting pitching. Henderson, who at 23 is the same age as Misiorowski, has drawn raves for how professionally he’s handled the back-and-forth between the Majors and Minors. And he’s performing. He’s 9-3 with a 3.15 ERA in 14 games (13 starts) for Triple-A Nashville.
CARDINALS: 2B/SS JJ Wetherholt (STL No. 1 / MLB No. 17)
Wetherholt, 22, was promoted to Triple-A Memphis on July 7 and promptly tripled and homered in his first game at that level. Then, in the MLB Futures Game, he doubled off the wall in his first at-bat. The only question now about the former NCAA hitting champion is whether he will make it to St. Louis by September? A late-season promotion greatly benefitted Masyn Winn in 2023, and a similar elevation for the sweet-swinging Wetherholt could be coming. The club needs to know if he can play shortstop and second or just the latter, while also proving himself against big league pitching.
CUBS: OF Owen Caissie (CHC No. 1 / MLB No. 40)
Caissie – now Pipeline’s top Cubs prospect after Cade Horton and Matt Shaw graduated from the rankings – will be worth monitoring in the coming weeks. As the Cubs try to add at the Deadline, they will have to weigh whether dealing one of the hottest hitters in professional baseball as part of a trade. Caissie, 23, has a .961 OPS in 73 games overall for Triple-A Iowa but was scorching going into the break. In his nine games leading up to a Futures Game appearance, the lefty slugger hit .400 with eight homers, 10 RBIs and 10 walks with a 1.676 OPS. He is blocked at the MLB level right now in Chicago, but could be up in ‘26.
PIRATES: RHP Bubba Chandler (PIT No. 1 / MLB No. 5)
A June swoon has kept Chandler in the Minors longer than expected, but the Pirates’ top pitching prospect has looked better of late and should be knocking on the door to the Majors again very soon. His command has been less than consistent this year, but there’s no denying that he has some of the best stuff in the system, and the goal has always been that when he gets called up to the Majors, he stays up.
REDS: 3B Sal Stewart (CIN No. 3 / MLB No. 49)
Stewart will begin his second half with a promotion. After the Futures Game, he was moved up to Triple-A Louisville. After he batted .306 with an .850 OPS and 10 homers in 80 games at Double-A Chattanooga, Stewart is now a phone call away from the big leagues. He's got an advanced plate approach and has made in-roads at defensive improvement.
NL WEST
D-BACKS: SS Jordan Lawlar (AZ No. 1 / MLB No. 12)
Lawlar made his debut in September of 2023 but injuries and a lack of a clear path to playing time in the big leagues kept him from seeing action for the Diamondbacks in 2024. He got a brief look earlier this year, and like in 2023, he struggled at the plate. There’s not a lot more for Lawlar to prove in Triple-A, so it would behoove Arizona to get a long look at Lawlar in the second half to help determine if he is a big piece of the future going forward.
DODGERS: SS/3B Alex Freeland (LAD No. 3 / MLB No. 40)
If the Dodgers aren't getting enough production from Tommy Edman, Miguel Rojas and Kiké Hernández (once he's healthy) at third base, might they take a look at their top infield prospect before Max Muncy returns? Freeland has cooled down following a red-hot March/April, but he's been a productive bat for Triple-A Oklahoma City, hitting .260 with an .804 OPS and driving in 62 runs in 85 games.
GIANTS: LHP Carson Whisenhunt (SF No. 2)
No. 1 prospect Bryce Eldridge’s chances of reaching the Majors this year took a hit when he landed on the injured list with a right hamstring strain last month, but the Giants could still get their first look at Whisenhunt, who appears well-positioned to plug any holes that may arise in the starting rotation in the second half. The 24-year-old earned his second career Futures Game selection after going 8-5 with a 4.50 ERA in 17 starts for Triple-A Sacramento this year.
PADRES: RHP Ryan Bergert (SD No. 21)
In three separate stints with the big league club this season, Bergert has posted a 2.84 ERA across 10 outings. The Padres haven’t yet entrusted him with working deep into games, but he’s shown enough to prove that he’s already a viable back-end starter. The Padres might dangle him in potential trade talks, given the obvious upside. (When the new prospect rankings are released in the coming weeks, Bergert would likely make a significant jump from his current spot at No. 21.) But there’s also plenty of value in hanging onto a potential No. 4 or 5 starter who could stabilize the rotation or cover multiple innings in relief, if needed.
ROCKIES: 3B Kyle Karros (COL No. 18)
Should the Rockies deal their longest-tenured position player, third baseman Ryan McMahon, they will have to determine if Karros – showing advanced savvy at Double-A Hartford – is ready. Karros has shown the potential for solid at-bats, good defense and effective baserunning. Karros tops the list of prospects who have not debuted, but RHP Chase Dollander and OF Zac Veen have both been sent back to Triple-A Albuquerque and will have a chance to show their wares again.