We're always looking ahead here at MLB Pipeline, and we're gazing even further into the future with this projection of who will rank as each organization's No. 1 prospect on Opening Day 2027.
A lot has changed since we undertook this exercise at the beginning of February: differing degrees of development, graduations, the 2025 Draft, trades. Eighteen of our 30 choices are different than they were seven months ago, including nine guys drafted in July.
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Eight of these players already are the top prospect in their farm system and 20 of them are already Top 100 Prospects, highlighted by shortstops Leo De Vries (No. 3 overall) and Jesús Made (No. 5). Speaking of shortstops, they claimed half of the 30 spots on this list.
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AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
Blue Jays: JoJo Parker, SS (No. 2/MLB No. 40)
Toronto took the third high school shortstop off the board when they selected the Mississippi native eighth overall in July, and he’s already leapfrogged Arjun Nimmala as the top position-player prospect in the system. Parker already has a sound left-handed swing and was adding strength heading into the Draft. Even if he has to move off short, his bat will do plenty of talking early in his career and could send him soaring higher up the rankings, thanks to a plus hit tool and above-average pop.
Orioles: Slater de Brun, OF (No. 6)
The Orioles are slowly restocking and they have some options for this honor, from 2025 draftees from the college ranks like Ike Irish and Wehiwa Aloy and breakout players like Esteban Mejia or Nate George. But de Brun, who signed for an over-slot $4 million at No. 37 overall in July’s Draft, has as high a ceiling as any of them and could jump to the top of the list with a big first full season where he can show off his hit tool, speed and defense.
Rays: Theo Gillen, OF (No. 2/MLB No. 65)
Taken 18th overall in the 2024 Draft, Gillen, who is currently out with a fractured left middle finger, has posted the highest OBP (.433) among Single-A batters with at least 300 plate appearances this season. His exceptional plate discipline borders on passivity with a low swing rate, but it’s a solid foundation for now, especially if he adds strength and power and continues to grow into center field (still a relatively new position).
Red Sox: Franklin Arias, SS (No. 1/MLB No. 23)
Arias is so advanced offensively and defensively that the Red Sox have promoted him to Double-A Portland at age 19 for the end of the Eastern League season. Signed for $525,000 out of Venezuela in 2023, he slashed .279/.342/.384 with 11 steals through 107 games as a teenager playing at three full-season levels. He'll eventually push Marcelo Mayer to third base in Boston's infield of the future.
Yankees: George Lombard Jr., SS (No. 1/MLB No. 24)
One of the better defenders in the Minors, Lombard has the potential for solid or better tools across the board and has a high baseball IQ as well. A 2023 first-rounder from a Florida high school, he has batted .234/.369/.376 with 31 steals in 121 games between High-A and Double-A at age 20. His father, George Sr., played in the big leagues and is the Tigers' bench coach, while his younger brother Jacob is as talented as any player in the 2026 high school class.
AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL
Guardians: Jaison Chourio, OF (No. 6)
Chourio, the Brewers' Jackson Chourio's little brother, injured his right shoulder on a swing in early May, leading to two stints on the injured list and midseason struggles. He has looked more like his usual self in August and September, controlling the strike zone while lacing line drives from both sides of the plate and using his plus speed well on the bases and in center field. Signed for $1.2 million out of Venezuela in 2022, he won Single-A Carolina League MVP honors last year and is hitting .233/.379/.285 with 63 walks in 75 games as a 20-year-old in High-A.
Royals: Kendry Chourio, RHP (No. 8)
Chourio’s stock has risen like a rocket since he signed for $247,500 back in January. The 17-year-old righty has already reached Single-A in his first pro season, and his results have been exceptional: 2.98 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 60 strikeouts, four walks in 48 1/3 innings. Chourio has the stuff to back it up too with a mid-90s fastball, impressive curveball and developing changeup, not to mention easy plus control. There’s always the chance injuries could get in the way for such a young arm -- and it’s worth noting that current top prospect Blake Mitchell likely won’t graduate by ‘27 -- but the excitement around Chourio is as high as any 17-year-old pitcher in the sport.
Tigers: Bryce Rainer, SS (No. 4/MLB No. 34)
The 2024 11th overall pick was off to an encouraging start with loud exit velocities and a low chase rate with Single-A Lakeland before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in early June. At his best, the 20-year-old shortstop can show plus raw power, above-average speed and a cannon of an arm from the dirt -- the basic ingredients of a promising player at the six. He’ll need to improve his in-zone contact and launch angles to get the most of his tools, but with Kevin McGonigle, Max Clark and Josue Briceño potential 2026 graduates, Rainer is set to assume the top prospect mantle.
Twins: Eduardo Tait, C (No. 2/MLB No. 53)
Sent to the Twins, along with Mick Abel, as the return in the Jhoan Duran Trade Deadline deal, Tait is already No. 5 on our Top 10 catchers list and he just turned 19. The left-handed hitting catcher is just starting to get to his power and has the kind of arm strength you want from your backstop. He’s reached High-A as a teenager, so he’s already way ahead of the curve.
White Sox: Billy Carlson, SS (No. 3/MLB No. 76)
Multiple evaluators said Carlson was the best defensive shortstop they've ever seen in high school, which is why the White Sox signed him for $6,235,900 as the 10th overall pick in July. He’ll need to make some adjustments at the plate but offers 20-homer potential, and he was also clocked up to 97 mph on the mound.
AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST
Angels: Joswa Lugo, SS (No. 6)
Our constant refrain is how the Angels get their prospects, especially Draft picks, to the big leagues in a hurry, though their third-rounder from this year, high school lefty Johnny Slawinski, could vie for this honor in 2027. But even though Lugo got shut down during his United States debut in early July following a back strain, he held his own when he was on the field in the Arizona Complex League and could take off with a potential move to full-season ball next year.
Astros: Xavier Neyens, SS (No. 3)
Neyers' combination of physicality and power stood out in the 2025 Draft, where the Astros selected him 21st overall and signed the Washington prep prospect for $4.12 million. He's a 6-foot-4, 210-pounder with plenty of bat speed and strength, and he's also athletic for his size and possesses an arm capable of delivering of 95-mph fastballs on the mound.
A’s: Leo De Vries, SS (No. 1/MLB No. 3)
This one will be interesting to watch. While he’s still only 18, De Vries has reached Double-A since he came to the A’s in the Mason Miller trade and the A’s don’t shy away from aggressive promotions, so it’s not out of the question that he’ll graduate next year. The same could be true with his biggest competition for the top spot in the org: 2025 first-rounder Jamie Arnold, who as an advanced college lefty should zip through the system.
Mariners: Ryan Sloan, RHP (No. 5/MLB No. 41)
There are some pretty exciting options here because it’s unclear who among the nine Top 100 prospects will graduate. No. 1 prospect Colt Emerson could still be around and 2025 first-rounder Kade Anderson should move fast, but might still be eligible. But Sloan, who jumped onto the Top 100 this year with a very strong first full season as a prep right-hander, could catapult into the list of top pitching prospects in the game after another year.
Rangers: Gavin Fien, SS (No. 2)
Fien won MVP honors at MLB's High School All-American Game and led the U.S. 18-and-under national team in slugging (.680), leading several scouts to consider him the best bat in the 2025 high school class. He lacked consistency this spring but still showed good swing decisions and plus raw power before the Rangers signed him for $4.8 million as the 12th overall choice.
NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST
Braves: Cam Caminiti, LHP (No. 1/MLB No. 79)
The Braves’ first-rounder in 2024, Caminiti was slowed out of the gate this season with some forearm tendinitis, making his full-season debut in early June. He’s done a nice job missing bats with Single-A Augusta with a carefully-monitored workload. Next year, the gloves could come off and his four-pitch mix could help him make a big leap forward.
Marlins: Aiva Arquette, SS (No. 2/MLB No. 38)
The consensus best college position player in the 2025 Draft, Arquette slashed .354/.461/.654 with 19 homers at Oregon State before signing for $7,149,900 as the seventh overall pick. He's bigger (6-foot-5, 220 pounds) than most shortstops, comes with 30-homer upside and is surprisingly smooth for his size at shortstop.
Mets: A.J. Ewing, OF/2B (No. 7)
The New York system has seen a number of exciting breakouts in 2025, and Ewing’s was perhaps the largest in terms of individual growth. Using his plus speed, the 21-year-old has become an impressive defender in center field and stolen 68 bags in 114 games across Single-A, High-A and Double-A this season. His ability to make consistent contact has similarly fueled his rise, even if his power is unlikely to be better than average. With Carson Benge and Jett Williams already at Triple-A and pushing for the Majors, Ewing should get more time to marinate at the upper levels in 2026 and make a strong case to be No. 1 for ‘27.
Nationals: Eli Willits, SS (No. 1/MLB No. 18)
This is far from a hot take. The No. 1 overall pick in 2025 will be an organization’s top prospect less than two years later. But credit where it’s due – Willits is already living up to his billing as a potential plus switch-hitter during his early days at Single-A Fredericksburg, and as a potential above-average defender at short, he should remain at the premium position long-term. Still only 17, the son of former Major Leaguer Reggie Willits is hoping to grow into more power, and if he does, he could be a Top 5 overall prospect in the sport by this time next year, never mind 2027.
Phillies: Aroon Escobar, 2B (No. 5)
Currently No. 8 on the Top 10 2B prospects list, Escobar has flirted with our Top 100 list and has moved firmly into the Phillies’ Top 10. He’s had a very solid first go-round in full-season ball, earning a promotion to High-A at age 20, showing off a solid approach at the plate and posting 14 homers and 22 steals. The top three on the current list should all graduate and we’ll give the every-day player the edge over Gage Wood, the right-hander taken in the first round of this most recent Draft.
NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL
Brewers: Jesús Made, SS (No. 1/MLB No. 5)
There’s a certain temptation to think Made, who only turned 18 in May, will continue climbing quickly and could be in Milwaukee by the second half next year. Even that might be too aggressive for the Crew, who waited until Jackson Chourio was 20 to call him up. No matter. The switch-hitting shortstop has the feel and power at the plate to be a future No. 1 overall prospect, and his ability to transition easily to each level so far only furthers the industry’s confidence that he could be a future No. 1 overall prospect by the time he actually reaches The Show.
Cardinals: Rainiel Rodriguez, C (No. 4/MLB No. 95)
Rodriguez has already put together one of the most impressive age-18 seasons in recent memory; his 147 wRC+ for Single-A Palm Beach is higher than the marks for Julio Rodríguez and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (both 146) at the same age and level. His power does the talking here, backed by an exceptional ability to lift and pull the ball with loud exit velos at such a young age. There are some defensive questions behind the plate, but even at first base, Rodriguez’s bat is looking incredibly valuable already and could be even more so by his age-20 campaign in ‘27.
Cubs: Jefferson Rojas, SS/2B (No. 3/MLB No. 60)
One of the most advanced hitters on the 2022 international market, Rojas signed for $1 million out of the Dominican Republic in 2022 and has consistently handled older pitching until scuffling when he reached Double-A in the middle of this season at age 20. He's batting a combined .237/.343/.389 with 11 homers and 19 steals in 105 games between High-A and Double-A this year, and the Cubs believe he can stick at shortstop.
Pirates: Seth Hernandez, RHP (No. 3/MLB No. 26)
The prediction is that the Konnor Griffin train will keep going full-steam ahead next year, and he’ll graduate to the big leagues in 2026, his age 20 season, after catapulting to No. 1 overall prospect status. Hernandez was the best prep arm in the 2025 Draft class and has frontline starter potential, which he’ll show off in his first full season. His main competition could be Edward Florentino.
Reds: Tyson Lewis, SS (No. 4/MLB No. 82)
He’s played his way onto the Top 100 in his first full season of pro ball after the Reds went over slot in the second round of the 2024 Draft to get him. The left-handed hitting shortstop hit his way from the ACL to full-season Daytona and more than held his own, showing glimpses of power (nine combined homers in 75 games, .500 SLG) and speed (26 steals).
NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST
D-backs: Slade Caldwell, OF (No. 2)
The 2024 29th overall pick zoomed to High-A after only 48 games in his first full season but has hit a bit of a wall at the higher level (Hillsboro’s pitcher-friendly park likely hasn’t helped). All the same, he has an OBP-first profile right now due to extreme selectivity, and with plus-plus speed, he could be an impressive defender in center or left depending on team need. Jumping on pitches he could drive would go a long way toward pushing Caldwell back into the Top 100 in 2026 and beyond.
Dodgers: Zyhir Hope, OF (No. 2/MLB No. 19)
Acquired in the Michael Busch trade with the Cubs in January 2024, Hope features the best all-around tools in the Dodgers system: plus power and arm strength to go with solid hitting ability, speed and defense at all three outfield positions. He's hitting .269/.381/.438 with 13 homers and 25 steals in 118 games in High-A at age 20.
Giants: Josuar Gonzalez, SS (No. 2)
The consensus best position player in the 2025 international crop, Gonzalez signed for $2,997,500 out of the Dominican Republic in January. A switch-hitter with electric bat speed and at least solid tools across the board, he slashed .288/.404/.455 with 33 steals in 52 games in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League during his pro debut.
Padres: Ethan Salas, C (No. 1/MLB No. 83)
There was a time when we would have guessed that Salas would have graduated by 2027, given San Diego’s history of aggression with its top prospects. That’s no longer the case as a stress reaction in his back has kept him out of the Double-A San Antonio lineup for much of ‘25. Still only 19, the backstop should get another crack at the Texas League and will need to show he can hang at the plate and maintain his standing as a sound defender to hush some of his scouting critics and hold off 2025 first-rounder Kruz Schoolcraft from rising to No. 1. A healthy turn in the Arizona Fall League in a few weeks would certainly help the cause.
Rockies: Ethan Holliday, SS (No. 1/MLB No. 17)
In contention to go No. 1 overall in this year’s Draft, the Rockies were thrilled that Holliday made it to them at No. 4, signing him for $9 million, a record for a high school player. Matt’s kid has gotten his professional feet wet with Single-A Fresno, which should help him hit the ground running in 2026 and stick atop this list.