Competition is rife in the National League Central with five clubs perpetually jockeying to dethrone one another. A consistent factor in determining who does that? Prospect development. These top performers have a uniquely NL Central bent and it’s no surprise, given that the division accounts for 23 of the Top 100 overall prospects, with all but the Cardinals having at least five players on that list. Here’s who earned a spot as MiLB’s cream of the crop.
Konnor Griffin, SS/OF, Greensboro (PIT No. 2/MLB No. 34)
Being promoted to face older and stiffer competition is supposed to be hard, but apparently no one told Griffin. The ninth overall pick in the 2024 Draft slugged his first High-A homer, and then followed up by adding two singles and two stolen bases; in total, he scored four runs from the leadoff spot, a new career best. Griffin, who just turned 19 in late April, is demolishing High-A pitching in his first five games with a .435/.500/.739 slash line with 17 total bases and five steals. Gameday
Cam Collier, 3B, Dayton (CIN No. 4/MLB No. 71)
A torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb sustained during Spring Training wound up taking a chunk out of Collier’s 2025 campaign. But he has returned to High-A -- where he slugged 20 homers last season -- and hasn’t missed a beat. His two-hit night included his first roundtripper back with Dayton, elevating his average to .306 with at least one knock in eight of his 10 games at the level. Gameday
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Jordan Lawlar, INF, Reno (AZ No. 1/MLB No. 4)
D-backs television broadcaster Steve Berthiaume likes to joke that there is “zero gravity” at Reno’s Greater Nevada Field but hit a ball like Lawlar did on Saturday and that thing is flying out of anywhere. Arizona’s top prospect mauled a 425-foot game-tying roundtripper -- all while donning a special Peanuts-themed uniform -- that eventually helped swing the pendulum in the Aces’ favor. The 22-year-old is scorching hot during June, slashing .313/.411/.646 with eight of his 15 hits going for extra bases. Lawlar ranks among the top 5 in nearly every major offensive category in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, including average (.324), slugging percentage (.583) and OPS (.988). Gameday
Thomas Harrington, RHP, Indianapolis (PIT No. 3/MLB No. 80)
Make it three consecutive outings that Harrington has spun a quality start at Triple-A. After enduring some heavy traffic through each of his first two frames, the 23-year-old faced just two over the minimum in his final four innings; all told, he compiled a season-best 10 strikeouts, marking his fourth career double-digit K performance. After getting a brief taste of The Show in April, including notching his first save, the 36th overall pick from the 2022 Draft has well-positioned himself for a return by holding opposing batters to a .159 average in June. Gameday
Jimmy Crooks, C, Memphis (STL No. 4)
Crooks has had a few big performances in 2025 for Triple-A Memphis -- including eight games with at least three RBIs -- but his latest outing takes the cake. The left-handed-hitting backstop swatted a pair of homers in the same contest for just the second time in his pro career, accounting for all three of the game’s runs. The 2022 fourth-rounder has been a steady run producer in his first taste of the Minors’ highest level this year, racking up 47 RBIs in 50 games. Gameday
Jaxon Wiggins, RHP, Knoxville (CHC No. 9)
Wiggins has always had an explosive arsenal dating back to his days at the University of Arkansas, it’s just been a matter of putting it together over sustained stretches. His 30th professional outing saw him do just that, spearheading a Double-A Knoxville no-hitter, the franchise’s first since 2022. The 23-year-old racked up 20 whiffs, including tying his career high with nine strikeouts. Selected by Chicago in the 2023 Draft with the compensation pick gained from Willson Contreras' departure, Wiggins lowered his ERA across two levels this year to 1.92 with an 0.96 WHIP and 70 K’s in 56 1/3 frames. Gameday