Top 150 Prospect Rankings Update (Memorial Day, 2026):
These prospect rankings are based on FANTASY value, not on real life value. Considering such, hitters generally weigh a bit heavier for me due to the injury risk and higher volatility of prospect pitchers. Proximity to the majors is also prominent in the equation, though these rankings are taking a longer-term / dynasty look on these guys (think of it more as a 5 year plan).
Rather than getting into writing little bios on all of these hitters, I’ve decided to keep my rankings simple by providing the 2026 stats of each player across all levels, the player’s fScores (which can be found only on MLB Data Warehouse), a player comp, a small blub on the player’s prime skills for fantasy including my tool grades / pitching arsenals and an explanation of my ranking that may include trending data.
Please note these rankings are the result of months of work from using available data via MLB Data Warehouse, the fScore algorithms developed by myself (and coded by Jon Anderson), regular in-person scouting (Florida based), writing weekly prospect performance columns and weekly performance podcasts and regular film review; I have provided my personal comps for each prospect (for fun - note: comps may be based on mechanics, body type, pitching arsenal or similar skills & box score style) and how I generally think each prospect will perform once in the majors over the next five or so seasons.
Additional in-season note: The statistical references will vary as I’m writing this article in-season over the course of a two week time period. Look at the right side of the date slider to see the dates in comparison to each other when referencing multiple players.
Follow me on X (@fantasyaceball), YouTube (@TheTimkanak) and my podcast (@fantasyaceball podcast).
NOTE: Rookie status is determined by 130 ABs, or 50 IPs at the Major League level - rather than including time on roster.
76. OF Ethan Conrad (Cubs)
2025 College: .372/.495/.744 | 18.6 BB% / 14.4 K% | 15 XBH, 7 HR, 4 SB (21 games)
ETA: Mid 2027
Comp: Lefty Wyatt Langford w/ less power
Prime Skills: Conrad only played in 21 games this year for Wake Forest due to a shoulder injury, but the big 6’3, 220 lb lefty has a three year track record of top flight production at a great baseball school including scorching a .385/.433/.486 slash in the Cape Cod league in 2024, showing he can hit with wood as well as metal. We don’t have wood bat exit velocities for him, but based on his 113.9 metal bat max EV and 92-94 average EVs in college, we can assume he would likely have a 106-110 max EV and 87-91 mph average EV. Conrad notched an elite 92% Z-Contact rate in 2025 in college..
Hitter Tool Grades:
Hit: 45/60
Plate Approach: 45/55
Power: 45/55
Speed: 55/60
Ranking Explanation: Conrad has not yet debuted in pro ball, so we only have college data, college video and some Cape Cod info to go off of, which is not a fair comparison to the other players within these rankings. Conrad has an above average to plus hit tool and is a smooth athlete who will play a solid outfield and is at least an above average player across all tool sets. He could be the Carson Benge type of 2026 who just zooms up levels with an advanced approach throughout all facets of the game. Mechanically, he reminds me of Wyatt Langford, but just hits from the other side of the plate. I thought for sure he would have played by now, still recovering from a 2025 shoulder surgery as it was expected he was to debut by May, but here we are - one year after surgery and still not playing. The talent is there, which is why he still moved up the rankings thanks to promotions even though he has not played yet.
Previous Rank: 100
77. SP Jaxon Wiggins (Cubs)
ETA: Mid/Late 2026
Comp: Max Scherzer-ish
Prime Skills: Wiggins has a big flat fastball with a decent amount of arm-side run that lives in the high 90s, but tops out at 100 with a leaning plus late break gyro slider from a huge 6’6” frame, but some rough control (59% ball rate in AAA) and a plus change up. He throws from a pretty simple ¾ delivery from the right side and the big upgrade in my ranking is due to the fact we now have pitch level data that is incredibly impressive - impressive enough to defeat my anti-Cubs bias that certainly exists.
Arsenal Grades:
FA (95-100 mph): 65/65
SL (82-89 mph): 50/60
CH (83-86 mph): 55/60
CU (76-80 mph): 35/40
Command: 35/40
Ranking Explanation: Wiggins is kind of a two pitch guy right now relying on the split in movement from the flat fastball to the late break slider for the majority of his strikeouts and the changeup is good enough that he has a solid enough 3-pitch mix, but the issue he has is the lack of command start-to-start, as he will go one or two starts with a 55-60% strike rate and then drop down to a 35-45% strike rate right after. Wiggins inconsistent command and worse secondaries pushed him down my rankings when healthy, but he has missed almost all of the 2026 season after being placed on the IL with elbow inflammation. He is still not “game ready” as of this writing per the Cubs staff, which is unfortunate as I thought there was a good chance he would be debuting soon at the beginning of the year. Wiggins has top of the rotation upside if he can keep the command in check and regain health.
Previous Rank: 54
78. SP Jamie Arnold (Athletics)
ETA: Early/Mid 2027
Comp: Mini Chris Sale
Prime Skills: Arnold is an athletic lefty with a slighter build and throws from a unique arm angle that made him one of the top pitching prospects coming into the season and leaving the season, as he has a well-rounded fastball, slider, double change up combo and above average command, especially for the arm-slot. The cutter is a gyro slider, more than a cut fastball, whereas he does throw a sinker for groundball outs against righties. Arnold throws both a kick change and a split change in order to get both a downer arm-side movement profile vs. the glove-side fade of the kick change.
Arsenal Grades:
FA (94-98 mph): 60/60
SL (84-87 mph - sweeper): 65/65
FS (86-89 mph): 50/55
CH (84-87 mph): 40/50
FC (86-88 mph): 45/50
SI (92-95 mph): 45/50
Command: 40/55
Ranking Explanation: I would ignore some of the back of the baseball card numbers from Arnold so far that are affecting his fScores a bit, as he has had atrocious BABIP luck, however he has had sub par command for a dude who was supposed to be polished in that department out of college. He should climb pretty quickly and could even debut by the end of 2026 thanks to his polish, but I see 2027 as more likely until he works out the command kinks and figures out how to avoid righties crushing him the way they are now.
Previous Rank: 60
79. OF Hector Rodriguez (Reds)
ETA: Mid 2026
Comp: Wilyer Abreu and Michael Harris II mash (as hitters)
Prime Skills: Rodriguez has fire hydrant build as a 200 pound 5’11” player with a short, quick swing that leads to a plus hit tool though he misses a tad on his swings (lackluster, but improved barrel rates), though the flyball rate is fairly poor. Rodriguez has improved plate approach this season for the second consecutive year and has above average power (107.1 90th percentile EV and 112.7 max EV - last year). He has a potential 20/10, gap hitter profile that can really play up in Cincinnati. He’s good enough against lefties to avoid the strongside platoon risk many lefties face and managed 46 extra base hits in 135 games this season. He has 20 extra base hits in 51 games as of this writing in 2026, including coming off a 3 homer game as I’m writing this to bring his total to 10.
Hitter Tool Grades:
Hit: 55/60
Plate Approach: 50/50
Power: 50/55
Speed: 45/50
Ranking Explanation: The biggest issue Rodriguez faces is an ability to get to quality angles that could help the raw power in the exit velocities play up to a 60 grade power. Rodriguez profiles as a solid starter, but the upside is limited as he currently profiles to be a .260-.280 hitter with 20-ish homer power and 10 steal speed.
Previous Rank: 74
80. OF Henry Bolte (Athletics)
Comp: Lane Thomas & Righty Charlie Blackmon mash
Prime Skills: Bolte put up a decent steals total and some solid power numbers last year, but a high BABIP and high K rate made him look like a small ball version of Nolan Jones. Bolte has always been able to take a walk and due to his speed is really good at nabbing extra bases when he does make contact with a 150 XBH+. Bolte barely made the cut into my Top 150 last time around after being on the list for years, but major strides forward in contact rate this year have changed the potential outcome as he progressed from a terrible hit tool to only a below average hit tool, while also cutting down on the strikeouts. Even in the majors he is running way too high of groundball rates, but at least he’s getting on base and using his legs.
Hitter Tool Grades:
Hit: 40/40
Plate Approach: 40/45
Power: 35/50
Speed: 75/75
Ranking Explanation: Bolte got the call and some run way earlier than I expected and the power and speed are so enticing it makes him a fun upside gamble this late in the rankings. I said last write up, “ If he can develop even a below average hit tool by improving contact and angles and limit the strikeouts, he could be a fantasy unicorn - but I don’t find it likely, we are probably looking at Esteury Ruiz 2.0 and it may be lucky he hits the ball on the ground so much, because hitting the ball in the air was the undoing of Ruiz.” Bolte did fix the contact issues to a below average hit tool, but the angles are still terrible for power and a dude with these kind of exit velocities who can’t get the ball off the ground is a shame. I think he’s a peak .250-.270 hitter who can snag 40 bags a year and the raw power could be as a 20-25 homer guy, but more than likely he’s around 8-14 homers unless he can get the ball in the air.
Previous Rank: 150