Acquired from the Rangers for Max Scherzer, Acuna has a very familiar name as the younger brother of Braves superstar Ronald Acuna Jr. The younger Acuna doesn’t have the size or power of his sibling, but he does have the speed and athleticism. He should start the season at Triple-A, but could be a fixture in the Mets lineup for years to come as a high batting average, 40-plus base stealer.

The 33rd overall pick in the 2021 draft, Black is ready just in the nick of time for the Brewers as they search for their third base starter in 2024. He’s made the position his home after mainly playing second base at Wright State, and is coming off a terrific year hitting .284/.417/.513 with 18 home runs in 55 stolen bases between Double- and Triple-A. If Milwaukee doesn’t address third base in the offseason, Black could be the starter on Opening Day.

Chourio has a legitimate claim as the top prospect in baseball, consistently smashing older competition. He was tremendous at Double-A Biloxi last season, hitting .280-22-89 with 43 steals in 122 games, doing so at age 19. The Brewers have no reason to rush Chourio with a crowded outfield already, but Chourio could force their hand with a strong Spring Training en route to superstar status.

Frasso isn’t your typical Dodgers pitching prospect, with his biggest strength pitchability rather than raw stuff. Still, he’s been able to fan opposing hitters almost at will with a career K/9 above 11.0, and he posted at 3.77 ERA over 25 starts in two hitter’s environments between Double- and Triple-A last season. LA’s starting rotation is in a state of transition, but the 25-year-old Frasso has the ability to help solidify it in 2024.

The Brewers practiced extreme patience with Gasser in 2023, leaving him at Triple-A Nashville all season. It could pay off with the team likely needing pitching help next season, especially after Brandon Woodruff‘s shoulder surgery. Gasser went 9-1 with a 3.79 ERA in 135.1 innings, fanning 11.0 K/9 and showing adequate control. He should slot in nicely as a middle of the rotation starter.

Gilbert was the centerpiece of the Justin Verlander trade for the Mets, as a 2022 first-round pick by Houston who has fulfilled the hype. He hit .289/.381/.487 with 18 home runs in 116 games between High-A and Double-A last season, showing decent contact and polish in his game. New York has reason to practice patience, but Gilbert could help by mid-2024.

The first overall pick in the 2022 draft and the son of former star outfielder Matt Holliday, Jackson has been everything O’s fans could have dreamed. He tore the cover off the ball at four different levels as a 19-year-old last season, finishing the year hitting .323-12-74 with 24 steals and a .442 on-base percentage in 125 games. He has yet to be challenged by professional pitching, which is a great sign for his potential to break camp with the Big League club in 2024. 

The seventh pick in the 2022 draft out of Oklahoma, Horton has been dominant in his early pro career. He posted a 2.65 ERA in 21 starts between three levels last season, showing elite control and nearly 12.0 K/9. The Cubs enter the offseason with a need for a starter as Marcus Stroman enters free agency, and Horton could be their answer.

The younger brother of Rangers third baseman Josh Jung, Jace had a solid first full season as a pro after going 12th overall in the 2022 draft. He smashed 28 home runs with a strong walk rate between High-A and Double-A. Detroit is likely to give Jung at least a half-season at Triple-A as they continue their rebuild, but his impact isn’t far away.

Keith has been a diamond in the rough for Detroit as a former fifth-round pick, now on the cusp of stardom. He demolished pitching between Double- and Triple-A last season, hitting .306-27-101 in 126 games, and has rarely struggled in the minors.

Based on his debut, Langford could cause the teams drafting ahead of the Rangers in 2023 to regret bypassing him as the fourth overall pick. The Florida alum’s debut was simply incredible, hitting .360-10-30 with 36/34 BB/K in 200 plate appearances between four levels. After already seeing time at Triple-A, it’s likely Langford will get a real shot to make the Rangers in Spring Training.

It remains to be seen where Lee will play in the majors with Carlos Correa and Royce Lewis ahead of him in Minnesota, but the organization loves his upside. The 2022 first-round pick hit .275-16-84 between Double- and Triple-A last season. After struggling in 38 games at Triple-A St. Paul, it’s likely the Twins will give Lee more time to develop, but his arrival to MLB shouldn’t be far away.

Manzardo had a somewhat disappointing season in 2023 after a great 2022 showing, hitting .237-17-55 in 97 games between Double- and Triple-A. The former Rays prospect still makes hard contact consistently, and he has excellent plate discipline. Cleveland has an opening at first base or DH after trading Josh Bell, and it’s likely they will give Manzardo a long look in Spring Training.

There’s no questioning Martinez’s power potential, hitting at least 28 home runs in three consecutive seasons in the minors. He’s shown that power against more advanced competition, but there are concerns about Martinez’s batting average as a career .239 hitter as a pro. With third baseman Matt Chapman headed toward free agency, Martinez could get an opportunity in Spring Training at the hot corner, but he must proved he’s not overmatched by MLB pitching.

It’s no clear where Merrill will play in the majors after San Diego signed Xander Bogaerts last offseason, but his potential is clear. The 2021 first-round pick shows great contact ability and was a 15/15 man between High-A and Double-A last season at age 20. His bat isn’t quite ready for The Show, but some growth early in the season could force the Padres hand.

There aren’t many minor league pitchers with better stuff than Misiorowski, with a high-90s fastball and nasty slider. He fanned nearly 14 K/9 between three levels last season, though his control remains a work in progress. The former second-round pick’s control progress should determine if he’s in the majors early next season or later in the year.

Tim Anderson‘s future on the South Side is unclear, but it is clear that Montgomery is the future at shortstop. The 2021 first-round pick was terrific last season, hitting .287/.456/.484 between three minors over 64 games. He has excellent patience discipline and more power potential than last season’s power would indicate, though the White Sox can afford to work him in slowly for what appears to be a mini rebuild.

Keeping the ball down and throwing strikes is especially important in a hitter’s park like Cincinnati, and Petty has an easy time with both of those skills. The right-hander was incredible in 2023, with a 1.72 ERA in 18 starts, mostly at High-A. Unbelievably, he didn’t allow a home run and had a 2.0 BB/9 despite facing many older hitters at age 20. His skillset fits Cincinnati beautifully, and the team could push him to the majors quickly if he can stay healthy next season.

Acquired from Texas for Jordon Montgomery, Saggese doesn’t have a clear position given the Cardinals current roster, but his bat should find a home somewhere. He hit .306-26-111 in 139 games between Double- and Triple-A last season, emerging as a top power prospect at age 21. Saggese has seen limited time at Triple-A, but could still emerge early in the season for an organization that desperately needs to turn things around in 2024.

Skenes became college baseball’s clear best pitching prospect at LSU last season, fanning 209 batters in 122.2 innings en route to becoming the first overall pick in the draft. He got limited opportunities as a pro, with Pittsburgh understandably being conservative after a full college season. However, Skenes should get a long look in Spring Training, and there are plenty of available spots in the Pittsburgh starting rotation when he’s deemed ready.

A first-round pick out of high school in 2022, Snelling is already flying up the Padres farm system. He concluded his season at Double-A last year, going 11-3 with a 1.82 ERA in 22 starts and showing outstanding command with a 3.47 K/BB ratio. The Padres enter 2024 with the starting rotation remaining a strength, but Snelling could augment it in the second half if his ascent continues.

Arguably the best pitching prospect in the game, Tiedemann opened eyes with a ridiculous 16.8 K/9 in 44 innings all the way up to Triple-A last season. Unfortunately, his workload was very limited by injuries, and Tiedemann also ran into some control struggles. The 21-year-old lefty still shows Johan Santana-like upside between his high-90s fastball and elite changeup if the health cooperates.

The hype for Yankees prospect is always a bit louder than the rest of the league, but Thorpe is deserving. The 2022 second-round pick showed elite control last season while going 14-2 with a 2.52 ERA in 23 starts between High-A and Double-A. While he doesn’t have elite stuff, Thorpe’s 11.8 K/9 showed plenty of upside, and he’s also done a solid job keeping the ball down. New York could rely on Thorpe soon, especially if Carlos Rodon continues to struggle with injuries.

The 24th overall pick in the 2023 draft, Waldrep has a relatively high floor due to his ability to miss bats and provoke groundballs. Atlanta pushed him all the way to Triple-A in just a few months as a pro, but Waldrep had no problems with the competition. His control remains a work in progress, though the profile gives Waldrep Logan Webb-like upside if he can avoid walks on a more consistent basis.

Whisenhunt threw only 58.2 innings between three levels in 2023, but those few innings were dominant. The lefty had a 2.45 ERA with 12.7 K/9, and the strikeout rate barely dropped despite two promotions. San Francisco has been cautious after Whisenhunt threw limited innings in the minors, but his success to his point makes Whisenhunt a top candidate to impact their 2024 squad.