Goodbye offseason, hello spring training!
It’s finally time to bring the ball glove, bat, sunglasses, hat, and snacks. The best part of spring training is watching the young up-and-coming players to see how they developed their game and matured physically and mentally over the past year. We will see the likes of Jackson Holliday, Junior Caminero, and Jackson Chourio make their debuts heading into Opening Day. But they aren’t the only ones eager to break through to the majors. This group of players are top prospects who are all intriguing in different ways. These young players should be on everyone’s radar this year.
MLB Prospects at Spring Training
Walker Jenkins, OF, Minnesota Twins
Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 60 | Run: 55 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55 | Overall: 60
MLB ETA: 2026
Walker Jenkins was drafted No. 5 in the 2023 MLB Draft. Jenkins already has offensive potential, possessing a feel for making contact and minding the strike zone. Minnesota allowed Jenkins to play center field in his first year of professional baseball, slashing .362/.417/.571 over 105 at-bats. With a strong 6’3″ frame and a ton of bat speed, Jenkins has every chance to be a plus-hitter with plus-power. He was considered the best prep bat in the draft and fits into the right field blueprint for the Twins. He will also get playing time in the corners, so he is comfortable if there is an opening whenever his bat is ready for the majors.
Chase Dollander, RHP, Colorado Rockies
Scouting grades: Fastball: 65| Slider: 60| Changeup: 55| Curveball: 50| Control: 50| Overall: 55
MLB ETA: 2025
Chase Dollander was the No.9 pick in last year’s draft. He entered last spring as the top pitcher in the class who had a legitimate chance to go No. 1. In 2022 at Tennessee, Dollander went 10-0 with a 2.39 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 79 innings. 2023 wasn’t very kind to the right-hander as his command was inconsistent, finishing with a 7-6 record and 4.75 ERA in 89 innings. Dollander’s pitching arsenal includes a high-90s fastball with an elite four-seam. He also has a nasty slider and a slow curveball that can fool anyone at the plate. He has yet to make his professional debut, but there is a lot to like about his game.
Ethan Salas, C, San Diego Padres
Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 45 | Arm: 60 | Field: 65 | Overall: 65
MLB ETA: 2025
The 2023 season was full of firsts for Ethan Salas, and he’s only 17-years-old. He signed last January and is considered the best catching prospect in baseball and the best overall prospect in the Padres farm system. He finished with a 2.48/.331/.421 hitting line in his three minor leagues tops combined. Salas will likely begin his season in Doubel-A again, hoping to advance to Triple-A by the season’s end. Some in the Padres organization believe Salas could be called up in September.
Kyle Manzardo, 1B, Cleveland Guardians
Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 55 | Run: 30 | Arm: 45 | Field: 50 | Overall: 55
MLB ETA: 2024
Cleveland landed Kyle Manzardo from the Tampa Bay Rays at the trade deadline for Aaron Civale. The return for the Guardians solved their first base position for the long term. The left-handed hitter has done nothing but hit, posting an .802 OPS with 17 home runs and 55 RBI last season. Following the trade, Manzardo had a .938 OPS in 92 plate appearances with Triple-A Columbus. All the Guardians can hope is that he continues to hit for average. He will have the opportunity to join Cleveland’s lineup sometime this spring.
MLB ETA: 2024
Luisangel Acuña, 2B, New York Mets
Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 45 | Run: 60 | Arm: 55 | Field: 60 | Overall: 55
MLB ETA: 2024/2025
Ronald’s kid brother will be a familiar name in more ways than one. Not only is he the younger brother of the Atlanta Braves MVP-winning outfielder, but he is the player the Mets received from the Texas Rangers in exchange for Max Scherzer. Acuña is a well-rounded player with a feel for contact and zone alike. The 21-year-old slashed .294/.359/.410 last year in Double-A, and he possesses good speed as he stole 57 bases on 57 tries. He is profiled as a player who plays with high energy and enthusiasm. He has primarily played shortstop in the minors but is likely to play second base in the long term.
Cade Horton, RHP, Chicago Cubs
Scouting grades: Fastball: 65| Slider: 60| Changeup: 55| Curveball: 50| Control: 50| Overall: 55
MLB ETA: 2024
Cade Horton was one of the best two-way players in the country coming out of high school. The Chicago Cubs chose Horoton with the seventh overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft out of Oklahoma. He is the best pitching prospect the Cubs have as he rapidly advanced through the minor leagues. He reached as high as Double-A last year in his first professional season. In 21 starts across three levels, the 22-year-old posted a 2.65 ERA and struck out 35.5% of the batters he faced. Horton features a 94-96 mph fastball that can top 98 mph and throws enough strikes to project him as a starter comfortably. The concern is that the Cubs limited him to 88 innings in 2023, which could prevent him from being a part of the major league rotation for most of the season.
Colt Keith, 3B, Detroit Tigers
Scouting grades: Hit: 60| Power: 60| Run: 40| Arm: 50| Field: 45| Overall: 55
MLB ETA: 2024
Colt Keith is coming off a landmark contract extension before playing a major league game. It gives Keith every opportunity to win the Tigers’ third-base job in spring training. With A.J. Hinch as manager, the club’s top prospect will likely make the leap courtesy of a strong spring. Keith hit .306/.380/.552 with 27 home runs and 101 RBI between Double-A and Triple-A last season. However, there are some questions about his defensive work. On the bright side, he should produce at the plate no matter what; he’s major-league-ready now.
Dylan Crews, OF, Washington Nationals
Scouting grades: Hit: 70 | Power: 60 | Run: 60 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 65
MLB ETA: 2024
The Washington Nationals took Crews out of LSU with the second overall pick last year. He was by far the best player in the class by scouts. He played 35 games in the Nationals farm system last season, hitting .292/.377/.467 with nine doubles and five homes in 137 at-bats. A plus-runner, Crews is different from the type of player who steals bases, but he can make defenses think twice once he gets moving. He has the athleticism to play center field but saw some time in the corners in Harrisburg, joining forces with James Wood and Robert Hassell III. Crews bat should play anywhere in Washington’s homegrown outfield.
Paul Skenes, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates
Scouting grades: Fastball: 80 | Slider: 70 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 60 | Overall: 65
MLB ETA: 2024/2025
Paul Skenes went No.1 in July’s draft, going 12-2 with a 1.69 ERA as a junior at LSU, striking out 29 in 122 2/3 innings over 19 starts. Pittsburgh is expected to take it slow with the right-hander, which is the right thing to do with any prospect. His fastball clocks around 98 mph, and his slider has proven to be a compelling chase-and-swing offering. His changeup can top 93 mph, which might be his third pitch as he learns to land the fading offspeed offering in the zone consistently. Many scouts have viewed Skenes as the best pitching prospect in baseball since Stephen Strasburg. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he makes it to the big leagues as early as September.
Photo Credit: © Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
