Baseball America and MLB Pipeline have recently released their updated prospect lists and an updated Top 100 prospect list with ETAs and when these players will reach the majors. Due to the recent call-ups and graduations of top prospects, the top ten has drastically changed since the start of the season. The new top ten prospects are progressing impressively through the minors, and the only question remaining is where they will end the season in 2026.
Where Will These Top 10 Prospects End the Season
Max Clark – OF (Detroit Tigers)
Max Clark is the most major league-ready of those yet to debut on the top ten prospects list. He is currently the only player in Triple-A on the list. While he had a rough first big league Spring Training, he has played well in Triple-A. He is hitting .269 with 13 extra base hits in 39 games. Clark also has 10 steals on the year. Long-term Clark will man centerfield at a premier level defensively. He demonstrates top-end speed in the center and has great natural instincts. From a power perspective, he may only hit 10-15 homers at the big league level. There should be no doubt about where he fits in Detroit’s plans to end the season.
Max Clark Season Stats:
.269 AVG | 13 XBH | 10 SB | .339 OBP#DNMW pic.twitter.com/Td0MBMkz4G
— Milb Central (@milb_central) May 18, 2026
— Milb Central (@milb_central) May 18, 2026
Max Clark will likely end the season in Detroit. The team’s outfielders, aside from Riley Greene, have disappointed at the plate. Clark offers immediate impact in the field and on the basepaths, adding energy to the clubhouse. While his bat may need more time to develop, as he has cooled off lately, the Tigers could contend with another competent hitter in the lineup. With Tarik Skubal in a contract year and out for an extended period, the Tigers may need a stronger offensive presence.
By Way of Triple-A
Jesus Made – SS (Milwaukee Brewers)
Jesus Made is now baseball’s top prospect, following Konnor Griffin’s graduation. Made is one of four Brewers’ middle infielders on the Top 100 list and is the highest ranked. Signed from the Dominican Republic as an international free agent in January 2024, he has excelled since moving stateside. As a switch-hitter, he earned a .298 average in his first two full minor league seasons, finishing the 2025 season in Double-A.
Jesus Made has already almost matched his career high for home runs in a season in just 37 games. This is indicative of more potential power as his body continues to physically develop. While he is playing well in his second taste of Double-A, there’s no rush in the Brewers’ organization. They have had aggressive approaches in the past, and if he continues to hit well and be competent at shortstop, there’s no reason he doesn’t end the season in Triple-A.
Kade Anderson – LHP (Seattle Mariners)
Kade Anderson was coming off being the best pitcher in college baseball in 2025 when the Mariners selected him with the third pick in last July’s draft. The Mariners then decided to let him make his pro debut this spring after pitching well into the summer because of the College World Series. Since making his pro debut in Double-A, he has been dominant on the mound. The southpaw has 51 strikeouts in 34 innings and has pitched to a 1.85 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP. With these numbers, there’s no way he will end the season in Arkansas.
Kade Anderson has been utterly dominant in Double-A in 7 starts. Anderson’s success is thanks to his arsenal, which consists of a fastball, slider, changeup, and, occasionally, a curveball. He is able to generate whiffs consistently on the fastball, slider, and changeup. Anderson also uses all three as an out pitch. Thanks to this success, it could be a question of where he will end the season. The Mariners already have a strong pitching staff and may elect for Anderson to spend his first pro season all in the minors.
Kade Anderson Season Stats:
1.85 ERA | 34.0 IP | 51 SO | .178 AVG#TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/9CCgMT8Uem
— Milb Central (@milb_central) May 18, 2026
Josue De Paula – OF (Los Angeles Dodgers)
The Dodgers, in recent years, have collected Top 100 outfield prospects like Infinity Stones. They currently have 5 outfield prospects on the Top 100, and Josue De Paula is the highest-ranked of the lot. In his first extended look in Double-A, De Paula has cut down his strikeout rate by nearly 7% and currently has as many walks as strikeouts. He’s doing this all while posting a career high in OPS at .821. De Paula is doing all of this from the left side of the plate, further increasing his future value for the Dodgers and their system to end the season.
De Paula could help to plug a hole for the Dodgers in the outfield, but not for some time to come. He doesn’t turn 21 until next week and still has areas of improvement. The outfielder needs to improve defensively in the outfield. This includes taking better routes and getting in a better position to throw runners out. Also, De Paula needs to physically mature so he can add to his power potential. He already puts up premier exit velocity numbers and has shown power to all fields, but will need more strength to continue to punish the baseball. For the Dodgers, he will need to show the improvements before reaching LA and should end the season in Triple-A.
Double-A Days
Seth Hernandez – RHP (Pittsburgh Pirates)
Since 2024, the Pirates have had a pitcher in the top 15 of the prospect lists, and Seth Hernandez is the newest addition to the tradition. The sixth overall pick didn’t throw another pitch after high school and got his first taste of pro ball in 2026. This was disappointing to many Pirates fans because Hernandez was regarded as potentially having the most upside of any pitcher in the draft. Even if he did end the season in 2025 during his time in high school, he has been lights out in 2026. In 7 starts, he has a 0.82 ERA and has struck out 57 batters across 33 innings.
Seth Hernandez is seen as a steal for the Pirates after taking him 6th last year, and rightfully so. Seth Hernandez could be the top prospect in baseball come the end of the season. This is in large part thanks to his 100+ mph fastball that he flashed during the Spring Breakout Game against the Tigers. He also adds potentially three plus pitches, with his changeup being graded out almost as well as the fastball. While Hernandez may only turn 20 in June, if he continues his success, the Pirates may decide to challenge him with a Double-A assignment to end the season.
Seth Hernandez has a preposterous 27% swinging strike rate so far this year.
Roboscout thinks he’s making his early pitch as the top pitching prospect in the game 👀
(🎥 @The_Marauders)
pic.twitter.com/oB6wPexjvx— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) April 20, 2026
Up in the Air
Leo De Vries – SS (The Athletics)
Leo De Vries is currently the second-ranked prospect in all of baseball. He was the key piece in the Mason Miller trade at last year’s trade deadline and has made the Padres regret losing him. The switch-hitting shortstop is hitting .278 in 291 at-bats with 12 home runs. He has also stolen 16 bases during that time. He also has the versatility to play second or third. De Vries played second in the Arizona Fall League and appeared in a handful of games at third this season, where he could appear more to end the season.
The Athletics have young talent everywhere in Sacramento right now. Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson finished one and two, respectively, in the AL Rookie of the Year voting last season. Then, this past offseason, Jacob Wilson signed an extension to lock him up long-term at the 6 for the Athletics. With Wilson’s extension and an already log-jammed infield, De Vries needs to find a spot in the infield. He is most likely to see time at third base in the immediate future at the big league level. However, due to his limited experience at the position, he may need to end the season in Triple-A. This goes against his predicted ETA of 2026 by MLB Pipeline.
Eli Willits – SS (Washington Nationals)
The Nationals’ new regime in their front office had the task of selecting first overall in last year’s draft. Ultimately, they decided to select Eli Willits and sign him for underslot value and create yet another generational baseball family. He later debuted that summer for the Nationals’ Low-A affiliate, with whom he started the 2026 season. This season, the switch-hitter has impressed, hitting .270 with almost as many walks as strikeouts while stealing 24 bags in just 36 games.
How about an Eli Willits RBI Triple 😤 pic.twitter.com/iqsfq0HVWJ
— Fredericksburg Nationals (@FXBGNats) May 17, 2026
Eli Willits was the third-youngest player ever drafted. Due to his age, he still has room to physically mature. However, even with more strength, Willits will never hit for a ton of power. With his speed and athleticism, he will always make an impact on the bases and in the field. The largest question mark surrounding where Willits will end the season has to do with the success of the Nationals’ affiliates. He will likely get the call-up to High-A by the end of June. The Nationals may then try to get him a few extra at-bats during the minor league playoffs. If either the High-A or Double-A team makes the playoffs, that is likely where Willits ends 2026.
Injury to End the Season
Sebastian Walcott – SS/3B (Texas Rangers)
Sebastian Walcott, unfortunately, had his season cut short before it could begin. Just a short time after arriving at big league camp, Walcott found out he would need internal brace surgery and would be out the entirety of 2026. Walcott is the top prospect in the Rangers’ system. He is projected to have potential plus-plus power thanks to elite bat speed and exit velocities. Defensively, there is still a question about his position due to inconsistent footwork. Still, Rangers’ fans have much to look forward to, even if Walcott will end the season on the injured list.
Main Photo Credits: Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
