Baseball America’s latest look at the top graduated prospects in the game is loaded with familiar names near the top, and the order tells the story of how much talent has already moved beyond the minor-league prospect label.
Leading the 2026 list is Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin, who checks in at No. 1 with a 70 grade and a projected role as a perennial all-star shortstop. Tigers shortstop/third baseman Kevin McGonigle follows right behind him, also at 70, with a similar perennial all-star ceiling at either shortstop or third base. The only other player in the 70 tier is Red Sox left-hander Payton Tolle, slotted as a potential No. 1 starter.
After that top trio, the list stays stacked with impact bats and premium defenders. Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt lands at No. 4, while Yankees shortstop George Lombard Jr. comes in at No.
- Giants first baseman Bryce Eldridge, Royals catcher Carter Jensen, Mets outfielder Carson Benge, Guardians outfielder Chase DeLauter, Mets right-hander Nolan McLean and Guardians left-hander Parker Messick round out the top 10.
The next wave is heavy on high-end positional talent, especially up the middle. Mets outfielder A.J.
Ewing is ranked No. 12, followed by Tigers outfielder Max Clark at No. 13 and Mariners shortstop/third baseman Colt Emerson at No. 14.
Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo sits at No. 15, with Guardians second baseman Travis Bazzana at No. 16 and Angels right-hander Walbert Ureña at No. 17.
A cluster of catchers, shortstops and starters fills out the middle portion of the ranking. Marlins catcher Joe Mack is No.
18, Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt is No. 19, and Reds first baseman Sal Stewart checks in at No. 20.
From there, the list includes Athletics outfielder Henry Bolte, White Sox utility type Sam Antonacci, Guardians infielder Angel Genao, Brewers right-hander Logan Henderson and Pirates right-hander Bubba Chandler.
The 50-player group also includes several arms who still carry frontline or near-frontline upside. Phillies right-hander Andrew Painter is No.
26, Blue Jays right-hander Trey Yesavage is No. 28, White Sox left-handers Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz are Nos. 29 and 31, and Athletics left-hander Gage Jump is at No.
- White Sox right-hander Didier Fuentes, Nationals left-hander Connelly Early, Twins left-hander Connor Prielipp and Reds right-hander Rhett Lowder are also in the mix.
There’s plenty of depth on the position-player side, too. Yankees outfielder Spencer Jones lands at No.
37, Rays outfielder Victor Mesa Jr. is No. 38, Rockies first baseman TJ Rumfield is No. 39 and Phillies outfielder Justin Crawford checks in at No.
- Brewers outfielder Luis Lara, Cubs infielder Pedro Ramirez, Pirates outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez and White Sox outfielder Tristan Peters all make the cut as well.
At the bottom of the list, Brewers left-hander Shane Drohan closes things out at No. 50 with a 45 grade and a projected role as a No. 5 starter or bulk reliever.
The full top 50 is ranked by BA Grade, which is based on upside role, and each player’s age reflects his baseball age in 2027.
In Other News...
White Sox Face A Tough Sam Antonacci Decision This Offseason
Sam Antonaccis first taste of the majors gave the White Sox something to think about heading into the winter. The rookie debuted in 2026 as a leadoff option, but his bat never fully settled in against lefties and his work in the outfield left enough questions for the front office to revisit how he fits long term. Chris Getz has already signaled that Chicago could look to upgrade the outfield this offseason, which only adds to the pressure on a decision involving a player who still has some appeal.
Joel Sherman recently added another wrinkle by mentioning Antonacci as a possible trade fit with the Yankees, with the White Sox potentially looking to bring back pitching in a deal. It is the kind of offseason talk that usually follows a young player with upside and uncertainty in equal measure, and Chicago will have to weigh whether it is better off keeping him in the picture or using that value to address a more obvious need. For now, the question is less about whether Antonacci has a place in the organization and more about what kind of return would make moving him worthwhile. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Prospect Could Become A Dangerous Bat If One Thing Clicks
The White Sox added another intriguing bat to their prospect mix in the 2026 draft, taking high school infielder Cole Prosek and sending him to begin his pro career at Low-A Kannapolis. He joins a class that also includes names like Roch Cholowsky and Landon Thome, and the early buzz around Prosek centers on the bat. There is enough there offensively to make him a prospect worth watching, especially for a club still trying to build depth and impact talent at the lower levels.
What makes Prosek especially interesting is that his future is still being shaped in real time. The organization will have to sort out where he fits defensively, and that decision could end up mattering as much as anything for how quickly his bat plays up. For now, the White Sox can simply let the development process run its course and see whether his offensive game keeps trending in the right direction as he settles into pro ball. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Still Have One Big Rotation Problem For 2027
Chicagos rotation picture for 2027 already looks familiar in one frustrating way: there may be talent in the mix, but there still is not enough certainty. The White Sox spent much of 2026 sorting through a staff that was hit by injuries and uneven performances, with Davis Martin and Luis Castillo among the pitchers whose seasons did not give the club a clean foundation to build on. Sean Burke and Anthony Kay are part of the current conversation, but neither has fully solved the larger question of who can anchor the group over a full season.
The next layer is the prospect pipeline, where Noah Schultz, Grant Taylor and Hagen Smith are all part of the long-term plan and could factor into the rotation conversation sooner rather than later. Even with that wave of young arms on the way, the White Sox are still likely to need help from outside the organization, which is why trade and free-agent possibilities remain part of the discussion. The organization has options, but it also has one of those winter planning problems that rarely goes away on its own. [Read more 🡒]