As an extreme prospect nerd, the months leading into the season is always one of my favorite times of year. Prospect ranking is extremely subjective, perhaps more of an art than a science, so it’s no big surprise that rankings often differ quite greatly from one another. While there is usually a bit of consensus at the top, the further you get down a list the more variety you tend to see. That is why every offseason I attempt to combine the available prospect lists to create a composite ranking. This offseason was no different. Among the lists included are everyone’s favorite Baseball Prospectus (after all, I am a company man), along with lists from Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, ESPN, Bernie Pleskoff at Fanrag Sports and John Sickels at Minor League Ball. Lists to be released later in the offseason that will be included in an update are 2080 Baseball and Fangraphs.
The methodology behind the composite list is quite simple. I took the lists and assigned point values for each ranking. Because the largest list was 200 prospects deep, the top prospect in each list got 200 points. The values continued to decrease until the end of the list. I then added up all of those points to create a combined score for each prospect and ranked them from highest point total to lowest.
Without further adieu, here is your composite top prospect list, all 213 of them:
- Andrew Benintendi, Boston Red Sox, OF
- Dansby Swanson, Atlanta Braves, SS
- Alex Reyes, St. Louis Cardinals, RHP
- Yoan Moncada, Chicago White Sox, 2B
- Amed Rosario, New York Mets, SS
- Gleyber Torres, New York Yankees, SS
- Austin Meadows, Pittsburgh Pirates, OF
- Victor Robles, Washington Nationals, OF
- JP Crawford, Philadelphia Phillies, SS
- Cody Bellinger, Los Angeles Dodgers, 1B
- Eloy Jimenez, Chicago Cubs, OF
- Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox, 3B
- Brendan Rodgers, Colorado Rockies, SS
- Tyler Glasnow, Pittsburgh Pirates, RHP
- Lucas Giolito, Chicago White Sox, RHP
- Ozzie Albies, Atlanta Braves, 2B
- Michael Kopech, Chicago White Sox, RHP
- Nick Senzel, Cincinnati Reds, 3B
- Anderson Espinoza, San Diego Padres, RHP
- Willy Adames, Tampa Bay Rays, SS
- Lewis Brinson, Milwaukee Brewers, OF
- Manny Margot, San Diego Padres, OF
- Francis Martes, Houston Astros, RHP
- Clint Frazier, New York Yankees, OF
- Mitch Keller, Pittsburgh Pirates, RHP
- Francisco Mejia, Cleveland Indians, C
- Josh Bell, Pittsburgh Pirates, 1B
- Mickey Moniak, Philadelphia Phillies, OF
- Brent Honeywell, Tampa Bay Rays, RHP
- Jason Groome, Boston Red Sox, LHP
- Yadier Alvarez, Los Angeles Dodgers, RHP
- Josh Hader, Milwaukee Brewers, LHP
- Blake Rutherford, New York Yankees, OF
- Kyle Tucker, Houston Astros, OF
- Corey Ray, Milwaukee Brewers, OF
- Franklin Barreto, Oakland Athletics, SS
- Kolby Allard, Atlanta Braves, LHP
- Nick Gordon, Minnesota Twins, SS
- Kyle Lewis, Seattle Mariners, OF
- Jorge Alfaro, Philadelphia Phillies, C
- Amir Garrett, Cincinnati Reds, LHP
- Vlad Guerrero Jr, Toronto Blue Jays, 3B
- Reynaldo Lopez, Chicago White Sox, RHP
- Jose De Leon, Tampa Bay Rays, RHP
- Bradley Zimmer, Cleveland Indians, OF
- Braxton Garrett, Miami Marlins, LHP
- Tyler O’Neill, Seattle Mariners, OF
- Aaron Judge, New York Yankees, OF
- Alex Verdugo, Los Angeles Dodgers, OF
- Jeff Hoffman, Colorado Rockies, RHP
- Jorge Mateo, New York Yankees, SS
- Ian Happ, Chicago Cubs, 2B
- Hunter Renfroe, San Diego Padres, OF
- James Kaprielian, New York Yankees, RHP
- Riley Pint, Colorado Rockies, RHP
- Triston McKenzie, Cleveland Indians, RHP
- Dominic Smith, New York Mets, 1B
- Ramiel Tapia, Colorado Rockies, OF
- Kevin Newman, Pittsburgh Pirates, SS
- Carson Kelly, St. Louis Cardinals, C
- Sean Newcomb, Atlanta Braves, LHP
- Sean Reid-Foley, Toronto Blue Jays, RHP
- Isan Diaz, Milwaukee Brewers, SS
- Cal Quantrill, San Diego Padres, RHP
- AJ Puk, Oakland Athletics, LHP
- Justus Sheffield, New York Yankees, LHP
- Leody Taveras, Texas Rangers, OF
- Kevin Maitan, Atlanta Braves, SS
- Matt Manning, Detroit Tigers, RHP
- Zack Collins, Chicago White Sox, C
- Anthony Alford, Toronto Blue Jays, OF
- Ian Anderson, Atlanta Braves, RHP
- Ronald Acuna, Atlanta Braves, OF
- Luis Ortiz, Milwaukee Brewers, RHP
- Chance Sisco, Baltimore Orioles, C
- Erick Fedde, Washington Nationals, RHP
- David Paulino, Houston Astros, RHP
- Delvin Perez, St. Louis Cardinals, SS
- Mike Soroka, Atlanta Braves, RHP
- Yohander Mendez, Texas Rangers, LHP
- Franklin Perez, Houston Astros, RHP
- Albert Almora, Chicago Cubs, OF
- Dylan Cease, Chicago Cubs, RHP
- Tyler Beede, San Francisco Giants, RHP
- Stephen Gonsalves, Minnesota Twins, LHP
- Luke Weaver, St. Louis Cardinals, RHP
- Robert Gsellman, New York Mets, RHP
- Walker Buehler, Los Angeles Dodgers, RHP
- Jesse Winker, Cincinnati Reds, OF
- Jake Bauers, Tampa Bay Rays, 1B
- German Marquez, Colorado Rockies, RHP
- Ariel Jurado, Texas Rangers, RHP
- Forrest Whitley, Houston Astros, RHP
- Matt Chapman, Oakland Athletics, 3B
- Willie Calhoun, Los Angeles Dodgers, 2B
- Thomas Szapucki, New York Mets, LHP
- Grant Holmes, Oakland Athletics, RHP
- Alex Kirilloff, Minnesota Twins, OF
- Robert Stephenson, Cincinnati Reds, RHP
- Brandon Woodruff, Milwaukee Brewers, RHP
- Jahmai Jones, Los Angeles Angels, OF
- Max Fried, Atlanta Braves, LHP
- Adrian Morejon, San Diego Padres, LHP
- Carson Fulmer, Chicago White Sox, RHP
- Justin Dunn, New York Mets, RHP
- Fernando Romero, Minnesota Twins, RHP
- Luiz Gohara, Atlanta Braves, LHP
- Trevor Clifton, Chicago Cubs, RHP
- Richard Urena, Toronto Blue Jays, SS
- Bobby Bradley, Cleveland Indians, 1B
- Casey Gillaspie, Tampa Bay Rays, 1B
- Jharel Cotton, Oakland Athletics, RHP
- Trent Clark, Milwaukee Brewers, OF
- Lourdes Gurriel, Toronto Blue Jays, 2B
- Juan Soto, Washington Nationals, OF
- Albert Abreu, New York Yankees, RHP
- Sandy Alcantara, St. Louis Cardinals, RHP
- Tyler Jay, Minnesota Twins, LHP
- Christian Arroyo, San Francisco Giants, 3B
- Jack Flaherty, St. Louis Cardinals, RHP
- Yusniel Diaz, Los Angeles Dodgers, OF
- Anthony Banda, Arizona Diamondbacks, LHP
- Ke’Bryan Hayes, Pittsburgh Pirates, 3B
- Christin Stewart, Detroit Tigers, OF
- Alec Hansen, Chicago White Sox, RHP
- Rowdy Tellez, Toronto Blue Jays, 1B
- Franklyn Kilome, Philadelphia Phillies, RHP
- Fernando Tatis Jr, San Diego Padres, SS
- Derek Fisher, Houston Astros, OF
- Nick Williams, Philadelphia Phillies, OF
- Cody Reed, Cincinnati Reds, LHP
- Sixto Sanchez, Philadelphia Phillies, RHP
- Lucas Erceg, Milwaukee Brewers, 3B
- AJ Reed, Houston Astros, 1B
- Brett Phillips, Milwaukee Brewers, OF
- Brady Aiken, Cleveland Indians, LHP
- Chance Adams, New York Yankees, RHP
- Domingo Acevedo, New York Yankees, RHP
- Yulieski Gurriel, Houston Astros, 3B
- Frankie Montas, Oakland Athletics, RHP
- Kohl Stewart, Minnesota Twins, RHP
- Jeimer Candelario, Chicago Cubs, 3B
- Adonis Medina, Philadelphia Phillies, RHP
- Luis Castillo, Cincinnati Reds, RHP
- Tom Murphy, Colorado Rockies, C
- Anderson Tejeda, Texas Rangers, SS
- Josh Staumont, Kansas City Royals, RHP
- Sam Travis, Boston Red Sox, 1B
- Andrew Toles, Los Angeles Dodgers, OF
- Tyler Wade, New York Yankees, SS
- Hunter Dozier, Kansas City Royals, OF
- Harrison Bader, St. Louis Cardinals, OF
- Roman Quinn, Philadelphia Phillies, OF
- Dakota Hudson, St. Louis Cardinals, RHP
- Mauricio Dubon, Milwaukee Brewers, SS
- Cody Sedlock, Baltimore Orioles, RHP
- Magneuris Sierra, St. Louis Cardinals, OF
- Touki Touissaint, Atlanta Braves, RHP
- Phil Bickford, Milwaukee Brewers, RHP
- Andy Ibanez, Texas Rangers, 2B
- Zack Burdi, Chicago White Sox, RHP
- Rob Kaminsky, Cleveland Indians, LHP
- Dane Dunning, Chicago White Sox, RHP
- Greg Allen, Cleveland Indians, OF
- Domingo Leyba, Arizona Diamondbacks, SS
- Oscar De La Cruz, Chicago Cubs, RHP
- Jordan Sheffield, Los Angeles Dodgers, RHP
- Matt Strahm, Kansas City Royals, LHP
- Matt Thaiss, Los Angeles Angels, 1B
- Ryan McMahon, Colorado Rockies, 3B
- Juan Hillman, Cleveland Indians, LHP
- Jacob Nix, San Diego Padres, RHP
- Austin Riley, Atlanta Braves, 3B
- Luis Urias, San Diego Padres, 2B
- Daniel Gossett, Oakland Athletics, RHP
- Dinelson Lamet, San Diego Padres, RHP
- Eric Lauer, San Diego Padres, LHP
- Joey Wentz, Atlanta Braves, LHP
- Brandon Nimmo, New York Mets, OF
- Ramon Laureano, Houston Astros, OF
- Chih-Wei-Wei Hu, Tampa Bay Rays, RHP
- Desmond Lindsay, New York Mets, OF
- Gavin Cecchini, New York Mets, SS
- Jacob Faria, Tampa Bay Rays, RHP
- Nick Neidert, Seattle Mariners, RHP
- Jon Harris, Toronto Blue Jays, RHP
- Dan Vogelbach, Seattle Mariners, 1B
- Bryan Reynolds, San Francisco Giants, OF
- Teoscar Hernandez, Houston Astros, OF
- Ty Blach, San Francisco Giants, LHP
- Jaime Schultz, Tampa Bay Rays, RHP
- Rhys Hoskins, Philadelphia Phillies, 1B
- Shed Long, Cincinnati Reds. 2B
- Andrew Suarez, San Francisco Giants, LHP
- Brock Stewart, Los Angeles Dodgers, RHP
- Trey Mancini, Baltimore Orioles, 1B
- Matt Olson, Oakland Athletics, 1B
- Marcos Diplan, Milwaukee Brewers, RHP
- Cristian Pache, Atlanta Braves, OF
- Yu-Cheng Chang, Cleveland Indians, SS
- Lewin Diaz, Minnesota Twins, 1B
- Jesus Sanchez, Tampa Bay Rays, OF
- Max Povse, Seattle Mariners, RHP
- Renato Nunez, Oakland Athletics, 3B
- Daniel Robertson, Tampa Bay Rays, SS
- Paul DeJong, St. Louis Cardinals, 3B
- Mark Zagunis, Chicago Cubs, OF
- Taylor Clarke, Arizona Diamondbacks, RHP
- Steven Okert, San Francisco Giants, LHP
- Keibert Ruiz, Los Angeles Dodgers, C
- Joshua Lowe, Tampa Bay Rays, 3B
- Nolan Jones, Cleveland Indians, 3B
- Dawel Lugo, Arizona Diamondbacks, 3B
As you see, the list is 213 prospects long. Need a breather after reading it? Now if you want more information on any of these prospects, the lists that I linked earlier in the post often include at the very least a brief scouting report on each guy. Along with putting together a full lists of prospects to be named on at least one list, I also broke things down a bit for you.
First up we have the list broken down by position:
Right-handed pitcher: 73
Outfield: 46
Left-handed pitcher: 26
Shortstop: 22
Third base: 16
First base: 16
Second base: 8
Catcher: 7
Pitchers make up almost half of the list at 99 total players, while catchers have the fewest number of prospects to crack the top 213 prospects at seven.
The other interesting way to break down the list is by team. Now this certainly won’t be a complete proxy of how good a farm system is, it does give a good idea at how deep each farm system is. With minor league development oftentimes being a numbers game (especially for the non-elite prospects), having more guys who project to have a major league ceiling can certainly be helpful. Here is the top 213 prospects broken down by team:
Atlanta Braves: 14
Milwaukee Brewers: 12
New York Yankees: 11
Tampa Bay Rays: 11
Cleveland Indians: 10
Houston Astros: 10
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Diego Padres: 10
St. Louis Cardinals: 10
Chicago White Sox: 9
Oakland Athletics: 9
Philadelphia Phillies: 9
Chicago Cubs: 8
New York Mets: 8
Cincinnati Reds: 7
Colorado Rockies: 7
Minnesota Twins: 7
Toronto Blue Jays: 7
Pittsburgh Pirates: 6
San Francisco Giants: 6
Seattle Mariners: 5
Texas Rangers: 5
Arizona Diamondbacks: 4
Boston Red Sox: 4
Baltimore Orioles: 3
Kansas City Royals: 3
Washington Nationals: 3
Detroit Tigers: 2
Los Angeles Angels: 2
Miami Marlins: 1
And there you have it, folks. The Atlanta Braves come in with the most prospects at 14, while the Miami Marlins only placed a single prospect (Congratulations, Braxton Garrett!) in the top 213 prospects in baseball. Look for an update to this list sometime in late March once the rest of the lists are released, and also look for a Cubs-themed breakdown of this list on BP Wrigleyville as well.
Lead photo courtesy Mark J. Rebilas—USA Today Sports