MLB Pipeline has put out its lists of the top 10 prospects at each position leading up to Thursday night’s reveal of the 2023 Top 100 Prospects list on MLB Network at 7 pm ET/4 PT.
As we await the Top 100, here is the No. 1 prospect at each position.
Catcher: Francisco Alvarez, Mets
There likely isn’t another prospect in baseball with more power than Álvarez, who hit 24 homers as a teenager in A ball in 2021, then 27 more at age 20 at the upper Minor League levels last year before making his MLB debut for the Mets on Sept. 30. The Venezuelan backstop enters 2023 still only 21 years old with a Major League-ready bat, and if he continues to refine his work behind the plate, he has the potential to be a multi-time All-Star. Complete list »
First base: Triston Casas, Red Sox
Casas never topped 20 homers in a Minor League season, but he creates huge raw pop to all fields with a combination of bat speed, strength and leverage in his massive 6-foot-4 frame. Notably, five of his 15 hits left the yard after he made his MLB debut in 2022. He should hit for both average and power, and even on days when he doesn’t do that, he can still impact the game defensively. All of that is why Boston has cleared out space to make Casas its Opening Day first baseman entering the upcoming season. Complete list »
Second base: Termarr Johnson, Pirates
The fourth overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, Johnson has the makings of a perennial All-Star. Scouts considered him to be the best high school hitter in years, with one saying he combined Wade Boggs’ plate discipline with Vladimir Guerrero Sr.’s bat-to-ball skills. Listed 5-foot-7 and 175 pounds, Johnson isn’t physically imposing, but he projects to produce plus power. And although his average arm and quickness dictated a move from shortstop to second base, he has the makings of a solid defender at his new position. Complete list »
Third base: Gunnar Henderson, Orioles
Henderson is only 21, but he made his debut for the Orioles in 2022 and showed his big league readiness, slashing .259/.348/.440 over 132 plate appearances. He’s just scratching the surface of tapping into his power from the left side of the plate, and he offers above-average speed as well. Henderson’s athleticism and plus arm could make him a solid shortstop despite his size, but he has Gold Glove potential at third, where he played mostly for Baltimore last year. Complete list »
Shortstop: Anthony Volpe, Yankees
Early concerns about Volpe’s ability to hit upper-level pitching were eased when he took off in June at Double-A last year. Despite his slow start, he became the first 20-homer, 50-steal Minor Leaguer since Andrew Jones in 1995. Volpe has a right-handed stroke geared for loft and produces high exit velocities and power to all fields. While there are some arm concerns, he’s a steady defensive presence at shortstop, too. Complete list »
Outfield: Corbin Carroll, D-backs
Carroll offers the best blend of hitting ability and speed among all prospects. He showed off his wheels after Arizona called him up last August, posting the highest average sprint speed (30.7 ft/sec) of any big leaguer in 2022. At a bare minimum, Carroll should hit for average, create havoc on the bases and contend for Gold Gloves in center field. How much power he produces will determine how big a star he becomes — and he notably slammed four homers in his first 32 games in the Majors. Complete list »
Right-handed pitcher: Andrew Painter, Phillies
The 2021 13th overall pick gave everyone a taste of his ceiling with a 1.56 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 155 strikeouts in 103 2/3 innings across three levels in his first full season, and he has the stuff to back up the results with a fastball that can touch triple-digits, a plus high-spin slider and two more pitches in his curve and change that keep hitters guessing. The 6-foot-7 righty’s ability to pitch in the zone improved as the season wore on, and his control could be plus-plus by the end of 2023 if he continues on this trajectory. Complete list »
Left-handed pitcher: Kyle Harrison, Giants
Harrison projects as a frontline starter thanks to his three-pitch repertoire that includes a well above-average fastball, a sweeping slider and an improving mid-80s changeup with fade and sink. He’s still learning to harness his stuff, although his ability to miss bats in the strike zone with all three of his offerings means that he doesn’t need to locate them with precision. Complete list »
.