Image credit:
Drake Baldwin (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images)
Future value is often in the eye of the beholder, especially when it comes to projecting the future value of prospects and young major leaguers. Thatâ€s why we’ve put three sets of eyes on the task of identifying the best bets for future success among this yearâ€s graduated National League prospects and rookies.Â
To do so, Baseball America’s J.J. Cooper (JJ), Matt Eddy (ME) and Geoff Pontes (GP) took part in a 30-pick draft. The goal was to identify players with the highest perceived peak value and likelihood of achieving it.
Below, you can find the top 30 graduated players from 2025. Each is presented with an upside role (expressed as BA Grade), a risk assessment and an adjusted grade that factors role and risk.
Join us as we bid farewell to the prospects who graduated into big leaguers in 2025.
1. Drake Baldwin, C, Braves
2026 Age: 25. Upside Role: 60 (occasional all-star C). Risk: Mild. Adjusted: 55.
Baldwin is one of about a dozen rookie catchers to produce a three-win season at age 24 or younger in the 30-team era. The lefthanded batter did a bit of everything well, with positive indicators for contact and impact to go with near-average fielding ability. Baldwinâ€s offensive production remained steady all season even as he started a career-high 85 games behind the plate. (ME)
2. Cade Horton, RHP, Cubs
2026 Age: 24. Upside Role: 65 (No. 2 or 3 starter). Risk: Average. Adjusted: 55.
Horton was the Cubs†ace for much of the second half of the season before his season ended with a rib fracture. The Cubs have reason to wonder if their postseason run would have played out differently had he been healthy. Hortonâ€s mid-90s fastball, sweeper, curve and changeup give him a multitude of ways to keep hitters off-balance. (JJ)
3. Chase Burns, RHP, Reds
2026 Age: 23. Upside Role:70 (No. 2 starter). Risk: High. Adjusted: 55.
The Reds drafted Burns second overall in 2024 and called him up within a year. It came down to Burns or Jacob Misiorowski for this spot. Burns wins in the command department, without sacrificing swing-and-miss stuff. His velocity is elite, and so is his strikeout potential. (GP)
4. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, BrewersÂ
2026 Age: 24. Upside Role: 70 (No. 2 starter). Risk: High. Adjusted: 55.
Misiorowski averaged 99.3 mph on his fastball, making him a fraction slower than Hunter Greene as baseballâ€s hardest-throwing starter. Misiorowskiâ€s 94 mph slider/cutter and 87 mph curveball are the fastest breaking pitches among starting pitchers and point to the reasons to be optimistic about his future in the rotation, especially as he dials in his control and command with experience. (ME)Â
5. Matt Shaw, 3B, Cubs
2026 Age: 24. Upside Role: 55 (first-division 3B). Risk: Average. Adjusted: 45.
Shawâ€s rookie season started poorly enough that he was demoted to Triple-A in late April. He returned by mid May and handled third base for the remainder of the season. His pull-heavy approach showed flashes of power to go with his plus speed. Nothing about his rookie season was spectacular, but he was a league-average hitter for most of the second half of the season. He could be a solid third baseman for years to come. (JJ)
6. Roki Sasaki, RHP, Dodgers
2026 Age: 24. Upside Role:60 (No. 3 starter or all-star closer). Risk: High. Adjusted:45.
After a humbling beginning to his MLB career—24 strikeouts and 22 walks in his first 34.1 innings—Sasaki found success out of the bullpen at points during the Dodgers†2025 World Series run. He missed four months of his rookie season with a shoulder injury but still has a chance to develop into a long-term rotation piece. (GP)
7. Dylan Crews, OF, Nationals
2026 Age: 24. Upside Role: 55 (first-division CF). Risk: Average. Adjusted: 45.
While Crews has not yet lived up to his draft pedigree as the No. 2 overall pick in 2023, he has shown flashes of power, speed, on-base ability and capability in center field, where he might align best if James Wood and Daylen Lile occupy the corners in Washington. Crews showed above-average bat speed in his 2025 rookie season—one interrupted for nearly three months by an oblique injury—but he has plenty of work to do to develop into a productive regular. (ME)
8. Chase Dollander, RHP, Rockies
2026 Age: 24. Upside Role: 60 (No. 3 starter). Risk: High. Adjusted: 45.
Dollander became the latest in a long line of pitchers to be devoured by Coors Field. He posted a 9.98 ERA at home, but his stuff is better than the results. Dollanderâ€s plus velocity didnâ€t play—MLB hitters beat up his 98 mph fastball—and his plus curveball was hindered by Coors Field. The underlying pieces are here to be a solid starter, but the new Rockies regime will need to help him figure out how to adapt to altitude. (JJ)
9. Dalton Rushing, C, Dodgers
2026 Age: 25. Upside Role:55 (first-division C). Risk:Average. Adjusted:45.
Used sporadically throughout the year, Rushing spent nearly a full season in the majors in 2025. He showed flashes of his power-and-patience approach in his 155-plate appearance sample. If given the opportunity to play every day, Rushing could develop into a dynamic, bat-first catcher. However, playing time with the Dodgers will be difficult to come by in the short term with Will Smith behind the plate and first baseman Freddie Freeman under contract through 2027. (GP)
10. Jakob Marsee, OF, Marlins
2026 Age: 25. Upside Role: 50 (solid-average CF). Risk: Mild. Adjusted: 45.
Marsee piqued interest by hitting 14 homers and stealing 47 bases in a four-month stretch at Triple-A. He continued to hit when the Marlins called him up in August and seized the center field job as a rookie. While Marsee may lack a true carrying tool, he does a little bit of everything well—he hits for average, takes walks, steals bases, defends and throws—and should remain a contributing player through his 20s. (ME)
11. Chad Patrick, RHP, Brewers
2026 Age: 27. Upside Role: 50 (No. 4 starter). Risk: Mild. Adjusted: 45.
Patrick is yet another in a long line of Brewers†development success stories. A pickup from the D-backs, he mixes five pitches to excellent effect. He uses his cutter effectively to handle lefties and righties. He posted a 3.53 ERA in 119.2 innings with a 25.2% strikeout rate. Patrick allows plenty of flyball contact, but as long as he keeps the ball in the park, he can effectively churn out quality outings. (JJ)
12. Jordan Lawlar, 3B, Diamondbacks
2026 Age: 23. Upside Role: 55 (first-division 3B or OF). Risk: Average. Adjusted: 45.
The sixth-overall pick in the 2021 draft has yet to break through in the majors, but he shows underlying traits that should make him an above-average hitter at peak. (GP)
13. Daylen Lile, OF, Nationals
2026 Age: 23. Upside Role: 50 (solid-average RF). Risk: Average. Adjusted: 40.
Lile put in work after the 2024 season to improve his bat speed, running speed and contact point. The results were on display as a rookie after he hit his way to a late-May callup. From June 16 to the end of the season, Lileâ€s 140 wRC+ ranked 22nd among all qualified MLB hitters, not just rookies. Lile makes strong line-drive contact with quality bat-to-ball skills and the midrange power to reach 20-plus homers. He runs well enough to steal 20-plus bases and plays with energy. (ME)
14. Hurston Waldrep, RHP, Braves
2026 Age: 24. Upside Role: 50 (No. 4 starter). Risk: Average. Adjusted: 40.
Waldrep refined a cutter and sinker to complement his outstanding splitter and produced a 2.88 ERA over 56.1 innings. (JJ)
15. Caleb Durbin, 3B, Brewers
2026 Age: 26. Upside Role: 50 (solid-average 3B). Risk: Average. Adjusted: 40.
Durbin signed with the Braves for $50,000 in the 14th round in 2021. Two trades later, he has developed into a plus hit tool-driven, everyday third baseman. (GP)
16. Braxton Ashcraft, RHP, Pirates
2026 Age: 26. Upside Role: 50 (No. 4 starter). Risk: Average. Adjusted: 40.
Ashcraft dominates righthanded hitters with a plus sinker and outstanding slider. He still walks too many lefthanded batters as he continues to dial in his four-seam fastball, curveball and changeup command. Overall, Ashcraft misses bats, keeps the ball on the ground and limits hard contact. (ME)
17. Cade Cavalli, RHP, Nationals
2026 Age: 27. Upside Role: 55 (No. 3 or 4 starter). Risk: High. Adjusted: 40.
Cavalli showed flashes of dominance in MLB after missing all of 2023 and most of 2024 as he recovered from Tommy John surgery. He throws hard, can get whiffs in the zone and limits both walks and squared-up fly balls. (JJ)
18. Brady House, 3B, Nationals
2026 Age: 23. Upside Role: 55 (above-average 3B). Risk: High. Adjusted: 40.
A well-known prospect since his early teenage years, House has been slow to develop as a professional. He still features plus raw power and hitterish traits, but he will need to improve his approach at the plate. (GP)
19. Agustin Ramirez, C, Marlins
2026 Age: 24. Upside Role: 50 (solid-average bat). Risk: Average. Adjusted: 40.
Ramirez’s future behind the plate is in question, but his power production is not. He had the highest max exit velocity and second-highest 90th percentile EV among qualified rookies while tallying 21 homers and 33 doubles. Ramirez has quality bat-to-ball skills but chases too much at present to be counted on for high batting averages or OBPs. (ME)
20. Kyle Karros, 3B, Rockies
2026 Age: 23. Upside Role: 50 (solid-average 3B). Risk: Average. Adjusted: 40.
The son of Eric Karros is a strong defensive third baseman with a nice blend of hitting ability and plate discipline. He’s young and physical and shows quality raw power in batting practice, lending hope he can get to 15-plus homers in an MLB season. The runway at third base is wide open in Colorado following the Ryan McMahon trade. (JJ)
21. Isaac Collins, OF, Brewers
2026 Age: 28. Upside Role: 45 (part-time/platoon OF). Risk: Mild. Adjusted: 40.
In a surprise breakout season, Collins went from former minor league Rule 5 draft pick to being a Rookie of the Year contender. The switch-hitter is a potential everyday outfield option with speed, defense and on-base skills. (GP)
22. Ronny Mauricio, 3B, Mets
2026 Age: 25. Upside Role: 55 (above-average 3B). Risk:High. Adjusted: 40.
Mauricio can turn around a fastball with outstanding bat speed and double-plus raw power. Itâ€s less clear that he will be able to swing only at strikes and handle big league breaking and offspeed stuff. The switch-hitter is also much less effective as a righthanded batter. Still, Mauricio has raw power that will play to go with good hands at multiple infield spots and a strong arm. (ME)
23. Liam Hicks, C, Marlins
2026 Age: 27. Upside Role: 45 (second-division/backup C). Risk: Mild. Adjusted: 40.
The Rule 5 catcher lets the ball travel and swings at strikes, making him a lefthanded-hitting asset in terms of average and getting on base. Hicks frames fairly well. A lack of power limits his upside. (JJ)
24. Thomas Saggese, 2B, CardinalsÂ
2026 Age: 24. Upside Role: 50 (solid-average 2B). Risk: Average. Adjusted: 40.
Acquired from the Rangers in the Jordan Montgomery trade, Saggese broke through in the second half of 2025, playing all over the infield. After a disappointing rookie campaign at the plate, he will look to refine his plate approach. (GP)
25. AJ Smith-Shawver, RHP, Braves
2026 Age: 23. Upside Role: 55 (No. 3 starter or leverage reliever). Risk: High. Adjusted: 40.
Tommy John surgery wiped out Smith-Shawver’s rookie season, but his ability to throw hard, refine a splitter and get down the mound gives him a rotation foundation if he can improve his control. If he cannot, he could become a valuable reliever. (ME)
26. Luis Mey, RHP, Reds
2026 Age: 25. Upside Role: 50 (high-leverage reliever). Risk: Average. Adjusted: 40.
Few pitchers throw as hard as Mey, who averaged 99 mph as a rookie. Too many walks and erratic command fueled a 1.62 WHIP and a walk rate near 18% in 2025, but his outstanding sinker/slider combo gives him high-leverage relief upside. (JJ)
27. Justin Wrobleski, LHP, Dodgers
2026 Age: 25. Upside Role: 50 (No. 4 starter or leverage reliever). Risk: Average. Adjusted: 40.
One of the Dodgers†more trusted options out of the bullpen in their 2025 championship run, Wrobleski still has the stuff to develop into a good No. 4 starter in time. (GP)
28. Heriberto Hernandez, OF, Marlins
2026 Age: 26. Upside Role: 45 (second-division/platoon corner OF). Risk: Mild. Adjusted: 40.
Hernandez gets off aggressive swings with regularity, and it paid off for him in 2025 when he balanced a high strikeout rate with a quality hard-hit rate and strong expected stats. He runs well and will take his walks, but without a plus tool, his value will fluctuate season to season. (ME)
29. Javier Sanoja, 2B, Marlins
2026 Age: 23. Upside Role: 45 (utility player). Risk: Mild. Adjusted: 40.
Sanoja may be the ultimate utility player. As a 22-year-old rookie, he started at least 10 games at third base, left field, second base, center field and shortstop. The 5-foot-7 Sanoja also appeared at first base and made eight (!) pitching appearances. He has a contact and batting average-driven hitting profile. (JJ)
30. Jack Dreyer, LHP, Dodgers
2026 Age: 27. Upside Role: 45 (leverage reliever). Risk: Mild. Adjusted: 40.
An undrafted free agent in 2021, Dreyer broke into the Dodgers†bullpen in 2025 and was one of the team’s most consistent relievers as a lefty capable of getting five or six outs. (GP)
Discover more from 6up.net
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.