Ranking The 10 Hottest MLB Prospects

Typically, Baseball Americaâ€s Hot Sheet ranks the 20 hottest prospects from the previous week. But with the minor league calendar almost over, this final Hot Sheet installment of the regular season features just 10 players. Contributing this week were BA staffers J.J. Cooper, Geoff Pontes and Josh Norris and Jesús Cano.

The Hot Sheet simply recognizes how the hottest prospects in the minors did in the past week—itâ€s not a re-ranking of the Baseball America Top 100 Prospects.

We host our weekly Hot Sheet Show on YouTube at 3:30 p.m. ET on Mondays. Weâ€ll also be answering prospect questions in our weekly Hot Sheet chat on Tuesdays at 2 p.m. ET.

1. Leo De Vries, SS, Athletics

• Team: Double-A Midland (Texas)
• Age: 18
• Why Heâ€s Here: .310/.355/.862 (9-for-29), 9 R, 4 2B, 4 HR, 10 RBIs, 1 BB, 4 SO

The Scoop: De Vries is hitting .383/.420/.851 in September, as he finished his 2025 season on a torrid tear. After hitting .306/.378/.625 in April in High-A, De Vries struggled in May and June. But he was a .281/.359/.551 hitter from July 1 until the end of the season. For a player who wonâ€t turn 19 until next month, itâ€s a perfect reminder of why heâ€s one of the best prospects in the game. In addition to an advanced hit tool, heâ€s also a very fluid shortstop. (JJ)

2. James Tibbs III, OF, Dodgers 

• Team: Double-A Tulsa (Texas)
• Age: 22
• Why Heâ€s Here: .444/.565/1.000 (8-for-18), 5 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBIs, 5 BB, 5 SO, 0-for-0 SB

The Scoop: Itâ€s been a whirlwind first full professional season for Tibbs. The Giants’ 2024 first-round pick was traded twice, first to the Red Sox for Rafael Devers and then to the Dodgers for Dustin May. Despite the changing scenery, Tibbs has continued to produce. This past week, he collected hits in all five games in which he played, while reaching base at least twice in each contest. Tibbs has a nice blend of contact, approach and power but no standout tool. (GP) 

3. Luis De La Torre, LHP, Giants

• Team: Low-A San Jose (California)
• Age: 22
• Why Heâ€s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 SO

The Scoop: After closing the regular season with a strong run in the California League, De La Torre kept on rolling into the postseason. Facing Fresno, the lefthander punched out six hitters over five innings of two-hit, shutout ball. The effort helped San Jose draw first blood in the teamâ€s eventual sweep of Fresno in the Division Series. For the season, which he split between the Arizona Complex League and Low-A, De La Torre struck out 109 hitters in 74 innings. (JN)

4. Brody Hopkins, RHP, Rays

• Team: Double-A Montgomery (Southern)
• Age: 23
• Why Heâ€s Here: 0-0, 0.00, 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: This week, Hopkins finished off an outstanding second professional season with six scoreless innings for Double-A Montgomery. Hopkins spent his entire season with the Biscuits, making 25 starts and pitching to a 2.72 ERA. He has some of the best pure stuff in the minors with a plus fastball and curveball, as well as multiple other pitch shapes he can throw for strikes. An outstanding athlete, Hopkins should spend most of 2026 with Triple-A Durham as he waits for his opportunity with the Rays. (GP)

5. Gino Groover, 3B, Diamondbacks

• Team: Double-A Amarillo (Texas)
• Age: 23
• Why Heâ€s Here: .471/.625/.765 (8-for-17), 6 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBIs, 7 BB, 0 SO

The Scoop: Groover has emerged as one of the most compelling infield prospects in the Diamondbacks’ system. After missing three months on the injured list last year, his return has been defined by steady, reliable performance. This week, with Double-A Amarillo in the thick of a playoff push for the Texas League championship, Groover proved to be a key contributor. He recorded a hit in four of his five games and crossed the plate in each of those contests. (JC)

6. David Shields, LHP, Royals

• Team: Low-A Columbia (Carolina)
• Age: 19
• Why Heâ€s Here: 1-0, 1.80, 1 GS, 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 HR, 0 BB, 8 SO

The Scoop: The Royals have been unafraid this season when it comes to pushing their best pitching prospects. Shields made just one start in the Arizona Complex League before advancing to Low-A Columbia, where he pitched all season as an 18-year-old. Throughout 2025, the southpaw has used guile and pitchability rather than pure top-end stuff to outfox his opponents. Shields struck out eight in his postseason start last week, tying his regular season high-water mark. On Tuesday, heâ€ll take the ball one final time this season in an elimination game against Lynchburg in the Carolina League championship series. (JN)

7. Brody Brecht, RHP, Rockies

• Team: Low-A Fresno (California)
• Age: 22
• Why Heâ€s Here: 0-1, 2.57, 1 GS, 7 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 HR, 0 BB, 8 SO

The Scoop: Brechtâ€s final start of the year was also his best. In a postseason tilt with San Jose, Brecht went a season-long seven innings, tied a season high with eight strikeouts and finished a start without issuing a walk for the first time since July 24. Brechtâ€s pure stuff is explosive. Now, heâ€ll need to get it in the strike zone more often. His final turn of the year should provide a fine springboard toward that goal in 2026. (JN)

8. Gabriel Gonzalez, OF, Twins

• Team: Triple-A St. Paul (International)
• Age: 21
• Why Heâ€s Here: .421/.500/.842 (8-for-19), 4 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBIs, 3 BB, 5 SO, 0 SB, 1 CS

The Scoop: The Twins†sell-off at the MLB level seemed to have an effect at Triple-A St. Paul. The team had a 12-game losing streak this month and is 5-18 over the past month. But donâ€t blame Gonzalez. Heâ€s been just as good in Triple-A as he was in Double-A for much of the season. Healthy after a rough 2024, Gonzalez is hitting .329/.397/.515 overall in a season that started in High-A and is ending up one step from the majors. Heâ€s made himself a slam-dunk addition to the Twins†40-man roster this offseason and should fit in the teamâ€s 2026 MLB plans at some point. (JJ)

9. Joshua Baez, OF, Cardinals 

• Team: Double-A Springfield (Texas)Â
• Age: 22
• Why Heâ€s Here: .412/.523/.941 (7-for-17), 7 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 6 RBIs, 2 BB, 2 SO, 3-for-3 SB

The Scoop: Baez had arguably the most improbable breakout season in the minors in 2025. The 2021 second-round pick homered in each of the final three games of the regular season, driving his home run total to 20. Baez also finished with 58 stolen bases, making him one of two players to produce a 20/50 season alongside BA No. 1 overall prospect Konnor Griffin. Baez will likely be added to the 40-man roster this offseason and should debut in 2026. (GP) 

10. Clark Elliott, OF, Athletics

• Team: Double-A Midland (Texas)
• Age: 24
• Why Heâ€s Here: .440/.483/1.200 (11-for-25), 6 R, 4 2B, 5 HR, 11 RBIs, 3 BB, 5 SO, 1 SB, 1 CS

The Scoop: Elliott will head into the offseason on the highest of highs. In his first 71 Double-A games, he hit three home runs. In his final four Double-A games, he hit five. The Aâ€s outfielder raised his Double-A slugging percentage by more than 75 points in the final week of the regular season. Elliott has always been able to draw a walk, as his .395 on-base percentage this year will attest. But if he can show a bit more power like this, he would fit much better as a bat-first left fielder. (JJ)

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