Ranking The 20 Hottest MLB Prospects

Baseball America’s Hot Sheet ranks the 20 hottest prospects from the previous week. This week’s installment considers how minor league players performed through Aug 14. Contributing this week were BA staffers J.J. Cooper, Geoff Pontes and Jesús Cano.

The Hot Sheet simply recognizes how the hottest prospects in the minors did in the past week—it’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. We’ll also be answering prospect questions in our weekly Hot Sheet chat on Tuesdays at 2 p.m. ET.

1. Charlie Condon, 1B/OF, Rockies

• Team: Double-A Hartford (Eastern)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .368/.500/1.105 (7-for-19), 6 R, 0 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 8 RBIs, 4 BB, 5 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: Condon’s professional career got off to a rocky start in 2024. This year, in a spring training backfield game, he suffered a wrist injury during his very first game—a setback that sidelined him for weeks and stifled any early momentum. His return during a rehab assignment was anything but smooth, as he struggled to find his timing and consistency at the plate. Since being promoted to Double-A, however, Condon has begun to answer those doubts with authority. He’s flashing the power and maturity that made him a top draft pick, reaffirming the Rockies’ belief in his long-term potential as a cornerstone bat in their lineup, especially if he cuts the strikeouts down. (JC)

2. Alfredo Duno, C, Reds

• Team: Low-A Dayton (Florida State)
• Age: 19
• Why He’s Here: .500/.600/1.417 (6-for-12), 4 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 6 RBIs, 3 BB, 1 SO

The Scoop: The bat has never been in question for Duno, as his talent at the plate was always evident. The issue was staying healthy long enough to prove it over a full season. But now, with 103 games under his belt, he’s finally had the opportunity to put it all together. And he’s delivered. Duno is showing that the offensive tools weren’t just flashes of potential—they’re real, sustainable and impactful over the long haul. He’s flexed his power with 14 homers so far and has walked as many times (85) as he’s struck out. (JC)

3. Caden Dana, RHP, Angels

• Team:Triple-A Salt Lake (Pacific Coast)
• Age:21
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 2.57, 1 GS, 7 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 1 BB, 13 SO

The Scoop:The Pacific Coast League has been a rough test for Dana. He’s 6-8, 5.58 with a 1.56 WHIP, which isn’t all that surprising considering how challenging the league is for pitchers. But this week offered a nice ray of hope against Reno. Dana’s 13 strikeouts were four more than he’s had in any other game this year and was easily a career high. Dana was landing his slider for strikes 70% of the time in this start, and he got nine whiffs with it. (JJ)

4. Kyle Lodise, SS, White Sox

• Team:High-A Winston-Salem (South Atlantic)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: .571/.700/1.357 (8-for-14), 7 R, 0 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 6 RBIs, 5 BB, 0 SO, 3-for-4 SB

The Scoop: It’s that time of year when freshly-drafted talent begins filtering into affiliate ball, and Lodise is wasting no time making an impression. After a brief stint in the Arizona bridge league, the 21-year-old was quickly promoted to High-A Winston-Salem, and he hasn’t looked out of place since. A well-rounded shortstop with the instincts and versatility to potentially slide over to second base, Lodise shows a natural feel for hitting, consistently putting together quality at-bats. While his current profile leans more contact-oriented, his college track record suggests untapped power could emerge with development. He’s also a threat on the base paths, swiping three bags this week. (JC)

5. Aidan Miller, SS, Phillies

• Team: Double-A Reading (Eastern)
• Age:21
• Why He’s Here: .522/.621/1.000 (12-for-23) 5 R, 5 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBIs, 4 BB, 5 SO, 2 SB, 2 CS

The Scoop: Miller has found his first taste of Double-A to be more challenging than expected. He posted a sub-.650 OPS in April and July and was hitting .222/.343/.354 on Aug. 1. But this month, Miller has settled in and started to dominate. He has 10 multi-hit games this month, and he’s hit 13 doubles in just 20 games. Miller is being more aggressive and swinging more, but he’s also chasing less. Coming into the month, Miller was swinging at only 64% of pitches in the strike zone (according to Synergy Sports data) and was hitting .266/.276/.410 in the zone. In August, he’s swinging at 76% of pitches in the zone and hitting .393/.387/.705 on pitches in the zone. (JJ)

6. Jarlin Susana, RHP, Nationals

• Team: Double-A Harrisburg (Eastern)
• Age:21
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 1.80, 2 GS, 10 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 1 HBP, 5 BB, 23 SO

The Scoop: Susana returned to action at the start of the month. In the four starts he’s made since, for most hitters, making contact is a victory. Susana has struck out 50% of batters faced in August thanks to a fastball that has touched 103 mph, a slider that is consistently plus and a changeup that will flash plus. You could argue all three pitches are 7s on his good days, and he’s had a lot of good days this month.

Here’s the spray chart of balls put in play against Susana this month:

That long drive to right field is Kevin McGonigle’s impressive homer on a 100 mph fastball. Portland’s Miguel Bleis hit a double to left field, as well, and Allan Castro hit a hard line drive to right field that was caught. Those are the only hard-hit balls Susana gave up over 76 batters faced this month. (JJ)

7. Karson Milbrandt, RHP, Marlins

• Team: High-A Beloit
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 1 GS, 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 10 SO

The Scoop:It’s hard to think of much tougher tests than facing High-A Wisconsin right now. With Andrew Fischer, Luis Peña, Jesús Made, Josh Adamczewski and Marco Dinges batting 1-through-5, there aren’t many easy outs in the lineup. Milbrandt, however, handled it wonderfully. He struck out Fischer and Made to start the first, while Peña got the lone hit Milbrandt would allow. Milbrandt struck out the side in the second and did so again in the third. He was in complete control against one of the best lineups in the minors as he extended his scoreless streak to 11.2 innings. (JJ)

8. Jonah Tong, RHP, Mets

• Team: Triple-A Syracuse (International)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 6 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop:Despite putting up video game numbers week after week, Tong remains divisive among scouts across the pro ranks. Some believe Tong is an outlier with two plus pitches in his fastball and changeup. Others worry that the regression on his slider in 2025 will lead to some struggles in the majors. Regardless, he’s a Top 100 Prospect who ranks 42nd overall and eighth among non-debuted pitching prospects on the list. This week, Tong continued his dominant season, as he tossed six more scoreless innings in his second Triple-A start. Tong is currently the frontrunner for BA’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year Award. (GP)

9. Kane Kepley, OF, Cubs

• Team: Low-A Myrtle Beach (Carolina)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: .440/.588/.640 (11-for-25), 9 R, 0 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 5 RBIs, 9 BB, 1 SO, 4-for-5 SB

The Scoop: The Cubs’ second-round pick this July out of North Carolina, Kepley has taken to pro ball like a fish to water. Among 2025 draftees, Kepley ranks first in runs, total bases and triples, second in hits and stolen bases and third in walks. This week, he reached base in more than half his plate appearances, slugged his first professional home run and boasted a 9-1 walk to strikeout ratio. Kepley has strong bat-to-ball and on-base skills to go with speed that puts pressure on opposing defenses. An end-of-season promotion to a higher level wouldn’t be shocking. (GP)

10. Charles Davalan, OF, Dodgers

• Team: Low-A Rancho Cucamonga (California)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here:.579/.619/.842 (11-for-19), 6 R, 0 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 8 RBIs, 2 BB, 3 SO, 3-for-3 SB

The Scoop:Baseball America broke the news of Davalan’s promotion last week, and now he’s earned a spot on the Hot Sheet thanks to an impressive start to his professional career. Selected 41st overall by the Dodgers, Davalan has quickly showcased the tools that made him a top draft target. He pairs strong bat-to-ball skills with plus speed, making him a natural fit atop the lineup. Since arriving in the California League, he’s slotted in as leadoff hitter and has looked right at home.(JC)

11. Jacob Reimer, 3B, Mets

• Team: Double-A Binghamton (Eastern)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: .471/.571/1.059 (8-for-17) 4 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 5 RBIs, 3 BB, 4 SO, 1 SB

The Scoop:It’s easy to think that the Binghamton club was gutted by the promotions of Jett Williams, Cason Benge and Jonah Tong to Triple-A, but thanks to hitters like Reimer and the arrival of A.J. Ewing, the Rumble Ponies keep rolling along and are now 78-40. Reimer is hitting .308/.410/.569 this month while bouncing between first and third base. Binghamton needed a big bat to take over when Benge left for Syracuse. Reimer is doing a very solid impression so far. (JJ)

12. Gage Stanifer, RHP, Blue Jays

• Team: High-A Vancouver (Northwest)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: 2-0, 1.50, 12 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 16 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop:In a system that’s seen plenty of strong performances by pitching prospects, Stanifer stands out as the most improbable. His year-over-year improvements to both his strike-throwing and stuff have yielded tremendous results. This week, Stanifer dominated over a pair of starts, allowing just three hits and three walks across 12 innings while striking out 16. His performance on Tuesday was particularly noteworthy, as he tossed six scoreless while allowing one hit, two walks and striking out eight. Stanifer has proven he’s a legitimate starting pitching prospect, as he’s really taken to the role during his time with High-A Vancouver. (GP)

13. David Hagaman, RHP, Diamondbacks

• Team: High-A Hillsboro (Northwest)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 1.80, 5 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: A fourth-round pick of the Rangers in 2024, the D-backs acquired Hagaman in the Merrill Kelly swap, and he may prove to be a very wise buy. Though he missed the first half of the season recovering from internal brace surgery, Hagaman’s stuff and command have returned to form. This week, he dazzled for five innings against Eugene, retiring 15 of the 16 batters faced. Hagaman’s lone mistake was a home run to Charlie Szykowny, and he struck out eight, showing off mid-90s velocity, seven feet of extension and ride on his fastball. He pairs that with a mid-80s gyro slider, a changeup and a banger curveball in the low-to-mid 80s. Hagaman is a late-season pitching breakout bubbling to the surface. (GP)

14. Sal Stewart, 3B, Reds

• Team:Triple-A Louisville (International)
• Age:21
• Why He’s Here: .278/.391/.778 (5-for-18) 6 R, 3 HR, 7 RBIs, 4 BB, 6 SO, 1 SB

The Scoop:It’s fair to start wondering if Stewart should be given a shot to DH for the Reds as they make their run at a playoff spot, as he’s posted a 1.052 OPS in Triple-A after 33 games. As a pure hitter who also happens to have power, his ability to generate hard contact with very few strikeouts makes him more capable of moving quickly to the majors than a hitter who just swings hard at everything and hopes to make some contact. (JJ)

15. Angel Cepeda, SS, Cubs

• Team:Low-A Myrtle Beach (Carolina)
• Age:19
• Why He’s Here:.517/.533/.793 (15-for-29) 6 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 8 RBIs, 1 BB, 6 SO, 2 SB, 2 CS

The Scoop:We picked Cepeda as one of the Cubs’ prospects most likely to break out in 2025. For a while, you may have wondered what all the fuss has been about. Cepeda was struggling to keep his batting average above the Mendoza line, and he was barely posting a .100 isolated power number even though his ability to sting the ball is one of his best attributes. This month has shown what we expected to see with Cepeda, however, as he’s hit three homers in August after hitting four in the first four months of the season combined while slashing .364/.398/.557. (JJ)

16. Jaron DeBerry, RHP, Brewers

• Team: Double-A Biloxi (Southern)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: A third-round pick out of Dallas Baptist in 2024, DeBerry has quietly had an excellent season across three levels. So far in Double-A, DeBerry has not slowed down. He’s ridden his high-spin curveball and lower-launch fastball to success. This week, DeBerry spun seven scoreless innings against Chattanooga, striking out nine and allowing four hits and no walks. DeBerry shows pitchability and intriguing traits, so some added velocity will likely go a long way to sustaining this success in the long term. (GP)

17. Daniel Eagen, RHP, Diamondbacks

• Team: Double-A Amarillo (Texas)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 0-0, 0.00, 7.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop:In his Double-A debut, Eagen dominated the San Antonio lineup, throwing 7.2 scoreless innings, allowing three baserunners and striking out eight. A 2024 third-round pick out of Presbyterian, Eagen impressed over 19 starts with High-A Hillsboro to begin his professional career. His ability to ride his fastball and play his secondaries off it is his calling card. Eagen shows the ability to navigate lineups efficiently while attacking hitters with above-average command. (GP)

18. Denzer Guzman, SS, Angels

• Team: Triple-A Salt Lake (Pacific Coast)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: .316/.417/.737 (6-for-19), 6 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 7 RBIs, 4 BB, 6 SO

The Scoop:Guzman’s recent surge at Triple-A has come at the right time, and it may be setting the stage for a big league look in the near future. Once a question mark, his offensive game is beginning to show signs of life. With a compact righthanded swing and developing pullside power, he’s proving capable of producing quality at-bats against upper-level pitching. If the offensive gains hold, he could emerge as infield depth for the Angels. (JC)

19. Ben Hess, RHP, Yankees

• Team:Double-A Somerset
• Age:22
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 1 GS, 5 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 SO

The Scoop:Hess has made a strong impression in his first professional season, splitting time between High-A and Double-A. He’s consistently filling up the strike zone—posting a 64% strike rate—which marks a significant improvement from his college days. That progress in command has been crucial, as it was a key development needed for him to realistically project as a starting pitcher. With his ability to challenge hitters and limit free passes, Hess is trending in the right direction and beginning to solidify his case for a future rotation role. (JC)

20. Nick Yorke, 2B, Pirates

• Team: Triple-A Indianapolis (International)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .423/.429/.577 (11-for-26), 6 R, 4 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 8 RBIs, 1 BB, 4 SO, 2-for-2 SB

The Scoop:It’s been nearly a year since Yorke made his MLB debut. And while he hasn’t appeared again with the big league club, he’s been quietly reminding the organization about his offensive value. Yorke has continued to put together competitive at-bats in the upper minors, showing the same mature approach and bat-to-ball skills that carried him through the system. Though the opportunity hasn’t come yet, his bat remains very much in play for a return to Pittsburgh. (JC)

Helium

Anthony Huezo, OF, Astros

Huezo was one of the youngest players in the 2023 draft class when the Astros selected him in the 12th round. He took some time to get his feet under him in pro ball despite stints at High-A, Double-A and Triple-A over the last two seasons. A majority of his pro experience outside of the complex has come with Low-A Fayetteville this season. Huezo has impressed, showing a combination of on-base skills and plus raw power that’s yet to fully show up in games. Huezo’s 107.2 mph 90th percentile exit velocity stands out for a 19-year-old, and he’s consistently hitting the ball at good angles. His bat-to-ball skills are currently below average, but incremental improvements in that area could yield big results. Look for Huezo to jump into the Astros’ Top 30 this offseason. (GP)