Browsing: Hottest

With the Arizona Fall League underway, we’ll be continuing our usual Hot Sheet installments by ranking the hottest prospects in the AFL each week. Contributing this week were BA staffers Josh Norris and Jesús Cano.

Just as with our regular in-season Hot Sheet, our weekly AFL list 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. Luis De Leon, LHP, Orioles

• Team: Peoria Javelinas
• Age: 22
• Why Heâ€s Here: 0-0, 2.25, 4 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop:Through the first few games of the AFL season, De Leon has easily been the circuitâ€s most impressive arm. The tall southpaw dominated in his first outing, using a high-octane arsenal fronted by a heavy, mid-90s sinker and backed by a breaking ball and changeup capable of getting plenty of swings and misses. His seven strikeouts were tied for the most in the league. (JN)

2. Max Anderson, 2B, Tigers

• Team: Scottsdale Scorpions
• Age: 23
• Why Heâ€s Here: .571/.700/1.000 (4-for-7), 3 R, 3 2B, 0 HR, 2 RBIs, 3 BB, 2 SO, 0-for-0 SB

The Scoop:While much of the spotlight in Scottsdale shines on Kevin McGonigle, Anderson should draw plenty of excitement, too. Despite limited action over the week, Anderson delivered an eye-catching performance in just his second game, going 3-for-4 with three doubles and two RBIs. His ability to drive the ball with authority and produce runs adds another layer of excitement to an already-talented Scorpions lineup. The 23-year-old slashed .296/.350/.478 with 19 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A this season. (JC)

3. Corey Avant, RHP, Athletics

• Team: Mesa Solar Sox
• Age: 23
• Why Heâ€s Here: 0-0, 3.00, 3 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop:Avant’s AFL debut served as something of a breakout for the righthander, who punched out seven Salt River hitters over three innings. A ninth-round pick out of Wingate in 2023, he ran his fastball into the upper 90s and got eight whiffs over the course of his outing. Avant’s breaking pitches were especially effective, drawing four misses on 11 swings. (JN)

4. Wuilfredo Antuñez, OF, Guardians

• Team: Surprise Saguaros
• Age: 23
• Why Heâ€s Here: .500/.571/1.500 (3-for-6), 3 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 4 RBIs, 1 BB, 2 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop:Antuñez was a low-dollar signee for Cleveland who broke out in 2022 and has been a steady producer throughout the course of his minor league career. His AFL campaign has gotten off to a scorching start, including long balls for two of his three hits in the seasonâ€s opening week. His second home run left the bat at 103.6 mph, and his single from the same game produced an exit velocity of 107 mph. (JN)

5. Seaver King, 2B, Nationals

• Team: Scottsdale Scorpions
• Age: 22
• Why Heâ€s Here: .385/.467/.692 (5-for-13) 5 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, 1 BB, 2 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: King put on a show on Wednesday, going 3-for-4 with a double and his first home run of the fall. His biggest swing came against Angels righthander Najer Victor, against whom he drove a sinking fastball the other way for a 364-foot laser over the right field wall for a three-run homer that showcased both his power and plate coverage. Itâ€s an encouraging sign for Washingtonâ€s 2024 first-round pick, who started strong in High-A but faced growing pains after a midseason promotion to Double-A, where he slashed just .233/.287/.313. (JC)

6. Juan Flores, C, Angels

• Team: Salt River Rafters
• Age: 19
• Why Heâ€s Here: .333/.400/.889 (3-for-9) 1 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 2 SO, 0-for-0 SB

The Scoop:At just 19 years old, Flores is one of the youngest players in the Arizona Fall League, so extra reps are exactly what he needs at this stage in his development. The power-hitting catcher is coming off an up-and-down season with High-A Tri-City, where he slashed .207/.283/.341 with 10 home runs, 11 doubles and 40 RBIs over 89 games. Known for his aggressive approach at the plate and natural raw power, Flores wasted no time making an impression in his AFL debut, launching a no-doubt, 420-foot home run that served as a reminder of his high offensive ceiling. (JC)

7. David Hagaman, RHP, Diamondbacks

• Team: Salt River Rafters
• Age: 22
• Why Heâ€s Here: 0-0, 0.00, 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop:Hagaman made his pro debut this season in the Arizona Complex League after completing rehab from Tommy John surgery he had while still an amateur. Quickly, he showed enough stuff to merit inclusion in the deal that brought Merrill Kelly to Texas. Hagaman showed the same swing-and-miss stuff in his first AFL outing this past week, racking up five strikeouts in three shutout innings. (JC)

8. Hagen Smith, LHP, White Sox

• Team: Glendale Desert Dogs
• Age: 22
• Why Heâ€s Here: 0-0, 0.00, 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop:In his first AFL start, Smith showed the same whiff-worthy stuff that made him famous at Arkansas and wooed the White Sox into selecting him in the first round in 2024. He showed both sides of his profile in his first AFL start—scattered strikes but filthiness when everything is in sync. The result was four strikeouts over three shutout frames with three hits and two walks in the middle of it all. (JN)

9. Cutter Coffey, 3B, Blue Jays

• Team: Glendale Desert Dogs
• Age: 21
• Why Heâ€s Here: .462/.500/.538 (6-for-13) 3 R, 1 2B, 0 HR, 1 RBIs, 1 BB, 2 SO

The Scoop:Coffey made the most of a rain-shortened week, showcasing steady production rather than power. While he didnâ€t have a breakout performance or go deep, Coffey impressed with his consistency at the plate, collecting six hits over the week to highlight his contact skills and disciplined approach. Coffey had a solid 2025, hitting .273/.359/.427 with 11 home runs in 99 games, marking the second time heâ€s played that many games..(JC)

10. Esmerlyn Valdez, OF, Pirates

• Team: Salt River Rafters
• Age: 21
• Why Heâ€s Here: .286/.615/1.143 (2-for-7) 3 R, 0 2B, 2 HR, 2 RBIs, 6 BB, 1 SO

The Scoop:Power. That is what Valdez is known for, and he wasted no time putting it on display in his first two Arizona Fall League games. Making his debut Tuesday, Valdez unloaded on the third pitch he saw—a hanging slider from Blue Jays righthander Alex Amalfi—and crushed it 425 feet to straightaway center. He followed it up with another powerful display against Scottsdale, turning around yet another slider and launching it deep. This time, the ball left his bat at a scorching 114.4 mph and traveled an estimated 414 feet. (JC)

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We’re one week into the 2025 MLB playoffs, with two games having now been played in all four division series matchups.

In the small-sample-size world of October baseball, it might seem like that means we’ve seen enough to know a lot. But the reality for a sport that combines 162-game seasons with the chaos of short playoff series is: Things can change in a hurry this time of year.

As we do early in every MLB regular season, we asked our MLB experts to go all-in on one thing they’ve noticed by giving us their boldest prediction for the rest of the postseason based on what they’ve seen so far.

Some of our predictions are quite bold, whereas others took a milder approach. But all of them have a chance of becoming smokin’ hot by the time the World Series trophy is raised this month — or ending up freezing cold.

The themes that we’ll all be talking about

All four division series will go five games

Editor’s Picks

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The division series was introduced 30 years ago, and only once, in 2012, did all four of them go the distance. It’ll happen again this year — even though three of the four have already begun with a 2-0 lead.

The gap among the eight remaining playoff contenders feels smaller this year than it has in quite a while, especially with arguably the two best, the Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers, squaring off so early. The New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs are perfectly capable of winning back-to-games at home. The series between the Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners, which began with a split in Seattle, seems primed to extend into a fifth game. And though the Phillies have their backs against the wall, coming off two straight losses in Philadelphia, they have the ability to take two in a row at Dodger Stadium — heck, they did it less than a month ago. — Alden Gonzalez

One pitch will decide October

The team that wins the World Series will be the team that has the best differential in performance between throwing splitters and hitting them. Do I know if this will happen? Definitely not! But the proliferation of splitters so far in the postseason has been staggering.

TruMedia has pitch-type data going back to 2008. The percentage of pitches classified as splitters has ranged from 0.2% (2016) to 3.1% (2023). So far this year: 5.7%. The leading practitioners: the Toronto Blue Jays, by far, at 25.9%, mostly thanks to Kevin Gausman and the amazing Trey Yesavage. Incidentally, they were also by far the best-hitting team against splitters in the regular season (.346 WOBA). Guess this means the Jays are going to win it all. — Bradford Doolittle

The success of the splitter this October will make it the most-talked-about pitch in the spring

The eye-opening postseason performances of Trey Yesavage, Kevin Gausman and Roki Sasaki will serve as jet fuel for the rising popularity of the split-fingered fastball. There was already growing interest in the splitter throughout the 2025 season, thanks to the success of the likes of Hurston Waldrep. Then, along came Yesavage and Gausman and their diving splitters, neutralizing the powerful Yankees: In the first two games of the ALDS, New York was 0-for-22 with 13 strikeouts in at-bats ending with a splitter. The Yankees swung at splitters 39 times and missed 24 times. In a copycat industry, you can bet a ton of pitchers will be tinkering with splitters before next spring, just as hundreds of pitchers adopted cutters because of Mariano Rivera. — Buster Olney

The stars who will shine all postseason

Cal Raleigh will outhomer every other 60-home run hitter in the postseason — combined

The Mariners’ star slugger just became the fifth player to reach the postseason on the heels of a 60-homer season. The others?

The Big Dumper … and some magic?

Seattle has never won a World Series. Or even an American League pennant. Could a little bit of alchemy change that? Alden Gonzalez »

1927 Babe Ruth: 2 HR in 4 games
1961 Roger Maris: 1 HR in 5 games
1998 Sammy Sosa: 0 HR in 3 games
2022 Aaron Judge: 2 HR in 9 games

Raleigh didn’t leave the yard in the first two games of the ALDS against Detroit, but he did collect four hits while Julio Rodriguez, batting behind him, supplied the power. Given Seattle’s balance, depth and October path, it’s easy to envision a long run — and with it, at least half a dozen blasts from the Big Dumper. — Paul Hembekides

Jackson Chourio will become the 10th player to win both LCS and World Series MVPs

Why doubt the Milwaukee Brewers now? They’ve enjoyed a magical run to this point and have looked great at the onset of the division series. Chourio has been quite the table-setter — he had three hits in two innings in Game 1 — and he’s one of the game’s budding superstars. This October is his breakout party. — Tristan Cockcroft

Roki Sasaki, Jhoan Duran and Andres Munoz will post nothing but zeros

This trio — two relief aces and a starter-turned-closer for the playoffs — won’t give up an earned run in either the LDS or LCS. Munoz and Duran were two of the top relievers in the sport this year, and Sasaki started looking like one in the past couple of weeks, which my colleague Jeff Passan broke down in his dive into how the Dodgers fixed their flamethrower. — Kiley McDaniel

Roki Sasaki Clayton Kershaw will record the final out of the 2025 World Series

As Dodgers manager Dave Roberts goes game to game in the postseason trying to figure out exactly which relievers he can trust in a big moment, how about this for the ultimate scenario: Kershaw, in his final pitch in the majors, gets that final out. Maybe it’s a save. Maybe it’s a blowout. Maybe the game goes extra innings. Maybe it’s an act of desperation after Roberts uses Roki Sasaki — who’s looking more and more like Roberts’ closer — earlier in the game. And that final pitch? A big, looping 72 mph curveball. — David Schoenfield

The teams that we’ll be watching all October

The Blue Jays will average 10 runs per game in the playoffs

Well, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and pals are certainly off to a great start, but why stop after two blowout wins over the Yankees? The Blue Jays hammered Luis Gil, Max Fried, Will Warren and Luke Weaver. Will Carlos Rodon, Cam Schlittler (maybe, if the series goes to Game 4) and whichever pitchers other remaining teams throw at the Blue Jays do better? Probably, but Vlad Jr., Daulton Varsho, Alejandro Kirk, George Springer, Ernie Clement and eventually Bo Bichette are ready to make history! — Eric Karabell

Toronto won’t lose a game until the World Series

One-stop shop for 2025 MLB playoffs

We have everything you need to keep up with all the action this October. Schedule, bracket, more »

The Blue Jays have enough pitching to win every game on the way to the World Series. So much so that Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt weren’t even needed in the ALDS and were left off the roster. They might be in the ALCS, but even then, Toronto will have choices to make for its rotation. The emergence of rookie Trey Yesavage has changed the calculus for the Jays on the mound, giving them more options than most teams at this time of year.

Add in the potential return of Bichette, Toronto’s great home record (tops in the AL) and a potential long series between the Tigers and Mariners on the other side of the AL bracket, and the Blue Jays are set up for a potential undefeated run to the Fall Classic. Their smoking hot offense might get them there on its own. — Jesse Rogers

The Yankees will send the ALDS back to Toronto

As underwater as they look, the Yankees have a pathway back into this series despite a 2-0 deficit. Shane Bieber, the Blue Jays’ Game 3 starter, is going to fill up the strike zone — and has been homer-prone in recent starts. And with the short porch in right field calling, the Yankees’ left-handed bats will answer. Getting to Game 4 brings Cam Schlittler, who, in his first postseason start, threw eight shutout innings and punched out 12 without walking a batter. Although the Blue Jays are ball-in-play merchants, Schlittler’s stuff is overwhelming enough to quiet them and make for a Game 5 for the ages at Rogers Centre. — Jeff Passan

The Dodgers are going to 2019 Washington Nationals their way through the postseason

Washington rode five starting pitchers and three relievers all the way from the do-or-die wild-card game through its World Series Game 7 victory over the heavily favored Houston Astros. Led by starters Stephen Strasburg, Max Scherzer, Patrick Corbin and Anibal Sanchez, eight pitchers combined to pitch 141â…” of the Nationals’ 153 playoff innings. Joe Ross, who got a spot start in Game 5 of the World Series, was the fifth starter Washington used.

Those Nationals happened to topple the Dodgers in the NLDS.

This year’s Dodgers, like those Nationals, boast a deep rotation and a shaky bullpen. Shohei Ohtani, Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw, Emmett Sheehan, Roki Sasaki and Alex Vesia should absorb the bulk of the October workload. Of those eight pitchers, only Vesia was primarily a reliever during the regular season. The Nationals proved a version of the formula can work. Six years later, it’s the best recipe for the Dodgers to win a championship. — Jorge Castillo

The Dodgers will sweep their way to a repeat

How the Dodgers fixed Roki Sasaki

After a disastrous MLB debut, L.A.’s new ninth-inning man has unleashed jaw-dropping stuff in October.
Jeff Passan »

With 10 hitters who hit double-digit home runs during the regular season, the Dodgers simply don’t have to worry about that one bat going cold. And outside of Yamamoto, none of their pitchers has thrown over 125 innings — but they have such a depth in their rotation that they’ve been able to push some of their starters to the bullpen in October.

It’s all hands on deck in any game they need it. — AJ Mass

The 2025 World Series champion won’tcome out of the Dodgers-Phillies NLDS

Ever since the bracket for this postseason was set — even before the Dodgers advanced out of the wild-card series to make the meeting official — there has been a thought percolating that Los Angeles vs. Philadelphia was this year’s true World Series (or at least NLCS) playing out in the division series round. Well, I’m here to tell you that is not a foregone conclusion.

Yes, the Phillies and the Dodgers possess the most talent of any teams in the sport — but that didn’t stop the Brewers from going a combined 10-2 against Philly and L.A. during the regular season. And how about those Blue Jays (the team two of my colleagues predicted very big things for above), or the Mariners, who definitely have the it factor on their side, or the Tigers, who have the best pitcher on the planet (excluding at-bats vs. Jorge Polanco) on theirs.

I’m going to play the percentages here and say someone other than the Phillies or Dodgers will be the last team standing. — Dan Mullen

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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, DodgersÂ

• 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)Â

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, CardinalsÂ

• 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)Â

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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Baseball America’s Hot Sheet ranks the 20 hottest prospects from the previous week. This week’s installment considers how minor league…