Yahoo Sports’ 26-and-under power rankings are a remix on the traditional farm system rankings that assess the strength of MLB organizations’ talent base among rookie-eligible and MiLB players. While focusing on strictly prospects can be a useful proxy for projecting how bright an organization’s future is, it fails to account for young players already contributing at the big-league level.
By evaluating the strength of all players in an organization entering their age-26 seasons or younger, this exercise aims to paint a more complete picture of each team’s young core. These rankings value productive young big leaguers more heavily than prospects who have yet to prove it at the highest level, and the majority of the prospects included in teams’ evaluations are those who have already reached the upper levels of the minor leagues.
To compile these rankings, each MLB organization was given a score in four categories:
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Young MLB hitters: 26-and-under position players and rookie-eligible hitters projected to be on Opening Day rosters; scored 0-10
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Young MLB pitchers: 26-and-under pitchers and rookie-eligible pitchers projected to be on Opening Day rosters; scored 0-10
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Prospect hitters: prospect-eligible position players projected to reach MLB in the next 1-2 years; scored 0-5
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Prospect pitchers: prospect-eligible pitchers projected to reach MLB in the next 1-2 years; scored 0-5
We’re counting down all 30 organizations’ 26-and-under talent bases from weakest to strongest leading up to Opening Day, diving into five teams at a time.
Next up are teams Nos. 15-11.
More rankings: Nos. 30-26, starting with the Phillies | Nos. 25-21: Young cores on the rise | No. 20-16, starring Bobby Witt Jr.
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15. San Diego Padres (total score: 16/30) | 2024 rank: 9
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Young MLB hitters (10/10): OF Fernando Tatis Jr., OF Jackson Merrill, C Luis Campusano, INF Eguy Rosario, OF Tirso Ornelas
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Young MLB pitchers (3/10): RHP Jeremiah Estrada, LHP Adrian Morejon, RHP Randy Vásquez
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Prospect hitters (2/5): C Ethan Salas, SS Leo De Vries, OF Yonathan Perlaza, OF Kavares Tears
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Prospect pitchers (1/5): RHP Braden Nett, LHP Austin Krob, LHP Omar Cruz, RHP Victor Lizarraga
Arguably, no other club in MLB can boast an under-26 tandem like Tatis and Merrill. It was a relative down year for Tatis in 2024, and he still finished with an adjusted OPS 30% better than league average. He hasn’t quite returned to his MVP-contending, pre-PED-punishment level, but all the underlying metrics think the 26-year-old right fielder is still an elite player. We’re pretty confident there are still a few top-three MVP finishes in his future.
And Merrill’s 2024 was utterly preposterous. Having never played center field in his life, the 21-year-old learned the position during spring training and won the Opening Day job. Then he raked, finishing the season with 24 homers, 31 doubles, a .292 batting average and an adjusted OPS 27% better than league average. In any other year that didn’t include Paul Skenes, he would’ve won NL Rookie of the Year. Merrill’s defense in center — which, impressively, graded out as average in ‘24 — will surely get better with time and experience. He’s a cornerstone player with multiple All-Star Games ahead of him.
Beyond that duo, it’s pretty barren in San Diego. Estrada and Morejón are both very good relievers, but Vazquez, part of the Juan Soto trade package, was underwhelming in 98 innings last year. This organization, led by long time GM AJ Preller, is adept at identifying and developing young talent but often trades those prospects away for big-league impact. That dynamic has left the farm system, save for Salas and De Vries, understocked.
Salas, still just 18, is considered one of the best catching prospects in baseball, even though he had a bumpy 2024 in High-A while being four years younger on average than the competition. There’s not a lot of precedent for a young catcher being fast-tracked up the minor-league ladder like this, so it’s tough to evaluate Salas’ bat right now, but he still looks the part behind the dish. De Vries, a switch-hitting shortstop with real juice, also received an aggressive assignment in 2024, arriving in Low-A less than four months after he signed as an amateur. Neither of these guys seem likely to impact the big-league club within the next few years, even though Preller has a track-record of throwing caution to the wind with prospects. — J.M.
14. Detroit Tigers (total score: 16/30) | 2024 rank: 10
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Young MLB hitters (6/10): OF Riley Greene, OF Parker Meadows, SS Trey Sweeney, 1B Colt Keith, OF Wenceel Perez, 1B Spencer Torkelson, INF Jace Jung, C Dillon Dingler, 3B Justyn-Henry Malloy
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Young MLB pitchers (5/10): RHP Reese Olson, RHP Jackson Jobe, LHP Brant Hurter, RHP Keider Montero, RHP Ty Madden, RHP Matt Manning
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Prospect hitters (3/5): 2B Hao-Yu Lee, C Thayron Liranzo, C Josue Briceño, OF Max Clark, SS Kevin McGonigle
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Prospect pitchers (2/5): RHP Jaden Hamm, RHP Troy Melton, RHP Tyler Mattison, RHP Chase Lee
The 2024 Tigers made a surprise run to the ALDS thanks in large part to several of their 26-and-under big leaguers. Having so many young players leading the charge was a particularly invigorating way for Detroit to end its lengthy playoff drought, as it provided a blueprint for what this new era of Tigers baseball could look like if enough of the key characters involved continue to get better. As such, the Tigers enter 2025 with varying levels of optimism regarding their huge collection of MLB-ready 26-and-under talent.
Greene is the unquestioned anchor. He’s an All-Star outfielder whose excellent offensive ability stands out in a group of young hitters who have largely yet to prove themselves as big-league bats. Meadows made big strides at the plate after returning from a midseason demotion to Triple-A, but he still projects as more of a glove-first player (and a very good one at that). Keith signed an extension before he debuted and was competent as a rookie but has now moved to first base in deference to free-agent signing Gleyber Torres, in turn clouding the future of Torkelson.
There’s still a path to being a useful power bat in the big leagues for Torkelson, but how Detroit has handled him and the roster around him recently does not inspire much confidence. He is smelling more like a change-of-scenery candidate than a future franchise star at this point, but wherever he’s playing, Torkelson will need to iron out his swing-and-miss issues to stay relevant. Sweeney and Jung are former first-round picks who must improve the weak side of their game — Sweeney as a hitter, Jung as a defender — to become above-average players.
There are more hitters on the way via the farm system, though not many we should expect to see much of in the big leagues in 2025. Lee is another bat-first infielder who could be ready the soonest. Liranzo and Briceño are backstops with huge power who must improve defensively to become no-doubt every-day players. Clark and McGonigle are likely still a couple years away, but they warrant mention as the highest-ceiling hitting duo in the system and two advanced left-handed bats who have thrived in pro ball since being selected out of high school with Detroit’s first two picks in 2023.
Jobe, arguably the top pitching prospect in baseball, should open the season in Detroit’s rotation and is primed to break out in a big way. His workload and durability remain uncertain, as he has yet to throw 100 innings in a season, but the special raw stuff is undisputed, and the command has made real strides recently. He has the talent to join Tarik Skubal to form a fantastic duo atop Detroit’s rotation. Olson, Hurter and Montero each played a role in AJ Hinch’s “pitching chaos” strategy down the stretch last year. Olson could be a solid No. 4 starter, while Hurter looks like a multi-inning relief weapon. Among the prospect arms, Hamm has the most upside as a future rotation piece. — J.S.
13. New York Mets (total score: 17/30) | 2024 rank: 25
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Young MLB hitters (10/10): OF Juan Soto, 3B Mark Vientos, C Francisco Alvarez, INF Brett Baty
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Young MLB pitchers (1/10): RHP Christian Scott
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Prospect hitters (3/5): SS Ronny Mauricio, INF Luisangel Acuña, INF/OF Jett Williams, OF Drew Gilbert, 1B Ryan Clifford
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Prospect pitchers (3/5): RHP Brandon Sproat, RHP Nolan McLean, RHP Blade Tidwell, RHP Jonah Tong
Soto breaks the scale, as is so often the case. He’s still 26, so he qualifies for this list, even though including a $765 million player is against the spirit of this project, which is almost entirely about pre-free-agency players. Also, you know his deal: He’s one of the best hitters in the world with a flair for the dramatic.
But don’t sleep on Vientos or Alvarez, both of whom were key members of the OMG Mets last season. Vientos actually lost the starting third-base job to Baty out of spring training and was essentially kept in Triple-A until mid-May. But upon promotion, the swagged-out third baseman was magnificent. He strikes out a ton and is meh defensively at the hot corner, but only three hitters his age (25) or younger had a higher OPS+ last year: Bobby Witt Jr., Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Gunnar Henderson. Alvarez, who knocked 25 taters as a rookie in 2023, took an offensive step back in ‘24 and might be more average than stellar. But that’s fine for a catcher, especially one who grades out well in regard to framing.
Mauricio, Acuña and Williams could all feature for the 2025 Mets — or end up as bait in a Dylan Cease trade or a deadline deal this summer. A catastrophic knee injury in the Dominican Winter League stole Mauricio’s entire 2024 season, but the powerful, big-swinging infielder is expected to be full-go in the coming weeks. Acuña, Ronald’s brother, debuted last September and had a hot week while Francisco Lindor was nursing a back injury. Williams is built like a mid-major running back but has outrageous juice for a player his size (he’s listed at 5-foot-6). His eventual defensive home could be short, second, center or a combination of the three, but no matter where he ends up, he’s going to be a fan favorite because there just aren’t any players this short with this much pop.
A fifth-round pick out of the University of Florida, Scott improved dramatically in pro ball and was starting to look like a viable rotation option before Tommy John surgery in September cut his 2024 short. He’ll likely be out all of 2025 but will certainly be an arm to monitor at this time next year. Look for Sproat (another former Gator) to push for big-league starts at some point in 2025. Sproat has always thrown exceptionally hard for a starting pitcher, and now he needs to refine the rest of his arsenal and command in order to ensure success against big-league bats. Tidwell is less polished but has the stuff to contribute in some big-league role in the near future. McLean is a freak athlete who was still being deployed as a two-way player as recently as last June but now projects as a late-blooming rotation option or an impact reliever.
The Mets, under moneybags owner Steve Cohen, have not been shy about their ambitions. They want to become Dodgers East, a perennial contender with major-league stars and a developmental apparatus that churns out impact talent to supplement the big-league team. The Mets aren’t quite there yet — this group is good, not elite — but they’re definitely headed in the right direction. — J.M.
12. Arizona Diamondbacks (total score: 17/30) | 2024 rank: 4
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Young MLB hitters (8/10): OF Corbin Carroll, C Gabriel Moreno, SS Geraldo Perdomo, SS Blaze Alexander, OF Alek Thomas
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Young MLB pitchers (5/10): RHP Brandon Pfaadt, RHP Justin Martinez
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Prospect hitters (3/5): C Adrian Del Castillo, SS Jordan Lawlar, INF/OF Tim Tawa, 3B Gino Groover, SS Tommy Troy
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Prospect pitchers (1/5): RHP Yilber Diaz, RHP Cristian Mena, LHP Yu-Min Lin, RHP Joe Elbis
What a strange season it was for Carroll. While his 2023 Rookie of the Year counterpart, Gunnar Henderson, was busy ascending into MVP conversations, Carroll was downright dreadful in the first half of last season before rebounding in a big way down the stretch. That he finished the year with an above-average batting line speaks to how hot he was over the final two months, but that brutal start was certainly spooky. Carroll remains a franchise cornerstone whom 29 teams would love to have, albeit one who might be more susceptible to cold streaks than previously expected. Moreno’s elite defensive chops and terrific contact skills make him one of the better young catchers in baseball. Perdomo brings a similar skill set to Moreno except at shortstop; he just signed a long-term extension that reflects how much the D-backs value his presence in the infield and in the clubhouse.
Perdomo’s extension does raise some questions about Lawlar’s future as one of the top shortstop prospects in baseball. Injuries completely derailed his 2024, but he’s still just 22 and has the talent to break through in 2025 if he can stay on the field. Whether he’ll eventually seize the shortstop job and shift Perdomo into a utility role or succeed Eugenio Suarez at the hot corner remains to be seen. For now, Lawlar just needs to stay healthy and get back to hitting. Of the other prospect bats, Del Castillo is the most ready to contribute as a lefty slugger who could serve as a backup backstop who’s also worthy of DH at-bats.
While Arizona does not have a particularly deep stable of 26-and-under arms expected to contribute in 2025, its primary duo carries considerable water. Pfaadt might not have quite as much upside as thought during his 2023 postseason breakout, but he was a strike-throwing workhorse in his sophomore season, and there’s certainly value in that. Martinez was an exciting breakout in the bullpen with closer potential, and he might get even better if he can throw more strikes. On the farm, Diaz is an athletic, undersized right-hander with great stuff who must improve his command if he wants to be a starter long-term. — J.S.
11. Tampa Bay Rays (total score: 17/30) | 2024 rank: 16
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Young MLB hitters (5/10): 3B Junior Caminero, OF Christopher Morel, OF Jonny DeLuca, INF Curtis Mead
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Young MLB pitchers (5/10): RHP Taj Bradley, RHP Shane Baz, LHP Mason Montgomery, RHP Mike Vasil, RHP Joe Boyle
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Prospect hitters (5/5): SS Carson Williams, OF Chandler Simpson, 1B Xavier Isaac, 1B Tre’ Morgan, 3B Brayden Taylor, C Dominic Keegan
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Prospect pitchers (2/5): RHP Yoniel Curet, RHP Jackson Baumeister, LHP Joe Rock, LHP Ian Seymour
Yes, the Tampa Bay Rays have a lot of talented, young players whom you might not be familiar with. Also, the sky is blue.
Caminero is the potential game-changer here, a spectacularly talented in-box athlete with superstar potential. The bat speed is otherworldly, in the young Javier Báez/Manny Machado mold. In a 43-game sample last season, his 77.2 mph bat speed was tied for fourth in all of MLB with Aaron Judge. This allows Caminero to do things other hitters can’t dream of, such as his 455-foot, title-winning moon shot from the Dominican Winter League. He’s going to punch out a lot, especially as he adapts to big-league pitching, and his third-base defense is just OK, but this is one of the most exciting young hitters in the sport.
Bradley and Baz should both start the year in Tampa’s rotation. Bradley just logged 138 league-average innings as a 23-year-old, but there’s a lot of unscratched potential here if he can limit the damage on his four-seam fastball. Given the Rays’ track record of pitching development, I would bank on a nice step forward from Bradley in 2025. Baz missed all of 2023 after undergoing Tommy John, and while the recovery took a little longer than normal, he looked awesome upon return, hucking nearly 80 innings of All-Star-level ball down the stretch.
Tampa Bay always has a strong farm system, but this group of hitting prospects has a chance to be transformative. Not many prospects have Williams’ combination of power and defense at shortstop. Built like a young Carlos Correa, the 21-year-old might never hit for a high average but will be valuable anyway in a Dansby Swanson/Willy Adames way. Simpson is the fastest player in the minor leagues and will immediately create highlight-reel moments whenever he arrives in the bigs. It’s a throwback offensive approach built around contact and wheels, but he makes enough contact to make it work, even though he has yet to hit a pro home run over the fence. Isaac is a massive human being with comical raw power, though his 33.3% strikeout rate in 2024 is an orange flag. Morgan, a star on LSU’s 2023 College World Series team, is a doubles-oriented hitter with a spectacular, game-changing glove at first base. — J.M.
