Picks to Click on: Who We Count on to Make the 2025 High 100

It’s widespread for our readers to ask which of the gamers who aren’t on this 12 months’s High 100 would possibly grace subsequent 12 months’s version. Who has an opportunity to essentially get away? That is the piece for these readers, our “Picks to Click on,” the gut-feel guys we expect could make the 2025 High 100.

That is the seventh 12 months we’ve carried out this train at FanGraphs, and there are some guidelines. First, not one of the gamers you see under could have ever been graded as a 50 FV or higher prospect in any of our write-ups or rankings. Second, we are able to’t decide gamers who we’ve picked in prior years, however the different writers can. As an illustration, Eric picked Cristhian Vaquero final 12 months, however he didn’t make the High 100. Eric can’t choose him once more, however Tess might if she wished (she didn’t).

A number of years in the past, we determined to make this considerably aggressive to see which of us finally ends up being proper about essentially the most gamers. Beneath is a short rundown of how the location’s writers have accomplished since this piece turned part of Prospect Week; you may click on the 12 months within the “Yr” column to entry that 12 months’s listing. Our initials started showing subsequent to our picks in 2021. Within the occasion that a number of writers picked the identical prospect, we have now that quantity in parentheses between the person quantities, form of like a Venn Diagram. We don’t rely “click on echoes” towards our totals, guys who enter the 50 FV tier a number of years after they have been Picks to Click on. Nonetheless, we do rely “click on meteors,” gamers who cross via the High 100 throughout the season however then graduate, like Michael Harris II a few years in the past and like Bryan Woo virtually did final 12 months. Right here’s how we’ve fared up to now:

We’ve separated the gamers into teams or “sorts” to make the listing somewhat extra digestible and to provide you some concept of the demographics we expect pop-up guys come from, which might provide help to determine a few of your individual utilizing The Board. For gamers whose orgs we have now already coated this offseason, there’s a hyperlink to the relevant crew listing the place yow will discover a full scouting report on that participant.

Properly-Rounded Up-the-Center Guys
Angel Genao, SS, Cleveland Guardians (EL)
Jefferson Rojas, SS, Chicago Cubs (TT)
Bryan Rincon, SS, Philadelphia Phillies (TT) – Full Report
George Lombard Jr., SS, New York Yankees (EL/TT) – Full Report
Marvin Alcantara, SS, Boston Crimson Sox (EL)
Luis Lara, CF, Milwaukee Brewers (EL)
Enrique Bradfield Jr., CF, Baltimore Orioles (EL)
Nelson Rada, CF, Los Angeles Angels (EL)

Genao signed for somewhat over one million bucks a few years in the past. He’s a talented, switch-hitting contact bat who will flip 20 in Might and continues to be rising into his physique. Rojas has extra of a power-driven profile with common contact. His physicality would possibly finally transfer him to both second or third base. Alcantara is a superb rotational athlete with above-average bat-to-ball expertise and defensive qualities. Having him on right here means betting huge on him getting stronger throughout the subsequent 12 months. The remainder of the group — Lara, Bradfield, Rada — are contact-oriented speedsters who may even play plus protection.

Black Field Arms (All EL)
Adam Maier, RHP, Atlanta Braves
Alex Clemmey, LHP, Cleveland Guardians
Ty Floyd, RHP, Cincinnati Reds
Alonzo Tredwell, RHP, Houston Astros
Jackson Baumeister, RHP, Baltimore Orioles
Steven Echavarria, RHP, Oakland Athletics

These are all pitchers from the final couple of drafts who haven’t but thrown at an affiliate. A number of of them threw throughout instructs. This piece is extra “predicting” than “scouting,” and mainly each pitcher I’ve chosen right here comes from an org that has demonstrated that it’s able to teasing good issues out of its pitching. The faculty contingent right here might be extra more likely to hit by advantage of its proximity to the large leagues in 12 months. Maier was arguably a prime 50 draft prospect earlier than he blew out in March of 2022. He had his UCL repaired with an inside brace somewhat than have Tommy John; he didn’t pitch final 12 months. Wholesome Maier would sit 92-94 and peak within the 95-97 mph vary relying on the outing, and his slider has close to elite spin. Clemmey, who’s constructed like an NBA wing participant, was a 2023 highschool draftee with a giant fastball/curveball combo. Floyd’s stuff climbed all through the 2023 faculty season and was nastiest throughout LSU’s postseason run. He has a carrying mid-90s fastball and a tough slider, and will develop an excellent changeup due to his whippy arm motion. Tredwell (UCLA) and Baumesiter (Florida State) have been second spherical picks with vertically oriented fastball/breaking ball combos. Neither developed distinctive velocity in faculty, however they might get away in the event that they achieve this as execs. Echavarria is a $3 million highschool signee who has some fastball playability points, however he throws onerous and his expertise for spinning a breaking ball may be very particular.

Catchers
Eduardo Tait, C, Philadelphia Phillies (TT) – Full Report
Blake Mitchell, C, Kansas Metropolis Royals (TT)
Agustin Ramirez, C, New York Yankees (EL) – Full Report
Josue Briceno, C, Detroit Tigers (EL) – Full Report
Ralphy Velazquez, C, Cleveland Guardians (EL)

As all the time, the large league stock is such that even catchers with fairly critical offensive flaws are inclined to play lots. Each Mitchell and Velazquez have been 2023 first spherical picks straight from highschool, bat-first catchers with uncommon lefty energy who have to develop on protection. Mitchell was drafted out of a Texas highschool, and he’s been a prospect of reputation since he was an underclassman, at instances as each a pitcher and a catcher. His ball-blocking is what wants essentially the most enchancment. Velazquez went to Huntington Seashore (Nick Pratto, Hans Crouse) and his protection additionally wants a ton of labor. He was much less athletic trying than Mitchell as an novice, however he’s an athletic mover, and his energy and mobility combo offers him a shot to develop again there.

This Is What They Look Like
Dillon Head, CF, San Diego Padres (EL)
Robby Snelling, LHP, San Diego Padres (TT)
Arjun Nimmala, SS, Toronto Blue Jays (TT) – Full Report
Tai Peete, 3B, Seattle Mariners (EL)
Aidan Miller, 3B, Philadelphia Phillies (EL) – Full Report
Jansel Luis, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks (EL)
Brock Porter, RHP, Texas Rangers (TT)

We whiffed utterly on this class final 12 months, which is odd contemplating it’s often one in every of our extra productive. This demo is for the big-framed, toolsy children with huge ceilings. Padres 2023 first rounder Dillon Head is a table-setting leadoff sort with sneaky pull energy. He carried out very properly from a contact standpoint in 2023, and keep in mind that the child was coming from a chilly climate location; it’s superb he’s hit the bottom operating. Snelling is a tough-nosed lefty with mid-90s warmth and two fairly good breaking balls. He would possibly develop higher secondary stuff as he will get farther from soccer, which he performed severely in highschool. Peete and Nimmala are huge-framed energy projection prodigies from the 2023 highschool class; each have swing-and-miss danger. Luis is the almost certainly to play a premium place of this group. He’s a switch-hitting shortstop with unbelievable hand pace and points with chase. Porter was a outstanding 2022 highschool draftee who signed for $3.7 million. He’s nonetheless fairly wild, however he sat 92-95 throughout 70 or so innings final 12 months, has a plus changeup with enormous velo separation from his fastball, and his slider has developed plus break. He nonetheless must refine his management, which isn’t a given contemplating Porter’s comparatively violent supply, however his stuff and limber body are the constructing blocks of an influence starter.

Weirdos
Gino Groover, 3B, Arizona Diamdondbacks (EL)
Brice Matthews, SS, Houston Astros (EL)
Denzel Clarke, OF, Oakland Athletics (TT)
Thomas Saggese, 3B, St. Louis Cardinals (TT)
Brayden Taylor, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays (EL/TT)

Groover was among the many 2023 draft’s extra risky and thrilling prospects. A switch from UNC Wilmington, he raked for 2 years at NC State however was a mistake-prone third base defender. He has uncommon hand pace and demonstrated plus charges of contact at NC State after which in 100 PAs at Excessive-A Hillsboro after the draft, the place he struck out simply 9% of the time. He is likely to be a swing tweak away from an enormous offensive breakout; he additionally might not have a place. Like Groover, Matthews was a divisive 2023 faculty prospect (Nebraska). He’s extremely athletic and toolsy, has superb bat pace, and makes the sometimes inconceivable defensive play, however he’s additionally tremendous uncooked in mainly each aspect of baseball. His particular bodily items give him a large ceiling. That has additionally rung true for Denzel Clarke since getting into professional ball. The 6-foot-5, power-hitting outfielder has struck out roughly 30% of the time, however he’s hit for sufficient energy to be a plus offensive participant at every of his minor league stops. Acquired for Jordan Montgomery, Saggese is an undersized over-achiever whose bat-to-ball expertise and aggressive method mixed for an electrical 2023 season, incomes him MVP honors within the Texas League. Taylor had a Jekyll and Hyde junior 2023 spring and received off to a really gradual begin earlier than he received white sizzling and ended up hitting a career-high 23 homers at TCU. Groups have been spooked sufficient by his strikeout points that he fell to the Rays at nineteenth total, later than is typical for somebody who carried out like Taylor did in faculty.

Irresponsibly Early
Adam Serwinowski, LHP, Cincinnati Reds (EL)
Eduardo Quintero, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers (EL)
Rayner Arias, OF, San Francisco Giants (EL)
Robert Calaz, OF, Colorado Rockies (EL)

A 2022 fifteenth rounder out of a South Carolina Excessive College, Serwinowski had a 2023 velo spike and sat 94-97 with plus carry throughout nearly 30 innings. He’s a spindly 6-foot-5 and continues to be simply 19. He would possibly throw tougher and has expertise for spinning a breaking ball. Quintero is a transformed catcher who seemed good enjoying middle area within the 2023 DSL. He’s a bat management maven with medium bodily instruments proper now. Arias seemed implausible within the U.S. throughout minor league spring coaching and in a short DSL pattern, however he sprained his wrist and missed a variety of 2023. Calaz was one in every of a number of Rockies DSL hitters thought-about for this listing. He’s a power-hitting outfielder more likely to play in a nook with a few of the higher DSL exit velo knowledge from final season.

Energy Bats
William Sullivan, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals (TT)
Haydn McGeary, 1B, Chicago Cubs (TT)
Brock Wilken, 3B, Milwaukee Brewers (TT)

Sullivan mashed 2023 A-ball as an old-for-the-level prospect. The slugger from Troy has plus lefty bat pace and a few of the greatest 2023 Trackman knowledge within the minors whenever you examine each energy and make contact with. McGeary additionally had a few of the greatest 2023 Trackman knowledge in all of professional baseball. Earlier than we declare both of those guys to be the subsequent Paul Goldschmidt, let’s see them deal with upper-level velo. Wilken has plus-plus current uncooked energy and hit a number of balls tougher than 115 mph throughout his profession at Wake, energy he generates with a comically easy swing. He’ll have to work to remain as agile and cellular as attainable to keep away from a shift to first base.

Seven-Pack of Pitching
Aidan Curry, RHP, Texas Rangers (EL)
Owen Murphy, RHP, Atlanta Braves (EL)
Peyton Pallette, RHP, Chicago White Sox (TT) – Full Report
Michael Arias, RHP, Chicago Cubs (EL)
Wilkelman Gonzalez, RHP, Boston Crimson Sox (EL)
Justin Wrobleski, LHP, Los Angeles Dodgers (EL)
Troy Melton, RHP, Detroit Tigers (EL) – Full Report

The 21-year-old Curry is a 2020 undrafted free agent out of a New York highschool who has developed a bunch of common pitches and starter-worthy command. He’s a broad-shouldered 6-foot-5 and will nonetheless add extra velo as he enters his mid-20s. He’s on tempo to be added to the 40-man roster after the season. Murphy was a two-way excessive schooler who signed for $2.5 million in 2022. He has precocious command and can be thought-about a low-variance no. 4 starter if he might maintain the 91-95 mph vary he’s proven in spurts. Arias is a transformed shortstop who moved to the mound across the time he signed with the Cubs. He’s walk-prone however has two influence pitches in his mid-90s fastball and upper-80s changeup. These two pitches alone ought to allow him to be an excellent reliever at the least. If he can refine his command and slider, he’s going to be a mid-rotation starter. Gonzalez is able to lacking bats with three pitches, he’s nonetheless solely going to be 22 years previous for all the 2024 season, and he’s now held mid-90s velocity beneath one thing approaching an precise starter’s workload. He scatters 94-96 mph fastballs in all places and bends in a one of many higher curveballs within the minors, which is one in every of Gonzalez’s two good breaking balls. Even his changeup generated plus miss charges in 2023, giving him three choices that comfortably test that field. Wrobleski had TJ near the 2021 draft and didn’t get on an affiliate’s mound till the very finish of 2022, when he was sitting 93-95 mph for 3 innings at a time, up above his normal pre-TJ 88-91 mph vary. He roughly held that velo spike all all through 2023 and really ended the 12 months with a number of begins of velo improve, at instances averaging 95 mph. Wrobo primarily has 5 pitches due to his potential to change the form and velocity of his fastball, and he’s funneled breaking utilization away from his curveball and towards a slider/cutter combo that he instructions very properly. Can he maintain this newer velo spike like he did the primary one? The arrow has been pointing up slowly however steadily since Wrobleski returned from surgical procedure. Even when he sits 92-93 and reaches again for extra now and again, he is likely to be a 12 months away from the High 100 by advantage of his command and repertoire depth.

League Supply Picks
For the primary time this 12 months, we’re together with trade Picks to Click on, gamers who a few of our sources in baseball suppose are going to have breakout 2024 seasons. We requested a bunch of professional scouts, participant personnel administrators, participant dev people, in-office analysts, and even some GMs for a few names. Now we have all of them dumped in a pile under, re-arranged to guard peoples’ anonymity.

Byron Chourio, CF, Minnesota Twins
Luis Serna, RHP, New York Yankees
Henry Lalane, LHP, New York Yankees
Rayner Arias, OF, San Francisco Giants
Filippo Di Turi, SS, Milwaukee Brewers
Wikelman Gonzalez, RHP, Boson Crimson Sox
Ronan Kopp, LHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
Yoeilin Cespedes, INF, Boston Crimson Sox
Cristhian Vaquero, OF, Washington Nationals
Dillon Head, CF, San Diego Padres
Raudelis Martinez, C, Tampa Bay Rays
Alexander Albertus, 3B, Los Angeles Dodgers
Carlos Lagrange, RHP, New York Yankees
Luis R. Rodriguez, LHP, New York Mets
George Wolkow, 1B, Chicago White Sox
Paulino Santana, OF, Texas Rangers
Johanfran Garcia, C, Boston Crimson Sox
Ignacio Alvarez, 3B, Atlanta Braves
Adam Serwinowski, LHP, Cincinnati Reds
Thomas Harrington, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates,
Esmerlyn Valdez, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
Alex Clemmey, LHP, Cleveland Guardians
Drew Grey, LHP Chicago Cubs
C.J. Culpepper, RHP, Minnesota Twins
Yordanny Monegro, RHP, Boston Crimson Sox
Brock Porter, RHP, Texas Rangers
Jose Urbina, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays
Michael Arias, RHP, Chicago Cubs
Jackson Baumeister, RHP, Baltimore Orioles
Felnin Celesten, SS, Seattle Mariners
Alessandro Ercolani, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates
Steven Echevarria, RHP, Oakland Athletics