Picks to Click on: Who I Count on to Make the 2026 Prime 100

It’s frequent for readers to ask which of the gamers who aren’t on this yr’s Prime 100 would possibly grace subsequent yr’s version. Who has an opportunity to essentially get away? That is the piece for these readers, my “Picks to Click on,” the gut-feel guys I believe could make the 2026 Prime 100.

That is the eighth yr we’ve performed 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, I can’t choose gamers who I’ve picked in prior years, although I can take gamers who different writers chosen and I didn’t. As an illustration, I picked Jackson Baumeister final yr, however he didn’t make the Prime 100. I can’t choose him once more, however I’d if I may. Brailer Guerrero made the Prime 100 in the course of final season, after which harm his shoulder for the second time in two years and fell off. I can’t put him on right here, irrespective of how a lot I like him.

Just a few years in the past, we determined to make this considerably aggressive to see which of us finally ends up being proper about probably the most gamers. Under is a quick rundown of how my colleagues and I’ve executed since this piece grew to become part of Prospect Week; you possibly can click on the yr within the “12 months” column to entry that yr’s checklist. Our initials started showing subsequent to our picks in 2021. Within the occasion that a number of writers picked the identical prospect, I’ve that quantity in parentheses between the person quantities, type of like a Venn Diagram. I didn’t rely “click on echoes” towards our totals, guys who enter the 50 FV tier a number of years after they had been Picks to Click on. Nevertheless, I did rely “click on meteors,” gamers who cross via the Prime 100 in the course of the season however then graduate, like Michael Harris II did a few years in the past:

Final yr wasn’t fairly as unhealthy because the 18% hit fee appears on its face as a result of so lots of the gamers featured in final yr’s article may fairly be on a Prime 100, they only didn’t make mine. Nonetheless, right here’s to rebounding this yr.

I’ve separated the gamers into teams or “sorts” to make the checklist just a little extra digestible, and to offer you some concept of the demographics I believe pop-up guys come from. Every of those gamers now has a report over on The Board, the place you possibly can go see device grades and extra detailed scouting stories for them. Under, I’ve not less than a quick snippet on everybody who’s a “click on” this yr.

Projectable Younger PitchersFelix Arronde, SP, Kansas Metropolis RoyalsChen-Wei Lin, SP, St. Louis CardinalsRyan Sloan, SP, Seattle MarinersCam Caminiti, SP, Atlanta BravesBrady Smith, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers

Arronde, 21, is a projectable 6-foot-3 righty who threw a ton of strikes throughout 110.1 A-ball innings final yr. He has a great wanting supply, a nasty splitter, and the “click on” right here could be him getting stronger and throwing each his fastball and breaking ball more durable. Lin, 23, is a 6-foot-7 Taiwanese righty who overwhelmed A-ball final yr with upper-90s velocity. He clicks if his launch turns into constant sufficient for him to throw extra strikes. Sloan was one of many extra thrilling highschool pitching prospects within the 2024 Draft, rating twenty eighth within the class on draft day. He’s a robust righty, albeit a extra bodily mature one, with a stunning, robust supply and an awesome breaking ball. He was as much as 98 throughout his senior spring after sitting 91-93. Caminiti was typically thought-about the most effective highschool pitching prospects within the 2024 draft for his whole scouting timeline. He’s a lanky 6-foot-2 lefty who’ll contact 97, has an influence curveball, and added a slider throughout his senior yr. Smith was a favourite of mine from the 2023 Draft Mix, an athletic however considerably undersized righty with plus fastball trip and superior secondary pitches. The Dodgers received a deal executed with him for $700,000, and Smith had Tommy John in the course of the 2023-24 offseason. That is the type of pitcher who clicks if the rehab course of results in power positive factors and added velocity.

This Is What They Look LikeBryce Rainer, SS, Detroit TigersKonnor Griffin, OF, Pittsburgh PiratesBoston Baro, 3B, New York MetsPJ Morlando, OF, Miami MarlinsAbdias De La Cruz, OF, Arizona DiamondbacksBraden Montgomery, OF, Chicago White Sox

Rainer was the eleventh general choose within the 2024 draft, a lefty-hitting shortstop with a swing geared for energy and big arm power. Rainer didn’t play after the draft, and can click on if he exhibits he’s going to make a viable quantity of contact towards professional pitching. The identical is true for Griffin, a 6-foot-4, 225 pound toolshed who Pittsburgh drafted ninth general. The pace with which Griffin can go zero to 60 at his dimension is unbelievable. He takes enormous, highly effective strides and motors across the bases with a rooster tail of dust kicking up from his spikes. His reads and routes within the outfield aren’t nice despite the fact that Griffin has the pace for middle subject, which is why he was largely relegated to proper subject on Workforce USA. Griffin’s bat-to-ball observe report was excellent throughout a number of years on the showcase circuit, however lengthy levers typically make him late on fastballs, and whether or not he adjusts in professional ball will dictate whether or not or not he clicks. Baro, a $700,000 signee from the 2023 draft, is an efficient defensive third baseman and call hitter who clicks if he has grown into significant power in the course of the offseason. He was promoted to Excessive-A Brooklyn on the finish of final yr.

Morlando, Miami’s 2024 first rounder, is a 6-foot-3 power-hitting outfield prospect who may get away with a swing change. He ft are so unnaturally stationary throughout his swing that it robs it of rhythm and athleticism. Something that may assist him keep on time may unlock dormant 30-homer energy right here. De La Cruz, who turned 20 in November, has a large receiver’s construct at a lanky 6-foot-3, he’s selective, and his swing is geared to tug. He hasn’t tapped into a lot sport energy but, however he has all of the visible markers of a hitter who will as he matures. Montgomery was the twelfth choose within the 2024 draft and doubtless would have gone larger if he hadn’t fractured his proper ankle sliding into house in the course of the school postseason. A toolsy former two-way participant, Montgomery had critical strikeout points as an underclassman at Stanford, however then confirmed a brand new capacity to cowl excessive pitches as a junior at A&M after a slight mechanical change. His damage meant we couldn’t see how that performed in professional ball, and in addition creates uncertainty round Montgomery’s defensive capacity and pace. If he comes out the gates sizzling in 2025, he’ll rocket into the Prime 100.

Sneaky PitchersEthan Pecko, SP, Houston AstrosTrey Yesavage, SP, Toronto Blue JaysAustin Peterson, SP, Cleveland GuardiansMatt Wilkinson, SP, Cleveland GuardiansHunter Dobbins, SP, Boston Crimson SoxConnor Prielipp, SP, Minnesota Twins

Since coming into professional ball, the Astros have augmented Pecko’s supply, most clearly his stride course, and his fastball has change into deadly. It has enormous using motion and uphill angle that makes it a possible plus-plus providing despite the fact that it sits simply 92-94 mph. Toronto’s 2024 first rounder, Yesavage’s mid-90s fastball has plus carry and misses bats regardless of its aircraft. He has a fastball/slider assault versus righties, with extra splitters and slower breakers versus lefties. Yesavage’s splitter command isn’t pretty much as good as that of his fastball/slider, however the pitch has sufficient sink and velo separation to generally keep out of hassle when it isn’t positioned properly. Yesavage is a elegant, quick-moving no. 4 starter sort. A 6-foot-6 strike-throwing Leviathan, Peterson has the bottom stroll fee (4.3%) amongst certified minor league starters since 2022. He sits 90 mph. The Guardians have been capable of take older, strike-throwing starters and assist them throw more durable previous when one would possibly anticipate pitchers to start out doing so, with Tanner Bibee a distinguished current instance. Peterson’s dimension and bodily fluidity make it appear possible that this might occur for him.

Nicknamed “Tugboat,” Wilkinson is a 270-pound lefty who’s extremely athletic for an athlete of his construct. His drop-and-drive supply will get him so low to the bottom that his left shin is sort of scraping throughout the highest of the mound. His fastball solely sits about 90 mph, however it nonetheless performed like a dominant pitch in 2024 due to its rising motion and Wilkinson’s capacity to command it to efficient places. If his changuep takes a step ahead, or if Wilkinson begins throwing more durable and finally ends up with an elite fastball, he’ll undertaking as a convention-breaking mid-rotation starter. Dobbins was hidden as an underclassman at Texas Tech as a result of he was a reliever as a freshman, his sophomore yr was worn out as a result of COVID, and he blew out and wanted TJ as a junior. He ended his 2024 season at Triple-A Worcester and his innings rely has climbed to the purpose the place he may feasibly deal with an enormous league starter’s workload as quickly as subsequent season. Dobbins doesn’t have an thrilling athletic look or supply, however he nonetheless throws onerous, as much as 98. His curveball is his repertoire’s bat-misser, and late within the season, Dobbins’ splinker grew to become extra identifiable. The emergence of that pitch is the important thing to Dobbins getting a grade bump right here. Prielipp has been harm a ton and labored 23.1 innings in 2024 after getting back from TJ. He has a nasty mid-80s slider with elite spin, and sat 94-95 in 2024. Clicking for Prielipp means sustaining that velo throughout extra innings in 2024.

Energy-Hitting CatchersBlake Mitchell, C, Kansas Metropolis RoyalsEduardo Tait, C, Philadelphia PhilliesOmar Alfonzo, C, Pittsburgh Pirates

Mitchell is a power-hitting 20-year-old with poor plate self-discipline and unpolished protection. He catches from a such a low one-knee’d crouch that it appears like he’s making an attempt to win a curler skating limbo, and his arms and approach selecting balls within the dust improved a ton all through 2024. Subsequent for Mitchell is getting his arm to play nearer to his expertise degree; he was into the mid-90s as a highschool pitcher, however hosed simply 15% of runner final yr. Tait is similar to Mitchell (enormous lefty energy, expands the zone an excessive amount of, wants to enhance on protection), besides he’s 18 and has common huge league uncooked energy already. Alfonzo is a 21-year-old lefty-hitting catcher with energy who had a 53% hard-hit fee in 2024. He additionally has a plus arm, however in any other case has plenty of bettering to do as a defender.

May Want a Dev TweakAustin Charles, 3B, Kansas Metropolis RoyalsJustin Crawford, OF, Philadelphia PhilliesDenzel Clarke, OF, AthleticsRyan Waldschmidt, OF, Arizona DiamondbacksJhostynxon Garcia, OF, Boston Crimson Sox

Charles was the Royals’ final choose in 2022 and signed on the eleventh hour after visiting the staff’s facility. He’s a bodily outlier at a yoked 6-foot-5, and he’s an absurdly coordinated defensive participant for somebody his dimension. His swing is just a little awkward wanting, however Charles was nonetheless capable of put up an above-average wRC+ at Low-A in 2024 at age 20. He’s so geared to tug that he swings inside a ton of sliders; if he can quell this tendency, he’ll click on sufficient to benefit upside-driven Prime 100 inclusion a yr from now. Crawford has a few underlying points that, if resolved, may result in a real breakout. He’s in all probability going to have an enormous 2025 line simply due to the hitting setting in Studying, however underneath the hood, if he stops chasing a lot (he chased at a 36% clip at largely Excessive-A in 2024; the massive league common is 27%), or if he’s lifting the ball extra (1 diploma launch on common in 2024; Jacob Younger set the certified main league low at 4 levels), or if his really feel for middle subject improves, then we are able to begin to speak about him as a Prime 100 man. He’s already labored onerous to get stronger in comparison with 2023, however one in all this stuff must be his subsequent space of progress.

Clarke is an unbelievable outfield defender with an excellent lengthy swing. He’ll click on if he can shorten up sufficient to have even one above-average offensive device. Waldschmidt had one of many extra well-rounded statistical circumstances of any school hitter within the 2024 draft and carried out properly in a number of key statistical classes at Kentucky, together with plate self-discipline, contact, and measurable energy. His swing is hellacious however atypical; it’s all arms and torso, and requires a ton of effort. This isn’t a man who wants an adjustment to click on, I simply need to see it work towards professional stuff since we’re speaking a few left fielder. “The Password” is listed at simply 163 kilos on his official minor league participant web page, however he’s about 60 kilos heavier than that, and has dynamic energy and pace. He’s chase inclined (50% chase with two strikes) and can click on if that will get toned down.

Small, however MightyKeyner Benitez, SP, Miami MarlinsSlade Caldwell, OF, Arizona DiamondbacksSantiago Suarez, SP, Tampa Bay Rays

Benitez is an athletic lefty with a possible plus-plus changeup. He pitched properly in Low-A final yr, and received’t flip 19 till the top of Could. Caldwell is a muscular 5-foot-9 outfielder constructed within the Jasson Domínguez/Jett Williams mould. He has the talents of a standard leadoff hitter. Suarez got here to Tampa by the use of the Xavier Edwards commerce with the Marlins. He’s a Doogie Howser sort, a really younger surgeon with stroll charges within the 3-5% vary at every degree to this point.

Show That It’s ActualDemetrio Crisantes, 2B, Arizona DiamondbacksTheo Gillen, 2B/CF, Tampa Bay RaysJosuar De Jesus Gonzalez, SS/CF, San Francisco GiantsZyhir Hope, LF, Los Angeles DodgersAroon Escobar, 2B, Philadelphia Phillies

Crisantes is a 20-year-old infielder who carried out on the advanced and within the Cal League final yr. He has terrific underlying contact information. If he will be on time to tug fastballs extra typically in 2025, I’ll purchase that this underlying information is legit. For now, I’m apprehensive about how a lot contact he’s sending to proper subject, particularly contemplating he’s a 2B/1B defender. Gillen had the most effective contact/energy mixtures within the 2024 draft despite the fact that he was a excessive schooler, however a shoulder damage made it robust for him to throw, and it’s nonetheless unclear what place(s) he can play. If he can show to be a match at second base or in middle subject in 2025, it will likely be simpler to undertaking him as a foundational on a regular basis participant. De Jesus Gonzalez was my high ranked 2025 worldwide participant, a dynamic athlete with good energy for his dimension. Some worldwide scouts noticed him at shortstop, some in middle subject. If it turns into clear that he can play both or each of these in 2025, he has a great shot to be included in the back of subsequent yr’s hondo.

I don’t assume the small A-ball information pattern Hope produced in 2024 is particularly dependable and, based mostly on my Fall League look, I believe there’s extra swing-and-miss occurring right here that was evident at Rancho. Even when I’m proper about that, if Hope can play middle subject (he was actually quick in highschool, however he’s stuffed out a lot already, was harm for some time, and regarded rusty taking part in left subject in 2024), he’ll have sufficient energy to profile there regardless of numerous strikeouts. He may additionally simply show my contact skepticism fallacious. Escobar is a bodily center infielder and a great wanting hitter who raked in 104 Complicated League plate appearances final yr, a season minimize brief by shin splints. He clicks if he can keep wholesome and produce similarly at Low-A Clearwater this yr throughout a much bigger pattern.

A brand new part I’m debuting this yr is the “Two-12 months Darts,” the place I choose 10 gamers who I believe will take two seasons to essentially pop. These guys will rely for the evaluate that takes place in 2027. I’m simply mentioning names from right here on out.

Two-12 months DartsEriandys Ramon, 3B, Chicago CubsJosh Knoth, RHP, Milwaukee BrewersAnderson Brito, SP, Houston AstrosTyson Lewis, SS, Cincinatti RedsDavid Matoma, SP, Pittsburgh PiratesHyun-Seok Jang, SP, Los Angeles DodgersYohanfer Santana, SP, Miami MarlinsSheng-En Lin, SP, Cincinnati RedsAsbel Gonzalez, OF, Kansas Metropolis RoyalsHumberto Cruz, SP, San Diego Padres

As I’ve executed in years previous, here’s a checklist of high-leverage relievers who may very well be up in the course of the yr. They typically don’t have the type of affect on a staff to justify inclusion on the Prime 100, however they’re nonetheless related names to know:

Yordin Chalas, RHP, Arizona DiamondbacksRoyber Salinas, RHP, Atlanta BravesPayton Tolle, LHP, Boston Crimson SoxAndrew Walters, RHP, Cleveland GuardiansZach Agnos, RHP, Colorado RockiesZach Maxwell, RHP, Cincinnati RedsSean Burke, RHP, Chicago Whie SoxLuis Mey, RHP, Cincinnati RedsLuis Peralta, LHP, Colorado RockiesSamy Natera Jr., LHP, Los Angeles AngelsEric Reyzelman, RHP, New York YankeesAlex McFarlane, RHP, Philadelphia PhilliesHunter Cranton, RHP, Seattle MarinersMason Montgomery, LHP, Tampa Bay RaysMarc Church, RHP, Texas RangersT.J. Brock, RHP, Toronto Blue JaysOrlando Ribalta, RHP, Washington NationalsBradgley Rodriguez, RHP, San Diego Padres

Final yr, we debuted a bit on the backside of this piece the place I share names my sources think about Picks to Click on (their hit fee was amusingly horrible). Listed below are this yr’s nominees:

Eduardo Quintero, CF, Los Angeles Dodgers (2 votes)Brady Smith, RHP, Los Angeles DodgerEmil Morales, SS, Los Angeles DodgersHyun-Seok Jang, RHP, Los Angeles DodgersBraden Nett, RHP, San Diego PadresHumberto Cruz, RHP, San Diego Padres (2 votes)Demetrio Crisantes, INF, Arizona DiamondbacksYassel Soler, 3B, Arizona DiamondbacksJansel Luis, SS, Arizona DiamondbacksGary Gill Hill, RHP, Tampa Bay RaysJackson Baumeister, RHP, Tampa Bay RaysJose Urbina, RHP, Tampa Bay RaysAidan Smith, OF, Tampa Bay Rays (2 votes)Caleb Bonemer, 3B, Chicago White SoxBlake Mitchell, C, Kansas Metropolis RoyalsCole Carrigg, OF, Colorado RockiesKyle Karros, 3B, Colorado Rockies (2 votes)Zach Agnos, RHP, Colorado RockiesNolan McLean, RHP, New York Mets (2 votes)Izack Tiger, RHP, Detroit TigersBryce Rainer, SS, Detroit TigersOwen Corridor, RHP Detroit TigersMike Burrows, RHP, Pittsburgh PiratesYolfran Castillo, SS, Texas RangersTyson Lewis, SS, Cincinnati RedsAdam Serwinowski, RHP, Cincinnati RedsRamon Ramirez, C, Kansas Metropolis RoyalsMichael Arroyo, 2B, Seattle MarinersLazaro Montes, OF, Seattle MarinersYairo Padilla, SS, St. Louis CardinalsCole Mathis, 1B, Chicago CubsA.J. Blubaugh, RHP, Houston AstrosK.C. Hunt, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers