Picks to Click: Who I Expect to Make the 2026 Top 100

It’s frequent for readers to ask which of the gamers who aren’t on this 12 months’s Prime 100 would possibly grace subsequent 12 months’s version. Who has an opportunity to essentially escape? 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 12 months we’ve carried out this train at FanGraphs, and there are some guidelines. First, not one of the gamers you see beneath can have ever been graded as a 50 FV or higher prospect in any of our write-ups or rankings. Second, I can’t decide gamers who I’ve picked in prior years, although I can take gamers who different writers chosen and I didn’t. As an example, I picked Jackson Baumeister final 12 months, however he didn’t make the Prime 100. I can’t choose him once more, however I’d if I might. Brailer Guerrero made the Prime 100 in the midst 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, regardless 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 essentially the most gamers. Beneath is a quick rundown of how my colleagues and I’ve 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, I’ve that quantity in parentheses between the person quantities, form of like a Venn Diagram. I didn’t depend “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. Nonetheless, I did depend “click on meteors,” gamers who cross by the Prime 100 throughout the season however then graduate, like Michael Harris II did a few years in the past:

Final 12 months wasn’t fairly as unhealthy because the 18% hit fee seems to be on its face as a result of so lots of the gamers featured in final 12 months’s article might fairly be on a Prime 100, they simply didn’t make mine. Nonetheless, right here’s to rebounding this 12 months.

I’ve separated the gamers into teams or “varieties” to make the listing a bit of extra digestible, and to offer you some thought of the demographics I believe pop-up guys come from. Every of those gamers now has a document over on The Board, the place you may go see software grades and extra detailed scouting stories for them. Beneath, I’ve a minimum of a quick snippet on everybody who’s a “click on” this 12 months.

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 12 months. He has a great trying 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 12 months 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 excellent breaking ball. He was as much as 98 throughout his senior spring after sitting 91-93. Caminiti was usually thought of top-of-the-line highschool pitching prospects within the 2024 draft for his total 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 12 months. Smith was a favourite of mine from the 2023 Draft Mix, an athletic however considerably undersized righty with plus fastball journey and superior secondary pitches. The Dodgers bought a deal accomplished with him for $700,000, and Smith had Tommy John throughout the 2023-24 offseason. That is the form of pitcher who clicks if the rehab course of results in power beneficial properties 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 decide 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 reveals 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 velocity with which Griffin can go zero to 60 at his dimension is unbelievable. He takes large, highly effective strides and motors across the bases with a rooster tail of filth kicking up from his spikes. His reads and routes within the outfield aren’t nice though Griffin has the velocity for middle discipline, which is why he was largely relegated to proper discipline on Staff USA. Griffin’s bat-to-ball monitor document was excellent throughout a number of years on the showcase circuit, however lengthy levers usually 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 speak to hitter who clicks if he has grown into significant power throughout the offseason. He was promoted to Excessive-A Brooklyn on the finish of final 12 months.

Morlando, Miami’s 2024 first rounder, is a 6-foot-3 power-hitting outfield prospect who might escape 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 might 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 recreation energy but, however he has all of the visible markers of a hitter who will as he matures. Montgomery was the twelfth decide within the 2024 draft and doubtless would have gone greater if he hadn’t fractured his proper ankle sliding into house throughout the school postseason. A toolsy former two-way participant, Montgomery had severe strikeout points as an underclassman at Stanford, however then confirmed a brand new capability to cowl excessive pitches as a junior at A&M after a slight mechanical change. His harm meant we couldn’t see how that performed in professional ball, and in addition creates uncertainty round Montgomery’s defensive capability and velocity. If he comes out the gates scorching 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 Purple SoxConnor Prielipp, SP, Minnesota Twins

Since getting into professional ball, the Astros have augmented Pecko’s supply, most clearly his stride path, and his fastball has grow to be deadly. It has large using motion and uphill angle that makes it a possible plus-plus providing though 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 airplane. 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 typically keep out of hassle when it isn’t positioned nicely. Yesavage is a elegant, quick-moving no. 4 starter kind. 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 in a position to take older, strike-throwing starters and assist them throw more durable previous when one would possibly count on pitchers to start out doing so, with Tanner Bibee a outstanding 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 nearly scraping throughout the highest of the mound. His fastball solely sits about 90 mph, but it surely nonetheless performed like a dominant pitch in 2024 due to its rising motion and Wilkinson’s capability to command it to efficient areas. If his changuep takes a step ahead, or if Wilkinson begins throwing more durable and finally ends up with an elite fastball, he’ll mission 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 12 months was worn out as a consequence of COVID, and he blew out and wanted TJ as a junior. He ended his 2024 season at Triple-A Worcester and his innings depend has climbed to the purpose the place he might 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 exhausting, as much as 98. His curveball is his repertoire’s bat-misser, and late within the season, Dobbins’ splinker turned 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 seems to be like he’s attempting to win a curler skating limbo, and his palms and method choosing balls within the filth 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 12 months. Tait is similar to Mitchell (large lefty energy, expands the zone an excessive amount of, wants to enhance on protection), besides he’s 18 and has common large 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 numerous 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 Purple Sox

Charles was the Royals’ final decide in 2022 and signed on the eleventh hour after visiting the group’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 a bit of awkward trying, however Charles was nonetheless in a position to publish 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 12 months from now. Crawford has a few underlying points that, if resolved, might 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 beneath 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 discipline improves, then we will begin to discuss him as a Prime 100 man. He’s already labored exhausting to get stronger in comparison with 2023, however considered one of this stuff must be his subsequent space of progress.

Clarke is an unbelievable outfield defender with a brilliant lengthy swing. He’ll click on if he can shorten up sufficient to have even one above-average offensive software. Waldschmidt had one of many extra well-rounded statistical instances of any school hitter within the 2024 draft and carried out nicely 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 palms 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 velocity. He’s chase susceptible (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 nicely in Low-A final 12 months, and gained’t flip 19 till the top of Might. Caldwell is a muscular 5-foot-9 outfielder constructed within the Jasson Domínguez/Jett Williams mildew. He has the talents of a conventional leadoff hitter. Suarez got here to Tampa by means of the Xavier Edwards commerce with the Marlins. He’s a Doogie Howser kind, 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 12 months. He has terrific underlying contact knowledge. If he will be on time to tug fastballs extra usually in 2025, I’ll purchase that this underlying knowledge is legit. For now, I’m apprehensive about how a lot contact he’s sending to proper discipline, particularly contemplating he’s a 2B/1B defender. Gillen had top-of-the-line contact/energy mixtures within the 2024 draft though he was a excessive schooler, however a shoulder harm made it powerful 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 discipline in 2025, it will likely be simpler to mission 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 discipline. 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 12 months’s hondo.

I don’t suppose the small A-ball knowledge pattern Hope produced in 2024 is very 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 discipline (he was actually quick in highschool, however he’s crammed out a lot already, was harm for some time, and seemed rusty enjoying left discipline in 2024), he’ll have sufficient energy to profile there regardless of plenty of strikeouts. He may also simply show my contact skepticism improper. Escobar is a bodily center infielder and a great trying hitter who raked in 104 Complicated League plate appearances final 12 months, a season reduce brief by shin splints. He clicks if he can keep wholesome and produce in a similar way at Low-A Clearwater this 12 months throughout an even bigger pattern.

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

Two-Yr 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 accomplished in years previous, here’s a listing of high-leverage relievers who could possibly be up throughout the 12 months. They usually don’t have the form of influence on a group 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 Purple 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 12 months, we debuted a bit on the backside of this piece the place I share names my sources take into account Picks to Click on (their hit fee was amusingly horrible). Listed below are this 12 months’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