The chips have moved more than ever in the new list of the Top 100 MLB Pipeline Prospects. A total of 27 players have graduated from our preseason rankings and have been called up to the Big Top, while performances have been more volatile than ever after a 2020 season with no minor leagues.
Rays shortstop Wander Franco had topped our last four preseason and midseason Top 100 lists, but now that the Dominican has lost his rookie / prospect status, Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman, ranks first. For just the second time since MLB.com began compiling its rankings in 2004, the same team boasts the best position prospect and the best prospective pitcher.
Baltimore right-hander Grayson Rodriguez is the top-ranked pitcher at No. 8 overall. The only other organization to achieve that milestone was the White Sox, with Yoán Moncada at the top and Michael Kopech at No. 12 on our mid-2017 list.
Let’s take a look at our new Top 10 list in several ways.
Top 10
1. Adley Rutschman, C, Orioles
2. Julio Rodríguez, OF, Mariners
3. Bobby Witt Jr., SS, Royals
4. Spencer Torkelson, 3B / 1B, Tigers
5. Marco Luciano, SS, Giants
6. CJ Abrams, SS, Padres
7. Riley Greene, OF, Tigers
8. Grayson Rodriguez, RHP, Orioles
9. Marcelo Mayer, SS, Red Sox
10. Francisco Álvarez, C, Mets
The cream of the crop on our list consists of five repeat players from our preseason Top 10 (Rutschman, Julio Rodríguez, Witt, Torkelson, Abrams), four more who were within the best 50 of that Top 100 (Luciano, Greene, Grayson Rodríguez, Álvarez) and our top-ranked prospect from the 2021 Amateur Draft (Mayer).
Jim Callis / MLB.com
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