Top 20 Canadian MLB prospects of 2024
Published
Since the shortened five-round pandemic year in 2020, 41 Canadians have been selected by MLB clubs in the three drafts that followed.
From 17 players in 2021 to 15 in 2022, plus nine more this year, the numbers haven’t been moving in the right direction but there continues to be a fairly steady stream of talent being produced.
There’s been a fairly consistent high end as well lately, with three of the past four drafts seeing a Canuck go within the top 50 picks.
It started with Burlington, Ont.’s Owen Caissie (45th) in 2020 and continued on with Tyler Black (33rd), skipping a year in 2022 when Dylan O’Rae went 102nd overall, and then rebooting this year when the Naylor family celebrated for the third time when Myles, 18, was selected 39th overall by the Oakland A’s last July.
After debuting this list last year as a way to shine a much-needed spotlight on this country’s next generation of baseball, one Naylor leaves and another one enters as last year’s No. 1 overall Canadian prospect Bo Naylor, 23, is now firmly a vital major-league piece with the Cleveland Guardians alongside his brother Josh, 26.
While Josh was enjoying a breakout season and even got a down-ballot MVP vote in the end, Bo got into 67 games and bashed 11 home runs, potentially setting himself up for a breakout of his own in 2024.
Meanwhile, Myles began the journey to join his bros in A-ball, seeing time at shortstop and third base, the position most evaluators expect him to land in the long-run.
Elsewhere on last year’s list, somewhat surprisingly, left-handed hitter Edouard Julien not only cracked the big leagues after a tremendous 2022 season at the Double-A level, but he was also able to push his way into an important role with the post-season-bound Minnesota Twins, slashing an impressive .263/.381/.459 with 16 homers for a 2.8 fWAR season.
Other than those two graduations, five prospects fell off the list, making way for a total of seven new names on this year’s top 20, as well as a handful of honourable mentions that extend the list into the thirties.
There’s a very distinct Toronto-area flavour in the top five, with just about every area of the GTA covered and the province of Ontario leads the way with 14 names on the list.
Until next year … enjoy!
PREVIOUS YEARS
2023: Top 20 Canadian MLB Prospects
FUTURE ROLES (NEW)
POSITION PLAYERS
First-division starter: An important everyday player on a contender.
Second-division starter: An everyday player on a non-contender. Good enough to start, but you’re probably upgrading when the time comes to win.
Corner platoon bat: Doesn’t play up the middle — whether that’s infield or outfield — and will probably show some platoon splits.
Bat-first utilityman: Plays multiple positions, but he’s mostly in the lineup for his bat. Think Cavan Biggio.
Glove-first utilityman: Plays multiple positions, but it’s the glove that counts. Think Ryan Goins.
Bench specialist: An elite defender and/or base-stealer who fits best as a 26th man on a roster. Think 2015 post-season Dalton Pompey.
PITCHERS
Top-of-the-rotation SP: Anyone in the ace discussion that you’d want starting a post-season game.
Mid-rotation SP: Good innings-eater, maybe with upside for more.
Back-end SP: Has starter traits and will get chances but may not stick long-term.
High-leverage RP: Elite eighth- and ninth-inning arms.
Middle RP: Single-inning relievers who aren’t quite high-leverage.
Multi-inning RP: A role that is becoming trendy across baseball as teams try to develop them is the one-time-through-the-order reliever, a hybrid version of the old swingman.
ELIGIBILITY
Pitchers: Under 50 career innings.
Hitters: Under 130 career at-bats.
TOP 20 BY PROVINCE
Ontario: 14
British Columbia: 3
Quebec: 1
Alberta: 1
Manitoba: 1
GRADUATED (2)
1. C Bo Naylor, CLE (206 at-bats)
5. 2B Edouard Julien, MIN (338 at-bats)
FELL OFF (5)
10. RHP Jacob Zibin, CLE, age-19, DNP (Richmond Hill, Ont.)
11. RHP Adam Maier, ATL, age-22, DNP (Vancouver, B.C.)
16. RHP Indigo Diaz, NYY, age-25, A+ (North Vancouver, B.C.)
19. RHP Garrett Hawkins, SD, age-24, A+ (Saskatoon, Sask.)
20. OF/2B Adam Hall, BAL, age-25, A+ (London, Ont.)
HONOURABLE MENTIONS (11)
HM—10—RHP Jacob Zibin, CLE, age-19, DNP (Richmond Hill, Ont.)
HM—11—RHP Adam Maier, ATL, age-22, DNP (Vancouver, B.C.)
HM—16—RHP Indigo Diaz, NYY, age-25, AA (North Vancouver, B.C.)
HM—19—RHP Garrett Hawkins, SD, age-24, A+ (Saskatoon, Sask.)
HM—NA—RHP Matt Duffy, BOS, age-22, A (Toronto, Ont.)
HM—NA—LHP Connor O’Halloran, TOR, age-21, A (Mississauga, Ont.)
HM—HM—LHP Adam Shoemaker, ATL, age-21, A (Cambridge, Ont.)
HM—HM—INF/OF Nate Ochoa Leyva, WSH, age-20, CPX (Burlington, Ont.)
HM—HM—C Lamar King Jr., SD, age-20, CPX (B.C. -born, Maryland-raised)
HM—NR—INF/OF Trei Cruz, DET, age-25, AA (Toronto-born, Texas-raised)
HM—NR—RHP Jonah Tong, NYM, age-21, A (Markham, Ont.)
20. RHP Trevor Brigden, TB
Last year’s ranking: NR
Hometown: North York, Ont.
Drafted: 2019 17th round (518th overall)
2024 age: 28
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Durham
YEAR IN REVIEW: Brigden wasn’t ranked at all a year ago, as I preferred to go with some of the younger arms that you’ll now see in the honourable mentions area due to some health woes. On the heels of a fantastic 2022 season that saw the righty strike out 12.2 K/9 and walk just 1.4, Brigden wasn’t quite as dominant in 2023 with the walks taking a big jump. Despite that, he was still able to register a 3.46 ERA.
OUTLOOK: You simply never know who the next great Rays reliever is, so why not Brigden? He gets a ton of swing-and-miss on his fastball, leaving him in the right organization to manipulate that and highlight a strength. He was passed over in December’s Rule 5 draft, but he’s still on the verge of his major-league debut at some point this year if injuries strike.
FUTURE ROLE: Middle RP
MLB ETA: 2024
19. RHP Jordan Balazovic, MIN
Last year’s ranking: 8
Hometown: Mississauga, Ont.,
Drafted: 2016 fifth round (153rd overall)
2024 age: 25
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A St. Paul
YEAR IN REVIEW: Balazovic’s future shifted in 2023, as he began the year as a starter before being shifted to the bullpen and he’s now seen as a one-inning reliever in the upper minors for the Twins. The move got him to the big leagues, making his debut in June and he went on to appear in 18 games and register a 4.44 ERA.
OUTLOOK: Balazovic might be the type to attempt a transition back to the rotation at some point in his career, but it won’t be this year as he’s out of options and he’ll need to stick with the Twins out of camp or he’ll be exposed to waivers. A fully healthy season in anyone’s ‘pen if he’s claimed is exactly what the right-hander needs at this point to re-establish his footing.
FUTURE ROLE: Middle RP
MLB ETA: Debuted June 18, 2023
18. OF Tristan Peters, TB
Last year’s ranking: 17
Hometown: Winkler, Man.
Drafted: 2021 seventh round (207th overall)
2024 age: 24
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Durham
YEAR IN REVIEW: Overlooked in a deep Tampa Bay Rays system, the only Manitoban on this list enjoyed a solid first season in his new organization after being traded twice early in his career. The left-handed hitting outfielder slashed a modest .275/.361/.421 for a 112 wRC+ at Double-A last year.
OUTLOOK: When a player is traded twice in such a short span — from the Milwaukee Brewers, the team that drafted him, to the San Francisco Giants at the 2022 trade deadline, and then again that November to Tampa — there’s clearly something teams like. Peters isn’t all that toolsy and the stat lines haven’t jumped out, but he’s one to keep an eye on in a savvy developmental organization.
FUTURE ROLE: Second-division starter
MLB ETA: 2025
17. OF David Calabrese, LAA
Last year’s ranking: 13
Hometown: Maple, Ont.
Drafted: 2020 third round (82nd overall)
2024 age: 21
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A Rocket City
YEAR IN REVIEW: Calabrese hasn’t hit much in his three professional seasons, but the overly aggressive Angels haven’t exactly helped him. As a 20-year-old last year, they assigned Calabrese to Double-A, where the left-handed hitter struggled to a 79 wRC+ and a strikeout rate over 30 per cent. The catch is he was nearly four years younger than the circuit’s average age, allowing for a bit of a mulligan.
OUTLOOK: You only get so many mulligans in professional baseball, so Calabrese will have to find a way to cut the Ks and produce in what’s sure to be another crack at Double-A this year.
FUTURE ROLE: Bench specialist
MLB ETA: 2026
16. 1B/OF Jared Young, STL
Last year’s ranking: NR
Hometown: Prince George, B.C.
Drafted: 2017 15th round (465th overall)
2024 age: 28
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Memphis
YEAR IN REVIEW: We don’t discriminate against old guys on these lists, and the fact Young has accrued just 62 MLB at-bats heading into his age-28 campaign means he’s still eligible. After kicking around the minors as an organizational depth guy for the Chicago Cubs, Young made his debut in 2022, and followed that up with a breakout season at Triple-A last year, slashing a gaudy .310/.417/.577 with 21 homers in just 90 games. He also bashed his first two big-league bombs.
OUTLOOK: Claimed off waivers from the Cubs by the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals in November, Young gets a fresh start in a new organization and the left-handed hitter will likely see some cups of coffee with two minor-league options remaining.
FUTURE ROLE: Corner platoon bat
MLB ETA: Debuted Sept. 16, 2022
15. INF/OF Otto Lopez, TOR
Last year’s ranking: 12
Hometown: Montreal, Que.
Acquired: International free agent (Dominican Republic)
2024 age: 25
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Buffalo
YEAR IN REVIEW: After looking great at the WBC for Canada, Lopez’s season went down the drain thanks to nagging injuries, and what little power he did have completely dried up in the process. Overall, Lopez slashed .258/.313/.343 with just a 68 wRC+ across 84 Triple-A games, well down from the 114 mark he posted in Buffalo in 2022.
OUTLOOK: Now out of options, the 2024 season is an important one for Lopez to start rebuilding his stock, and there’s a very good chance it’s in another organization eventually, one that can give him some at-bats. His defensive versatility and on-base ability give him a chance to carve out a long career on a bench still.
FUTURE ROLE: Glove-first utilityman
MLB ETA: Debuted Aug. 27, 2021
14. OF Dasan Brown, TOR
Last year’s ranking: 14
Hometown: Oakville, Ont.
Drafted: 2019 third round (88th overall)
2024 age: 22
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A New Hampshire
YEAR IN REVIEW: Coming off a bit of a breakout offensively, the Oakville product unfortunately fell back to earth at the exact same stop, slashing .218/.309/.315 with seven homers and 26 steals across 107 games at High-A Vancouver. With Brown, it’s a combination of approach and swing plane issues and he’s still really raw as a hitter after trying to find himself over the last few years.
OUTLOOK: So here’s the thing with Brown, and the reason he’s still in the top 30 on the Blue Jays list and in the top 15 here — there’s a very good chance he’s a major leaguer eventually. He provides elite centre field defence and that’s not in question, while his wheels on the basepaths also provide value. Making a bit more contact and finding a consistent approach at the plate — both easier said than done — are all that’s separating Brown from a fifth-outfielder career on a big-league bench. Having Kevin Kiermaier in the organization for another year as a sounding board for Brown won’t hurt, either.
FUTURE ROLE: Bench specialist
MLB ETA: 2026
13. 2B/OF Sam Shaw, TOR
Last year’s ranking: NA
Hometown: Victoria, B.C.
Drafted: 2023 ninth round (274th overall)
2024 age: 19
Expected starting affiliate: Single-D Dunedin
YEAR IN REVIEW: A bat-first prospect, the Jays gave Shaw a $282,500 bonus, well above the ninth-round slot value of $175,900 at his spot, in order to lure him away from a commitment to Xavier. He then went out and backed up some quietly good pre-draft scouting reports with a 111 wRC+ across nine complex league games.
OUTLOOK: A left-handed hitter without a position at this point, Shaw’s throwing issues seem to have become a thing of the past post-draft this fall, giving him a chance to play either second base or centre field in the eyes of most evaluators. The Jays seem to want to try both, but it’s the bat that’s going to give him an MLB future if things click.
FUTURE ROLE: Bat-first utilityman
MLB ETA: 2028
12. 3B/1B David McCabe, ATL
Last year’s ranking: HM
Hometown: Oshawa, Ont.
Drafted: 2022 fourth round (125th overall)
2024 age: 24
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A Mississippi
YEAR IN REVIEW: I had McCabe on this list last year simply because of the fact he’s from Oshawa, and that carries weight with me if you know me at all. Alas, he was removed at the last minute, and it was a mistake after the switch-hitting corner infielder went out and posted a .276/.386/.450 slash across stops at Single-A and High-A. McCabe was also assigned to the Arizona Fall League, where he got on base at a .448 clip across 98 trips to the plate.
OUTLOOK: Swing adjustments midway through last year allowed things to click for McCabe, who’s likely more of a first sacker than a third baseman in the end. As an NCAA product, McCabe was supposed to succeed in the lower levels, leaving this year’s Double-A test as the tipping point. The exit velocities are big, and McCabe takes his walks, but the swing-and-miss will need to be tended to in the upper minors in order for him to get to that power.
FUTURE ROLE: Corner platoon bat
MLB ETA: 2026
11. C/1B Liam Hicks, TEX
Last year’s ranking: NR
Hometown: Toronto, Ont.
Drafted: 2021 ninth round (254th overall)
2024 age: 25
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Round Rock
YEAR IN REVIEW: Drafted in the ninth round three years ago with very little fanfare, all Hicks has done since is get on base, and 2023 was his best year yet, culminating in an impressive Arizona Fall league performance that has him on the doorstep of the big leagues.
OUTLOOK: With just seven home runs across 603 career minor-league plate appearances, power isn’t a huge part of the the left-handed hitter’s game, but getting on base is. And he does it a lot. His career .426 on-base mark looks great, but it pales in comparison to the .449/.553/.522 slash line he posted at the AFL, walking 16 times compared to just eight strikeouts. The Rangers have him dabbling at first base so his long-term future behind the dish is a bit of a question still at this point, but the bat is going to play.
FUTURE ROLE: Second-division starter
MLB ETA: 2025
10. 2B/OF Dylan O’Rae, MIL
Dylan O’Rae
Last year’s ranking: 15
Hometown: Sarnia, Ont.
Drafted: 2022 third round (102nd overall)
2024 age: 20
Expected starting affiliate: High-A Wisconsin
YEAR IN REVIEW: The 2023 campaign couldn’t have gone much better for O’Rae, who’s a huge stock up player on this list heading into 2024. At the age of 19, not only did the little lefty hitter look great in the complex league, but he also earned a promotion to Single-A where he continued to produce with a .330/.439/.375 slash line across his final 23 games.
OUTLOOK: O’Rae has two high-end skills — speed and bat-to-ball ability. He still hasn’t hit a homer across 68 minor league games, so it is obvious power won’t be a big component here, but he doesn’t strike out, he gets on base, and, oh, he also swiped 44 bags in just 60 games. Drafted as a shortstop, O’Rae is likely to land in either centre field or at second base.
FUTURE ROLE: Second-division starter
MLB ETA: 2027
9. RHP Calvin Ziegler, NYM
Calvin Ziegler St. Lucie Mets
Last year’s ranking: 9
Hometown: Heidelberg, Ont.
Drafted: 2021 second round (46th overall)
2024 age: 21
Expected starting affiliate: High-A Brooklyn
YEAR IN REVIEW: Not the year Ziegler wanted and his inability to get on a mound as a pro has held him back. He started the year having surgery to remove bone spurs from his elbow, before tearing his quad in the summer and having to sit until September. He ended up throwing one inning all year in A-ball, striking out all three batters he faced.
OUTLOOK: Armed with a high-octane heater and a good curveball, Ziegler has one goal in 2024 after what was expected to be a healthy off-season — stay on the mound and get some innings. His air-it-out bullpen upside might be the long-term allure here.
FUTURE ROLE: High-leverage RP
MLB ETA: 2026
8. RHP Eric Cerantola, KC
Eric Cerantola Mississippi State
Last year’s ranking: 18
Hometown: Oakville, Ont.
Drafted: 2021 fifth round (139th overall)
2024 age: 24
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A Northwest Arkansas
YEAR IN REVIEW: After a rough 2022 campaign for the towering 6-foot-5, 225-pound right-hander, Cerantola’s 2023 season began with him in the High-A bullpen, essentially throwing 2-3 frames at a time as a one-time-through-the-order arm into the month of August. On Aug. 13, Cerantola completed four-plus innings for the first time, kickstarting a run that would see him go five strong twice to finish out the season, striking out 39 across his final 25.2 innings. He was then sent to the Arizona Fall League, where he closed things out in impressive fashion with a 3.75 and 18 strikeouts across 12 frames.
OUTLOOK: With a fastball that can hover close to triple digits and a wipeout curveball, there’s no questioning Cerantola’s pure stuff. But it’s that pure stuff that brings up questions about his future role because it likely plays better at the back end of a bullpen if he can’t throw enough strikes to start. Seems like a bit of a theme for a number of prospects on this list, but it’s a big separation year for Cerantola.
FUTURE ROLE: High-leverage RP
MLB ETA: 2025
7. 1B/3B Damiano Palmegiani, TOR
Damiano Palmegiani Surprise Saguaros
Last year’s ranking: HM
Hometown: Surrey, B.C.
Drafted: 2021 14th round (422nd overall)
2024 age: 24
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Buffalo
YEAR IN REVIEW: After making the honourable mention portion of this list a year ago, Dom went out and popped champagne on a 23-homer campaign spread across Double-A and Triple-A. At the plate, Palmegiani has a tremendous package of skills, with oodles of power from the right side and the hard-hit rate to support it, as well as a patient approach that will allow him to hopefully avoid pitches that he can’t barrel up. His ability to do damage on fastballs should help him adjust to big-league pitching.
OUTLOOK: An impressive 20-game stint in Buffalo with the bat was great to see, but the Jays also used Palmegiani at first base there for the most part. He’s never going to be Scott Rolen at the hot corner, but any sort of improvement over the next calendar year would be helpful for Palmegiani’s future value. If Palmegiani continues to hit like he has, however, he’s going to play a role for a long time and it could be as a lefty-crushing platoon bat, considering he hit eight homers in just 111 at-bats last year against over-matched southpaws.
FUTURE ROLE: Second-division starter
MLB ETA: 2024
6. LHP Adam Macko, TOR
Adam Macko
Last year’s ranking: 7
Hometown: Stony Plain, Alta.
Drafted: 2019 seventh round (216th overall)
2024 age: 23
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A New Hampshire
YEAR IN REVIEW: It wasn’t exactly a breakout, but it was definitely a good news year for Macko, who threw a career-high 86 innings after struggling to stay on the mound previously. The stuff was much better than the 4.81 ERA from last year suggests, and the most notable aspect of the Slovakian-born lefty’s season was his three-start run to close out the year, as he completed a full five innings in each one, allowed just one total run and he produced his three highest strikeout games of the year with 11, seven, and eight punch-outs in those starts, respectively.
OUTLOOK: Macko closed on a high and some believe he’s primed for a breakout if he can continue to stay healthy and the wobbly command starts to clean itself up with more reps. That being said, there’s lots of reliever risk for any pitching running a career 4.6 BB/9 in the lower minors. It’s a big year for the Vauxhall High School product as far as remaining in the rotation goes, but there’s a chance he could be a nasty multi-inning reliever, as well.
FUTURE ROLE: Back-end SP
MLB ETA: 2025
5. LHP Mitch Bratt, TEX
Mitch Bratt Canada
Last year’s ranking: 3
Hometown: Newmarket, Ont.
Drafted: 2021 fifth round (134th overall)
2024 age: 20
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A Frisco
YEAR IN REVIEW: Signed to an over-slot deal out of the 2021 draft, Bratt falls a couple spots on this year’s list, but that’s really no fault of his own. At the age of 19, Bratt actually pitched very well at High-A, posting a 3.54 ERA that sat right in line with most of the underlying numbers, while also cutting his walks.
OUTLOOK: Bratt is no-nonsense, attacking hitters and filling up the strike zone, before attempting to use his slider as a put-away pitch. It was only 60 frames, but Bratt didn’t seem too fazed by High-A last season, leaving Double-A as a huge test on the immediate horizon for the young lefty. If you’re thinking of this from a Team Canada lens for future World Baseball Classics, Bratt is currently the best chance to add a legit mid-rotation starter to the mix.
FUTURE ROLE: Mid-rotation SP
MLB ETA: 2026
4. 3B Myles Naylor, OAK
Myles Naylor Canada
Last year’s ranking: NA
Hometown: Mississauga, Ont.
Drafted: 2023 second round (39th overall)
2024 age: 19
Expected starting affiliate: Single-A Stockton
YEAR IN REVIEW: Just as one Naylor graduates from the top spot on this list, another one enters. If his brothers’ success is any indication, the third Naylor is a shoo-in to be at the very least a major leaguer, and potentially a very good one. Unlike his lefty-hitting siblings, Naylor is a right-handed bat with huge raw power and the strikeout issues that usually accompany that as a teenager.
OUTLOOK: After hitting six bombs and striking out at a 39.4 per cent rate in his Single-A debut last summer, Naylor’s upside is huge, but he’s raw and likely eons away from the big leagues at this point. Sent out as a shortstop post-draft, Naylor also started one game at third base, which is where most evaluators see as his long-term position. There could eventually be a World Baseball Classic lineup that has Bo behind the plate, Josh at first base and Myles at the hot corner.
FUTURE ROLE: First-division starter
MLB ETA: 2028
3. OF Denzel Clarke, OAK
Denzel Clarke Oakland Athletics
Last year’s ranking: 6
Hometown: Pickering, Ont.
Drafted: 2021 fourth round (127th overall)
2024 age: 24
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Las Vegas
YEAR IN REVIEW: Blessed with freaky tools, Clarke lands just ahead of cousin and A’s mate Myles Naylor, giving the Oakland organization a pair of maple bats with huge upside. Looking more like an edge rusher at 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, Clarke actually aced his first test at Double-A, before his season unfortunately ended early due to a left shoulder injury, an issue he also dealt with early in the season. Between shoulder injuries, Clarke slashed an impressive .261/.381/.496 with 12 homers and 11 steals in 61 games.
OUTLOOK: If you’re looking for a player on this list who could be primed for a major public radar breakout in 2024, Clarke could be your man. The athletic ability is off the charts and when you combine the tools with the numbers he’s been able to post as a raw, cold weather fourth-rounder, Clarke would probably get more attention if he was in, say, the New York Yankees organization rather than the soon-to-be Las Vegas A’s. Either way, it’s a huge year for Clarke, who has a chance to either be No. 1 on this list next year or in the big leagues by July.
FUTURE ROLE: First-division starter
MLB ETA: 2025
2. OF Owen Caissie, CHC
Owen Caissie Canada
Last year’s ranking: 4
Hometown: Burlington, Ont.
Drafted: 2020 second round (45th overall)
2024 age: 21
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Iowa
YEAR IN REVIEW: One of the centrepieces of the Yu Darvish trade a couple years ago after being drafted by the San Diego Padres, Caissie enjoyed a monster breakout season in Double-A, crushing 22 homers from the left side of the plate and posting a 144 wRC+ across 120 games. Caissie’s corner outfield profile means he’ll have to hit for power and control the strikeouts, but the hard-hit rate is sky high, and the swing-and-miss numbers are actually lower than you’d expect given the 31.1 per cent K-rate in Double-A last year, providing a whole lot of hope there’s another gear at just 21.
OUTLOOK: He passed the Double-A test with flying colours last year, and another young-for-the-level test is on the horizon at Triple-A Iowa, where hitters can put up some eye-popping numbers. There’s a clear Canadian tier here with Tyler Black and Caissie being one call away from the big leagues as top 50 picks, and both possess huge upside, too, but in different ways. Caissie will have to improve against lefties to avoid a platoon tag, with his OPS last year sitting at .981 vs. righties compared to just .755 against left-handed pitching.
FUTURE ROLE: First-division starter
MLB ETA: 2025
1. 3B Tyler Black, MIL
Tyler Black Milwaukee Brewers
Last year’s ranking: 2
Hometown: Toronto, Ont.
Drafted: 2021 second round (33rd overall)
2024 age: 23
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Nashville
YEAR IN REVIEW: I wrote last year that “all Black does is get on base” and he did more of the same, running up a .411 on-base mark at Double-A that earned him a promotion to Triple-A, where he decided to post an obscene .428 on-base percentage across 39 games. Ultra-productive now across his two full minor league campaigns, TSN legend Rod Black’s kid is nearly major-league ready. Black was one of only three minor leaguers last year to produce at least 18 homers, 25 doubles and 55 steals.
OUTLOOK: One of the final pieces of the development puzzle for Black and the Brewers was finding him a position, and they seem to have settled on the corner infield spots in 2023. After seeing time at second base and centre field in 2022, the hot corner seems to be Black’s home now, and with not much of consequence ahead of him on the big-league roster, Black’s debut is imminent. He crushes righties and holds his own against left-handers so there could be an everyday profile here if Black’s glove holds up and he continues to be an on-base machine.
FUTURE ROLE: First-division starter
MLB ETA: 2024