Yahoo Sports’ 26-and-under power rankings are a remix on the traditional farm system rankings that assess the strength of MLB organizations’ talent base among rookie-eligible and MiLB players. While focusing on strictly prospects can be a useful proxy for projecting how bright an organization’s future is, it fails to account for young players already contributing at the big-league level.
By evaluating the strength of all players in an organization entering their age-26 seasons or younger, this exercise aims to paint a more complete picture of each team’s young core. These rankings value productive young big leaguers more heavily than prospects who have yet to prove it at the highest level, and the majority of the prospects included in teams’ evaluations are those who have already reached the upper levels of the minor leagues.
To compile these rankings, each MLB organization was given a score in four categories:
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Young MLB hitters: 26-and-under position players and rookie-eligible hitters projected to be on Opening Day rosters; scored 0-10
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Young MLB pitchers: 26-and-under pitchers and rookie-eligible pitchers projected to be on Opening Day rosters; scored 0-10;
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Prospect hitters: prospect-eligible position players projected to reach MLB in the next one to two years; scored 0-5
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Prospect pitchers: prospect-eligible pitchers projected to reach MLB in the next one to two years; scored 0-5
We’re counting down all 30 organizations’ 26-and-under talent bases from weakest to strongest leading up to Opening Day, diving into five teams at a time. We covered Nos. 30-26 and Nos. 25-21 earlier this week.
Next up are teams Nos. 20-16.
20. Minnesota Twins (total score: 14/30) | 2024 rank: 11
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Young MLB hitters (5/10): 3B Royce Lewis, INF Edouard Julien, 2B Brooks Lee, UTIL Austin Martin
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Young MLB pitchers (2/10): RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson, RHP Eiberson Castellano
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Prospect hitters (4/5): OF Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF Walker Jenkins, INF/OF Luke Keaschall, SS Kaelen Culpepper, INF/OF Payton Eeles
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Prospect pitchers (3/5): RHP Zebby Matthews, RHP David Festa, LHP Connor Prielipp, RJP Marco Raya, RHP Andrew Morris
Coming off a catastrophic second-half collapse in 2024, the ‘25 Twins are counting on resurgences from their crew of youngsters to right the ship. Injuries once again delayed the start to Lewis’ season, but then the former top prospect was just kind of blah across Minnesota’s summer slide. He played pretty much every day from July 26 onward, posting a soggy .625 OPS over 221 PAs. He has the tools, attributes and charisma to be the face of this franchise for a long time, but that can’t happen if he doesn’t hit. This is a huge year for him.
Julien, too, was a massive disappointment last year. Expected to be an every-day player, the Québécois slugger was demoted to Triple-A for most of June and July, sunk by an avalanche of punchouts. Lee, like Lewis, has immense talent that has been overshadowed by a checkered injury history. The 2022 first-round pick reached the majors last year but struggled mightily. Woods-Richardson impressed as a 23-year-old in his first full big-league season, tossing 133⅔ league-average innings. Let’s see if he can evolve into a frontline piece.
Down on the farm, Jenkins and Rodriguez make for a compelling offensive duo. Jenkins, the No. 5 pick in 2023, looks like an offensive force. He’s projected to hit for average and power while playing a defensively sufficient corner outfield. Rodriguez, on the other hand, is a phenomenal center-field defender with big pop, a scary injury history and a strikeout-prone swing. — J.M.
19. Kansas City Royals (total score: 14/30) | 2024 rank: 20
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Young MLB hitters (9/10): SS Bobby Witt Jr., 3B Maikel Garcia, OF Nelson Velazquez, OF MJ Melendez, INF/OF Nick Loftin, 1B Nick Pratto, OF Drew Waters
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Young MLB pitchers (1/10): LHP Angel Zerpa
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Prospect hitters (3/5): 1B Jac Caglianone, C Blake Mitchell, C Carter Jensen, OF Gavin Cross
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Prospect pitchers (1/5): RHP Ben Kudrna, LHP Noah Cameron, RHP Steven Zobac, RHP Luinder Avila
Welcome to the Bobby Witt Jr. show. If BWJ, who turns 25 in June, weren’t on this list, the Royals would be dead last by a pretty wide margin. Fortunately for Kansas City, Witt is on the Royals and is still under 26. He was, besides Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, the best player in MLB last season. His defense at shortstop has gone from awful to good to downright elite, and his bat took a massive leap forward in 2024. Witt was worth a remarkable 9.4 bWAR last season, leading the Royals to their first playoff appearance in nearly a decade, and he should be good for that hemisphere of value again this year. This is what a franchise player looks like, in every respect.
Beyond Witt, though, it’s pretty bleak. Melendez and Garcia were decent complementary pieces in 2024, but both struggled to reach their offensive ceilings. Both were well-below-average hitters who would be on the bench on a championship-caliber team. Pitching-wise, the Royals have really struggled recently to develop impact, homegrown arms. Brady Singer qualified in that category, but he was shipped to Cincy over the winter for Jonathan India.
Caglianone is perhaps the most volatile prospect in the minors, an uber-athletic, two-way star at the University of Florida who was taken sixth last year and will focus on hitting as a pro. He has mindblowing, top-of-the-charts power, a la Matt Olson. If he figures out how to not strike out in bunches, he’ll be a monster. And Jensen is tracking like an every-day catcher, the heir apparent to Salvador Pérez.
Ahead of 2024, Kansas City did a sensational job supplementing its roster with savvy veteran signings. Those pieces propelled the Royals to a playoff series win. That remains this team’s best path forward, particularly on the pitching side, where nothing of significance is coming from within the organization. But having Bobby Witt Jr. papers over a lot of flaws. — J.M.
18. Athletics (total score: 15/30) | 2024 rank: 29
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Young MLB hitters (6/10): OF Lawrence Butler, 2B Zack Gelof, SS Jacob Wilson, 1B Tyler Soderstrom, OF Esteury Ruiz
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Young MLB pitchers (4/10): RHP Mason Miller, RHP Joey Estes, RHP Grant Holman, RHP Luis Medina
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Prospect hitters (3/5): 1B Nick Kurtz, OF Colby Thomas, OF Denzel Clarke, SS Max Muncy, 3B Tommy White
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Prospect pitchers (2/5): RHP J.T. Ginn, RHP Jack Perkins, RHP Mason Barnett, RHP Luis Morales
As evidenced by their significant climb up our rankings since last year, the Athletics had several young players take big strides in 2024, and they have the roster looking noticeably more formidable as the franchise begins play in Sacramento. Miller and Butler represent the Athletics’ biggest breakouts. Miller emerged as one of the premier relievers in the sport, thanks in large part to his outrageous velocity that climbed as high as 104 mph; he made the All-Star team and finished fourth in AL Rookie of the Year voting. Butler was a top-10 player in MLB by WAR and wRC+ from July 1 through the end of the season. He should anchor the A’s lineup alongside Brent Rooker for years to come and might still be getting better.
Wilson, the son of former big-league shortstop Jack Wilson, raced to the big leagues a little over a year after being drafted sixth overall. While he’ll likely never slug much, his ability to play shortstop and make more contact than just about anyone not named Luis Arraez should ensure a big-league role of some kind for many, many years. Gelof will look to bounce back after a brutal sophomore slump in 2024, and Soderstrom will need to continue showing progress with the bat, especially with Kurtz potentially arriving soon.
Speaking of which, Kurtz headlines a stellar group of position-player prospects, and his advanced bat could propel him to the majors as soon as this year. The big first baseman was a real candidate to be the No. 1 overall pick entering his junior spring at Wake Forest, but an uneven season dropped him to No. 4, where the A’s were ecstatic to scoop him up. Thomas and Clarke are athletic outfielders who bring different skill sets to the table — Clarke as a standout defender in center and Thomas as a serious power threat with some substantial swing-and-miss concerns. Muncy — no, not that one, though they somehow have the same birthday 12 years apart — reached Triple-A last year and could factor into the big-league infield mix soon. White was an epic college performer (75 HR in 187 NCAA games) who got off to a slow start in pro ball last summer.
Among the prospect pitchers, Ginn is the best bet to be a rotation piece in the near future, while Morales has the loudest stuff and highest ceiling but needs to improve his command and is likely still at least a year away. — J.S.
17. Chicago Cubs (total score: 15/30) | 2024 rank: 15
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Young MLB hitters (5/10): OF Pete Crow-Armstrong, C Miguel Amaya, 3B Matt Shaw
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Young MLB pitchers (4/10): RHP Porter Hodge, RHP Ben Brown, LHP Jordan Wicks, RHP Daniel Palencia, LHP Luke Little, RHP Jack Neely
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Prospect hitters (4/5): OF Kevin Alcántara, OF Owen Caissie, C Moises Ballesteros, 2B James Triantos
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Prospect pitchers (2/5): RHP Cade Horton, RHP Brandon Birdsell, RHP Jaxon Wiggins
The Cubs are desperately trying to get back to the postseason and have assembled an impressive core of veteran stars on both sides of the ball to help them do so. But this roster also features several young players who could play pivotal roles in the team’s success. Crow-Armstrong has been known for his center-field defense since he was a teenager, and that special skill immediately translated to the highest level. His incredible glove and impact on the bases ensures a high floor, but Crow-Armstrong could be a full-blown star if his bat develops further.
Amaya’s development since signing as a 16-year-old out of Panama in 2015 has been a slow burn, but he made real strides offensively down the stretch last year and should get the bulk of the backstop reps in Chicago in 2025. Shaw has surged up prospect lists since being selected 13th overall in 2023 and is primed to handle the hot corner for the Cubs perhaps as soon as Opening Day, especially following Chicago’s failed pursuit of Alex Bregman.
Even with Shaw expected to break camp with the big-league club, few teams project to open the season with as much position-player talent at the Triple-A level as the Cubs. Each prospect offers obvious upside but also critical drawbacks that will need to be ironed out if they are to become key pieces for Chicago. Alcántara’s physical tools are unrivaled, but his offensive approach is still crude. Caissie has huge raw power but whiffs a bit too often to project as an every-day guy. Ballesteros is a gifted hitter who needs to prove he can be a competent defensive catcher. Triantos has plus contact ability and speed with limited pop. All four of these players could contribute in Chicago in 2025, but their ultimate upside remains unclear.
Hodge is the young major-league arm best positioned to make an immediate impact in a Cubs bullpen that acquired several veteran relievers over the winter. Hodge was quietly outstanding as a rookie in 2024, and his nasty fastball/sweeper is worthy of high-leverage opportunities. Brown and Wicks are solid rotation depth, while Palencia, Little and Neely should all get bullpen chances at some point this season. This group’s grade suffers from not having an obvious above-average starting pitcher, but the sheer quantity of MLB-ready arms is notable.
Horton leads Chicago’s crop of pitching prospects. He showed huge promise early in his pro career after being selected No. 7 overall in 2022 but was clearly hampered by injuries in 2024 and needs to get back on track. Birdsell is an advanced strike-thrower with an average arsenal, while Wiggins offers a different flavor as a likely future reliever with shaky command but monster raw stuff. — J.S.
16. St. Louis Cardinals (total score: 15/30) | 2024 rank: 13
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Young MLB hitters (7/10): SS Masyn Winn, OF Alec Burleson, 2B Nolan Gorman, OF Jordan Walker, C Ivan Herrera, INF Thomas Saggese, OF Michael Siani, C Pedro Pages, OF Victor Scott II
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Young MLB pitchers (3/10): RHP Andre Pallante, LHP Matthew Liberatore, RHP Gordon Graceffo, RHP Roddery Muñoz
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Prospect hitters (2/5): SS JJ Wetherholt, C Jimmy Crooks, C Leonardo Bernal, OF Chase Davis
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Prospect pitchers (3/5): LHP Quinn Matthews, RHP Tink Hence, RHP Tekoah Roby, LHP Cooper Hjerpe, RHP Michael McGreevy
Amidst Nolan Arenado trade rumors that ultimately led to nothing, the Cardinals were less active this winter than quite literally every other team in MLB. It is widely understood that this extreme degree of stasis was an organizational decision to not invest any further in veterans and instead use 2025 as a bridge year to figure out what exactly they have on their roster before Chaim Bloom takes over baseball operations from John Mozeliak at the conclusion of the season. As such, the 2025 Cardinals are slated to give an enormous portion of plate appearances to 26-and-under players.
Winn is a terrific piece to build around, and he’s coming off the best season of any of these young bats. He’s an excellent defender at shortstop and has the tools to become an above-average offensive player once he dials in his approach and takes advantage of his elite speed more often on the basepaths. The burly Burleson is probably a platoon DH, but his uncommon contact skills could make him a damn good one. Gorman and Walker were highly touted sluggers who endured severe steps back in 2024 after finding early success in the big leagues. Each has the talent to get back to mashing, but 2025 will be a considerable test. Scott and Siani bring speed and defense in center field but not much with the bat right now.
Beyond the goal of keeping his bat in the lineup more often, another contributing factor to Willson Contreras’ move to first base was St. Louis’ wealth of young catching options in both the big leagues and the upper minors. Herrera and Pagés are already an enviable duo, with Herrera providing more value with his bat and Pagés earning reps due to his standout defense. Crooks and Bernal aren’t far behind either, so don’t be surprised if one of these backstops becomes trade bait once the Cardinals flip back into contention mode.
While there is notably less depth on the mound beyond the veterans still in place, there are still some pieces worth monitoring moving forward. Pallante is a groundball machine who has found some success as both a starter and a reliever, but his inability to garner whiffs limits his upside. Liberatore was a high-profile prospect who now seems unlikely to live up to his rotation potential, though he could settle in as a competent lefty reliever. Muñoz got hit hard as a Marlin but has shown enough pure stuff to warrant additional looks.
The more promising arms are still in the minors, led by Mathews, who experienced one of the bigger breakouts of any pitching prospect in baseball in 2024. Mathews is a unique personality who gained attention at Stanford for his eye-popping pitch counts and then saw his velocity take a huge leap once he entered pro ball, spiking his prospect stock in turn. He comfortably led all MiLB pitchers in strikeouts last year, with 202 in 143⅓ innings and should debut at some point in 2025. Hence brings big stuff from a smaller frame, striking out 34% of batters in Double-A last season. He too could be in St. Louis in 2025, though his workload has been delicately monitored to this point. Roby and McGreevy project as solid backend options, while Hjerpe’s unusual arm slot could be amplified if he can find another gear velocity-wise. — J.S.
