Matt Johnson
One theme from the 2026 Major League Baseball season has been top prospects either getting called up or signed to long-term contract extensions before making their MLB debut. Meanwhile, in the minor leagues, there are quite a few standouts right now who could eventually join their peers in the majors or with a lucrative contract.
Let’s highlight a few top MLB prospects who are off to hot starts this year.
Seth Hernandez, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates selected right-handed pitcher Seth Hernandez with the sixth overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. There’s a long, long history of hard-throwing pitchers out of high school being drafted high and never even reaching Triple-A. The way Hernandez looks right now, he could be at Triple-A Indianapolis by 2027. It’s only two starts for Single-A Bradenton, but Hernandez has struck out 60 percent of the 25 batters he’s faced with a .130 batting average allowed. He’s too good for the level and he’s only 19 years old. Pittsburgh will probably have him make a few more starts, but he’s destined for High-A Greensboro this summer.
Franklin Arias, SS, Boston Red Sox
With so many of the top MLB prospects playing shortstop, it’s understandable why Franklin Arias gets overshadowed. He showed a lot of promise working his way through the minors in 2025, putting up a .278/.335/.388 triple-slash line with a minuscule strikeout rate (10.1 percent). He’s started his age-20 season with Double-A Portland and the numbers to this point are a testament to how advanced he is as a hitter. In his first 22 plate appearances, Arias has gone 10-for-22 with as many walks (two) and HBPs (two) as strikeouts. While there’s been limited power, it doesn’t really matter so much because he’s that effective at getting on base. Oh, did we also mention he’s the youngest player in the Eastern League? Boston could have an All-Star shortstop long-term.
Leo De Vries, SS, Sacramento Athletics
Both the San Diego Padres and the Sacramento Athletics won the Mason Miller trade. Leo De Vries, one of the top MLB prospects in 2026, was landed for a reliever. That was crazy value at the time for the Athletics and it still looks like a massive haul right now. At just 19 years old, De Vries is coming off a two-homer game on Sunday with Double-A Midland. The electrifying switch-hitter has already stolen two bases this year and his walk rate (14.3 percent) is not far behind his strikeout rate (19 percent), all the while he boasts a .333 batting average with a .956 OPS. We’re not going to be surprised if De Vries is making his MLB debut in the Athletics lineup by September.
Kade Anderson, SP, Seattle Mariners
What does a team with one of the best young rotations in baseball need? How about another future front-line starter. The Seattle Mariners were elated to land southpaw Kade Anderson with the third overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. He got the assignment to Double-A Arkansas to start his first full season in the minors and it looks like he belongs in Triple-A. That’s because Anderson has limited the first 35 batters he’s faced to a .156 batting average with a 48.6 percent strikeout rate across 9 shutout innings with just five hits allowed. Call it a small sample size if you like, but the stuff Anderson is throwing and his feel for it all bode well for him joining Seattle’s pitching staff at some point this year.
Max Clark, OF, Detroit Tigers
When center fielder Parker Meadows suffered a concussion and a left radius fracture in an outfield collision, landing him on the 60-day injured list, some wondered if Max Clark would be on his way to an early MLB debut. The Detroit Tigers ruled that out quickly, making it clear that Clark still has some things they want to see him work on at Triple-A Toledo. One thing is for certain: producing against Triple-A pitching isn’t an issue for the third overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. Across his first 66 plate appearances, Clark boasts a stellar .352 batting average with 12 runs scored and nearly as many steals (six) as RBI (seven). He’s also demonstrated a great eye at the plate, evidenced by twice as many walks (10) as strikeouts (five). We think Clark will be in the Tigers lineup by June.
Robby Snelling, SP, Miami Marlins
Robby Snelling isn’t even the best starting pitching prospect in the Miami Marlins organization—that’s Thomas White—but he is pitching lights out right now. The 6-foot-3 southpaw is coming off a pitching clinic in his last start with Triple-A Jacksonville, striking out 12 of the 21 batters faced (57.1 percent) across five shutout innings with just two hits allowed. He’s now recorded 20 strikeouts over his last two starts and would seem to be next in line for a spot in the Marlins’ rotation if someone goes down.
