Two months into the 2026 minor league season, the prospect landscape already looks dramatically different. Seven of the July Top 10 prospects started the year outside our preseason Top 10. Sixteen prospects graduated to the major leagues, while another five fell off the list because of injuries or underperformance. The result is one of the biggest shakeups we’ve seen, with 21 new prospects earning spots in the July Top 100.
Biggest Story:
Eric Hartman’s emergence as one of baseball’s biggest breakout prospects is the defining development of the first half. Unranked in the preseason, the Braves outfielder debuts at No. 32. He has forced his way onto the national prospect radar with one of the best offensive starts in the minor leagues. Given his trajectory, another jump into the Top 20 in August wouldn’t be surprising. For collectors, Hartman represents exactly the type of breakout prospect whose hobby profile can change quickly if his production continues.
Risers:
Twenty-one unranked players joined the list, which when included in the data, saw ten players who climbed more than 40 spots compared to our preseason rankings. These breakout performers are the type of prospects who can see their hobby profiles change quickly as new products are released and more collectors discover their success. Staying informed on these names early gives collectors a chance to follow the next wave of emerging talent before they become widely recognized throughout the hobby.
- Twenty-one (21) unranked players joined the list.
- Top Position Player Debut – Eric Hartman No. 32
- He was previously unranked (+68)
- Top Pitcher Debut – Karson Milbrandt No. 67
- Top Position Player Debut – Eric Hartman No. 32
- Biggest Overall Jump: Anthony Eyanson (+59)
- 93 > 34
- Biggest Position Player Jump: Luis Hernandez (+57)
- 86 > 29
- Other players with jumps of 40+ spots
- #9 Theo Gillen +44
- #37 Kendry Chourio +53
- #43 Josiah Hartshorn +57
- #47 Gage Wood +47
- #48 Ethan Salas +52
- #52 Luis Lara +48
- #57 Seaver King +43
Fallers:
A number of prospects suffered injuries that slowed their path toward the major leagues. We tend to be more conservative with injured players and will often move them down our rankings more aggressively than other prospect publications.
Our philosophy is simple: availability matters, and we’ve seen too many talented players struggle to regain their previous form after significant injuries, especially hitters dealing with back issues and pitchers recovering from shoulder injuries. That approach is why some players returning from injury may appear lower on our rankings initially, even if their previous evaluations placed them among baseball’s elite prospects.
For collectors, injuries can create interesting opportunities, but they also come with added risk. Before adding an injured prospect to your collection, make sure to follow the latest updates, understand the recovery timeline, and feel comfortable with the player’s long-term outlook.
- Twenty-one players dropped off the list.
- 16 Graduated
- 3 due to injuries
- 1 due to performance
- 1 due to a private non-baseball illness
- The biggest decliners:
- Aidan Miller dropped 41 spots due to new injury concerns, including his back surgery.
- Robby Snelling fell 35 spots due to elbow surgery.
- Two previously Top 10 prospects fell out of that range. That is a little more troublesome considering five (5) Top 10 prospects also graduated.
- Walker Jenkins dropped 6 spots to 12th.
- Max Clark dropped 8 spots to 13th.
Teams Based Notes:
The rich continue to get richer, with the Brewers, Dodgers and Mariners (all 2025 playoff teams) all having significant representation on the list. For collectors, organizations with deep farm systems deserve extra attention because they’re more likely to produce the next wave of hobby-relevant prospects as players climb toward the major leagues.
On the other end of the spectrum, several clubs currently near the bottom of the 2026 standings also rank among the least-represented organizations, underscoring just how difficult it can be to rebuild without a steady pipeline of impact talent.
- The Nationals (7), Brewers (6) and Dodgers (5) led the way for most players on the list.
- The Seattle Mariners had three of the Top 10, due to Colt Emerson being just 11 at-bats shy of graduating. They had #4 Kade Anderson, #6 Colt Emerson and #7 Ryan Sloan.
- The Los Angeles Dodgers have 4 Outfielders in the Top 21 prospects, highlighting one of baseball’s deepest collections of young athletic talent.
- #8 prospect Josue De Paula, #17 Mike Sirota, #19 Zyhir Hope, #21 Eduardo Quintero
- The Angels and Mets tied for fewest members on the list with one player each.
- The following teams each had two players make the list: Astros, Rangers, Royals, Pirates, Reds, Diamondbacks, and Padres.
Position Based Notes:
The biggest takeaway is the continued dominance of shortstops on the list. This reflects how modern player development prioritizes athleticism, especially in the talent acquisition phase. We can reasonably expect a large number of the thirty-three shortstops to end up finding a defensive home at another position, but being able to handle that position in the minor leagues helps improve their overall defensive profile as they move down the defensive spectrum.
- Shortstops
- 33 Players
- Four of the Top 6 Prospects have a listed main position of shortstop.
- 33 Players
- Pitchers
- 27 Pitchers
- Sixteen were right-handed pitchers
- Eleven were southpaws
- 27 Pitchers
- Outfielders
- 24 Players
- Six outfielders in the Top 20
- Twelve make the Top 32.
- 24 Players
- Catchers
- 6 Players
- The top two catchers were rated 10th (Rainiel Rodriguez) and 14th (Alfredo Duno).
- Three catchers fall in the 48-56 range.
- 6 Players
The August update should bring another significant shakeup. While fewer prospect graduations are expected, the addition of this year’s MLB Draft class means several current Top 100 prospects will likely be squeezed off the list. First-round talents such as Roch Cholowsky, Grady Emerson, Vahn Lackey, and Jackson Flora are all candidates to debut immediately, making next month’s rankings one of the most competitive updates of the season.