Elsewhere among the imports, there are pitchers who are looking to rebound. Rounding out Rodriguezs arsenal is an 89-91 mph cutter that he will mix in to get weak contact and provide a fourth speed for the hitter to worry about. If his command backs up a bit, he is a likely middle of the rotation arm, but it is hard to bet against his pitch mix, built-in deception and size. Height/Weight: 60, 170|Bat/Throw: R/R|IFA: $800K 2017 (COL)|ETA: 2023. The power is the bigger question mark, as he may never be physically imposing. Hence has as much upside as any pitching prospect at the lower levels. Despite being one of the youngest players at each level he reaches, Walker seems to get better each time hes promoted. Nippon Professional Baseball, called Puro Yaky in Japan and simply "Japanese baseball" in the rest of the world, is the top level of pro baseball in the Asian country. Still extremely young with a solid High-A season under his belt, Caissie is progressing nicely and could be a middle-of-the-order masher capable of 30+ homers if the raw pop can translate into game pop. An advanced feel to swing the bat and elite defensive potential have PCA making up for lost time this season. As Herrera gains confidence in his ability to drive the ball all over the field, his offensive consistency should continue to improve as it is a much tougher game when you are trying to catch everything out in front of home plate. This is common for tall young hitters and his tendency to lose his back hip and drift will cause his bat to drag through the zone sometimes. Rounding out Priesters arsenal is an above average slider and changeup. The slider has late, gyro break that dives under barrels and generates plenty of ground balls. He uses the whole field well while leveraging his hitters counts to look to do a bit more damage. Height/Weight: 65, 200 | Bat/Throw: S/R | IFA: $65K 2018 (CIN) | ETA: 2023. There is nobody standing in front of Romo and the Rockies starting catching job in the next couple years and with his polish as a hitter and defender, he could climb through the minors quicker than many may have expected. The Hawks are among the NPB teams that dont use the posting system, so unless theres a change of heart from the club he will have to wait until after the 2022 season to leave for MLB. He should almost surely stick behind home plate and could be an average defender or slightly better at the highest level. Hences second plus pitch is his his slurvy breaking ball in the low 80s. A well above average runner, Henderson was 22/25 on stolen base attempts in the upper minors this season and should be a threat for 15-20 stolen bases annually. The Buffaloes are preparing to post their superstar to MLB, but Yoshida gave his franchise one last gift, helping lead the team to their first Japan Series title since 1996. His .296 batting average placed him 4th, and his .352 OBP was good for 8th in the Pacific League among qualified hitters. Great bat-to-ball skills and swing malleability help Frelick make a ton of contact while getting to tough pitches. Thanks to Espinos low release point and elite life (21 inches of induced vertical break), he was able to pick up a ton of swinging strikes up in the zone and freeze hitters at the knees. Akiyama posted a .224 batting average and .594 OPS in his two seasons, with just one triple and no home runs in 366 plate appearances. He also set a world record by homering in five consecutive plate appearances between July 31 and August 2. While there is some present whiff for Cartaya, he controls his body well, repeating his moves in the box. Aranda is too good of a hitter to not be a big league regular. Now, were seeing Vientos mishit baseballs that are getting out to the opposite field. Lees swing is almost identical from both sides of the plate, utilizing a simple set up and quiet load while relying on his impressive bat speed and added strength to produce impact. McLain has as simple of a swing and set up as youre going to find. After hitting 10 homers in 102 Low-A games last year, Rafaela exploded with 21 bombs in 116 High-A/Double-A games this season while seeing his batting average jump by nearly 50 points. With decent defensive tools across the board, Valera should be a fine defender in a corner outfield spot. He has the ability to be an above average defender at first base while trending closer to average at best at second. Perez generates easy extension thanks to his ridiculously long levers, causing the ball to get in on hitters quickly. He has a good arm and can make all of the throws as well as smooth actions, however he is likely to be closer to an average defender at the position. 3 starter. A patient hitter, McLain is a tough out who picks his spots well to try to do damage. An above-average arm is just the icing on the cake for a guy who should command the outfield as well as anyone in the business once he gets to the big leagues. There is probably some room for improvement in terms of picking the right spots to run and getting slightly better jumps from first base, but the speedster should be a 20+ stolen base threat annually. A big X-Factor for Matos will be his approach, which could be the difference between him being a decent regular and a fringe-All-Star. However, some of the leading contenders for the title of best baseball player in Japan include Ichiro Suzuki, Shohei Ohtani, and Kenta Maeda. Because of its shape, Abel is able to utilize the pitch with success to both righties and lefties. After an up and down season as one of the younger hitters in the upper levels, Rocchios offensive upside is still intriguing as a guy who could provide 15-20 home runs and hit for a high batting average once his approach is further refined. But his ERAs for July, August, and September ballooned to 7.36, 6.32, and 6.21, respectively. Improved feel for his changeup and overall command could have Abel trending closer to a front line starter. If so, you can be certain he'll have suitors. Meads average arm and speed will keep him on the dirt with second base being the position he profiles best at. Colliers elite swing decisions should continue to help him stay ahead of the curve and as he continues to develop consistency with his swing, there is a plus hit tool to dream on here with at least above-average power. His command has improved as the season went on and his ability to locate three of his four offerings with plenty of confidence gives Miller the potential for comfortably above average command. Prospects with 70 grade raw power to dream on and potential to stick in center field dont come around every day. Youth. It is difficult to project power for a prospect like Winn. His swing at times can be a bit flat, but he has started to lift the ball with more consistency. He naturally moves and blocks well and has continued to receive better. Possessing some of the most impressive raw power in the minors, Luciano defies his frame by flashing plus-plus raw pop despite weighing less than 200 pounds. Rodriguez further simplified his load in 2022, losing the moving leg kick in favor for a toe tap. Perez his one of the favorites to take over the best pitching prospect in baseball title upon Grayson Rodriguezs graduation. We'll end with Yamamoto, who seems primed to succeed Senga as the league's gold standard. Even when the stuff isnt all the way there, Priesters above average command and five pitch mix helps him turn in quality starts. Never having hit more than six homers in a season entering this year, Turang has already launched a dozen long balls through his first 110 games this season. He has looked drastically better this season, taking cleaner routes and getting earlier jumps on balls. Defensively, Crow-Armstrong has a chance to be aGold Gloverin center field. A decent arm and pretty good mobility behind the plate, Herrera has the tools to be an above-average catcher. Standings. Already one of the games best catching prospects, Cartaya made up for lost time with a monster 2022 season. When a player punishes heaters to a .360/.450/.640 slash line with little whiff like Walker did this season, its easy to believe in his swing path playing at the highest level, he will just need to find a way to stay on secondaries a hair longer to push towards his cathedral ceiling. Though, if he is going to tap into his plus raw power consistently, he will need to iron out the kinks with his lower half. An average runner, Montgomery moves well for his 6-foot-4 frame though he probably wont be the rangiest of shortstops. He is athletic, moving and blocking well behind the dish. The long levers Alcantara possesses helps him generate a ridiculous amount of whip and bat speed, launching homers as far as 452 feet this season while flashing exit velocities as high as 112 mph. An easy plus plus pitch, the 12 inches of horizontal break, the pitch fades away from lefties, inducing plenty of weak contact while also diving in and under the hands of righties. It doesnt take much for Davis to generate power, especially now that his lower half plays a part in his swing. He will definitely need to temper his 38% chase rate, however he has shown enough to provide optimism that he can develop into an at least average hitter. A labrum injury while taking batting practice put an end to Jones 2022 season before it started, though he should be ready to go by Opening Day next year. The right-handers 88-90 mph changeup flashes plus and has been around the zone much more this season and he is comfortable throwing his above-average slider in the upper 80s for strikes as well. Amador is a polished hitter who repeats his moves well with great timing. Here's Sasaki's last strikeout from the day. Romo is already an advanced defender with a plus arm and earns high marks for the way he commands a game. Palatable chase rates and solid contact rates give Campusano a great chance to be an average hitter or slightly better and he has flashed his above average power on several occasions this year, maxing out at 112 mph off of the bat. Waldichuks heater sits in the mid 90s and is a high-spin pitch averaging over 2,300 RPMs. He should be a high on base guy with a chance to hit as many as 30 home runs depending on his approach. So, stay tuned. Height/Weight: 62, 185|Bat/Throw: R/R|23rd Round (677) 2018|ETA: 2023. Yoshi Tsutsugo left the Baystars after the 2019 season, leaving an offensive void that needed to be filled. Though his reps have been limited at the professional level thus far, Davis is a polished hitter who should be able to make up for lost time. Theres foul pole to foul pole home run pop with a knack for getting on base and palatable whiff rates. Williams has plus power potential with staying power at shortstop and decent speed. The uptick in power and comfort in centerfield pushes Cowsers ceiling higher, but Orioles fans should feel really confident in the fact that they have at least an above average regular in Cowser. Yamamoto is only 21 years old, but he's already proven to be a force. Mervis detailed his swing adjustments on our prospect podcast The Call Up back in May then proceeded to climb three levels, mashing to a .310/.381/.610 line with 36 HR and 77 XBH over the course of the season. Pages has a swing geared for lifting the ball in the air to the pull-side. An above-average runner, Cowser covers plenty of ground in center field with long strides and solid closing speed. Espinos arsenal could go toe-to-toe with any pitcher in the minors and his fastball leads the way. The top prep pitching prospect in the 2021 draft, Painter is a wunderkind who is tall enough to play forward on the hardwood, young enough to be a college freshman, and yet is polished enough to pound the strike zone with multiple plus pitches. While a hitter is worrying about 98 with life, Espino could mix in 88 with around 13-15 inches of horizontal movement fading away from left-handed hitters. Please disable your ad blocker to view the video content. We're taking a look at the average exit velocity and fastball velocity for the Top 100 Prospects. Starting with his lead elbow pointed out towards the pitcher and his bat pointed directly towards the ground, Parada starts his load early, slowly pulling the nob downwards and further back into his stance while he gets into his leg kick. McLain has made a concerted effort to be a more aggressive base stealer in the pros, swiping 30 bags on 33 tries in his first 110 games. Yet another Yankees hitting development story, Dominguez made adjustments heading into the 2022 season and has looked like a completely different hitter. Already looking like a steal as the 71st overall pick in the 2021 Draft, Gasser has quickly climbed through the Minors, making his way to Triple-A in less than 30 professional starts. The 2022 Nippon Professional Baseball season is over, and while there wont be any games to watch during the off-season, that wont stop us from evaluating the best performers from this past year. Top 100 Prospects for FYPD Top 50 International Prospects Positional Dynasty Prospects Catchers First Basemen Second Basemen Shortstops Third Basemen Outfielders Pitchers Top 20 Prospects by Team TheDynastyGuru.com 2022 Top MLB Prospects Top 200 Overall Prospects Top 100 Overall Prospects for Dynasty Using RC+ Hovers with front leg to help keep weight back. Its easy to see big time upside with Green offensively and given how hard he hits the baseball, there is big power potential. He must first rehab from the Tommy John surgery he underwent last September. A slightly open stance with a rhythmic leg kick, Aranda has some of the best bat to ball skills in the minors. The son of legendary center fielder Andruw Jones, Druw has a skillset reminiscent of his fathers, which helped him go No. The left-handed hitter has above average power to his pull side and easily backspins the baseball to all fields. Starts almost completely upright and then proceeds to drop his weight into his back hip and sink into his back side. Rounding out Bibees arsenal is an average curveball that he will mix in against lefties and to steal strikes against righties. He moves really well behind the dish and is an above average blocker as well. The left-handed hitter widened his stance while getting more into his legs than his previous upright setup. In 2021, he was out of action until May 7 because of a hamstring injury, and a balky hamstring sent him back to the injured list in mid-September. There is a host of other players, from rising stars to veterans, who could be a little bit further down the pipeline. Walker has the upside of one of the most consistent power-hitters in baseball and the more games he plays, the more possible it seems that he can reach somewhere near his ceiling. . Westburg hits the ball hard and by cutting his ground ball rate by 8% this season, he has seen a major jump in the power department. Lawlar has the ceiling of a perennial All-Star capable of impacting the game in a variety of ways. Height/Weight: 65, 195|Bat/Throw: R/R|1st round (15), 2020 (PHI)|ETA: 2024. 3 starter, Height/Weight: 61, 210|Bat/Throw: R/R|IFA: $300K, 2017 (LAD)|ETA: 2023. Veens lower half is extremely mobile and flexible, which allows him to do damage even when he doesnt get his A swing off. His defensive value comes from his 70 grade arm which is one of the strongest in the minors and pretty accurate as well thanks to his pitching days. To put a ceiling on Perez would be ridiculous. Woods lower half adjustability is extremely impressive for a player of his stature, as is his barrel control. Turang has impressed scouts with his ability to hit and polish dating back to his high school days in Corona, California. Alcantara is a fairly aggressive hitter, with a 32% chase rate this season, but much like his contact rates, the newly-turned 20-year-olds approach progressed nicely as the season went on. A good athlete, Wood played basketball as well before moving down to Florida to focus on baseball (smart move). Campusano has a solid approach, picking up spin well and punishing breaking balls to the tune of an OPS above .800. Cavallis fastball command has improved and he has found more confidence in his plus curveball in the mid 80s as a put-away pitch. His routes and overall comfort in the outfield makes it easy to forget that he is just 18 years old. The 19-year-old has improved the shape of the pitch, ensuring that it does not blend with his slider and offering much more downward bite. Due to the presence of Alek Thomas, Carroll has seen action in left in the early going of his MLB career where he is already a plus plus defender. On top of the mechanical adjustments, Dominguez cut his chase rate by nearly 10% in High-A while his zone contact rate jumped by a similar margin this season. Green utilizes a simple toe tap and hand load, relying on his impressive bat speed and strength to impact the baseball, which is a bit reminiscent of Starling Marte. Dominguez should be a threat to steal 20+ bases even at the highest level if he doesnt slow down too much with age. A zone contact rate of 89% through his 31 professional games while walking at a solid 12% mark, Lee should be a high on-base, low strikeout threat annually. A well rounded hitter who is continuing to tap into his plus raw power, Baty has a chance to slug 30 homers with a good enough approach to get on base at an above average clip. Meads advanced approach and swing give him a chance at becoming a plus hitter at the highest level with 20+ homers and plenty of doubles. The Trout comparison works on another, unintended level. Ota is a career .266 hitter with 72 homers, but since the move to Nippon Ham he has a .274 average and 62 home runs. The elite defense, improved ability to get on base and integration of speed into game value has made Tovar a high floor prospect whose ceiling is difficult to peg for all the right reasons. The earliest draft pick in Central Arkansas history, Stone has seen his stuff several ticks since joining the Dodgers organization with the potential for three well above average offerings. Hall saw his 2021 season cut short due to a stress reaction in his elbow, but has returned looking as good as ever this season. Its not due to a lack of quickness, however, the length to his swing makes him have to cheat a little bit in order to get the barrel out. Realmuto, and while that may be aiming high, he has given no reason to believe that those heights are not achievable. If Montgomery continues to add strength and slows down a step, he has the arm and ability with the glove to be an above average defender at third. "Chatter Up!" Henderson has continued to add strength since joining the Orioles organization, producing exit velocities as high as 112 mph and home runs as long as 480 feet this season. His playing time steadily eroded, and he finished with a .204 batting mark. That said, his improvements with his lower half have helped him stay behind the baseball and use the whole field. The 23-year-old could find himself in the big leagues as early as Opening Day 2023 and has the upside of a 30-30 threat with solid defense in a corner. After operating more in the upper 80s with his slider last season, Brown tweaked the slider to sit in the low 90s with sharper bite. January 17, 2023 . Martes ability to control the barrel and above-average exit velocities, paired with a decent approach, have helped him put up pretty consistent numbers at each level. #npbeng pic.twitter.com/JzLy9vTXEf. A powerful bat who controls the strike zone really well, Busch has the ingredients of a Max Muncy lite. A slightly above average runner, Valera is a good athlete who moves his feet pretty well along with an average arm. Left-handed pitching has given Casas some trouble in the upper-levels and is something to monitor, however his polish at the plate and unteachable raw power lend to the belief that he can develop into at least an average hitter left on left. April 6, 2022. Height/Weight: 63, 200|Bat/Throw: R/R|1st Round (18) 2019|ETA: 2022. A strong hitter with plenty of raw bat speed, Cartaya produces impressive exit velocities with ease along with a swing that is built for lift and carry. Slashing .281/.389/.500 in his 76 MiLB games this season, Casas provided a barometer of what we can expect from him at the big league level once he is fully developed. The Buffaloes ace shined in most of those games, living up to the hype with an array of sharp breaking balls. Height/Weight: 61, 190|Bat/Throw: L/L|Comp B (71), 2021 (SDP)|ETA: 2023. A guy with an above-average hit tool and an ability to eke out every ounce of his slightly above-average power is usually a safer bet, which is why Burleson was able to accommodate the aggressive assignments. Walker will need to improve against spin and get more comfortable in the outfield, which is exactly why the Cardinals are sending him to the Arizona Fall League. Height/Weight: 64, 220|Bat/Throw: R/R|5th Round (151), 2021 (STL)|ETA: 2024. Youth. Despite registering slightly below-average exit velocities, Arroyos swing generates easy lift and carry, helping him to a respectable 12% HR/FB rate. Volpe has the goods to blend a plus hit tool with plus game power. The Dominican Republic-native offers 30+ home run upside with an above average OBP and hope for an average hit tool. Hall is a very athletic and whippy athlete who gets great extension and features big time arm speed. NPB is much more fun when Yamakawa is clicking on all cylinders, so Seibu fans will hope to see more of the same next year. We'll save space by combining the write-ups for a pair of BayStars. Its all about the consistency for the former second round pick both offensively and defensively. NPB is the third league to get underway this year, joining Chinese Professional Baseball League (Taiwan) and Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). Matt Murton, Hanshin Tigers Legend & NPB "Chatter Up!" A natural hitter, Vargas has put up strong offensive numbers at every stop. It flashed solid depth and shape at the bottom of the zone, making it a nice change-of-pace pitch to be used sparingly. He already flashed above average power to his pull side this season with a max exit velocity of 112 mph and has plenty more power in the tank. A deep arsenal that is headlined by a plus plus fastball that routinely touches triple digits, Miller has some of the best stuff youll see in the minors. The youngest player selected in last years draft, Colliers advanced offensive skill-set should allow him to keep up with his fellow teenage first-rounders. Going back to 2017, Yoshida has managed a .300+ batting average, .400+ OBP, and .500+ slugging each year while maintaining a strikeout rate of just 9.3%. The 2022 Minor League season has wrapped up and with that a full season of prospect performances to evaluate. 40 home runs wouldnt be out of the question at Coors Field, but he will also split the gaps and run wild. Cowser stole plenty of bases in the lower levels, but struggled to find the same success in Double and Triple-A. Opposing hitters from both sides of the plate have slashed just .110/.197/.174 against the pitch this season. Hes a lock to stick in center field long-term if the D-backs prefer him there over Alek Thomas. The Phillies could very well have their next generation ace in Painter as he continues to exceed even the loftiest of expectations. Stones third pitch is a mid 80s slider that he deploys mostly against right-handed hitters. In its second year, 2022 Topps Baseball Japan Edition offers another take on the MLB flagship set. Williams will mix in an average changeup as his fourth offering, but it can get firm on him in the 87-90 mph range. This could be due to a conflict with your ad-blocking or security software. As a result, Steers 90th percentile exit velocity jumped more than three miles per hour with little effect on his ability to make consistent contact. Height/Weight: 65, 220|Bat/Throw: R/R|1st Round (21), 2020 (STL)|ETA: 2023. The Giants could have a perennial All-Star who is capable of launching 30 or more homers with ease if it all comes together. He hit just .120 in 12 games with Los Angeles, spent time on the injured list, and was outrighted to the minors. Example: Yes, I would like to receive emails from JapanBall. The pitch produces ugly swings against both lefties and righties and regularly missed bats even when located within the zone. Height/Weight: 64, 205|Bat/Throw: L/R|1st Round (22), 2021 (CWS)|ETA: 2023. The 20-year-old is still an extremely aggressive hitter, but he consistently hits the ball hard and rarely misses mistakes. If he further develops his breaking balls and command, Stone has the ceiling of a number two starter on a first-division team. Height/Weight: 63, 210|Bat/Throw: L/R|2nd Round (42), 2019 (BAL)|ETA: 2023. 4 starter with the swing-and-miss potential to show flashes of a middle-of-the-rotation starter. Rafaela swiped 28 bags in 35 tries this season. Busch should be able to keep the strikeouts relatively in check with a lot of homers and walks. Already putting on shows with his majestic batting practice homers, we started to see flashes of his plus raw power in games this season. In addition, the dual-threat Ohtani is the only name found in the 15-card MVP (1:4 packs) insert, which adds limited autographs and commemorative relic (1:191 packs) versions. Green ran a ridiculous 6.16 60-yard dash as a high schooler and his electrifying speed helps him cover a ton of ground in center. Height/Weight: 62, 200|Bat/Throw: R/L|3rd Round (85)- 2020|ETA: 2023. The ball explodes out of his hand and low release point creates some deception and added life to hitters who consistently have issues timing him up. Play Ball Youth Baseball & Softball. Despite being younger than the average player at every Minor League stop hes been at, Peraza has held his own with both the bat and his glove along the way. One of the younger players in Double-A, Tovars elite defensive ability and solid feel to hit has allowed him to play above his age-level at every stop. Lee has flashed above average power to his pull side and will pick his spots to try to do damage. Of his two swings, De La Cruz packs more of a punch from the left side of the plate and uses the entire field a bit better. Like many young, hard-throwing pitchers, Perez can at times be a bit too firm with the offering, but when hes feeling it, it can be a true swing-and-miss pitch to lefties and righties with plenty of late arm side fade. It is tough to beat Tovar because of his willingness to stay inside the baseball and go the other way while also possessing enough bat speed to turn on pitches middle inespecially in hitters counts. 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