Top-Performing MLB Prospects Age 23 or Younger: Deyvison De Los Santos, Jonah Tong, Chris Newell, Matt Wilkinson, Brooks Baldwin and More
Discussing some of the top minor league players age 23 or younger to this point in the baseball season.
As the minor league season hits the 50-game mark, it’s time to look at some of the better performing prospects in the game.
In past stories, we used players age 25 and younger. Today, I wanted to focus on players under the age of 23. Let’s get to it!
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Top Hitters
Four players already have 60 total hits this season.
Arizona Diamondbacks’ Deyvison De Los Santos and Chicago White Sox’s Brooks Baldwin are each at 62 hits. St. Louis Cardinals’ Miguel Villarroel and Milwaukee Brewers’ Mike Boeve are at 61 hits each.
De Los Santos has played between AA and AAA this season, and even though he’s 21 years old, probably isn’t too far off from making his MLB debut. Among his hits, he’s got 22 extra-base knocks, including 14 homers. De Los Santos also has 41 RBIs, 32 runs scored, 18 walks, 42 strikeouts and one stolen base.
Baldwin is playing at Double-A for Chicago. He’s got 16 extra-base hits, including three home runs. He’s also tallied 25 RBIs, 24 runs, 22 walks, 29 strikeouts and 12 stolen bases. Baldwin has an ETA of 2025, but playing on a poor Chicago team could move that timeline up a touch, especially if the team trades several players at the deadline.
Villarroel is excelling at Single-A for the Cardinals. He’s posted 16 extra-base hits this season, but just one homer. Villarroel had 32 runs, 24 RBIs, eight walks, 38 strikeouts and 12 stolen bases. He does not appear in the team’s top-30 prospects at this point, but more strong play could change that in the future.
Boeve has done his damage at High-A and Double-A already this season. He’s got 14 extra-base hits among his knocks, but just one homer. Boeve also has 26 runs, 18 RBIs, 27 walks, 33 strikeouts and a stolen base to his name. He’s the Brewers’ No. 13 prospect and has an ETA of 2026, but the 22-year-old could move that up if he keeps shining at each level of the minor leagues.
De Los Santos is tied for the minor league lead in homers among players ages 23 and younger. Los Angeles Dodgers’ Chris Newell also has 14 jacks on the season. Cleveland Guardians’ Jhonkensy Noel, Toronto Blue Jays’ Orelvis Martinez, Baltimore Orioles’ Coby Mayo and Oakland Athletics’ Colby Thomas are all at 13 home runs.
Newell is 23 years old and playing at High-A right now. While he’s a big home run threat, Newell has just a .220 average, while having struck out 65 times over 45 games played. He’s not part of the team’s top-30 prospects and will have to likely have to hit for a higher average and cut down on the strikeouts in order to move up the minor league ranks and have a shot at the big leagues someday.
Noel is hitting .243 for the season at AAA as a 22-year-old. He’s struck out 46 times in 45 games. Noel is the team’s No. 26 prospect and has an ETA of this season. If he doesn’t make the big leagues with Cleveland, he could be part of a trade deadline deal.
Martinez is another player who has struggled with his average despite the high home run total, sitting with a .254 mark on the year. The 22-year-old AAA player has punched out 49 times in 47 games. Martinez is the No. 2 prospect for Toronto and should make his MLB debut sometime this season. He’ll be a player to possibly add when he gets the call up, so be sure to keep an eye on him.
Mayo has been one of the top hitting prospects all season, but is unfortunately out of action with an injury right now. Also 22 years old and playing in AAA, Mayo has got a .291 average, so he’s not just a big power threat. Mayo is the team’s No. 3 prospect and should be called up sometime this summer. He’d be another player possibly worth adding in redraft leagues as soon as he gets the call, so keep your eyes peeled for news on his call up.
Thomas has a .272 average to go along with all his homers. He’s only struck out 37 times in 44 games. Thomas is the team’s No. 12 prospect and has an ETA of 2025. Much like Baldwin with Chicago, Thomas could appear earlier in the big leagues if the Athletics ship several players away at the trade deadline.
Top Pitchers
Among the minor league pitchers age 23 or below with 40 or more innings pitched, two have earned run averages under one so far. New York Mets’ Jonah Tong and Arizona’s Spencer Giesting are those two players.
Tong is 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA across 40 innings pitched at A and High-A. He’s just 21 years old, is the team’s No. 20 prospect and has an ETA of 2026.
Giesting is 22 years old and pitching at High-A right now. He’s 4-2 with a 0.94 ERA across 48 innings pitched. He’s not part of the team’s top-30 prospects yet, but definitely could be with more results like the ones he’s posted so far.
Among pitchers 23 years old or younger, Cleveland’s Matt Wilkinson leads the way with 79 strikeouts in just 45 1/3 innings pitched. He’s also got a shiny 1.59 ERA.
Wilkinson is also not among the team’s top-30 prospects. The 21-year-old has already pitched for the team’s A and High-A teams this season, and could keep moving up and become a notable prospect with more strong results.
Arizona’s Yilber Diaz and St. Louis’ Quinn Mathews each have 70 strikeouts on the season.
Diaz is 23 and playing in Double-A. He’s 2-4 and has a 3.23 ERA across 47 1/3 innings. He’s the team’s No. 16 prospect and has an ETA of 2025. Diaz could be part of a trade deadline deal if he continues to pitch this well, which could move his ETA to late this season depending where he lands.
Mathews is 23 years old and has pitched in A and High-A this season. He’s 3-2 with a 2.27 ERA across 43 2/3 innings pitched. Mathews is the team’s No. 21 prospect and has a 2025 ETA. He seems less likely to be part of a trade deadline deal, so the 2025 mark seems pretty likely with him, especially if he keeps pitching this well.
Boston Red Sox’s Felix Cepeda and Los Angeles Angels’ Camden Minacci both have nine saves this season, which leads the minor leagues for players age 23 and below.
Cepeda is 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA and 22 strikeouts over 20 innings. He’s 23 years old and pitching with AA, but isn’t among the team’s top prospects. Relievers can move quicker through the minor leagues, and if Cepeda continues to pitch well, he could be a quick riser and in the big leagues either late this year or next.
Minacci is 22 years old and playing in High-A. He’s 1-2 with a 3.12 ERA. In 17 1/3 innings, Minacci has 19 strikeouts. Minacci is the team’s No. 18 prospect and has an ETA of 2025. On a team trending downward, Minacci has a chance to be a September call-up this year.
