Looking at 2018’s Top 100 prospects five years later

This story was excerpted from MLB Pipeline’s publication. To learn the complete publication, click on right here. And subscribe to get it commonly in your inbox.

We’ll reveal MLB Pipeline’s 2023 Top 100 Prospects record with a one-hour present on MLB Network and MLB.com Thursday at 7 p.m. ET. As we await that unveiling, I assumed it could be enjoyable and instructive to look again at our Top 100 from 5 years in the past.

Here’s how the primary 10 prospects shook out in 2018:

1. Shohei Ohtani, RHP/OF, Angels
2. Ronald Acuña Jr., OF, Braves
3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 3B, Blue Jays
4. Eloy Jiménez, OF, White Sox
5. Gleyber Torres, 2B/SS, Yankees
6. Victor Robles, OF, Nationals
7. Nick Senzel, 3B, Reds
8. Fernando Tatis Jr., SS, Padres
9. Forrest Whitley, RHP, Astros
10. Michael Kopech, RHP, White Sox

In phrases of formidable trios on the prime, the 2018 crop stands out as among the finest, already combining for an MVP Award, two Rookie of the Year awards and 7 All-Star Game choices. Ohtani shortly has turn out to be the best two-way participant in baseball historical past. Our writeup famous that “the scouting reports on Ohtani as a pitcher almost seem too good to be true” and “while the consensus among scouts is that Ohtani has more upside as a pitcher, he also has the tools to be a star as a hitter.”

Tatis is a fourth famous person from that prime 10, whereas Torres is a two-time All-Star and Jiménez has received a Silver Slugger. Robles performed a key function within the Nationals’ 2019 World Series win however his bat has regressed considerably since then, and Senzel has did not launch amid accidents and place adjustments.

Kopech has posted back-to-back stable seasons for the White Sox since recovering from 2018 Tommy John surgical procedure, although he has but to turn out to be a frontline starter as as soon as projected. Whitley hasn’t even reached the massive leagues as his profession has been short-circuited by accidents and command points, culminating with Tommy John surgical procedure in 2021.

In phrases of sheer variety of prospects and their place on the Top 100, the three strongest techniques had been the Padres (seven, six within the prime 50), Braves (eight, six within the prime 58) and White Sox (seven, 5 within the prime 61). All three groups have skilled turnarounds since.

San Diego is driving a streak of three consecutive profitable seasons, the longest in franchise historical past, and went to the 2022 National League Championship Series. Atlanta has made the playoffs for 5 straight years and received the 2021 World Series. Chicago superior to the postseason in back-to-back years for the primary time ever in 2020 and 2021.