Each team’s breakout prospect of 2022

The finish of the yr is a good time to take a breath and look again on the baseball season that was. Some issues occurred as anticipated, however one of many issues that’s so nice about this recreation is when the surprising occurs.

And that occurred within the type of breakout seasons by gamers in all places within the professional recreation. There have been surprises within the massive leagues and throughout each degree of the Minors. Here’s a prospect from every group who actually opened eyes in 2022.

Blue Jays: Ricky Tiedemann, LHP (No. 1/MLB No. 33)
The 2021 third-rounder confirmed as much as his first Spring Training with improved velocity within the 95-96 mph vary and by no means slowed down in his first style of the Minors. The southpaw had the best strikeout fee of any teenage Minor Leaguer (min. 70 IP) at 38.9 p.c, simply beating out Andrew Painter (38.7) and Eury Pérez (34.6) amongst others, and he completed with a 2.17 ERA and 0.86 WHIP over 78 2/3 innings at Single-A, High-A and Double-A. The Thirteenth lefty taken in his Draft class now ranks as MLB Pipeline’s No. 2 LHP prospect.

Orioles: Heston Kjerstad, OF (No. 9)
Yes, as the previous No. 2 general choose within the Draft (2020), there’s a degree of expectation to supply. But once you don’t play for 2 years between the pandemic and the lingering results of myocarditis, simply getting on the sector for a season was an enormous win. Then Kjerstad went out and hit .309/.394/.457 in 65 video games throughout two ranges of A ball earlier than actually making a press release by successful Arizona Fall League MVP honors (.357/.385/.622).

Rays: Kyle Manzardo, 1B (No. 4)
Collegiate first basemen have increased requirements they should hit (pun supposed) to climb prospect ranks of their first full season, and Manzardo — a 2021 second-rounder out of Washington State — cleared that bar comfortably in his first full season. The left-handed slugger led Rays Minor League qualifiers in all three slash-line classes (.327/.426/.617) and produced 22 homers in 93 video games at High-A and Double-A. His stable 16.4 p.c Ok fee helped alleviate some considerations that include a first-base profile, and Manzardo enters 2023 on the cusp of the Top 100.

Red Sox: Ceddanne Rafaela, OF/SS (No. 3/MLB No. 96)
It appeared like Rafaela was producing weekly highlight-worthy defensive performs in middle area at High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland, nevertheless it was his bat that fueled his true breakout. The Curaçao native’s yearly OPS jumped from .729 in 2021 to .880 this previous season, and he added energy that helped him slug above .500 for the primary time and produce a career-high 21 homers over 116 video games. A bona fide Top 100 prospect now, Rafaela was added to the 40-man roster to guard him from the Rule 5 Draft.

Yankees: Will Warren, RHP (No. 8)
Will Warren wields a whirly. Say that 5 instances quick, and be sure you bear in mind it’s a giant purpose why the 2021 eighth-rounder grew to become a Top 10 prospect within the New York system. Warren’s sweeping slider — a signature pitch of the group — helped him strike out 125 in 129 innings at High-A and Double-A in his first full season, when he confirmed first rate stuff and good sturdiness. The 23-year-old right-hander ended the season because the top-ranked hurler in a system that’s top-heavy with bats.

Guardians: Tanner Bibee, RHP (No. 6/MLB No. 99)
There are fairly a number of candidates for this spot, together with Gavin Williams and Bo Naylor, however we’ll lean towards Bibee — the 156th general choose within the 2021 Draft who’s now on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 record. After displaying particular management at Cal State Fullerton, the 23-year-old right-hander displayed sharpened stuff in 2022, headlined by a mid-90s fastball and an above-average sweeping slider. He was maybe at his greatest at his highest degree of Double-A, the place he sported a 1.83 ERA with 81 strikeouts and solely 14 walks in 73 2/3 frames.

Royals: Tyler Gentry, OF (No. 8)
Gentry confirmed first rate abilities in 2021, however knee accidents restricted him to solely 44 video games at High-A. Much more healthy in 2022, the previous Alabama star was much more productive this summer season as he led Royals farmhands in common (.326), slugging (.542), OPS (.965) and wRC+ (152) over 108 video games at High-A and Double-A. Anything near that degree of hitting subsequent yr ought to get Gentry an opportunity to carry out in KC.

Tigers: Kerry Carpenter, OF (Not eligible for Top 30)
You can’t write about breakouts from the Detroit system with out mentioning Carpenter — a left-handed slugger who labored on including loft to his swing and doubled his Minor League profession home-run excessive from 15 to 30 … earlier than he was referred to as as much as the Majors. Carpenter’s .645 slugging proportion at Double-A and Triple-A led the 609 Minor Leaguers with at the very least 400 plate appearances. He was nonetheless slug-over-hit within the Majors (.252/.310/.485, six homers in 31 video games) and has an opportunity to be the Tigers’ Opening Day left fielder or DH.

Twins: Louie Varland, RHP (No. 10)
In some methods, Varland — a 2019 Fifteenth-round select of Division II Concordia — had a breakout marketing campaign in 2021, when he was the group’s Minor League pitcher of the yr. He earned the award once more this previous season, however on the higher ranges, ending with a 3.06 ERA and 10.4 Ok/9. More importantly, he made his massive league debut with a stable five-start displaying, placing him in line to make a much bigger contribution to the Major League workers in 2023.

White Sox: Lenyn Sosa, INF (No. 4)
The 22-year-old confirmed improved swing selections in his first elongated style of the higher Minors, and it confirmed up in his numbers. His .315 common, .369 OBP, .511 slugging proportion and 23 homers in 119 video games throughout Double-A and Triple-A all represented profession highs. Sosa obtained 11 video games with the White Sox in June and August, and whereas these didn’t go almost as effectively (.114 common, .368 OPS), they at the very least gave him the expertise wanted to arrange for a return in 2023.

Angels: Edgar Quero, C (No. 3)
A switch-hitter who was simply 19 for the entire 2022 season, Quero signed in February of 2021 and has rapidly gone from an unknown to a catching prospect on the point of becoming a member of our Top 100. He spent the yr in Single-A and hit .312/.435/.530, drawing quite a lot of walks and tapping into his energy with 17 homers, all whereas persevering with to work on bettering his defensive abilities behind the dish.

Astros: Justin Dirden, OF (No. 11)
Dirden had spectacular numbers in 2021, however they got here on the decrease ranges, together with the launching pad that’s High-A Asheville. This season, the 25-year-old proved his bat was no fluke with a .324/.411/.616 line and 20 homers in 92 video games at Double-A Corpus Christi, forcing his soar into Houston’s high dozen prospects. His 69 extra-base hits (together with these from Triple-A Sugar Land) led all Astros prospects by 13 and have been fifth-most within the Minors.

A’s: Jordan Diaz, 1B/3B (No. 9)
Diaz took a pleasant step ahead in 2021 in his first full season pf professional ball, displaying sufficient to earn a spot on the 40-man roster. He took one other leap in 2022 whereas shifting to the higher ranges, hitting a mixed .326/.366/.515 between Double-A and Triple-A en route to creating his massive league debut.

Mariners: Bryce Miller, RHP (No. 5)
The Mariners preferred Miller’s pure stuff sufficient to take him within the fourth spherical of the 2021 Draft out of Texas A&M, nevertheless it was somewhat unclear whether or not he may begin long-term. If 2022 is any indication, contemplate that query answered within the affirmative after Miller pitched his solution to Double-A, threw a ton extra strikes and struck out 11 per 9 whereas holding hitters to a mixed .195 batting common.

Rangers: Cole Ragans, LHP (Graduated from Top 30)
The Rangers took Ragans on the finish of the primary spherical again in 2016, and he was a high 10 prospect of their system as just lately as 2019. But he didn’t pitch between the tip of 2017 and May of 2021 due to two Tommy John surgical procedures. His 80 2/3 IP in 2021 have been an excellent step, however nobody may have predicted he would strategy 135 IP in 2022, pitching so effectively in Double-A and Triple-A (3.04 ERA, 10.7 Ok/9) that he’d be referred to as on to make 9 massive league begins.

Braves: Roddery Munoz, RHP (No. 26)
Signed for simply $30,000 near the tip of the 2017-18 worldwide signing interval, Munoz didn’t make his United States debut till 2021 and didn’t actually soar on the prospect map till this previous season. He touched Double-A for the primary time, topped 100 IP, missed a bunch of bats (10.7 Ok/9) and confirmed sufficient to earn a spot on the Braves’ 40-man roster.

Marlins: Dax Fulton, LHP (No. 8)
Fulton blew out his elbow and had Tommy John surgical procedure earlier than his senior yr of highschool, however he was so well-regarded that the Marlins took him within the second spherical of the 2020 Draft and gave him $2.4 million to signal. In his first yr again on the mound in 2021, he obtained stronger because the season wore on and earned a promotion to High-A. In 2022, Fulton took one other massive step, throwing much more strikes (3.2 BB/9 in comparison with 4.4 the yr prior) whereas lacking a ton extra bats (11.4 Ok/9 vs. 9.7) and reaching Double-A at age 20.

Mets: Alex Ramirez, OF (No. 4/MLB No. 85)
Signed in July 2019, Ramirez missed out on the 2020 season like everybody else after which skipped proper over Complex Leagues to play at Single-A St. Lucie in 2021. After displaying first rate energy and good pace out of his 6-foot-3 body, Ramirez has 4 doubtlessly above-average instruments, serving to his route into the Top 100.

Nationals: James Wood, OF (No. 3/MLB No. 34)
OK, technically Wood’s breakout got here within the Padres’ system, however the Nats are those who will reap the rewards. The 2021 second-rounder regarded tooled-up early at Single-A Lake Elsinore, displaying plus energy and pace — notable given his dimension at 6-foot-7. Washington picked up the outfielder within the Juan Soto blockbuster on the Trade Deadline, and Wood completed his first full season with a .313/.420/.536 line, 12 homers and 20 steals in 76 video games. He could possibly be the Nats’ high prospect earlier than lengthy.

Phillies: Hao Yu Lee, 2B (No. 6)
The Phillies have been excited to see what Lee may do in his first full season of professional ball after he signed in the summertime of 2021 and made a quick however spectacular debut within the Florida Complex League. Despite lacking a bit of time with a damaged hand, Lee didn’t disappoint as a young person in Single-A, hitting .283/.384/.415 earlier than incomes a late promotion as much as High-A to complete the yr.

Brewers: Jackson Chourio, OF (No. 1/MLB No. 10)
If we’re making posters of 2022 breakouts, Chourio deserves to be featured within the hero spot. The Venezuelan outfielder famously skipped proper over the Arizona Complex League and climbed three ranges from Single-A to Double-A — all in his age-18 season. Chourio hit .288/.342/.538 with 20 homers and 16 steals in 99 video games throughout these three associates, all whereas displaying plus energy, 70-grade pace and robust protection up the center. Though some hit-tool questions persist, he now has the potential to be a No. 1 general prospect earlier than he graduates.

Cardinals: Gordon Graceffo (No. 3/MLB No. 79)
Graceffo was ranked as MLB Pipeline’s No. 204 Draft prospect in 2021 and went 151st general to St. Louis that summer season. Just over a yr later, he was in our Top 100 ranks on the energy of added fastball velocity within the mid-90s, four-pitch combine and stable management. The right-hander completed his age-22 season at Double-A Springfield after a dominant High-A flip, and whereas his whiff numbers backed up a bit within the Texas League, his fast ascent, coupled with the general improved stuff, may get him Major League rotation appears to be like by the tip of the upcoming marketing campaign.

Cubs: Porter Hodge, RHP (No. 22)
A highschool draftee from Utah who signed as a Thirteenth-rounder in 2019, Hodge had again surgical procedure in 2020 and posted a 6.44 ERA mixed in 2019 and 2021. Improved conditioning and athleticism led to a 2022 breakout that noticed his stuff get higher and the outcomes adopted: Hodge pitched throughout two ranges of A ball and completed with a 2.63 ERA, 11.6 Ok/9 fee and a .202 batting common towards.

Pirates: Endy Rodriguez, C/OF (No. 6/MLB No. 97)
The Pirates thought they have been getting a really intriguing prospect after they acquired Rodriguez from the Mets within the three-team deal that despatched Joe Musgrove to San Diego, and he had a really stable full-season debut in 2021. But he exploded in 2022, hitting his manner from High-A to Triple-A and being named the catcher on our Prospect Team of the Year after hitting a mixed .323/.407/.590.

Reds: Elly De La Cruz, SS/3B (No. 1/MLB No. 14)
De La Cruz actually burst on the scene in 2021, going from a prospect not even on the Reds’ Top 30 to 1 who landed on our Top 100 earlier than the beginning of the 2022 season. But that was primarily based off of a 61-game United States debut, and we needed to see what he’d do for an encore. All De La Cruz did was set up himself as one of the vital thrilling prospects within the recreation, one who reached Double-A at age 20 and hit a mixed .304/.359/.586 with 28 homers and 47 stolen bases.

D-backs: Brandon Pfaadt, RHP (No. 4/MLB No. 90)
It stays one of the vital astounding stats of the 2022 Minor League season. Pfaadt’s 218 strikeouts in 167 innings between Double-A Amarillo and Triple-A Reno marked the primary 200-Ok marketing campaign within the Minors since 2011 and probably the most punchouts by any Minor Leaguer since 2001 (Brandon Claussen, 220). A 92-94 mph fastball, plus changeup and sweeping slider helped maintain these Ok’s coming and launched Pfaadt onto the Top 100 for the primary time.

Dodgers: Gavin Stone, RHP (No. 7/MLB No. 77)
Signed for well-under slot as a fifth-rounder in 2020, Stone had a stable professional debut throughout two ranges of A ball in 2021 earlier than actually taking off final yr. His 1.48 ERA led the Minors, and he was among the many leaders with a 12.4 Ok/9. Pitching throughout three ranges and ending in Triple-A, Stone additionally held hitters to a mixed .205 batting common.

Giants: Grant McCray, OF (No. 4)
Prior to the 2022 season, McCray might have been greatest identified for being the son of Rodney McCray, he of the crashing by means of the Minor League fence fame. A 3rd-rounder out of highschool in 2019, McCray moved slowly as a result of accidents and the pandemic … till 2022. There’s nonetheless work to do on his strategy (170 strikeouts), however the power-speed mixture began displaying up in a giant manner with 23 homers and 43 steals, principally in Single-A San Jose.

Padres: Alek Jacob, RHP (No. 25)
The 6-foot-4 righty was a standout starter at Gonzaga however was handed over 489 instances earlier than San Diego chosen him within the sixteenth spherical in 2021. The Padres moved Jacob to the bullpen and pushed him to a few completely different ranges earlier than giving him one other superior project to the Arizona Fall League. Jacob thrives on funk from a tough sidearm angle that helps him put nasty sink on his fastball, good spin on his slider and a few fade on his changeup. Though he lacks something resembling big-time velocity, Jacob can throw off sufficient hitters’ timing to discover a Major League position shortly.

Rockies: Adael Amador, SS (No. 3/MLB No. 61)
The Rockies clearly thought extremely sufficient of Amador to offer the infielder $1.5 million to check in July 2019, and he gave style of his potential by hitting effectively in his professional debut within the Arizona Complex League in 2021. The soar to full-season ball is all the time check, and Amador handed with flying colours by hitting .292/.415/.445 with 15 homers and 26 steals as a young person, incomes a spot on our Top 100.