Don’t forget to pick up your copy of the The 2024 Prospect Digest Handbook here.
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1. Walker Jenkins, CF
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 50/55 | 60 | 50 | 50 | 55 | 60 |
Background: The top three college prospects (in no specific order) were well known: Dylan Crews, Paul Skenes, and Wyatt Langford. And, likewise, the top two high school prospects (in no specific order) were well known as well, Franklin Community High School product Max Clark and, of course, South Brunswick slugger Walker Jenkins. A standout, dynamic hitter in each of his four years with the Cougars, Jenkins begin his high school tenure with a scorching .417/.500/.583 slash line – though his damage was limited to just four games due to the COVID pandemic. The following year, 2021, the lefty-swinging centerfielder mashed .436/.582/.871 with nine of this 17 hits going for extra bases (five doubles, four homeruns). And he spent the following summer on Team USA’s 16U / 17U Development squad. He also appeared in seven games with the 18U Team, batting .182/.308/.273. He was named Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of North Carolina as well. As a junior the 6-foot-3, 210-pound slugger shredded the competition to the tune of .527/.628/1.032 with 13 doubles, two triples, and 10 homeruns in only 30 games. Last season, in a repeat performance that earned him his second Gatorade Player of the Year award, Jenkins batted .417 with 33 runs scored. Equipped with the fifth overall pick in the midsummer draft for the first time since 2014, Minnesota snagged the South Brunswick High School star and signed him to a deal worth $7,144,200. Jenkins split time between the Florida Complex League and Low-A during his debut, slugging a scorching .362/.417/.571 with five doubles, four triples, and three homeruns. He also swiped half-a-dozen bags in nine total attempts. He finished the season with a 14-to-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Scouting Report: Pre-draft write-up:
“Well-built athlete with explosive movements and a thick lower body, Jenkins possesses impressive bat speed and matching raw power. He’s likely to move away from centerfield as his body continues to fill out in the coming years. He shows a bit of a propensity to chase pitches outside of the strike zone / expand the zone. He tends to roll over on offspeed pitches as well. He has the potential to develop into a perennial 30-home threat in the professional ranks.”
Post-debut update: Jenkins’ hit tool, contact rates and quality of contact were far better than expected. There’s a chance for an above-average hit tool backed up with plus power and 25-stolen bases. Five-tool athlete.
Ceiling: 4.5-win player
Risk: Moderate to High
MLB ETA: 2024
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2. Brooks Lee, SS
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 55 | 50 | 35 | 55 | 50 | 55 |
Background: The 2022 draft was a bit of a peculiar event. Four of the first five selections were high school kids (Jackson Holliday, Druw Jones, Termarr Johnson, and Elijah Green). The lone outlier of the group was Kumar Rocker, who failed to come to terms with the Mets the previous year and spent 2022 pitching Independent ball. So, technically, the first player taken out of a four-year school that summer was Jacob Berry. And that began a run of eight consecutive college prospects – including the Twins’ selection. Taken with eighth overall pick, former Cal Poly San Luis Obispo star Brooks Lee put on an impressive show during his professional debut as he moved from the Complex League up to High-A and finished it off with a two-game cameo in Wichita. The switch-hitting first rounder batted .303/.389/.451 with six doubles and four homeruns in 31 total games. Minnesota sent Lee back to the fires of Double-A for an extended look at the minors’ toughest competition at the start of 2023. And he came out smelling like roses. He slugged .292/.365/.476 with 31 doubles and 11 dingers in 87 games. He spent the last two months of the season battling the Triple-A competition – though his numbers took a bit of step backward. Lee finished the year with an aggregate .275/.347/.461 slash line with 39 doubles, three triples, 16 homeruns, and seven stolen bases. Per Weighted Runs Created Plus, his overall production topped the league average threshold by 7%. Not bad work for his first full season.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: Lee will have no issues sticking at the most important infield position. Explosive, agile, quick. He may not contend for an annual Gold Glove, but he’s going to provide value on the defensive side of the ball. Offensively speaking, he’s a tough at bat, fighting off pitcher’s pitches and capitalizing on mistakes. More power from the right side and more of a slashing approach from the left. Great bat speed. Great baseball instincts. He may have the highest floor among all prospects in 2022 draft.
Scouting Report: Consider the following:
Since 2006, only two 22-year-old hitters met the following criteria with one club in any Double-A league (min. 350 PA): 115 to 125 wRC+, 9% to 11% walk rate, and a 15% to 17% strikeout rate. Those two bats: Sean Henry and Brooks Lee.
To put it as simplistically as possible: Lee came exactly as advertised. He hit well, made consistent contact, flashed solid power, and handled the infield’s most important position. Lee’s approach at the plate is equally simple: See ball, hit ball; don’t overthink. And he typically doesn’t. The former first rounder doesn’t really have (A) a true standout tool and (B) a major flaw. Physically, he looks larger than the previous year and this may impact his ability to stick at shortstop. He’s going to be .270/.340/.420-type big league hitter.
Ceiling: 3.0-win player
Risk: Low to Moderate
MLB ETA: 2024
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3. Emmanuel Rodriguez, CF
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 40 | 55 | 50 | 80 | 55 | 55 |
Background: The club’slargesthaul off the international free agency scene during the 2019-2020 signing period. Minnesota handed the Dominican masher a hefty $2.5 million bonus that summer. Rodriguez would have to wait until the 2021 season to make his highly anticipated debut. And, well, the results were mixed. He belted out 17 extra-base hits, including 10 dingers, in only 37 games, but he also batted .214 and whiffed 56 times in 153 plate appearances. Minnesota stuck to their development plan, though, and sent the 5-foot-10, 210-pound centerfielder up to Fort Myers the following year. And he was magnificent. Appearing in only 47 games with the Mighty Mussels, Rodriguez slugged .272/.493/.552 with five doubles, three triples, nine homeruns, and 11 stolen bases while walking (57) more times than he struck out (52). Last season, the front office pushed him up to Cedar Rapids in the Midwest League and he continued to put on a saber-friendly offensive showcase. In a career-best 99 contests, Rodriguez put together a .240/.400/.463 line with 13 doubles, nine triples, 16 homers, and 20 stolen bases (in 25 total attempts). His production, per Weighted Runs Created Plus, topped the league average line by a 45%.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: The toolsy centerfielder owns incredible offensive potential, showcasing present plus in-game power, above-average speed, and plus-plus patience at the plate.
Scouting Report: Consider the following:
Since 2006, only two 20-year-old hitters posted a 140 to 150 wRC+ mark with a strikeout rate north of 27% with one club in any High-A league (min. 350 PA): Ryan McMahon and Emmanuel Rodriguez.
It’s difficult to not look at Rodriguez’s stat line and go into games with some type of predisposed scouting report. The overly patient approach, the big strikeout rates, the blossoming power – it all suggests a free-swinging, swing-from-your-heels bopper. But that’s not really the case, though. Sure, Rodriguez is patient – maybe too patient – but he’s no free swinger either. He’ll turn on balls just as easily as shoot them to left-center. Now with that being said, the hit tool is likely going to keep his averages in the .240 to .250 range as he continues his professional climb. Rodriguez isn’t just a one dimensional player either. He showcases an above-average glove in centerfield and above-average speed to impact the game on the base paths and in the outfield. In terms of big league ceiling, think: .240/.330/.420. He’s the type of guy that’s going to be underappreciated by fan bases and – hopefully – properly valued by big league front offices.
Ceiling: 3.0-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2024/2025
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4. David Festa, RHP
| FB | SL | CH | Command | Overall |
| 60 | 60 | 55 | 50 | 50 |
Background: There’s not too much potential big league talent remaining from the club’s 2021 draft class. Chase Petty, the club’s first pick that summer, was dealt to Cincinnati for Sonny Gray. Steve Hajjar (2nd round) and Christian Encarnacion-Strand (4th round) were also dealt away to Cincinnati in a separate deal that brought in right-handed veteran Tyler Mahle. Cade Povich (3rd round) was shipped over to Baltimore as part of the package that brought back Jorge López. Even with the mass exodus of talent David Festa, their 13th round pick out of Seton Hall University, has quietly developed into one of the better players Minnesota snagged. The 399th overall player taken, Festa breezed through stops in the Florida State and Midwest Leagues in 2022, averaging 9.4 strikeouts and just 3.0 walks per innings across 21 appearances (18 starts). Last season, the 6-foot-6, 185-pound righty made 21 appearances with Wichita before wrapping the year up with three starts with St. Paul. He tossed 92.1 innings with 119 strikeouts and 42 walks to go along with an aggregate 4.19 ERA and a 3.80 FIP. He averaged 11.6 strikeouts and 4.1 walks per nine innings.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: Florida State managers named his plus slider as the league’s best breaking ball.
Scouting Report: Consider the following:
Since 2006, only two 23-year-old hurlers posted a 29.5% to 31.5% strikeout percentage with a walk percentage between 8.5% to 10.5% with one club in any Double-A league (min. 75 IP): Ty Madden and – of course – David Festa. It’s definitely worth noting that (A) both hurlers were taken in the 2021 draft, Madden in the first round; Festa in the 13th round.
Had Festa come out of Seton Hall with his present day arsenal he would have been – unquestionably – a mid- to late-first round pick. The largest development has been some added ticks on the ol’ #1. Festa, who’s built like the right-handed version of Chris Sale, unfurls two plus pitches – a mid-90s fastball and one hellacious upper-80s / low-90s slider – to go along with a very, very strong changeup that may actually creep into plus territory in time. The command is OK, it’ll waver at times, but there’s no reason he can’t step into the Twins’ rotation as a #4 / #5 starter and slowly work his way up to mid-rotation status.
Ceiling: 2.5-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2024
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5. Marco Raya, RHP
| FB | CB | SL | CH | Command | Overall |
| 60 | 55 | 55 | 50 | 50/55 | 50 |
Background: Taken by the Twins in the fourth round out of United South High School four years ago, Raya’s debut would be shelved until 2022 due to COVID (2020) and a shoulder issue (2021). But the wiry right-hander quickly made up for any lost developmental time due to a quietly phenomenal showing in the Florida State League: he posted a 76-to-23 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 65.0 innings of work to go along with a 3.05 ERA. Last season the front office continued to closely govern Raya’s workload, limiting him to just 62.2 innings between his time with Cedar Rapids and Wichita. But, once again, the 6-foot-1, 170-pound hurler made the most of it. He posted a 65-to-22 strikeout-to-walk ratio to go along with an aggregate 4.02 ERA and a nearly identical 4.01 FIP. Raya averaged 9.3 strikeouts and 3.2 walks per nine innings.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: Immediately blown away with Raya’s combination of poise, pitchability, command, and deep repertoire. It isn’t hyperbole: Marco Raya may be one of the most underrated pitching prospects in the minor leagues entering 2023.
Scouting Report: It’s hard to believe, but it’s been four years since Raya was drafted by the club and he’s totaled just over 127 innings on the bump – largely due to his missed 2021 season and the organization closely governing his workload. With that being said, there may be more in the tank for the former fourth rounder in terms of command / control. Already showcasing 50-grade command, Raya shows the confidence – and willingness – to throw any pitch in any count. Something that bodes well for his future big league career. His fastball sits in the mid-90s but shows added life above the belt suggesting some high spin rates. He’ll mix in a pair of above-average breaking balls (curveball, slider) – though he tends to command the latter better. He’ll also feature a sneakily good changeup that hitters struggled to consistently square up. The change-of-pace generated a lot of soft contact. There is some concern – which is likely too strong of a word – that Raya hasn’t consistently churned over a lineup, but his repertoire and willingness to change speeds should prove to be an equalizer.
Ceiling: 2.5-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2024/2025
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6. Charlee Soto, RHP
| FB | CB | CH | Command | Overall |
| 60 | 60 | 55 | 45 | 50 |
Background: “Throw gas and get outs. That’s just me.” Charlee Soto. What else would you expect from a teenage kid coming from a family of pitchers? As reported by various outlets, Soto’s old man, Carlos, played in Puerto Rico and his brother, Carlos Jr., chucks the pearl at Benedictine University. The big 6-foot-5, 210-pound right-hander, according to those same reports, spent the past two summer off-seasons working out and training in the Dominican Republic, where he saw tremendous leaps in velocity. Reborn Christian Academy’s baseball program is run by Henry Ramos, Jose Figuero, and Luis Arzeno. Minnesota selected him in the opening round, 34th overall, and signed him to a deal worth $2,481,400. He did not throw an affiliated pitch after joining the organization.
Scouting Report: One of the youngest – and largest – prospects in the 2023 draft class, Soto didn’t turn 18-years-old until nearly seven weeks after the draft and stands a well-built 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds. Power arsenal highlighted by a mid- to upper-90s heater. Soto complements the plus offering with a plus, mid-80s slider with late movement. He’ll also mix in a surprisingly strong changeup that may eventually add a third swing-and-miss offering to his repertoire. Despite his size and high octane arsenal, Soto generally lives around the zone – though he’s more of a strike-thrower and not a quality strike-thrower. There’s some mid-rotation caliber potential here.
Ceiling: 2.0-win player
Risk: Moderate to High
MLB ETA: 2028
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7. Noah Miller, SS
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 30/40 | 35 | 50 | 50 | 70 | 50 |
Background: The Twins, like a lot of baseball organizations in recent years, have placed a high priority of middle infielders – particularly shortstops. Over the past nine drafts, the club’s selected a shortstop five times in the opening round, four of which were high school prospects. The most recent: Ozaukee High School star Noah Miller. The 36th overall pick in 2021, Miller has been beyond abysmal at the plate in each of his three professional seasons. He batted a lowly .238/.316/.369 in the Complex League during his 22-game professional debut. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound infielder followed that up with an even worse showing in the Florida State League in 2022, hitting a paltry .212/.348/.279 with just 18 extra-base hits in 108 games with the Mighty Mussels. And, of course, much was the same during his extended jaunt through the Midwest League in 2023. The defensive wizard – which is important to highlight and remember – put together a Miller-esque .223/.309/.340 slash line with 20 doubles, five triples, eight homeruns, and a dozen stolen bases (in 15 total attempts). His overall production, as measured by Weighted Runs Created Plus, was 15% below the league average mark.
Snippet from The 2022 Prospect Digest Handbook: Best case scenario: Oakland’s Nick Allen, who was a defensive wizard and a terrible hitter until his third year in the minor leagues.
Scouting Report: To put it frankly, there are two points that are so intertwined that they’re inseparable at this point:
#1. Noah Miller is on the short list for worst hitters in the full season ball.
#2. If there was one minor league prospect that could not only make the big leagues, but carve out a lengthy career because of their work with the leather, it’s Noah Miller.
I like Noah Miller. I’m fascinated by him. On one hand, he has no right to even be a professional ballplayer. He’s terrible at the plate – improving, yes, but terrible nonetheless. On the other hand, though, he has every right to be a professional ballplayer. He’s the best defensive player in the minor leagues – likely by a wide margin. Per Clay Davenport’s metrics, he was a +14 defender at shortstop in 2022. An elite level of glovesmanship. Last season, he was +23. He’s a magician out there. And he’s going to be a big leaguer because of it. And if a team is willing to deal with some terrible offense, he may actually make them a better ball club. He’s adding some power, so he may just end up surprising some.
Ceiling: 1.5- to 2.0-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2025
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8. Brandon Winokur, SS/CF
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 45 | 55 | 55 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
Background: A handful of notable – or at least recognizable – ballplayers walked through the hallowed halls of Edison High School, including: Henry Owens, one time consensus Top 100 prospect within the Red Sox’s organization; fellow southpaw David Huff, who quietly spent eight years bouncing around the major leagues; brothers Christian and Tim Lopez, and part-time backstop Kyle Higashioka. Only one of those players, Henry Owens, though, would earn a higher bonus slot than Brandon Winokur. Taken by the Twins in the third round last summer, 82nd overall, the front office nearly doubled the recommended the slot value and signed the behemoth 6-foot-5, 210-pound shortstop / outfielder to a deal worth $1.5 million. Winokur was a terror at the plate for Edison during his senior season as he slugged .369/.490/.761 with six doubles and nine homeruns. The big right-hander also appeared in six games on the bump as well, fanning 21 of the 40 hitters he faced without surrendering an earned run. Winokur slugged .288/.338/.546 with five doubles and four homeruns in 17 Florida Complex League games.
Scouting Report: A fine two-way player during his prep days, Winokur’s future, though, clearly resides in the batter’s box. Tall and wiry with an above-average throwing arm, Winokur plays – and moves – like an outfielder masquerading as a shortstop. Easy, fluid swing, Winokur features effortless above-average thunder. Good speed, above-average, not elite. There’s enough in the toolbox to help compensate for a 45-grade hit tool. Very reminiscent of Corey Hart. Watch for his swing-and-miss numbers in 2024, they might be larger than expected.
Ceiling: 1.5- to2.0-win player
Risk: Moderate to High
MLB ETA: 2027
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9. Luke Keaschall, 2B/3B/CF
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 50/55 | 45/50 | 35 | 50 | 50 | 45 |
Background: A couple years back the University of San Francisco turned – briefly – into a little baseball hotbed. The Dons sent a pair of first round picks (the Zimmer brothers, Kyle and Bradley) and a second rounder (Alex Balog) into professional ball between 2012 and 2014. And that doesn’t include 2013 ninth rounder Adam Cimber, the submarine-slinging right-hander who owns a 3.49 ERA in nearly 300 big league innings. But after that, though, the well quickly dried. The West Coast Conference-based school has since sent 11 players to the professional ranks, none of which were drafted before the 12th round. It looked like Luke Keaschall, a defensive vagabond with experience around the infield as well as in the outfield, would change that. Until he transferred to Arizona State prior to his junior campaign. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound California-born prospect began his collegiate career by batting .320/.406/.475 with 11 doubles, four triples, four homeruns, and 11 stolen bases as a freshman. And he continued to swing a hot stick during his first jaunt through the vaunted Cape Cod League that summer as well, hitting .321/.356/.464 with the Orleans Firebirds and a similar showing in the Cal Ripken Collegiate League too (.325/.406/.506). Keaschall continued to impress during his sophomore campaign with the Dons, slugging .305/.445/.502 with 18 two-baggers and eight dingers – though his production took a modest step back during his second stint in the Cape (.267/.355/.394). Last season, his lone showing in the Pac 12, the newly minted Sun Devil mashed .353/.443/.725 with 25 doubles, one triple, 18 homeruns, and 18 stolen bases (in 20 total attempts). Minnesota selected him in the second round, 49th overall, and signed him to a deal worth $1.5 million. Keaschall batted .288/.414/.478 during abbreviated stops in the Complex League, Florida State League, and Midwest League.
Scouting Report: Consider the following:
Since 2011, only nine Pac 12 hitters slugged at least .340/.430/.700 in a season (min. 250 PA): Andrew Vaughn, Spencer Torkelson, Adley Rutschman, Chase Davis, Tommy Troy, Hunter Bishop, Kiko Romero, Alberto Rios, and Luke Keaschall.
Lightning fast hands that allow him to fight off high-and-inside offerings; Keaschall showed impressive power during his lone season at Arizona State, but it’s likely to grade out in the 45- to 50-range in the professional ranks (college offense exploded in 2023). Solid approach at the plate, showing a willingness to shoot the ball the other way. Long history of impressive bat-to-ball skills. He’s a grinder, the type to get the most out of his potential. There’s a low end starting / solid utility ceiling here. In terms of upside, think: .260/.320/.420.
Ceiling: 1.5-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2025/2026
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10. Austin Martin, 2B/OF
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 45 | 40 | 50 | 55 | 50 | 40 |
Background: There was no way that the 2020 COVID-impacted draft wasn’t going to be a disaster for most organizations. The pandemic abruptly ended the high school season before it started – more or less. And most college players were able to squeeze in about 15 to 18 games before the season came to a premature end. Heading into the draft it looked like Martin, the table-setting sparkplug for the Vanderbilt Commodores would be one of the safest, quick-moving prospects available. But after a generational collegiate masher Spencer Torkelson went off the board with the top overall pick, Martin had to wait for Baltimore to select Heston Kjerstad, Miami to grab Max Meyer, and Kansas City to snag Asa Lacy. Toronto happily snapped up the Commodore star with the fifth overall pick and signed him to a massive deal in excess of $7 million, the second highest bonus given out by any organization. His stay with the Blue Jays lasted about a year before he was dealt to Minnesota as part of the package that sent ace right-hander Jose Berrios northward. Martin, though, has been a disappointment for both organizations. And last season was no different. After an elbow injury delayed his 2023 for the first few months, Martin would eventually pop up in Triple-A in early July. He would bat a mediocre .263/.387/.405 with St. Paul, belting out just 11 doubles and six homeruns in 67 games. His overall production, per Weighted Runs Created Plus, topped the league average threshold by 6%.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: But last season [2021] was the true disappointment. Martin was so abysmal at shortstop that it’s actually difficult to believe he ever played the position before in his life. On the offensive side of the game, the 6-foot, 185-pound prospect made consistent contact, but it wasn’t consistent quality contact. His power, which was average during his collegiate days, has regressed to well below-average just two years later. The best case scenario now is that Martin turns into a batting average-driving low end regular who is likely better suited coming off the bench.
Scouting Report: Coming out of college Martin looked like a fast-moving impact player with a plus or plus-plus hit tool. And while he’s continued to make consistent contact, it’s not impact contact. Complicating matters is the fact that he was so limited defensively at shortstop, that the organization has him bouncing between second base and the outfield where the returns have been mostly positive. He’s been tracking like a utility player for the past couple of years. Low ceiling, moderate floor. Big league ceiling: .250/.330/.380.
Ceiling: 1.0-win player
Risk: Low to Moderate
MLB ETA: 2024
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All statistics were provided via the following website: Baseball Reference, FanGraphs, TheBaseballCube, BaseballProspectus, ClayDavenport.com, Baseball America, and X-user @mk237700 (for compiling Statcast Data)
