This article is part of our Farm Futures series.
The Top 400 Prospect Rankings was last updated Jan. 15 and will be fully updated again before Opening Day, so now is a great time to get a RotoWire subscription so that you can see the fully updated list and quickly see who the best prospects available in your leagues are.
For those with access to top 400, you can use the filters to isolate players by ETA. For this article, I have isolated top-100 prospects with ETAs of 2024 or earlier, and for each of those prospects I've tried to provide my best guess as to when we'll see them in the majors this season.
Teams that break camp with their very best prospects have a chance to win a Prospect Promotion Incentive draft pick if that player goes on to win Rookie of the Year. The Mariners netted prep outfielder Jonny Farmelo with the No. 29 overall pick in the 2023 draft just because Julio Rodriguez won AL Rookie of the Year in 2022.
If teams don't think their prospect has a strong chance to win ROY, they may still feel incentivized to get an extra year of club control over that prospect by manipulating service time the old fashioned way — holding a player down long enough that they spend fewer than 172 days on the active roster in their first year of MLB service. This year, for players with no MLB service time, that means waiting until April 12 to call them up to the majors. Teams also sometimes wait until after the projected Super Two cutoff date (usually around the start of June) if they want to pay the player three times in arbitration vs. four.
I wrote the outlook for every top-100 prospect, so if you're a subscriber and want to know more about each player's skills and backstory, I recommend checking those out at the top right of any player page.
1. Wyatt Langford, OF/DH, Rangers: Langford should break camp in the majors as an everyday player, seeing most of his time in left field or at designated hitter.
2. Jackson Holliday, 2B/SS, Orioles: Holliday is competing for a starting infield job in spring training. The Orioles want to break camp with him, so he'd need to really struggle to lose out.
3. Jackson Chourio, OF, Brewers: Chourio signed a record-setting extension this offseason, which should pave the way for him to break camp as a starting outfielder.
4. Junior Caminero, 3B, Rays: There probably isn't room for Caminero on the Opening Day roster, but he's still a wild card to watch in the coming days/weeks. The Rays need to keep him down until April 22 to gain an extra year of service time if they opt not to chase the Prospect Promotion Incentive pick.
5. Jordan Lawlar, SS, Diamondbacks: The odds seem stacked against Lawlar breaking camp with the big club (skipper Torey Lovullo already named Geraldo Perdomo the starting shortstop), but he could probably still force the team's hand with a monster spring. Arizona would need to keep him down until May 7 to gain an extra year of service time.
6. Jasson Dominguez, OF, Yankees: Dominguez (recovering from Tommy John surgery) probably won't be cleared to make full throws from the outfield until late May or early June. The Yankees won't have any reason to leave him in the minors if there's an opening in the outfield late in the first half, but things are currently a little crowded.
7. Noelvi Marte, 3B, Reds: Marte should break camp in the majors as the Reds' everyday third baseman.
9. Roman Anthony, OF, Red Sox: Anthony could put himself in position for a late-August MLB debut that would keep his 2025 rookie eligibility intact and potentially net the Red Sox a PPI pick that year.
10. Coby Mayo, 3B/1B, Orioles: Mayo probably needs to beat out Ryan O'Hearn in convincing fashion to win a job this spring. He's talented enough to do it, but if he doesn't, he would head to Triple-A indefinitely.
11. Paul Skenes, RHP, Pirates: Skenes has already been ruled out for the Opening Day roster. Like Stephen Strasburg did 15 years ago, Skenes should make 8-to-12 starts in the upper levels of the minors before making a highly-anticipated debut in the first half.
12. Evan Carter, OF, Rangers: Carter will break camp as a key member of the Rangers' lineup, particularly against right-handed pitching.
13. Dylan Crews, OF, Nationals: There's no reason to move Crews to the majors until he masters the upper levels of the minors. If that happens quickly, he could be conveniently called up after the Supper Two cutoff in early June, or he could be a late-August guy who pushes for NL ROY in 2025.
14. Jett Williams, SS/OF/2B, Mets: Williams is a candidate to be called up in late August or September if he has a great season in the upper levels of the minors.
15. Jackson Jobe, RHP, Tigers: Jobe is too talented to spend a full healthy season in the minors, but the Tigers will wait for the perfect developmental time to call him up. My best guess is we see Jobe up in the mid-June to mid-July range.
16. Chase DeLauter, OF, Guardians: The Guardians' depth chart is missing an outfielder with DeLauter's offensive potential, and he has a better chance of contending for AL ROY than teammate Kyle Manzardo. Keep tracking DeLauter's exploits this spring — midseason seems like the latest we'd see him if he stays healthy, and the Opening Day roster is still a possibility.
17. Cade Horton, RHP, Cubs: The Cubs aren't giving Horton a shot at a job this spring, but they'll have room for him in the mid-May to mid-June range while managing his workload carefully in the minors before then.
19. Matt Shaw, 3B/2B/SS, Cubs: It's pretty clear that Shaw is the Cubs' long-term preference at third base, so I think he'll get the keys as soon as Chicago thinks he's ready. When that will be is difficult to project. He could be up early in the first half or late in the second half, but he'll certainly debut sometime this year with good health.
21. James Wood, OF, Nationals: Wood has made as much noise as anyone this spring, and even if he keeps it up, it's probably a long shot he breaks camp in the majors. After logging 87 games at Double-A last year, a first-half debut seems likely.
22. Colt Keith, 2B/3B, Tigers: Keith, who signed an extension this offseason, will be the Tigers' starting second baseman on Opening Day.
23. Kyle Manzardo, 1B/DH, Guardians: There isn't a good baseball reason for Manzardo to miss out on the Opening Day roster, but the Guardians are extremely cheap, so it feels like a 50/50 proposition at this point. If he has to go back to Triple-A, it would probably just be for a few weeks.
24. Jackson Merrill, OF/2B/3B/SS, Padres: Merrill's usage this spring and A.J. Preller's aggressive track record suggest that Merrill's a legitimate threat to break camp with the big club. A first-half debut seems likely even if he misses out on the Opening Day roster.
25. Adael Amador, 2B/SS, Rockies: Amador is a prime late-August call-up candidate who could compete for NL ROY in 2025 if he retains prospect eligibility.
26. Parker Meadows, OF, Tigers: Meadows will be the Tigers' everyday center fielder this year.
28. Kyle Harrison, LHP, Giants: Harrison will break camp in the Giants' starting rotation.
29. AJ Smith-Shawver, RHP, Atlanta: Smith-Shawver is in the mix for the final spot in the rotation, but it seems likely he will open the year at Triple-A. The reports on Smith-Shawver out of big-league camp have been very promising, and it seems like he would be the first man up to cover an injury or a spot start.
30. Hurston Waldrep, RHP, Atlanta: One of the most talented pitchers expected to open the year in the minors, Waldrep should help the big club in some capacity this year. If he's throwing enough strikes, he could leapfrog the Bryce Elder/Dylan Dodd/Darius Vines types as a rotation candidate this summer.
31. Ricky Tiedemann, LHP, Blue Jays: Tiedemann's innings need to be managed more carefully than most top-100 pitching prospects this season. It seems Toronto is setting him up for a slow ramp-up that would lead to him joining the rotation in the late-May, early-June range.
32. Brady House, 3B, Nationals: House is the Nationals' third baseman of the future and should get a late-August promotion if he has a good year in the upper levels.
36. Curtis Mead, 3B/2B/1B/DH, Rays: Mead is big-league ready, but he's got to contend with the Rays' depth chart, and he's still young enough that he should be playing every day somewhere. He'll be a call away at Triple-A but may need an injury to someone ahead of him to get his shot.
37. Drew Gilbert, OF, Mets: It seems unlikely that Harrison Bader and Starling Marte will stay healthy all season, and whenever one of them gets injured, Gilbert should be a top option to get the call.
38. Robby Snelling, LHP, Padres: Snelling is going to open the year in the upper minors, but he should join the big-league rotation for good whenever the team thinks he's ready. A midseason debut seems most likely with good health.
39. Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF, Cubs: Crow-Armstrong will head to Triple-A to work on improving his ability to make contact at the plate. The Cubs won't rush him, but if they're looking to manipulate service time, they'll wait until at least May 3 to call him up in order to gain an extra year of control.
41. Colton Cowser, OF, Orioles: Cowser is big-league ready, but he's got an uphill battle for playing time. Him making the Opening Day roster should be seen as a slight possibility at this point. The Orioles would have to hold Cowser down until May 27 to gain an extra year of control.
42. Ceddanne Rafaela, OF, Red Sox: Rafaela is putting pressure on the Red Sox to consider breaking camp with him in center field. If he goes to Triple-A, he'd be the first outfielder to get the call as an injury replacement. The Red Sox would have to keep him down until May 17 to gain an extra year of control.
43. Heston Kjerstad, DH/OF/1B, Orioles: Kjerstad is big-league ready, but it's a very crowded depth chart and he is limited defensively. He could be back and forth between Triple-A and the majors several times this season as a short-term or long-term injury replacement.
44. Everson Pereira, OF, Yankees: Pereira will be stuck at Triple-A until either multiple big-league injuries open up a spot for him or he gets traded at the trade deadline.
45. Masyn Winn, SS, Cardinals: Winn should be the Cardinals' everyday shortstop all season.
46. Tyler Black, 1B/DH/3B, Brewers: Black has played more first base than third base this spring, and as long as the team holds Willy Adames, there isn't room for Black at third base anyway. He will likely head to Triple-A indefinitely, as his defensive shortcomings limit his paths to playing time. Black could be up if Rhys Hoskins or Christian Yelich (opening up DH at-bats) get injured, or if the team trades Adames.
50. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Brewers: Misiorowski will work on honing his command in the upper levels of the minors. It would make sense to have him debut out of the big-league bullpen in late August before competing for a rotation spot in the spring of 2025.
51. Jared Jones, RHP, Pirates: Jones is legitimately competing for a rotation spot this spring, so each start is critical for him. Unless he showcases undeniable control issues, all signs (the Pirates' depth chart, Jones' elite stuff) point to him making the team.
52. Bubba Chandler, RHP, Pirates: A candidate to be the top pitching prospect in baseball next offseason, Chandler is talented enough to get a taste of the majors over the final 4-to-6 weeks of the season, but everything would need to go right at Double-A and Triple-A.
54. Ronny Mauricio, 2B/3B, Mets: Mauricio is recovering from January surgery on a torn ACL that came with an 8-to-12 month timeline. It's unlikely he plays in the majors this year, but a September return hasn't been ruled out.
57. Marcelo Mayer, SS, Red Sox: Mayer is a candidate for a late-August promotion, but only if there's regular playing time available at shortstop. He could be up earlier than that if he has a huge year in the upper levels.
58. Brooks Lee, SS/2B/3B, Twins: If one of Carlos Correa or Royce Lewis suffer an injury, Lee should be the replacement from Triple-A.
60. Mason Miller, RHP, Athletics: Miller will break camp in the big-league bullpen.
61. Max Meyer, RHP, Marlins: The Marlins can't use Meyer as a big-league starter for the entire season, so they need to either ramp him up slowly or shut him down late in the year. It looks like they're opting for the former, but he should make the majority of his 2024 starts in the big-league rotation.
62. Colson Montgomery, SS, White Sox: The White Sox want to give Montgomery the shortstop job as soon as possible, but he's not ready yet. As long as he's been holding his own in the upper levels, we could see him in June or July.
63. Victor Scott, OF, Cardinals: There may be a window for Scott to snag an Opening Day roster spot with Tommy Edman's status for Opening Day in jeopardy. If he gets re-assigned to minors camp, then that probably means he'll get at least a couple months at Triple-A before debuting.
64. Bryan Ramos, 3B, White Sox: A significant injury to Yoan Moncada could result in Ramos getting the call, otherwise he'll probably be stuck at Triple-A until late August.
65. Will Warren, RHP, Yankees: Warren is the most big-league ready Yankees pitching prospect, but unlike Clayton Beeter, Luis Gil and veteran Luke Weaver, Warren is not on the 40-man roster. Once Warren gets the call, he might be up for good.
67. Kyle Teel, C, Red Sox: Teel is a late-August promotion candidate. There's nobody blocking him for MLB playing time, but the Red Sox won't rush him up.
73. Gavin Stone, RHP, Dodgers: Stone is currently the favorite to break camp as the Dodgers' No. 5 starter.
74. Christian Scott, RHP, Mets: Scott has the most upside of the Mets' 2024 pitching prospect options, and they're already dealing with injuries in the rotation. There should be room for Scott whenever the team thinks he's ready, perhaps as early as May or June.
75. Chase Hampton, RHP, Yankees: Hampton should be big-league ready this summer, but he's behind Will Warren and also has to contend with the inferior options who, unlike Hampton, are on the 40-man roster. Injuries and a big Hampton season would probably need to align for him to factor in this year.
76. Thomas Saggese, 2B, Cardinals: Saggese's bat should be ready for the show this summer, but he'd need a clear path to playing time at second base.
77. Orelvis Martinez, 3B, Blue Jays: The Jays are seemingly keeping third base open for Martinez if he looks ready this summer. If he's raking at Triple-A and keeping the strikeouts in check, we could see him as early as June.
78. Luisangel Acuna, 2B/SS, Mets: Acuna is on the 40-man roster and has played over 150 games at Double-A, so he could debut this summer as an injury replacement or even as a part-time player if he performs well at Triple-A.
79. Brayan Rocchio, SS, Guardians: Rocchio is competing with Gabriel Arias this spring for the starting shortstop job. It seems like roughly a 60 percent chance Rocchio makes the team, but he'll probably be in the majors for over half the season regardless, even if that includes trips back and forth between the majors and Triple-A.
81. Connor Norby, 2B/OF, Orioles: Norby is more blocked than most O's prospects due to his limited defensive utility. He could start playing everyday for a team that acquires him in-season via trade.
88. Kyle Hurt, RHP, Dodgers: Hurt could make the team as a reliever but is more likely to open the year in the Triple-A rotation. He's old enough (25) that the Dodgers won't be worried about service-time stuff, so he could be back and forth between the majors and minors all season.
89. Drew Thorpe, RHP, Padres: Thorpe's elite command (by pitching prospect standards) could expedite his ascent to the big-league rotation. Breaking camp in the big leagues seems unlikely, but if he's having success in the upper levels, his number could be called as early as May or June.
90. Wilyer Abreu, OF, Red Sox: Abreu entered the spring as the favorite to break camp on the strong side of a platoon in right field. He will need to at least hold his own in Grapefruit League play to avoid being passed by Ceddanne Rafaela.
91. Tekoah Roby, RHP, Cardinals: Roby should head to Double-A for a month or two and then Triple-A. He's a good bet to reach the majors sometime this summer with good health, but he's less of a good bet to be healthy all summer.
100. Darell Hernaiz, SS, Athletics: Shortstop seems to be Nick Allen's job to lose, but Hernaiz is also getting work at third base. It seems like a 50/50 proposition that Hernaiz makes the Opening Day roster in some role.
Top-100 Prospects with 2025 ETAs Who Could Force The Issue: Samuel Basallo (BAL), Owen Caissie (CHC), Spencer Jones (NYY)
Prospects Outside the Top 100 Who Could Spend Significant Time in the Majors in 2024: Joey Ortiz (MIL), Jakob Marsee (SD), David Festa (MIN), Chase Petty (CIN), Orion Kerkering (PHI), Robert Gasser (MIL), Michael Busch (CHC), Cade Cavalli (WAS), Nolan Schanuel (LAA), Austin Wells (NYY), Keaton Winn (SF), Connor Phillips (CIN), Joey Cantillo (CLE), Joe Boyle (OAK), Randy Vasquez (SD), Marco Luciano (SF), Jordan Wicks (CHC), Slade Cecconi (ARI), Prelander Berroa (CWS)
