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Jarod's top 10 fantasy baseball prospect rankings for 2027, looking at MLB prospects yet to debut. His top MLB prospects who may have a major impact in 2027.
With the All-Star Game now in the rearview mirror, we make our way into the second half and down the stretch toward the fantasy baseball playoffs. Along the way, several key prospects will make their major league debuts, potentially catapulting some fantasy squads to championships.
But even though 2026 isn't over, it's never too early to start thinking about next season. Which prospects will be 2027's Kevin McGonigle, Konnor Griffin, or JJ Wetherholt? Who will make the biggest impression? Let's discuss 10 prospects that this author thinks will have the biggest fantasy impact.
Note that the list below assumes some 2026 graduations from prospect status of some big-name, yet-to-debut players, like Charlie Condon, Joshua Baez, Max Clark, Walker Jenkins, and others -- meaning I expect them to be called up in time to be on the active roster long enough or log enough at-bats to no longer be prospect eligible in 2027. With that distinction out of the way, let's dig into the list!
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No. 10: Josue Briceno, C/1B, Detroit Tigers
Current Age: 21
Current Level: AA
Josue Briceno (wrist) won the 2024 Arizona Fall League Joe Black MVP Award after becoming the first player in AFL history to win the Triple Crown (leading the league in average, HR, and RBI). Though the AFL is notoriously hitter-friendly, other names like Nolan Arenado, Ronald Acuna Jr., and, most recently, Kevin McGonigle have also earned the honor of AFL MVP.
As an encore, the Venezuelan cruised through High-A last season to the tune of a .296/.422/.602 slash line through 55 games, which included an 11-game stretch in which he blasted eight home runs, before he earned a promotion to Double-A midseason. Double-A proved more challenging, but he still hit .232 with a 12.6 percent walk rate as one of the younger players at that level.
Josue Briceño is having a grand Sunday!
MLB's No. 55 prospect (@Tigers), who returned to Double-A this weekend, launches his first homer of the year for the @erie_seawolves with the bases loaded. pic.twitter.com/5fEsXYEkGt
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 20, 2026
The Tigers' third-ranked prospect seemed to be on a trajectory for Triple-A at this point in 2026, but preseason wrist surgery has kept him on the sidelines until recently, when he was finally activated off the injured list at Double-A Erie. Assuming he can get going, a quick hook to Triple-A could be in the offing, which would put him in a position to reach the majors in the early part of next season.
The 6-foot-4 slugger might offer a slight upgrade over Spencer Torkelson at first base, with big-time power but probably a better hit tool than Torkelson has shown. Even if the Tigers don't trade Torkelson to make room, Briceno can also catch or DH, offering multiple pathways to the majors.
No. 9: Kade Anderson, SP, Seattle Mariners
Current Age: 22
Current Level: AA
In his first season of professional baseball, Kade Anderson has made it look easy. The Mariners' first pick in the 2025 Draft (third overall) is the owner of a 1.36 ERA (1.85 FIP), 0.69 WHIP, and an elite 37.5 percent K-BB% across 14 starts at Double-A Arkansas, all ranking the best in the minors among pitchers with at least 60 innings pitched.
The southpaw led the LSU Tigers to a championship and offers a strong mix of fastball, slider, curve, and changeup, and with his pedigree and results to back it up, he could move quickly through the organization. A test at Triple-A should be close, and there is potential for a late-season debut if everything goes well.
Either way, the 22-year-old should be one of the top young arms to target in 2027 fantasy drafts. Depending on how he fares over the balance of 2026, his stock could shoot up, and he could get a bit pricey, perhaps pushing to a Chase Burns-like ADP (120 overall). While that seems rich, if he falls, the left-hander could become a value who could easily produce very usable Parker Messick-like numbers: 2.73 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 16.6 percent K-BB%.
No. 8: Aidan Miller, SS, Philadelphia Phillies
Current Age: 22
Current Level: AAA
If not for a back injury, Aidan Miller likely would have debuted in the majors already, and that is what is keeping him from being even higher on this list. The injury has kept him out all season, and in early June, the Phils' top-ranked prospect underwent an additional procedure that had a six-to-eight-week return timeline, likely keeping him out until August.
The former first-round draft pick hit .361 over his final 31 games at Double-A last season, which earned him a promotion to Triple-A for the final eight games of the season, where he went 9-for-27 (.333) with a home run and seven steals. All in all, he produced a .264/.392/.433 slash line with 14 home runs and 59 steals.
The 6-foot-1 slugger has the tools to be a five-category contributor in the majors, and while hopes of a 2026 debut are fading fast, the 22-year-old should be ready to produce early in 2027.
No. 7: Ralphy Velazquez, 1B, Cleveland Guardians
Current Age: 21
Current Level: AAA
Ralphy Velazquez has steadily climbed the minor league ladder, now with 41 games under his belt at Triple-A Columbus in 2026 after starting the year at Double-A. The left-handed hitter smacked 22 home runs last season between High-A and Double-A, but actually saw a significant improvement in batting average (.245 to .330) along with an improved strikeout rate (20.3 percent to 15.1 percent) upon his graduation to Double-A.
Cleveland #Guardians 21yr old (1B) prospect Ralphy Velazquez collected a pair of hits today (2-5 2B RBI) driving in a run for Columbus vs Indianapolis.
1st Hit - 111.1 EV
2nd Hit - 105.3 EV#GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/vSiymBPCmC— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) July 19, 2026
A .317/.414/.566 slash line through 36 games at Double-A this year is what earned him the promotion to Triple-A, and so far, the former first-round draft pick is holding his own at that level, recording a .269/.356/.417 slash line with four home runs over 41 games.
A 16th-percentile chase rate for the Clippers has limited him to a 9.6 percent walk rate, but hasn't led to an overly bad strikeout rate, currently sitting at 22.0 percent, which is around average.
The Guardians' top-ranked prospect won't be an asset in the stolen base category, but his 60-grade power and solid hit tool should help him have success in the majors as a middle-of-the-order bat. The 21-year-old could debut in 2026, but his main fantasy contributions likely won't come until early 2027.
No. 6: Franklin Arias, SS, Boston Red Sox
Current Age: 20
Current Level: AA
Franklin Arias' meteoric rise up the prospect ranks should garner attention from the fantasy baseball community. The 5-foot-11 Venezuelan finished 2024 as Boston's 15th-ranked prospect, and by the end of last year, he had moved all the way to No. 4. Now he is their top-ranked prospect.
Not only that, he finished 2025 ranked No. 76 on MLB's Top 100 list, and had moved all the way up to No. 31 overall on the 2026 preseason top 100. After the latest refresh of the list in July, he's now ranked No. 7 in the sport.
After a solid 2025 campaign in which the right-handed hitter slashed .278/.335/.388 with eight home runs, 12 stolen bases, and a super-low 10.1 percent strikeout rate across three levels (mostly at High-A), he went full-on breakout mode out of the gates in 2026. In the first six games, he went 10-for-17 (.588), but without any home runs. Then the power kicked in.
Franklin Arias solo shot.
In the first 1,057 minor league plate appearances of his career, the Boston Red Sox prospect had 18 home runs.
This season, in 304 plate appearances, he has 18 home runs in Double-A. pic.twitter.com/KEeGMFH6ZA
— Hunter Noll (@Hunter_Noll) July 10, 2026
The 20-year-old went on to blast a home run in seven of the next nine games and hasn't looked back. To date, he's slashing a robust .320/.406/.587 with 18 home runs and five steals. His OPS of .993 is third-best at Double-A among all qualified hitters, and the strikeout rate remains low at 14.1 percent, along with a modest increase in walk rate year-over-year, coming in at 10.9 percent.
With a strong all-around game, Arias should see time at Triple-A later this season and put himself in a position to make an impact early in 2027. The Sox still have the aging and oft-injured Trevor Story signed through 2027, but look for Arias to potentially take over at the six next year, though he's also spent time at second base, which offers another path to the majors.
No. 5: Michael Arroyo, 2B, Seattle Mariners
Current Age: 21
Current Level: AAA
Michael Arroyo has been a steady riser in the Seattle system over the last few seasons, methodically earning in-season promotions to the next level, and displaying solid hit, power, and run tools along the way.
In 2024, between Single-A and High-A, the right-handed hitter slashed .285/.400/.509 with 23 home runs, 18 steals, and a 12.3 percent walk rate. Then, in 2025, between High-A and Double-A, he slashed .262/.401/.433 with 17 home runs, 12 steals, and a 12.4 percent walk rate.
The Mariners' fourth-ranked prospect logged 65 games at Double-A this season before earning a promotion to Triple-A in early July. Although his walk rate dipped to 8.1 percent at Arkansas, he still authored a .287/.364/.456 slash line with 10 home runs and 13 steals there before moving on to Triple-A Tacoma.
There, the 5-foot-10 Colombian fit right in from the jump, already 14-for-40 (.350) with a pair of homers and two steals through nine games, and with a 15.2 percent strikeout rate, he doesn't appear to be overmatched at the minors' highest level, though a high chase rate has again limited his walk rate (6.5 percent).
There's a good chance he gets a cup of coffee in the majors before 2026 is out, which will set him up for success in 2027. The combination of hit, power, and run tools will allow the 21-year-old to make a fantasy impact early on in next year's campaign.
No. 4: Sebastian Walcott, SS, Texas Rangers
Current Age: 20
Current Level: AA
With the rise of Nos. 3, 2, and 1 on this list, many may have forgotten about Sebastian Walcott. The Rangers' top-ranked prospect was pushing his way toward the top five on MLB's Top 100 Prospects list, but a torn ligament that required an internal brace procedure back in February cost him the entire first half of 2026 and has allowed other players to forge ahead of him, leaving him ranked at No. 10 on that list.
But the young Bahamian has big power, along with solid hit and run tools that have allowed him to produce at each level of the minors so far. Last season, the 6-foot-4 slugger spent the entire season at Double-A, slashing .255/.355/.386 with 13 home runs and 32 steals, and while those numbers may not blow you away, keep in mind that he did that as a 19-year-old.
There are only three players at Double-A currently under the age of 20, and they are MLB's No. 1, No. 2, and No. 12 prospects, so it shows the talent he possesses and how impressive those numbers really are. The right-handed hitter logged just two rehab games with the team's Complex League Affiliate before being reactivated from the injured list at Double-A Frisco and smacked a home run in just his third game back.
"109 mph off the bat, and Sebastian Walcott is back!"
After going yard in a rehab game last week, MLB's No. 10 prospect (@Rangers) laces his first Double-A homer of the season in his third game back with @RidersBaseball. pic.twitter.com/SqJYhVPncn
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 19, 2026
Look for the 20-year-old to show off his tools with the RoughRiders over the next several weeks, and if all goes well, perhaps see some time at Triple-A before the year is out.
Walcott will likely head to the Arizona Fall League to make up for lost time, and could be in a position to break camp with the big league club next year. If not, it may not be long before the Rangers call him up, and the toolsy youngster could be a multi-category producer from the get-go.
No. 3: Leo De Vries, SS, Athletics
Current Age: 19
Current Level: AA
Leo De Vries was a highly touted prospect when he signed with the Padres and made his professional debut back in 2024, but it was fellow Padres prospect Ethan Salas who got more of the fanfare. A couple of years later, De Vries is ranked as MLB's No. 2 prospect overall while Salas sits at No. 33.
If you look at the numbers during his time in San Diego, they don't wow you -- .245/.357/.410 at High-A over 82 games -- but you have to keep in mind that that was as a 17 and 18-year-old. After being dealt to the Athletics in the Mason Miller trade, the Dominican slugger took off, earning a promotion to Double-A after just 15 games and slashing .281/.359/.551 over the final 21 games of 2025.
Leo De Vries absolutely crushes his 12th homer of the year.
MLB's No. 2 overall prospect (@Athletics) launches a game-tying moonshot in the 9th for the Double-A @RockHounds: pic.twitter.com/kqLHxB9s0i
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 19, 2026
Still one of only three players under the age of 20 at Double-A in 2026, the 19-year-old's full tool set is on display, slashing .292/.384/.455 with 12 home runs and 32 steals through 78 games at Midland.
A test at Triple-A should come in the second half, and a late-season call-up to the majors is still a possibility. Even if an MLB debut in 2026 doesn't come to fruition, an early debut in 2027 is well within reach -- despite being just 20 years old when the season begins.
De Vries has the makings of a future star and has a good shot to make his fantasy presence felt at the start of the 2027 campaign.
No. 2: Jesus Made, INF, Milwaukee Brewers
Current Age: 19
Current Level: AA
Jesus Made's story sounds much like De Vries' story -- playing much of 2025 against older competition, not only competing, but excelling, too. The 6-foot-1 Dominican made his way from Single-A to High-A and finally Double-A in 2025 as an 18-year-old, producing a robust .285/.379/.413 slash line with six home runs and 47 stolen bases.
The switch-hitter began 2026 at Double-A and has already surpassed his home run total from a season ago, now with 10 homers for Biloxi while slashing .276/.350/.445 with 27 steals through 79 games -- at just 19 years old.
FULL AT-BAT: No. 1 pitching prospect vs. No. 1 hitting prospect
Jesús Made won the matchup against Kade Anderson at the @Nike Futures Game! pic.twitter.com/B0XXtK58er
— MLB (@MLB) July 12, 2026
Like De Vries, Made should get a shot at Triple-A before the season is out and is a candidate for a late-season debut in the majors. But if that doesn't happen, he, too, has a chance to be an impact player from the outset of the 2027 campaign. While strikingly similar talents, Made gets the edge over De Vries due to a superior ability to put the bat on the ball, with De Vries sporting a 22.0 percent strikeout rate in '26 compared to Made's 14.9 percent rate.
It will be interesting to see how they compare in Statcast categories like average exit velocity, barrel rate, and hard-hit rate once they move to Triple-A, but expect both to be among the youngest players in MLB next season.
No. 1: Josue De Paula, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
Current Age: 21
Current Level: AA
What fun would it be if this list went in the order of their MLB Pipeline prospect rank? Instead, I have Josue De Paula leapfrogging MLB's No. 1 (Made) and No. 2 (De Vries) for the top spot here, as the prospect who will have the biggest impact in 2027.
The Dodgers' top-ranked prospect has displayed an advanced approach at every stop in the minors, blending a keen eye with good contact, solid power, and speed to go with it.
From the time he broke into the Dominican Summer League in 2022 as a 17-year-old up through the end of the 2025 campaign, where he finished at Double-A, the left-handed hitter hit .279 with an .819 OPS, 89 steals in 336 games (.26 steals per game), an 18.7 percent strikeout rate, and a 16.4 percent walk rate.
Josue De Paula goes the other way for his 16th homer of the year for the Double-A @TulsaDrillers 💥
MLB’s No. 4 prospect (@Dodgers) is hitting .388 with 8 XBH over his past 10 games: pic.twitter.com/mmwg8OYXFb
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 18, 2026
How's he doing this season entirely at Double-A? The 6-foot-3 slugger is hitting a sizzling .320 with a .965 OPS, 25 steals in 82 games (.30 steals per game), a 13.2 percent strikeout rate, and a 14.0 percent strikeout rate. Yes, you read that right -- he's walking more than he's striking out.
The 21-year-old should see time at Triple-A later this year, and he'll be up for the task. There isn't an obvious path to playing time right now, but you never know how these things shake out. De Paula looks like the prospect most ready to make a major impact next season, so get ready to build him into your 2027 draft plan.
Likely Top Prospect Graduations
I expect these players to make contributions in the majors in the second half of the season and may no longer be prospect eligible, although if by chance they are, they would likely be more major-league ready than the players listed above, with each of these players currently competing at Triple-A:
Charlie Condon, 1B/OF, Colorado Rockies
Joshua Baez, OF, St. Louis Cardinals
Max Clark, OF, Detroit Tigers
Kaelen Culpepper, INF, Minnesota Twins
Walker Jenkins, OF, Minnesota Twins
George Lombard Jr., SS, New York Yankees
Angel Genao, SS, Cleveland Guardians
Top Prospect Honorable Mentions
These are players (in no particular order) who are outside my top 10 for 2027, but who could have noteworthy fantasy contributions next year:
Lazaro Montes, OF, Seattle Mariners
Jonathon Long, 1B, Chicago Cubs
Jefferson Rojas, SS, Chicago Cubs
Max Anderson, INF, Detroit Tigers
Kemp Alderman, OF, Miami Marlins
Seaver King, SS, Washington Nationals
Ryan Sloan, SP, Seattle Mariners
Mike Sirota, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
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