Happy MLB prospects week! ESPN MLB draft and prospect expert Kiley McDaniel ranked his top 100 MLB prospects for 2024, and now, it’s time to have some fun with his list.
We asked our MLB experts to give us one bold 2024 prediction for the prospect in Kiley’s Top 100 they are most excited about going into the upcoming season.
From which players will put up eye-popping numbers in the majors to who will rocket up prospect lists, here’s what our experts had to say about baseball’s brightest stars.
We have to think big here for the game’s No. 1 prospect, and simply cracking the Orioles’ Opening Day lineup at age 20 isn’t big enough — although that would be impressive enough given he’s played just 54 games above Class A.
The last rookie to get 200 hits? Ichiro Suzuki in 2001, when he hit .350 with 242 hits (and won MVP honors). Before Ichiro: Nomar Garciaparra hit .306 with 209 hits in 1997. If Holliday, who hit .323 in the minors last season, wins the starting job at shortstop and hits leadoff in a potent Baltimore lineup (which makes sense since he also drew 100 walks in the minors), a 200-hit rookie season is a real possibility. –
This is really a matter of tools colliding with opportunity. Chourio, who turns 20 in March, should be in the Brewers’ Opening Day lineup barring a spring training face-plant. That much was all but assured when he signed his extension back in December. With a full season of MLB playing time, he’ll race past the 25-steal mark easily (no pun intended). Getting to 25 homers will be tougher, but the raw ability is certainly there to do it. By the way: The youngest 25/25 player was Mike Trout, who turned 21 in August of his rookie season when he did it. — Bradford Doolit
Langford, the fourth overall pick in last summer’s draft, tore through three minor league levels (ultimately reaching Triple-A ball) in two months’ time and now has a more-than-realistic chance at making the Rangers’ Opening Day roster.
But even if the Rangers return him to Round Rock for more seasoning, he’ll push for a May-June promotion into their crowded outfield (akin to Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain squeezing into the Reds’ infield last summer), pushing Evan Carter or Adolis Garcia into center field. — Tristan H. Cockcroft
Carter, who made his MLB debut on Sept. 8, slashed .303/.415/.574 across 40 regular-season and postseason games. Among 463 hitters with 100 plate appearances last season, he ranked in the 98th percentile in walk rate (15%), 99th percentile in chase rate (16%), and 99th percentile in percentage of plate appearances that reached a three-ball count (32%). This season, Carter will become the fourth player since 1940 to walk 100-plus times at 21 or younger, joining Juan Soto (2019), Mike Trout (2013) and Rickey Henderson (1980). — Paul Hembekides
