Mike Trout is the face of baseball right now. Bryce Harper isn’t far behind. The number of young stars in Major League Baseball continues to grow. Andrew Benintendi of the Boston Red Sox was the No. 1 prospect in baseball at the start of the season. So far this year he has hit .280 with five home runs and 24 RBI. Who is next to follow in Benintendi’s footsteps? Here is a look at the top five MLB prospects from American League teams.
2B: Yoan Moncada, Chicago White Sox
The former Red Sox prospect was traded to Chicago in the deal that sent Chris Sale to Boston this past offseason. It is only a matter of time before he gets his opportunity to showcase his skill set for the White Sox. Moncada has absolutely dominated at Triple-A Charlotte this season hitting .331 with six home runs, four doubles and 10 steals in 157 plate appearances. With the super two trade deadline in the rearview mirror, Chicago no longer has any incentive to keep him in the minors. Considered the top prospect in baseball by both Baseball American and MLB.com, Moncada should join the White Sox in the next couple of weeks.
It’ll be interesting to see if the White Sox decide to call him. It’s more like a matter of when – at this point. The White Sox are 5.5 games out of first place in the American League Central. They’re not out of the race by any means, but they aren’t expecting to be a contender. They have their eye on the future, so look for Moncada to make the leap at some point in the next couple of months.
SS: Gleyber Torres, New York Yankees
Torres is another top prospect that just moved another step closer to reaching the majors. Torres was promoted to Triple-A on Sunday after putting up big numbers in 32 Double-A games this year. Torres hit .273 with five home runs and nearly as many walks as strikeouts. The Yankees already have a pair of top prospects performing at a high level on their big league club in Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez. It likely won’t be long before Torres joins his fellow top prospects in New York.
3B: Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox
One of the reasons the Red Sox were comfortable moving Moncada is the presence of Devers in their minor league system. Devers has hit .320 with seven home runs and 23 RBI’s through just 35 games with Portland this season. The 20-year-old has steadily improved at the lower levels and he is definitely close to making the jump. Boston’s need for help at the position could accelerate Devers’ move to the big club this season.
The Red Sox could use Devers if they need a boost. However, the team is a contender. They are 30-25 so far. Unless they have a need for Devers, he’ll be in the minors until further notice.
3B: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays
Guerrero made his long-anticipated pro debut last season. He posted an .808 OPS with 23 extra-base hits over 276 plate appearances in rookie ball. The 18-year-old has made major strides playing in the Midwest League against competition that is an average of 3.2 years older than he is. He is also showing incredible discipline at the plate with more walks than strikeouts this season. Guerrero has the potential to be a star at the major league level. His mix of power, patience and his understanding of the game means it might not be long before he takes another step towards joining the Blue Jays.
RHP: Michael Kopech, Chicago White Sox
Kopech was another main piece in the deal that sent Sale to the Red Sox in the offseason. The 20-year-old is ranked as the No. 1 pitching prospect in baseball for a reason. Kopech has hit 110 miles per hour with his fastball and he has a complete arsenal that should transition well at the major league level. The White Sox could afford to be patient with their prized pitching prospect for the time being. However, it’s only a matter of time before Kopech makes the jump and joins Chicago.
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