10 MLB Prospects Who Caught Our Attention In February 2026 Org. Reports
Image credit: Joshua Baez (Photo by Jared Blais/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Each month, Baseball America publishes one organization report (https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/tag/organization-reports/) for all 30 clubs.
These reports from our major league correspondents contain a trove of player development updates and spotlight traditional reporting. Here are 10 updates I found to be especially enlightening from our February reports, which focused exclusively on Top 100 Prospects (https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/2026-top-100-prospects/), with only one exception (noted below).
Top February Prospect Takeaways
A touted high school draftee making good on his upside potential by hitting 20 homers and stealing 54 bases in a minor league season doesn’t seem all that newsworthy. But in the case of Cardinals 22-year-old outfielder Joshua Baez (https://www.baseballamerica.com/players/8883-joshua-baez/), it can be viewed that way. That’s because Baez, a 2021 second-rounder, scuffled to a 35% strikeout rate at the Class A levels in 2023 and 2024. At the upper levels in 2025, that rate shrunk to 20%. What changed? The Cardinals’ player-development apparatus surrounding Baez was upgraded, for one thing. Oh, and Baez’s hitting mindset also improved (https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/perseverance-pays-off-for-athletic-cardinals-prospect-joshua-baez/) to focus ‘more on mental cues, approach—not trying to do too much physical-wise,’ he said. ‘The body is there. So, I’m trying to put it all together.’
Timing is everything in life—and in baseball. Last year in his pro debut, Rockies fourth-overall pick Ethan Holliday (https://www.baseballamerica.com/players/1325398-ethan-holliday/) had all sorts of trouble with his timing, according to Low-A Fresno bench coach Dave Keller. The 19-year-old Holliday ran up a 39% strikeout rate in 18 games, in part because he was a hair late with his swing, resulting in excessive foul balls and deep counts (https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/rockies-ethan-holliday-seeks-improved-timing-this-season/). ‘When his timing was right, he would foul the ball straight back,’ Keller said, ‘and then you know he’s getting ready the way he’s supposed to. The timing part of it comes with experience and for him to understand how it feels to make those adjustments.’
Rangers prospect Caden Scarborough (https://www.baseballamerica.com/players/281573-caden-scarborough/) broke through in his third pro season last year. The 20-year-old right-hander has outstanding fastball command for a young pitcher and a sweeper that misses bats. That was all Scarborough needed to strike out 72 and walk 10 in his final 58.1 innings at Class A while pitching to a 1.39 ERA. Now, the organization wants to see him ‘develop a third pitch (https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/rangers-caden-scarborough-works-to-refine-a-third-pitch/), which he will need as he ascends to the upper minors.’ A split changeup is the most promising candidate.
Diamondbacks outfield prospect Ryan Waldschmidt (https://www.baseballamerica.com/players/1359698-ryan-waldschmidt/) knows the strike zone and knows himself. He also knows some critics say his swing is too steep. The 23-year-old Waldschmidt admits to loft in his swing, as would any power hitter, but sees it as necessary to attack pitches low in the zone (https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/relaxed-ryan-waldschmidt-enters-diamondbacks-camp-with-mlb-aspirations/). ‘It creates this illusion that I’m swinging up and that I only swing up,’ he said. ‘But when I’m trying to play to my strengths, that’s where I’m looking. That’s the pitch I’m trying to hit. I’m trying to hit that ball in the air for damage. To do that, you have to have a steeper path.’
Former UC Santa Barbara ace Tyler Bremner (https://www.baseballamerica.com/players/21077-tyler-bremner/) is on board with joining a fast track with the Angels after the club drafted him No. 2 overall. Likewise, the Angels are excited by the 21-year-old’s stuff and feel. ‘He’s elite at getting ahead with all three pitches,’ Angels assistant GM Joey Prebynski said. ‘He was 65% on first-pitch strikes last year (https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/tyler-bremner-looks-like-another-quick-moving-angels-prospect/). He had a 6% walk rate, and for us, it’s just continued development of the repertoire and pitch usage and how he continues to sequence pitches.’
The Astros were the only organization lacking a representative on the preseason Top 100 Prospects. Washington high school product Xavier Neyens (https://www.baseballamerica.com/players/1325416-xavier-neyens/) might not be far off the list, especially if he rakes at Low-A this spring. The 19-year-old shortstop had some of the best power among preps in the 2025 draft, and the Astros love his makeup and professionalism (https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/xavier-neyens-impresses-astros-ahead-of-2026-pro-debut/). ‘He could hit the ball just as far as all of those guys,’ Astros GM Dana Brown said of Neyens’ showing at a minicamp. ‘I can say it’s lefthanded power, which is more intriguing. He fit right in—not timid, aggressive, having good baseball conversations, gelling well with the team.’
The Marlins’ Thomas White (https://www.baseballamerica.com/players/9107-thomas-white/) is the top left-handed pitching prospect in the game. His four-seam fastball is elite and jumps on hitters, while his changeup and slider are reliable secondary options. Now, White is working to incorporate a fourth pitch (https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/marlins-thomas-white-works-on-arsenal-to-accompany-elite-fastball/) by fine-tuning a sweeper. ‘He was using a grip that had worked for him since high school,’ Double-A Pensacola pitching coach Jerad Eickhoff said. ‘We moved his grip about an inch, and it gave him additional horizontal break. He had trouble landing the pitch initially because it had so much movement.’
The Twins have focused on shortstops with first-round picks for years, netting Royce Lewis, Brooks Lee and 2025 top pick Marek Houston, among others. If Houston hits, he has a bead on the position for the Twins, but he likely won’t beat 2024 first-rounder Kaelen Culpepper (https://www.baseballamerica.com/players/747225-kaelen-culpepper/) to Minneapolis. Culpepper hit 20 homers in the minors last season and will make his MLB debut this year if he hits at Triple-A. Even more important than his bat is his glove. ‘A big thing for him: He had some steps he took in a really positive direction to his shortstop defense (https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/twins-kaelen-culpepper-improves-outlook-with-defensive-improvements/), which we’re really excited about,’ Twins farm director Drew MacPhail said. ‘He knows how important that is.’
Catcher Carter Jensen (https://www.baseballamerica.com/players/8892-carter-jensen/) grew up a Royals fan in Kansas City, so it was a dream come true when the Royals drafted him out of high school in the third round in 2021. After a breakthrough minor league season that culminated in a big league callup last September, Jensen is committed to working on all aspects of his catching craft. As an added bonus, he gets to learn from his childhood idol (https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/carter-jensen-builds-off-fulfilling-boyhood-dream-with-royals/) Salvador Perez, the Royals’ nine-time all-star catcher. ‘Being around him and watching the way that he works and prepares for games,’ Jensen said of his time with Perez, ‘not just physically but mentally also, it’s special, and it’s something that I’m trying to mimic. I’m trying to do the same as he does.’
The Rays have a long history of making astute identifications on other teams’ pitching prospects. Just this decade, Tampa Bay has received strong MLB efforts from pitchers acquired as pros. The list includes Tyler Glasnow, Drew Rasmussen, Shane Baz, Ryan Pepiot and Jeffrey Springs. Next up could be 2024 trade deadline acquisition Brody Hopkins (https://www.baseballamerica.com/players/1377173-brody-hopkins/), a 24-year-old former outfielder turned right-hander. ‘It’s a power arm with a really big fastball,’ Rays assistant GM Kevin Ibach said. ‘He can spin two breaking balls. He’s still working on the changeup right now … I think the athleticism itself is what stands out with Brody (https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/athletic-background-translates-on-the-mound-for-rays-brody-hopkins/), and then the competitiveness.’
