TOP 5 PROSPECTS

Excerpted from BaseballHQ.com’s 2020 Minor League Baseball Analyst. To order: https://www.baseballhq.com/mlba2020

Nolan Jones, 3B: Jones, 21, continued his march to the majors in 2019, hitting .272 with 15 home runs across high A and AA. He has natural strength oozing throughout his game with 30-plus home run potential, though his hit tool has regressed. He has a strong batting eye but is average on defense. He’ll return to AA.

George Valera, OF: Valera hit .217 last season, as he struggled with contact despite advanced hit skills. His loose hands contribute to an inconsistent swing path, but he has raw plus power and can explode on the ball. The 19-year-old should head back to Class A, where he had just 23 at-bats in 2019.

Tyler Freeman, SS: Freeman is making the low minors look easy (.306 batting average, 19 steals in 2019). He’s a contact-oriented hitter with elite hit potential and at just 20 has gap power with room to grow into his frame. He is an average runner with fringe range at shortstop and should be ready for AA.

Ethan Hankins, RHP: Hankins alleviated shoulder concerns with a dominant short-season run (2.55 ERA, 71 strikeouts in 60 innings). He peppers the zone with a running mid-90s fastball and has feel for a potentially plus changeup and two-plane slider. Just 19, Hankins will probably be at Class A to start 2020.

Bo Naylor, C: Naylor is a former infielder who is growing as a catcher. He has advanced feel for the strike zone and doesn’t chase, but struggled getting barrel to ball in his Class A debut (.243 batting average, 11 homers in 399 at-bats).