TOP 5 PROSPECTS

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

Dylan Carlson, OF: Carlson broke out at Class AA last year with a .281 batting average, 21 home runs and 18 steals. He has plus bat speed with a powerful frame for above-average raw power, while his contact skills justify this level of production. The 21-year-old should push for major league playing time this season.

Nolan Gorman, 3B: A top prospect from 2018, Gorman hit just .248 with 15 home runs across two levels of Class A last year. He has some of the best power in the minors, but his aggressive approach results in too many strikeouts. He should be able to stick at third base.

Matthew Liberatore, LHP: Liberatore, 20, had a strong full-season debut in 2019 (3.10 ERA in 781⁄3 innings at Class A). His fastball has slight run with little margin for error, his curveball is his best pitch and he throws a change-up and a slider. He seeks to get over 100 innings.

Andrew Knizner, C: Knizner put up solid numbers at Class AAA (.276 batting average, 12 home runs) but looked overmatched in his major league debut. He should continue to hit for average with plus bat-to-ball skills while he continues to improve behind the plate. Knizner should return to AAA.

Elehuris Montero, 3B: Montero, 21, is still an impact bat despite a disastrous 2019 (.187 batting average in 224 at-bats) that was slowed by wrist and hamstring injuries. He has excellent contact skills with above-average raw power but needs to be selective for his hit tool to develop. He is likely headed back to AAA.