The 2026 Minor League season started on March 27, as the Triple-A schedule began. There are a lot of notable prospects across the 20-team International League, so we’re going to go through them one by one.
Buffalo Bisons
We’ll start with the Buffalo Bisons, a team heavy on ex-Major Leaguers and quad-A players.
Ricky Tiedemann started the 2026 season on the IL, another unfortunate instance for the left-hander after he missed significant time in spring camp. But when he’s been healthy, Tiedemann was electric.
Charles McAdoo and Yohendrick Pinango are among the notable hitting prospects. Both were acquired via trades.
Charlotte Knights
Three of the best pitching prospects in the White Sox’s system will start the year in Charlotte.
Hagen Smith walks into the year with some helium after he struck out eight over 3.2 IP during Cactus League action. Noah Schultz, a former first-round pick with high upside, also pitched well in exhibition action after what was a tough end to 2025.
There’s also Tanner McDougal, who had a fantastic stint in the Cactus League. Seven strikeouts over eight innings, and the fastball hit 100 MPH several times during the exhibition slate.
The offense includes William Bergolla and Sam Antonacci, two of the best pure contact hitters in the Minors.
Columbus Clippers
Travis Bazzana enters the Triple-A regular season on a roll.
Bazzana had a strong run in the WBC with Australia and also hit well (25% Barrel%, sub-20% Chase) in a brief stretch in Cactus League action. Now, the question is whether he can do enough to push for an early promotion to Cleveland next month.
He’ll be joined by Cooper Ingle and Kahlil Watson, both notables in their own right.
Durham Bulls
Two of the best pitching prospects in the Rays’ system, Brody Hopkins and Ty Johnson, will start the year in North Carolina. Johnson was a swing-and-miss machine in Double-A last season, while Hopkins can overwhelm with whippy arm action and high velocity.
As for the offense, Tre’ Morgan is back with the Durham after a solid stretch with the Bulls in 2025.
Jacob Melton, acquired in an offseason trade, is a good outfield prospect but will look to rebound after a sluggish (35.1% Whiff%) spring.
Gwinnett Stripers
Much like the Bisons, this team is very heavy on former Major Leaguers.
Pitcher JR Ritchie is the premier name on the Stripers’ roster.
Indianapolis Indians
There may not be a bigger name in the Minors right now than Konnor Griffin, arguably the best prospect in all of baseball. He may not have made the Pirates’ Opening Day roster. But, he’ll have the chance to prove he’s ready in Indianapolis.
It wasn’t the cleanest spring for Griffin, who was a late cut for the Pirates. Griffin had a swing-and-miss rate over 36% in the Grapefruit League in total, and fastballs gave him some problems on paper.
Griffin will be joined by several other notables, including power-hitter Esmerlyn Valdez, Jhostynxon Garcia, and perhaps the Pirates’ future leadoff hitter, Termarr Johnson.
As for the pitching staff, Thomas Harrington and Antwone Kelly are among the headlining arms on the Indians’ roster.
Iowa Cubs
A lot of repeats for Iowa this year, as James Triantos, Jonathon Long, and Kevin Alcantara all find their way back in Triple-A to begin the season.
Jaxon Wiggins, who finished last year with a brief stint in Iowa, will also be back with the team.
One other name to watch is Brett Bateman, one of the most disciplined hitters at the Double-A level last season.
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
The Marlins’ two best pitching prospects, Thomas White and Robby Snelling, were named to Jacksonville’s Opening Day roster. White, though, started the year on the IL after he suffered an oblique strain during the spring.
Snelling doesn’t have much to prove down in Jacksonville, although the left-hander didn’t put up great numbers in the spring. He conceded 12 hits and seven earned runs over 8.1 IP during Grapefruit League action.
Kemp Alderman is one of the best hitting prospects in the Marlins’ system. However, the jury is still out on what kind of player he’ll ultimately develop into. The power is there. The problem is that Alderman likes to expand a lot. And this past spring, a swing-and-miss rate over 47% does flash some warning signs, even though it was exhibition play.
Joe Mack, who did not make the Marlins out of camp, also started the year back in Triple-A.
Lehigh Valley IronPigs
Whenever Aidan Miller comes off the injured list, the former first-round pick will be must-watch. Miller had a strong overall season last year in Reading, as he hit for power, worked counts deep, and had the kind of season that one would want to see from an elite prospect in Double-A.
Gabriel Rincones Jr., who had a fantastic season in Triple-A, will repeat the level, as there’s not much room with the big club at this moment.
Another sleeper name on the team is Keaton Anthony, the outfielder who had a very good run in the Eastern League last season.
Louisville Bats
Edwin Arroyo did not have a great year in Double-A Chattanooga. A sub-.100 ISO and a lot of ground balls. But Arroyo is still a fascinating prospect, as he’s a middle infielder with speed and one who showed some pop in the lower Minors.
Outfielder Hector Rodriguez had a strong season last season in Double-A. Rodriguez only hit .105 for the Reds in the spring but made regular contact, as he sported a sub-20% Whiff%.
As for the pitching staff, flamethrower Luis Mey is on the Bats, as he didn’t make the Reds out of camp. Chase Petty will look for better after he was hit around last season.
Memphis Redbirds
The bench is deep for the Redbirds.
Memphis’ roster includes Leo Bernal and Jimmy Crooks, two very good catching prospects for a team that’s flush with backstop depth. Blaze Jordan, Bryan Torres, and Joshua Baez are among the other hitting prospects to watch.
As for the pitching staff, Tink Hence and Quinn Mathews are with the team. And, you have to see Luis Gastelum‘s changeup. It’s one of the best in baseball.
Nashville Sounds
One of the Brewers’ organizational strengths is pitching.
Aside from Robert Gasser, Logan Henderson, Tate Kuehner, Shane Drohan, Carlos Rodriguez, and Coleman Crow comprise what is a strong cache of pitching depth for Milwaukee.
As for the offense, Luis Lara, Jett Williams, Brock Wilken, Jeferson Quero, and Luke Adams comprise what might be the best team in the International League, in terms of prospect depth.
Norfolk Tides
Trey Gibson is one of the most fascinating prospects in Minor League Baseball.
An undrafted free agent signed out of Liberty, Gibson has the package. Deception, the kitchen sink of an arsenal, a fastball that can jump to the mid-90s, and a lot of ways he can throw off hitters.
Gibson was one of the best swing-and-miss pitchers in the Minors last season. He also has a “death ball” slider in his arsenal.
Enrique Bradfield Jr., a plus-plus runner who could be the Orioles’ future center fielder, is also with Norfolk.
Omaha Storm Chasers
Omaha’s pitching staff includes Ben Kudrna and Luinder Avila, two pitchers who could be a part of the team’s future soon.
Former first-round pick Gavin Cross will try to get back on track after another tough season in the Minors last year.
Rochester Red Wings
Riley Cornelio, added to the Nationals’ 40-man roster in November, missed a lot of bats in the exhibition slate. He’ll be joined by Luis Perales, a hard-throwing pitcher acquired from the Red Sox in the winter.
Harry Ford is back in Triple-A. Ford will be joined alongside power hitter Andrew Pinckney, Yohandy Morales, and former Rangers prospect Abimelec Ortiz.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders
The Yankees have two of their best pitching prospects in the system with SWB. Carlos Lagrange turned heads (again) after a loud spring. Elmer Rodriguez, who started on the temporarily inactive list, had a great spring both for the Yanks and Team Puerto Rico.
Brendan Beck and Harrison Cohen are two other pitchers to watch.
As for the offense, Spencer Jones is back.
St. Paul Saints
The Saints return Emmanuel Rodriguez, who hit well in spring but will have to prove he can avoid the swing-and-miss a touch before he becomes an option.
However, the two notables are former first-round picks, Kaelen Culpepper and Walker Jenkins. Both Culpepper and Jenkins could be two major building blocks of the Twins’ future.
As for the pitching staff, Connor Prelipp, Kendry Rojas, Marco Raya, and Andrew Morris all have MLB upside.
Syracuse Mets
Jonah Tong did not have a great camp in Florida, getting in trouble too much with runners on base. However, the upside is still immense for Tong.
He’ll be joined by Jack Wenninger, who pitched exceptionally well in Binghamton. Ryan Lambert, a flamethrowing right-hander, could be a bullpen option soon.
Nick Morabito and Ryan Clifford will start the year with Syracuse, as well.
Toledo Mud Hens
Max Anderson hit everything in sight last year, both in affiliated baseball and the Arizona Fall League. Now, he’ll look to push and join Kevin McGonigle up in Detroit.
Max Clark will also start in Toledo. Clark has very good plate discipline and plus speed. However, he’ll have to shake off a rough go of things from the Grapefruit League season.
Worcester Red Sox
There’s plenty of upside among the pitchers. Jake Bennett, Tyler Uberstine, and Payton Tolle could all be options this season for what is a deep Red Sox rotation.
Mikey Romero is a power-hitting infielder who will have to do a lot to crack through to earn some time in Boston. No fault of his own, although he isn’t a prospect without faults. That’s just the reality for a Red Sox team that has a healthy, deep infield, as well.
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