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On behalf of baseball writers everywhere, I need to apologize. Reading about pitching prospects has become a miserable slog.

I know because I just had to do a bunch of it to put together this list, and I nearly went cross-eyed in the process.

So what's changed? Our understanding of pitch design has come so far that it's now the end-all, be-all of pitching analysis. And yes, in instances where it describes what makes a pitcher so good or explains what brought about such different results, it can be illuminating. But otherwise, it reads like this:

This pitcher throws this pitch at this velocity with this movement. He also throws this pitch at this velocity with this movement and just added this pitch at this velocity with this movement. He used to throw this pitch at this velocity with this movement but exchanged it for this pitch at this velocity with this movement. If he can tweak this pitch to more effectively counter that pitch, he could emerge as a No.3 starter.

Gag me with a spoon. How can something so interesting be made to sound so dry? All of these pitchers end up sounding the same because nothing about them stands out as memorable.

Journalism is the art of making the important interesting, so the saying goes. Calling a journalist a "good storyteller" is the highest form of compliment. My own college instructor stressed that the job is not to information dump but to act as a filter, presenting only what's most essential for understanding the story. And I promise you, not every pitching prospect needs an itemized breakdown of every pitch he's ever thrown.

So I vow not to do that here. I don't think I ever have, but I reaffirm my commitment to accentuating the interesting even as so much of the art form has been lost to painstaking dullness.

Note: These rankings are intended mainly for Dynasty use, emphasizing long-term value over a quick payoff, but to say proximity holds no weight wouldn't be entirely accurate either. Not all of these players will contribute in 2026 — most, in fact, will not — but among prospects, they're the names Fantasy Baseballers most need to know.

1. Bubba Chandler, Pirates

Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2025: Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: 5-6, 4.05 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 100 IP, 53 BB, 121 K
Major league stats: 4-1, 4.02 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 31.1 IP, 4 BB, 31 K

For the second straight year, the Pirates seemed poised to promote the game's top pitching prospect in May, but they delayed it for so long that Chandler, by his own admission, grew frustrated. What started out as 2.03 ERA and 12.8 K/9 through 11 Triple-A starts turned into the numbers you see above, delaying his arrival by another three months. As soon as he got the call, the control issues that had crept in at Triple-A went away, suggesting that his struggles were largely mental, and he began blowing away major-leaguers with his triple-digit fastball.

2. Trey Yesavage, Blue Jays

Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Low-A, High-A, Double-A, Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: 5-1, 3.12 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 98 IP, 41 BB, 160 K
Major league stats: 1-0, 3.21 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 14 IP, 7 BB, 16 K

Yesavage became a legend to Fantasy Baseballers when he struck out nine in his major league debut and became a legend to regular baseballers when he threw 5 1/3 no-hit innings in his postseason debut. Not everything in between was a masterclass -- he struggled with walks at times, as was also true in the minors -- but some on-the-job learning is to be expected after he sped through the Blue Jays' entire minor league system in one year. He did so with nearly 15 K/9 and should continue to baffle hitters with a straight over-the-top delivery that lends itself perfectly to his bread-and-butter pitch, the splitter.

3. Nolan McLean, Mets

Age (on opening day): 24
Where he played in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: 8-5, 2.45 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 113.2 IP, 50 BB, 127 K
Major league stats: 5-1, 2.06 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 48 IP, 16 BB, 57 K

McLean's 2025 breakthrough that ended with him dominating big league lineups is all the more impressive when you consider it was his first year pitching full-time, having given up hitting late in 2024. He doesn't generate as many whiffs as you might expect and can struggle with walks, but his six-pitch arsenal serves as a strong counter to both lefties and righties and leaves ample room to fine-tune his approach.

4. Thomas White, Marlins

Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: 4-3, 2.31 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 89.2 IP, 51 BB, 145 K

A 19 percent swinging-strike rate is an awe-inspiring number for any starting pitcher (and basically unprecedented in the majors), but from a left-hander, it's simply unfair. White comes about it not just with premium velocity and a killer three-pitch arsenal (though he has both) but also a delivery that conceals the ball well. Strike-throwing is an issue, which should be no surprise for a left-hander with his stuff, but he's on an ace trajectory now.

5. Andrew Painter, Phillies

Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Low-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: 5-8, 5.26 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 118 IP, 47 BB, 123 K

Painter had all the helium prior to his 2023 Tommy John surgery, putting together a 1.56 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and 13.5 K/9 to climb all the way to Double-A as a 19-year-old. His return from Tommy John in 2025 didn't go as well. The primary culprit was the same that Spencer Strider encountered coming back from a similar elbow procedure: His once-elite fastball shape had become ordinary, which the Phillies have attributed to a drifting arm slot -- a correctable issue. The scouting reports remain bullish, so who am I to argue?

6. Kade Anderson, Mariners

Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: did not play -- draft year

The Mariners made Anderson the third pick in the 2025 draft and have already said they expect him to move quickly, perhaps even reaching the majors in 2026. Let's see how he does in the minors first. His fastball velocity is nothing special, but the pitch plays up due to its shape and is bolstered by a full complement of secondaries -- slider, curveball, and changeup -- all earning high marks, with the spin rates on the breaking balls standing out in particular. Mostly, it's polish and pitchability that set Anderson apart, though selecting him doesn't concede much in the way of upside.

7. Jonah Tong, Mets 

Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: 10-5, 1.43 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 113.2 IP, 47 BB, 179 K
Major league stats: 2-3, 7.71 ERA, 1.77 WHIP, 18.2 IP, 9 BB, 22 K 

If not for his August debut, Tong may have forced his way to the top of this list, for reasons explained by the minor league numbers. But while other late-season call-ups dominated, he faltered in a way that's difficult to dismiss. The key to his success was supposed to be his fastball, which gets incredible ride from an over-the-top delivery modeled after Tim Lincecum, but it got crushed. He also earns high marks for his changeup and could maybe strike a better balance between the two while shoring up his control.

8. Robby Snelling, Marlins

Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: 9-7, 2.51 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 136 IP, 39 BB, 166 K

Just when I think Snelling's stock couldn't possibly sink any lower, he gets traded to the Marlins ... and totally redeems himself! They immediately set about fixing him after snagging him in the 2024 Tanner Scott deal, tweaking his delivery to regain lost velocity and command, and the turnaround found another gear in 2025. He especially took off after moving up to Triple-A, where he had a 1.27 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 11.5 K/9 in 11 starts.

9. Seth Hernandez, Pirates

Age (on opening day): 19
Where he played in 2025: did not play -- draft year

Ranking a high school draft pick without the benefit of any minor league data is often a foolish endeavor, but few have a fastball that already reaches triple digits and a changeup that already rates near the top of the 20-80 scale. Add a durable 6-foot-4 build, and Hernandez is a talent worth snatching up before we really know what we have. The Pirates' recent successes and pitcher development count for something here.

10. Ryan Sloan, Mariners

Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2025: Low-A, High-A
Minor league stats: 2-4, 3.73 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 82 IP, 15 BB, 90 K

Too often, prep arms who garner immediate attention in Dynasty because of their draft status fall off immediately and leave their investors wondering if they should cut bait, but Sloan put his upside on display right away. The strikeouts were more good than great, but that's partly because he was so efficient. With a workhorse build, easy velocity, and well-developed secondaries, he's about as safe as a pitcher this far down the organizational ladder can get -- especially when that organization is the Mariners.

11. Payton Tolle, Red Sox

Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A, Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: 3-5, 3.04 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 91.2 IP, 23 BB, 133 K
Major league stats: 0-1, 6.06 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, 16.1 IP, 8 BB, 19 K

After dominating with a 13.1 K/9 rate across three levels, Tolle struck out eight in his August debut, showing a fastball with such a wicked shape that it looked like it was launched off a ramp. He may have leaned on his fastball too much. His struggles were palpable and began to mount to such a degree that he ended up making more relief appearances than starts. However, with his 6-foot-6 build and 99th percentile extension, he's going to have hitters waving feebly at that pitch for years to come. His command and secondaries are both in need of refinement, but nothing major.

12. Liam Doyle, Cardinals

Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: Low-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: 3.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K

The fifth pick in the 2025 draft is the rare left-hander who not only offers a splitter but features it, giving him an effective counter against righties. Part of what makes it so effective is a high release point (despite a normal arm slot) that also makes his fastball a best-in-its-class-type offering, earning a 75 grade from MLB Pipeline and a 70 grade from Baseball America. While Doyle is built for missing bats, his high-effort delivery presents some reliever risk.

13. Jamie Arnold, Athletics

Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: did not play -- draft year

Arnold looks like a shorter Chris Sale on the mound, slinging the ball from an almost sidearm delivery and tying up hitters with a high-80s slider that features ridiculous horizontal movement. His arm slot crept up a little in his final year of college, costing him some of the novelty that made him so effective and allowing him to slip to the Athletics at Pick 11, but it's still an uncomfortable look and can be adjusted back down if need be.

14. Noah Schultz, White Sox

Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: 4-5, 4.68 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, 73 IP, 45 BB, 76 K

If Jamie Arnold resembles a shorter Chris Sale, Schultz resembles a taller one with his low three-quarters delivery, dominant fastball/slider pairing, and White Sox origins. He seemed like he was on the fast track last year with his 1.48 ERA in 16 Double-A starts, but his walk rate more than doubled in 2025, perhaps owing to his 6-foot-10 frame and inherent difficulties repeating his delivery or perhaps owing to his on-and-off battle with right patellar tendinitis. For now, most evaluators are treating it as a developmental hiccup.

15. Jarlin Susana, Nationals

Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: 1-4, 3.51 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 56.1 IP, 34 BB, 95 K

Being the "other guy" in the Nationals' massive prospect haul for Juan Soto a few years back brought Susana outsized attention at a young age, but he's more than lived up to it, leveraging his hulking 6-foot-7 frame for triple-digit heat despite a low-effort, almost lackadaisical, delivery. He was at his most dominant after returning to Double-A in August, but then he tore a lat muscle, requiring season-ending surgery. Between that and an elbow sprain earlier in 2025, I've downgraded Susana some for durability reasons.

16. Cam Caminiti, Braves

Age (on opening day): 19
Where he played in 2025: Rookie, Low-A
Minor league stats: 2-4, 3.09 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 70 IP, 28 BB, 90 K

Regarded by some as the top high school pitcher in the 2024 draft, Caminiti backed it up in his first extended minor league look, positioning himself as a legitimate Dynasty asset. His fastball velocity is no more than adequate, but the pitch plays up because of his low release point, crossfire delivery, and plus extension, with his slider and changeup both generating whiffs as well. He was even working six innings at a time by the end of 2025, potentially setting him up for a big leap in his age-19 season.

17. Travis Sykora, Nationals

Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: Rookie, Low-A, High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: 3-1, 1.79 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 45.1 IP, 17 BB, 79 K

Sykora was so dominant to begin 2025 that he looked like he might finish the year as the game's top pitching prospect. Instead, he finished it in recovery from Tommy John surgery, which should keep him out for all of 2026 as well. Normally, that procedure would tank a pitching prospect's stock for a while, so the fact it hasn't for Sykora is a testament to his upside. Nobody wants to cash out. He's pitched so little up to this point, though, that the Nationals will have to handle him delicately when he returns.

18. Kyson Witherspoon, Red Sox

Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: did not play -- draft year

Reading the scouting reports for Witherspoon, it's a wonder he lasted to the Red Sox at Pick 15. He can crank his fastball up to 99 mph, loves adding new pitches (up to five, at least three of which are plus), commands them all, and has this weird short-arm delivery that makes the ball look like it's coming out of his ear. It makes for some unusual pitch shapes, which he seems to relish, and if it works as well as a pro as it did as an amateur, he should have a short climb to the majors.

19. Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, Yankees

Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: 11-8, 2.58 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 150 IP, 57 BB, 176 K

Known simply as Elmer Rodriguez in some places, Rodriguez-Cruz made extra sure the Red Sox would regret the day they stooped to trading with the Yankees. His breakout combined the ground-ball tendencies of a sinkerballer with the chase of a prototypical power pitcher for a best-of-both-worlds outcome, and when you factor in the control gains he made with his midseason move up to Double-A, he's thriving in all three areas that a pitcher can directly control. He resembles a right-handed Cristopher Sanchez, right down to his tall and lanky build.

20. Connelly Early, Red Sox

Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: 10-3, 2.60 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 100.1 IP, 40 BB, 132 K
Major league stats: 1-2, 2.33 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 19.1 IP, 4 BB, 29 K

Early ran a strikeout rate of nearly 12 per nine in the minors and somehow topped that in his four big league starts, but he's lacking the whizbang that makes prospect evaluators' hearts go pitter-pat. I, for one, love seeing proof of concept, though, and so even though none of his six pitches scores particularly high on its own, he has such good command and feel for them that I'm ready to say the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

21. Brody Hopkins, Rays

Age (on opening day): 24
Where he played in 2025: Double-A
Minor league stats: 5-7, 2.72 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 116 IP, 60 BB, 141 K

Hopkins just has that look: tall and athletic with a fairly conventional delivery from which he throws gas. His offspeed pitches are as hard as the typical fastball 30 years ago, and he has a bunch of them, with the curveball in particular standing out. For all his weapons, the control needs some work, which is understandable given that he didn't begin pitching primarily until his final year of college, and the Rays are the right organization to help him turn that corner.

22. JR Ritchie, Braves

Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: 8-6, 2.64 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 140 IP, 54 BB, 140 K

Though he doesn't profile as much of a bat-misser, Ritchie was still among the hardest pitchers to hit in all the minors (where defenses are worse, by the way), inducing weak contact through clever sequencing of what's now a six-pitch arsenal. I won't be fully bought in until he cuts down on the walks, but after putting together a 3.02 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in his 11 Triple-A starts, he's obviously close to contributing in the big leagues.

23. Hagen Smith, White Sox

Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Double-A
Minor league stats: 3-3, 3.57 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 75.2 IP, 56 BB, 108 K

Drafted fifth overall in 2024, Smith was as difficult to hit as expected in his first full professional season, allowing just a .164 batting average while recording 12.9 K/9, but he missed time with elbow soreness and will need to improve the walk rate if he's going to amount to anything. Control is easier to develop than stuff, but at 22, he's already nearing sink-or-swim status and can't afford too many injury setbacks.

24. Gage Jump, Athletics

Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: 9-7, 3.28 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 112.2 IP, 34 BB, 131 K

Jump turned heads early on with a 1.61 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and 11.9 K/9 in his first 10 appearances, but sank to a 4.92 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, and 9.1 K/9 in 16 appearances thereafter, diminishing the enthusiasm. His fastball carries well and seems even faster thanks to the hypnotic effect of his herky-jerky delivery, but his secondaries all blend together, succeeding mostly through the element of surprise. There's work to be done here, clearly, but having good command of a good fastball can take a pitcher far.

25. Carlos Lagrange, Yankees 

Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: 11-8, 3.53 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 120 IP, 62 BB, 168 K

Watching Lagrange is like seeing Michael Pineda back in a Yankees uniform, another high-waisted, 6-foot-7 behemoth whose delivery is all arms and legs. Lagrange's fastball velocity stands out over Pineda's, though, sitting at 98 mph and peaking at 102, and it's backed up by a couple of slider variations that both generate swing-and-miss. The real key to his breakout, though, was improving his walk rate from horrendous to just bad, and another leap is needed to avoid a bullpen projection.

26. Tyler Bremner, Angels

Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: did not play -- draft year

This placement for Bremner may seem low considering he was the second pick in the 2025 draft, but he was a surprising choice in that spot after a tumultuous season at UC Santa Barbara in which he lost the feel for his breaking ball. The two pitches that remained -- a fastball and changeup -- are both plus-plus offerings, with the former showing the optimum ride and angle to miss bats and the latter featuring late drop-off. Bremner may wind up in relief if he can't regain the slider, which is where he spent much of his college career.

27. Logan Henderson, Brewers

Age (on opening day): 24
Where he played in 2025: Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: 10-4, 3.59 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 77.2 IP, 24 BB, 87 K
Major league stats: 3-0, 1.78 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 25.1 IP, 8 BB, 33 K

Then again, Henderson does just fine without a breaking ball, sticking with a fastball/changeup pairing on nearly 90 percent of his pitches between five major league starts -- all of which were great, by the way, owing largely to his control. The Brewers themselves weren't fully bought in, repeatedly sending him back to Triple-A, where he was more good than great. On paper, he doesn't seem like a top prospect, but he's performed everywhere he's gone, including now the majors.

28. Brandon Sproat, Mets

Age (on opening day): 25
Where he played in 2025: Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: 8-6, 4.24 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 121 IP, 53 BB, 113 K
Major league stats: 0-2, 4.79 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 20.2 IP, 7 BB, 17 K

One of the biggest risers of 2024 was one of the biggest fallers of 2025, though Sproat finished strong enough -- with a 2.44 ERA, a 0.93 WHIP, and 10.7 K/9 in his final 11 Triple-A appearances -- to earn a late-season promotion and retain a spot on this list. He may not be as big of a strikeout pitcher in the majors, but excels at inducing weak ground balls. The keys for him will be keeping walks down and developing a better method of attack against lefties.

29. Parker Messick, Guardians

Age (on opening day): 25
Where he played in 2025: Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: 5-6, 3.47 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 98.2 IP, 42 BB, 119 K
Major league stats: 3-1, 2.72 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 39.2 IP, 6 BB, 38 K

Though he wasn't so highly regarded as a prospect, Messick was one of the most impactful late-season call-ups, delivering four quality starts in seven chances with an excellent strikeout-to-walk ratio. The success concealed just how hittable he was, though, and while some of that was BABIP-driven, he clearly wasn't blowing hitters away. The fastball plays up because he hides and angles it well, and anyone who misses bats with that pitch has a chance, but if the control slips to where it was in the minors, he could lose helium quickly.

30. Owen Murphy, Braves

Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Rookie, High-A
Minor league stats: 3-0, 1.19 ERA, 0.69 WHIP, 30.1 IP, 6 BB, 34 K

Fair to say Murphy's return from Tommy John surgery went without a hitch, and now in 13 High-A starts between 2024 and 2025, he has a 1.45 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, and 11.7 K/9. Sure, he's overdue for his next challenge, but he's being unfairly downgraded on most rank lists, probably because of his limited pitch selection and modest velocity. We should know by now, though, that fastball shape counts for more than velocity, and Murphy has an optimal one to go along with a strike-throwing mentality.

Near misses (listed alphabetically)