Intro

The Nick Kurtz chase continues with 2025 Topps Update Series. NL Rookie of the Year Drake Baldwin and NL Rookie of the Year runner-up Cade Horton provide nice secondary options along with a slew of Series 1 and Series 2 rookies getting second and third passes at Flagship rookie cards.

As usual, lets dig into the players with Rookie Cards in this edition of Topps Flagship.

Check out the 2025 Topps Update Series Full Preview for an in depth read.

Tier Ranks

Tier 1 - Cream of the crop. Combination of high-end Hit and Power tools that won’t end up as full-time designated hitters. Power/Speed combo players. Elite SP 1 pitchers (very rare). Potential for being perennial All-Stars and award winners.

Tier 2 - Bats that may lack in a certain area such as top-end power, three true outcomes players with huge power, great real life/fantasy players, but not hobby-elite, or tantalizing raw talents. High-end SP 2 pitchers with additional positive factors such as team, arsenal, pedigree, etc.

Tier 3 - May have some hobby interest due to a single factor such as prospect pedigree, team interest, general hobby hype, an interesting carrying tool, etc. 

Tier None - The likelihood of widespread short-term hobby interest, and most likely long-term as well, is close to none. Plenty of pitchers, catchers, role players, hit-tool-only bats, Quad-A power bats, defense-first players, etc. to be found here. Hobby lottery tickets where the odds are stacked against you.

*Catchers and Pitchers are often knocked down a tier just due to their position.

*Recent transactions may not be 100% reflected in these write-ups as they occured over the past month

ARI

Tier None

Adrian Del Castillo (C, 26)
2025 Topps Update Series:
Injury, being pushed off of catcher to a platoon DH role, and poor 2025 results have sapped all Hobby interest and pushed him into Tier None.
2025 Topps Series 1 TLDR:
Plus power with some questionable underlying hit data along with defensive question marks. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Tim Tawa (1B, 26)
Weak side platoon, utility bat that can provide some thump. Doesn't provide a lot of defensive value, so it's tough to see an everyday regular role barring injuries on the MLB roster. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Juan Morillo (P, 26)
Fringe-y, middle of the bullpen guy that you’d expect more from due to his high octane arsenal than what his results give you. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

ATH

Tier 1

Nick Kurtz (1B, 22)
The star of the product and the unanimous AL Rookie of the Year. Kurtz is a complete animal- he posted a 1.002 OPS as a Rookie to go with 36 bombs, and he didn't even spend the whole year in the Majors. He's a star already, a future star, etc. He's the guy in this product and a franchise cornerstone at just 22 years old. Superstar. - Will Jarvis
(Both)

Tier 2

Jacob Wilson (SS, 23)
2025 Topps Update Series:
If Nick Kurtz didn't steal the spotlight, Jacob Wilson delivered what we expected, even with injuries, which was good enough to get him second in AL Rookie of the Year voting, but not good enough to be the talk of the town.
2025 Topps Series 1 TLDR:
Draft pedigree, legacy player, near-elite hit tool, but probably isn’t providing above average value in any other facet of the game keeps him out of Tier 1. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Tier 3

Denzel Clarke (OF, 25)
Elite, highlight-reel defender and plus speed likely give Clarke a long leash, but a fringe hit tool caps his upside unless we see significant development in that area. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Max Muncy (SS, 23)
Muncy had a solid rookie year, and is just 23 heading into 2026. He had just a .638 OPS in 63 games, but showed a bit of power with 9 homers. He's a former first rounder and worth keeping an eye on, but his Tier Three placement is more based off potential than results. - Will Jarvis
(Both)

Tier None

Gunnar Hoglund (P, 25)
Hoglund was a first round college arm in 2021, and has been pretty bad at every level outside of a good year at AA in 2024. He had a 6.40 ERA in 32.1 innings for the Athletics, allowed 10 homers, and only had a 6.4 K/9. No real appeal on Hoglund. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Michel Otanez (P, 28)
Injuries completely derailed Otañez's season. Classic high K, high walk reliever profile that could end up in high leverage, but he's now headed to his fourth organization (TEX) after the A's cut him loose when the season ended. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Carlos Duran (P, 24)
The A's return for Esteury Ruiz, Durán is a typical high K high walk reliever with a plus slider that needs more seasoning before getting more MLB reps. - Joe Lowry
Risk: 1, Ceiling: 0 (Base Only)

Justin Sterner (P, 29)
Sterner was really good in relief for the Athletics in 2025, posting a 3.18 ERA with 70 K's in 65 innings. He gives up way too many fly balls which could lead to harsh regression at the A's home park, but the results were good in 2025. Not a guy you're looking to collect most likely. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

CJ Alexander (3B, 29)
2025 Topps Update Series:
Quad-A power bat that at the moment is floating around as a minor league free agent and profiles better for an Asian league at this point.
2025 Topps Series 1 TLDR:
Strong side platoon corner infielder/outfielder that already had one team give up on him in 2024, ending up landing in one of the most “who-knows-what-the-heck-is-happening” orgs (Athletics). - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Elvis Alvarado (P, 26)
A fire-balling reliever with strikeout upside and too many walks downside. A second pitch and limiting the walks will be need to have a future high leverage role. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Logan Davidson (3B, 27)
Davidson had a .508 OPS in 42 at bats as a 27 year old rookie. He was a 1st rounder way back when, which will probably afford him at least one more shot at the Bigs, but he isn't a guy you're looking to collect here. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Willie MacIver (C, 29)
Roster fringe backup/third catcher type that was waived by the A's and picked up the Rangers this month. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

ATL

Tier 1

Drake Baldwin (C, 24)
The 2025 NL Rookie of the Year was excellent behind the plate for the Braves in 2025, posting a .810 OPS with 19 homers and a 3.3 bWar. Probably not a future superstar, but a really good core piece for a winning team for the next decade. - Will Jarvis
(Both)

Tier 2

Spencer Schwellenbach (P, 25)
2025 Topps Update Series:
Only an injury could slow down the Schwellenbach hype train, but fortunately it was a bone injury and not of the soft-tissue variety. Arrow continues to point up.
2025 Topps Series 1 TLDR:
A very impressive debut that flew under the radar - huge arsenal of above average to plus pitches, fills up the zone, gets a ton of chase, limits walks and hard contact. Not much to NOT like. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Tier None

Nathan Wiles (P, 27)
Org depth swingman type that was released after the season ended to make room for off-season roster maintenance. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Parker Dunshee (P, 30)
Injured, unaffiliated 30 year old relievers is not a place we should be spending our Hobby dollars. Thanks Topps. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

BAL

Tier 3

Coby Mayo (1B, 23)
2025 Topps Update Series:
An extremely disappointing season with hit tool flaws continuing to be exposed lead to a drop from Tier 2 to Tier 3. The Pete Alonso starter kit is a distant memory at this point.
2025 Topps Series 1 TLDR:
Big time power hitter that has the Pete Alonso starter kit - only question is if the hit tool will get him to that level. Borderline Tier 1 potential. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Tier None

Brandon Young (P, 27)
A pitchability, ground ball back-end starter that had a rough go of it in his first 12 games in the big leagues. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Kade Strowd (P, 28)
Typical good stuff, bad command middle reliever, in this case one with a diverse arsenal led by a cutter. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Maverick Handley (C, 27)
Org depth backup catcher that doesn't have a strong enough offensive profile to be a candidate for an everyday job. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Yaramil Hiraldo (P, 29)
Grinded the minor leagues as well as indy ball to finally make his debut at 29 years old as a middle reliever. A solid change-up is his primary pitch, but his remaining pitches are subpar and he's going to struggle to stay on an MLB roster. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Tomoyuki Sugano (P, 36)
2025 Topps Update Series:
Not a great first season in the MLB, and now 36 years old, it's questionable if there will be much interest on the free agent market for a back-end starter coming off a subpar debut effort.
2025 Topps Series 2 TLDR:
Longtime NPB pitcher getting a taste of the MLB game at the end of his career with international appeal. Currently getting better results than his stuff indicates due to deception and a large arsenal but it's hard to believe that continues. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Grant Wolfram (P, 28)
Tall lefty reliever with velocity and strikeout stuff but walk issues keep him out of regular high leverage situations. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

BOS

Tier 2

Marcelo Mayer (SS, 22)
A top prospect since being taken 4th overall in 2021, Mayer has been good not great at every level. He was fine in his debut, putting up a .674 OPS in 136 at bats. The question with Mayer isn't if he will perform, though, it's whether he can stay healthy. He hasn't played more than 91 games in a season as a Pro, something you don't love to say about a guy who is only 22. - Will Jarvis
(Both)

Kristian Campbell (2B, 23)
The breakout Minor League star of 2024, Campbell started out hot with the Sox then fell apart, getting sent to the Minors by June and hitting a road block with a super high ground ball rate. He needs a reset, and could be an every day asset in the Sox lineup for years to come or wind up as an example for those arguing not to give guys extensions before they play some games in the Majors first. - Will Jarvis
(Both)

Tier 3

Hunter Dobbins (P, 26)
A solid if unspectacular starter for the Sox in 2025, Dobbins doesn't get a ton of whiffs, but he induces ground balls (a necessity at Fenway), and doesn't walk a ton of guys. Not exciting but he gets the job done- a reliable back of the rotation piece. - Will Jarvis
(Both)

Tier None

Luis Guerrero (P, 25)
DFA'd this week, Guerrero will almost certainly be in a new uniform in 2026. He was fine on the surface, with a 4.15 ERA in 17.1 IP, but he walked 14 and struck out 10- both really bad numbers. Will likely get a chance with a team that doesn't have serious playoff aspirations in 2026 and could turn out decent. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

CHC

Tier 1

Cade Horton (P, 24)
Horton was the NL Rookie of the Year runner up in 2025, after many thought he had a real shot to win the award. His surface numbers were better than the peripherals, but that just means he might be a really good 2/3 starter rather than an Ace- a great outcome regardless. 11-4 with a 2.67 ERA is almost impossible to find issue with and that lands him in Tier 1 in the short term. - Will Jarvis
(Both)

Tier 2

Moisés Ballesteros (C, 22)
A hit-first catcher that may have to find reps at various positions to get full playing time and invokes body and skill comps of Alejandro Kirk. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Tier 3

Matt Shaw (3B, 24)
2025 Topps Update Series:
The all around offensive talent never materialized, with various flaws in the hit tool and the power questioning my optimistic ranking earlier this summer. Can Shaw develop into the hitter we saw cruise through the minors or is it time to cut bait? At this point, I'm on the fence, but leaning towards time to cut bait.
2025 Topps Series 2 TLDR:
One of the three short print rookies - had a rough debut but seems to have made successful adjustments after a reset in Triple-A. Straddles the border between Tier 1 and Tier 2 until we see if the changes will stick over a larger sample. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Kevin Alcántara (OF, 23)
2025 Topps Update Series:
At this point, the hit tool concerns are getting too loud, Owen Caissie has jumped ahead of Alcántara in the Cubs outfield prospect pecking order, and now off-season surgery all have me starting to throw in the towel and knock the Jaguar down the ranks.
2025 Topps Series 1 TLDR:
High risk, high reward outfielder with big time power that is held back by his hit tool and inconsistent results.
2025 Topps Series 2 TLDR:
No real substantive changes - still showing that he's a power-speed corner outfielder with a high ceiling and a low floor if the hit tool can't support the potential plus power. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Tier None

Gage Workman (3B, 26)
Quad-A slugger that may continue to get opportunities because of his stellar third base defense. But he simply can't hit, and that's a problem. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

CIN

Tier 3

Chase Petty (P, 22)
Petty has the first round pedigree and was a fringe top 100 guy to begin the 2025 campaign, but he was bad at AAA Louisville (6.39 ERA in 26 starts), and even worse in his 6 IP for the Reds where he allowed 22 baserunners in his 6 innings of action. A year to forget for Petty, he is still younger than some top 2024 draft college pitchers like Brody Brecht and Ben Hess so he deserves a bit of a clean slate in 2026. - Will Jarvis
(Both)

Rhett Lowder (P, 23)
2025 Topps Update Series:
A lost season due to injuries from a prospect pitcher on the fringe of Tier 2 leads to a drop into Tier 3. Since he's currently healthy and pitching in the AFL, he's worth keeping an eye on in the Spring.
2025 Topps Series 1 TLDR:
Potential SP3 pitcher that succeeds through pitch mix and sequencing rather than high velocity gas. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Luis Mey (P, 24)
Has the build and 100+ MPH sinker that could terrify hitters late out of the pen for years. Control is an issue, but the velocity is inarguable. Boom or bust potential, he could be a very fun one if he figures out his command. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Tier None

Tyler Callihan (2B, 25)
After a hot streak in AAA, Callihan earned the call up and only registered 6 at bats before suffering a gruesome arm injury playing left field, ending his season in May. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Levi Jordan (OF, 29)
1-10 in his only Major League action in 2024 with no time in the Bigs in 2025. Posted a .652 OPS in AAA and is 29 years old. No Hobby appeal. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Eric Yang (C, 27)
One MLB at bat that came in 2024, one strikeout. Yang was the backup catcher in AAA this year and posted a .580 OPS. Nothing to see here. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Evan Kravetz (P, 28)
Kravetz stands at 6 feet 8 inches and throws from the left side, and that's just about where the positives end for his profile. He threw 2/3rds of an inning in 2024 for the Reds, had a 5.59 ERA in AAA this year without appearing in the Majors, and hit the 60 Day IL in July. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

CLE

Tier 3

Erik Sabrowski (P, 28)
Sabrowski was a revelation in the Guardians Pen in 2025, putting up a 1.84 ERA in 33 appearances. The heater isn't great in the velo department, but he has great IVB metrics and the spin rate is great. He strikes out a lot of guys and doesn't give up much hard contact, although the walks could use some work. He could be a nice lefty set up man moving forward. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Tier None

Doug Nikhazy (P, 26)
Nikhazy doesn't throw hard and had a tough time in his debut in April, which comprised almost his entire workload in the Bigs in 2025. He doesn't really have any peripherals you can latch on to for hope, and there is no Hobby appeal right now. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Zak Kent (RHP, 27)
Kent has a middle reliever ceiling and profiles as a depth piece who will likely make his share of trips between AAA and the Majors. He's serviceable out of the pen, but that isn't meaningful for the Hobby. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Will Wilson (SS, 26)
A former first round pick back in 2019, Wilson finally got his shot this year and didn't do much with the opportunity, posting a .511 OPS in 91 at bats (0 homers). The draft pedigree might allow him one more chance at the Majors, but there is no Hobby appeal right now. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Nic Enright (P, 28)
Enright, a cancer survivor, posted a 2.03 ERA in 31 innings of action in his rookie year. He doesn't strike out a ton of guys, and his year ended with an "elbow/forearm inflammation" injury tag which is worrisome. Could be a nice pen piece moving forward if the elbow is OK. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

COL

Tier 3

Adael Amador (2B, 22)
2025 Topps Update Series:
The Tier 2 upside I thought I saw previously feels like a mirage as I looked deeper into the power data instead of just focusing on the hitter friendly league home run numbers. Still not ready for the majors even if Colorado keeps trying, Amador's value at this point is likely a year or two away and completely revolves around a solid hit tool and decent speed.
2025 Topps Series 1 TLDR:
Potential plus hit and run tools with Tier 2 upside, but 2024 was a season to forget for Amador. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Chase Dollander (P, 24)
A mid-rotation, Tier 2 starting pitcher that gets the Rockies penalty and knocked down into Tier 3. For the love of all that is holy, please get him out of Colorado. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Zac Veen (OF, 23)
The dream of a five tool monster in Colorado seems like a thing of the past and now we're hoping for an everyday player that can get some mile high fueled hot streaks so we can sell based on name recognition and past prospect value. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Tier None

Zach Agnos (P, 25)
Effective middle reliever that got some unlikely saves early in the season but dealt with a flexor strain that took him out for two months towards the end of the season. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Jack O'Loughlin (P, 25)
Soft tossing lefty swingman that's out of affiliated ball and is unlikely to get another substantive shot at the big leagues. He's Australian, so at least he's got that going for him. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Carson Palmquist (P, 25)
A backend starter with low velocity that can be an uncomfortable at bat for lefties due to his low side arm delivery from the left side. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Juan Mejia (P, 24)
Swing and miss two pitch reliever that needs to figure out how to get out left handed hitters and limit the free passes to graduate to a high leverage role and have any small inkling of Hobby relevancy. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Braxton Fulford (C, 26)
Typical backup catcher profile that can play the position with a little bit of pop and a little bit of speed but doesn't have enough hit tool to be much more than an org depth catcher. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Jeff Criswell (P, 24)
There may only be one thing the Rockies do well - build a bullpen, often out of pitchers you've never heard of. Criswell is another one in that mold, but unfortunately lost all of 2025 to TJ surgery. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Tanner Gordon (P, 28)
Bland back-end starter that fills up the zone and limits walks which might work in a pitcher friendly park, but not so much in Colorado. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Ryan Rolison (P, 28)
A former 1st round pick that wasn't able to hack it as a starting pitcher and is now struggling to find a role as a left-handed, low leverage bullpen option. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

CWS

Tier 3

Edgar Quero (C, 22)
Hit-first catcher that has a split job with fellow young catcher Kyle Teel. Just gets into Tier 3 with prospect pedigree, contact skills, and the potential for power he showed in the minors that has yet to show up in the big leagues. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Shane Smith (P, 25)
One of the better Rule V performances in recent memory, Smith turned into the best pitcher in the White Sox rotation and represented them in the All-Star game. A mid-rotation starter at best, the upside is relatively capped, but it's hard to deny the good story. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Chase Meidroth (SS, 24)
Hit and speed middle-infielder that eschews power. If he can migrate his passivity to patience, he is a Tier 3 player. If not, he belongs in Tier None. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Tier None

Tim Elko (1B, 26)
Is he a Quad-A slugger that strikes out too much, or is he a second-division regular that can sneak into 25+ home runs? I'm leaning Quad-A type and would sell at any opportunity. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Mike Vasil (P, 25)
Rule V draft success that was a former back-end starter which the White Sox transitioned to a multi-purpose bullpen arm. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Fraser Ellard (P, 28)
Lefty reliever with a good slider that gets a ton of whiffs but gives up too many free passes to be used in high leverage. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Caleb Freeman (P, 27)
Middle reliever that has gotten less effective as he's worked up the levels and is now a minor league free agent that may struggle to find future MLB playing time. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

DET

Tier 2

Jackson Jobe (P, 23)
2025 Topps Update Series:
The Flexor Strain led to the dreaded TJ surgery. When healthy, he's got ace-level stuff even if he may not have an ace-level approach.
2025 Topps Series 1 TLDR:
Future ace that just needs to build up innings and remain healthy to reach that Ceiling.
2025 Topps Series 2 TLDR:
Early season returns were inconsistent, and appeared as Jobe was more relying on his stuff rather than being an expert on the craft of pitching. That plus a recent flexor strain has knocked him down into Tier 2. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Tier None

Jace Jung (3B, 25)
2025 Topps Update Series:
Unable to seize the opportunity in his 2025 MLB chances, and not showing much hit tool development in Triple-A, leads me to be even more skeptical Jung will be an everyday player that looks like a poor man's version of Max Muncy.
2025 Topps Series 1 TLDR:
Recognizable name with above average hit and power tools, but defensive challenges call into question his future role. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Chase Lee (P, 27)
Side-arming, low velocity reliever that doesn't move the Hobby needle. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Tyler Owens (P, 24)
A low leverage reliever that didn't have that good of a season and then lost a few months due to a hip injury does not a good hobby option make. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Bryan Sammons (P, 30)
A back-end starter that debuted with the Tigers in 2024 but pitched all of 2025 in the NPB...so why did Topps decide he should be on the checklist? George Washington voice "Nobody Knows". - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Bailey Horn (P, 27)
A low leverage lefty reliever that's bounced around various organizations and doesn't provide any Hobby value. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Ryan Miller (P, 29)
Journeyman reliever that debuted with the Angels in 2024 but spent half the 2025 season with the Tigers Triple-A roster before being cut loose and has yet to find another interested MLB org. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

HOU

Tier 2

Cam Smith (OF, 22)
2025 Topps Update Series:
Smith did not take the hoped-for step forward with his offensive game in the second half of the season. With how little time he spent in the minors, I'm not yet panicking. There's still plenty of time to show he can be a plus power and speed threat rather than losing hope and sending him down to the Tier 3 ranks.
2025 Topps Series 2 TLDR:
One of the three short print rookies - hasn't set the world on fire but has held his own offensively while finding a perfect defensive home in right field. On the border between Tier 1 and Tier 2 until we see his power translate to home runs and he can handle breakers better. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Tier 3

AJ Blubaugh (P, 25)
A back-end SP with upside and buoyed by a strong pitching dev org gives just enough of a bump to pushed into the bottom of Tier 3 ranks. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Tier None

Colton Gordon (P, 26)
Pitchability lefty back-end SP with not much velocity. The sweeper is his best pitch, but everything else doesn't drive much value, and neither will his cards. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Bryan King (P, 29)
Former 30th round pick, a round that doesn't exist any more, that has turned into a reliable and essential high leverage reliever in the Astros strong bullpen. Still not enough to get out of Tier None as he's just the third option in that pen. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Ryan Gusto (RHP, 26)
Sent to the Marlins as part of the Jesús Sánchez deadline deal, Gusto is a back-end starter with a diverse arsenal that struggles against lefties. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Logan VanWey (P, 26)
Former UDFA side-arming middle reliever that can be a tough look for right-handed hitters, but not much to latch onto for the Hobby. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Luis Contreras (P, 28)
Low leverage, low velocity reliever that looks to win through soft contact and ground balls, but struggles against lefties. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

KCR

Tier None

Evan Sisk (P, 28)
Sisk was solid in brief action for the Royals before being shipped to Pittsburgh, where he had a 4.38 ERA in 12.1 IP. He had a 4.38 ERA in AAA, where he saw the bulk of his work, and he's not a name to know in the product. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

John Rave (OF, 27)
Rave posted a .590 OPS in 153 at bats for the Royals as a 27 year old Rookie. The 27 year old has at least a 70 grade name, but he's not a guy with Hobby appeal. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Noah Murdock (P, 27)
Murdock had a 13.24 ERA in 17 innings for the Athletics in 2025 before being returned to the Royals (he was a rule 5 draftee). He's a free agent and 6 foot 8, so he'll probably land somewhere, but he's not hobby relevant. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Tyler Tolbert (SS, 27)
Purely a speedster off the bench, he stole 21 bases for the Royals in 2025 while only receiving 50 at bats. He had a .701 OPS when they let him hit, but he doesn't make any impact with the stick. A fun player who nearly snuck into Tier Three for his crazy speed, he's off the radar by a hair. - Will Jarvis
(Both)

LAA

Tier 3

Caden Dana (P, 21)
2025 Topps Update Series:
Mid-rotation workhorse SP with strikeout upside that it's tough to argue the Angels haven't already negatively impacted with their decisions on when and where to play him. I don't know what's next for Dana, and I'm guessing neither do the Angels.
2025 Topps Series 1 TLDR:
Angels doing Angels things and potentially ruining prospects by pushing them to the majors too soon - Dana has two reliable, above-average to plus pitches, but needs a third to reach his SP3+ upside.
2025 Topps Series 2 TLDR:
Disaster of a season so far for Dana, but he's still just 21 and has a ton of talent. Hopefully the Angels bad team context doesn't completely kill his potential. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Tier None

Jose Fermin (P, 23)
High octane reliever with a pair of nasty pitches he can't command keeps him for being of interest to the Hobby. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Ryan Johnson (P, 23)
The Angels had Johnson completely skip the minor leagues to push him to the MLB bullpen to start 2025. Shockingly it did not go well and Johnson went back to the minors where he switched back to starting pitching and got shut down early or had an injury or the Angels are not a serious organization or all of the above. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Garrett McDaniels (P, 25)
Low leverage lefty reliever that was a Rule V pick of the Angels that debuted in Anaheim but eventually was sent back to the Dodgers in June. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Michael Darrell-Hicks (P, 27)
Standard low leverage reliever that's now in the Pirates organization and not much Hobby interest to be had beyond a name that I should be able to find a joke for, but I'm just not creative enough. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Matthew Lugo (OF, 24)
Corner outfielder with some power and speed but hit tool issues and some occasional defensive lapses. I didn't spend fantasy baseball money on him, you did! Just kidding, I did (sad face). - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Ryan Zeferjahn (P, 27)
Good stuff, bad location reliever that needs to limit the walks to graduate to a high leverage role. Until then, we can completely ignore him for Hobby purposes. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

LAD

Tier 2

Roki Sasaki (P, 24)
2025 Topps Update Series:
A reset as he rehabbed paired with a move to the bullpen salvaged Roki's debut MLB season from being a total loss. Not the ideal result, but at least we leave 2025 with some level of positivity and have hope that the ship is righted moving forward.
2025 Topps Series 2 TLDR:
A Tier 1 talent that's had pretty much everything go wrong, leading to a Tier 2 ranking until he can get healthy and figure out how to get MLB hitters out. An elite split finger can only work so well if nothing else is there to support it. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Dalton Rushing (C, 24)
A talented hit and power catcher, not all that dissimilar to the man ahead of him on the depth chart in Los Angeles in Will Smith. While not a MLB debut season to write home about, I still believe in Rushing's talent to be an All-Star level catcher down the line. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Tier None

Jack Dreyer (P, 26)
Another Dodgers dev success as they've taken an UDFA and turned him into a successful and reliable middle reliever in his rookie season. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Hyeseong Kim (2B, 26)
2025 Topps Update Series:
With a larger sample size than we had back when Series 2 went live, Kim's looking a lot more like a defensive replacement than a true platoon player and has more contact issues than I expected to see. There's still International appeal, but the baseball profile has fallen enough to drop him in the ranks and change the approach from being a cautious buyer to a seller.
2025 Topps Series 2 TLDR:
Classic pesky speed and contact middle infielder/center fielder with international appeal on a collectible team. Results so far are ridiculously inflated, so don't get sucked in by the numbers. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

MIA

Tier 2

Agustín Ramírez (C, 24)
Big power hitting catcher that needs to shift off of the catcher position long term. 30+ home runs being in the cards brings his ranking into Tier 2 but the hit tool may need to be refined to maintain that rank. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Tier None

Victor Mesa Jr. (OF, 24)
A blast from the past (late 2010's) that outlasted his more known brother, Victor Jr. debuted in 2025 but doesn't hold much value beyond being an org depth outfield option. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Cade Gibson (P, 27)
Former starter that has now fully transitioned to a middle reliever role and succeeds through generating ground ball contact. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Patrick Monteverde (P, 28)
Low velocity swingman, org depth type that probably works best as a bulk innings option out of the bullpen. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Liam Hicks (C, 26)
Backup catcher that has a passive offensive profile and can't throw out base-runners. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Eric Wagaman (1B, 28)
Second division corner bat that should hit for more power than he does. As currently constructed, nothing in the tools produces results that are above average. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Lake Bachar (P, 30)
A middle reliever that doesn't really stand out positively or negatively in any way. He just sort of gets the job done, but doesn't do anything special for us to take note of in the Hobby. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Michael Petersen (P, 31)
High octane reliever that's been passed around MLB orgs like a hot potato. At 31 years old and less than 40 MLB innings logged, the clock is falling further and further out of his favor to have a regular MLB job for any length of time. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Jonathan Bermudez (P, 30)
A low velocity lefty starter that plied his trade in China in 2025. That's typically towards the end of the line of a baseball player's career, and that looks to be the case here. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Luarbert Arias (P, 24)
A middle reliever who showed promise but was unable to have much success at any level in 2025 and is now a free agent at just 24 years old. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

MIL

Tier 2

Logan Henderson (P, 23)
Henderson broke out in late action for the Brewers in 2025, posting a 1.78 ERA in 5 starts with a sterling 3-0 record. He struck out 33 in his 25.1 innings of work, and while the peripherals show that things might not remain as perfect moving forward, Henderson should be a reliable piece in the Brewers rotation heading into 2026. - Will Jarvis
(Both)

Tier 3

Craig Yoho (P, 26)
Yoho has been a lockdown closer through the Minors, and has allowed 2 Homers in 116.2 pro innings. He had a 0.94 ERA in 47.2 IP in AAA with 11.3 K/9, but got blown up in 8 appearances for the Brewers, where he had uncharacteristic struggles finding the zone and pitched to a 7.27 ERA. He has nasty stuff headlined by a great split-change, and should get more run for the Brewers in 2026. - Will Jarvis
(Both)

Caleb Durbin (3B, 25)
The epitome of a great utility man, Durbin is 5' 7", led the NL in Hit by Pitches, and posted a steady .721 OPS for the Brewers in 2025. A D3 baseball product, Durbin had 11 homers to go with 18 stolen bags, and did a bit of everything for a really good Milwaukee team in 2025. He doesn't have the highest of ceilings, but he's a good real world piece and a fun player. He'll have some Hobby appeal for sure, but he isn't a guy I'd be trying to make money on. - Will Jarvis
(Both)

Tier None

Chad Patrick (P, 27)
Patrick pitched to a 3.53 ERA in his first Big League stint in 2025, throwing 119.2 innings (23 starts) with 127 K's and a FIP of 3.53 to match his ERA. He was great in AAA in 2024, and while the stuff won't knock your socks off, he knows how to pitch. Not a super exciting option due to his age and lack of projectability, but a nice piece for the Brewers. - Will Jarvis
(Both)

Connor Thomas (P, 27)
Thomas saw 2 appearances in the Bigs as a Rule 5 pick for the Brewers in 2025 and struggled to a 20.25 ERA in 5.1 IP before missing the rest of the year with an elbow injury. Not sure where he goes from here, but don't worry about him from a hobby perspective. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Drew Avans (OF, 29)
Avans debuted for the Athletics and went 2-15 before being DFA'd, and wound up in the Brewers organization. He went 0-2 for the Brew Crew, with a .696 OPS in 199 at bats for their AAA affiliate. He isn't a notable guy for the Hobby. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

James Meeker (P, 30)
Meeker threw a singular inning for the Brewers in 2024, a scoreless outing without a K. He is now in Indy ball and 30 years old, so buy accordingly. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

MIN

Tier 2

Luke Keaschall (2B, 23)
An electric Rookie who took the league by storm in his debut before being bit by the injury bug, Keaschall posted a .827 OPS for the Twins in 2025. He got down ballot ROTY votes and would've done better if he hadn't been limited to 49 games. He loses a bit of Hobby value as a second baseman, but he's a really fun player and one of the better rookie hitters in the product. - Will Jarvis
(Both)

Tier 3

Brooks Lee (SS, 24)
2025 Topps Update Series:
The hit tool never materialized in Lee's first full season in the big leagues. With no huge leap in his other tools, there's not enough here to drive interest like there once was with Lee's cards as a former first round pick.
2025 Topps Series 1 TLDR:
First round draft and prospect pedigree infielder that’s got a plus hit tool that drives his contact over power approach. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Zebby Matthews (P, 25)
2025 Topps Update Series:
Zebby did not right the ship in 2025 and needs to figure out how to balance his elite command with being able to get MLB hitters out to reach his mid-rotation ceiling. Teetering on the edge of Tier 3 and Tier None.
2025 Topps Series 1 TLDR:
Elite command and control pitcher that needs to figure out how to use that to his advantage against MLB hitters who completely ate him up in his big league debut. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Tier None

Mickey Gasper (2B, 29)
Gasper is a journeyman who debuted for the Red Sox in 2024, and he went 0-18 in his debut before winding up in Minnesota for the 2025 season. He went 15-95 with 2 homers in a larger stint with the Twins in 2025, and he remains off the Hobby radar. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Carson McCusker (OF, 27)
A gigantic dude, McCusker has some raw power as you'd expect for his size, but it's accompanied by major red flags with his hit tool. He struck out 148 times in 390 at bats in AAA, and went 5-29 with 16 K's in his brief Major League debut. Off the radar. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Armando Alvarez (3B, 31)
Another guy who didn't see action in the MLB in 2025, Alvarez went 9-37 in 2024 for the Athletics before landing with the Twins for 2025. He had a .672 OPS in 38 AAA games and wound up playing in Indy Ball by the end of the year. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Ryan Fitzgerald (2B, 31)
A 31 year old rookie, Fitzgerald went 9-46 in his debut with 4 of the 9 hits being home runs. He was good in AAA, but he's just organizational filler at this point. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Brady Feigl (P, 34)
Feigl debuted in 2024 for the Pirates as a 33 year old, and gave up 6 ER in 1.2 IP in his sole taste of action. He didn't get a shot in the Majors with the Twins this year, and he had a 5.93 ERA in 13.2 innings at AAA. No. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

NYM

Tier None

Blade Tidwell (P, 24)
Likely a back end of the rotation guy long-term, Tidwell debuted for the Mets in 2025 and wound up in San Francisco as part of the Tyler Rogers deal. He struggled in limited action for the Mets, and didn't log an appearance at the big league level for the Giants. For now, likely an optionable swingman type with the potential to grow into a back-end innings eater. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Luisangel Acuña (2B, 23)
2025 Topps Update Series:
It's become increasingly obvious that Acuña won't be hitting for any power and that he's not good enough to be an everyday player on a first division team. I was a seller from day 1, and even more of a seller now.
2025 Topps Series 1 TLDR:
Contact over power type of hitter that wants to run wild with his plus speed and can play anywhere that’s needed with a strong arm and a good glove.
2025 Topps Series 2 TLDR:
In 2025, with fairly regular playing time, Acuña has put up a 71 wRC+, hitting .246/.298/.292 with 11 stolen bases and zero home runs. Outside of his speed and defense, there hasn’t been much to be positive about in 2025. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Justin Hagenman (P, 29)
Another AAAA type arm for the Mets in 2025, Hagenman was a fine performer but exhausted all of his minor-league options, leaving him likely to find a new home this Winter with the hopes of securing a full time bullpen spot. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Hayden Senger (C, 28)
Long-time Met farmhand who finally worked his way to a stint in the Majors as the third catcher on the depth chart in 2025, Senger didn't do much with his limited opportunity but will likely remain in the organization as depth heading into 2026. - Will Jarvis
(Both)

NYY

Tier 2

Ben Rice (1B, 26)
2025 Topps Update Series:
Ben Rice went out and proved me wrong (not hard to do) by crushing 26 home runs and capturing the heart of the fans of the most collectible team in baseball. There's still some lingering platoon concerns that keep him from jumping all the way to Tier 1, but there's zero argument that he should at least be in Tier 2.
2025 Topps Series 1 TLDR:
Passive hitter with big power from the left side that can take advantage of the right field short porch in Yankee stadium but doesn’t make enough consistent contact to force New York to give him an everyday job. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Tier None

J.C. Escarra (C, 30)
Escarra served as a depth catching option for the Yankees in 2025, and he was serviceable enough in his 84 AB's (.629 OPS). 30 years old, Escarra likely remains limited as organizational depth behind the dish at this point. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Jorbit Vivas (2B, 24)
A smaller, light-hitting second baseman, Vivas has a knack for drawing walks and doesn't strike out much, but is an otherwise unspectacular hitter. He's got a little speed, but not enough to carve out a firm bench role by itself. Could grow into becoming a utility man on the bench, but probably needs to post stronger numbers in AAA in 2026 to get another shot. - Will Jarvis
(Both)

PHI

Tier 3

Mick Abel (P, 24)
Abel had a phenomenal debut for the Phillies, and a phenomenal last outing of the season facing the Phillies (now on the Twins). In the intermediary period he struggled, but showed enough flashes that he should be in the Twins rotation to start 2026. - Will Jarvis
(Both)

Tier None

Max Lazar (P, 26)
Lazar had a 5.7 K/9 in 2025, so right off the bat his value is severely limited as a reliever. He posted a 4.79 ERA across 41.1 IP out of the pen, and doesn't excel in any facet of the game. Not a desirable guy in the product. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

PIT

Tier 3

Braxton Ashcraft (P, 25)
Ashcraft was great for the Bucs in 2025, with a 2.71 ERA in 69.2 innings. He split his time between the pen and the rotation (26 appearances, 8 starts), and his value certainly depends on where he lands moving forward. Regardless, a nice season and he's a good pitcher. Not a chase but not a bad pull either. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Tier None

Thomas Harrington (P, 23)
Not all hope is lost for Harrington, the former well-regarded prospect, but he had a disastrous year as a 23 year old, allowing 25 baserunners in 8.2 innings of Big League duty. He was also dreadful in AAA, with a 5.34 ERA in 20 starts, but he had success in the minors in 2024. There's talent in there, but he needs to make serious adjustments heading into 2026 to tap into it and become relevant again. - Will Jarvis
(Both)

Tsung-Che Cheng (SS, 24)
Cheng was pretty terrible in 2025, with a .572 OPS in 107 games... at AAA. He went 0-7 in the 3 games he saw at the Major League level, and outside of being a native of Taiwan I struggle to find ways where he could have any value for collectors. - Will Jarvis
(Both)

Ronny Simon (2B, 25)
Unfortunately best known as the guy who cried after being pulled after committing three tough errors in a game at 2B for the Marlins earlier this year, Simon has put together some really nice numbers in the minors and I hope that brighter days are ahead for him in the MLB. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Matt Gorski (OF, 27)
Gorski struggled in a small sample for the Pirates this year, going 8-41 with a couple bombs and a .605 OPS. He was DFA'd following the stint, and wound up in the Dodgers organization where he's obviously completely buried. A good organizational depth bat, hard to picture him getting a shot in LA. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Chase Shugart (P, 29)
Shugart is a 29 year old reliever, so that really caps his Hobby value. He did post a 3.40 ERA in 45 innings of work for the Pirates in 2025, but he doesn't really strike many guys out, so that's where his Hobby case begins and ends. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Grant Koch (C, 28)
0-7 with 6 K's in 2024, Koch did not play any sort of affiliated baseball in 2025. There's literally nothing there on any of his pages- I don't think he played baseball in any capacity. No. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

SDP

Tier None

Ryan Bergert (P, 25)
A pretty solid real-world option, Bergert doesn't have much hobby appeal after posting a 4.43 ERA in 40.2 innings with the Royals after being traded for Freddy Fermin at the 2025 deadline. He limits hard contact well, but that doesn't translate to value with collectors. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

David Morgan (P, 26)
An undrafted reliever who grew up a Padres fan, Morgan was great in 47.1 IP out of the pen in 2025 with a 2.66 ERA with just over a strikeout per inning. He wasn't great in AA or AAA, and seemed to be forced into action in the Majors, but he made the most of his opportunity and should have a spot carved out for him in the Padres pen going into 2026. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Tirso Ornelas (OF, 26)
A large man with some nice raw power, the former top 10-ish organizational prospect went just 1-14 in limited action with the Padres in 2025. He's posted an .833 and .864 OPS in AAA over the past two seasons, so it remains to be seen if this pop can translate at the Major League level. - Will Jarvis
(Both)

Omar Cruz (P, 26)
Cruz has thrown 3.2 innings in the Major Leagues, so I'm surprised he has an auto here. He had a 4.75 ERA in AAA over 83.1 innings this year, and despite solid strikeout numbers he's a bit of a junk baller. Not sure he's a real pen option for the Pads moving forward. - Will Jarvis
(Both)

Trenton Brooks (1B, 30)
Brooks made his debut in 2024 and went 3-25 before landing in San Diego for the 2025 Season. He was equally bad in 2025, going 6-41 with a .454 OPS. He's been good in AAA, but clearly a victim of the massive talent gap in pitching between AAA and the Bigs. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Kyle Hart (P, 32)
The 32 year old journeyman actually debuted for the Red Sox back in 2020, but after bouncing around the Minors and winning the South Korean Cy Young Award in 2024, Hart threw 43 innings in 2025 with a 5.86 ERA. He had his option declined and is now a Free Agent. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

SEA

Tier None

Ben Williamson (3B, 25)
Williamson is a fine utility man, as he paced for about 2 bWAR had he played a full season in 2025. He only had a .604 OPS, but the defensive versatility is nice even though he isn't particularly good at any position. Solid bench piece, not a guy with (Both)

Logan Evans (P, 24)
A pretty average back end starter, Evans posted a 4.32 ERA to go with a 6-5 record as a rookie. Evans had a 5.15 FIP, a -0.1 bWAR, and only a 6.5 K/9. Those 3 stats scare me, and should scare you too. Likely a regression candidate from a year where the Hobby ceiling was already pretty low. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Rhylan Thomas (OF, 25)
He steals a good amount of bases (35 in AAA this year), and barely strikes out, but he's a pretty empty calories guy at the plate. He went 1-8 in the Majors and had a .791 OPS in AAA to go with a .325 batting average- he just doesn't have any power potential, and certainly not enough to be Hobby relevant today. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Sauryn Lao (P, 26)
A 26 year old rookie who is now in the Nationals organization, he was OK in his first taste of the Majors with a 4.91 ERA in 11 innings. He doesn't throw hard or strike guys out, therefore he really has no value given his firm reliever status. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Austin Kitchen (RHP, 28)
7 IP, 11 ER for the Marlins in 2024 and 0 Major League appearances for the Mariners in 2025. He did have a 3.36 ERA in AAA, but a 6.8 K/9 in AAA is not going to get anyone racing to buy his cards. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

SFG

Tier None

Christian Koss (SS, 27)
Second division utility player that doesn't provide much offensive value and wasn't able to seize a wide-open second base job in San Francisco in 2025. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Hayden Birdsong (P, 24)
2025 Topps Update Series:
An effective bullpen weapon, but isn't currently constructed to be an effective member of a starting rotation, temporarily killing his Hobby value. Either he needs to be reconfigured or he needs to go back to the pen.
2025 Topps Series 1 TLDR:
Mid-rotation upside with bullpen risk that needs to find an effective fastball and stop giving up so many free passes.
2025 Topps Series 2 TLDR:
Started the season in the pen but is now back in the rotation after pitching really well in relief. Concern remains that his fastball is still just average and that will continue to hold him back from an SP3 ceiling. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Raymond Burgos (P, 26)
Lefty reliever that was waived by the Giants this past August and has not yet found another org to hook onto. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

STL

Tier 3

Thomas Saggese (SS, 23)
2025 Topps Update Series:
Long term the evaluation remains the same - a boring Tier 3 accumulator that has an above average hit tool. He was not given enough opportunity in 2025 to make an impact and probably gets treated more like a Tier None player, at least in the short term.
2025 Topps Series 1 TLDR:
Offense first, free-swinging second baseman with good contact skills that needs to be hidden defensively.
2025 Topps Series 2 TLDR:
Nothing much has changed other than Saggese proving once again in a small sample size at the MLB level that he is a competent hitter, but the Cardinals can’t or won’t find a regular spot for him on their major league roster. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Tier None

Michael McGreevy (P, 25)
2025 Topps Update Series:
A back-end starter that gave the Cardinals valuable innings and lived up to the profile in 2025. About as vanilla as a reliable pitcher can be.
2025 Topps Series 1 TLDR:
Solid but unspectacular pitcher that limits hard contact and eats up innings. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Matt Svanson (P, 26)
A surprisingly effective rookie reliever with a plus sweeper. If everything goes right for Svanson, there's a chance he ends up in a high leverage role, potentially even the closer role. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

TBR

Tier 3

Chandler Simpson (OF, 24)
A blazing speedster on the basepaths, Simpson somehow grades out terribly in the outfield despite 80 grade speed and he struggles to make any sort of meaningful contact- his .295 batting average led to just a .671 OPS. He has an 80 grade tool and swiped 44 bags this year, but he's a bad defender without any real pop. High ceiling but not much reason to think he can approach it. - Will Jarvis
(Both)

Jake Mangum (OF, 29)
An older rookie who set the SEC hits record with Mississippi State way back when, the 29 year old Mangum was a pretty ideal fourth outfielder for the Rays, posting a .697 OPS with 27 steals. He was just about on a 2.5 bWar/600 PA pace for the Rays this year, and a capable bench piece. You prefer Simpson due to the 80 grade speed and higher ceiling, but Mangum is a suitable guy to spell him if the Rays deem Simpson worth developing in AAA for part of 2026. - Will Jarvis
(Both)

Tier None

Eric Orze (P, 28)
Right handed reliever and two-time cancer survivor, Orze had a really nice rookie year for the Rays, posting a 3.02 in 41.2 IP. Nothing super flashy behind the numbers, registering just under a strikeout per inning, but certainly a useful piece for the Rays pen nonetheless. Easy guy to root for, not much Hobby value. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Jamie Westbrook (2B, 30)
An undersized and older middle infield bat that lacks pop, Westbrook debuted in 2024 and got into 21 games where he went 6-40 with two homers. He didn't appear in a Major League game in 2025 and his sole MLB time came with the Red Sox in 2024, so I'm not even sure why he's featured in a Rays jersey having never appeared at the big league level for them. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Hunter Bigge (P, 27)
An older strike throwing righty out of the pen for the Rays- the best place to maximize talent in baseball perhaps. Bigge was good in limited action in 2025, with his season cut short after taking a foul ball to the face in the dugout (105 exit velo) while already on the IL for a lat strain. Terrible luck limited his opportunities, but pitched well when healthy. Should be a good piece for the Rays in 2026. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

TEX

Tier 3

Kumar Rocker (P, 25)
2025 Topps Update Series:
Another year to forget for Rocker, and he's having too many of those since he burst on the scene as a Freshman Phenom at Vanderbilt. Can he get to the future ace Ceiling that his supporters believe in, or is he a high leverage reliever that his detractors maintain? George Washington voice (again) "Nobody Knows".
2025 Topps Series 2 TLDR:
Hopium - Rocker will be a future ace. Copium - Rocker will be a high leverage reliever. Reality - probably somewhere in between. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Alejandro Osuna (OF, 23)
Osuna's debut did not produce the results you'd expect when you look under the covers at his hit metrics. Raw, young promising outfielder that if he takes the next step could turn into a plus hit and speed everyday regular. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Tier None

Marc Church (P, 24)
If he can limit the walks, and even more importantly, if he can stay healthy, two things that have been a challenge for Church, we might get to see a potential high leverage reliever or even future closer. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Daniel Robert (P, 31)
A middle reliever that was picked up off of waivers by the Phillies early in 2025. A forearm strain at the end of the season leaves his future very murky and leaves zero interest for the Hobby. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Blaine Crim (1B, 28)
Quad-A slugger, short side platoon 1B/DH in a hitter friendly park, or perhaps more? With the Rangers already cutting bait on Crim and him ending up on a second division roster with a crowd playing his positions, it's hard to believe there (Base Only)

Gerson Garabito (P, 30)
Back-end starting pitcher that persevered with a few years of being out of affiliate ball before getting his MLB debut in 2024, but by the middle of 2025 he was again out of the league and pitching in South Korea. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

TOR

Tier None

Mason Fluharty (P, 24)
Fluharty is a really solid lefty reliever for the Jays at just 24 years old, and his peripherals show that his 4.44 ERA out of the pen was more bad luck than anything. He got a handful of holds and could become the go-to lefty in the Jays pen for years to come. - Will Jarvis
(Both)

Braydon Fisher (P, 25)
Fisher is a good reliever in the Jays pen, but ultimately his lack of a high velocity fastball and swing and miss breaking pitch probably caps his ceiling pretty low as he is unlikely to turn into a high leverage guy with that arsenal. His 2.70 ERA shouldn't be ignored by any means, but for Hobby purposes it's tough to justify spending here. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Paxton Schultz (P, 27)
Schultz is a pretty standard middle reliever- he's 27 and posted an ERA of 4.38 in 24.2 IP. He only made one Major League appearance after June 28th, and seemingly has been passed over in the organizational pecking order. - Will Jarvis
(Base Only)

Alan Roden (OF, 25)
Roden was a breakout name after a great Spring Training but struggled to find his footing with the Jays before being dealt to the Twins where things slid further in the wrong direction. He's not particularly young so if he's going to break out, it needs to come ASAP. - Will Jarvis
(Both)

WSN

Tier 1

Dylan Crews (OF, 23)
2025 Topps Update Series:
Injuries and under-performance led to a season to mostly forget for the highly touted rookie. He was still able to get to double digit home runs and steals in 85 games, but the hope is that there are better days to come for Crews.
2025 Topps Series 1 TLDR:
5 tool player with the highest floor in the product and strong draft and prospect pedigree. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

James Wood (OF, 23)
2025 Topps Update Series:
A tale of two halves, and unfortunately we're left with the bad taste in our mouths as the second half of the season was the bad half. There's no question Wood has Tier 1 talent - if the hit tool can find that first half magic, it's game on. If not, it's Jorge Soler territory.
2025 Topps Series 1 TLDR:
Dynamic talent with the highest ceiling in the product that is a few tweaks away from being a superstar. - Joe Lowry
(Both)

Tier 2

Daylen Lile (OF, 22)
An amazing impressive debut for the 22 year old Lile that showed every aspect of his offensive game was mature enough for the MLB level. The biggest question is can he repeat it, and handle the league adjusting to his flaws, because if he can, he's easily a Tier 2 player like I have him ranked. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Tier None

Brad Lord (P, 25)
Back-end starter profile that doesn't have big strikeout stuff and survives through filling up the zone and getting ground balls. If the Nationals actually have a reliable infield defense at some point in the future, Lord might win more than 5 games in a season. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Cole Henry (P, 26)
Former well thought of prospect with a mid-rotation starter pack that was able to come out of the other side of thoracic outlet surgery and make it to the MLB. However, the profile now is a reliever with nothing that really stands out as particularly worth any Hobby interest. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Robert Hassell III (OF, 24)
It feels strange putting Hassell in Tier None given his various prospect pedigree and name value in the past, but he's not yet shown he can hit MLB pitching. Until that happens, the Nationals have better young outfielders that will start games ahead of him. - Unassigned
(Both)

Orlando Ribalta (P, 27)
Middle reliever that has made some changes to shore up some weaknesses and earn an MLB opportunity. But he's still prone to giving up walks, and he's not striking out enough hitters any more to allow that to happen and keep an MLB job. - Joe Lowry
(Base Only)

Credit to TJStats for many of the rate stats we quote throughout the article