Pipeline Inbox: Is Roman Anthony really top prospect in MLB?

\n\n","providerName":"Twitter","providerUrl":"https://twitter.com","thumbnail_url":null,"type":"oembed","width":550,"contentType":"rich"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"Baldwin isn't on our current Top 100 but he'll be on the new list. The Braves' catcher does fly under the radar more than he should, and I actually had a GM with another club ask me this offseason why we didn't rank him higher. He did check in at No. 7 on our new Top 10 Catchers list.\n\nBaldwin may get less hype than he deserves because he doesn't have a big Draft pedigree (third round out of Missouri State in 2022) and he doesn't have a true plus tool. He projects as an average hitter with 20-25 homer potential, and he gets the job done defensively without standing out with his receiving and throwing. He slashed .276/.370/.423 with 16 homers in 124 games between Double-A and Triple-A last season and profiles as a regular on a contending club.","type":"text"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"* Subscribe to the MLB Pipeline Newsletter","type":"text"},{"__typename":"Video","contentDate":"2025-01-09T20:10:01.405Z","preferredPlaybackScenarioURL({\"preferredPlaybacks\":\"mp4AvcPlayback\"})":"https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2025/2025-01/09/9dc80ac8-d4cf367c-9d848078-csvm-diamondgcp-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4","type":"video","description":"Drake Baldwin, a catcher in the Braves organization, is a 2025 MLB.com Top Prospect","displayAsVideoGif":false,"duration":"00:00:49","slug":"top-prospects-drake-baldwin-c-braves","tags":[{"__typename":"TeamTag","slug":"teamid-144","title":"Atlanta Braves","team":{"__ref":"Team:144"},"type":"team"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"vod","title":"vod","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"mlb-top-prospects","title":"MLB Top Prospects","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"alexa","title":"alexa","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"roku-vod","title":"Roku VOD","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"PersonTag","slug":"playerid-686948","title":"Drake Baldwin","person":{"__ref":"Person:686948"},"type":"player"}],"thumbnail":{"__typename":"Thumbnail","templateUrl":"https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/{formatInstructions}/mlb/syy6naoewg5ecnf75xei"},"title":"Top Prospects: Drake Baldwin, C, Braves","relativeSiteUrl":"/video/top-prospects-drake-baldwin-c-braves"},{"__typename":"OEmbed","html":"

Does Elian Pena crack the Top 100? Where does he fall on Mets top 30? What's his MLB ETA? Basically need some Pena info lol
— k-baum (@metsmavs910) January 16, 2025

\n\n\n","providerName":"Twitter","providerUrl":"https://twitter.com","thumbnail_url":null,"type":"oembed","width":550,"contentType":"rich"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"After the 2025 international signing period opened on Wednesday, the Pipeline Inbox was full of Pe?a questions by Thursday. He signed out of the Dominican Republic with the Mets for $5 million, the largest bonus given out so far (though Sasaki is expected to surpass it). He might be the best pure hitter in this class, offers 20-homer potential and is a no-doubt shortstop.\n\nPe?a won't make the Top 100 right away. The only international amateurs whom we've placed on the Top 100 before they made their pro debut were Braves shortstop Kevin Maitan (ouch) and Yankees outfielder Jasson Dom��nguez, and we'll wait and see how Pe?a performs.\n\nSam Dykstra, who writes our Mets Top 30, expects Pe?a to fall in the 6-10 range when those updated rankings come out in early March. A 2030 ETA seems realistic, considering he'll be 22 that season, but the very best international prospects often blow up their initial timetable.","type":"text"}],"relativeSiteUrl":"/news/pipeline-inbox-is-roman-anthony-really-top-prospect-in-mlb","contentType":"news","subHeadline":null,"summary":"Many of you have asked, and I will answer: We'll unveil MLB Pipeline's 2025 Top 100 Prospects list on Friday, Jan. 24, with a one-hour show broadcast on MLB Network and MLB.com at 7 p.m. ET. Between now and then, we'll release one positional Top 10 Prospects list per weekday.","tagline({\"formatString\":\"none\"})":null,"tags":[{"__typename":"InternalTag","slug":"storytype-article","title":"Article","type":"article"},{"__typename":"ContributorTag","slug":"jim-callis","title":"Jim Callis","type":"contributor"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"apple-news","title":"Apple News","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"mlb-top-prospects","title":"MLB Top Prospects","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"minor-league-baseball","title":"Minor League Baseball","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"PersonTag","slug":"playerid-701350","title":"Roman Anthony","person":{"__ref":"Person:701350"},"type":"player"},{"__typename":"PersonTag","slug":"playerid-804606","title":"Konnor Griffin","person":{"__ref":"Person:804606"},"type":"player"},{"__typename":"PersonTag","slug":"playerid-686948","title":"Drake 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Many of you have asked, and I will answer: We'll unveil MLB Pipeline's 2025 Top 100 Prospects list on Friday, Jan. 24, with a one-hour show broadcast on MLB Network and MLB.com at 7 p.m. ET. Between now and then, we'll release one positional Top 10 Prospects list per weekday.

Now on to your other queries ...

More from MLB Pipeline:
? Top 100 prospects | Stats | Video | Podcast | Complete coverage

After the results of the poll you conducted, have your opinions changed about the top prospect in baseball? -- from @blahbla92342524.bsky.social?

As part of his annual and always cool MLB Pipeline Executive Poll, Jonathan Mayo surveyed club officials from all 30 organizations about a variety of subjects. On the topic of the best prospect in baseball, Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony won in a landslide with 45 percent of the vote, followed by Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews (20 percent) and Twins outfielder Walker Jenkins (6 percent). Roki Sasaki wasn't considered because he hadn't signed with an MLB organization by that point.

Our current Top 100, which was created last August and mildly updated in October, starts with Crews, Jenkins and Anthony in that order. I'll reveal that when I assembled my personal Top 100 as part of the process for our 2025 list, I put Anthony at No. 1, though that wasn't a reflection of the Executive Poll. His combination of offensive attributes and performance made the difference for me.

Anthony makes advanced swing decisions and hammers the ball hard, and he's starting to drive the ball in the air to his pull side more and more. He topped the Double-A Eastern League in slugging (.489) and OPS (.856) as a 20-year-old last season, then raked at a .344/.463/.519 clip with 16 extra-base hits in 35 games following his promotion to Triple-A.

Will Anthony rank No. 1 on the new Top 100? You'll have to wait until next Friday to find out.

How far can Konnor Griffin jump himself up by the midseason update? Think he just needs some eyes on him as a pro? -- from @yark15120.bsky.social?

It all comes down to how much Griffin hits. He had the highest ceiling in the 2024 Draft as a potential 30-30 guy who could provide plus defense at shortstop or win Gold Gloves in center field. But he also was a polarizing prospect because some teams had serious concerns about the characteristics of his right-handed swing and whether it would translate well to pro ball.

Signed for $6,532,025 by the Pirates as the No. 9 overall selection, Griffin could climb toward the very top of the Top 100 if he gets off to a hot start when he makes his pro debut this spring. He has well above-average raw power and speed and offers quality defense at premium positions, so he'll be a superstar if the bat plays.

Baldwin isn't on our current Top 100 but he'll be on the new list. The Braves' catcher does fly under the radar more than he should, and I actually had a GM with another club ask me this offseason why we didn't rank him higher. He did check in at No. 7 on our new Top 10 Catchers list.

Baldwin may get less hype than he deserves because he doesn't have a big Draft pedigree (third round out of Missouri State in 2022) and he doesn't have a true plus tool. He projects as an average hitter with 20-25 homer potential, and he gets the job done defensively without standing out with his receiving and throwing. He slashed .276/.370/.423 with 16 homers in 124 games between Double-A and Triple-A last season and profiles as a regular on a contending club.

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After the 2025 international signing period opened on Wednesday, the Pipeline Inbox was full of Pe?a questions by Thursday. He signed out of the Dominican Republic with the Mets for $5 million, the largest bonus given out so far (though Sasaki is expected to surpass it). He might be the best pure hitter in this class, offers 20-homer potential and is a no-doubt shortstop.

Pe?a won't make the Top 100 right away. The only international amateurs whom we've placed on the Top 100 before they made their pro debut were Braves shortstop Kevin Maitan (ouch) and Yankees outfielder Jasson Dom��nguez, and we'll wait and see how Pe?a performs.

Sam Dykstra, who writes our Mets Top 30, expects Pe?a to fall in the 6-10 range when those updated rankings come out in early March. A 2030 ETA seems realistic, considering he'll be 22 that season, but the very best international prospects often blow up their initial timetable.

Inbox: Is Anthony really the top prospect in baseball?