Top MLB Prospects Who Will Appear in 2013

Wil+Myers+Tampa+Bay+RaysMajor League Baseball teams have put more focus on the draft over the last decade and it’s paying off. The minors are filled with the most talent its seen in the last two decades.

With the early success of Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper, Angels outfielder Mike Trout and White Sox pitcher Chris Sale, fans are expecting their teams to push their top prospects to the Majors as soon as possible.

You have already noticed a few teams caving in to the pressure and have their top prospects starting the season on the roster. Cardinals pitcher Shelby Miller and Twins outfielder Aaron Hicks will start the season, but you could argue that they are filling a glaring need.

Here is a list of MLB prospects you will see called-up in the 2013 season.

You could argue that maybe the Top-100 prospects aren’t any better as in years’ past. Because of the success of young talent, the hype around a team’s #1 prospect is out of control. We know more about young players because fantasy baseball’s popularity has increased and the MLB’s revamped draft coverage.

Because teams covet elite prospects, teams often keep them in the minors to obtain an extra year of team control. If you want to know more about the process, just google “Super Two Status” and you’ll find out all the information on why teams keep their talent in minors until at least late April.

If you’re playing fantasy baseball, this list is filled with guys you need to keep an eye on. One of these players could be this year’s Mike Trout (my money is on Tampa’s Wil Myers).

Here are the players in Baseball America’s Top 100 prospects you will see this season…at some point. We predict the earliest you could see them.

(*BA’s ranking)

  • #1 Juickson Profar (Texas Rangers) – mid-July
  • #2 Dylan Bundy (Baltimore Orioles) – late-June
  • #3 Oscar Taveras (St. Louis Cardinals) – early-May
  • #4 Wil Myers (Tampa Bay Rays) – late-April
  • #6 Shelby Miller (St. Louis Cardinals) – Opening Day
  • #7 Gerritt Cole (Pittsburgh Pirates) – mid-May
  • #11 Zack Wheeler (New York Mets) – mid-June
  • #12 Tyler Skaggs (Arizona Diamondbacks) – late-July
  • #14 Trevor Bauer (Cleveland Indians) – early-May
  • #15 Jameson Taillon (Pittsburgh Pirates) – early-August
  • #17 Mike Zunino (Seattle Mariners) – late-July
  • #20 Billy Hamilton (Cincinnati Reds) – early August
  • #22 Mike Olt (Texas Rangers) – mid-July
  • #23 Travis d’Arnaud (New York Mets) – mid-May
  • #29 Danny Hultzen (Seattle Mariners) – early-June
  • #36 Chris Archer (Tampa Bay Rays) – late-May
  • #39 Trevor Rosenthal (St. Louis Cardinals) – Opening Day
  • #42 Hyun-Jin Ryu (Los Angeles Dodgers) – Opening Day
  • #44 Julio Teheran (Atlanta Braves) – Opening Day
  • #68 Kyle Gibson (Minnesota Twins) – late-July
  • #69 Wily Peralta (Milwaukee Brewers) – Opening Day
  • #71 Jedd Gyorko (San Diego Padres) – Opening Day
  • #72 Aaron Hicks (Minnesota Twins) – Opening Day
  • #73 Adam Eaton (Arizona Diamondbacks) – late-April
  • #74 Avisail Garcia (Detroit Tigers) – early-April
  • #80 Didi Gregorius (Arizona Diamondbacks) – early-June
  • #81 Martin Perez (Texas Rangers) – early-July
  • #82 Tony Cingrani (Cincinnati Reds) – late-April
  • #84 Kolten Wong (St. Louis Cardinals) – mid-July
  • #87 James Paxton (Seattle Mariners) – late-July
  • #92 Jake Odorizzi (Tampa Bay Rays) – late-July
  • #93 J.R. Graham (Atlanta Braves) – late-June
  • #95 Bruce Rondon (Detroit Tigers) – early-May
  • #97 Leonys Martin (Texas Rangers) – Opening Day