Welcome back to the Minor League Barometer! This column will operate like before by analyzing a few phenoms each week who are either helping or hurting their causes. It will be skewed more toward players closer to the big leagues, though that doesn't mean we'll avoid highlighting those at the lower levels. This is not a ranking of prospects. Likewise, each week's entry isn't supposed to be exhaustive. Fantasy impact will also be weighed more heavily over real-life value. And lastly, I usually try to avoid highlighting the same player multiple times during the season.
With the disclaimers out of the way, let's first focus on those who've either made the Opening Day rosters for their respective squads or appear certain to eventually make their way to the Majors later on. Most of the names below will be on the more obvious side while later editions will shift towards lesser-known entries.
See where future major league baseball starts slot into RotoWire's MLB Top Prospects & Rankings for 2026!
UPGRADE
Kevin McGonigle, SS, DET – McGonigle has been raking right out of the gate while showing little apprehension during his MLB premiere going 5-for-12 (.417) with four RBI through the first three games. The Tigers thought so highly of him that he skipped Triple-A. It's been quite a meteoric rise for McGonigle, who was playing at A-ball to begin 2025. As long as he can stay healthy, he offers the chance to be a .300 hitter in the bigs as his bat and handle of the
Welcome back to the Minor League Barometer! This column will operate like before by analyzing a few phenoms each week who are either helping or hurting their causes. It will be skewed more toward players closer to the big leagues, though that doesn't mean we'll avoid highlighting those at the lower levels. This is not a ranking of prospects. Likewise, each week's entry isn't supposed to be exhaustive. Fantasy impact will also be weighed more heavily over real-life value. And lastly, I usually try to avoid highlighting the same player multiple times during the season.
With the disclaimers out of the way, let's first focus on those who've either made the Opening Day rosters for their respective squads or appear certain to eventually make their way to the Majors later on. Most of the names below will be on the more obvious side while later editions will shift towards lesser-known entries.
See where future major league baseball starts slot into RotoWire's MLB Top Prospects & Rankings for 2026!
UPGRADE
Kevin McGonigle, SS, DET – McGonigle has been raking right out of the gate while showing little apprehension during his MLB premiere going 5-for-12 (.417) with four RBI through the first three games. The Tigers thought so highly of him that he skipped Triple-A. It's been quite a meteoric rise for McGonigle, who was playing at A-ball to begin 2025. As long as he can stay healthy, he offers the chance to be a .300 hitter in the bigs as his bat and handle of the strike zone is just that special.
JJ Wetherholt, SS, STL – Wetherholt only needed a little more than a year in the minors to join the parent club. The No. 7 pick from 2024 batted over .300 between Double-A and Triple-A last season while cracking 17 home runs and swiping 23 bags through 109 contests. The Cards' Opening Day starting shortstop has gone 4-for-13 (.308) with a homer, four RBI and isn't likely to relinquish the job anytime soon.
Sal Stewart, 1B, CIN – Perhaps no phenom has been better than Stewart to start 2026 as he's hit 7-for-10 with a homer through three outings while yet to strike out and drawing three walks. His bat can play anywhere - while he is technically the Reds' first baseman, he's appeared at just about every infield position in the infield and could also be the DH. If Stewart's newfound power stroke is for real (five home runs across 18 September ML appearances), he could be up for a monstrous campaign.
Chase DeLauter, OF, CLE – Or perhaps the first weekend of the season belonged to DeLauter, who cracked two home runs with his family in attendance during his regular season debut on Opening Day. He followed that up over the next two with another two long balls. DeLauter's talent has never been knocked, but his brief minor league career was ravaged by injuries as he didn't log more than 66 games in each of his first three professional campaigns. The incredible start will obviously turn some heads. And if the health woes are behind DeLauter, the Guardians may have found themselves another stud.
CHECK STATUS
Konnor Griffin, OF, PIT – Rumors swirled during the spring that Griffin was a shoe-in to make Pittsburgh's Opening Day roster. That didn't materialize, though his stay at Triple-A will probably be brief. Baseball's top prospect is considered a five-tool phenom and Oneil Cruz has already struggled in his transition to centerfield. With the Pirates hoping to show Paul Skenes the organization can be a destination and not a pit stop, Griffin should get called up by May.
Carter Jensen, C, KC – Jensen and Salvador Perez are expected to split time at catcher, allowing the former to DH when not behind the plate. Jensen represents a potent power prospect whose only big-league hit in the form of homer from 10 plate appearances. With Perez still productive, Jensen could frequently be on the bench early on - especially if the Royals choose to play more veteran options at DH. He should still earn plenty of playing time and more than maintain catcher eligibility, yet the path to true everyday at-bats may still be a "2027-and-beyond" proposition.
Colt Emerson, SS/2B, SEA – Emerson is an elite prospect who also could have begun the year in the bigs, though the M's ultimately opted for Cole Young at second base. He more than held his own and will undoubtedly see the Majors during 2026. With the versatile Brendan Donovan able to play almost anywhere and J.P. Crawford already injured, there's certainly a path for Emerson early on if he can go on a tear. And he's already 5-for-14 (.357) with one homer through three Triple-A contests.
Bryce Eldridge, 1B, SF – Eldridge was left off the Giants' Opening Day roster while they struggled to score in their first series against the Yankees, so he may not be in the minors for long as his Triple-A OBP is .533 - albeit in an extremely small sample size. He smacked 25 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A last year and will be a welcome addition to the San Fran lineup whenever they decide to call him back up.
DOWNGRADE
Payton Tolle, P, BOS – Though Tolle pitched well in spring training, the Red Sox gave Connelly Early the No. 5 starter slot and Johan Oviedo the piggyback/long relief placement. That left him to regroup at Triple-A. Tolle's first start was lackluster as he allowed six runs (four earned) on five hits through four innings. He did strike out six, but also walked two. Early is also a top prospect and the remainder of Boston's starters are solid and set, so Tolle will likely need an injury or maybe even a trade to obtain MLB starts during the first half.
Henry Bolte, OF, OAK – Bolte also had a chance at the big-league roster out of camp, yet the A's opted to give him more reps in the minors. He's a toolsy outfielder who needs to make a bit more contact as he fanned 140 times across 114 appearances between Double-A and Triple-A last season and has already been punched out six times through three to begin the Triple-A campaign. The Athletics will also be in no rush with Bolte due to his age and the young talent in front of him covering their outfield. He should see the Majors at some point during 2026, but his impact is far from a guarantee.
