Minor League Barometer: Risers & Fallers

Even with a packed starting rotation, the Mariners will need to make a decision regarding Kade Anderson. It's an enviable position to be in as the club has climbed back into first in the hotly-contested AL West while carrying six solid starters. Anderson boasts video game numbers at Double-A and looks like he has little left to prove for an organization that usually skips its better pitching prospects over Triple-A. He's posted a 1.29 ERA and 76:7 K:BB in 49 innings. Yes, you read that correctly. Anderson has essentially only endured one poor outing all season and currently holds a streak of 15 straight scoreless innings. Could Seattle choose to keep him in the minors until the stretch run, or at least until someone gets hurt? Of course. But with a run to the ALCS last year and the organization still looking for its first ever World Series appearance, keeping Anderson away from MLB for the whole campaign could be viewed as malpractice. What will the Mariners do with their prized phenom? Stay tuned to find out.

Let's take a look at some lesser-known neophytes in the news in this edition of the Minor League Barometer.

See where future major league baseball starts slot into RotoWire's MLB Top Prospects & Rankings for 2026!

UPGRADE

Briggs McKenzie, P, ATL – McKenzie was selected last year in the fourth round as an 18-year-old. The southpaw turned 19 over the winter, then had his first taste of pro action during May in the Rookie League where he made three starts and only gave up a combined one run while opposing batters hit .154 against. That resulted in a promotion to Low-A, where McKenzie sparkled over the weekend tossing five shutout innings and only conceded one hit and one walk while fanning eight. The Braves' decision makers were so impressed that he was immediately moved up to High-A. McKenzie uses a stellar curveball and an emerging fastball, which should only gain velocity as he fills out and matures. His changeup has been better than advertised while throwing strikes and keeping the ball down. The Atlanta organization has never been shy with drafting arms directly out of high school, and they may have found another gem with McKenzie.

Xavier Neyens, SS/3B, HOU – Already a physical presence at only 19, Neyens offers exceptional raw power that hasn't yet translated into homers. He's only hitting .240 through 44 games at Low-A, though he's gone deep eight time to go with 10 steals, a .400 OBP, and 39 walks. There's still some swing-and-miss, but that will be less of a concern when he racks up the home runs. It's early in Neyens' journey, though he could eventually become a powerful, middle-of-the-lineup bat while covering the hot corner.

Braylon Payne, OF, MIL – Fellow organizational prospects like Jett Williams and Luis Lara have been getting most of the publicity amongst Brewers outfield phenoms due to their proximity to the Majors. Payne is currently at High-A and still only a teenager, yet has been making the most of his opportunity slashing .258/.376/.568 with 11 homers, 22 RBI and 11 stolen bases.  Despite playing against much older competition, he's shown patience at the dish and an intriguing power/speed combination. There are questions as to whether Payne can hit for average at the higher levels, but his added pop has been notable and he may only be scratching the surface of his potential. There's a lot to like about this lefty, especially given his youth.

Jonny Farmelo, OF, SEA – Farmelo has battled a few injuries since being drafted during the 2023 first round, including a torn ACL the next year. He's logged 53 contests this season, which already marks a career-high. Farmelo is currently at High-A and has been on a tear the last week by batting .409 with three home runs, five RBI and a steal. The toolsy outfielder is also slashing .257/.389/.451 with seven homers and 15 stolen bases. Farmelo boasts stellar speed, above-average power and the ability to take a walk. As long as he can stay healthy, he should rise up the prospect ranks.

CHECK STATUS

Luis De La Torre, P, SF – De La Torre shined at Low-A to finish last year, but endured a rough start to the current campaign. He's improved since a 7.50 ERA in April with a 2.63 ERA the following month, then followed that up this weekend with perhaps the best start of his brief career as he allowed one unearned run on one hit across six innings while walking only one and striking out 12. De La Torre has always carried strikeout stuff, though has sometimes battled control issues. The southpaw boasts an electric fastball and a stellar slider. De La Torre will need to prove he can continue to pound the strike zone while also missing bats with the development of a third pitch also vital as he ascends through the organization.

Edward Florentino, OF, PIT – After a breakout 2025, Florentino began this season on the Injured List due to an ankle ailment. He played nine games at Low-A that were essentially rehab outings, then was quickly bumped up to High-A where he's since struggled producing a .198/.320/.349 line with five home runs, 18 RBI and two steals over 28 matchups. The added power is a nice wrinkle, though Florentino's swipes are expected to decrease as he fills out. He's also been particularly cold the last two weeks hitting .146 with one homer and 16 Ks. The future remains bright for Florentino at only 19, but this is certainly not the start he envisioned.

Riley Quick, P, MIN – The 36th overall selection from 2025 out of the University of Alabama, Quick has found little resistance so far in the minors. He posted three scoreless starts at Low-A that led to a promotion at High-A, where he's been almost as good having recorded a 30:9 K:BB from only 20.1 innings while batters have only gone .188 against the 6-foor-6, 255 righty. Quick boasts a filthy repertoire with four pitches, though usually leans on a superior fastball. He only logged 87 college innings due to Tommy John surgery, so the Twins could keep him on a short leash until he's fully stretched out. Either way, Quick has the size and stuff to eventually become a frontline rotation anchor.

Johnny King, P, TOR – King has been mowing down the competition at High-A with a 2.11 ERA and 55:23 K:BB over 38.1 innings with the opposition hitting .184 against. The 19-year-old southpaw does occasionally lose his release point and suffers from wildness, as witnessed by the elevated walk total. King still uses a superb fastball/curveball combination with an emerging changeup that'll hopefully take him to even greater heights. There's an argument he's the Jays' top hurler in the system and perhaps even one of the top 10 left-handed pitching prospects overall.

DOWNGRADE

Braylon Doughty, P, CLE – The downgrade on Doughty is not necessarily for his results, but more on what they may say about his future potential. He's a strike-thrower with at least three pitches who's registered a 3.59 ERA and 55:10 K:BB in 42.2 innings at High-A as a 20-year-old. But as Doughty lives around the zone, he's been rather hittable as evidenced by a .282 BAA. He can hit 97 MPH on the radar gun, yet is usually in the lower 90s with his heaters. That's not to say one won't be successful without a 100 MPH offering, but merely that the margin for error is thinner. Doughty's off-speed pitches are stellar while locating a rising four-seamer or a sinking heater at will. He's more a high-floor, low-ceiling player than anything else, which isn't exactly what Cleveland hoped for when they took him with the No. 36 pick in 2024.

Chase Hampton, P, NYY – There was a time where Hampton was even more highly touted than Cam Schlittler in the Yankees organization, though he underwent Tommy John surgery last year and is still recovering from it. He's returned to the mound, but perhaps predictably has struggled during limited action allowing 12 earned runs through 19.1 innings between Low-A and High-A. Hampton never pitched above Double-A prior to the injury and will turn 25 in August. With Schlittler the current big-league ace and a bevy of arms ahead of him, his path to the Bronx Bombers is looking bleaker by the day.