Minor League Barometer: Risers & Fallers

The Giants have fallen on hard times having not made the playoffs since 2021, which looks unlikely to change this season. However, their farm system lists potential gems with possible star power at the lower levels that could eventually restore the organization to greatness. Josuar Gonzalez and Luis Hernandez have been torching the Rookie League, more specifically the Arizona Complex Level. Gonzalez is 18 and slashed an outrageous .421/.551/.658 in 13 games before injuring his hamstring while Hernandez has shown sustained success over 28 contests by hitting .317/.395/.615 with five home runs, 25 RBI and three steals. Meanwhile, 19-year-old Jhonny Level keeps jumping levels and producing a .325/.392/.576 line with 10 homers, 47 RBI and 11 stolen bases through 44 outings at Low-A that resulted in a quick bump to High-A where he's hit 16-for-48 (.333) during 11 subsequent appearances. And with Bryce Eldridge already in the Majors, the future doesn't look quite so bleak in the Bay Area.

Let's check out other newsworthy neophytes 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

Lazaro Montes, OF, SEA – Montes somehow seems to have gotten lost in the shuffle for the Mariners with the promotion of Colt Emerson and the dazzling debut of Kade Anderson. He remains amongst the top overall prospects and has been on fire of late batting .383 with a staggering eight home runs and an absurd 21 RBI the last two weeks at Double-A. The recent power surge has pushed him to 20 homers from only 61 games after dispatching 32 across 131 appearances last year. Montes has swing-and-miss in his profile, but his power is off-the-charts while not afraid to take a walk. It remains to be seen if he'll be able to hit for average at the higher levels, yet his immense power may make that moot. If Montes can produce in the .240-.250 range - as he has done the last two seasons - he'll be incredibly impactful once he reaches the big leagues, which could be as early as 2027.

Juneiker Caceres, OF, CLE – Caceres may only be 18, but the left-handed hitter has more than held his own at Low-A slashing .339/.427/.551 with six homers, 30 RBI and six steals through 32 contests. Perhaps most impressive and against much older competition, he's recorded more walks (18) than strikeouts (13). Caceres boasts superb eye-hand coordination and pitch recognition with an impressive hit tool. He does have the chance to fill out as he matures. The early returns on Caceres are promising, though he's obviously faw away from making an impact in Cleveland.

John Gil, SS, ATL – Gil is yet another Braves farmhand who's rocketing up the prospect charts. The 20-year-old has shown impressive speed along with emerging power at High-A having already set a career-high with 10 home runs while swiping 30 bags.  Gil is patient at the dish, strikes out less than once per game and is currently hitting .264. That combination is intriguing, yet his overall work in the batter's box have been far better than expected where his relative youth only enhances his future profile. Tate Southisene and Alex Lodise initially received more pub as Atlanta's up-and-comers up-the-middle, but Gil definitely deserves a shoutout.

Hector Rodriguez, OF, CIN – Rodriguez has been surging of late going .370 with four homers and 14 RBI the last week at Triple-A. That's pushed the 22-year-old's slash line up to .287/.360/.526 with 15 home runs, 45 RBI and four steals. Rodriguez has never hit below .274 in any year while making consistent contact despite an aggressive approach and on pace to shatter his previous career-high for walks. There's a lot to like about hit, including the fact the current Reds' outfield is mediocre.

CHECK STATUS

Josiah Hartshorn, OF, CHC – A sixth-round selection out of high school at the 2025 Draft, Hartshorn has looked polished beyond his years in his first pro campaign. The switch-hitting teenager started the season at Low-A where he managed more walks (34) than strikeouts (27) in 39 contests. Hartshorn's patience at the dish alongside intriguing power and speed led to a promotion to High-A, where he's been tormenting opposing pitchers going .422 with eight home runs and 28 RBI from the last 18 games. He offers above-average pop, plate discipline and the ability to hit for average, at least so far. Hartshorn is already making a name for himself, even though regression will eventually kick in.

Cooper Pratt, SS, MIL – With the Brewers in first and Pratt putting up mediocre numbers at Triple-A, it's fair to wonder the thought process when they brought him up. He's a stellar fielder and Joey Ortiz is currently hitting .207 while operating at the same position in Milwaukee. The club also gave Pratt a lucrative extension before he ever made it to the bigs, so that may play into the promotion. He's been batting below the Mendoza line the last week and has only gone deep once since May 21. It's unlikely the Brewers called Pratt up to sit on the bench, but his offensive production may be minimal during the short-term as he adjusts to the pitching while providing a few steals.

Jamie Arnold, P, ATH – While Kade Anderson has looked dominant at Double-A, fellow first-round collegiate hurler Arnold has been inconsistent at best. He tossed seven scoreless innings on Jun. 2, yet allowed four runs during his most recent start and seven in his last May outing. Walks have been part of Arnold's problem with 29 from 58 innings. He's also been very hittable with the opposition batting .300 against. Perhaps the Double-A assignment was a bit aggressive for the 22-year-old southpaw as second overall selection Tyler Bremner has been excellent at High-A in the Angels system. Arnold is unlikely to get demoted, but it's looking unlikely he'll get to the big leagues in 2026.

Bryan Rincon, SS, PHI – The slick-fielding Rincon hadn't shown much in the way of hitting capabilities until this year. Now 22 and healthy, he's produced a .260/.383/.486 line with nine homers (career-high), 25 RBI and 18 steals through 60 contests at Double-A. Though Rincon did swipe 40 last season, he only went .181. If the batting breakthrough is for real, Rincon he could be playing his way into Philly's future plans.

DOWNGRADE

Hagen Smith, P, CHW – Smith was ultimately passed over for a start with the big club last week, then responded to the disappointment by getting shelled at Triple-A as he gave up four homers in 4.1 innings. Prior to that he had strung together four-straight outings where he conceded two earned runs or fewer. Smith offers massive strikeout stuff, but the southpaw continues to be wild while allowing far too many walks. His ERA has actually gone up during every minor-league campaign and currently sits at 4.67. Smith may still get his shot in Chicago later this season, though success is far from a sure thing.