Ranking the top 20 prospects in the NL East ahead of the 2026 MLB season

The start of a new year can mean only one thing around these parts: it’s time to analyze and rank an unhealthy amount of minor-league prospects. Such is the tradition here at CBS Sports, but while we’re upholding that tradition, be aware that we’re making some changes to our approach by ranking the top 20 prospects per division, however that breaks down by team. Our belief is that those tweaks will make the coverage better by making it easier for fans to compare how their future players stack up against their top rivals. 

These rankings are formed through firsthand observational and statistical analysis; conversations with scouts, analysts, and player development specialists; and an understanding of historical trends. Add in some biases toward and against certain player types and, on occasion, a tiebreaking coin flip, and you have a general idea about how we put these lists together.

Below, you’ll find the National League East list. It’s fair to write that the Mets have the best farm system of this group. Both the Mets and the Phillies employ three of the top 10 prospects apiece, but the Mets separate themselves by employing two additional ranked prospects (versus just one for the Phillies). As an added bonus, the Mets could graduate all of their ranked players: right-handers Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong; outfielders Carson Benge and Jett Williams; and infielder Jacob Reimer. New York, then, should have plenty of depth to call upon.

Conversely, the Braves have the weakest farm system of the division when you take prospect quality into account. Of Atlanta’s three ranked players, the highest checks in at No. 11. To be fair, the Braves could graduate two of the three this season: right-handers JR Ritchie and Didier Fuentes. If nothing else, at least they can benefit from immediate help.

Now, let’s get down to business. 

• The quick hook: End-of-season breakout star remains eligible
• MLB ETA: Already debuted

McLean was the breakout star of the regular season’s final six weeks. He debuted in mid-August then notched a 2.06 ERA (196 ERA+) and a 3.56 strikeout-to-walk ratio in eight starts. It’s hard to do much better than that. It’s also hard to do much better from a modern arsenal perspective than what McLean has going on. He throws six pitches — a pair of mid-90s fastballs, two high-spin breaking balls with massive horizontal break, and a cutter that serves as a bridge offering — giving him plenty of options to break out against hitters of either hand. He works the angles too, with a delivery that sees him launch the ball from a low angle and release height. Piece it all together and it’s easy to understand why McLean looks like a star already on the rise.

• The quick hook: Left-side infielder on the cusp
• MLB ETA: Summer 2026

The knocks against Miller as an amateur pertained to his age (he was 19) and his long-term defensive home (scouts thought he’d move to third base). The Phillies took him in the late stages of the first round all the same. Three years later, his birthdate and position remain unchanged. Miller is still a shortstop, even if he’s not likely to win any individual honors for his fielding. The same may not be true of his hitting. Between his strong hands, his discerning eye, and his feel for contact, he should be able to bat in the middle of good lineups. The Phillies already have one quality shortstop in place, but Miller ought to make his big-league debut this season at some left-side position or another.

• The quick hook: Physical left-hander reimagined 
• MLB ETA: Late summer 2026

White overhauled his arsenal from year to year, making clear alterations to his changeup (it now features more velocity and far more sink) and adding in a cutter/slider to serve as a bridge offering between his rising mid-90s fastball and his sweeping slider. His new-look repertoire empowered him to post a 2.31 ERA and a 2.84 strikeout-to-walk ratio across three levels, including a two-start stint in Triple-A. White still needs to reduce his walk rate (he averaged more than five free passes per nine), but the stuff is good and he’s one decent stretch of strike-throwing away from joining Miami’s rotation.

• The quick hook: The waiting is the hardest part
• MLB ETA: Spring 2026

Painter has been in line to debut since 2023, when he injured his elbow and subsequently required two full seasons to recover. He seemed certain to get over the line last year, only to stumble his way to a 5.40 ERA and a 2.41 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 22 Triple-A starts. Painter remains a compelling pitching prospect thanks to his (unusually steep) release point, arm strength, and arsenal depth. His fastball clocked in at 96 mph in Triple-A and he complemented it with a curveball, a changeup, a sweeper, and a slider that he shows exceptional feel for locating within the zone. It’s fair to have reservations after a challenging season, but there’s still plenty of reason to believe in him becoming a quality starter.

• The quick hook: Well-rounded shortstop with youth, bloodlines
• MLB ETA: Summer 2029

The No. 1 pick in last year’s draft, Willits possesses four above-average tools — or, everything except power. He’s a switch-hitter with a good feel for contact and the zone alike, and his combination of quickness and headiness should play up on the basepaths and at shortstop. He hit .300/.397/.360 in a 15-game sample against Carolina League competition that was on average three years his senior. Willits, whose father was a big-league outfielder, is accustomed to being the youngest player on the field seeing as how he only turned 18 in December. Such polish at this age bodes well for his long-term prospects.

• The quick hook: Funky righty with sterling track record
• MLB ETA: Already debuted

Tong is an undersized right-hander who effectively jumped from Double-A to the majors late last season. He didn’t fare so well in a five-start sample, surrendering 20 runs in 18 innings as the Mets collapsed. Tong should be back and better in 2026 thanks to his unusual mechanics and two quality pitches. He manipulates his body to achieve a steep arm slot and release point, and in turn he throws a mid-90s fastball with plenty of ride and more cut than expected. Tong’s go-to secondary offering these days is a changeup but he also throws a slider and a curve that features 16 inches of drop. He’s so unlike most pitchers that it’s only fair to have some reservations about the profile. Even so, it seems clear that Tong is going to be a big-league contributor.

• The quick hook: Speedy outfielder with throwback bat
• MLB ETA: Spring 2026

Crawford spent the entire season in Triple-A, hitting .334/.411/.452 with seven home runs and 46 stolen bases. He possesses raw power, but his game is built around hitting the ball the other way, often on the ground — to the extent that his average launch angle was 0.6 degrees. Only three MLB players (min. 100 PA) finished below 1 degree: Chandler Simpson, Jake Mangum, and Brandon Lockridge — none of whom were above-average hitters and two of whom finished below a 90 OPS+. To Crawford’s credit, he does leverage his speed by dropping down bunts and causing chaos on the basepaths. There will be many occasions where he creates a run using his legs. You can argue about whether or not that’s the optimal version of him. It may not matter. Crawford should break camp with the Phillies.

• The quick hook: Garden variety right-hander
• MLB ETA: Spring 2026

Benge, a two-way player at Oklahoma State, has made a quick ascent since being drafted 19th overall in 2024. He split last season across three levels, batting .281/.385/.472 with 15 home runs and 22 stolen bases. Benge has shown real promise at the plate, particularly against right-handed pitching, by showing a good feel for contact and the strike zone. He has above-average juice as well, though a lot of his most authoritative contact is low flying in nature. The Mets have openly discussed letting Benge compete for the starting center field job next spring. If he wins it, he probably won’t give it back.

• The quick hook: Second-division catcher in a new home
• MLB ETA: Already debuted

The Nationals landed Ford from the Mariners early in the offseason in exchange for reliever Jose A. Ferrer. That should prove to be a nifty piece of business. He spent most of last year in Triple-A, hitting. 283/.408/.460 with 16 home runs and seven stolen bases. Ford isn’t going to be as productive in the majors, but the shape of that statline is true to his game: he employs a very patient approach at the plate while possessing enough raw juice to keep pitchers honest. Defensively, he’s improved to the point where there’s no longer any question about him catching for the long haul. Ford figures to serve as the Nationals’ most-days backstop beginning this spring.

• The quick hook: Left-side infielder with powerful righty stroke
• MLB ETA: Summer 2027

Arquette was the first collegiate hitter off the board last summer, going to Miami at No. 7 in what was considered to be a weak class for the group. There’s no denying his impressive raw strength, but scouts have had reservations about other aspects of his game — like his swing and miss tendencies and his future defensive home. Arquette passes the eye test at shortstop, yet his 6-foot-5 listing is unusually tall for the position. If he can stick there, he’ll buy more margin for error for his hit tool.

• The quick hook: Big league-ready lefty
• MLB ETA: Spring 2026

Snelling, part of the return that landed the Padres Tanner Scott at the 2024 trade deadline, could’ve debuted last season without any fuss. Instead, he finished the year with an 11-start stretch in Triple-A that saw him compile a 1.27 ERA and a 4.76 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Snelling boasts a four-pitch arsenal led by a mid-90s fastball that found the zone 60% of the time in Triple-A despite featuring more rise than you would expect from his sub-6 foot release height. He also throws a changeup, a gyro slider, and a curveball that generated 41% whiffs in Triple-A. The total package here should allow him a lengthy career as a mid-rotation starter.

• The quick hook: Athletic lefty with deception 
• MLB ETA: Summer 2028

The Braves popped Caminiti with their first pick in 2024 on the strength of his athleticism and budding arsenal. His deception might end up being an X-factor. Caminiti creates tough angles, especially on left-handed batters, thanks to a flat plane and a crossfire delivery that sees him loosen the ball from well off the first-base side of the rubber. He’s not just throwing junk out there either. Caminiti has a low-to-mid-90s fastball and a promising sweeper. Scouts have long predicted that Caminiti will add a gyro slider to his mix at some point. Time is working in his favor: he only turned 19 in August, giving him plenty of daylight between now and his eventual arrival. 

• The quick hook: Former first-round pick with broad arsenal
• MLB ETA: Spring 2026

Ritchie was limited to 20 starts over his first three professional seasons on account of Tommy John surgery. He more than doubled his career total last year, spinning a 2.64 ERA and a 2.59 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 26 starts spread across three levels. Ritchie has a broad arsenal that gives him plenty of ways to attack the opposition: two low-90s fastballs, two breaking balls, a cutter, and what looks like a kick-changeup. Provided Ritchie’s control continues to bounce back the further he gets from his surgery, he ought to settle into the middle of Atlanta’s rotation. 

• The quick hook: Undersized speedster with pop
• MLB ETA: Summer 2026

Williams will test your preconceived notions. He’s a 5-foot-7 speedster who has experience at all three up-the-middle positions. Yet his offensive game isn’t built on a strong foundation of bat-to-ball skills. Rather, he’s all about the slug. Williams lifts and pulls the ball at high frequencies, allowing him to get the most from pedestrian strength markers. The downside here is that Williams swings and misses a lot (he had a 73.5% contact rate in Triple-A), meaning he’s likely to strike out around a quarter of the time in the majors. He should provide enough of everything else — power, walks, defense, and baserunning — to enjoy a big-league career. It just won’t be the one you’d expect at first blush.

• The quick hook: Boom-or-bust outfielder
• MLB ETA: Already debuted

Caissie has been a fixture on prospecting radars since he was drafted in 2020. He’s since been moved in deals involving Yu Darvish and Edward Cabrera, all without getting an extended look at the big-league level. That ought to change soon. He has a real chance of becoming a valued contributor, too, thanks to his innate strength (he recorded an exit velocity over 114 mph in the big leagues) and plate discipline — that despite an unusually upright swing. Caissie does swing and miss a lot, however, running a nearly 40% whiff rate on non-fastballs. He’s not a great defender or runner, so it’s on his bat to make him playable. The Marlins have every reason to find out if he can it work.

• The quick hook: Impressive right-hander with durability concerns
• MLB ETA: Late summer 2026

Wood may have lasted until the 26th pick, but he was clearly one of the most talented pitchers in the class (as evidenced by his 19-K no-hitter against Murray State in the Men’s College World Series). He sits in the mid 90s with his heater, which plays up thanks to the interplay between its rising action and the flat plane he generates by getting far down the mound. Wood has multiple quality breaking balls, including a curveball he throws hard with ample depth and an even harder slider, and he’s thrown strikes when he’s been able to perform. The last part is key because he tallied just over 100 innings across three collegiate seasons, and fewer than 40 in 2025 on account of a shoulder impingement. The Phillies have reason to move him quickly with his body determining his ultimate role.

• The quick hook: Arm strength for days, healthy for hours
• MLB ETA: Late summer 2026

Susana has been a fixture on these lists since being part of the trade that sent Juan Soto to San Diego. The book on his game hasn’t changed a ton. He remains a physical right-hander who regularly pumps 100-plus mph fastballs and chucks nasty sliders as part of a power arsenal. The drawbacks here have to do with his durability and his command. Susana was limited to 56 innings in 2025 because of various arm woes — perhaps not the biggest surprise given his extreme velocity — and he averaged more than five walks per nine innings for the second time in three years. Taken together, those negatives would seem to point to a future in relief. Susana will try to avoid that fate in 2026.

• The quick hook: Legit catcher with power
• MLB ETA: Summer 2026

The odds were stacked against Mack working out. Not only was he a prep catcher chosen in the first round, but he hailed from a cold-weather state. Generally, that’s a bad combination. Yet here he is, on the cusp of making it to The Show with his prospect standing intact. Mack has two major traits on his side: he’s capable of launching 20-plus home runs per season thanks to a lift-and-pull happy approach; and he’s an above-average defender who can really frame and chuck the ball. Those skills can (and must) atone for his extreme swing-and-miss tendencies. Mack had a 32.4% whiff rate in Triple-A and was particularly susceptible to pitches down. He’s going to strike out a lot against MLB pitching, limiting his overall upside in the process. 

• The quick hook: Corner player with a near-ready bat
• MLB ETA: Late summer 2026

Reimer split the season between High- and Double-A, batting .282/.379/.491 with 17 home runs. He became a popular ask in trade talks thanks to his disciplined approach and legit thump. Reimer’s contact rate did crater with his promotion, dropping from 78.7% to 72.5%, and that’ll be worth monitoring heading forward. Ditto for his defensive position. There’s a fair chance Reimer ends up playing a different corner over the coming years, putting more pressure on his bat playing to its full potential. 

• The quick hook: Little righty, big fastball
• MLB ETA: Already debuted

The Braves, as part of their attempts to salvage a lost season, gave Fuentes a series of starts right after his 20th birthday. The results weren’t good — he allowed 20 runs in 13 innings — and he later missed time with a shoulder injury, but it shouldn’t be long before he’s back in the fold. Fuentes is a short, hard-throwing righty (his fastball clocked in at 96 mph in the majors) who really gets down the mound, creating an incredibly flat plane. Indeed, his vertical approach angle on heaters would’ve ranked behind only Bryan Woo and Logan Webb among MLB qualifiers. The rest of Fuentes’ arsenal isn’t as good or well-defined. He’s not an extreme benefactor of seam-shifted effects, like the aforementioned Woo and Webb, and he doesn’t throw either of his breaking balls as hard as they do despite his demonstrable arm strength. He’s a work in progress, then, but his fastball quality and control ensure some kind of big-league future.