The midsummer heat wave is officially here, and the minor league landscape is hitting a chaotic, exciting sweet spot. Not only are we tracking massive breakouts and aggressive big-league call-ups, but the 2027 First-Year Player Draft Rankings has officially arrived!
Our latest update to the RotoProspects Top 700 Prospect fantasy baseball rankings infuses fresh blood into the system, integrating the top incoming amateur talent alongside veteran prospects who are tearing the cover off the ball. Let’s break down the most impactful names shaking up the board this week.
Class is in session: Three 2026 MLB Draft debuts in the Top 25
Vahn Lackey, C, Tigers — The Premium Backstop Blueprint
Standard draft boards were high on Lackey (pictured above), but our dynasty-first model absolutely adores him. Sliding right inside the Top 20 overall, Lackey features a highly advanced 55-hit, 50-power toolset that profile beautifully as a high-floor, everyday fantasy catcher. He couples an exceptional understanding of the strike zone with raw barrel skills that translate into immediate, heavy gap-to-gap damage.
Drew Burress, OF, Athletics — The five-tool outfield engine
The Athletics land an absolute cornerstone asset. Burress enters our top 25 carrying an electric, fantasy-friendly profile highlighted by above-average power projection and a highly stable hit tool. He has a compact, fast-twitch swing engineered to handle high-velocity professional arms. In Oakland’s system, expect a fast-tracked developmental timeline.
Roch Cholowsky, SS, White Sox — The premium dirt master
Immediately flanking Burress on the board is Cholowsky, a hyper-athletic shortstop with a flawless 65-grade defensive foundation that ensures he will play every single day. For fantasy purposes, his 55-hit tool and 60-power ceiling give him true elite multi-category upside on the left side of the infield.
More interesting draft names landing in the rankings
- Tyler Bell, SS, Rockies (No. 31): A switch-hitting middle infielder landing in a Colorado ecosystem built for raw power translation.
- Grady Emerson, SS, Rays (No. 36): Backed by a pristine 65-grade hit tool, Emerson is an advanced pure pure-contact wizard who could explode in full-season ball.
- Eric Booth, OF, Orioles (No. 40): An absolute athletic freak carrying an elite 80-grade speed engine that will make him a fantasy stolen-base darling.
- Jacob Lombard, SS, Marlins (No. 51): An incredibly projectable 18-year-old infielder showcasing dynamic athleticism and big-league bloodlines.
Tearing Up the Charts: Major Summer Risers
Esmerlyn Valdez, OF, Pirates — ‘The Magician’ is Sizzling in the Steel City
- The Noise: A historic, logic-defying MLB rookie tear.
- The Dynasty Take: Earlier updates preached caution with Valdez’s 40-grade hit tool, but he has flipped the script by simply refusing to stop punishing major-league pitching. Earning the nickname “The Magician,” Valdez put together a single-day doubleheader performance for the ages on July 11 against the Brewers, launching three home runs across two games—including a go-ahead solo shot and a catastrophic grand slam. He has swatted 10 home runs with a massive
.713slugging percentage through his first 28 big-league games, single-handedly carrying the Pirates’ offense through heavy injury slumps. The surface power is so immense that he forces a heavy, aggressive vault right into our Top 15.
Cam Cannarella, OF, Marlins — From Double-A Dominance straight to Triple-A
- The Noise: Earning a rapid-fire promotion to Triple-A Jacksonville.
- The Dynasty Take: Cannarella spent just six weeks with Double-A Pensacola, but he treated the level like an absolute playground. He slashed a blistering
.344/.453/.607with 9 home runs and 8 stolen bases in just 34 games. Fully recovered from the torn labrum surgery that slowed his debut season, he has unlocked a brand-new level of over-the-fence power. Combining a legendary collegiate batting eye with dynamic, everyday center-field tools, he is establishing himself as Miami’s franchise outfielder of the future.
Christian Zazueta, RHP, Dodgers — Double-A Tulsa’s Unhittable Strikeout Weapon
- The Noise: Masterclass performances following a high-profile promotion.
- The Dynasty Take: Acquired from the Yankees in the Caleb Ferguson trade, the 21-year-old right-hander has taken off like a literal rocket. Rushed up to Double-A Tulsa, Zazueta turned in a jaw-dropping debut: 5 scoreless, one-hit innings with 8 strikeouts and zero walks. He followed that up with another 8-strikeout gem in his second start. Anchored by a 60-grade, 97 mph flat-approach fastball and a 60-grade fading changeup, he is missing upper-minor bats at an elite, frontline rate. He jumps into our Top 55 today.
The Top 25 players in this week’s updated RotoProspects Top 700 Prospect Rankings
The Top 50 can be found HERE (no subscription required). For the complete list, CLICK HERE (subscription required).
| No. | Name | Pos | Team | B/T | Level | Age |
| 1 | Jesus Made | SS | MIL | S/R | AA | 19 |
| 2 | Leo De Vries | SS | ATH | S/R | AA | 19 |
| 3 | Seth Hernandez | SP | PIT | R/R | High-A | 20 |
| 4 | Walker Jenkins | OF | MIN | L/R | AAA | 21 |
| 5 | Josue De Paula | OF | LAD | L/L | AA | 21 |
| 6 | Ryan Sloan | SP | SEA | R/R | AA | 20 |
| 7 | Kade Anderson | SP | SEA | L/L | AA | 22 |
| 8 | Rainiel Rodriguez | C | STL | R/R | AA | 19 |
| 9 | Joshua Baez | OF | STL | R/R | AAA | 23 |
| 10 | Sebastian Walcott | SS | TEX | R/R | AA | 20 |
| 11 | Luis Hernandez | SS | SF | R/R | R (ACL) | 17 |
| 12 | Eli Willits | SS | WAS | S/R | High-A | 18 |
| 13 | Theo Gillen | 2B/SS | TB | L/R | AA | 20 |
| 14 | Edward Florentino | 1B/OF | PIT | L/R | High-A | 19 |
| 15 | Esmerlyn Valdez | OF | PIT | R/R | MLB | 22 |
| 16 | Luis Pena | 2B/SS | MIL | R/R | High-A | 19 |
| 17 | Vahn Lackey | C | MIN | R/R | n/a | 21 |
| 18 | Franklin Arias | SS | BOS | R/R | AA | 20 |
| 19 | Eric Hartman | OF | ATL | L/R | High-A | 20 |
| 20 | Ralphy Velazquez | 1B | CLE | L/R | AAA | 21 |
| 21 | Mike Sirota | OF | LAD | R/R | AA | 23 |
| 22 | Max Clark | OF | DET | L/L | AAA | 21 |
| 23 | Drew Burress | OF | ATH | R/R | n/a | 21 |
| 24 | Roch Cholowsky | SS | CHW | R/R | n/a | 21 |
| 25 | Josuar Gonzalez | SS | SF | S/R | R (ACL) | 18 |