Most Exciting Prospects for 2026: AL West

In his age-19 season, the former first-round prepster finally delivered on the promise that once had scouts buzzing.

After implementing a mechanical shift to implement a toe-tap timing mechanism — a tweak our own Aram Leighton documented perfectly — Emerson took off through the minor leagues. The new rhythm helped him control his weight transfer more efficiently, unlocking newfound impact at the plate.

The results were immediate. Emerson launched 11 home runs at High-A before earning a promotion to Double-A, where he posted a 133 wRC+ with 14 extra-base hits. He finished the season on a tear, blasting two home runs in just six games with Triple-A Tacoma while running a 174 wRC+.

Beyond the surface-level production, the underlying metrics were elite — Emerson posted a 92% zone contact rate and 64% hard-hit rate during that brief Triple-A stint. For one of the youngest players at the level, flashing both elite contact consistency and impact quality is a rare combination.

Emerson already possessed a plus hit tool, but the added impact has elevated his offensive profile into potential All-Star territory. Defensively, he’s shown the ability to stick at shortstop long term, projecting as at least a steady, WAR-accumulating defender there — if not a slight plus.

The next step for Emerson lies in refining his approach. He’s been fairly swing-happy throughout his pro career — understandable given his success — but greater selectivity would allow him to reach more hitter-friendly counts and fully tap into his power.

Seattle’s aggressive push toward contention could influence how Emerson fits into the 2026 picture. He’s likely to open the year in Tacoma, where the hitter-friendly environment should yield gaudy numbers. If his performance carries over, he could be knocking on the door of Seattle’s infield mix by early summer — and potentially play a role in a pennant chase before his 21st birthday.

Houston Astros: Walker Janek, C

The Astros’ 2024 first-rounder endured a rocky pro debut, but his first full season showed exactly why Houston invested a top pick in him. While the surface line of .263/.333/.433 (112 wRC+) doesn’t immediately jump off the page, the underlying data tells a far more encouraging story.

The biggest leap for Janek came from his ability to consistently pull the ball in the air with authority. His 35.4% groundball rate and 56% pull rate indicate a clear shift toward impact contact — and it paid off with 35 extra-base hits (12 HR) in just 92 High-A games.

Even more intriguing is his athleticism. Janek has flashed plus run times in the Arizona Fall League and swiped 30 bases in 32 attempts this season — an extremely rare dimension for a catcher. That blend of power, speed, and defensive ability gives his profile unusual upside for the position.

Defensively, Janek has drawn strong reviews for his catch-and-throw skills and pop times, projecting as a backstop capable of controlling the running game and providing above-average defensive value at a premium position.

The bat is still catching up — his 7.5% walk rate and 70% contact rate at High-A suggest fringy plate discipline and contact skills for a college bat — but the added impact and air-pull profile mitigate those concerns.

Janek’s impressive showing in the Arizona Fall League has turned heads, and if he carries that momentum into 2026, he could quickly climb into the conversation as one of the higher-floor catching prospects in baseball — the kind who contributes on both sides of the ball and fits neatly into Houston’s long-term core.

Texas Rangers: Caden Scarborough, RHP

After a brief 10.1-inning debut in 2024, the Rangers’ 2023 sixth-round prep right-hander emerged as one of the organization’s biggest breakout arms. Standing 6-foot-5, Scarborough cuts an imposing figure on the mound, delivering from a slight crossfire that adds natural deception — particularly tough on right-handed hitters.

His arsenal is currently fastball–slider heavy, but both offerings are advanced for his age. Scarborough uses his athletic delivery to glide down the mound, creating a flat vertical approach angle that allows his high-carry fastball to play effectively at the top of the zone.

His gyro-shaped slider dives under barrels as hitters gear up for the heater, giving him a legitimate two-pitch combination capable of missing bats at any level. While he’s mixed in a changeup occasionally, his fastball-slider combo alone has been enough to dominate the lower minors.

Across 88 innings between Low-A and High-A, Scarborough struck out 33% of hitters while walking just 6%, showcasing precocious command for a young prep arm.

In his 13 innings at High-A, he was untouchable — not allowing an earned run while holding opponents to a .133 average. That combination of stuff, command, and physicality is rare for a pitcher who’s yet to cross the 100-inning mark as a pro.

As he enters his age-21 season, there’s still projection left in the frame and possibly another gear of velocity to unlock. The key developmental focus will be refining a third pitch — likely his changeup — to neutralize left-handed hitters. Even so, Scarborough already looks the part of a future big league starter, with the upside of a mid-rotation arm if the third offering comes along.

Oakland Athletics: Gage Jump, LHP

After being selected in Competitive Balance Round B of the 2024 draft out of LSU, Jump hit the ground running in his first season of pro ball.

On the smaller end of things (listed at 6-foot, 200 pounds), Jump moves well down the mound from the left side to deliver an elite, high-carry fastball. It doesn’t pop off the radar gun — sitting around 93–94 mph — but the shape allows it to play well above its raw velocity.

He pairs that with two distinct breaking balls. Jump has a two-plane curveball that he can deliver to hitters of either hand and that tunnels well off his fastball. He also features a sharper slider, used primarily against lefties, that dives under barrels. Jump overwhelmed hitters in a brief High-A stint to open the year, striking out 37% of batters — including 13 in one start.

After his promotion to Double-A, his strikeout numbers dipped (25% K rate) and his walks ticked up (8.5%), but he remained highly effective. Across 81 innings, he posted a 3.64 ERA and 3.48 FIP, showing he could still turn lineups over even with slightly reduced swing-and-miss rates.

Jump’s outlier fastball from a low slot draws comparisons to Joe Ryan or Bryan Woo, but from the left side, giving him a unique look.

The southpaw will likely begin 2026 back in Double-A, but with Oakland’s improving offense and desperate need for rotation help, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him skip Triple-A entirely and find himself in Sacramento by midseason.

Los Angeles Angels: George Klassen, RHP

The 2023 sixth-rounder out of the University of Minnesota boasts some of the loudest stuff in the minors. His rocketship fastball explodes above barrels with heavy carry at the top of the zone, and he pairs it with a devastating two-plane power curveball that tunnels perfectly off the heater to create a north–south challenge for hitters on both sides of the plate.

Klassen has also added a tight, late-breaking cutter, giving him another weapon that creates east–west movement and adds unpredictability.

On pure stuff alone, Klassen has the arsenal of a mid-rotation starter who can turn lineups over and avoid platoon splits. The limiting factor remains his command. He walked 10% of hitters over 102 innings at Double-A, which was a significant improvement from his 17.6% rate the prior year, but still an area for refinement.

The high-octane stuff and occasional home-run susceptibility have inflated his ERA beyond what the quality of contact would suggest. Klassen allowed a ~70% overall contact rate, showing he can miss bats, but opponents hit .260 against him — damage magnified by free passes.

Klassen earned a brief promotion to Triple-A late in the year and held his own in the hitter-friendly PCL, tossing six innings of two-run ball with one walk and eight strikeouts. The Angels have a unique approach to player development, and Klassen could find himself in the mix for big-league innings by the All-Star break in 2026.

If he can continue to rein in the walks, he has a real chance to be a rotation anchor for the Halos — a power righty with frontline-caliber weapons.