Stargazing: A Baseball Hall of Fame crystal ball

After a breakout rookie year as a 20-year-old, Acuna became the youngest $100 million man in baseball history. He etched his name in the history books when he became the youngest player to hit a postseason grand slam, in Game 3 of the 2018 NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers. During his Rookie of the Year campaign, Acuna hit 25 home runs and stole 15 bases, becoming the fourth 20-or-younger player to accomplish the feat. (He joined Alex Rodriguez, Orlando Cepeda and Mike Trout.)

Adell has put on a five-tool talent show early in his professional career, rising to become the top homegrown Angel prospect since Mike Trout. His game is reminiscent of that of his potential future teammate, as Adell is a gifted defender who makes high-quality contact at the plate. He hit 20 home runs across three different levels in his first full pro season as a 19-year-old.

Alonso has wasted no time making an impact as rookie. His 26th home run, on June 22, set the National League first-half rookie record. In the process, "Polar Bear" tied Darryl Strawberry’s full-season rookie home run record. He has 31 HRs, more than halfway to Aaron Judge’s 2018 rookie record of 52.

Bellinger’s career is off to a torrid start. The third-year big-leaguer captured NL Rookie of the Year honors in 2017, after hitting an NL-rookie-record 39 home runs. In 2019, Bellinger set an April record with 97 total bases and tied the record for home runs (14) and runs (32).

Buehler made an immediate impact upon arrival in L.A., becoming the latest in an increasingly long line of recent Dodger prodigies. In 2018, he capped a terrific rookie year (8-5, 2.62 ERA, 151 strikeouts) with a dominant, seven-shutout-innings performance in Game 3 of the World Series. On June 21, he became the first Dodger pitcher to turn in a 15-plus strikeout outing (16 overall) with no walks.

A dazzling defender on the hot corner, Chapman has turned into one of the most dependable highlight creators in the game. Chapman’s presence at the plate has continued to grow as well, as he has produced an .870 OPS since 2018.

The 16-year-old Dominguez is widely considered the top international amateur prospect. The multiskilled outfielder is a switch-hitter with a strong, 5-foot-10, 190-pound frame and the ability to hit for power from both sides of the plate. He's also fast. The Yankees gave him a $5 million signing bonus earlier this month.

The game’s next great prodigy, Franco has been sensational in his first year-and-a-half as a pro. As a 17-year-old, he hit .351 with 11 home runs and seven triples to claim MVP of the Appalachian League. He was three years younger than the league average age. He has kept his foot on the gas in Year 2, recently inheriting the mantle of the game’s top prospect despite just turning 18 in March.

Injury plagued last season, Gore has firmly established himself as one the game’s top coming attractions on the mound. The southpaw — who drew comparisons to Clayton Kershaw en route to becoming the third overall pick in 2017 — is dominating minor league foes as a 20-year-old.

There may be no more naturally talented hitter to emerge in the past 20 years than Vlad Jr. He famously destroyed minor league pitching over the past two years, hitting .323 and .381, respectively, with a number of tape-measure homers mixed in. Few 20-year-olds feel like they are overdue to reach the majors when they did, but Guerrero Jr. fit that bill. On May 14, he became the youngest Blue Jay to homer. For good measure, he hit another one that night. 

Hancock emerged as one of the top collegiate pitchers in the nation for the Bulldogs as a sophomore. The Cairo, Georgia, native went 8-3 over 14 starts, with a 2.09 ERA and 97 strikeouts over 90.1 innings. Entering his junior season, Hancock is on the short list of potential top overall selections in the 2020 MLB Draft.

Hiura, the ninth overall pick in the 2017 draft, crushed minor league pitching. In his rookie pro season, he hit .371 over 42 games and produced an OPS over 1.000 in two of his three minor league seasons to date. With his power continuing to mature (28 home runs between Milwaukee and Triple-A San Antonio in 2019), Hiura should be one of the top second basemen of the next decade.

Moncada was the prized return in the Chris Sale trade with the Boston Red Sox in 2017 and instantly became the centerpiece of the White Sox rebuilding effort. While his limitless skill set has taken some time to mature in the pros, he remains one of the most gifted talents in the game. 

Standing at a hulking 6-foot-7, 280 pounds, there has never quite been a player like Judge. He pounded an MLB rookie-record 52 home runs in 2017, a year when he was named AL Rookie of the Year and runner-up for AL MVP. Judge has already broken Babe Ruth's Yankee record for most home runs hit at home (33 in 2017). He is the only rookie in history to hit at least 45 home runs, with 100 RBI, 100 runs and 100 walks.

Despite being two years shy of graduating from high school, the St. Louis-based right-hander has already made a bit of history. Little signed a letter of intent with Vanderbilt at age 14, becoming the youngest commit in the history of the pitching powerhouse that counts David Price and Sonny Gray among its alumni. Little went 6-1 with a 1.88 ERA as a sophomore and worked a 21.2 consecutive scoreless innings streak.

The top overall pick in the 2018 draft, Mize owns a pitching repertoire that even seasoned MLB hurlers would relish. With the ability to unleash four-plus pitches on demand, he has mowed through minor league foes in 2019, owning an 1.09 ERA over 15 starts. He pitched a no-hitter on only 98 pitches in his Double-A debut.

A unique talent, Ohtani could be worthy of an All-Star appearance at two positions in the same year. The dual-threat star won AL Rookie of the Year last season after hitting 22 home runs as a DH and going 4-2 with 63 strikeouts on the mound. He joined Babe Ruth as the only players in MLB history with 10 pitching appearances and 20 home runs in the same season.

Rocker blew up on the national scene this year when he turned in one of the most dominant performances in college baseball history. The freshman hurler became the first pitcher to throw a no-hitter in the Super Regional round of play -- he had 19 strikeouts in the 3-0 win over Duke. Rocker will be one of the top arms in the 2021 draft pool.

Rutschman has the potential to be a rare offensive contributor from behind the plate. The switch-hitting catcher hit .411 as a junior for the Oregon State Beavers, with 17 home runs, 57 runs and a 1.325 OPS. Rutschman was walked with the bases loaded during the College World Series. This type of presence was enough for the Orioles to make him the first overall pick in 2019 draft and give him the biggest signing bonus in draft history.

After being selected second overall in the 2016 draft, Senzel quickly advanced to the majors. He hit .298 over parts of four minor league seasons, all while making multiple position changes as part of an effort to get him a place in Cincinnati as soon as possible. Since finally suiting up with the Reds this summer, he has not disappointed, owning an .806 OPS.

In 2018, Soto made his MLB debut as a 19-year-old, homering on the first pitch of his first career start. He went on to become an immediate force at the heart of the Nationals' lineup. He was the youngest player since Ken Griffey Jr. in 1989 to be intentionally walked and hit 22 home runs in 116 games en route to a runner-up finish for NL Rookie of the Year honors.

There have been few players in the past decade who have put on such a tantalizing display of talent at such an early age as Tatis. The 20-year-old hit his way into the Padres' opening day lineup, becoming the youngest player in team history to do so. Since then he has made highlights a habit, hitting .326 with 28 extra-base hits, 14 stolen bases and a 3.2 WAR over his first 60 games.

Torkelson was sensational as a freshman for the Sun Devils, hitting .320 with 25 home runs, a nation-leading total that broke Barry Bonds’ ASU season record. As a sophomore, he put on a strong encore performance, hitting 23 homers while raising his average to .351. Torkelson also proved to be a deft defender at first base, committing only three errors and leading the Pac-10 Conference in double plays, an unusual feat for a first baseman.