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MLB Pipeline will announce the 2023 Top 100 Prospects List in a one-hour show on Thursday, January 26 at 7:00 PM ET on MLB Network and MLB.com. We look at the top 10 prospects for each position in baseball as we head towards the top 100 releases.
Second baseman is one of the least tool-using positions. But as clubs place more emphasis on batting ability, second basemen are working more than ever in the first round of the draft.
Six second basemen have gone to the first round in the last five drafts: Michael Bush (2019); Nick Gonzalez, Justin Foskew, Nick York (2020); Tahmer Johnson and Jace Jung. (2022). That total matches the number of Keystone first-round picks from the first 35 drafts. In 2020 and his 2022 draft, multiple second basemen have doubled the number of times he has gone in the same first round.
Not surprisingly, the top 10 second base prospect list includes all six of these first round players.
Top 10 (ETA)
1. Tahmer Johnson, Pirates (2025)
2. Michael Bush, Dodgers (2023)
3. Jace Jung, Tigers (2025)
4. Justin Fosk, Rangers (2023)
5. Zach Gerof, Athletics (2023)
6. Connor Norby, Orioles (2023)
7. Edouard Julien, Twins (2023)
8. Nick Gonzalez, Pirates (2023)
9. Nick York, Red Sox (2024)
10. Wencel Perez, Tigers (2023)
Full list »
Top 10 prospects by position:
RHP | LHP | SEA | 1B | 2B
1/23: 3B
1/24: SS
1/25:
1/26: Top 100
Hits: Johnson (70)
Scouts considered Johnson the best high school hitter in years and said he combined Wade Boggs’ plate discipline with Vladimir Guerrero Sr.’s bat-to-ball skills. No. 4, he has a compact left-handed stroke, excellent hand-eye coordination, and advanced swing decisions.
Power: Johnson, Bush (60)
Johnson isn’t particularly physically tall at the listed 5’7″ and 175lbs, but his bat speed, strength and ability to barrel the ball are predicted to generate positive power. . Bush has more raw pop, ranking him third with the Miners last season in extra-base hits (70) and total bases (285) and sixth in home runs (32). We split the time between double A and triple A.
Baserunning: Perez (60)
Perez’s plus speed leads to slugging and getting on base more than stealing. He swiped 18 bags in 23 attempts last year between High A’s and Double A’s, and 10 triples ranked him fourth in the Miners.
Arms: Perez (55)
Second base isn’t a position associated with arm strength, but Perez has solid arms that allow him to play all over the infield. With Jung’s arrival in the first round in 2022, this could come in handy, as Perez could become the Tigers’ utility man in the long run.
Field: Johnson (55)
His average arm and quickness dictated his move from shortstop to second base, but Johnson has the makings of a solid defender in his new position. Focuses on improving agility and enhancing range.
Highest Ceiling: Johnson
Johnson has the advantage of hitting 25 to 30 home runs per season and winning batting titles while being a defensive asset. That’s the perennial All-Star description.
Top Floor: Bush
Bush has lived up to his reputation as one of the best all-around offensive talents in the college class in 2019, batting .274/.365/.516 in his first fully healthy season as a professional in 2022. was recorded. He has worked hard to transform himself into a decent defender, drawing a lot of bases and showing power.
Rookie of the Year Candidate: Bush
At least half of the top 10 should debut in the big leagues this season. That said, he will have to find a spot on a crowded Dodgers roster that includes talented rookies Miguel Vargas and James Outman.
Highest riser: Julian
Julian surpassed the Miners with 110 walks in his first full pro season of 2021, but didn’t qualify for Top 100 prospect consideration until last season. 300/.441/.490 in Double-A, ranked fifth in the Miners in on-base percentage, sixth in walks (98), and Arizona he fell in his league. 400/.563/.686 batting average to take the lead. Developmental circuits for hitting, OBP, OPS (1.249), running (24), and walking (23).
Most humble beginnings: Julian
Julian and Perez were the only members of the top 10 who did not earn a seven-figure signing bonus. Julian signed a $493,000 overslot as his sophomore at Auburn in 2019, and Perez signed a $493,000 overslot in 2016 with his $550,000 from the Dominican Republic. I turned pro.
Most Proof: York
York, a surprise first-round pick in 2020, led the Low-A East in hitting percentage (.323) and OPS (.913) in his professional debut the following year, but was in the process of coping last season. It dropped to 232/.303/.365. With injuries and improper adjustments. He looked like his old self in the AFL who hit .342/.424/.526.
WATCH: Eggy Rosario, Padres
Signed from the Dominican Republic for $300,000 in 2015, Rosario came to bat six years later, batting .288/.368/.508 with 22 homers and 21 stolen bases in Triple-A last season. At 5 feet 9 inches and he’s listed at 150 pounds, he has a feel, deceptive power and solid speed.
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