150-0
So this popped up on my X feed a few days ago…..
And it had me thinking.
Can I construct a twenty-six man roster of prospects that can go 150-0 in MiLB?
Of course I can!
But I want to make it a bit more challenging so I gave myself a few parameters:
- I cannot roster a prospect that is in the Top 100 MLB Pipeline Rankings. (If you like to play along refer to the link that will provide the prospects that I had to exclude: https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects)
- I cannot use any prospects from the MLB 2026 Draft or any players that can be future International signings since they are not ranked on the MLB Pipeline Rankings.
- I cannot use any prospects that are currently injured or have made their MLB debuts.
- Each prospect has to be eligible to play the position that I place him at (except for the DH position and RPs). I used Fantrax and MLB Pipeline to confirm position eligiblity.
- And finally the roster, batting order, and rotation has to make “sense” in terms of balance between righties and lefties. I also have to take into account that I need to have a backup player for each position.
- Thus I decided that the breakdown of my roster will be made up of 15 position players and 11 pitchers which is pretty similar to a MLB roster.
Seems easy enough?
BATTING ORDER/LINEUP
CF – BRAYLON PAYNE – MIL (L)
LF – CRISTIAN ARGUELLES – COL (L)
DH – CRIS RODRIGUEZ – DET (R)
3B – ANDREW FISCHER – MIL (L)
SS – WEHIWA ALOY – BAL (R)
RF – ALEXANDER FRIAS – MIL (L)
1B – LUKE ADAMS – MIL (R)
2B – WYATT SANFORD = PIT (L)
C – TAITN GRAY – TBR (S)
The starting lineup is set up for a seamless left-right balance. I have high-end elite contact and speed at the top that transitions flawlessly into the heart-of-the-order with alternating-handed thumpers in Rodriguez, Fischer, Aloy, and Frias. The one strategic concession was placing Gray in the nine-hole. While he doesn’t fit the traditional bottom-of-the-order profile, his switch-hitting flexibility prevents three consecutive lefties at the turn of the lineup. A dynamic that would have with Sanford in that spot.
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BENCH
OF – WILBERSON DE PENA – NYY (R)
OF – AARON WALTON – CLE (R)
OF – DEVIN TAYLOR – A’s (L)
SS/3B – JOHN GIL – ATL (R)
INF – COOPER FLEMMING – TBR (L)
C/1B – OWEN AYERS – CHC (S)
Yeah. as you can see I believe the Brewers and Rays systems are loaded with elite hitters.
As for the bench, I went with balance of utility and high-floor, proven prospects who can not only hit but be running threats around the bases (especially Gil) and abover-average defenders at every single position on the field. Unlike most of starting lineup, I leaned heavily into more “proven” talent over high-ceiling upside guys, making an exception for De Pena, whose performance in the FCL demanded a spot on my roster.
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HONRABLE MENTIONS
1B – XAVIER ISAAC – TBR (L)
2B/3B – MAX ANDERSON – DET (R)
SS – NICK BECKER – SEA (R)
SS/3B – TYSON LEWIS – CIN (L)
SS – VICTOR VALDEZ – TBR (R)
SS – ELIAN PENA – NYM (L)
OF – EMMANUEL LUNA – STL (R)
OF – CAM CANNARELLA – MIA (L)
OF – ETHAN CONRAD – CHC (L)
OF – BO DAVIDSON – SFG (L)
OF – YORGER BAUTISTA – SEA (L)
C – MALCOLM MOORE – TEX (L)
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PITCHING STAFF
STARTING ROTATION
RAMON MARQUEZ – PHI (R)
BRANDON CLARKE – STL (L)
SADBIEL DELZINE – BOS (R)
CADEN HUNTER – BAL (L)
JOHNNY KING – TOR (L)
All five of these arms are consensus powerhouses across the prospect-sphere and staple fixtures on every major board. Their inclusion here is a given. Each pitcher has proven that their raw stuff and deep repertoire will thrive at the major league level, backed by a track record of dominant statistics. Simply put, this five-man unit represents an unparalleled blend of ceiling, stability, and pure, raw talent that no other combination can touch.
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BULLPEN
LR – DYLAN JORDAN – LAA (R)
LR – YHOIKER FAJARDO – STL (R)
LR – HENRY LaLANE – NYY (L)
SU – KALEB WING – CHC (R)
SU – MASON PETERS – SEA (L)
CL – TY JOHNSON – TBR (R)
While there was no shortage of pitching prospects to choose from, the arms in this bullpen stand out not just for possessing some of the nastiest raw stuff in MiLB, but because their current profiles translate to high-leverage relief roles.
Wing certainly has the upside of a high-end starter, but for now, his combination of high-octane velocity and a power curve makes him the ideal right-handed set-up man. He forms a lethal tandem with Peters, a deceptive southpaw who mirrors that same level of velocity and repertoire from the left side. Closing things out is Ty Johnson, whose dominant fastball/slider mix makes him as unhittable and shutdown a closer as you’ll find anywhere in the minor leagues when put in that role.
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HONORABLE MENTIONS
QUINN MATHEWS – STL (L)
BRIGGS McKENZIE – ATL (L)
YHOIKER FAJARDO – STL (R)
KASH MAYFIELD – SDP (L)
AJ RUSSELL – TEX (R)
JESUS CASTRO – SDP (R)
JACKSON STEENSMA – SEA (R)
BULLPEN
TANNER FRANKLIN – STL (R)
MIGUEL SIME JR – WAS (R)
COOPER HJERPE – STL (L)
RILEY QUICK – MIN (R)
SANTIAGO SUAREZ – TBR (R)
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I’m sure most of you think you can come up with a better lineup and rotation.
Please feel free to share by posting your lineups, rotations, and/or thoughts to me on here in the comment section or on X at @RyanFCantWrite!!!!
Thank you for reading!!