10 MLB Prospects with a Clear Path to Start on Opening Day

With Opening Day rosters starting to take shape as more and more dominoes fall on the offseason free-agent and trade markets, the rookies who could break camp with starting roles next year are also becoming more clear.

Last season, highly regarded prospects Julio Rodríguez (SEA), Bobby Witt Jr. (KC), Spencer Torkelson (DET) and CJ Abrams (SD) all began the year on their respective team's Opening Day roster.

Which up-and-comers could we see right out of the gates in 2023?

Ahead we've highlighted 10 prospects with a clear path to starting on Opening Day, based on current roster construction and their proximity to the majors.

A player must maintain rookie eligibility to be considered for inclusion. That means no more than 130 big league at-bats for position players, 50 innings for pitchers or 45 days on the active roster.

B/R Final 2022 Prospect Rank: 94

There is still time for the Chicago White Sox to add another outfielder to the mix, but with Andrew Vaughn set to shift to first base and Eloy Jiménez expected to serve as the primary designated hitter, there is a clear void at the corner spots.

Gavin Sheets, Leury Garcia and non-roster invitee Victor Reyes are the leading in-house candidates to flank center fielder Luis Robert Jr., and that could mean an opportunity this spring for top prospect Oscar Colás to win a starting job.

The 24-year-old signed for $2.7 million in January and reached Triple-A in his minor league debut, hitting .314/.371/.524 with 24 doubles, 23 home runs, 79 RBI and 81 runs scored in 117 games over three levels.

He has the power potential and strong arm to profile as a prototypical right fielder, and given his age, there is no reason to hold him back if he looks ready this spring.

B/R Final 2022 Prospect Rank: 89

The St. Louis Cardinals have a handful of young players in the mix for playing time in the designated-hitter role, with Alec Burleson, Juan Yepez and Nolan Gorman all likely to see their name penciled into that spot.

Burleson, 24, was a man among boys at the Triple-A level last season, hitting .331/.372/.532 with 25 doubles, 20 home runs and 87 RBI in 109 games before making his MLB debut on Sept. 8 and playing sparingly over the final month.

He hit just .188/.264/.271 with one double and one home run in 53 plate appearances in his first taste of the big leagues, but there is little question he has the offensive tools to be an impact player at the next level.

It would not be the least bit surprising to see him in the DH spot on Opening Day.

B/R Final 2022 Prospect Rank: 68

The Los Angeles Angels found their catcher of the present and future when they acquired Logan O'Hoppe from the Philadelphia Phillies at the 2022 trade deadline in a one-for-one swap that sent Brandon Marsh the other way.

A 23rd-round pick in 2018, O'Hoppe exceeded expectations every step of the way during his time in the minors, drawing rave reviews for his leadership and intangibles while posting an .850 OPS and throwing out 26 percent of base stealers in 287 minor league games.

He hit .283/.416/.544 with 26 home runs, 78 RBI and almost as many walks (70) as strikeouts (74) in 104 games at Double-A last season before making his MLB debut on Sept. 28.

The 22-year-old went 4-for-14 with two RBI in five appearances with the big league squad, and he looks poised to occupy the larger share of a platoon with Max Stassi behind the plate in 2023.

B/R Final 2022 Prospect Rank: 66

The Cleveland Guardians' recent move to sign veteran catcher Mike Zunino to a one-year, $6 million deal does nothing to change the outlook of top prospect Bo Naylor for the upcoming season. He's simply an insurance policy if the catcher of the future looks like he needs more time in the minors.

Naylor, 22, has taken some time to develop since going No. 29 overall in the 2018 draft, but he finally put together a breakout offensive season in the upper levels of the minors in 2022.

In 118 games between Double-A and Triple-A, he hit .263/.392/.496 with 26 doubles, 21 home runs, 68 RBI and 20 steals in 24 attempts. His 82 walks ranked in the top 50 among all minor leaguers, and his 16.1 percent walk rate was a good indication of his advanced approach.

He still has work to do on the defensive side of his game, but with a step forward in that area this spring, he could claim the starting job and get the nod on Opening Day.

B/R Final 2022 Prospect Rank: 56

The New York Yankees' decision to tender a contract to Isiah Kiner-Falefa is not necessarily an indication that he will once again serve as the team's starting shortstop. He could instead serve as a high-priced utility infielder while Oswald Peraza gets the bulk of the playing time at the position.

Peraza, 22, does not have the same ceiling as top prospect Anthony Volpe, and he will likely shift to second base once Volpe arrives on the scene. But for now, he looks like the team's best option at shortstop.

After posting a .778 OPS with 19 home runs, 50 RBI and 33 steals in 99 games at Triple-A, he made his MLB debut on Sept. 2 and looked the part of a big leaguer right out of the gates.

He hit .306/.404/.429 with three doubles, one home run and two steals in 18 games down the stretch while providing solid defense at both middle infield spots, and the organization showed a great deal of faith in him when he was added to the ALCS roster.

B/R Final 2022 Prospect Rank: 49

Josh Jung was viewed as one of the most MLB-ready prospects in the 2019 draft when the Texas Rangers selected him No. 8 overall following his stellar run as a three-year starter at Texas Tech.

He likely would have already settled in at the MLB level had it not been for a stress fracture in his foot in 2021 and a torn labrum in his left shoulder this past February delaying his development.

The 24-year-old finally made his 2022 debut in late July, and after posting an .846 OPS with 13 extra-base hits in 23 games at Triple-A Round Rock, he was called up to make his MLB debut on Sept. 9.

He immediately took over as the everyday third baseman and posted an 83 OPS+ with four doubles, five home runs and 14 RBI in 102 plate appearances. Expect to see him penciled in as the everyday third baseman from the jump in 2023.

B/R Final 2022 Prospect Rank: 34

There is still time for the Los Angeles Dodgers to make a splash this offseason, but as things stand, they are poised to welcome some young talent into key roles on the MLB roster.

The decision to decline a $16 million club option on veteran third baseman Justin Turner at the start of the offseason has opened up a clear path to playing time at the hot corner for top prospect Miguel Vargas.

Vargas, 23, hit .304/.404/.511 with 32 doubles, 17 home runs, 82 RBI and nearly as many walks (71) as strikeouts (76) in 113 games at Triple-A last season, playing primarily his natural position of third base while also seeing time at first base, second base and in left field.

He was a bit overmatched in his limited MLB action, going 8-for-47 with 13 strikeouts and only two extra-base hits in 50 plate appearances. But his offensive ceiling is as high as any prospect in a stacked Dodgers system, and he has nothing left to prove in the minors.

B/R Final 2022 Prospect Rank: 8

The Arizona Diamondbacks have an enviable abundance of young outfield talent, with Daulton Varsho, Jake McCarthy, Alek Thomas and Corbin Carroll all seeing MLB action in 2022.

There's a good chance one of those outfielders is traded in the coming weeks, but it won't be Carroll, who has been deemed "off-limits" in trade talks by the D-backs, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

The 22-year-old had one of the best seasons of any minor leaguer in 2022, hitting .307/.425/.611 with 22 doubles, 24 home runs, 62 RBI, 89 runs scored and 31 steals in 36 attempts. He then continued to impress in his first MLB action, posting a 133 OPS+ with 15 extra-base hits and 1.2 WAR in 32 games.

It's fair to wonder how much of the over-the-fence power he showed in some hitter-friendly stops in the minors will translate to the next level, but his elite hit tool, advanced approach and top-of-the-scale speed make him a perfect fit for the leadoff spot in the lineup.

B/R Final 2022 Prospect Rank: 2

Gunnar Henderson went from intriguing prospect on the rise to one of the best prospects in all of baseball during a breakout 2022 season, and now he's poised to join Adley Rutschman as the future faces of the franchise for the Baltimore Orioles.

The 21-year-old hit .297/.416/.531 with 24 doubles, 19 home runs, 76 RBI, 101 runs scored and 22 steals in 25 attempts over 112 games between Double-A and Triple-A, and that was enough to force his way onto the MLB roster for a surprise contender.

He started games at second base, shortstop and third base after making his MLB debut on Aug. 31, posting a 123 OPS+ with 12 extra-base hits and 0.9 WAR in 34 games while settling into the No. 5 spot in the batting order.

His long-term future is likely at third base. and he should be the everyday guy there in 2023 and for years to come.

B/R Final 2022 Prospect Rank: 1

On the one hand, Francisco Álvarez looks like a prime candidate to be sent to the minors to open the year, giving him a few weeks to build some confidence while also gaming his service time.

On the other hand, nothing about the way the New York Mets have approached this offseason says they care in the slightest about trying to save a few bucks down the road. They are all-in on winning in 2023.

With all due respect to James McCann and Tomás Nido, if the focus is on putting the best possible team on the field from the get-go, neither of them will be in the starting lineup.

Álvarez, 21, batted .260/.374/.511 with 22 doubles, 27 home runs and 78 RBI in 112 games between Double-A and Triple-A, and his 55-hit, 70-power offensive profile gives him middle-of-the-order impact potential.

All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs.