2020 MLB Prospect Power Rankings for Top 30 Corner Infielders

Last month, we released our top 100 MLB prospects for the 2020 season, with Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco and Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert headlining the list.

Now it's time to dive even deeper.

In the weeks to come, we'll be counting down the top prospects at each position, and next up is the corner infielders.

Since first base-only players rarely find their way onto top prospect lists and fringe third basemen often wind up moving across the diamond to first base, it made sense to blend the two positions into one list.

There were 12 corner infielders included on our top 100 list and seven more who received honorable mentions, so a good chunk of this list needed to be padded out with new names.

Let's kick things off with 15 players who finished just outside the top 30 before diving into our rankings.

Catch up on our Prospect Power Rankings series: middle infielders

These 15 corner infield prospects were part of our preliminary list, but they fell short of inclusion in the final list of 30:

• 1B Bryce Ball, ATL
• 1B Bobby Bradley, CLE
• 3B Rece Hinds, CIN
• 1B/3B Blaze Jordan, BOS
• 1B/OF Taylor Jones, HOU
• 1B Mason Martin, PIT
• 1B Drew Mendoza, WAS
• 3B Christopher Morel, CHC
• 3B Sheldon Neuse, OAK
• 3B Kevin Padlo, TB
• 3B Nick Quintana, DET
• 1B/3B/OF Edwin Rios, LAD
• 3B Jordan Walker, STL
• 1B/3B Colton Welker, COL
• 3B Davis Wendzel, TEX

30. 3B Hudson Potts, San Diego Padres (Age: 21)

The No. 24 overall pick in the 2016 draft, Potts used his significant raw power to slug 56 home runs over the past three seasons. A .227/.290/.406 line and a 28.6 percent strikeout rate at Double-A last year is a good indication of the work that still needs to be done, but he has middle-of-the-order upside.

29. 1B Michael Toglia, Colorado Rockies (Age: 21)

An imposing 6'5", 226-pound slugger, Toglia hit .314/.392/.624 with 17 home runs and 65 RBI in 63 games during his junior season at UCLA. The Rockies selected him with the No. 23 pick in the 2019 draft, and he slugged nine home runs in 41 games at Low-A after signing.

28. 1B/3B Sherten Apostel, Texas Rangers (Age: 21)

The Rangers acquired Apostel in the deal that sent Keone Kela to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018. He hit .251/.339/.440 with 19 home runs and 59 RBI between Single-A and High-A in his full-season debut last year, posting a solid 10.7 percent walk rate. He has a rocket arm, but his 6'4", 235-pound frame may fit best at first base long term.

27. 1B Aaron Sabato, Minnesota Twins (Age: 21)

A draft-eligible sophomore who hit .343/.453/.696 with 25 doubles, 18 home runs and 63 RBI in 64 games as a freshman at North Carolina, Sabato was the No. 27 overall pick in June. His 60-grade raw power is his loudest tool, but he also has an advanced approach at the plate, tallying 22 walks in 19 games this spring. He'll go as far as his bat carries him.

26. 3B Luis Toribio, San Francisco Giants (Age: 19)

MLB.com wrote, "Toribio might be the best pure hitter in the [Giants] system, and his exit velocity ranks with the best as well." That's saying something in a system that features the likes of Joey Bart, Heliot Ramos, Marco Luciano and Hunter Bishop. Toribio hit .296/.433/.454 with 22 extra-base hits in 54 games in his stateside debut in 2019.

25. 3B Miguel Vargas, Los Angeles Dodgers (Age: 20)

Nearly two years after defecting from Cuba, Vargas signed for $300,000 in 2017. He has quickly made up for lost time. His offensive profile is more hit than power at this point, but he has excellent bat-to-ball skills and an advanced approach. He hit .308/.380/.440 with 38 doubles in 124 games between Single-A and High-A last year with a strikeout rate below 15 percent.

24. 1B Lewin Diaz, Miami Marlins (Age: 23)

The Marlins may have acquired their first baseman of the future last summer in the deal that sent veteran reliever Sergio Romo to the Minnesota Twins. Diaz hit .270/.321/.530 with 33 doubles, 27 home runs and 76 RBI in 121 games between High-A and Double-A in 2019. Despite an average hit tool and a power-centric approach, he struck out just 18.2 percent of the time.

23. 3B/SS Ryan Vilade, Colorado Rockies (Age: 21)

Vilade split his time between shortstop and third base last year, and the hot corner looks like his long-term home, though he's also athletic enough to handle an outfield corner. After a middling full-season debut in 2018, he turned in a breakout season at High-A Lancaster last season, hitting .303/.367/.466 with 27 doubles, 10 triples, 12 home runs and 24 steals in 31 attempts.

22. 3B/SS Keoni Cavaco, Minnesota Twins (Age: 19)

Cavaco had a ton of helium leading up being the No. 13 overall pick in the 2019 draft. His mix of power, speed and arm strength give him a more complete toolbox than most corner infield prospects, and the Twins ran him out at shortstop in his pro debut. Third base still looks like his best long-term fit, and if he can cut down his swing-and-miss enough to consistently get to his power, he'll have the prototypical hot corner profile.

21. 3B/2B Abraham Toro, Houston Astros (Age: 23)

A breakout prospect of sorts in 2019, Toro hit .324/.411/.527 with 31 doubles, 17 home runs and 80 RBI in 114 games between Double-A and Triple-A to earn an MLB call-up at the end of August. He tallied seven extra-base hits in 89 plate appearances down the stretch, and he's currently filling a spot on the Houston bench. He could get a shot at the starting first base job next year if Yuli Gurriel walks in free agency.

20. 3B Mark Vientos, New York Mets (Age: 20)

Signed to an above-slot $1.5 million deal after he slipped out of the first round in 2017, Vientos has tantalizing 60-grade raw power packaged into a strong 6'4", 185-pound frame. He tallied 27 doubles and 12 home runs in 111 games at Single-A last year, but he also whiffed at a 24.2 percent clip. Will he hit enough to fully tap into his power?

19. 3B/2B Jonathan India, Cincinnati Reds (Age: 23)

India has gotten off to a slow start since going No. 5 overall in the 2018 draft, hitting .254 with a .779 OPS in his first 165 pro games. He was also thoroughly overmatched in the Arizona Fall League, hitting .133 with 21 strikeouts in 71 plate appearances. That said, he's still not far removed from batting .350/.497/.717 with 21 home runs and more walks (60) than strikeouts (56) during his junior season at Florida.

18. 1B Seth Beer, Arizona Diamondbacks (Age: 23)

Sent to the D-backs as part of the Zack Greinke blockbuster, Beer has an offense-only profile that will put a lot of pressure on his bat as he continues to rise the ranks. That said, he can flat-out hit. After posting a .289/.388/.516 line with 24 doubles, 26 home runs and 103 RBI between High-A and Double-A, he's close to MLB-ready.

17. 3B Brett Baty, New York Mets (Age: 20)

Despite possessing one of the highest offensive ceilings in the 2019 draft, Baty slipped to No. 12 overall in part because he was a 19-year-old high school senior. He logged an .821 OPS with 25 extra-base hits in 228 plate appearances in his pro debut and could move faster than most prep prospects. A two-way prep standout, his arm fits well at the hot corner.

16. 1B Ryan Mountcastle, Baltimore Orioles (Age: 23)

Mountcastle has little left to prove in the minors after hitting .312/.344/.527 with 35 doubles, 25 home runs and 83 RBI in 127 games at Triple-A last year. Originally drafted as a shortstop, he has since slid down the defensive spectrum, and he now fits best at first base or perhaps in left field. The bat should play at those positions; it's just a matter of clearing a path.

15. 3B/SS Isaac Paredes, Detroit Tigers (Age: 21)

Originally a fast-rising shortstop in the Chicago Cubs system, Paredes was acquired at the 2017 trade deadline along with Jeimer Candelario. He has more or less outgrown shortstop at this point, and it looks like his long-term home will be third base. After hitting .282/.368/.416 with 23 doubles, 13 home runs and 66 RBI at Double-A last year, he looks like a potential future run-producer.

14. 3B/1B Bobby Dalbec, Boston Red Sox (Age: 25)

MLB.com wrote, "Dalbec is the epitome of a three-true-outcomes player, averaging 33 homers, 80 walks and 203 strikeouts per 162 games during his first four years in pro ball." That might sound like a knock, but there's plenty of value in that type of offensive profile, and Dalbec backs it with solid defensive skills at both infield corners and a strong throwing arm.

13. 3B Kody Hoese, Los Angeles Dodgers (Age: 23)

An imposing 6'4", 200-pound slugger who hit .391/.486/.779 with 20 doubles, 23 home runs and 61 RBI in 58 games during his junior season at Tulane, Hoese was the No. 25 overall pick in the 2019 draft. With a disciplined, all-fields approach and 55-grade power, he has the tools to be a middle-of-the-order staple for the Dodgers, regardless of which infield corner he occupies.

12. 1B Triston Casas, Boston Red Sox (Age: 20)

One of the few top-tier prospects in a thin Boston farm system, Casas posted an .830 OPS with 26 doubles, 20 home runs and 81 RBI last season while reaching High-A before his 20th birthday. He has just scratched the surface of his 60-grade raw power, and a refined approach gives him a great chance to fully tap into it.

11. 3B Josh Jung, Texas Rangers (Age: 22)

As polished as any prep bat to come along in years, Jung should rocket through the Rangers system to take his place as the long-term answer at third base. A three-year starter at Texas Tech with a 60-grade hit tool, plus power and the defensive prowess to play some shortstop in college, he has an extremely high floor and an impact ceiling.

10. 3B/SS Jordan Groshans, Toronto Blue Jays (Age: 20)

Groshans was on his way to a breakout campaign last year when a left foot injury brought his season to an abrupt halt in May. He has played primarily shortstop to this point in his career, but the consensus is that his lack of first-step quickness will eventually necessitate a move to third base. He has the potential to be a two-way standout who hits for average and power in a potent young lineup.

9. 1B Evan White, Seattle Mariners (Age: 24)

The Mariners signed White to a six-year, $24 million extension in November, despite the fact that he spent all of 2019 at Double-A. He's hitting just .106/.167/.182 in 72 plate appearances, but growing pains were inevitable while making such a significant leap to the majors. With a polished bat and Gold Glove-caliber defense, he still looks like a foundational piece of the Seattle rebuild.

8. 3B Nolan Gorman, St. Louis Cardinals (Age: 20)

Gorman was viewed by many as the best power-hitting prospect in the 2018 draft and he backed that up by posting a .949 OPS with 17 home runs in 63 games after signing. He struggled through some ups and downs last season but still reached High-A shortly after his 20th birthday. If his hit tool develops as hoped, he could be a star.

7. 3B Nolan Jones, Cleveland Indians (Age: 22)

Thanks to arguably the best plate discipline of any prospect, Jones has a .409 on-base percentage and a 17.3 percent walk rate in four minor league seasons. He is still working on tapping into his 60-grade raw power consistently in games, but his on-base ability and solid glovework give him an extremely high floor.

6. 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes, Pittsburgh Pirates (Age: 23)

MLB.com noted that Hayes is "consistently brought up in conversations about the best defensive prospects in the game at any position" while calling his glove MLB-ready. He also has significant upside offensively, and he hit .265/.336/.415 with 30 doubles and 10 home runs at Triple-A last year. He could be a perennial All-Star with an uptick in power production.

5. 1B Andrew Vaughn, Chicago White Sox (Age: 22)

Vaughn was chosen No. 3 overall in the 2019 draft after hitting a ridiculous .374/.539/.704 with 15 home runs and 60 walks in 58 games during his junior season at the University of California. He has very little to prove in the minors, and a 2021 debut is well within the realm of possibility.

4. 3B/SS Carter Kieboom, Washington Nationals (Age: 22)

Drafted and developed as a shortstop, Kieboom has seen the bulk of his MLB action at third base. That's his home as long as Trea Turner is on the Nationals roster, and his offensive profile fits just fine at the hot corner. He hit .303/.409/.493 with 24 doubles and 16 home runs in 109 games at Triple-A last year.

3. 1B/OF Alex Kirilloff, Minnesota Twins (Age: 22)

Tommy John surgery cost Kirilloff his first full pro season after he went No. 15 overall in the 2016 draft. He returned with a vengeance, hitting .348/.392/.578 with 71 extra-base hits in 2018, but he was slowed once again last year by a wrist injury. While he has the arm and athleticism to play right field, he's also seen time at first base, and that may be where he fits best on the Minnesota roster. If he can stay healthy, he's one of the best pure hitters in the minors.

2. 1B/3B Spencer Torkelson, Detroit Tigers (Age: 20)

Torkelson hit .337/.463/.729 with 54 home runs and 130 RBI in 129 career games at Arizona State before going No. 1 overall in the 2020 draft. He's probably the best offensive player in the Detroit organization right now. The Tigers are going to try him at third base in an effort to increase his versatility, but first base remains his long-term home. A 2021 debut is not out of the question.

1. 3B Alec Bohm, Philadelphia Phillies (Age: 24)

With a strong 6'5", 218-pound frame, huge raw power and a 60-grade hit tool, Bohm checks all the boxes to be an impact player in the middle of the Philadelphia lineup. He hit .305/.378/.518 with 30 doubles, 21 home runs and 80 RBI over three minor league levels last year, reaching Double-A in his first full season after going No. 3 overall in the 2018 draft. He's also been better than expected defensively after some initial concerns he may be destined for first base. He went 1-for-4 with a double in his MLB debut on Thursday.

All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.