The AL West is an interesting division in terms of farm system rankings. The Mariners and Athletics continue to develop top talent and some big names, while teams such as the Rangers and Astros, who have been in win now mode for 5 to 10 years, are working quickly to rebuild their farm systems.
The Angels have taken a bit longer to fully organize their player development pipeline, but they are certainly trending in the right direction. Overall, the division has produced a wave of talented players in recent years, including Seattle’s pitching surge with George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, and the emergence of Emerson Hancock.
The Athletics continue to build from within and could even be argued to have one of the most well rounded farm systems in baseball in terms of talent on both sides of the ball. With recent graduates such as Nick Kurtz, Jacob Wilson, and Tyler Soderstrom, the system has already begun producing impact major leaguers. On top of that, they still have several intriguing arms pushing toward an MLB debut in the near future.
While the Astros and Rangers may have taken a step back in terms of farm system strength over the past few seasons, both organizations are actively working to turn that around with strong developmental groups and promising young talent. The Angels, meanwhile, have struggled to consistently graduate their prospects into long term major league contributors, but this current wave of talent may finally be the beginning of something more sustainable.
For a deeper look at each system, let’s break down the latest prospect updates across the AL West.
| Rank | Player | Position | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Xavier Neyens | OF | 19 |
| 2 | Kevin Alveraz | OF | 19 |
| 3 | Bryce Mayer | SP | 24 |
| 4 | Ethan Pecko | SP | 23 |
| 5 | Ethan Frey | OF | 22 |
| 6 | Walker Janeck | C | 23 |
| 7 | Miguel Ullola | SP | 23 |
| 8 | Albert Fermin | SS | 17 |
| 9 | James Hicks | SP | 25 |
| 10 | Zach Cole | OF | 25 |
| 11 | Ryan Forcucci | SP | 23 |
| 12 | Anthony Millan | OF | 17 |
| 13 | Joseph Sullivan | OF | 23 |
| 14 | Alimber Santana | SP | 23 |
| 15 | Lucas Spence | OF | 23 |
- We have a new No. 1 prospect entering the May update, and that is 2025 first-round pick Xavier Neyens. The 6’3”, 210-pound slugger has wasted no time making an impact in his first taste of minor league baseball. Currently assigned to Single-A alongside fellow top Astros prospect Kevin Alvarez, Neyens is off to a strong start, slashing .282/.455/.529 and exceeding expectations early on.
- Known primarily for his power, which is already showing up at the plate with six home runs, Neyens has also demonstrated solid plate discipline and quality at-bats. He currently owns an impressive 22.4% walk rate. The strikeouts remain a bit elevated at 32.8%, but that has always been part of his profile, and as he adjusts to the upper levels of the minor leagues, that number should improve.
- One of the newer names on this list is No. 14 prospect Alimber Santana. In 15 appearances this season, including nine starts, Santana has posted a 1.69 ERA with 22 strikeouts across 16 innings at the Triple-A level. Santana features a four-pitch mix but relies heavily on his fastball and slider, throwing the slider 64% of the time this season.
- He currently profiles more as a reliever, featuring an above-average fastball and slider combination. Already dominating Triple-A hitters, Santana has a strong chance to continue developing into a valuable bullpen arm for the Astros this season.
- Another riser on this list is Ethan Pecko. The right-hander has continued to show intriguing upside thanks to his ability to miss bats and command multiple pitches. Pecko reached Triple-A last season and posted a 1.08 ERA with 27 strikeouts across 16 innings after returning from injury. His fastball now sits in the 93–95 mph range and can touch 98, while his slider and cutter continue to develop into reliable secondary offerings. Pecko’s ability to generate swing-and-miss stuff gives him legitimate mid-rotation upside if he can continue refining his command which he has shown in the early season with just 3 walks so far.
| Rank | Name | Position | Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kade Anderson | SP | 21 |
| 2 | Colt Emerson | SS | 20 |
| 3 | Ryan Sloan | SP | 20 |
| 4 | Lazaro Montes | OF | 21 |
| 5 | Felnin Celesten | SS | 20 |
| 6 | Michael Arroyo | 2B | 21 |
| 7 | Yorger Bautista | OF | 18 |
| 8 | Luke Stevenson | C | 21 |
| 9 | Johnny Farmelo | SS | 21 |
| 10 | Teddy McGraw | SP | 24 |
| 11 | Nick Becker | SS | 19 |
| 12 | Griffin Hugus | SP | 22 |
| 13 | Korbyn Dickerson | OF | 22 |
| 14 | Juan Rijo | OF | 17 |
| 15 | Mason Peters | SP | 22 |
- Just like the Houston Astros, we have a new No. 1 prospect for the Mariners. With Colt Emerson signing a $90 million contract and already reaching the Triple-A level at just 20 years old, he certainly made a strong case. However, Kade Anderson’s start to his minor league career has simply been too impressive to ignore.
- The left-hander out of LSU and last year’s third overall pick has completely dominated to begin the season. Through six starts, Anderson has posted a ridiculous 44.3% strikeout rate while walking just 4.7% of hitters. He has also limited opponents to a stellar 0.60 ERA. Many evaluators already believe he is ready to contribute at the major league level, as Double-A has clearly not presented much of a challenge. While Seattle currently has a crowded rotation, Anderson’s production may simply become too difficult to ignore. Expect him to make his MLB debut at some point this summer.
- Another big riser on this list is Felnin Celesten. Ranked sixth overall, Celesten has turned plenty of heads to start the season at High-A, slashing .333/.435/.509 with a .944 OPS. One of the biggest improvements in his game early this season has been the power production. Already sitting with three home runs after hitting just six all of last season, Celesten is beginning to showcase another layer to his already polished offensive approach.
- The improvements in his plate discipline have also stood out. Last season, Celesten posted a 9.7% walk rate alongside a 23.5% strikeout rate. So far in 2026, those numbers have improved significantly to a strong 14.7% walk rate and a much better 19.1% strikeout rate. The improved patience and ability to work deeper counts are clear signs of maturity at the plate. Look for Celesten to continue climbing prospect rankings as the season progresses.
- One of the fallers on this list is Johnny Farmelo. He slots a bit lower compared to April after struggling to put together a strong start to the season. There is still plenty to like long term, especially given his athleticism and overall upside, but the production simply has not been there early on. Farmelo is currently hitting just .229 with a .398 slugging percentage, both well below the standards he set over the last two seasons. Ultimately, it comes down to several other prospects on this list outperforming him during the early portion of the year.
| Rank | Player | Position | Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leo De Vries | SS | 19 |
| 2 | Jamie Arnold | SP | 22 |
| 3 | Wei-In Lin | SP | 20 |
| 4 | Braden Nett | SP | 23 |
| 5 | Gage Jump | SP | 23 |
| 6 | Henry Bolte | OF | 22 |
| 7 | Tommy White | 1B | 23 |
| 8 | Joshua Kuroda- Grauer | SS | 23 |
| 9 | Johennsy Colome | SS | 17 |
| 10 | Devin Taylor | OF | 22 |
| 11 | Shotoro Mori | SS/SP | 19 |
| 12 | Mason Barnett | SP | 25 |
| 13 | Edgar Montero | SS | 19 |
| 14 | Gunnar Hougland | SP | 26 |
| 15 | Kade Morris | SP | 23 |
- The Athletics have one of the more well-rounded farm systems in baseball, though they still sit a step behind the Mariners in terms of elite top-end talent within the division. Leo De Vries continues to show why he is viewed as one of the top prospects in the sport. Acquired in the Mason Miller trade last season, the 19-year-old has held his own throughout 2026, slashing .264/.356/.419 with a .775 OPS against upper-level competition. One of the more encouraging signs has been his consistency in managing the strike zone. After posting a 20.4% strikeout rate last season, De Vries currently sits at 21.4%, showing that the transition to more advanced pitching has not been a major adjustment.
- The upside in De Vries’ overall skill set is immense. His combination of athleticism, bat speed, and advanced approach gives him legitimate star potential at the major league level as he continues to develop. Dynasty managers should already have him firmly on their radar, as he could become another cornerstone player for the Athletics’ emerging core.
- Another prospect who deserves plenty of attention is Wei-En Lin. Signed out of Taiwan in 2024, Lin has now surpassed Gage Jump as the top pitching prospect in the Athletics system. Much like Kade Anderson, the numbers are simply becoming impossible to ignore. Through seven starts this season, Lin has posted a stellar 1.85 ERA while holding opponents to just a .177 batting average against. He has paired that production with an outstanding 31.6% strikeout rate and only a 6.6% walk rate, showcasing both swing-and-miss ability and excellent command. Lin features a four-pitch mix, with each offering grading out as average to above average. Considering he is only 20 years old, already pitching at Double-A, and consistently limiting walks, Lin is quickly developing into one of the more intriguing pitching prospects in baseball. If his development continues at this pace, he could push for a major league rotation spot as early as next season.
| Rank | Name | Position | Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sebastian Walcott | 3B | 20 |
| 2 | Caden Scarborough | SP | 21 |
| 3 | AJ Russell | SP | 21 |
| 4 | Josh Owens | SS | 19 |
| 5 | Jose Corniell | SP | 22 |
| 6 | Elian Rosario | OF | 17 |
| 7 | Yolfran Castillo | SP | 19 |
| 8 | David Davalillo | SP | 23 |
| 9 | Dylan Dreiling | OF | 23 |
| 10 | Dalton Pence | SP | 23 |
| 11 | Leandro Lopez | SP | 23 |
| 12 | Jack Wheeler | 3B | 19 |
| 13 | Izack Tiger | C | 25 |
| 14 | Paxton Kling | OF | 22 |
| 15 | Seong-Jun Kim | SS/SP | 18 |
- The Rangers are currently in a difficult spot, as both of their top prospects have been sidelined by injuries and have yet to appear this season. Despite that, Sebastian Walcott remains firmly in the No. 1 spot thanks to his immense upside and elite overall skill set. Still only 20 years old, Walcott’s prospect pedigree is unlikely to change much as the season progresses. His combination of power, athleticism, and defensive upside continues to make him one of the premier dynasty prospects in baseball.
- One name to keep an eye on as the season progresses is Yolfran Castillo. Signed out of Venezuela in 2024, Castillo has gotten off to an excellent start between Single-A and High-A, slashing .301/.394/.415 with an .809 OPS. Known primarily for his bat-to-ball skills, Castillo consistently makes quality contact throughout the zone while also adding value on the basepaths with 12 stolen bases so far this season. While Castillo is not currently viewed as an elite power hitter, there is still room for physical development. At 6’2”, 165 pounds, adding strength to his frame could allow him to generate more hard contact and unlock additional power as he matures. His advanced hit tool and speed already make him a very intriguing dynasty prospect moving forward.
- The biggest faller on this list is Izack Tiger, though the drop has little to do with talent. He simply has not been on the field enough following internal brace surgery in 2024. At 25 years old and with only a limited sample size at High-A, there is growing belief that his long-term future could ultimately be in the bullpen.
- That said, the raw stuff is still very intriguing. Tiger possesses a fastball that has touched 100 mph alongside a wipeout slider capable of generating plenty of swing-and-miss. If he can return healthy and work his way back into a starting role, he could quickly emerge as a strong bounce-back candidate within the Rangers system.
| Rank | Name | Position | Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyler Bremner | SP | 21 |
| 2 | Nelson Rada | OF | 20 |
| 3 | Jason Swalinski | SP | 19 |
| 4 | Gabriel Davalillo | C | 18 |
| 5 | Denzer Guzman | SS | 22 |
| 6 | Joswa Lugo | SS | 19 |
| 7 | Trey Gregory-Alford | SP | 19 |
| 8 | George Klassen | SP | 24 |
| 9 | Chase Shores | SP | 21 |
| 10 | CJ Gray | SP | 19 |
| 11 | Raudi Rodriguez | OF | 22 |
| 12 | Hayden Alvarez | SS | 19 |
| 13 | Talon Haley | SP | 20 |
| 14 | Jeyson Horton | OF | 17 |
| 15 | Dylan Jordan | SS | 20 |
- The Angels system may not be one of the deepest in baseball right now, but there are still a few intriguing names beginning to emerge. While the organization continues searching for long term impact talent at the major league level, several younger prospects are starting to bring more upside to the system.
- One player generating attention is Tyler Bremner. The right-hander features some of the best pure stuff in the organization, highlighted by an upper 90s fastball and a devastating changeup. Bremner has dominated to begin 2026, posting a 1.50 ERA with 28 strikeouts across just 16 innings while continuing to limit walks. His ability to miss bats gives him one of the highest ceilings in the Angels system, and he could move quickly through the minors if the command continues to improve.
- Another name dynasty managers should watch is Raudi Rodriguez, who has the potential to rise quickly through the organization. Rodriguez is currently hitting .268 with a .415 OBP and a .799 OPS after a strong 2025 season. The biggest development has been his improved plate discipline, posting a 19.6% walk rate while lowering his strikeout rate to 18.1%. Combined with his athleticism and speed, Rodriguez is quickly becoming one of the more intriguing breakout candidates in the Angels system.
Adapted by Kurt Wasemiller (@kurt_player02 on Instagram & Threads
@kuwasemiller.bksy.social on BlueSky)
