The 2025 Minor League Baseball season has officially wrapped up, and with it comes a fresh wave of recognition for the game’s brightest young stars. Topping the headlines this October is none other than Pittsburgh Pirates phenom Konnor Griffin, who has been named both Baseball America’s No. 1 overall prospect and MLB Pipeline’s Minor League Hitting Prospect of the Year. Griffin’s historic campaign, along with other standout performances from across the minors, has energized fans and scouts alike as the next generation of talent readies itself for the big leagues.
Baseball America, using advanced Statcast metrics collected via Hawk-Eye data, published a comprehensive leaderboard on October 8, 2025, spotlighting the top minor league hitters aged 23 and younger. Their innovative RoboScout model, which blends traditional stats with underlying data such as exit velocity, contact quality, and swing decisions, aims to provide a more accurate projection of future major league success. It’s a far cry from the days when surface stats alone ruled prospect analysis, especially in environments like the Dominican Summer League where numbers can be misleading due to erratic pitching and field conditions.
Meanwhile, MLB Pipeline rolled out its own list, honoring the top hitting and pitching prospects in each MLB organization. Once again, Griffin’s name was front and center, thanks to a season that defied the record books. The Pirates’ first-round pick in 2024, Griffin split his year between Single-A and Double-A, compiling a jaw-dropping .333 batting average, a .415 on-base percentage, and a .536 slugging mark. He belted 21 homers and swiped 65 bases, becoming just the fourth minor leaguer since 1963 to post at least 20 home runs and 60 steals in a single season. That’s the kind of line that makes even seasoned scouts sit up and take notice!
Baseball America’s Statcast leaderboard further cements Griffin’s status as a generational talent. Among 19-year-olds, Griffin’s Hit+ score—a metric centered at 100, with higher numbers indicating superior offensive skill—came in at a robust 116. His 108 mph 90th percentile exit velocity and a .407 expected weighted on-base average on contact (xwOBAcon) put him in elite company. The Hit+ formula, which incorporates contact rate, in-zone contact rate, chase rate, barrel rate, and more, showed Griffin excelling in nearly every offensive category. As Baseball America succinctly put it, "Reds catcher Alfredo Duno and BA’s No. 1 overall prospect, Pirates shortstop/outfielder Konnor Griffin, are the class of the 19-year-olds."
Griffin’s rise isn’t just about raw numbers, though. According to MLB Pipeline, "Not much went wrong for Griffin, the Pirates’ first-round pick in 2024, and that’s why we picked him as our Hitting Prospect of the Year." The praise isn’t empty: Griffin’s season marks only the fourth time since the Minor Leagues were restructured in 1963 that a player has reached the 20-homer, 60-steal plateau. His combination of power and speed has drawn comparisons to some of the game’s most dynamic young outfielders of the past decade.
But the story of the 2025 minor league season isn’t just about Griffin. Across the minors, a parade of prospects made headlines with their own eye-popping performances. Cubs outfielder Owen Caissie, at age 23, led all qualified hitters with a Hit+ of 123, blasting 22 homers and posting a .286/.386/.551 line in Triple-A before making his big league debut. Giants first baseman Bryce Eldridge, just 20 years old, repeated as a system standout by hitting .260/.333/.510 with 25 home runs across Double-A and Triple-A, earning his first MLB call-up in September.
Pitchers weren’t left out of the spotlight, either. Mets right-hander Jonah Tong earned MLB Pipeline’s Minor League Pitching Prospect of the Year honors after leading the Minors in both ERA and strikeouts—a modern-era first. Tong’s dominance on the mound was matched by the likes of Yesavage in Toronto, who finished with a 3.12 ERA and 160 strikeouts, and Ty Johnson in Tampa Bay, whose 2.61 ERA and 149 punchouts helped anchor Double-A Montgomery’s staff.
The American League East saw a flurry of prospect action. Orioles outfielder Dylan Beavers rebounded from a tough 2024 to hit .304 with 18 home runs and 23 steals, earning his first MLB promotion. Rays outfielder Theo Gillen, despite a season-ending finger fracture, posted a .433 on-base percentage and 36 steals in Single-A, while Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony continued his ascent with a .288 average and 10 homers in Triple-A before making his big league debut at just 21.
Elsewhere, Tigers shortstop Kevin McGonigle’s .305/.408/.583 line and 19 homers earned him top prospect honors in Detroit, and Royals catcher Carter Jensen broke out with career highs across the board, including a .290 average and 20 home runs. The National League featured Cardinals infielder JJ Wetherholt, who posted a .306/.421/.510 line with 17 homers and 23 steals, and Dodgers outfielder Eduardo Quintero, who claimed MVP honors in the California League with a .306 average, 14 homers, and 35 steals in 81 games.
What’s behind this surge in prospect performance? Advanced data and player development have never been more intertwined. The RoboScout model’s use of underlying metrics—like 90th percentile exit velocity and barrel rate—offers a clearer window into a player’s true offensive potential. For example, Griffin’s ability to generate a 108 mph exit velocity and maintain a .407 xwOBAcon speaks to a skill set that’s less subject to the whims of ballpark factors or defensive miscues. As Baseball America noted, "If a hitter can produce a 115 mph exit velocity or whiff on just 5% of in-zone swings, that’s an objective skill—unaffected by field conditions, defense or ballpark size."
Looking ahead, the 2025 minor league class is poised to shape the major league landscape for years to come. With Griffin leading the charge, teams across baseball are eager to see how these young stars will transition to the sport’s highest level. The Pirates’ faithful, in particular, have reason to dream big, as Griffin’s blend of power, speed, and advanced hitting metrics suggests he could be a franchise cornerstone sooner rather than later.
As the dust settles on another thrilling minor league season, one thing is clear: the pipeline of talent is as strong as ever, and the future of the game looks exceedingly bright. With advanced analytics shining a spotlight on the next wave of stars, fans can expect even more fireworks as these prospects chase big league glory in 2026 and beyond.
