MLB The Show 22: Top 10 Prospects to Target in Franchise Mode - Outsider Gaming (2024)

Franchise Mode has long been the go-to mode in sports games for many gamers. Whether you are playing with a rebuilding franchise or a contending franchise, prospects are the key to any sustained success as they develop into their primes.

To help in your quest to bring championship after championship to your chosen franchise, this list will look at the best prospects to build your team around in MLB The Show 22’s Franchise mode. The criteria for selection is as follows:

• Overall Rating: Every prospect listed has at least a 70 rating at the time of writing.
• Potential Grade: Every prospect listed except one has an A grade in Potential.
• Age: Every prospect listed is 24 or younger.
• Position: Premium defensive positions – catcher, second base, shortstop, and center field – were favored over corner positions. Starters were favored over relievers and closers.
• Secondary Position: Positional versatility isn’t a must, but versatility is useful for roster construction.
• Service Time: Those chosen on this list have one year or less of MLB service time as listed in The Show 22.

Importantly, players on this list are on Minor League rosters as of the Opening Day live rosters (April 7). MLB The Show 21’s list included names like Bobby Witt, Jr., Julio Rodriguez, and Spencer Torkelson, all three of whom were originally locks for this list. However, all three made the Opening Day Major League rosters and thus, became ineligible for this list.

So, here are the ten best prospects that you should target in MLB The Show 21.

1. Shane Baz (Tampa Bay Rays)

Overall Rating: 74
Notable Ratings: 90 Pitch Break, 89 Velocity, 82 Stamina
Throw and Bat Hand: Right, Right
Age: 22
Potential: A
Position: Starting Pitcher
Secondary Position(s): None

Shane Baz also ranks as the best Minor League pitcher in The Show 22, not just as the best pitching prospect to target. In Tampa Bay’s organization, Baz is ready for the leap to the Major Leagues, and only an injury prevented him from making the Opening Day roster.

Baz has great Velocity and Pitch Break to his pitches, a deadly combination. In particular, his slider should have tight and late movement to it, fooling hitters as they commit too late to a pitch out of the zone. He has good Stamina for a young pitcher, so even though starters don’t go as deep into ballgames as in the past, it’s still nice to know that you can give the bullpen a rest for the most part when Baz starts. That A grade in Potential means he can quickly become the ace of your rotation.

Baz had a quick callup with the Rays in 2021. He went 2-0 with a 2.03 ERA in three starts. With Durham in 2021, he went 5-4 with a 2.06 ERA in 17 starts.

2. Michael Busch (Los Angeles Dodgers)

Overall Rating: 70
Notable Ratings: 68 Fielding, 67 Speed, 66 Arm Accuracy
Throw and Bat Hand: Right, Left
Age: 24
Potential: A
Position: Second Base
Secondary Position(s): First Base

With second base arguably the toughest position to find consistent production – catcher is the other – targeting Michael Busch is a great idea considering he’s already a 70 OVR with an A grade in Potential.

Having been in the Dodgers organization, his path to the Major Leagues has been blocked by what has been arguably the best roster over the past half-decade. He projects to be a Gold Glove second basem*n with his defensive ratings already in the mid or high 60s except Reaction (60). He should be a balanced hitter, complementing his calling card in defense.

Bush bat .267 in 409 at-bats for Tulsa, hitting 20 home runs with 67 RBI in 2021.

3. Oneil Cruz (Pittsburgh Pirates)

Overall Rating: 71
Notable Ratings: 82 Durability, 73 Speed, 69 Arm Strength
Throw and Bat Hand: Right, Left
Age: 23
Potential: A
Position: Shortstop
Secondary Position(s): Third Base

Already making news because of Pittsburgh’s decision to send him down rather than place him on the Opening Day roster in what many experts viewed as blatant service time manipulation, Oneil Cruz stands out in a distinct way: he’s a 6’7″ shortstop!

Cruz has great Durability and fairly solid defensive ratings to go along with good Speed. His size, speed, and defensive ratings should help him have a lot of range at short. His hit tool is solid, a very balanced approach that should translate well and improve dramatically with his A grade in Potential. If Pittsburgh isn’t going to start him, why don’t you?

Across AA and AAA in 2021, Cruz amassed a line of .310 in 271 at-bats with 17 home runs, 47 RBI, and 28 walks.

4. Jasson Dominguez (New York Yankees)

Overall Rating: 72
Notable Ratings: 94 Speed, 84 Reaction, 78 Durability
Throw and Bat Hand: Right, Switch
Age: 19
Potential: A
Position: Center Field
Secondary Position(s): Left Field, Right Field

Pegged by many as the center fielder that will replace Mike Trout as the best someday, Jasson Dominguez is who Yankees fans hope turns into another Bernie Williams: a center fielder who anchors the outfield defense for multiple championships.

Dominguez stands out as the fastest player on the list and arguably the best defensive player. His Speed paired with his Reaction means he can man even the biggest of outfields like at Comerica Park or Oracle Park. His defense in general makes him a candidate to be the best center fielder in The Show 22 after only a few seasons. His hit tool is decidedly average, which is fine! It’s not paltry, but it does favor contact over power.

Across Rookie and A ball in 2021, Dominguez put together a .252 average in 206 at-bats. He did strike out an alarming 73 times with only 27 walks, but that’s to be expected from a 19-year-old.

5. Luis Gil (New York Yankees)

Overall Rating: 73
Notable Ratings: 91 Velocity, 83 Pitch Break, 70 Stamina
Throw and Bat Hand: Right, Right
Age: 23
Potential: B
Position: Starting Pitcher
Secondary Position(s): None

Another Yankees prospect, Luis Gil saw some time during 2021 with New York and will most likely join the team full-time during 2022.

The starting pitcher brings heat to his pitches with a high Velocity rating and two types of fastballs, the two-seam variety with movement. That plus the slider and circle change are aided by his high rating in Pitch Break as well. Interestingly, he is the only player on this list with a B grade in Potential, but he can slot in immediately as fourth or fifth starter.

in six starts with the Yankees in 2021, Gil went 1-1 with a 3.07 ERA in 29.1 innings pitched. Across AA and AAA in 2021, Gil went 5-1 with a 3.97 ERA in 79.1 innings pitched.

6. MacKenzie Gore (San Diego Padres)

Overall Rating: 71
Notable Ratings: 77 Stamina, 74 Arm Strength, 71 Velocity
Throw and Bat Hand: Left, Left
Age: 23
Potential: A
Position: Starting Pitching
Secondary Position(s): None

MacKenzie Gore is a highly-touted prospect in real life. The 23-year-old southpaw has an A grade in Potential, an impressive five-pitch repertoire, and is rated 71 overall.

Left-handed pitchers are a premium, so adding a promising young prospect like Gore should be high on your list. He has a 77 in Stamina and decent Velocity at 71, meaning his four-seam fastball is mid-90s. He does have OK Pitch Break (66) as well.

His ratings project to be one of a strikeout pitcher who occasionally loses control and gives up walks and the long ball with good velocity. Still, Gore should grow in your organization to be a top-of-the-line starter.

Across Rookie, A+, AA, and AAA in 2021, Gore put together a record of 1-3 with a 3.93 ERA in 12 starts and 50.1 innings pitched. He struck out 61 batters and gave up 28 walks.

7. Josh Jung (Texas Rangers)

Overall Rating: 70
Notable Ratings: 80 Durability, 68 Fielding, 67 Arm Strength
Throw and Bat Hand: Right, Right
Age: 24
Potential: A
Position: Third Base
Secondary Position(s): None

Another player not on the Opening Day roster due to injury, Josh Jung will soon enough be playing everyday for Texas at third base. Texas expects him to be their next Adrián Beltré.

Jung is already a good defender with ratings in the 60s. He has good Durability as well, ensuring he should suit up nearly everyday at the hot corner. He has a good hit tool, favoring hitting against lefties slightly, though he should develop into a balanced hitter. However, he doesn’t have a secondary position so he will only be able to play third base or DH.

Across AA and AAA in 2021, Jung hit .326 in 304 at-bats with 19 home runs and 61 RBI. He did strike out 76 times while drawing 31 walks.

8. Marcelo Mayer (Boston Red Sox)

Overall Rating: 71
Notable Ratings: 79 Speed, 79 Durability, 77 Reaction
Throw and Bat Hand: Right, Left
Age: 19
Potential: A
Position: Shortstop
Secondary Position(s): None

The other 19-year-old on this list, Marcelo Mayer may have to replace Xander Bogaerts sooner rather than later should the latter and Boston not come to terms on an extension. In The Show 22, you can take their prospective replacement from them to shore up your shortstop position for years to come.

Mayer is second in defense only to Dominguez on this list. Imagine a team with Dominguez in center and Mayer at shortstop, a defensively sound team up the middle. All of Mayer’s defensive stats are in the 70s, making him a stout defender who should grow into something like Brandon Crawford defensively.

His hit tool is lacking particularly in power. Mayer seems likely to project into a high contact batter who rarely hits homers, but with his speed, can get on base and score runs with his legs. He’ll also prevent runs with that defense of his.

Across 26 games in Rookie ball in 2021, Mayer hit .275 in 91 at-bats. He hit three home runs with 17 RBI.

9. Gabriel Moreno (Toronto Blue Jays)

Overall Rating: 72
Notable Ratings: 78 Durability, 72 Blocking, 66 Arm Strength
Throw and Bat Hand: Right, Right
Age: 22
Potential: A
Position: Catcher
Secondary Position(s): None

One of two catchers on this list, Gabriel Moreno could be your future all-around catcher at less of a cost than the last prospect on this list.

Importantly, Moreno has high Durability that is necessary to play catcher everyday, particularly when there’s no secondary position – aside from DH – to play. His Blocking rating is good and should improve with experience, preventing pitches in the dirt from becoming wild pitches more often. He has a decent hit tool, and his Speed (52) is particularly impressive considering catchers are usually some of the slowest players in baseball.

Across Rookie, AA, and AAA in 2021, Moreno hit .367 in 139 at-bats. He hit eight home runs with 45 RBI.

10. Brayan Rocchio (Cleveland Guardians)

Overall Rating: 70
Notable Ratings: 81 Speed, 77 Durability, 77 Reaction
Throw and Bat Hand: Right, Switch
Age: 21
Potential: A
Position: Shortstop
Secondary Position(s): Second Base, Third Base

21-year-old Brayan Rocchio may prove to be Cleveland’s shortstop of the future to replace Francisco Lindor and Amed Rosario.

The shortstop has good Speed and solid defensive ratings, ensuring that he can stay on the field for his defense. His Durability means he should be able to play nearly everyday while avoiding injuries. He is a contact hitter with over 20 points in disparity between his Contact and Power ratings. He should become a prototypical leadoff hitter.

Across A+ and AA in 2021, Rocchio hit .277 in 441 at-bats. He added 15 home runs and 63 RBI.

11. Adley Rutschman (Baltimore Orioles)

Overall Rating: 74
Notable Ratings: 84 Durability, 68 Fielding, 66 Blocking
Throw and Bat Hand: Right, Switch
Age: 24
Potential: A
Position: Catcher
Secondary Position(s): First Base

Aside from second base, catcher is the most difficult position to find a prospect who can contribute offensively and defensively. Rutschman is the top catching prospect, possibly top prospect in all of MLB, and can contribute on both ends. Only an injury prevented him from being the Opening Day starter for Baltimore.

Rutschman has an A-grade in Potential while being rated 74 OVR. He is also the rare switch-hitting catcher, so this should counter any platoon splits, particularly with his balanced Contact and Power ratings from both sides. The best catcher prospect since Buster Posey, Rutschman will need to improve his defense a bit, but still has solid enough ratings to be a contributor on that side of the field. Having a Durability rating of 85 means that he will be out there every day with little worry of injury.

Across AA and AAA in 2021, Rutschman hit .285 in 452 at-bats. He added 23 home runs and 75 RBI. He also had three steals in seven attempts – as a catcher!

Whomever you decide to acquire, the needs of your franchise will play a big role in the decisions. Regardless of if you decide to acquire one, a few, or all these top prospects in MLB The Show 22, any and all of them should better your franchise. Start working those trades!