Projecting All 30 MLB Teams' Next Big Thing

Regardless of whether a team is a perennial World Series contender, a fringe playoff team or a cellar-dweller, there is always at least some reason for excitement looking ahead to the future.

Whether it is a single player destined to be a superstar or a deep minor league system overflowing with talent, the "next big thing" is always waiting just around the corner to change the outlook of a franchise.

Hype and actual on-field production are two very different things, and not every next big thing pans out, but it gives fans a reason for optimism nonetheless.

So with that in mind, what follows is a look at the next big thing for all 30 MLB teams.

In order to be eligible for the list, a player has to carry rookie eligibility into the 2016 season, and most players here are expected to make an impact at some point in the next two years.

However, not every team has a next big thing on the horizon at this point in time, so keep that in mind as a few clubs were slapped with an unfortunate "TBD" for the sake of this exercise.

The past few seasons, right-hander Archie Bradley has been the overwhelming favorite to be the next big thing for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

However, after a series of injuries and a 5.80 ERA over eight starts in his first big league action last year, much of the shine is now gone from his prospect star.

Meanwhile, fellow right-hander and 2013 first-round pick Braden Shipley has moved steadily through the system. In a full season with Double-A last year, he went 9-11 with a 3.50 ERA, 1.296 WHIP and 118 strikeouts in 156.2 innings.

He may not profile as an ace, but with a polished three-pitch repertoire and plus athleticism, he could very well be the next big thing in the desert.

The Atlanta Braves have done a terrific job stocking the farm system with high-ceiling young talent, and that gives them plenty of options for who might be the next star to emerge.

Dansby Swanson, Ozzie Albies, Touki Toussaint and Kolby Allard all have impressive potential, but they also all figure to still be at least a year away from seeing time in Atlanta.

With that in mind, we'll go with right-hander Tyrell Jenkins as the choice here. He'll be in the running for the No. 5 starter job out of camp and has a chance to make a significant impact whenever he does in fact reach the majors.

Acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals as part of the Shelby Miller-Jason Heyward deal, Jenkins reached Triple-A last season and held his own with a 3.57 ERA over nine starts. He'll need to show improved command, but the stuff is there for him to succeed.

The Baltimore Orioles have always been active on the international market, and that trend continued this offseason when they signed Korean outfielder Hyun-soo Kim to a two-year, $7 million deal.

A 10-year veteran with the Doosan Bears, Kim is a .318/.406/.488 career hitter and is coming off a season that saw him set career highs in home runs (26), RBI (121) and runs scored (103) while hitting .326/.438/.541.

The power may not translate as well as it did with Jung-ho Kang, but the on-base ability should play regardless of the level of competition he's up against, and that makes him an intriguing table-setter for the O's.

Korean media member Daniel Kim provided the following scouting report when talking with Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun:

I’m not saying that he is going to be the next Alex Gordon, but he is kind of like Alex Gordon (offensively). Let me make that clear: He may not be the next Alex Gordon in MLB, but he was that kind of player in Korea. He doesn’t look sexy, but he keeps the chains moving. He takes pitches and really makes the opposing pitcher work really hard. If everything goes well and he is what the Orioles are expecting him to be, the perfect scenario is an Alex Gordon-type offensive player.

The intrigue of an international player making the leap to MLB, coupled with that kind of potential on the offensive side of things, should make Kim one to watch in Baltimore.

The Boston Red Sox offered up a $31.5 million bonus to sign Yoan Moncada, and that already lofty amount came with a 100 percent penalty for exceeding the international bonus pool.

Not many players see a team invest $63 million in them before they've even reached the majors, and that kind of financial commitment will be accompanied by lofty expectations whenever Moncada does make the jump.

The thing is, with his impressive arsenal of tools and tremendous ceiling, that jump may come a lot sooner than some people think, which could prove to be money well spent.

The 20-year-old spent last season in Single-A, hitting .278/.380/.438 with 19 doubles, eight home runs and 49 stolen bases in 52 attempts. That could be enough to put him on the fast track and even in line for a potential September call-up.

"Few middle infielders can match Moncada's huge offensive ceiling, which earns him comparisons to Robinson Cano with more speed," wrote MLB.com's Prospect Watch.

There has been no shortage of "next big things" churned out by the Chicago Cubs' farm system in recent years, as highly touted prospects Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, Kyle Schwarber, Jorge Soler and Javier Baez have all graduated through the ranks.

What remains is a farm system that is still among the best in baseball but one that has the bulk of its top talent in the lower levels of the minors heading into 2016.

One player who could make a serious impact on the North Side in the near future is catcher Willson Contreras.

The 23-year-old wasn't on any top prospect lists at this time last year, but after hitting .333/.413/.478 to win the Double-A Southern League batting title, he's now viewed by some (including MLB.com) as the top catching prospect in baseball.

Miguel Montero is signed through the 2017 season, but Contreras could be pushing him for playing time long before his contract expires.

Shortstop prospect Tim Anderson has done nothing but hit since the Chicago White Sox made him the No. 17 pick in the 2013 draft.

That includes a .312/.350/.429 line with 38 extra-base hits and 49 stolen bases in a full season with Double-A Birmingham last year.

There is no question his bat will be what carries him to the next level, but defense is currently holding him back, as he's piled up 59 errors the past two seasons.

A move to the outfield at some point may become a necessity, but regardless of where he ends up in the field, his offensive game has a chance to make him a star.

There may not be a more wide-open position in all of baseball heading into spring training than the left field job for the Cincinnati Reds.

Marlon Byrd was traded in August, and the rebuilding Reds have opted against adding a proven veteran, instead opting for whomever wins out among Yorman Rodriguez, Adam Duvall, Scott Schebler, Ivan De Jesus Jr. and Rule 5 pick Jake Cave.

Whoever does seize the job out of spring training will only be keeping the position warm for top prospect Jesse Winker, though.

One of the best pure hitters in all of the minors, Winker hit .282/.390/.433 with 24 doubles and 13 home runs in Double-A last year, and he's capable of that same level of production in the majors.

Expect him to be up by midseason and to be the one who makes a serious impact before right-hander and fellow top prospect Robert Stephenson enters the picture.

Starting in 2012, the Cleveland Indians used three consecutive first-round picks on outfielders, taking Tyler Naquin, Clint Frazier and Bradley Zimmer.

Frazier may have the higher overall ceiling long term, and Naquin will likely be the first to reach the majors, but as far as the next big thing is concerned, there's a good chance that will wind up being Zimmer.

The 23-year-old hit .308/.402/.493 in 335 plate appearances at the High-A level last year before struggling with the midseason jump to Double-A, due in part to a hairline fracture in his foot.

"Though Zimmer shows the makings of a dynamic top-of-the-order hitter, it's his potential for 20 homers and 20 steals in a given season that could make him one of the most valuable up-the-middle players in the game once fully developed," wrote MLB.com's Prospect Watch.

The Indians could certainly use an offensive spark, and Zimmer could be the guy who finally provides it once he arrives.

Part of the reason the Colorado Rockies were able to land such a good package of prospects from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for shortstop Troy Tulowitzki is because they also took on veteran shortstop Jose Reyes in the deal.

As Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post wrote earlier this offseason, a pending domestic abuse trial and a subpar performance following the trade last year make Reyes' future in Colorado a major question mark.

"Bottom line: Colorado owes Reyes $48 million," wrote Saunders. "If he is suspended by MLB, how long would he be out? How much money would he lose? How would that affect the Rockies' contract obligations? Those remain unanswered questions."

One way or another, there's a good chance Reyes won't play out his remaining contract in Colorado, and part of the reason for that is the presence of prospect Trevor Story.

The 23-year-old hit .279/.350/.514 with 40 doubles, 10 triples and 20 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A last year to rebound from a disappointing 2014 performance, and the Rockies will do whatever they can to clear a path for him once he's ready.

The Detroit Tigers' farm system is still far from being a strength, but they did add some quality talent at the deadline last year.

Among those deadline additions was right-hander Michael Fulmer, who came from the New York Mets in the Yoenis Cespedes deal and opens the season as the team's top prospect.

In 22 starts last season, Fulmer went 10-3 with a 2.24 ERA, 1.075 WHIP and 125 strikeouts in 124.2 innings, and improved command has eased some concerns as to whether he can stick as a starter long term.

"There is little doubt about the stuff: Fulmer can hit 95 with the fastball, both his curveball and slider can be above-average, and his change-up is an adequate fourth option," wrote John Sickels of SB Nation.

Daniel Norris appears to be the favorite for the No. 5 starter spot to begin the year, but Fulmer could find himself as the next man up and one who makes a serious impact at the big league level in 2016.

A.J. Reed was one of the best two-way players in college baseball history during his time at the University of Kentucky.

Reed was the Golden Spikes winner during his junior season, as he hit .336/.476/.735 with 23 home runs and 73 RBI while also going 12-2 with a 2.09 ERA and 1.134 WHIP in 112 innings on the mound.

He's made the full-time move to hitting since being taken in the second round that year by the Houston Astros, and it may not be long before he gets a crack at that everyday first base job in the majors.

Splitting last season between High-A and Double-A, he hit an impressive .340/.432/.612 with 30 doubles, 34 home runs and 127 RBI to make him the top first base prospect in the league.

Jon Singleton figures to get one last crack at the first base gig this spring, but if he struggles once again and Reed continues to rake in the minors, it's only a matter of time before the team makes a change.

Bubba Starling may not be the top prospect in the Kansas City Royals organization, but it's fair to say he's the most hyped.

A two-sport star at Gardner-Edgerton High School in Kansas, Starling was committed to the University of Nebraska where he was also slated to play quarterback as one of the top football recruits in the nation.

However, a $7.5 million bonus from the Royals when he was taken with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2011 draft was enough for him to abandon those college plans and begin his baseball career.

After struggling early-on in his career in the lower levels of the minors, Starling hit .269/.337/.448 with 23 doubles and 12 home runs while reaching Double-A last year.

Jarrod Dyson and Paulo Orlando will get the first crack at the right field job in Kansas City this season, but there's a chance Starling could see time down the stretch with an eye on taking over that position in 2017.

Expect his debut to come with plenty of hype and excitement, even if he hasn't necessarily backed that up with on-field production to this point.

To anyone familiar with the current state of the Los Angeles Angels' farm system, the dreaded "TBD" tag here should come as no surprise.

Pitchers Victor Alcantara, Joe Gatto and Nate Smith are the best of the team's incumbent prospects, while its 2015 draft picks—catcher Taylor Ward and outfielder Jahmai Jones—have also flashed some quality upside.

However, none of those players look like they'll be the next big thing at this point, and after trading Sean Newcomb and Chris Ellis to the Atlanta Braves for Andrelton Simmons, the team is without a top-100 overall prospect.

For now, the Angels will have to be content with current big thing Mike Trout, because there's a good chance the next big thing is not yet a part of the organization.

After the impact he made down the stretch last season, it's easy to forget Corey Seager still carries rookie eligibility into the 2016 season.

The 21-year-old hit .337/.425/.561 with 13 extra-base hits in 113 plate appearances following his September call-up last year, and he has a clear path to the everyday shortstop job this coming season.

He's probably co-favorite with New York Mets left-hander Steven Matz for NL Rookie of the Year honors, and it's not out of the question to think he could immediately be the most productive shortstop in the National League.

MLB.com's Prospect Watch offered up this raving scouting report on his offensive game while naming him its No. 1 overall prospect:

Seager has a higher offensive ceiling than any big league shortstop except for Carlos Correa.

He combines a sweet left-handed swing, bat speed, strength, tremendous feel for hitting and the willingness to use all fields. The only knock on Seager at the plate is that he can get somewhat aggressive at times, but that shouldn't prevent him from challenging for batting titles and producing 25 or more homers per season.

A move from shortstop to third base may come at some point, but his bat will play anywhere.

The Miami Marlins have two exciting young superstars in Giancarlo Stanton and Jose Fernandez, who are both homegrown talents.

It could be a while before the next homegrown superstar comes along, though.

Their farm system is currently the weakest of any National League by a wide margin, and a rough debut by right-hander Tyler Kolek leaves them without a star prospect to headline the minor league ranks.

There's a reason Kolek was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2014 draft, as his power stuff and burly frame give him front-line potential, but until he reins in his command (5.1 BB/9), it's hard to call him the next big thing.

Keep an eye on first baseman Josh Naylor.

He is still a ways off after being taken with the No. 12 pick in the draft last June, but he has the loud offensive tools to emerge as that missing headliner.

In a very transparent move, the Milwaukee Brewers recently traded incumbent shortstop Jean Segura to the Arizona Diamondbacks in a five-player deal.

That effectively clears a path for prospect Orlando Arcia.

Brewers general manager David Stearns has insisted that he'll still start the season in the minors, per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com, but don't expect the 21-year-old to be there for long.

Viewed as a glove-first shortstop throughout his development, Arcia exploded offensively last season with a .307/.347/.453 line in Double-A that included 52 extra-base hits and 25 stolen bases.

He followed that up with a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League, and all of that was enough to earn him the No. 6 spot on MLB.com's top 100 prospects list.

"Arcia is a well-rounded player who offers plus defense at a premium position, and when coupled with his offensive upside, it could make him an All-Star," MLB.com wrote. "Scouts also love his makeup and maturity, and the belief is that those intangibles will allow him to make a smooth transition to the Major Leagues."

Considering outfielder Byron Buxton still has rookie eligibility this selection may come as a surprise, but looking ahead to 2016, don't be surprised if it's Jose Berrios who makes the bigger impact and emerges as the next big thing.

Buxton still has as high of a ceiling as any player in baseball, but after looking overmatched in his first bit of MLB action last season, it could take him longer to tap into that potential than originally expected.

Meanwhile, Berrios absolutely dominated minor league hitters last season between Double-A and Triple-A, going 14-5 with a 2.87 ERA, 1.046 WHIP and 175 strikeouts in 166.1 innings.

MLB.com's Prospect Watch offered up the following:

Berrios has a terrific combination of stuff and feel, especially for someone his age. A terrific athlete, he has a live, quick arm that can consistently fire fastballs at the mid-90s level. Berrios' curveball has improved so much that it's almost an out pitch for him at this point. His changeup has the chance to be plus as well, which would give him three "60s" in his repertoire.

The Twins rotation was a major weakness last season, and the fact that Berrios did not earn a September promotion was something of a surprise. He likely won't break camp with the team, but expect him to be slotted in the rotation for good by midseason.

Along with Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager, left-hander Steven Matz is another player with significant big league experience who still qualifies as a prospect thanks to maintaining his rookie eligibility.

A second-round pick in the 2009 draft, Matz didn't begin his pro career until 2012 after Tommy John surgery and subsequent arm issues kept him sidelined.

However, he broke out in his full-season debut in 2013, and his stock has taken off since.

He was 4-0 with a 2.27 ERA in six regular-season starts, and he added three more starts during the postseason, including a no-decision in Game 4 of the World Series when he allowed seven hits and two earned runs in five innings of work.

He'll begin the season as the No. 4 starter in a terrific rotation, and there's a good chance he'll wind up being the best No. 4 starter in baseball.

An imposing figure at 6'7" and 275 pounds, Aaron Judge has not yet delivered the type of in-game power production you might expect from someone of that size. The potential is undoubtedly there, though.

Consider the following, per MLB.com's Prospect Watch:

Built along the lines of Giancarlo Stanton, Judge has similar strength, leverage and huge raw power. He focused on working counts and the middle of the field during his 2014 pro debut, but he started to turn his right-handed swing loose more often last season.

Depending on how much Judge balances power versus discipline, he could be a higher-average hitter with 20 or so homers per season or more of a masher who delivers 30-plus long balls.

The 23-year-old hit .255/.330/.448 with 26 doubles and 20 home runs last season while reaching Triple-A for the first time, and he should get at least a cup of coffee with the big league club this coming season.

Injuries could put him in position to make a bigger impact, though, and either way, he looks to have a clear path to a starting gig in 2017 with Carlos Beltran set to hit free agency next offseason.

First baseman Matt Olson was an easy pick as the next big thing for the Oakland Athletics heading into last season, but a mediocre performance over a full season in Double-A has left his stock trending in the wrong direction.

Instead, we'll focus on left-hander Sean Manaea, who was acquired from the Kansas City Royals in the Ben Zobrist trade at the deadline.

A hip injury during his junior season at Indiana State dropped Manaea from being in the conversation to go No. 1 overall in the 2013 draft all the way to No. 34 overall, and injuries were an issue again last year as he missed time with abdominal and groin strains.

However, when he's been healthy, he's flashed legitimate front-line stuff, including going 6-0 with a 1.90 ERA, 1.148 WHIP and 10.8 K/9 in seven starts for Double-A Midland after joining the A's organization in July.

The Oakland rotation is up in the air behind the trio of Sonny Gray, Jesse Hahn and Rich Hill, and there's a good chance the 24-year-old Manaea factors into the staff at some point in 2016.

The Philadelphia Phillies already appear to have a pair of franchise building blocks in right-hander Aaron Nola and third baseman Maikel Franco, and those two will soon be joined by shortstop J.P. Crawford.

The No. 16 pick in the 2013 draft, Crawford has moved quickly, and last season he hit .288/.380/.414 with 35 extra-base hits and 12 stolen bases between High-A and Double-A.

The 21-year-old is likely headed back to the minors to start the 2016 season, but his arrival in Philadelphia should come sooner rather than later.

All the pieces are there for him to be a bona fide star and one of the faces of the rebuilding Phillies, as MLB.com's Prospect Watch described:

Crawford has the chance to be an impact all-around player. He's one of the best defensive shortstop prospects, with outstanding range despite having just average speed. Crawford combines that with terrific hands and a very strong arm, allowing him to stay at the premium position for the long-term.

At the plate, he has a very advanced approach that belies his age, with plate discipline that allowed him to walk more than he struck out in 2015. Crawford has more gap power right now, but he should grow into a little more over-the-fence pop from the left side of the plate.

It will likely be another long season in Philadelphia, but Crawford and other young players should give the fanbase plenty of reason for optimism.

With A.J. Burnett retiring and J.A. Happ moving on in free agency, the back of the Pittsburgh Pirates' rotation is a question mark heading into 2016.

Ryan Vogelsong and Jeff Locke are expected to round out the rotation to open the year, but it may not be long before one of them is unseated in favor of uber-prospect Tyler Glasnow.

With a fastball that sits in the upper 90s, a biting curveball and a solid changeup, he has a terrific three-pitch repertoire, and his stuff plays up thanks to his towering 6'8" frame that has filled out since he was taken in the fifth round of the 2011 draft.

Thanks to that three-pitch arsenal, he's dominated every step of the way so far as a pro, going 28-16 with a 2.07 ERA, 1.059 WHIP and 501 strikeouts in 383.1 innings.

His command has also improved in each of the past three seasons, as he's gone from 4.9 to 4.1 to a more manageable 3.5 BB/9 in 2015.

After making eight starts in Triple-A to finish last season, he won't need much more time in the minors and could be among the first prospects promoted this coming year.

The San Diego Padres' top two prospects might be the headliners of this offseason's Craig Kimbrel trade—Manuel Margot and Javier Guerra—but outfielder Hunter Renfroe will likely beat them to the majors.

The No. 13 pick in the 2013 draft, Renfroe is one of the few top prospects who did not wind up being a trade chip last offseason, and that should be a good indication of what general manager A.J. Preller thinks of his potential.

"Renfroe fits the traditional right-field profile, starting with his two best tools: power and arm strength. He has tremendous strength, bat speed and uppercut in his swing, and his home runs tend to leave the park in a hurry," wrote MLB.com's Prospect Watch.

He hit .272/.321/.462 with 27 doubles and 20 home runs last season, and he responded especially well to a late promotion to Triple-A where he posted a .991 OPS with 13 extra-base hits in 90 at-bats.

Sliding the defensively challenged Matt Kemp over to fill what is a hole in left field and slotting Renfroe in as the everyday right fielder could be a move the Padres make before midseason.

While the San Francisco Giants have consistently gotten unexpected production from mid-level prospects the past few seasons, they have struggled to develop their top starting pitching talent since drafting and developing the trio of Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Madison Bumgarner.

Kyle Crick and Chris Stratton have both fallen short of their first-round pedigrees, while Martin Acosta, Ty Blach, Seth Rosin, Jason Stoffel, Bryce Bandilla and Chris Marlowe all went in the first five rounds between 2009 and 2012 but have come up short in their development.

The team will look to buck than unfortunate trend with 2014 first-round pick Tyler Beede.

The right-hander dominated High-A hitters to begin the 2015 season, pitching to a 2.24 ERA and 1.146 WHIP over nine starts, but he struggled to make the jump to Double-A, where he showed some command problems with a 4.4 BB/9 mark.

The 22-year-old was expected to move quickly coming out of Vanderbilt, and provided he can iron out those control issues, he could join the rotation down the stretch in 2016.

It's not all that long ago the Seattle Mariners had one of the deepest minor league systems in all of baseball, but with the bulk of that talent graduating to the major leagues or failing to live up to expectations, they now find themselves with one of the worst.

Alex Jackson is the headlining prospect after being taken No. 6 overall as the top high school bat in the 2014 draft, but his first full season in the organization did not go as hoped.

He was good enough in a 24-game stint in the Arizona rookie league after signing that the team sent him to Single-A Clinton last year to kick off his first full season in the organization.

Suffice to say, he wasn't ready for that big of a leap.

The 20-year-old hit a dismal .157/.240/.213 and struck out 35 times in 108 at-bats before being demoted to Low-A Everett in June.

He hit just .239 over 163 at-bats following the step down, but he did post an .832 OPS with 11 doubles and eight home runs.

Strikeouts were the big issue all season, as he whiffed at a 30.2 percent rate between the two levels.

The Mariners would be wise to ease off the gas a bit in terms of his progression through the minor league ranks, but the tools are all still there for him to be a future middle-of-the-order force.

A 50-game suspension for a second positive marijuana test will leave Alex Reyes watching from the sidelines to start the 2016 season, and minor league hitters certainly won't miss him.

His 151 strikeouts in just 101.1 innings of work last season speak to how overpowering his three-pitch repertoire can be, and despite the fact that he's still relatively raw, he looks to have all the makings of a future front-line starter.

Reyes took an interesting path to the pros, as he grew up in New Jersey but moved back to the Dominican Republic prior to his senior season in high school to be part of the international free-agent class when his draft stock was slow to develop.

He wound up landing a $950,000 bonus after his velocity ticked up following the move, and that has a chance to be an absolute steal for the St. Louis Cardinals if he approaches his ceiling.

After reaching Double-A for eight starts to finish out 2015, a cup of coffee this coming season with a shot at cracking the rotation in 2017 is not out of the question for the 21-year-old.

Blake Snell was certainly on the prospect radar entering the 2015 season as a former supplemental-round pick and the No. 9 prospect in the Tampa Bay Rays organization, according to Baseball America.

It's fair to assume no one was predicting him to be quite as dominant as he was last season, though, as a breakout performance culminated in Minor League Player of the Year honors.

Beginning the season at High-A Charlotte, Snell rattled off a 49-inning scoreless streak to open the year, and he moved seamlessly over three levels to close out the year with a 1.83 ERA over nine starts at the Triple-A level.

All told, the left-hander went 15-4 with a 1.41 ERA, 1.022 WHIP and 163 strikeouts in 134 innings while holding batters to a .182 batting average against him.

In terms of pure stuff, Snell does not have the upside of the top tier of pitching prospects around the league, but his floor is increasingly higher. There's a good chance he'll be the next homegrown rotation piece for the Rays.

The Texas Rangers shelled out a then-record $4.95 million bonus to sign Nomar Mazara as part of the 2011 international free-agent class, and he took over during the 2014 season.

Mazara posted a .271/.362/.478 line that included 28 doubles and 22 home runs that year as a 19-year-old, and he showed enough in Single-A to make the jump straight to Double-A to close out the year.

His quick progression through the minors continued when he reached Triple-A last year, and he finished the season with a .296/.366/.443 line and solid power production once again with 26 doubles and 14 home runs.

MLB.com's Prospect Watch said the following:

His bat speed improved once he toned down a big leg kick, and he generates plenty of his leverage with his large 6-foot-4 frame. Mazara's approach also has gotten better, and his ability to manage the strike zone and his willingness to use the entire field should allow him to hit for a solid average.

Mazara's maturity and ability to make adjustments two more factors that work in his favor.

Along with fellow outfield prospect Lewis Brinson, Mazara has overtaken Joey Gallo as the headliner of the Rangers farm system, and it could wind up being a race to see which one of those two talented outfielders does in fact end up being the next big thing in Arlington.

Outfielder Anthony Alford may rank higher on prospect lists, and understandably so given his vast potential, but look for right-hander Conner Greene to be the next big thing north of the border.

The Toronto Blue Jays took Greene in the seventh round of the 2013 draft, and after spending his first two pro seasons in rookie ball, he climbed three levels in his full-season debut last year to reach Double-A.

All told, the 20-year-old went 12-7 with a 3.54 ERA, 1.322 WHIP and 115 strikeouts in 132.1 innings of work, and he will likely find himself back in Double-A to kick off 2016.

The 6'3" and 165-pound righty has already added 20 pounds to his frame since being drafted out of high school, and his velocity has improved as a result.

There is still room for further projection in that frame as well, and if he can refine his secondary stuff, he has a chance to make a real impact out of the Toronto rotation in the near future.

Right-hander Lucas Giolito is the best prospect in the Washington Nationals' system and maybe the best pitching prospect in all of baseball, but it's shortstop Trea Turner who will be the first to make a significant impact with the big league club.

The Nationals' decision to sign Daniel Murphy and Stephen Drew means Turner will be headed back to the minors to open 2016, but don't expect him to be held back once he proves he's ready to make the leap.

The 22-year-old hit .322/.370/.458 with 39 extra-base hits and 29 stolen bases between Double-A and Triple-A last season before earning a September call-up, and he doesn't have much work left to do down on the farm.

His speed grades out as his best tool, and it is legitimately plus-plus, but he should also hit for a solid average while developing into an above-average defensive shortstop.

Danny Espinosa thrived in a super-utility role last season, and while he'll open the year as the Nationals' everyday shortstop, he could soon return to that role once Turner arrives on the scene for good.

All minor and major league stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com, while college stats come from The Baseball Cube.