A look at MLB.com's top 30 Blue Jays prospects (2023 pre-season rankings)

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MLB.com recently released their top 100 prospects leaderboard throughout Major League Baseball. With that, came the individual team rankings and their respective top 30 prospects.

A familiar face is at the top of the Toronto Blue Jays rankings, while a promising infielder made a significant jump and a pitching prospect dropped 15 spots from last year's list.

Before we dive into the list, here's a list of the best tools provided by MLB.com. Players are graded on a 20-80 scouting scale. 20-30 is considered well below average, 40 is below average, 50 is average, 60 is above average and 70-80 is well above average.

Note, players in parentheses have the same grade.

Hit: 55 – Otto Lopez (Tucker Toman, Gabriel Martinez, Spencer Horwitz)

Power: 60 – Orelvis Martinez (Rainer Nunez)

Run: 80 – Dasan Brown

Arm: 65 – Alex De Jesus (Addison Barger)

Defense: 65 -- Dasan Brown

Fastball: 70 – Yosver Zulueta

Curveball: 55 – Adam Macko (Yosver Zulueta, Sem Robberse)

Slider: 65 – Dahian Santos

Changeup: 70 – Ricky Tiedemann

Control: 55 – Brandon Barriera

No. 30: C Luis Meza (ETA: 2027)

An international free agent signing last season, Meza, carries a lot of hype around his name and is projected to become one of the better catchers in the organization down the line. The 18-year-old played in 28 games in the Dominican Summer League, hitting .229 with a 19 percent CS% behind the plate.

No. 29: INF Damiano Palmegiani (ETA: 2025)

Palmegiani is a corner infielder and has a ton of pop in his bat. The 23-year-old hit 25 doubles and 24 home runs last year split between A-ball and High-A while driving in a whopping 83 runs. Third base is his position by trade and he plays it well, but he is also capable of lining up at first on a consistent basis.

No. 28: INF/OF Davis Schneider (ETA: 2023)

The 24-year-old Schneider is yet another utility-type player that the Blue Jays value so highly. He made it all the way up to Triple-A in 2022 and could possibly see a big league cameo in the upcoming season. He plays second and third primarily but began to see quite a bit of time in the outfield corners last year to add to his versatility.

No. 27: RHP Irv Carter (ETA: 2025)

Carter, 20, is the previously mentioned prospect who fell 15 spots from last year's ranking. He made 13 appearances (10 starts) last year between two levels and while he struck out a ton of batters, his pitches were also entirely too hittable. Carter surrendered 10 home runs in 47+ innings and will need to work on his unpredictability as he continues to develop.

No. 26: 1B Rainer Nunez (ETA: 2025)

Nunez, 22, is another up-and-coming prospect who has a ton of raw power in his bat. Last year, he played in 121 games between A-ball and High-A and hit 19 home runs with 82 RBI and a .304 batting average. The talent is there but right now, he needs to work on patience at the plate to draw more walks and lower the strikeouts.

No. 25: RHP Trent Palmer (ETA: 2025)

The Rochester, Minnesota native is expected to miss the entirety of the upcoming campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery late in 2022. Palmer, 23, has an excellent repertoire on the mound and can throw al of his pitches well. He struck out 11.2 batters per nine innings while keeping his control under - well, control - as well. He will come back from his injury hungrier than ever.

No. 24: INF Estiven Machado (ETA: 2025)

Machado, 20, played 90 games in A-ball last year and showed some promise; hitting 19 doubles with 32 RBI while playing above average defense at second base and shortstop. He is still very green as far as professional baseball players go, but he mashes lefties (.300 average last year) and is the kind of scrappy ballplayer the Blue Jays love so much.

No. 23: RHP Adrian Hernandez (ETA: 2023)

Hernandez, 23, is frequently overlooked by Jays fans, but that may not be the case for much longer. He is rapidly approaching big league-ready and is emerging as a potential bullpen weapon for the major league squad. Last year, he made 38 appearances between four levels, striking out 12.4 batters per nine innings and doing an impressive job of keeping the ball in the park.

No. 22: RHP Hagen Danner (ETA: 2023)

It says a lot that after just two seasons as a pitcher after transitioning from catcher, Danner is already considered to be ready for the big leagues. His fastball is crazy fast and he has shown impressive poise on the mound. The 24-year-old strikes out a ton of batters while barely walking anyone or allowing home runs. He will most definitely make his big league debut this year if health is on his side.

No. 21: INF Alex De Jesus (ETA: 2024)

Acquired from the Dodgers alongside Mitch White last year, De Jesus is ranked as the organization's No. 1 throwing arm (tied with Addison Barger). He can play all over the infield but his range and arm say he can play either shortstop or third base long term. Last year, the bat came around for him as well, as he hit 26 doubles and 14 home runs in 114 games between the Dodgers' and Blue Jays' minor league systems.

No. 20: INF Manuel Beltre (ETA: 2025)

Beltre, 18, is said to be one of the best teammates in the organization by his peers. He is a slick fielder who will definitely stick at shortstop in the long run. He hasn't developed much pop yet but he has a tiny frame (5-foot-5, 155lbs.) and may be more of a glove-first player down the road. MLB Pipeline says he is a top candidate to make a big jump in the organization this year.

No. 19: INF Leo Jimenez (ETA: 2024)

The upcoming season will be a big one for Jimenez, as we will get a much better look at who he is going to be as a player. In 2021, he came out of nowhere to hit .321 and draw 54 walks against just 36 strikeouts. Last year, he came crashing back down to earth, hitting .230 while walking 27 times against 58 strikeouts. MLB Pipeline says he could play shortstop on a big league roster right now thanks to his glove, but the bat needs work.

No. 18: 1B/OF Spencer Horwitz (ETA: 2023)

Horwitz, 25, is the oldest propsect on the list and is also one of the closest players to the big leagues. He hits well and would be best served as a team's designated hitter in the major leagues. First base is his primary position, but he may not get many looks there in the majors for obvious reasons. He has picked up the outfield in the minor leagues but scouts are saying he doesn't move well enough out there to suggest that he'd succeed longterm on the grass.

No. 17: OF Enmanuel Bonilla (ETA: 2027)

Bonilla, 17, is either rated this high because the Jays depth is not that strong, or he's just this good. Signed for a $4.1M bonus in late 2022, Bonilla has incredible raw power and bat speed that will translate nicely once he's able to get a full season under his belt of professional ball. He's many years from the higher levels of the organization, but he should be a fast riser once he finds his footing.

No. 16: INF/OF Adrian Pinto (ETA: 2025)

Pinto is one of the more intriguing prospects in the organization. Standing at just 5-foot-6 and 156lbs., he is not an intimidating presence but he has found ways to use his small stature well. On the bases, he is lightning quick (59 steals in 101 games) and he picks his opportunities well. He draws a ton of walks, barely strikes out, plays strong defense in both the infield and outfield, and has some still-developing pop. He is a true leadoff man and is another candidate to make a huge jump in 2023.

No. 15: OF Dasan Brown (ETA: 2024)

Just recently added to Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic, Brown, 21, is going to get an early shot at the national stage in his career. Strikeouts seem to be an issue for him so far, but his power is slowly beginning to develop and he is an incredible defender in center field. MLB Pipeline says that at minimum he is a future fourth outfielder who can steal 40-50 bases a year over the course of a full season.

No. 14: INF/OF Otto Lopez (ETA: 2023)

Lopez, 24, already has appeared in the big leagues in the last two seasons. He is a tough one to cover because he does everything well but isn't one to be flashy and put his name in the headlines. A speedy, versatile player who can play all over the diamond, Lopez is in contention to secure the last bench spot on the Opening Day roster but right now feels more like a player bound for Triple-A to start the year.

No. 13: INF Josh Kasevich (ETA: 2025)

Kasevich, 22, has impressed early on after a limited showing in A-ball last year. In 25 games, he hit .262 while walking 11 times and striking out nine times. He is a versatile infielder who can play anywhere on the dirt but seems to be a shortstop longterm. His plate discipline and still-developing power make him one to keep an eye on in the upcoming season.

No. 12: OF Gabriel Martinez (ETA: 2025)

The 20-year-old Martinez is a corner outfielder who took a significant step forward in his development last season. In 97 games between three levels, he hit 23 doubles and 14 home runs, driving in 59 while hitting for a .293 batting average. The pop in his bat came out of nowhere but is a welcomed development. MLB Pipeline points out that his outfield defense is nothing to write home about, but he's passable in a corner spot and will rely on his bat to carry his value moving forward.

No. 11: RHP Dahian Santos (ETA: 2025)

Santos emerged last year as one of the best strikeout artists in the entire organization. In 86 innings split between two levels, the 20-year-old struck out 142 batters, good for a K/9 of 14.9. He has some still-developing velocity in his arm but has an incredible slider that he uses as his top secondary pitch. He reportedly is working on adjusting his arm slot and will be put to the test in 2023 as he faces older and more mature hitters than he did last year.

No. 10: RHP Hayden Juenger (ETA: 2023)

Juenger began to see an increased workload last year as the Jays began to experiment with him as an opener. He made 19 "starts" that were roughly three innings apiece. Juenger, 22, took to the role well and posted a 3.76 ERA at 100 strikeouts in just 88 innings. He is on the 40-man and close to the big leagues, so don't be surprised to see him and his high heat in the majors this season.

No. 9: LHP Adam Macko (ETA: 2024)

Macko, 22, was one of two pieces acquired from the Mariners in the Teoscar Hernández trade. He missed the vast majority of 2022 with an elbow injury, but seems to be healthy entering the upcoming season and will be one to watch. The southpaw struck out 56 batters in 33 innings last year and would excel as either a starter or reliever in the long run for the Jays.

No. 8: INF Cade Doughty (ETA: 2025)

Doughty, 22 in a few weeks, was drafted in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft and looks to be a quick mover through the Jays farm system moving forward. Upon his being drafted, Doughty tightened up his stance which MLB Pipeline says could lead to more strikeouts, but he seems to have found some pop in there as well. He is a second baseman by trade but has the range and throwing arm to be a third baseman down the road.

No. 7: RHP Sem Robberse (ETA: 2024)

Robberse is as interesting a player as they come. Born in the Netherlands, he is mostly self-taught and has done an incredible job of adjusting to adversity on the fly since joining the Jays organization. He made 22 starts last year, going 4-7 with a 3.23 ERA, striking out 97 in 111 innings. He is not going to blow away hitters with triple-digit heat, but he does a great job of keeping the ball in the ballpark and controls his repertoire well.

No. 6: INF Addison Barger (ETA: 2023)

Barger, 23, is another young position player firmly in the hunt for the final bench spot on the big league Opening Day roster. He has some serious thump in his bat and hit over .300 last year in 124 minor league games. He's tied for the best throwing arm grade in the entire system and is going to be trying his hand in the outfield to further his defensive value to the club.

No. 5: INF Tucker Toman (ETA: 2026)

Toman made just 11 appearances in Rookie Ball for the Jays last year, but he posted a .290 average while displaying impressive plate discipline as well. The switch-hitter is very green as far as prospects go, but is said to be an extremely hard worker who puts in the time to hone in on his craft.

No. 4: INF Orelvis Martinez (ETA: 2024)

Martinez is a part of the next wave of offensive prospects for the Jays and has light-tower-power. Now, it's just a matter of him getting his strikeouts under control. Last year, he hit 30 home runs with 76 driven in, but managed a .203 average with 140 punchouts in 118 games. He played a ton of shortstop last year but may be best suited for third thanks to his so-so range and powerful throwing arm.

No. 3: RHP Yosver Zulueta (ETA: 2023)

Zulueta, 25, is easily the first pitching prospect in line to receive a promotion to the big leagues. He is the second oldest top 30 prospect for the Jays and is yet another guy who strikes out an insane amount of batters and does an exceptional job of limiting home runs. He's been in the system for many years but has struggled with staying healthy. If he can show that he's healthy in 2023, he will certainly see time in the majors, likely as a reliever.

No. 2: LHP Brandon Barriera (ETA: 2026)

Barriera, 19, was drafted in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft but did not make any appearances in the Jays organization, much like the next man in this list did when he was drafted the year prior. Now that Barriera has been formally assigned to the Florida Complex League, we'll get to see what he's really about. He's got some serious velocity (hitting 97-98mph in fall bullpen sessions) and has three secondary offerings to mix in alongside the heater.

No. 1: LHP Ricky Tiedemann (ETA: 2024)

As if it could've possibly been anyone else. Tiedemann, 20, looked utterly dominant last year between three minor league levels. He had a 2.17 ERA across 18 starts and 78+ innings, striking out 117 and allowing just three home runs. He's gotten a few looks in Spring Training so far but is not going to be a factor for the Blue Jays, at least not right at Opening Day. Look for him to continue to dominate in the minors and make his big league debut later in the season if health is on his side.

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