Top 20 Arizona Complex League Prospects For 2024

If you’re looking to catch a rising star, there’s no better place to start than the complex leagues. In Arizona, Florida and the Dominican Republic, the sport’s next big things take their first steps toward the big leagues.

Things were a little different this year. Instead of beginning in the middle of the summer, the domestic complex leagues started their seasons in early May, just a short time after the conclusion of spring training. Both leagues concluded in mid-July, with the Dodgers and Tigers taking the respective crowns in Arizona and Florida.

Here, we present BA’s annual list of the best prospects in those leagues. This installment features the best the ACL had to offer. The two best clubs in the league were the Dodgers and D-backs, and the list is dominated by prospects from those teams.

The Mariners and Rockies also landed multiple prospects on the list, including both pitchers and hitters.

Last year’s Top 20 featured future Top 100 prospects Sebastian Walcott and Jaison Chourio , as well as outfielder Dillon Head , who was used by the Padres as a trade chip that helped them land hitting savant Luis Arraez from the Marlins.

The year before that, the list included another pair of Top 100 prospects: Guardians infielder Angel Genao and Cubs catcher Moises Ballesteros . It also featured a trio of prospects used in trades. Fireballer Jarlin Susana helped the Padres land Juan Soto, outfielder Gabriel Gonzalez was used to pry Jorge Polanco from the Twins and infielder Rayne Doncon brought shortstop Noah Miller into the Dodgers’ system.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the 20 best prospects the 2024 ACL had to offer.

1. Eduardo Quintero , OF, Dodgers

Age: 18 B-T: R-R Ht: 6-0 Wt: 175 Acquired: Venezuela, 2023

Signed out of Venezuela in 2023, Quintero made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League and was one of the best players on the Dodgers’ two dominant clubs. He moved stateside this summer and continued his rise through the ranks. He’s a complete player, with a blend of skills on offense and defense. He’s got a sound approach at the plate, makes plenty of contact and has burgeoning power that should grow as he matures and adds strength to his frame. He has a chance to stick in center field thanks to speed that is at least above-average and a plus arm that would fit in right field if he has to move one day.

2. Felnin Celesten , SS, Mariners

Age: 18 B-T: S-R Ht: 6-1 Wt: 175 Acquired: Dominican Republic, 2023

Celesten’s first year of service came in 2023, but injuries kept him off the field for the entire year. He was bitten by the injury bug again this year, when a broken hamate bone in his wrist kept him off the field beginning July 23. When he was on the field, he was a force. Scouts in the league reported a player with strong pitch recognition and strokes from each side of the plate geared toward different facets of his offensive game. His lefty swing keeps the barrel in the zone for a long time and produces plenty of hittability. From the right side, he lifts and pulls, and he can lose balls to all sectors. He might one day outgrow shortstop, but for now he has the action, range, hands and arm to stick at the position. If he does, he has a chance to be one of the best prospects in the sport.

3. Demetrio Crisantes , 2B, D-backs

Age: 19 B-T: R-R. Ht: 6-0 Wt: 178 Acquired: HS—Nogales, Ariz, 2022 (7th round)

Crisantes was the purest hitter on the complex. The 2022 draftee’s swing is short and quick, leading to a barrage of barrels before a promotion to Low-A Visalia. He did damage against anything pitchers threw his way thanks to an all-fields approach and plenty of pull-side pop. Crisantes had Tommy John surgery after he was drafted, and he spent the 2023 season in the ACL, where he was solely a DH. Defensively, he has average traits and would fit at second base, where he would be perfectly adequate. Even so, the bulk of his value is tied to his bat, which helped him continue mashing once he reached full-season ball for the first time.

4. Joendry Vargas , SS/3B, Dodgers

Age: 18 B-T: R-R Ht: 6-4 Wt: 175 Acquired: Dominican Republic, 2023

Vargas was the crown jewel of the Dodgers’ 2023 international signing class. He was coveted as an amateur for his blend of hittability and power, as well as the chance that he could stick on the left side of the infield. Those traits showed up in spades during his first season in the states, and he helped his club win the ACL championship for the first time since 2018. He could further amplify his power by hitting the ball out front more often, and his chances at shortstop would jump with refinements to his internal clock. His plus arm will be more than enough to stick on the left side of the infield, whether he winds up at shortstop or shifts over to third base.

5. Robert Calaz , OF, Rockies

Age: 18 B-T: R-R Ht: 6-2 Wt: 202 Acquired: Dominican Republic, 2023

All season long, Calaz was one of the ACL’s most powerful forces in the batter’s box. This should come as no surprise after an outstanding first pro year in the DSL. He turned it up a few more notches in the desert, where he led the league in all three triple-slash categories, home runs and total bases. He improved steadily over the course of the season and began turning his considerable tools—led by raw power that easily grades as double-plus—into skills. As the season progressed, Calaz began to adjust to the way he was being attacked by pitchers. He needs a fair amount of polish in the outfield, but his plus arm strength would fit nicely in right field.

6. Hyun-Seok Jang , RHP, Dodgers

Age: 20 B-T: R-R Ht: 6-4 Wt: 2020 Acquired: South Korea, 2023

When the Dodgers traded Rookie-level righthanders Aldrin Batista and Maximo Martinez to the White Sox last summer, they received international slot money in return. They used that money to sign Jang, who was in play to be the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming Korean Baseball Organization draft. In terms of pure stuff, Jang was the unquestioned best pitching prospect in the league. He works with four potentially-plus pitches, including a mid-90s fastball that reaches 98 mph, a top-down curveball, a slicing slider and a profoundly filthy split-changeup. When his delivery is in sync—as was the case in the ACL championship series, when his first eight outs came on strikes—he’s untouchable. There’s a long way to go to get to that point, however, and there might be plenty of bumps in the road along the way. If it works out, he could be a mid-rotation starter. If not, he could at least be a reliever whose entrance signals an opponent’s endgame.

7. Sandy Ozuna, RHP, Rockies

Age: 18 B-T: R-R Ht: 6-3 Wt: 177 Acquired: Dominican Republic, 2023

In 2023, the Rockies had an intriguing group of pitchers beginning to bubble in the Dominican Summer League. Ozuna was chief among the group. He upped his status this season in the ACL, where he showed a projectable frame and a three-pitch mix with upside. Scouts who were the highest on Ozuna saw a pitcher with the potential for a plus fastball and slider and an average changeup, though there was some sentiment that he might be better served adding a sinker to his mix. His combination of stuff, athleticism and projectability gives him the upside of a mid-rotation starter.

8. Jeter Martinez , RHP, Mariners

Age: 18 B-T: R-R Ht: 6-4 Wt: 200 Acquired: Mexico, 2023

Martinez’s first foray into pro ball raised his prospect stock thanks to a strong season in the Dominican Summer League. This summer, he built on that promise with an intriguing ACL campaign. The righthander brought his fastball up to 100 mph and complemented it with a pair of sliders—one being sweepier pitch and the other with hard, biting break and more depth—and the occasional changeup. His pitch mix is deep enough and strong enough to stick in the rotation, but only if he can throw more strikes. His delivery is stiffer and he lands open, which sometimes leads to scattered command and control.

9. Welbyn Francisca , SS, Guardians

Age: 18 B-T: S-R Ht: 5-8 Wt: 148 Acquired: Dominican Republic, 2023

In 2023, Francisca was one of the best prospects in the Dominican Summer League, where he had two separate five-hit games as part of a campaign that concluded with a .919 OPS. It took him a little while to get going in the ACL, but he finished the year on a roll and earned a promotion to Low-A. He has short, quick swings from both sides of the plate and a strong sense of the strike zone, which should lead to the kind of hit-over-power profile that is prevalent in Cleveland’s middle infield prospects. He has soft hands, but a lack of range might mean he eventually moves to second base.

10. Alberto Barriga , C, D-backs

Age: 19 B-T: R-R Ht: 5-9 Wt: 155 Acquired: Mexico, 2022

Barriga found his way onto scouts’ radars in the spring, then put together a solid first full season stateside. He’s a smaller player with short arms, which helps him make plenty of contact with decent power to the pull side. Defensively, he was the best catch-and-throw artist in the league. He could still add some polish, but he’s athletic, does a solid job of receiving/blocking and has a quick release and strong arm that produce pop times consistently in the range of 1.8-1.9 seconds. He should profile nicely as a defense-first catcher who produces a solid amount of offense from the bottom of the order.

11. Yassel Soler , 3B, D-backs

Age: 18 B-T: R-R Ht: 5-11 Wt: 185 Acquired: Dominican Republic, 2023

Soler’s first pro season was decent, but his potential truly shined through after moving stateside. The righty swinger packed one of the fiercest punches in the league, and his six home runs were the most on a team that played for the ACL title. Those highest on Soler saw a player with a powerful swing and a built-in ability to lift the ball while producing solid amounts of contact, as well. At third base, Soler has solid actions, a sound internal clock and arm strength that is at least above-average. Those attributes should allow him to stick at third base, where his bat will easily profile.

12. Alexander Albertus , 3B, Dodgers

Age: 19 B-T: R-R Ht: 6-1 Wt: 176 Acquired: Aruba, 2022

After making his stateside debut last summer, Albertus returned to the league for about half of this season before a bump to full-season ball midway through the ACL campaign. Albertus was one of the higher-floor prospects on his club, and the bulk of the value is tied to his bat. He’s got a sound idea of the strike zone and rarely strays from it. His profile is more hit than power, though he should produce double-digit homers. Albertus has plus arm strength and shows solid actions at third base, though some evaluators think he might wind up at either second or first base. He was traded to the White Sox as part of the three-way deal that sent righthanders Erick Fedde and Michael Kopech to St. Louis and Los Angeles, respectively.

13. Yeremi Cabrera , OF, Rangers

Age: 19 B-T: L-L Ht: 5-11 Wt: 155 Acquired: Dominican Republic, 2022

Cabrera signed with the Rangers in 2022 and spent two seasons in the DSL before moving stateside in 2024. Scouts who saw Cabrera noted his strong command of the strike zone, plus raw power and above-average in-game power. There were a few questions about the consistency with which he delivered the barrel, but his athleticism helped qualm some of those concerns. Cabrera has arm strength that borders on above-average to go with average foot speed. If it all comes together, he has a chance to be a prototypical power-hitting corner outfielder.

14. Ramon Ramirez , C, Royals

Age: 19 B-T: R-R Ht: 6-0 Wt: 180 Acquired: Venezuela, 2023

The Royals showed their faith in Ramirez last fall when they made him one of a few DSL players to come stateside for instructional league. He faced some resistance in Arizona, but at his best, he showed the makings of an offensive-minded backstop. Ramirez is physically strong with solid-average bat speed, and he easily fits the mold of a player with a power-over-hit profile. He’s a bottom-of-the-scale runner. Defensively, he shows plus arm strength and soft hands, but there’s a long way to go before evaluators are convinced he can stick behind the plate. If he can make those strides, his prospect stock will increase immensely.

15. Angel Cepeda , SS, Cubs

Age: 18 B-T: R-R Ht: 6-1 Wt: 170 Acquired: Dominican Republic, 2023

Cepeda was one of the headliners of the Cubs’ 2023 international class, and his first season in the states was a rousing success. The righthanded hitter finished third in the league with 62 hits and added 21 stolen bases, as well. There’s no plus tool on his card, but everything except his power projects to be average. His power is a tick below his other tools, but he should have enough thump for double-digit home runs. He spent most of his time in the ACL alternating between shortstop and third base, but he sprinkled in some reps at second base, too. Scouts believe he’d have enough arm for either position on the left side of the infield.

16. Samuel Sanchez , RHP, Dodgers

Age: 18 B-T : R-R Ht: 5-11 Wt: 155 Acquired: Venezuela, 2023

Sanchez threw just six innings in the Dominican Summer League in 2023 but made enough of an impression to jump stateside for his second pro season. Despite a smaller frame, the righthander brought his fastball into the upper 90s and pounded the strike zone with his entire arsenal, finishing the year with just seven walks in 34.1 innings. Sanchez’s bread and butter right now is his fastball-changeup combination, but he shows a solid feel to spin a pair of breaking pitches, as well. The next step will be to work to keep those breaking balls from blending together too closely.

17. Kelvin Hidalgo , SS, Rockies

Age: 19 B-T: R-R Ht: 6-1 Wt: 166 Acquired: Dominican Republic, 2022

Hidalgo was part of a Rockies international signing class that also included infielder Dyan Jorge and lefty Luichi Casilla. He has a projectable frame and solid athleticism to go with actions that should give him a chance to stick at shortstop. He has the plus arm strength needed to stick on the left side, as well. Hidalgo has a loose, easy swing from the right side that can put a charge into a baseball, though he still has a bit of trouble recognizing and holding back against spin. With a bit more plate discipline, he has a future as an offensive-minded player who can stick up the middle.

18. Luichi Casilla , LHP, Rockies

Age: 19 B-T: L-L Ht: 6-2 Wt: 180 Acquired: Dominican Republic, 2022

Casilla is part of a Rockies system that is slowly becoming rich with interesting pitching prospects. The lefthander opened eyes during spring training, and he flashed high-end stuff all season long in the ACL. He can bring his fastball up to 98 mph and pairs it with a high-spin slider that can buckle hitters’ knees. He flashes a decent changeup, as well, though it could stand to have more velocity separation from his fastball. Casilla has a high ceiling, but he needs to repeat his delivery far more often if he is to stick in a rotation.

19. Eric Bitonti , 3B, Brewers

Age: 18 B-T: L-R Ht: 6-4 Wt: 218 Acquired: HS—San Bernardino, Calif., 2023 (3rd round)

The Brewers selected Bitonti out of high school in 2023 then gave him a 12-game cameo in the Arizona Complex League to begin his career. He returned to the level in 2024 and was one of the league’s best offensive performers before moving to Low-A Carolina. Scouts have seen improvements year over year, specifically when it comes to controlling the strike zone. His main struggles right now are against changeups or pitches that run away from his barrel. He’s got plenty of arm for the position, but his large frame suggests that he might have to shift to first base if he gets too big. He would have the thump for first base in that case, but he might be a three-true-outcome hitter when all is said and done.

20. Jacob Bresnahan , LHP, Guardians

Age: 19 B-T: L-L Ht : 6-4 Wt: 195 Acquired: HS—Sumner, Wash., 2023 (13th round)

The Pacific Northwest has treated the Guardians well of late. All-Star outfielder Steven Kwan and 2024 No. 1 overall pick Travis Bazzana came from Oregon State, and they scored Bresnahan out of high school in Washington in 2023. The lefthander utilizes a three-pitch mix: A 91-95 mph fastball with solid shape that is backed by a slider and changeup. The slider garnered respective miss and chase rates of 46% and 38% but could improve further if Bresnahan improves his feel for spin, while the change showed solid potential, as well, despite it being used fairly infrequently. Cleveland dealt Bresnahan to San Francisco for righthander Alex Cobb.

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