The full-season minor leagues have been going for more than a month, but there are still a few more curtains to pull back before everyone is in action. On May 2, the complex leagues in Arizona and Florida will begin official games after weeks of extended spring training. 

The ACL and FCL house some of the sport’s most faraway prospects, which means there’s a whole lot left to dream on before they reach the big leagues. Last year’s FCL prospects to watch list included a few members of the current Top 100, including Cardinals catcher Rainiel Rodriguez and Pirates outfielder Edward Florentino, as well as high-upside talents like Red Sox slugger Justin Gonzales and Orioles flamethrower Esteban Mejia. 

Here are 10 players to watch this summer in the Sunshine State. Now, let the games begin. 

Briggs McKenzie, LHP, Braves

McKenzie was one of the more intriguing prep lefthanders available in 2025, and the Braves selected him in the fourth round. His season was inconsistent, but Atlanta decided to bet that their pitching development group could help him get to his best stuff more often. At his best, McKenzie can attack hitters with a three-pitch mix with a potentially plus curveball as its centerpiece. His fastball has touched 95 mph and will need to live in the low-to-mid 90s if he is to reach his ceiling as a midrotation starter.

Dorian Soto, SS, Red Sox

Soto was one of the brightest prospects in a loaded Red Sox contingent, but a wrist injury dampened his season and kept him out of the DSL all-star game. At his best, Soto has a well-balanced skill set—albeit without a plus tool—led by average hittability and 55-grade power. The Red Sox will likely leave Soto at shortstop for the time being, but he’s likely to outgrow the position and could land at either second or third base once his body matures. His bat would likely be enough to profile at either position. 

Kevin Defrank, RHP, Marlins

Defrank is a big man with a big arm. Built like a tight end, the teenage righthander has already brought his fastball well past 100 mph. He buttresses the heater with a sweeper and changeup that could each get to above average or better with more development and consistency. He’s athletic and already throws with electric arm speed, but he will need to watch his conditioning to make sure he doesn’t get too big as he moves up the ladder. With physicality and present weapons, it’s easy to see why Defrank is already considered one of the Marlins’ brightest prospects. 

Santiago Castellanos, RHP, Twins

The Twins had one of the most prospect-packed groups in the 2025 Dominican Summer League, and Castellanos was its brightest pitching prospect. Though he’s not the most physical pitcher, he has the kind of stuff that packs a punch. Both his sweeper and changeup project as plus offerings, and his fastball has touched 96 mph, as well. Castellanos already does an excellent job deploying his arsenal and throws enough strikes to expect a strong turn in his stateside debut. He has the ceiling of a midrotation starter. 

Darell Morel, SS, Pirates

Morel was originally linked to the Dodgers but landed with Pittsburgh once Roki Sasaki picked Los Angeles and required the bulk of the team’s international pool money. The shortstop made a strong first impression in the DSL, where his bountiful raw power translated to 14 extra-base hits. As a longer-levered hitter, he’ll likely be power-over-hit as he moves through the minor leagues, and there’s plenty of development remaining to reach his high ceiling. His play at shortstop belies his size, but he’s still more likely to wind up at third base or in an outfield corner.

Romeli Espinosa, SS, Phillies

Espinosa was one of the stars of the Phillies’ DSL contingent and earned a berth in the league’s all-star game for his efforts. Despite a larger frame, he has the lithe athleticism to stick up the middle even as he adds muscle in his later teens and early 20s. His approach is aggressive, but he pairs impact with contact for now and should be capable of at least average power at maturity. That kind of thump in a middle-infield package makes him a very intriguing prospect. 

Marconi German, SS, Nationals

The Nationals are absolutely flush with middle infielders at the lower levels. German is part of the next wave. The switch-hitter lacks a standout tool but has potential 50s and 55s across the board. He combines a keen eye for the strike zone with a knack for making his best contact to the pull side and in the air, which helped him club eight home runs in 152 at-bats. He has a chance to stick at shortstop, which will only further the Nationals’ abundance at the position. 

Cris Rodriguez, OF, Tigers

Rodriguez can hit the dickens out of a baseball. Now, he needs to hit them more often. He has 70-grade juice and slammed 10 home runs in his pro debut, but there are kinks in his swing that will need to be worked out to help him get to that thump more often as he moves to the U.S. His athleticism and long strides give him a chance to stick in center field—he should be at least an average runner, as well—but his offensive skill set would give him a chance if he has to move to a corner, too. 

Haritzon Castillo, SS, Twins

Minnesota had one of the better groups in the Dominican Summer League in 2025, and Castillo was arguably the best position player of the bunch. He’s not a projection monster like Darell Morel, but he’s compact, skilled and makes plenty of contact. He’s likely to be a hit-over-power player as he matures, and his bat-to-ball skills would be amplified by putting the ball in the air more often. Castillo will likely get exposure all over the infield, but second base is his most likely landing spot. 

Franklin Primera, C, Red Sox

Primera replaced Dorian Soto on the American League roster during the 2025 DSL all-star game and made the most of his opportunity by crushing his team’s lone home run. The blast was unofficial because of the setting, but later in the summer, he added one that counted. He has a knack for putting the bat on the ball and knows the strike zone well, and scouts see him as a hit-over-power player who can go gap to gap. Primera is a sound receiver with a strong arm who could at least be a backup in the big leagues.