GRAYSON RODRIGUEZ
Even with a season that was hampered by injury, Grayson Rodriguez did nothing to change his status as the best pitching prospect in all of baseball. Ranked as the No. 4 prospect in the game by Baseball America, the 2017 International Week alum is on the cusp of the major leagues with the Baltimore Orioles; he went 6-2 with a 2.42 ERA in 15 starts this season, striking out 96 batters in 67 innings of work. Barring any setbacks, the 22-year-old righty is ticketed for the big-league starting rotation in 2023.
DANIEL ESPINO
Similar to Rodriguez, injuries cut short Espino’s season, with the flame-throwing Panamian-born righty getting just four outings for the Double-A Akron RubberDucks this year before ultimately getting shut down. Ranked as the No. 16 best prospect in the game by Baseball America, the 2018 International Week standout struck out a stunning 35 batters in just 18.1 innings of work this season.
ZAC VEEN
An alumni of both the national tournaments and International Week in 2019, Veen reached Double-A this season at just 20 years old, earning a promotion to the Hartford Yard Goats shortly after appearing in the prestigious Futures Game as part of MLB’s All-Star Game weekend. Overall, the No. 27 prospect in the game according to Baseball America, hit .245 in the minors this year and stole a whopping 55 bases.
RICKY TIEDEMANN
The No. 29 prospect in the game according to Baseball America, Tiedemann is one of the fastest rising pitching prospects anywhere, and sailed through the Toronto Blue Jays system all the way up to Double-A in just his first professional season as a 20-year-old. The skilled southpaw — and alum of 2019 International Week and the 2021 Pre-Draft event — earned a spot in the Futures Game this year, and pitched to a microscopic 0.86 WHIP across three levels of the minors this season.
EDWIN ARROYO
Perhaps the key piece going back to the Cincinnati Reds from the Seattle Mariners in the deal that netted the latter Luis Castillo, Arroyo is a top-50 prospect who first really started gaining steam at the 2020 International Week event. Still only 19 years old, he hit .293 with 14 homers and 84 RBI with 27 stolen bases this season.
TINK HENCE
Another pitching prospect who is rising fast, Markevian “Tink” Hence is, like Veen, another alum of both the national tournaments and 2019 International Week. Used sparingly by the Cardinals this year, the 63rd overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft established himself as a future big leaguer with a 1.38 ERA over 16 starts this year, albeit over only 52.1 innings of work. He struck out 81 batters, and pitched to just a 0.88 WHIP.
CAM COLLIER
Only 17 years old, Collier is already crushing pro ball after being drafted 18th overall by the Cincinnati Reds several months ago. A two-time participant in the Main Event/International Week, as well as multiple other Future Stars Series events, Collier was sent to the Reds Arizona Complex League affiliate, and hit .370 with his first two pro homers and four RBI in nine games.
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