Ranking World Series players based on prospect hype

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Dodgers versus Yankees is the most common World Series matchup in baseball history, as they’re meeting for the 12th time this October. But their latest clash is unusual in a couple of respects.

This is the first time in an uninterrupted season since 2013 (Red Sox versus Cardinals) that the teams with the best record in each league will square off in the Fall Classic. And since we started taking an annual look at the prospect pedigrees of the World Series participants in 2017, we’ve never had this many former Top 100 Prospects take center stage.

Twenty-six of the 52 players projected to make World Series rosters made MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 at some point in their careers, including 14 former first-round selections. The previous high was 24, by both the Astros and Dodgers in 2017 and the Astros and Nationals in 2019.

We’ve listed this year’s 26 former Top 100 Prospects below, in order of their prospect hype when they arrived in the big leagues. The Top 100 rankings noted come from the list closest to their initial callup.

A couple of notes … though he’s ranked sixth below, Gavin Lux eventually rose higher on the Top 100 than anyone but Shohei Ohtani, clocking in at No. 2 on the pre-2020 list. And while Jasson Domínguez dropped to No. 80 after slumping in the first half of 2023 season, he rated No. 17 in the middle of 2020 and 2024.

1. Shohei Ohtani, DH, Dodgers — No. 1, pre-2018
International free agent (Japan), 2017, Angels

2. Giancarlo Stanton, DH, Yankees — No. 3, pre-2010
2nd-round pick (HS/California), 2007, Marlins

3. Gleyber Torres, 2B, Yankees — No. 5, pre-2018
International free agent (Venezuela), 2013, Cubs

4. Anthony Volpe, SS, Yankees — No. 5, pre-2023
1st-round pick (No. 30 overall, HS/New Jersey), 2019, Yankees

5. Gerrit Cole, RHP, Yankees — No. 9, pre-2013
1st-round pick (No. 1 overall, UCLA), 2011, Pirates

6. Gavin Lux, 2B, Dodgers — No. 10, mid-2019
1st-round pick (No. 20 overall, HS/Wisconsin), 2016, Dodgers

7. Freddie Freeman, 1B, Dodgers — No. 11, pre-2011
2nd-round pick (HS/California), 2007, Braves

8. Michael Kopech, RHP, Dodgers — No. 13, mid-2018
1st-round pick (No. 33 overall, HS/Texas), 2014, Red Sox

9. Walker Buehler, RHP, Dodgers — No. 13, mid-2017
1st-round pick (No. 24 overall, Vanderbilt), 2015, Dodgers

10. Mookie Betts, OF, Dodgers — No. 14, mid-2014
5th-round pick (HS/Tennessee), 2011, Red Sox

11. Carlos Rodón, LHP, Yankees — No. 14, pre-2015
1st-round pick (No. 3 overall, North Carolina State), 2014, White Sox

12. Juan Soto, OF, Yankees — No. 16, May 2018 update
International free agent (Dominican Republic), 2015, Nationals

13. Alex Verdugo, OF, Yankees — No. 28, mid-2017
2nd-round pick (HS/Arizona), 2014, Dodgers

14. Aaron Judge, OF, Yankees — No. 32, mid-2016
1st-round pick (No. 32 overall, Fresno State), 2013, Yankees

15. Jack Flaherty, RHP, Dodgers — No. 38, pre-2018
1st-round pick (No. 34 overall, HS/California), 2014, Cardinals

16. Marcus Stroman, RHP, Yankees — No. 55, pre-2014
1st-round pick (No. 22 overall, Duke), 2012, Blue Jays

17. Will Smith, C, Dodgers — No. 57, mid-2019
1st-round pick (No. 32 overall, Louisville), 2016, Dodgers

18. Jazz Chisholm, 3B, Yankees — No. 74, mid-2020
International free agent (Bahamas), 2015, Diamondbacks

19. Jasson Domínguez, OF, Yankees — No. 80, mid-2023
International free agent (Dominican Republic), 2019, Yankees

20. Luke Weaver, RHP, Yankees — No. 98, mid-2016
1st-round pick (No. 27 overall, Florida State), 2014, Cardinals

21. Clarke Schmidt, RHP, Yankees — No. 99, mid-2020
1st-round pick (No. 16 overall, South Carolina), 2017, Yankees

22. Brent Honeywell, RHP, Dodgers — No. 12, pre-2018; fell off Top 100 before early 2021 debut
2nd-round pick (Walters State, Tenn., CC), 2014, Rays

23. Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Yankees — unranked at mid-2011 debut; No. 37, pre-2012
6th-round pick (HS/Florida), 2007, Red Sox

24. Andy Pages, OF, Dodgers — No. 68, pre-2022; fell off Top 100 before early 2024 debut
International free agent (Cuba), 2018, Dodgers

25. Trent Grisham, OF, Yankees — No. 76, mid-2016; fell off Top 100 before late 2019 debut
1st-round pick (No. 15 overall, HS/Texas), 2015, Brewers

26. Austin Wells, C, Yankees — No. 87, mid-2022; fell off Top 100 before late 2023 debut
1st-round pick (No. 28 overall, Arizona), 2020, Yankees