The New York Yankees sit atop the American League East standings through play on Friday, but there is a lot of baseball left to play, and new players will start to enter the fold as the season goes on.
The Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays all have young prospects waiting for a shot in the big leagues. Here’s a look at one prospect for each team who could debut later this season.
Trey Gibson, Baltimore Orioles – Gibson started the season in Triple-A Norfolk after reaching the level near the end of last season. He made seven Triple-A starts in 2025, but had a 7.98 ERA. However, he has shown early improvement, posting a 4.01 ERA through six starts this year. After allowing six earned runs in his first two starts, he has settled in, posting a 2.55 ERA in his last four starts. He has 25 strikeouts as well. He is the Orioles’ No. 3 prospect and his 60-grade slider is something that could play well in MLB.
Mikey Romero, Boston Red Sox – Romero is the Red Sox’s No. 12 prospect and reached Triple-A last season. The infielder has made starts at third base and second base this season, and could soon be called on to help the Red Sox’s subpar offense. Caleb Durbin has struggled at the plate, and Romero could be an option down the line. His offense still needs some work, as he is hitting just .240 this season. His slugging numbers also need some work, but he is a talented hitter who will improve as the year goes on.
George Lombard Jr., New York Yankees – Lombard just got called up to Triple-A, and the Yankees’ top prospect could find himself in the big leagues soon. He is the No. 27 prospect in all of baseball, and the Yankees could be looking for help at third base later this season. Ryan McMahon has not played well offensively, so if he does not improve, the Yankees may want to give Lombard a chance. He still needs to work on getting the strikeout numbers down a little, but if he performs well at the Triple-A level, it would not be a shock to see the Yankees call him up for his MLB debut.
Brody Hopkins, Tampa Bay Rays – The former Seattle Mariners draft pick was traded to the Rays in the deal that sent Randy Arozarena to Seattle. Now, he is the Rays’ No. 2 prospect and top pitching prospect. He dominated in Double-A Montgomery last season, posting a 2.72 ERA in 25 starts and notching 141 strikeouts. The Rays are one of the premier organizations when it comes to developing pitching, and Hopkins is currently in Triple-A, working on getting ready for the big leagues. He is off to a rocky start in Triple-A, allowing seven runs in his last start. However, prior to that blowup outing, he had a 2.96 ERA. He possesses a 60-grade fastball and curveball, and a 55-grade cutter and slider. Walks have been a problem for him, but if he can get that under control, he could be a great addition to the Rays’ rotation.
Ricky Tiedemann, Toronto Blue Jays – Tiedemann was once a Top 30 prospect in all of baseball, but has since dropped off MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects list. The 23-year-old is the Blue Jays No. 5 prospect, and there was talk of him making the opening day roster. However, elbow soreness had him shut down in February. He has dealt with some injuries in recent years, but he seems like a lock to pitch in the big leagues at some point this season. The Blue Jays’ signings of Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce may have delayed his debut, but injuries happen and Tiedemann will be needed at some point. The only thing stopping him from making his debut this season will be his health. If he gets some innings under his belt at Triple-A, it should not be long before he makes his MLB debut.
Photo: New York Yankees’ George Lombard Jr. plays during a spring training baseball game, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, in Bradenton. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
