2026 MLB prospect watch: 10 potential summer call-ups

MLB rookies have enjoyed a very nice 2026 to date. 

In the American League, Munetaka Murakami has swatted 20 homers for the White Sox, Kevin McGonigle may already be the Tigers’ best player, Colt Emerson has shined for the Mariners, and the Orioles have another great young catcher in Samuel Basallo. And don’t forget the Guardians’ electric rookie trio of Travis Bazzana, Parker Messick and Chase DeLauter. 

Over in the National League, St. Louis’ JJ Wetherholt has been key to the Cardinals’ early success, the Reds have a new stud slugger in Sal Stewart, New York’s Nolan McLean looks like the future of the Mets’ rotation and Konnor Griffin looks every bit the part of a former No. 1 overall prospect for the Pirates. 

Even with all those rookies shining, there are some awesome prospects waiting to crack the MLB ranks. 

Best MLB prospects who could earn a 2026 call-up

With SeatGeek serving as the Official Ticket Marketplace of MLB, we’ve been keeping a close eye on every team and their top prospects. As we move into the summer months, we have our eyes on these 10 prospects who are among the best prospects in all of baseball as they could vie for an MLB promotion. Note: All rankings to the right of player and team names are where these players rank, per MLB Pipeline’s top 100 list. 

Jesus Made, Milwaukee Brewers SS (No. 1)

The Brewers lead the NL Central and have baseball’s No. 1 prospect in Made. Some teams really just have it all. Milwaukee has one of the best developmental systems in baseball, and Made is one of the latest examples. Made just turned 19 last month and has already emerged as a top name to watch in the minor league ranks, and he’s playing well in Double-A as a teenager. The Brewers could very well play it slow and steady with Made considering his age and that he hasn’t even reached Triple-A just yet, but shortstop has been a weak link for Milwaukee this year, as has third base – two spots the switch-hitting Made profiles well at. I’d expect him to debut next year, but if Made gets hot and those spots continue to be lackluster for the Brewers – and if they miss out on reinforcements at the deadline – Made could give the team a shot in the arm late in the season.

Leo De Vries, Athletics SS (No. 2)

De Vries has been a top prospect for years now, and he was the crown jewel in the Athletics’ trade with San Diego involving Mason Miller last year. De Vries, like Made, is just 19 years old and in Double-A. De Vries hasn’t lit up Double-A enough to really vie for a promotion to MLB or even Triple-A, but he has enough talent to get on a crazy roll at any point. The A’s are fighting for an AL West crown, and their middle infield has been lackluster with Jacob Wilson hurt and missing most of the year and Jeff McNeil not offering much as the team’s top second baseman. De Vries is a name to watch as we get later in the season, especially if he starts to really dominate in Double-A. 

Kade Anderson, Seattle Mariners SP (No. 6)

Do the Mariners need more starting pitching help? Not really, but injuries are always a tough obstacle to overcome. Seattle is running a six-man rotation, and Anderson, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, has been incredible in his first season of pro ball. Debuting in Double-A, Anderson has a low-1 ERA, sub-1 WHIP and a ridiculous amount of strikeouts. He may very well be the best starting pitcher at any level across all of minor league baseball. If one or more of the Mariners’ six starters go down for any foreseeable period of time, Anderson could get some run. He certainly looks the part. 

Max Clark, Detroit Tigers OF (No. 7)

It’s easy to forget about Clark considering the Tigers have Kevin McGonigle, who may well win AL Rookie of the Year. But Clark has been at or near the top of Detroit prospect rankings for years, and the young outfielder is now in Triple-A. Clark hasn’t had the best year for Toledo, but the talent is undeniable. What’s also undeniable is the fact that 2026 has not gone to plan for the Tigers. Assuming Detroit is a seller at the trade deadline, perhaps Clark gets promoted for some late-season ABs as he vies for a role on the club next season. 

Franklin Arias, Boston Red Sox SS (No. 10)

Arias went from a glove-first prospect to one of the best hitters in all of minor league baseball. The 20-year-old infielder has an OPS of nearly 1.000 in Double-A, and he’s slugging far more than anyone anticipated this season. Boston’s lineup has been dreadful, and the Red Sox have gotten basically nothing from their middle infield. Arias has been electric this year and certainly looks too good to stay in Double-A. If he gets promoted and mashes at Triple-A, he’s a name to watch for a late-season promotion, especially with the Red Sox well out of contention. 

Walker Jenkins, Minnesota Twins OF (No. 11)

Like with the Tigers and Clark, the Twins have a top outfield prospect in Triple-A in Jenkins. He’s been more good than great in 2026, but Jenkins is a really rock solid and polished prospect who should be a long-term fixture in the Minnesota outfield for years to come. The Twins have fallen out of contention in the AL Central, so why not give Jenkins some run with an eye towards 2027? He’s been out since early May with a shoulder injury but is expected back in Triple-A St. Paul soon, so perhaps a hot run out of the gate could lead to a late-summer promotion for someone who may well be the future of Twins baseball. 

George Lombard Jr., New York Yankees SS (No. 18)

The Yankees’ search for a long-term shortstop just hasn’t panned out since the legendary Derek Jeter retired back in 2014 and Didi Gregorius left after 2019. Anthony Volpe has flashed at times and won a Gold Glove as a rookie, but errors and poor overall offensive production have plagued him the last three years. With Volpe falling out of favor of sorts with the Yankees and their fans, all eyes are on Lombard. He’s had a good season in Triple-A and is a very polished young prospect. If Volpe continues to struggle and the Yankees want Jose Caballero to be more of a role player, perhaps they hand the reins to Lombard. The big issue here is whether the Yankees are willing to give a youngster like Lombard key ABs in a potential pennant and AL East race. 

Liam Doyle, St. Louis Cardinals SP (No. 20)

Doyle has spent all of 2026 in Double-A, and it hasn’t gone too well as his ERA is nearing 6. The young lefty probably won’t find a role in St. Louis’ rotation this year considering his struggles, but what about a bullpen spot? We’ve seen young prospects come up and debut out of the ‘pen before, especially for contenders. Think Garrett Crochet for Chicago in 2020. Doyle has a wicked heater along with other solid offerings, so his stuff certainly translates to be a reliever. With the Cardinals in a playoff push, Doyle could be a fun addition to the bullpen as a power arm, maybe even in a multi-inning capacity. 

Jamie Arnold, Athletics SP (No. 26)

The Athletics are very much in the thick of the AL West race, which could both incentivize them to promote Arnold as well as play it a bit more patient with the young lefty. The A’s biggest issue is on the pitching side of things, where they’re a bottom-10 team in ERA. Arnold hasn’t exactly lit up Double-A, but he could be seen as an upgrade over some of what the Athletics have been rolling out – perhaps even in a bullpen capacity. And if the A’s struggle and fall out of contention, that could lead them to get Arnold’s feet wet with an eye towards being more competitive in 2027.

Hagen Smith, Chicago White Sox (No. 47)

The White Sox youth movement has paid major dividends in 2026. Munetaka Murakami has been exceptional – and should be back in a few weeks – while youngsters like Colson Montgomery and Miguel Vargas have played major roles as well. Chicago also had two other notable rookies debut earlier this year in outfielder Braden Montgomery and lefty starter Noah Schultz, who’s on the IL. So how about debuting another lefty starter in Hagen Smith? The No. 5 overall pick in 2024 has reached Triple-A and has had a very nice start to the year. Walks and overall control are an issue, but Smith has electric stuff, particularly the fastball and slider. The Sox could use more juice in the rotation, but they could also use more help out of the ‘pen, where Smith’s two-pitch mix could really shine as he hones his control.