BEASTS OF THE TRIPLE-A EAST
Looking for the game’s brightest young stars in 2021?
Just turn your attention to the Triple-A East, the 20-team behemoth that preserved the old 14-team International League while bringing aboard six other franchises, four from what was the Pacific Coast League.
By season’s end, four of the game’s five best prospects—Adley Rutschman, Bobby Witt Jr., Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene—reached Triple-A and qualified for our list. So, too, did Wander Franco, who opened the year as baseball’s No. 1 prospect at Durham before climbing to Tampa Bay in late June.
The incredible prospect depth at Triple-A East made it exceptionally difficult for breakout names like Juan Yepez (Cardinals) and Dalton Kelly (Rays) to receive notice. It’s also why multiple Top 100 types, such as Cristian Pache, Drew Waters and Nolan Jones, couldn’t even crack the top 10 after struggling in 2021.
1. Wander Franco, SS
Durham (Rays)
AGE: 20. B-T: B-R. HT: 5-10. WT: 189. SIGNED: Dominican Republic, 2017
Wander Franco’s only taste of the upper levels was the 40
