Philly Leader

The 2024 baseball season was notable, and anticipation builds for the next with the upcoming release of MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects list for 2025. The unveiling is scheduled for Friday, January 24 at 7 p.m. ET on MLB Network and MLB.com.

This year marks the 21st anniversary of MLB.com's inaugural top prospects list. According to MLB Pipeline, the 2025 edition could be one of the most talent-rich lists yet.

The end of the previous year saw names like Dylan Crews from the Nationals, Walker Jenkins from the Twins, Roman Anthony from the Red Sox, Carson Williams from the Rays, and Jackson Jobe from the Tigers leading this list.

"The MLB Pipeline team compiles the rankings using input from industry sources," including scouts and other evaluators. The criteria involve players' skills, potential impact on their teams, and proximity to reaching Major League Baseball.

Eligibility for this year's list includes players with rookie status in 2025 who have not exceeded specific service time or performance thresholds. First-year players over a certain age who played professionally overseas are generally excluded unless they meet specific conditions; notably, Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki qualifies under these rules.

Past No.1 prospects have included prominent names such as Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. Last year's NL Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes was ranked third when last year's list was announced.

The announcement raises questions about who will lead this year's ranking and which newcomers will make their debut on this prestigious list.