The Double-A season is off and running, and some of the games’ top prospects are starting off strong. Every season, dynasty managers scour the waiver wire for opportunities to get in on the ground floor of some of the next top prospects. In this series, we will be diving into the top performers in Double-A. Some will be top prospects known by many, and some will be new names that pose an opportunity to stash in your Minor Leagues. Let’s take this chance to dive into the Double-A batting prospects who are off to a hot start this season.
Double-A Hitting Prospects
Eastern League
C.J. Kayfus, 1B CLE
(8 GP, .516/.605/.871, 1 HR, 8 R, 7 RBI, 1 SB)
One of the biggest waiver wire adds of 2023 and 24, C.J. Kayfus continues to steadily climb the Guardians system, inching his way closer to the Major Leagues. Drafted in the third round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of the University of Miami, Kafus excelled right away, showing excellent bat-to-ball skills that naturally translated into average power. Across three levels in 2024, Kayfus slashed .291/.393/.511 with 17 home runs, 70 runs scored, 92 RBIs, and five stolen bases while walking 12.3% and striking out 24.3% of the time. The Guardians have not rushed Kayfus, allowing him time to work through any struggles he has seen from Low-A up to Double-A. There haven’t been many struggles to work through to this point.
Cleveland #Guardians 23yr old (1B/OF) prospect C.J. Kayfus collected three more hits today for Akron (3-6 R 3B) in the teams win over Altoona.
Kayfus over his first 8 games of the season.
16-31 8R 2(2B) 3(3B) 1HR 7RBI 6BB 1SB
AVG .516
OBP .605
SLG .871
OPS 1.476… pic.twitter.com/fNpBbyIH0H— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) April 14, 2025
Back in Double-A to start the 2025 season, Kayfus is looking locked in at the plate, slashing .516/.605/.871 with one home run, eight runs scored, seven RBIs, and one stolen base. The approach has been solid thus far, as Kayfus has walked 15.8% while lowering the strikeout rate to 18.4% so far. Already, we have seen the extra base hits come quickly for Kafus as he currently has 16 hits on the season, with six of them coming as extra base hits. It should not be long before Kayfus is called up to Triple-A Columbus, where he will be just a breath away from making his Major League debut.
Spencer Jones, OF NYY
(9 GP, .290/.421/.613, 3 HR, 8 R, 7 RBI, 3 SB)
The torpedo bat is now in the hands of Spencer Jones, and thus far, the results are impressive for one of the best raw power prospects in the Minor Leagues right now. Drafted in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of Vanderbilt, Jones stands 6’7” and 235 pounds batting from the left side of the plate, and has been known throughout his Minor League career to have a solid approach at the plate, drawing walks, but has some swing and miss issues. In 2024, Jones played the entire season in Double-A, where he slashed .259/.336/.452 with 17 home runs, 73 runs scored, 78 RBIs, and 25 stolen bases in 122 games played. The swing and miss was at an all-time high for Jones as he struck out 36.8% of his 544 plate appearances.
SPENCER JONES 110 MPH MISSILE🚀
The @Yankees' No. 2 prospect smashes a go-ahead two-run bomb in the seventh inning! pic.twitter.com/mJG6PrT4G7
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) April 13, 2025
Now with the Torpedo bat in his hands, we have seen the power come easily for Jones early on. Across nine games played, he is slashing .290/.421/.613 with three home runs, eight runs scored, seven RBIs, and three stolen bases while walking 15.8% of the time. Unfortunately, the strikeouts are back up to 36.8%, something that will need to be corrected if Jones is to get a shot with the Yankees in 2025.
Texas League
Romeo Sanabria, 1B SDP
(8 GP, .444/.459/.694, 2 HR, 10 R, 6 RBI)
San Diego continues to draft and develop their Minor League system well, and Romeo Sanabria stands out as a prospect we need to watch closely in 2025. Drafted in the 18th round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of Junior College, Sanabria stands 6’3” and 200 pounds, playing primarily first base since being drafted. The potential for above-average power is there for Sanabria, who put together a solid season in 2024, ascending three levels in the process. Across 125 combined games played, Sanabria slashed .288/.396/.427 with 11 home runs, 65 runs scored, 78 RBIs, and three stolen bases while walking 15.4% and striking out 21.1% of the time. Sanabria had a total of 130 hits in 202,4 with 41 of them being extra base hits, showing the potential for more power to come.
San Diego Padres prospect Romeo Sanabria is on fire to start the season at Double-A. 4-5 tonight with his 2nd home run of the season. 12 for 22 so far with 2 HRs and 2 2Bs.
pic.twitter.com/CeFfA82g4u— Daniel Labude (@OrcaBaseball) April 10, 2025
This season has gotten off to a strong start as Sanabria is returning to Double-A, slashing .444/.459/.694 with two home runs, 10 runs scored, and six RBIs while striking out 16.2% of his 37 plate appearances thus far. Already, we have seen five of his 16 hits go for extra bases. It should not be long before the Padres move Sanabria up to Triple-A this season or potentially call him up to the Major Leagues with an injury or trade.
Jac Caglianone, 1B KCR
(9 GP, .289/.356/.579, 3 HR, 9 R, 14 RBI)
Kansas City has to be happy with the early results from Jac Caglianone, as we have seen massive exit velocities early on, giving Royals fans and dynasty managers an impact prospect to root for. Drafted sixth overall by the Royals out of the University of Florida, Caglianone was a two-way star for the Gators, standing 6’5” and 250 with immense power from the left side of the plate. Now no longer pitching, Caglianone has focused squarely on hitting and improving defensively at first base in professional ball. After the draft, the Royals sent Caglianone straight to High-A, where he slashed .241/.302/.388 with two home runs, 13 runs scored, 14 RBIs, and two stolen bases while walking 5.6% and striking out 20.6% across 29 games played.
Jac Caglianone, 110 mph off the bat 💪
The @Royals' top prospect (MLB No. 20) crushes his third big fly of the season for the Double-A @nwanaturals. pic.twitter.com/F2HWFOtVD8
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 13, 2025
Caglianone was said to have holes in his swing, and the approach wasn’t what many expected, but honestly, he was probably exhausted from the collegiate season he had at Florida. Across 66 games played, he slashed .419/.544/.875 with 35 home runs, 83 runs scored, 72 RBIs, and four stolen bases while walking 18.4% and only striking out 8.2% of the time. Regardless, Caglianone’s performance in spring training as well as in his debut in Double-A has everyone’s tune turned around. Across nine games played, Caglianone is slashing .289/.356/.579 with three home runs, nine runs scored, and 14 RBIs while walking 11.1% and striking out 22.2% of the time.
Southern League
Sal Stewart, 2B/3B CIN
(8 GP, .375/.444/.688, 2 HR, 8 R, 7 RBI, 4 SB)
One of the most consistent prospects in the Minor Leagues could be taking a big step forward in his development in his first taste of Double-A. Sal Stewart has hit extremely well since being drafted by the Reds back in 2022 with the 32nd overall pick. So well, in fact, that Stewart has never batted below .269 as a professional and never had his OBP dip below .391. By the way, Stewart just turned 21 years old back in December. Standing at 6’1” and 224 pounds, the potential for above-average power seems to be taking shape early on this season, but let’s take a look at Stewart’s 2024 season at High-A.
Your Gabe Whitmer Mortgage Team Player of the Series is @Reds #3 Prospect, Sal Stewart!
🔴 .348 AVG
🔴 6 RBI
🔴 1 HR
🔴 1.009 OPS pic.twitter.com/Dl7OeYov9q— Chattanooga Lookouts (@ChattLookouts) April 14, 2025
Across 80 games played at High-A, Stewart slashed .279/.391/.454 with eight home runs, 54 runs scored, 46 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases while walking 14.8% and striking out just 16.9% of the time. Stewart’s extra base power could give us some insight into the power coming as he had 78 total hits in 202,4 with 32 of them coming for extra bases. This season, Stewart is hitting for power early in his debut in Double-A, slashing .375/.444/.688 with two home runs, eight runs scored, seven RBIs, and four stolen bases while walking 8.3% and striking out just 16.7% in eight games played.
Look for Stewart to spend the majority of the season in Double-A as he continues to develop at third base defensively. If he continues to have a strong start to the season, a late-season promotion to Triple-A or even the Major Leagues is not out of the question.
Joe Mack, C MIA
(7 GP, .348/.483/.696, 2 HR, 6 R, 4 RBI, 1 SB)
Coming off his best offensive season since being drafted by the Marlins 31st overall in 2021, Joe Mack seems to be putting it all together early on back in Double-A. Coming out of the draft, Mack was known for his patient approach at the plate, and with the potential for above-average power in reach. The bat struggled through the first two seasons post-draft but would come around in the 2024 season across High-A and Double-A. Mack played in 125 games, slashing .252/.338/.468 with 24 home runs, 70 runs, 78 RBIs, and three stolen bases. Plate discipline continued to be a solid focus for Mack, who walked 10.7% while striking out just 24.9% of the time.
Joe Mack. He’s back. pic.twitter.com/MydjehBhir
— Pensacola Blue Wahoos (@BlueWahoosBBall) April 9, 2025
This season, Mack is back in Double-A, where the results through the first seven games have been strong. Currently, Mack is slashing .348/.483/.696 with two home runs, six runs scored, four RBIs, and one stolen base. Across 29 plate appearances, Mack has drawn five walks, which is good for a 17.2% base on balls, while his strikeout rate is down to 20.7% thus far. This is a prospect that doesn’t seem to get enough attention, and it should be due to performance and proximity to the Major Leagues. At just 22 years old, Mack could see another season in the Minor Leagues, but the bat might just carry him straight to Miami sooner rather than later.
