Which Young Player Will Your Favorite MLB Team Extend Next?

MLB teams signing their bright young talent to extensions long before they’re due to hit free agency is nothing new, but it seems like every top-50 prospect is being locked down before they lose rookie eligibility. Just this season, Konnor Griffin and Colt Emerson signed extensions before they had even played an MLB game, while it took the Tigers two weeks to give Kevin McGonigle $150 million over eight years. 

It should come as no surprise that early career extensions are all the rage. They provide a lifetime of financial security for the player, and offer the team a chance to have star-level production at a discount. The general trade-off is a bunch of guaranteed money now, at the cost of a few moderately priced free agent seasons down the line. 

Now, not every wunderkin will extend, but you can bet your bottom dollar every organization will at least broach the subject. Position players are far more likely to receive early career extensions, particularly guys who play up the middle (SS/C/CF). High-level prospects at up the middle positions are more likely to become stars and generally have less downside as there is less pressure on their bat and they can more easily slide down the defensive spectrum. 

Pitchers are less desirable to extend early in their career because of the injury attrition rate, but also because pitchers aren’t impacted by the aging curve in free agency as pronouncedly as position players. Simply, an equivalent talent pitcher and hitter hitting free agency at 30 are going to land drastically different deals. 

With all this in mind, these are each organization’s most likely wunderkin extension. Most players are either currently in the high minors or have recently debuted. There are a few small exceptions, but by and large, teams don’t extend guys until they’re very close or in the bigs, and once a player gets through two seasons of service time, extending them starts to get more expensive. 

Arizona Diamondbacks: Tommy Troy UTL

The Diamondbacks aren’t brimming with impact MLB-ready talent, and Ryan Waldschmidt should probably be viewed as equally as likely to receive an extension, but Tommy Troy gets the nod due to his defensive versatility at up-the-middle spots. When you extend someone well before you know if they’re going to hit, it’s nice to know that they’ll still be rosterable even if they don’t. 

Athletics: Leo De Vries SS

De Vries was the prize return in the Mason Miller trade, and it already looks like a stroke of genius. He’s 19, looks likely to stick at short, and has a 123 wRC+ at Double-A. He’s a top-10 prospect and could hit number one due to graduations sometime in the next 12 months, if he’s not already in the big leagues himself. 

Atlanta Braves: Drake Baldwin C

Baldwin debuted last season and posted a 125 wRC+ over 124 games as a rookie catcher. He currently has a 158 wRC+. The defense behind the dish isn’t superlative, but when you find a Will Smith clone, you do what it takes to keep them. 

Baltimore Orioles: Trey Gibson P

The Orioles stream of top prospects has run dry, but that’s a good thing when they’re all in the majors. Gibson struggled in his first major league start, but he has four MLB-quality pitches and throws enough strikes to stick in a rotation. Also of note, he went undrafted, so he’ll be more motivated to lock in long-term security and land a fat seven-figure signing bonus. 

Boston Red Sox: Franklin Arias SS

While Marcelo Mayer has long been viewed as the Red Sox shortstop of the future, Arias looks like he might have already surpassed him. He’s viewed as a plus defender at short and has superlative contact figures. The only reason not to get too crazy is that his power is more average than your standard top-tier prospect, but he’s currently slugging .731 with eight home runs in 22 Double-A games. For a player who hit eight home runs in 116 games last season, his power surge is notable, but it needs to be taken with some caution. When he gets to Triple-A and we get statcast data, we’ll know just how real the raw juice is. Still, he’ll be 20 all season, and he’s rocking AA to the tune of a 187 wRC+. If he keeps this up, he might force the Red Sox’s hand, which is exactly what you want out of your top farmhands. 

Chicago Cubs: Moisés Ballesteros DH/C

As of writing, Ballesteros has played in exactly 162 games since debuting last season. In that time, he has produced a wRC+ of 156 and shown real season-to-season improvement in his batted-ball profile. The only real concern with the bat is that there is a bit more chase than you’d like to see, but it should be remembered that he is only 22. The question isn’t if the bat will be good; it’s if it will be good enough to be a plus-DH. Ballesteros' work behind the dish makes it unlikely he’ll be a primary catcher, but a wRC+ of 130 plays anywhere, and he has easily bested that. There’s a bit more risk than normal from a young player who has hit this well due to the lack of a defensive home and some elevated chase, but if he improves in either, or both, he could be an MVP candidate at peak. 

Chicago White Sox: Colson Montgomery SS

Montgomery’s defense was always viewed as more average than good as a prospect, but in 106 career games, his defense has graded out as superlative. If you believe in the defense, the profile here becomes much more enticing because while he has been exceptional at the plate for a shortstop (30 career home runs already), there are serious yellow flags in his profile. His lift-and-pull approach has likely helped his power improve, but he has one of the lowest contact rates in baseball. Even with elite bat speed, his offense could be a house of cards. 

Cincinnati Reds: Sal Stewart 1B

Stewart might only be 22, but he is already a professional hitter. If he ever learns to pull the ball in the air, he could average 35 home runs a season in Cincinnati. First base only types are risky, but Stewart combines a rare combination of current production and upside for his archetype.

Cleveland Guardians: Chase DeLauter OF/DH

The Guardians just promoted Travis Bazzana to the show, but I think DeLauter is the guy they’ll extend. First, DeLauter might just be better than Bazzana, but most importantly, he’s probably the easier guy to extend. His draft bonus was only $3.75 million, compared to Bazzana’s $8.95 million, and he has had a ton of injuries. The Guardians are cheap, and they’re more likely to find some middle ground with DeLauter than Bazzana. 

Colorado Rockies: Chase Dollander P

The last good Rockies pitcher was probably Germán Márquez, which makes Dollander the pitching equivalent of Halley’s Comet. Dollander has huge stuff, his strike-throwing continues to improve, and his underlying metrics have been better in Coors than on the road this season. Give this man a lifetime contract. 

Detroit Tigers: Max Clark CF

Clark is the Tigers’ center fielder of the future. He makes elite levels of contact, has a good idea of the strike zone, and is a burner. He probably needs a bit more seasoning in Triple-A, but he should be an elite leadoff man, and if he grows into more power, he will be a star. 

Houston Astros: Ethan Pecko P

To be honest, the Astros really don’t have any minor leaguers or recent graduates worthy of an extension. Pecko gets the nod because he’s very close to the Majors, the Astros desperately need pitching, and as a sixth-round pick, he won’t cost too much to extend. 

Kansas City Royals: Jac Caglianone OF

The results haven’t been quite there for Caglianone, but this is still one of the best power-hitting prospects in all of baseball. His contact figures are down a bit from his rookie season, but it has come with better swing decisions. With how hard he hits the ball, this level of contact is fine, and once he starts lifting and pulling, he has 40 home run potential. Defensively, Caglianone has an elite arm in right– he was a two-way player in college– and should his routes and reads continue to improve, he could be a plus-defender. At the end of the day, Caglianone is still very early in his developmental process, and he’s succeeding in the bigs. If I were the Royals, I’d want to buy out a few free agent years before he figures it out because once he does, he’ll figure out that getting to free agency as soon as possible is the right decision. 

Los Angeles Angels: Tyler Bremner P

Bremner might only have thrown 16.2 innings at High-A, but I’d take the over on 2.5 MLB starts this season. The Angels promote players incredibly quickly, and Bremner is a college pitcher with an elite change-up who throws strikes. Barring injury, he’ll be in the Angels' rotation by 2027. 

Los Angeles Dodgers: Dalton Rushing C/DH

If it weren’t for Will Smith, Rushing would be the Dodgers’ primary catcher. Instead, he’ll have to settle for mashing in a high-usage reserve role. Fortunately, a wRC+ of 234 plays anywhere. If the Dodgers decide they’re pot committed to winning now, Rushing could headline any trade. 

Miami Marlins: Joe Mack C

Mack just made his MLB debut and should have plenty of runway to prove that he belongs in the majors. He’s an excellent defensive catcher and provides serious thump from the left side. He’s going to strike out, but the offensive bar for good-to-great defensive catchers is so low that 25 home runs with a .200 average is an above-average contributor. Mack isn’t without risk, but plus-defensive catchers have to be completely inept at the plate to not provide value.

Milwaukee Brewers: Jesus Made SS

Made is probably the best prospect in baseball. He’s a switch-hitting shortstop with a plus hit tool who projects for plus power. Basically, anyone who is 18 and holding their own in Double-A is a special talent, and when you factor in that he’s likely to stick at shortstop, it’s easy to get bullish. The Brewers should consider extending him yesterday, because if he hits the ground running in the bigs, he might already be out of their price range. If he starts getting reps at third base this season, it’s not a sign his defense has fallen off; it’s a sign the Brewers want him in the show for the stretch run. 

Minnesota Twins: Kaelen Culpepper SS

The Twins have two extension-worthy candidates in Triple-A, and if you prefer Walker Jenkins, you’ll find no argument from me, but I’m much more inclined to bet on upside. Culpepper has the chance to be a Willy Adames type at shortstop. He has real pop and the athleticism to become an elite defender. He hasn’t put it all together, but he has been productive throughout the minors, and he’s chasing less this season than in years prior. There’s real risk he gets exposed by big league pitching, and the defense is more average than great, but he also has the chance to be a perennial four-WAR player. I’d take a stab at extending that over the higher-floor, lower-ceiling Jenkins. 

New York Mets: Nolan McLean P

Pitchers usually don’t get extended early in their careers for one simple reason: they break. McLean is one of the best pitchers in baseball right now, but he’s a single injury away from being a shell of himself. However, if I were the Mets, I’d extend him right now, anyway. McLean has good fastball velocity, but his ability to spin the ball is his superpower. While arm speed helps, spin is innate, and I think McLean will continue to baffle hitters even with diminished velocity. On top of that, he signed for less than $1 million out of college, which means waiting till he hits free agency in 2032 is a far riskier proposition. 

New York Yankees: George Lombard Jr. SS

Lombard probably isn’t ready for the show just yet, but he should be knocking on the door by next spring training. Shortstops with power are the most valuable prospects in baseball, and all he has done is produce. Generally, reaching AAA before you turn 21 is a good sign. 

Philadelphia Phillies: Aidan Miller SS

Miller has a chance to be a five-tool player, and while he isn’t a lock to stay at short, the Phillies could really use some help at third base. If Miller starts getting reps there at AAA, a promotion to the show is probably looming. 

Pittsburgh Pirates: Bubba Chandler P

Chandler has struggled with walks this season, but the underlying metrics suggest his control is far better than the 6.21 BB/9 he has managed. The stuff that Bubba has is huge, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he turned things around in a big way soon. 

San Diego Padres: Ethan Salas C

Salas’ prospect sheen has dimmed considerably, but I’m still going to bet on any catcher reaching Double-A before they turn 20. At the end of the day, Salas projects as an elite defensive catcher, and he has come out of the gate in 2026 absolutely slugging. After years of insanely aggressive promotions-- he was in Double-A at 17-- Salas seems to be putting it all together. If he can continue ranking, he’ll zoom back up the top-100 list and might find his way to the Majors for the stretch run. 

Seattle Mariners: Ryan Sloan P

Sloan has struggled out of the gates in AA, but he is also a 20-year-old pitcher. This is still one of the best pitching prospects in baseball in one of the best pitching development organizations. He probably won’t reach the show this season, but he’s on pace to be ready for spot duty next season, and should have a locked-down rotation spot in 2028, barring the obligatory injury caveat. 

San Francisco Giants: Bryce Eldridge 1B

Eldridge just got called up, and while he has struggled in his big league cups of coffee, he is still only 21. At 6’7, power is Eldridge’s calling card, and he has enough of it to be an elite bat even with a ton of swing and miss. 

St. Louis Cardinals: JJ Wetherholt 2B

Wetherholt is in pole position for NL Rookie of the Year and has a decent All-Star case. He’s a true franchise-building block with a super-stable profile. I would have extended him in spring training, but what do I know?

Tampa Bay Rays: Junior Caminero 3B

After a 45-home run season, it might be too late for the Rays to extend Caminero, but they should do whatever they can. He has light tower power, and his swing decisions and zone-contact keep improving. 

Texas Rangers: David Davalillo P

The Rangers have a few candidates, but between Wyatt Langford’s stagnation and Sebastian Walcott’s injuries, Davalillo gets the nod here. He’s near MLB-ready, and since he signed for only $30,000 out of Venezuela in 2022, he should be extra receptive to long-term financial security. 

Toronto Blue Jays: Trey Yesavage P

Yesavage still has more postseason innings than regular-season innings, which makes his ERA of 3.00 between the two all the more impressive. Despite spamming fastballs and splitters, Yesavage is an incredibly difficult at-bat, and any improvement to his breaking ball could see him really take off. The Blue Jays have a very veteran-leaning rotation, and locking in Yesavage would solidify their rotation for the long haul. As with any pitcher, there is considerable risk, but the Blue Jays have the financial resources to not be squeamish about extending their homegrown premium talent. He’s a front-line arm, and he can be had for a relative bargain. 

Washington Nationals: James Wood OF

What if Aaron Judge batted left-handed and made the majors at 21? Well, Wood is answering some of those questions, and it's scary. Wood is already a middle-of-the-order thumper and still has crazy upside. The Nationals’ window to extend him is rapidly closing, and honestly, it might already be too late to really get a discount, but I’d rather pay market rate for Wood than see him drift away.