Baseball executives have provided their views on which prospects possess the best skills in various categories, according to Part 3 of the MLB Pipeline Executives Poll. The poll asked front office personnel across Major League Baseball about prospects’ specific tools, including hitting, power, speed, fastball quality, secondary pitches, and overall pitchability.
For the best hit tool among prospects, several players received votes. George Lombard Jr., a shortstop and second baseman for the New York Yankees organization, was among those recognized by executives for his hitting ability. Kevin McGonigle stood out as the top vote-getter in this category after a strong season and earning Arizona Fall League MVP honors.
In terms of “usable power,” which focuses on players likely to translate raw strength into production at the Major League level, Konnor Griffin led voting. Other prospects receiving recognition included Travis Bazzana and Kevin McGonigle.
When considering speed on the field, Spencer Jones from the Yankees system was one of several players who received votes from executives. Kendall George and Konnor Griffin were tied for most mentions as fastest prospects.
Pitching tools were also evaluated. For best fastball among pitching prospects, Ben Hess from the Yankees received votes along with others such as Raimon Gómez (Mets) and Seth Hernandez (Pirates). Payton Tolle was named by most executives for his fastball performance in 2025.
Secondary pitches were also considered; Nolan McLean’s sweeper pitch was rated highest by surveyed executives. Trey Yesavage’s splitter earned significant support due to its effectiveness during both regular season and postseason play.
Finally, when it comes to pitchability—defined as a pitcher’s feel for his craft and command—several pitchers drew attention from respondents. This included a trio of 2025 draftees: Jamie Arnold, Tyler Bremner, and Kade Anderson.
The MLB Pipeline Executives Poll is released in parts throughout January 2026, with upcoming installments expected to cover farm systems later in the week.
