Future Stars Rising: Top-100 Hitting Prospects Excelling in 2026

Let's now look over some excelling top-100 hitting prospects in the minor leagues.

Here is our writeup on top-100 pitching prospects that have excelled so far in 2026.

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Kayson Cunningham - Arizona Diamondbacks

Cunningham is the No. 79 prospect in all of baseball. The 19-year-old was the No. 18 overall pick in 2025, and he has a 2029 ETA.

The shortstop did OK across 11 Single-A games last year, but he's exploded in 2026 so far. Over 48 games across time in Single-A and High-A, Cunningham has a .356 average and .445 on-base percentage. He also has 29 RBIs, 46 runs scored, 32 walks, 11 stolen bases and 43 strikeouts. Cunningham has 12 doubles, four triples and a homer across his 69 total hits.

He's a rising prospect and he has a ton of dynasty value. I'd be happy to stash him now, and maybe he even appears a bit before that ETA.

Theo Gillen - Tampa Bay Rays

Gillen is the 40th-best prospect in the game right now.

The 20-year-old left-handed hitter was a first-round pick back in 2024. He has a 2028 ETA.

Gillen did some solid things across 81 games in 2024-25, but he's erupted early in 2026. Across 51 games at High-A, Gillen has a .335 average and .443 OBP. He has 35 RBIs, 46 runs scored, 33 walks, 25 stolen bases and 57 strikeouts. Gillen has 10 doubles and homers, plus three triples, among his 65 total hits.

Gillen needs to be stashed in a lot of dynasty leagues. If he keeps hitting, he could rise quickly and be in the big leagues by the end of 2027, but I think 2028 is a fair projection. Stash him and hope for big things from Gillen down the line.

Josue De Paula and Mike Sirota - Los Angeles Dodgers

De Paula is the No. 8 prospect in the game. Sirota is the 39th-best prospect in baseball.

De Paula is 21 years old. He was signed by the team in 2022 and has a 2027 ETA. Sirota is 23 years old, was drafted in the third round in the 2024 draft and has a 2027 ETA.

De Paula is in his fifth year of professional baseball. This year has been his best, and he has a .333 average and .433 OBP over 60 Double-A games so far. De Paula has 80 hits, including 21 doubles, 11 homers and a triple, plus 56 RBIs, 55 runs scored, 42 walks, 19 stolen bases and 37 strikeouts.

De Paula is a highly-ranked prospect for a reason, and is showing why this season. He's in a great organization, but it also makes it a bit harder for him to reach the big leagues. De Paula still needs to be rostered in all deeper leagues, and maybe we even get to see him in the big leagues in 2026 (although that might require a change of scenery for him).

Sirota is in his second minor league season, and he's delivered big across 50-some games in each year. This year in High-A and Double-A, Sirota has a .330 average and .483 OBP. He has 68 total hits, including 18 doubles, 10 homers and a triple, plus 39 RBIs, 55 runs scored, 56 walks, 10 stolen bases and 59 strikeouts.

Sirota is another one who could probably debut in 2026, but because of the organization he's in, it's more likely he debuts in 2027. Roster him in dynasty leagues, and be expecting good things from the outfielder in the MLB seasons to come.

Luis Lara - Milwaukee Brewers

Lara is the No. 91 prospect in baseball. The outfielder is 21 years old, is a switch-hitter and has a 2026 ETA.

He's had a solid minor league career since 2022 (when he signed with Milwaukee), but has taken off across 62 Triple-A games in 2026. Lara has a .329 average and .443 OBP, along with 29 RBIs, 53 runs scored, 45 walks, 20 stolen bases and 36 strikeouts. Lara has eight doubles, seven homers and two triples across 74 total hits.

Lara should be up at some time in 2026, and maybe soon, after the Brewers just called up Cooper Pratt. An injury could be Lara's best chance at regular playing time in the big leagues, but if he keeps delivering big in the minors, he'll force his way into the majors.

Blake Mitchell - Kansas City Royals

Mitchell is the No. 52 prospect in baseball. The catcher is 21 years old, was drafted eighth overall and has a 2027 ETA.

Mitchell is in his fourth minor league season. He has just a .217 average this year at High-A, but he has an absurd .429 OBP. Mitchell has 38 hits over 56 games, including 12 home runs and seven doubles, plus has 64 walks, 35 RBIs, 51 runs scored, 15 stolen bases and 84 strikeouts.

Mitchell isn't hitting super well, but he's getting on base at a stellar clip. In time, he should work his way up the minor league ranks, and probably quickly if he wants to hit that 2027 ETA.

Mitchell is one to stash in dynasty leagues, but his hitting tool is definitely a bit worrisome. Because he's a highly-regarded prospect, you could look to move off him, if you don't see his hitting improving in time. With good power numbers and that OBP mark, I'd have high hopes for the slugging catcher.