Top 7 (1st Bowman) Prospects to Chase in 2025 Bowman Baseball

7. Josue Briceño, Detroit Tigers

• International Signee January 2022
  
• Team Prospect Rank: #6
• MLB Prospect Rank: #91
• Position: 1B/C
• Age: 20
• Height/Weight: 6'4" 200lbs
• Current Level: A+

Signed by the Tigers as an international free agent in 2022 at just 17, Briceño has rapidly ascended to become the organization's #6 prospect. While he might rank even higher in other systems, his dominant 2024 Arizona Fall League performance (.433/.509/.867 with 10 HR and 27 RBI) proved his significant potential. Now in 2025, Briceño earned a promotion to A+ and, while still adjusting, he is hitting .255/.333/.468 with 3 home runs through his first 11 games.

blessyouboys.com reports, "We were already optimistic about Briceño’s future last spring. The contact ability and discipline was outstanding for his age. The one real flaw in his hitting was the amount of ground balls he produced. His return from injury dispelled those concerns. The Fall League is a small sample size, but Briceño hasn’t even hit much against Low-A pitching coming in, and with a swing change and his conditioning gains he was a whole new level of power threat."

6. Franklin Arias, Boston Red Sox

• International Signee January 2023
  
• Team Prospect Rank: #4
• MLB Prospect Rank: #72
• Position: SS/2B
• Age: 19
• Height/Weight: 5'11" 170lbs
• Current Level: A

Ranked as the Red Sox's #4 prospect, Arias's due to call-ups a potential ascent to the top spot is possible season's end (only Kristian Campbell, Roman Anthony, and Marcelo Mayer are currently ahead of him). After a mid-summer promotion to A ball last year he navigated an adjustment period, hitting .257/.331/.378 in 36 games. Arias has exploded onto the scene in A ball in 2025 however, slashing an impressive .404/.472/.468 with 6 home runs in just 12 games.

Baseball America’s Geoff Pontes said via nesn.com, "Really strong bat-to-ball skills and approach overall. Good production in the Florida Complex League, where he raked. He’s another guy who’s a few years away — he’s still pretty young — but a legitimate prospect who’s a top 100-caliber guy. A testament to (the Red Sox) continuing to get some hidden gems in the international market. He’s a pretty exciting player."

5. Thomas White, Miami Marlins

• Drafted 35th overall in the 2023 MLB draft by the Miami Marlins
• Team Prospect Rank: #1
• MLB Prospect Rank: #38
• Position: LHP
• Age: 20
• Height/Weight: 6'5" 240lbs
• Current Level: A+

Despite the generally lower collectability of pitchers, White stands out as a must-chase in 2025 Bowman. The high school draftee showcased impressive potential at A+ last year, pitching to a 2.76 ERA with 76 strikeouts over 62 innings in 13 starts. While his 3.0 BB/9 indicates an area for development, White has maintained his strong performance early this season at A+, with a 2.57 ERA in his first two starts. An upcoming promotion to Double-A will provide a crucial test against more advanced hitters and offer significant insight into his future ceiling.

His mlb.com scouting report states, "White's stuff made a jump in 2024, with his fastball velocity increasing from 92-95 mph to 94-97 with plenty of carry and run. He has always exhibited good feel for spin and switched from a 78-82 mph curveball with depth to an 81-85 slider with significant horizontal action."

4. Kevin McGonigle, Detroit Tigers

• Drafted 37th overall in the 2023 MLB draft by the Detroit Tigers
• Team Prospect Rank: #3
• MLB Prospect Rank: #26
• Position: SS/2B
• Age: 20
• Height/Weight: 5'10" 187lbs
• Current Level: A+

McGonigle's stock is trending upward after a strong showing in A ball in 2024 (.326/.407/.470). His brief foray into A+ (14 games) didn't yield the same results, but the small sample size is important to note. McGonigle suffered an ankle injury early in the 2025 season and has only played in one game this year (going 2 for 5). Ranked as the second-highest prospect on this list, McGonigle has significant potential to become an everyday contributor for the Tigers.

lastwordonsports.com says, "In just one full minor league season, McGonigle has proved that the 65-grade hit tool is merely his floor... In two years in the Tigers’ system, he has a .310 average with a .855 OPS and 107 hits in just 95 games."

3. Charlie Condon, Colorado Rockies

• Drafted 3rd overall in the 2024 MLB draft by the Colorado Rockies
• Team Prospect Rank: #2
• MLB Prospect Rank: #27
• Position: OF/3B
• Age: 22
• Height/Weight: 6'6" 216lbs
• Current Level: A+

Drafted 3rd overall last year, Condon faced immediate high expectations, which his initial 25-game stint in A+ didn't fully realize (.180/.248/.270). Despite this, his potential remains immense, underscored by a historic 2024 season at Georgia. He slashed .433/.556/1.009 with a conference-best 37 home runs in 60 games against stiff SEC competition, even surpassing the totals of fellow standouts Jac Caglianone (35) and Christian Moore (34). This dominant performance earned Condon the Golden Spikes Award as the nation's top amateur.

Condon broke his wrist in a spring training game in March, 2025 and is expected to return baseball mid-season.

From PurpleRow.com, "Multiple scouts have drawn comparisons between Condon and Kris Bryant. While of course Bryant’s tough few years with the Rockies have left a sour taste in the mind of fans, Bryant deservedly won the Rookie of the Year and NL MVP awards in his first two years as a big leaguer and has been an All-Star four times."

2. Jesús Made, Milwaukee Brewers

• International Signee January 2024
• Team Prospect Rank: #2
• MLB Prospect Rank: #52
• Position: SS/3B
• Age: 17 (18 in May 2025)
• Height/Weight: 6'1" 187lbs
  
• Current Level: A

Even before reaching his 18th birthday, this prospect is generating significant excitement. Signed by the Brewers as a 16-year-old in early 2024, he immediately showcased his talent by dominating the Dominican Summer League. In 51 games, he tallied 6 home runs, 28 RBI, and a remarkable .331/.458/.554 slash line, pushing his OPS above the 1.000 mark. Demonstrating their confidence, the Brewers fast-tracked him to A ball for the 2025 season, where he's continued his strong performance, hitting .273/.386/.515 in his initial 8 games and 39 plate appearances.

BrewerFanatic.com says, "Made’s bat to ball ability was elite in the DSL. Made had a whiff rate of 11%, a number that puts him close to the 100th percentile in all of MiLB. He was even better on pitches in the zone, as he had an in-zone whiff rate of only 8%."

1. JJ Wetherholt, St. Louis Cardinals

• Drafted 7th overall in the 2024 MLB draft by the St. Louis Cardinals
• Team Prospect Rank: #1
• MLB Prospect Rank: #21
• Position: SS
• Age: 22
• Height/Weight: 5'10" 190lbs
• Current Level: AA

What immediately stands out about JJ is his exceptional strikeout rate. Across 29 games and 126 plate appearances in 2024, he remarkably struck out only 15 times, translating to an incredibly low 11.9% K rate. This impressive plate discipline accompanied a strong initial showing in professional baseball, as he slashed .295/.405/.400. He's carried that success into 2025, hitting a robust .364/.453/.523 in his first 11 games.

His elite bat control is further underscored by his NCAA batting title in 2023, where he hit a staggering .449 as a sophomore. Comparisons to Alex Bregman have already surfaced, with some suggesting JJ could ultimately be the premier bat from the 2024 draft class.

Wetherholt's MLB.com profile says, "Wetherholt had some of the best bat-to-ball skills in his Draft class, running as high a contact rate as 89.7 percent as a sophomore in 2023. He continued to show a keen eye in the Florida State League and performed well with an all-fields approach against most pitch types. He ran a 104.5 mph 90th-percentile exit velocity, exhibiting the above-average power that kicks his offensive profile up a notch."