Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio became known as a promising player two years ago, which was underlined by the awards as “Best Batting Prospect” and “Most Exciting Player” in the voting for the “Best Tools” of baseball 2022 in the Low-A Carolina League.
This year his younger brother Jaison Chourio won the same categories in the same league in the same drill. Junior Chourio, one of the Guardians’ top young players, won two other Carolina League categories: Best Strike Zone Judgment and Best Defensive Outfielder.
Winning four categories in a 12-team league sounds impressive, but what does that tell us about future potential?
This tells us a lot about the Chourios.
The winners of the Best Batting Prospect and Most Exciting Player categories in the minor league Best Tools voting have produced more major league WAR than winners of other categories. But as Baseball America readers know, the minor leagues are not a monolithic organization. The size of the full-season minor leagues varies from six to 20 teams. They vary considerably in the age, experience level and overall maturity of the members, just as they vary in their proximity to the major leagues.
An underappreciated difference between minor leagues is the size of their geographic reach. The Triple-A International and Pacific Coast Leagues span multiple time zones. The High-A South Atlantic League contains North and South divisions that match their descriptions.
All of this is to say that not all minor leagues are the same, just as not all Best Tools categories are the same. To smooth out some of the inherent differences between leagues and categories, let’s take a look at the standout winners from the minor leagues’ Best Tools history, which dates back to 1983.
We’ll focus on the Best Tools candidates with the most votes at each level throughout the season – with category wins assigned a weighting that correlates with WAR.
Top voters 2024
Jaison Chourio, OF, Lynchburg (Guardian)
Carolina League 2024
Best batting prospect, best strike zone judgment, best defensive OF, most exciting player
Chourio is a 19-year-old center fielder who plays with a variety of hitting techniques and first appeared on the talent radar a year ago in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League. This year, he has shown his hitting eye with a Carolina League-leading walk total and more free passes than strikeouts. Chourio is also among the league’s leaders in OBP, doubles and stolen bases, which paints a nice picture of his potential.
Historical top voters
Andruw Jones, OF, Macon (Braves)
1995 South Atlantic League
Best Hitting Prospect, Best Power Prospect, Best Baserunner, Best Defensive OF, Most Exciting Player
Jones played the entire season as an 18-year-old and had a season that instantly made him the most promising talent in baseball in 1996. His overall record is staggering for such a young and defensively gifted player: 25 home runs, 41 doubles, 56 stolen bases, 70 walks, 104 runs and 100 RBIs in 139 games.
Adrian Beltre, 3B, Savannah (Rangers)
1996 South Atlantic League
Best hitting talent, best power talent, best defensive 3B, best infield arm, most exciting player
The Dodgers were fined and banned from scouting for a year in the Dominican Republic for signing Beltre at 15, a year before he was eligible to play. It may have paid off. Beltre played the entire 1996 season as a 17-year-old, reaching High-A in the second half. In Low-A, he hit .307/.406/.586 with 16 home runs in a huge Savannah home stadium, showing defensive skills that would make him a Gold Glover.
Other huge Low-A Best Tools seasons
- Willie Ansley, 1989, Asheville (Astros)
- Rafael Furcal, 1999, Macon (Braves)
- Mike Trout, 2010, Cedar Rapids (Angels)
- Josh Hamilton, 2000, Charleston (Rays)
- Alex Escobar, 1998, Capital (Mets)
- Prince Fielder, 2003, Beloit (Brewers)
- Carlos Gonzalez, 2005, South Bend (D-backs)
- Alex Rodriguez, 1994, Appleton (Mariners)
Top voters 2024
Cole Carrigg, OF, Spokane (Rockies)
2024 Northwest League
Best defensive offensive player, best outfielder, most exciting player
Kyle Karros, 3B, Spokane (Rockies)
2024 Northwest League
Best hitting prospects, best defensive 3B, best infield arm
Caveat: It’s easier for Northwest League players to win the Best Tools category because there are only six teams. Regardless, these two 2023 Rockies draft picks — second-round Carrigg out of San Diego State and fifth-round Karros out of UCLA, where his father Eric also played — are off to strong starts in professional baseball. Karros has a chance to win the NWL triple crown, while switch-hitter Carrigg has shut down center field while getting on base, hitting powerfully and stealing bases.
Historical top voters
Jose Offerman, SS, Bakersfield (Dodgers)
1989 California League
Best batting prospect, best baserunner, fastest baserunner, best defensive SS, best infield arm, most exciting player
Before he made it as a shortstop and then failed with the Dodgers, before he succeeded with the Royals and Red Sox, and before he hit an opposing player with his bat in an Independent League game in 2007, Offerman was one of baseball’s most promising prospects. He was ranked No. 10 on the inaugural Top 100 Prospects list in 1990, fresh off a good season the year before. He spent half of 1989 in the California League, batting .307 with 37 stolen bases in 62 games.
Adrian Beltre, 3B, Vero Beach (Dodgers)
1997 Florida State League
Best hitting talent, best power talent, best defensive 3B, best infield arm, most exciting player
Following his outstanding 1996 season, Beltre delivered an incredible encore in the Florida State League. As an 18-year-old, he hit 26 home runs and stole 25 bases in 123 games while posting an OPS of .968 in an extreme pitcher’s league. He had 67 walks, one more than he had strikeouts. By 1999, at age 20, Beltre was a major league regular and on his way to the Hall of Fame.
Other Huge High-A Best Tools Seasons
- Jackie Bradley Jr., 2012, Salem (Red Sox)
- Joey Gallo, 2014, Myrtle Beach (Rangers)
- Eric Hosmer, 2010, Wilmington (Royals)
- Elly De La Cruz, 2022, Dayton (Red)
- Zac Veen, 2022, Spokane (Rockies)
- Travis Lee, 1997, High Desert (D-Backs)
- Hak-Ju Lee, 2011, Port Charlotte (Rays)
Top voters 2024
Carson Williams, SS, Montgomery
2024 Southern League
Best defensive SS, best infield arm, most exciting player
Williams is a sure-fire shortstop with a hitting profile of Three True Outcomes. In his best seasons, he will collect walks and strikeouts while hitting over 25 home runs, like Dansby Swanson. The Rays’ shortstop situation is unsettled, which opens the door for the 21-year-old Williams when he’s ready.
Historic leader in votes
Vladimir Guerrero, OF, Harrisburg (Exhibitions)
1996 Eastern League
Best hitting prospect, best power prospect, best defensive OF, best outfield arm, most exciting player
Guerrero began the 1996 season in High-A, but was promoted to the Eastern League after just 20 games. He acted like a 20-year-old, but was actually a year older. What Guerrero accomplished for Harrisburg was impressive at any age. He hit .360/.438/.612 with 32 doubles, eight triples, 19 home runs and 17 stolen bases in 118 games. He allowed more walks than strikeouts and recorded 13 outfield assists in right field. All of that led to a call-up to Montreal in September and set the stage for a Hall of Fame career.
Other major Double-A Best Tools seasons
- Mike Moustakas, 2010, Northwest Arkansas (Royals)
- Jay Payton, 1995, Binghamton (Mets)
- George Springer, 2013, Corpus Christi (Astros)
- Walker Buehler, 2017, Tulsa (Dodgers)
- Paul Goldschmidt, 2011, Mobile (D-backs)
- Miguel Cabrera, 2003, Carolina (Marlins)
- Kris Bryant, 2014, Tennessee (Cubs)
- Delmon Young, 2005, Montgomery (Rays)
Top voters 2024
James Wood, OF, Rochester (Nationals)
International League 2024
Best power talent, most exciting player
Shay Whitcomb, SS, Sugar Land (Astros)
Pacific Coast League 2024
Best power talent, most exciting player
Wood was the top talent in baseball when the Nationals drafted the 21-year-old on July 1. He is a 6-foot-4 left-hander with tremendous power to match. Whitcomb, on the other hand, was the last pick in the 2020 fifth-round draft and is already 25 years old and is only now being called up to Houston for the first time. His path to the major leagues depends on hitting with above-average power and maintaining the versatility to play all over the infield and in the outfield corners.
Historic leader in votes
Elly De La Cruz, SS, Louisville (Red)
International League 2023
Best hitting prospects, best power prospects, fastest baserunner, best infield arm, most exciting player
De La Cruz needed just 85 games in the upper minors before making his MLB debut. He played 38 of those games with Louisville in 2023, in the months leading up to his MLB debut on June 6. During his brief time in the International League, De La Cruz made a big impression, winning five best-tools categories while hitting .298/.398/.633 with 12 home runs and 11 stolen bases. This season in Cincinnati, he has a chance to hit 30 home runs and reach 80 stolen bases, a threshold not crossed in MLB since 1988.
Other major Triple-A Best Tools seasons
- Ronald Acuna Jr., 2018, Gwinnett (Braves)
- Dean Palmer, 1991, Oklahoma City (Rangers)
- Brian Hunter, 1994, Tucson (Astros)
- Jake Cronenworth, 2019, Durham (Rays)
- Trea Turner, 2016, Syracuse (Nationals)
- Tim Salmon, 1992, Edmonton (Angels)
- Starling Marte, 2012, Indianapolis (Pirates)
- Gunnar Henderson, 2022, Norfolk (Orioles)
- Bernie Williams, 1992, Columbus (Yankees)
