2026's Best Prospects So Far: My Buys, Holds, and Passes
Andrew Fischer has 21 home runs, a 1.125 OPS, and a 2026 Bowman first auto that just slipped under $110 raw. That combination is the whole reason I finally bought in.
This is where I've actually landed through the first half of 2026. It's not a comprehensive leaderboard, just the names I've bought, the ones I'm holding, the ones I've already sold, the ones I missed, and the ones I'm leaving alone. The leaderboard and my portfolio aren't the same list, so I'll be upfront about which is which.
Bought
Andrew Fischer (3B, Brewers)
Fischer's line is the best on the board: a 1.118 OPS with 20 homers and 50 RBI at High-A, plus a quick three-homer start since a bump to Double-A, so 23 on the year. He hasn't cooled off either, 10 of those bombs have come in the last month. He's a 22-year-old third baseman who controls the zone and hits the ball hard, which is the profile I'll pay for. I'd been waiting on 2026 Bowman to soften, and when it did, he's the name I wanted.
The 2026 line: 1.118 OPS, 23 HR, 54 RBI (High-A, with a recent Double-A bump) Bowman 1st auto: 2026 Bowman, around $105 raw (no PSA 10 sales yet, the product's too new) My position: Bought recently.
Theo Gillen (OF, Rays)
Gillen is 20, hitting .342 with a .449 on-base at High-A, 12 homers and 28 steals. Power and speed at that age is the kind of profile that ages well, and he's one of the better values on my board.
The 2026 line: 1.038 OPS, 12 HR, 28 SB Bowman 1st auto: 2024 Bowman Draft, around $85 raw, PSA 10s near $263 My position: Bought, and I've kept adding.
Murf Gray (3B, Pirates)
Gray has quietly mashed across two levels, a 1.042 OPS at Low-A and a 1.050 at High-A after the bump, 18 homers and 58 RBI on the year. He's a 22-year-old third baseman and I've been buying him all season.
The 2026 line: ~1.05 OPS, 18 HR, 58 RBI (two levels) Bowman 1st auto: 2025 Bowman Draft, around $54 raw, PSA 10s near $237 My position: Bought, still adding when the price is right.
Holding
Franklin Arias (SS, Red Sox)
Arias is the No. 10 prospect in the game and he's earning it: .321/.399/.978 at Double-A with 14 homers, all from a shortstop who's young for the level. Premium position, premium production. There's nothing here that makes me want to move.
The 2026 line: .321/.399/.978, 14 HR, 37 RBI at Double-A Bowman 1st auto: 2025 Bowman, around $153 raw, PSA 10s near $483 My position: Holding.
Juneiker Caceres (OF, Guardians)
Caceres is a Low-A bat at just 18 years old running .315 with a .409 on-base. It's an early-level sample, but the plate skills are real and the entry point is cheap relative to the names above him.
The 2026 line: .315/.409/.919, 6 HR Bowman 1st auto: 2025 Bowman Chrome, around $60 raw, PSA 10s near $190 My position: Holding.
Mike Sirota (CF, Dodgers)
Sirota keeps hitting at every stop, .325 with a .478 on-base at High-A and .324 with a .471 on-base since a bump to Double-A, a 23-year-old center fielder. Full disclosure, a good chunk of my stack here is personal. He's a fellow Northeastern alum, so this is a PC hold as much as an investment. The on-base ability is the carrying tool and that travels.
The 2026 line: .324/.471 at Double-A (1.080 OPS at High-A before the bump) Bowman 1st auto: 2024 Bowman Draft, around $85 raw, PSA 10s near $269 My position: Holding, and part of it is PC.
Sold (kept a couple for the PC)
Anthony Eyanson (RHP, Red Sox)
Eyanson is a 21-year-old righty who's been dominant at two levels, a 0.44 ERA with 34 strikeouts at High-A and a 1.46 with 28 more since a bump to Double-A, roughly a 1.01 ERA combined. I traded around him, bought in, sold the bulk into strength, and kept a couple back for the PC. That's how I handle an arm I like but don't want a big position in. He's still taking the ball every turn, with his most recent start on June 21.
The 2026 line: ~1.01 ERA combined, 62 K (High-A and Double-A) Bowman 1st auto: 2025 Bowman Draft, around $73 raw, PSA 10s near $290 My position: Out of the trading stack, holding a couple of PC pieces.
JJ Wetherholt (2B, Cardinals)
Wetherholt is already in the majors, hitting .267 with a .366 on-base and 12 homers. I sold into the callup, which is the playbook for a Bowman name reaching the bigs, and kept one piece for the PC.
The 2026 line: .267/.366/.787, 12 HR, 8 SB (MLB) Bowman 1st auto: 2025 Bowman, around $218 raw, PSA 10s near $638 My position: Sold the bulk into the debut, kept one back.
Colt Emerson (3B, Mariners)
Emerson is the No. 5 prospect in the game and made his MLB debut after an .816 OPS at Triple-A. The debut is the window, so I sold into it and kept a couple. The early MLB line (.219 in 30 games) is the usual rookie adjustment, and it doesn't change the long-term read.
The 2026 line: .816 OPS at AAA, .219 in 30 MLB games Bowman 1st auto: 2023 Bowman Draft, around $248 raw, PSA 10s near $621 My position: Sold into the callup, kept a couple for the PC.
Missed out (for now)
Kade Anderson (LHP, Mariners)
I'll be honest, I missed this one. Anderson has been one of the best arms in the minors, a 21-year-old lefty sitting on a 1.02 ERA with 90 strikeouts in 61 innings at Double-A, and a recent stretch of 27 innings without an earned run. The auto already reflects it, about $204 raw with PSA 10s over a grand. He looks great and the price ran before I got there.
The 2026 line: 1.02 ERA, 90 K, 61.2 IP at Double-A Bowman 1st auto: 2025 Bowman Draft, around $204 raw, PSA 10s near $1,025 My position: None. Watching at this price, not chasing.
Ryan Wideman (OF, Padres)
Wideman is a different kind of miss, a speed-first outfielder hitting .314 with 43 steals at Low-A. The wheels carry the profile and the auto is still cheap at $26 raw, which is the part that keeps him on my list. I didn't get in early, but this is one I'm actually watching to add.
The 2026 line: .314/.389/.893, 43 SB Bowman 1st auto: 2025 Bowman Draft, around $26 raw, PSA 10s near $102 My position: Missed early, on the watch list to add.
Skipping
James Tibbs III (RF, Dodgers)
Tibbs has hit, .288 with a .413 on-base and 20 homers at Triple-A, and he's since landed in Los Angeles, where the outfield picture is crowded. The bat is real. The path and the profile just aren't pulling me in at $69 raw.
The 2026 line: .288/.413/.992, 20 HR, 62 RBI at AAA Bowman 1st auto: 2024 Bowman Draft, around $69 raw, PSA 10s near $294 My position: Passing.
Lazaro Montes (OF, Mariners)
Montes has big raw power, 21 homers at Double-A, but a .228 average and a heavy strikeout profile come with it. At $93 raw I'd rather let someone else bet on the contact catching up.
The 2026 line: .228/.337/.865, 21 HR, 55 RBI Bowman 1st auto: 2023 Bowman, around $93 raw, PSA 10s near $180 My position: Passing.
Joshua Baez (RF, Cardinals)
Baez is having a strong year, a .969 OPS with 25 homers and 12 steals at Triple-A, but he's a 2022 Bowman name now at 22 with the swing-and-miss still in the profile. At $114 raw, that's a price I'm not paying.
The 2026 line: .274/.343/.969, 25 HR, 12 SB at AAA Bowman 1st auto: 2022 Bowman, around $114 raw, PSA 10s near $174 My position: Passing at this price.
Karson Milbrandt (RHP, Marlins)
Milbrandt has quietly been one of the better arms in the minors, a 1.34 ERA with 70 strikeouts in 47 innings at Double-A and more of the same since a bump to Triple-A. The season has been excellent. The wrinkle for collectors is that he has a 2022 Bowman 1st but no on-card autograph, so there isn't a signed rookie-year card to chase. I'm watching the arm, but there's no card here I'm buying.
The 2026 line: 1.34 ERA, 70 K, 47 IP at Double-A (and rolling at Triple-A) Bowman 1st: 2022 Bowman, base prospect card only, no on-card auto My position: Watching the arm, passing on the cards.
Where I am at the midpoint
The pattern's pretty clear when I lay it out. I'm paying for young bats at premium positions and high-floor production (Fischer, Gillen, Arias), I'm selling the callups into their debut windows (Wetherholt, Emerson), and I'm passing on power-without-contact and names whose price has already run past the buzz. I'll check back in at the end of the season to see how many of these I got right.
For the full board, see the HobbyMonitor Prospect Dashboard.
This is not financial advice. These are cards. The data and analysis are here to inform. You make your own calls.
This article was generated with the assistance of AI and reviewed before publishing. Always verify latest market data, stats, or news.
Published: June 2026