2024 Bowman Chrome Top Prospects
Bowman Chrome is back, bringing a wave of emerging top prospects. Read up on some of our top Bowman prospects to watch out for!
Written by: Emil Cienik and Jay Grusznski
Note: Players are listed in no particular order.
Leo De Vries – SS, Padres
Easily the number one prospect in 2024 Bowman Chrome, Leo De Vries has some of the biggest hype in professional baseball this year. He also has the skill to back it up. After signing for $4.2MM this past winter out of the Dominican Republic, the 17-year-old #1 international prospect De Vries took the first plane ride of his life to report to Spring Training in March. There, it was evident that he had big-league superstar potential. While some injuries and growing pains caused the start of this year to be a little rocky, De Vries bounced back in July and August slashing .284/.407/.589 as the only player of his age in full-season ball. He’s a freak athlete with power at the plate and speed on the base paths, a smooth defender, and one of the highest ceilings we’ve seen out of Bowman Chrome in recent years.
Echedry Vargas – 2B/SS – Rangers
While we mainly chase the top guys in each international signing class – the ones with crazy bonuses of $3 million plus – we can’t forget about how many quality players fall through the cracks. Enter, Echedry Vargas. Vargas signed to the Rangers in 2022 for the minimum bonus of just $10,000. He took his opportunity and ran with it by becoming one of the best players in the Dominican Summer League in 2022, an All-Star in the Arizona Complex League in 2023, and then he put together an extremely solid 2024 campaign in Single-A ball. The now-19 year old boasts a big leg kick to generate big pull-side power giving him 20-homer upside with plenty of extra base hits. Look for Vargas to keep doing exactly what he’s been doing through the last three years – produce.
Eduardo Tait – C, Phillies
Ask any Phillies fan about a catcher from Panama and you’ll hear stories about the beloved Carlos Ruiz who was a key part of their 2008 World Series Championship. While it’s not quite fair to compare the two, Eduardo Tait definitely has a similar story, and potentially more upside – especially at the plate. A diamond in the rough, Tait signed to the Phillies in January 2023 for only $90,000. He crushed in the Dominican Summer League, showcasing a smooth lefty swing that generates serious power. After spending most of the summer mashing rookie ball, the 17-year-old Tait earned a promotion to Single-A Clearwater in late July. While he has room to improve behind the plate, his plus grade arm strength will most likely keep him at catcher. The Phillies organization is extremely high on him as a hit-first backstop with serious ability to produce offense.
Paulino Santana – OF, Rangers
Julio Rodriguez isn’t the worst player in Major League Baseball to be compared to, right? Paulino Santana, the second ranked prospect out of the 2024 International signing period, has received plenty of those comparisons both on and off the field. Santana inked a $1.3MM deal with the Texas Rangers due to his high upside as a potential five-tool player. He’s a natural hitter with a strong feel for the strike zone, quick on the basepaths as well as in center field, and his 6’2” frame projects him to develop into more power as he progresses through the minors. Already the Rangers #10 overall prospect, look for Santana to make some noise state-side next season.
Jose Perdomo – SS, Braves
While Jose Perdomo didn’t go into this international signing period as the number one prospect, he ended the period by getting the highest signing bonus out of the entire class. The Braves had just over $5.2MM to spend this year and went all in on Perdomo, paying the Venezuelan shortstop a whopping $5MM. As if that wasn’t enough to open your eyes, some scouts even compared him to a young all-time great Miguel Cabrera! Without getting too far ahead of ourselves, we can look at Perdomo for what he is now: a pure hitter with power potential, a fundamentally-sound shortstop, and a key piece that the Braves are extremely excited about. Unfortunately, an injury derailed the majority of his 2024 season, so we’ll just have to patiently wait until 2025 to see Perdomo perform.
Fernando Cruz – SS, Cubs
Another one of the top international shortstops headlining this 2024 class, Fernando Cruz took up a majority of the Cubs’ bonus pool money and signed for $4MM. While the hype on Cruz may be a bit more manageable than 2021 signee Cristian Hernandez, it’s important to note the Cubs took a bigger swing on Cruz, signing him for $1 million more than his older counterpart. It’s evident that the Cubs have been big on Cruz for a few years, and there are even some family ties involved as Cruz’s older cousin, Starlin Castro, played 5 years with the Cubs starting back in 2010. His aggressive swing and strong frame allow Cruz to hit for power to every part of the field and he projects as a player that can make a serious impact on both the offensive and defensive sides of the game.
Braylin Morel – OF, Rangers
Another Ranger in 2024 Bowman Chrome that you need to know about – Braylin Morel fits the mold of another one of those bargain signings coming out of a 2023 international class headlined by Sebastian Walcott. Morel’s near $98,000 bonus has proved to be a steal as he’s put together back-to-back impressive years for his first two professional seasons. 2023 saw Morel crush the DSL with 32 extra base hits in 47 games, an all-star nod, and the Top MLB Prospect award to cap off the season. This year in the ACL, Morel hit .307 with a .982 OPS and had 7 home runs. The production has been evident for the 6’2”, 180-pound, 18-year-old, and he’s been noted to show his big-time power consistently in batting practice. Safe to say Rangers fans have a lot to be excited about as Morel continues to develop.
Pablo Guerrero – OF, Rangers
One of three sons of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero Sr. in professional baseball, Pablo signed with the Rangers in 2023. After a decent debut in the DSL last year, Pablo broke out in his US debut this season, hitting .301 with 24 extra base hits in 51 games for the ACL Rangers before getting promoted to Single A Down East. The 6’2” 200-lbs righty doesn’t show much speed and has moved to 1B, but his power profile looks to be his calling card. He projects to be the better of the two Guerrero half-brothers in 2024 Bowman Chrome.
Jeremy Rodriguez – SS, Mets
Jeremy Rodriguez received a $1.25 million bonus from the Diamondbacks in 2023, but didn’t last long with Arizona, as a strong start in the DSL led to the Mets asking for him in a straight-up trade for Tommy Pham. The 17-year-old made the move look great, hitting .422 with 11 walks in 13 games following the trade. The 6’0” 170-lbs infielder followed it up with a solid first year in the States with an advanced approach at the plate, and proved that he’s going to be worth keeping an eye on in the Mets minor league system.
Thayron Liranzo – C/1B, Tigers
Thayron Liranzo signed with the Dodgers for just $30,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2021. His breakout came in 2023, when the switch hitter batted .272 with 24 doubles and 24 homers for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga. The 21-year-old Liranzo struggled for much of this year in the High-A Midwest League, hitting over .222 for just one month prior to being traded at the deadline to the Tigers for Jack Flaherty. The 6’3” backstop has been on fire since the trade, hitting more homers in August than in June and July combined while hitting over .350. He appears with the Dodgers in Bowman Chrome.
Lisbel Diaz – OF, Giants
Despite not signing until July, Lisbel Diaz had an impressive 2023 in the Dominican Summer League, hitting .312 with 3 homers in 77 at bats. The Cuban continued to hit during his stateside debut, cruising through the Arizona Complex League, batting .329 with 4 home runs in 22 games before earning a promotion to Low-A San Jose. The 19-year-old has adjusted to the jump nicely, hitting over .300 in August, including a 5 hit game. Look for Diaz to continue to move up the ranks as he continues to hit.
Jeral Perez – 2B/SS, White Sox
Jeral Perez was signed by the Dodgers in 2022 out of the Dominican Republic for just under $400,000. A solid debut season in the DSL led to a promotion to the States in 2023, where he tied for the Arizona Complex League home run title with 11 before a brief taste of the California League to end the season. Returning to Low-A to start the 2024 season, the righty continued to show some pop, slugging 10 homers to go with 15 doubles. It caught the eye of the White Sox, as they acquired him in a three-team trade that saw Michael Kopech go to the Dodgers. Perez has played all over the infield, but will probably end up as an offensive-minded second baseman when it’s all said and done. He appears with the Dodgers in Bowman Chrome.
Yassel Soler – 3B, Diamondbacks
Yassel Soler signed with the Diamondbacks in the 2023 international signing period for $425,000. A solid season in the DSL as a 17-year-old, hitting .252 in 37 games, led to a stateside assignment in 2024. The righty hitter was even more impressive in the Arizona Complex League, hitting .303 with 23 extra base hits and a low strikeout rate. More of a hit-over-power prospect due to his penchant for hitting the ball on the ground at a high clip, Soler’s impressive skill combo of contact rate and defense should have him become a key piece of the Diamondbacks prospect pool.
Joswa Lugo – Angels, SS
The younger brother of former Big Leaguer Dawel, Joswa Lugo signed with the Angels for $2.3 million in the 2024 international period. The Dominican native had an impressive professional debut in his home country, hitting .301 with 5 homers, 37 RBI and 18 stolen bases, leading to the 6’3” righty being named a DSL All Star. The 17-year-old may grow out of shortstop, but his offensive profile would fit at the hot corner.
Adolfo Sanchez – OF, Reds
The crown jewel of the Reds 2024 international signing class, Adolfo Sanchez signed for $2.7 million as one of the top hitting prospects. The 6’1”, 185-pound outfielder should add power to his simple left handed swing as the 17-year-old fills out. He showed a good eye at the plate in his pro baseball debut, getting on base at a .356 clip in the Dominican Summer League. His strong arm should allow him to move to a corner outfield spot if his speed drops as he gets bigger.
Dawel Joseph – SS, Mariners
One of the top prospects in the 2024 international signing period, the Mariners snagged Dawel Joseph for $3 million. After shooting up 4 inches to 6’2” since Seattle was first interested, there were some thoughts that Joseph would need to move to the outfield, but his hands and movement were solid at shortstop this summer. The 17-year-old struggled at the plate in his first taste of professional baseball in the Dominican, but he projects to have a powerful right handed swing.
Vladi Guerrero – 1B/OF, Mets
2024 Bowman Chrome seems to be the product of the Guerreros, and we’ve gotta show some love to Vladi! The son of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero Sr. and the half-brother of Vlad Jr., Vladi signed with the Mets for $117,000. Like his half-brother, Vladi is mainly a first baseman, but has seen some time in the outfield. Unlike Vlad Sr. and Jr., Vladi is a lefty swinger, showing a short swing with power potential. The 17-year-old struggled in his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League, but he did show off one of his top skills, plate discipline, by walking 22 times in 41 games for a .327 on base percentage despite hitting under .200.
Eduardo Beltre – OF, Twins
The Twins were able to find a couple of gems in the 2024 International signing period, and you don’t really have to look much further than Eduardo Beltre. Despite not being the headliner of the class, Beltre absolutely crushed in the Dominican Summer League this year, ending as an all-star with a .326/.453/.618 slash line and 11 homers. The 5’11” seventeen-year-old is already powerful, but we could see him gain power numbers and also switch to a corner outfield spot as he grows out in his frame. The upside potential is massive with potential for plus tools across the board. Twins fans and the hobby should definitely be watching as he comes stateside in 2025.
Emil Morales – SS, Dodgers
Another player that the hype is real on in 2024 Bowman Chrome – if you haven’t heard of Emil Morales yet, you should. Here are the spark notes: 6’3” seventeen-year-old shortstop. Dodgers #8 overall prospect. Dominican Summer League MVP. Rookie-ball leading 14 home runs and 1.168 OPS. In short, he’s a stud. The best thing about Morales is he’s not just a one-trick-pony that can only hit the ball hard. He may be one of the most well-rounded and skilled pure baseball players of his age. He has great plate presence, is smooth defensively, and has been highly heralded for his strong baseball IQ. Morales will come stateside in 2025 and it will not be out of the question to see his advancement skyrocket him up prospect boards even more. Plus, according to our own Emil Cienik, he’s also got the best name in the product so he’s gotta be good!
Daiber De Los Santos – SS, Twins
The Minnesota Twins made a big splash in this year’s international signing period with their top signee being Daiber De Los Santos for $1.9MM. Development is the name of the game for De Los Santos as he’s been heralded as having the best raw tools out of the entire class. He’s got great bat speed, makes hard contact, and has the pure athleticism to stick at shortstop. As he progresses, De Los Santos is a player that could flourish into top prospect material.