It’s no accident Byron Buxton is one of the premier farmhands in the game.
Simply put, the Minnesota Twins center fielder is the top five-tool MLB prospect, and it isn’t even close.
To figure out which rising stars should join Buxton on this exclusive list, we studied up on the toolsiest prospects of all. The guys who cracked these rankings don’t just check the box in one or two categories on the tools list, but in every department.
Before we begin, here’s a quick rundown of what the toolkit looks like:
- Hit
- Power
- Run
- Arm
- Field
Courtesy of MLB.com, we’ve included the grades for each prospect in each of the five categories. On the scale, 80 is the highest mark, 50 is average, and 20 is at the bottom.
For this exercise, it’s important to remember we’re ranking the best five-tool guys—not the best five guys overall. That means one underwhelming tool sinks the chances for some of the most talented players in the minors.
The competition for spots was downright fierce, but that didn’t stop two future Boston Red Sox players from making the cut.