Top 25 Florida Complex League Prospects For 2025
Image credit: Orioles RHP Esteban Mejia (Photo by Mike Janes/Four Seam)
With the domestic complex league seasons nearly in the books and the trade deadline a little more than two weeks away, it’s time to take a look at some of the best prospects in Arizona and Florida.
A year ago, the Florida Complex League was dominated by Phillies prospects. Slick-fielding shortstop Starlyn Caba took the top spot, while Eduardo Tait and Aroon Escobar checked in at Nos. 5 and 11, respectively. Caba has since been traded to the Marlins, where he’s been underwhelming and injured at Low-A Jupiter.
Tait and Escobar, however, both are on Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospects list. The same goes for Boston shortstop Franklin Arias, who checked in at No. 2 on the Top 20 a year ago. Rays righthander Trevor Harrison has been on the Top 100 at times and ranked sixth on last year’s list.
Evaluators universally believe the 2025 FCL class is one of the thinnest in recent memory, but there is a very clear top prospect. Below, you’ll find the top 25 prospects in Florida Complex League this season.
1. Esteban Mejia, RHP, Orioles
Mejia’s stuff is the best not only in the FCL, but ranks among the best in the entire minor leagues. That stuff helped him cement his name on the Top 100 before he touched a full-season mound.
Mejia has a four-pitch mix that can utterly obliterate hitters. His four- and two-seam fastballs each live in the upper 90s, and the four-seamer gets up to 102 mph. His slider and changeup each grade at least plus, if not double-plus. Mejia’s arm is whip quick, yet his delivery doesn’t look particularly effortful.
The righthander will need to make the arm slots from which he delivers his pitches more uniform, but his pure stuff rivals just about anybody in the minor leagues.
2. Edward Florentino, OF, Pirates
A year ago at this time, Florentino was getting ready for an appearance in the Dominican Summer League’s all-star game. Now, he’s stinging the ball at Low-A after a standout stint in the FCL.
The tall, powerful lefty swinger had made a habit of demolishing baseballs at both of his stops this season. At the close of the first half, he had 10 home runs combined between the levels, making him one of just three minor leaguers 18 years old or younger with double-digit homers. Evaluators see more than just a slugger, instead noting a player with feel to hit and a knack for making sound swing decisions. Scouts also laud his willingness to use the middle of the field.
Florentino is likely to outgrow center field, but his offensive gifts would play just fine in a corner.
3. Nate George, OF, Orioles
George is a toolsy, well-rounded player whose talents extend to the batter’s box, the outfield and the basepaths. He bullied his way out of the FCL after posting a .381/.451/.556 slash line over 23 games. That success has translated to full-season ball, where his numbers look similar to those he posted on the backfields.
George has plus speed and is a plus defender with an above-average arm. Those traits should help him stick in center field. Scouts also praise George’s approach, which is geared toward shooting line drives up the middle. He has the look of a table-setting talent who provides value in the middle of the diamond.
4. Rainiel Rodriguez, C, Cardinals
Last summer, Rodriguez was one of the offensive stars in the DSL. This year, he opened the season by posting monstrous numbers in the FCL before the Cardinals decided to jump him from the backfields to the diamond under the lights at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. His numbers took an expected step back in full-season ball, but evaluators were still heartened by his offensive upside. He posted effortlessly excellent exit velocities and also showed scouts the ability to make adjustments within at-bats.
There’s plenty of work to do behind the plate, but he has more than enough arm strength for the position. He fits the mold of a big-bopping backstop with more value at the plate than behind it.
5. Johnny King, LHP, Blue Jays
Outside of Esteban Mejia, King was the talk of the FCL on the mound. The lefty, whom the Blue Jays drafted in the third round last summer, carved the competition over seven appearances—five starts—before earning a bump to Low-A Dunedin. King brings his lively fastball into the mid 90s but that velocity sometimes tails off as he gets deeper into outings. Adding strength should up his stamina and, in turn, his chances of remaining a starter.
King backs his fastball with a solid array of offspeed pitches that includes a slurvy breaking ball in the low 80s and a developing changeup. He sells the pitch well but doesn’t get enough velocity separation from his fastball.
The Blue Jays like King’s makeup and praise his no-nonsense work ethic.
6. Reinold Navarro, LHP, Pirates
Navarro was an under-the-radar signing by Pittsburgh in January 2023 who popped last July during the Dominican Summer League’s all-star game. He’s a live-armed lefty who already brings his fastball into the mid 90s and has used it to dominate the FCL all summer long. Through nine games—eight starts—Navarro had struck out 47 hitters in 25.2 innings. The problem is, he’d also issued 20 walks.
Navarro’s overall feel for pitching is somewhat raw, and his slider flashes potential but is inconsistent. Scouts buying his upside point to excellent athleticism and clean delivery. He is but one of a cluster of pitching prospects Pittsburgh has on the complex, but his upside might be the highest of them all.
7. Jorge Rodriguez, C, Red Sox
Rodriguez is the FCL’s premier catch-and-throw artist, with an arm capable of regularly producing pop times well under than 1.90 seconds. His pure arm strength is at least double-plus, with the only knock being how well the operation will hold up against the rigors of a full season.
Despite a smaller stature, Rodriguez does an excellent job of finding the barrel and producing solid or better exit velocities. In the end, he could be an average hitter with fringe-average power and the kind of arm that puts the brakes on attempted base burglars.
8. Stiven Martinez, OF, Orioles
Martinez is one of the younger players in the league—he’ll play all year at 17 years old—but he made an impression on scouts nonetheless. He knows how to spray the ball to all fields, handles velocity and does a solid job recognizing offspeed offerings as well.
All those traits make him an up-arrow prospect and one of the more intriguing on the complex this summer. Offense will need to carry his profile, because he’s not an average runner—despite a frame that would suggest otherwise—and he’s likely to wind up in a corner once he reaches his full maturity.
9. Yairo Padilla, SS, Cardinals
Padilla opened eyes last summer in the DSL thanks to a quick-twitch operation and projectable tools on both sides of the ball. There was always a chance his development was going to be longer-term play, and that’s the way it’s looked after moving stateside.
Scouts still believe in Padilla’s athletic frame and remaining projection, and they see flashes of the offensive upside that could one day make him a threat at the top of the order. Padilla has struggled with throwing accuracy and getting to balls in the 5.5 hole, both of which are areas that will need to develop in order for him to reach his ceiling.
10. Wyatt Sanford, SS, Pirates
Sanford was Pittsburgh’s second-rounder from 2024 and showed well in the Florida Complex League before earning a bump to Low-A Bradenton. Before the bump to the fields with the lights, Sanford showed an advanced feel to hit as well as some sneaky power to his pull side, though early in the season he had a tendency to pull his head off the ball during his swing.
Scouts are split about whether he can play shortstop, though scouts who saw him later in the year believed he had a solid feel for the position. In the end, he looks like a player with a well-rounded set of skills if not the loudest tools.
11. Yorman Licourt, OF, Blue Jays
If you’re looking for the league’s best power broker, Licourt is your man. The switch-hitting slugger has raw juice in spades and already has produced exit velocities greater than 110 mph. Scouts praise Licourt’s feel for the strike zone and how well he recognizes changeups and splitters, though they acknowledge that he has issues with spin.
Licourt is an outfielder now but his physical frame and lack of even fringe-average speed might one day necessitate a move to first base. His power would easily profile at that position, or any other on the diamond. His is the classic boom-or-bust profile, but the upside might be worth the wait.
12. Edward Lantigua, OF, Mets
Lantigua stood out during last year’s Dominican Summer League all-star game, and he’s carried that intriguing profile into his first stateside test. The righthanded hitter has projection remaining, and he’ll need to capitalize on those strength gains in order to produce the power required to profile at a corner outfield spot, where he’s likely to land.
Beyond his capability to add some power, scouts also like Lantigua’s feel to hit, ability to move the barrel around the zone and the shorter stroke that should allow his hittability to translate as he moves through the minors.
13. Enddy Azocar, OF, Red Sox
Azocar didn’t last long in the FCL, but he made a big impression. The 18-year-old shortstop signed last January and posted a fine debut in the Dominican Summer League. He got stronger over the offseason and ran roughshod over his competition in Fort Myers, earning a bump to Low-A Salem after just 14 games. The strength gains have contributed to elevated power numbers, and he showed solid plate discipline on the complex as well.
He’s an above-average runner but will likely move to a corner if he continues to pack on more strength. Doing so would up his power further, making him a better fit to profile in either right or left field.
14. Grant Shepardson, RHP, Marlins
Shepardson was Miami’s fifth-rounder last summer, and he’s their best pitching prospect on the complex now. The 6-foot-1 righthander works with a four-pitch mix headed by a fastball in the low 90s that peaks at 94 mph. His offspeed repertoire also features a potentially above-average slider in the mid 80s, a sweepy curveball a few ticks lower and a splitter that hovers around 90 mph.
Shepardson ties his mix with potentially average control and command. He projects as a back-end starter in the long run.
15. Jace Hampson, RHP, Mets
Hampson was the Mets’ 18th-rounder a year ago out of high school in Washington. He made his pro debut this year on the backfields in St. Lucie and has been one of the more eye-opening arms on Florida’s east coast. The righty is athletic and fronts a four-pitch mix with a low-90s fastball that can sit around 94 mph in short bursts. He backs the pitch with a cutter, slider and splitter. The slider has a chance to be above-average while the other two offspeed pitches are a tick behind.
He needs to add strength to his 6-foot-1 frame to handle the rigors of a full season, but Hampson’s athleticism, varied pitch mix and propensity for pounding the strike zone point to a bright future.
16. Alirio Ferrebus, C, Phillies
Ferrebus spent parts of two seasons in the DSL before moving stateside last summer. He returned to the complex league to open the 2025 season and spent 25 games in the FCL before earning his first bump to full-season ball. He’s found the Florida State League a bit more challenging, but he’s got plenty of raw power and he should be able to stick behind the plate as well.
The 19-year-old has been far more aggressive after moving up a level, which helps explain the downturn in production. He’s committed just one passed ball all season and has thrown out 25% of attempted basestealers.
17. Jordan Sanchez, OF, Orioles
Sanchez was excellent last season in the DSL in his pro debut and has been similarly intriguing since making the move to the FCL. His profile is oriented around offense, and he’s shown the ability to provide both on-base skills and power. He does a good job controlling the strike zone and getting the ball in the air, especially to the pull side.
Sanchez has bounced among all three outfield spots in 2025, though the majority of his reps have come in right field. If that is his final home, he could be a fringe-average defender with enough arm strength for the position.
18. Ramon Marquez, RHP, Phillies
Marquez is the most talented arm on the Phillies’ FCL squad, and he’s done a solid job all summer pounding the strike zone with a trio of high-end offerings. He starts his mix with a sinker in the 92-96 mph range and backs it with a changeup and slider that each have the chance to be 55-grade pitches on the 20-80 scouting scale.
He needs to throw more strikes with the slider, but he’s issued just nine walks all season and has a chance to be a back-end starter if he can up the command of his full repertoire.
19. Jose M. Rodriguez, RHP, Yankees
Rodriguez signed with New York in July 2023, then pitched just six innings in 2024 in the DSL. He’s come into his own after moving stateside and stands as the best prospect on the Yankees’ FCL team. The righthander works with a mid-90s fastball that can touch a few clicks hotter, and he backs it with an outstanding changeup that leaves both lefties and righties flailing as it tails out of the zone.
Rodriguez ties the mix together with feel for a decent curveball that could get to at least average with further reps. His control and command are fringe-average, and his smaller stature leads to questions about his future durability.
20. Yhoiker Fajardo, RHP, Red Sox
Fajardo opened eyes last year in the Dominican Summer League and earned a spot in the league’s all-star game. Though his outing that day was short, the rest of his resume was good enough to pique Boston’s interest and acquire him in the deal that sent Cam Booser to Chicago.
Before a bump to Low-A, Fajardo overwhelmed hitters in Florida with a fastball that ran up to the mid 90s and a filthy kick-changeup that got whiffs by the bushel. His breaking ball lags behind a bit, and he’ll need to develop it to give himself a chance to start in the long run.
21. Nate Payne, LHP, Marlins
The Marlins reached into Pennsylvania last summer and might have found a gem. With their 18th-round selection, Miami chose Payne, a lefty who has shown off a deep bag of tricks in his pro debut. The 18-year-old brings his fastball into the mid 90s and complements it with a slider, curveball and kick-changeup. When he’s throwing strikes, he’s poison to complex league hitters, who blanch at the prospect of facing well-executed offspeed pitches.
Payne is already physical and might not have much more room to add strength, but his present velocity and feel for spin might help him find his way onto a roster with a bit more control and command.
22. Kelvis Salcedo, RHP, Tigers
Salcedo signed with the Tigers in 2023 and spent two years in the DSL before moving stateside this season. On the backfields in Lakeland, he has been a revelation. The righthander eats up hitters with a mix of mid-90s sinkers and two-plane sliders that he’s used to get hitters to chase. He’s thrown 40.1 innings in the FCL this year.
Among pitchers who’ve thrown that many frames, Salcedo’s 55.5% groundball rate leads the way. Salcedo is likely a reliever, but he could touch triple-digits in relief and coax plenty of grounders.
23. Darrel Lunar, RHP, Nationals
Lunar was one of the sleepers in Washington’s 2024 international class, signing for just $12,500 as an 18-year-old. Despite the small bonus, Lunar has a big arm. He brought his heater up to 98 mph as an amateur and still can scrape that velocity this year. The fastball has plenty of sink life, and he pairs it primarily with a short, sweepy slider. He has a changeup as well, but the pitch is a work in progress.
Lunar is 6-foot-3 and slightly heavier than his listed weight of 150 pounds, so there’s plenty of room to add strength and velocity. If it all comes together, he could have a ceiling as a bruiser at the back of a rotation.
24. Angel Feliz, SS, Nationals
Feliz was one of two players in Washington’s 2024 international signing class who earned seven-figure bonuses, and he’s the clear-cut best prospect on their team in the FCL this summer. At the plate, Feliz tracks pitches well and uses the whole field, but he’s going to need to learn how to turn on pitches with authority in order to tap into his raw power. He’ll also have to close a hole on the inside of the plate against velocity.
Doing so will be key to his development considering he is unlikely to stick at shortstop. His above-average arm strength will be enough to stick at third base, and his well below-average speed might keep him from moving to the outfield.
25. Eduardo Beltre, OF, Twins
There’s zero doubting Beltre’s power. His raw juice rivals nearly anybody in the FCL, and he has the makings of a power-over-hit player at the highest level. Most of his thump is to the pull side, and he opens his hips too early to reliably drive balls the opposite way. He’s not the twitchiest athlete, but his hands are quick enough ,and he has enough bat speed to catch up to premium velocity.
Beltre is a below-average runner but has the arm strength to fit in either corner outfield spot with ease. To reach his ceiling, he’ll need to make a ton more contact—especially on pitches in the heart of the zone—in order to access the power that will be his calling card.
