10 MLB Hitting Prospects With Standout Data In July

Spencer Jones, OF, Yankees

You would have to be living under a rock to not have expected Jones’ inclusion on this month’s list. The Yankees slugging outfielder had a July to remember, as he hit .418/.475/.985 with 11 home runs over 16 games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Jones, who just rejoined BA’s Top 100 Prospects list, was promoted to Triple-A on June 27, giving him a full month at the minors’ highest level. His 247 wRC+ over that time is otherworldly and is a prime example of how much better Jones has been than his peers this month.

Jones’ exit velocity and expected outcomes data is outstanding. During his time in Triple-A, the 24-year-old has a 109.6 mph 90th percentile EV, a 61% hard-hit rate and a 23.7% barrel rate. He is still swinging and missing quite a bit with a 36.6% whiff rate and a climbing chase rate.

Jones is going to have a high strikeout rate throughout his career, but his plus-plus power and quality of contact gives him an opportunity to make it work as an everyday big leaguer with extreme highs and lows.  

Tyler Locklear, 1B, Mariners

Locklear reached the major leagues in his second full professional season, doing two stints with the Mariners before returning to Triple-A Tacoma. He’s not played in MLB this season but has enjoyed a strong performance with Tacoma, hitting .316/.401/.543 with 19 home runs over 97 games.

Despite previous MLB time, Locklear is still a prospect and rookie of the year-eligible. He could perhaps be of interest as a potential trade chip in a deal over the next few days before the deadline. He certainly showed well in his platform month if that is the case, hitting .425/.495/.825 with nine home runs and 33 RBIs in July. 

Locklear pairs plus power with fringy contact and above-average swing decisions. He’s aggressive in the zone, backed by a 72.4% zone-swing rate. His 107.2 mph 90th percentile exit velocity is in line with Bryce Harper and Christian Yelich’s mark in the major leagues this season. While his angles limit some of his home run upside, slight improvements in that area could unleash 30+ home run power one day.  

Edward Florentino, OF, Pirates

While Spencer Jones might have been the most-discussed prospect in July, Florentino is the prospect who exits the month with the most helium.

The 18-year-old began the season in the Florida Complex League, earning promotion to Low-A Bradenton on June 21. Since that time, Florentino has been electric. In July, he hit .306/.440/.667 with seven home runs and 13 stolen bases. Florentino has seen time at all three outfield positions and first base, with the majority of his reps defensively coming in center field.

Florentino’s Statcast data backs his production, as evidenced by an outstanding combination of exit velocity, contact and approach metrics. His 104.5 mph 90th percentile exit velocity is multiple deviations above the average for 18-year-olds in Low-A. It’s not empty exit velocity in the form of top-spun ground balls, either. Florentino’s 10.9% barrel rate is in the 85th percentile, while his air pull rate is 33.8%—an elite mark.

On top of the EV and angles, Florentino has showcased advanced plate skills, as well. His 5.67% swinging-strike rate is outstanding, and his 21.8% chase rate is well above-average. He is a passive hitter, but his contact and quality of contact are so good that his passivity has not been a problem. Florentino is one of the biggest breakout prospects to date this season.  

Ryan Clifford, OF, Mets

Acquired from the Astros alongside Drew Gilbert for Justin Verlander at the 2023 trade deadline, Clifford has blossomed into one of the top true power prospects in the game.

Clifford had an outstanding July doing what he does best: get on-base and hit for plus power. Over 21 games this month, Clifford has hit .260/.400/.623 with eight home runs and 25 RBIs. He’s walked 16 times and collected 48 total bases. He looks ready for a bump to Triple-A Syracuse with a little over a month left in the season.  

Clifford will always have a higher strikeout rate due to high in-zone swing-and-miss and a passive approach that results in a higher rate of called strikes. That said, he rarely chases, which limits much of his swing and miss, and he has a below-average zone-swing rate of just 58%.

Clifford’s power is where he really stands out. His average exit velocity of 94.5 mph is well above major league average, and his 14.8 degree launch angle shows why he boasts an above-average barrel rate. His xwOBA of .363 to date is above-average and shows the expected production for his strong blend of traits.

Clifford is likely a year away from making his debut, but he has the look of a 30+ home run hitter with high walk rates and a healthy dose of strikeouts.      

Edgar Montero, SS, Athletics

The Athletics signed Montero in January 2024 for $1.2 million out of the Dominican Republic, and he made his debut in the Dominican Summer League last season, hitting .239/.398/.375 over 54 games while showing advanced on-base skills but also a bit of passivity. Montero returned to the DSL in 2025 and has shown improved physicality and subsequent performance.

Over the first 38 games of the season, Montero has hit .325/.509/.667 with nine home runs—the second highest home run total in the DSL. He’s been outstanding in July, hitting .269/.500/.654 with five home runs, five doubles and 24 walks to 16 strikeouts across 80 plate appearances.

Under the hood, Montero presents as a developing player who’s unlocked more power and shown greater confidence in his swing at the plate. In 2025, his top-end exit velocities have all jumped, as his average climbed from 86.1 mph in 2024 to 87.5 mph. His angles have been more consistent, and he’s scaled back some of his swing-and-miss. This has translated into more contact and better-struck drives. His power has shown growth year over year, as well, and his approach has become more well-rounded.

Due to these improvements, Montero has found more success at the plate in his second tour of the DSL. With the domestic complex leagues having ended, we’ll likely have to wait until 2026 to see Montero stateside.    

Luis Cova, OF, Marlins

Like Montero, Cova was a high-bonus signing who had solid success in his pro debut last season in the Dominican Summer League before repeating the level in 2025. He signed with the Marlins in January 2024 for $1.4 million out of Venezuela and hit .239/.376/.348 over 55 games in the DSL that season. He’s seen those numbers take a noticeable jump so far in 2025. Over his first 40 games, Cova has hit .281/.417/.504 with six home runs and 28 stolen bases on 32 attempts.

Cova in the month of July further cemented himself as one of the Marlins’ top position prospects. Over 18 July games, Cova has hit .300/.469/.583 with four doubles, two triples, three home runs and 19 stolen bases on 21 attempts. Simply put, he’s filled the box score of DSL Marlins games over and over again this month.

Cova is showing incremental improvements across all of his underlying data, with improved swing and miss rates and a jump in exit velocity data. From 2024 to 2025, his 70th percentile EV jumped from 92.8 mph to 97.9 mph. His angles have improved, as well, leading to more consistent barrels. While his chase rate has jumped slightly, too, it’s still rare to see him expand the zone. There’s at least average power here with above-average-or-better plate skills and plus speed that can impact the game.  

Owen Caissie, OF, Cubs

A constant topic of trade rumors, Caissie has blocked out the noise and been one of the best hitters in Triple-A during the summer months.

After hitting .316/.435/.605 with five home runs in June, Caissie hit .333/.395/.768 with eight home runs in July. He missed a few games to participate in the Futures Game in Atlanta and wound up doing all his July damage in just 16 games. Caissie is currently tied for second in the International League with 20 home runs, while ranking fourth in OPS, third in isolated slugging and sixth in wRC+. After 208 games at Triple-A, Caissie is banging on the door of the majors with a battering ram. 

Caissie shows a well-rounded power hitter profile with plus game power, a discerning eye at the plate and enough contact to consistently get to his power. He has just fringe-average bat-to-ball metrics with a 30% whiff rate and a 82.7% zone-contact, but he mitigates much of his swing-and-miss with very strong swing decisions. He has a lower chase rate (24.6%) with an average swing rate (45.5%) and an aggressive approach in zone (68.6% z-swing).

Exit velocity data is the real selling point in Caissie’s profile, as well as his ability to hit the ball at good angles. His 90th percentile EV of 107.6 mph is in the neighborhood of Hunter Goodman and Mike Trout. His 18.3% barrel rate is in the 96th percentile, and he shows some ability to pull the ball with a 17.1% pull air rate.

Caissie’s data continues to support his production, as he’s married good approach, enough contact with power and angles. 

Tyson Lewis, SS, Reds

When Lewis went 51st overall to the Reds in the 2024 draft, it was the highest a high school hitter from the state of Nebraska had ever been drafted. After a notable prep career that included two state championships, Lewis signed for $3.05 million.

So far, it looks like money well spent, as Lewis has impressed in his pro debut with the Reds’ Arizona Complex League affiliate, earning a promotion to Low-A Daytona at the end of July. All but three of Lewis’ games were in the ACL this month, where he hit .313/.402/.513 with eight doubles, a triple, two home runs and nine stolen bases on eleven attempts. 

Lewis’ data shows a young, tooled-up power hitter still learning to channel his angles into flush barrel contact. His plate skills are fringy, showing below-average contact skills (33% whiff rate), some susceptibility to expanding the zone (30% chase rate) and lots of aggressiveness in the zone (67% in-zone swing rate). His exit velocity data speaks for itself with a 112.7 mph max, an 89.3 mph average and a 99 mph 70th percentile EV—all well above-average marks for his age and level. 

Lewis shows tools, plus power potential and plate skills that will need to improve for him to find a stronger foundation as a hitter. His batted-ball angles have gradually improved throughout the season but remain relatively flat. Lewis is a player to watch heading into next season, as rapid improvements following his first taste of professional baseball could see him skyrocket up lists in 2026. He does have a few more boxes to check before blast off, however.    

Dylan Beavers, OF, Orioles

The Orioles picked Beavers out of Cal with their supplemental first-round pick in 2022, signing the tall lanky outfielder for $2.2 million. After a somewhat down season in 2024, Beavers has exploded at Triple-A in 2025, hitting .303/.414/.498 with 13 home runs and 21 stolen bases over 80 games.

In July, Beavers hit .284/.448/.567 with four doubles, five home runs and 18 walks to just 13 strikeouts. Throughout the month, Beavers made pitchers work to get him out, producing nearly three times as many hits and walks as strikeouts. Beavers’ plate skills are excellent, giving hope he’ll hit for a high average and high walk rates to go with what is now average-or-better power.

Beavers has long shown promise, but at age 23, Beavers is hitting the ball harder and at better angles more consistently. His 90th percentile exit velocity jumped from 102 mph in 2024 across all levels to 105.4 mph in 2025. That’s a substantial increase from a 40-grade 90th percentile EV to a 55. This new raw power has also come with good angles, as Beavers’ barrel rate of 9.3% is in the 72nd percentile.

Things seem to be coming together for Beavers, who’s shown he’s ready for his MLB debut with his play this season at Triple-A. With the Orioles out of the playoff race and Beavers eligible for the Rule 5 draft this offseason, he’s likely to be added to the 40-man roster early.  

Carter Jensen, C, Royals

No player impressed the Baseball America staff during batting practice at the Futures Game more than Jensen. He hit the highest number of home runs in BP of any participant and showed an ability to consistently backspin the ball on hard-hit line drives to his pull side with ease.

On the season, Jensen is hitting .282/.354/.462 with 14 home runs over 88 games between Triple-A Omaha and Double-A Northwest Arkansas. Promoted to Triple-A at the end of June, he enjoyed success during his first full month in the International League, as he hit .327/.431/.782 with seven home runs over 15 games. Jensen missed a few games for the Futures Game and received the normal off days for a catcher but made the most of his time on the field.

Jensen combines plus raw power with excellent angles on contact. On Monday, Eli-Ben Porat dug deep into Jensen’s profile, and I echo many of the same sentiments. He hits the ball in the air consistently, optimizes his hard-hit drives at good angles and doesn’t chase non-fastballs outside the zone. Jensen’s 107.9 mph 90th percentile EV is comparable to Ketel Marte and Riley Greene in the major leagues this season. It’s impressive power, and with an average hard-hit launch angle of 21.2 degrees, it’s easy to see why he’s consistently producing power in games.

Jensen could debut for the Royals later this season, as he’s another player that will need to be added to the 40-man roster this offseason.