Earlier this week, FanGraphs published its Top 100 Prospects list and with it, current and future scouting grades. There is an overall Future Value (FV) grade on the 20 to 80 scouting scale, and then there are grades relative to skills, such as hitting, raw power, speed, and the one we’re most concerned with, fielding.

We’re partial to these rankings given that their primary author, Eric Longenhagen, is a Sports Info Solutions alum.

Eric and his staff had 20 prospects among their Top 100 with a Future Value in fielding of 55 or higher. These are the players that FanGraphs views as having the most defensive promise.

In addition to charting every major league game, SIS charts the minor leagues, in full or nearly in full from Single-A to Triple-A, though we have slightly less comprehensive data for these levels, most notably outfield positioning.

Nonetheless, we have Defensive Runs Saved totals for players using an MLB basis for evaluation (in other words, all plays are based on MLB out probabilities). Most minor leaguers have negative Defensive Runs Saved because they’re being judged against MLB players. But not all of them do.

One of the game’s top prospects is Rays shortstop Carson Williams, whom we’ve referenced here before. He totaled 6 Runs Saved, the most by any minor league shortstop prospect last season. FanGraphs gave Williams a current grade of 60 for his defense and a Future Value grade of 70. They think Williams is “a future Gold Glove shortstop” and peg him as a major leaguer in 2026. Williams ranks as the No. 10 prospect in MLB.

The only other infielder or outfielder in the Top 100 prospects to get a 55 or higher Future Value grade for defense from FanGraphs and have a positive Runs Saved in 2024 was first baseman Tre’ Morgan. Morgan, whom we interviewed when he was playing for LSU, had 1 Run Saved at first base last season and has an 80 future grade for his defense from FanGraphs.

Longenhagen also likes Padres catching prospect Ethan Salas—another player who may be a year away from debuting—ranking him No. 21.

Salas fared well in both the strike-getting and limiting-basestealing components of Runs Saved last season. His 12 Runs Saved ranked in the 95th percentile among catchers in A/High-A.

Catchers tend to post higher Runs Saved in the minor leagues than other positions do. Of the five catchers other than Salas with good scouting grades, the two with the best Runs Saved totals were Cardinals prospect Jimmy Crooks (77th) and Marlins prospect Joe Mack (69th). Crooks has a future grade of 60 for his defense. He spent 2024 with Double-A Springfield and led catchers at that level with 24 Runs Saved. Right behind him was Mack, who has a 55 future grade for defense. Mack spent 2024 with Double-A Pensacola and totaled 18 Runs Saved.

This is not to say that these catchers will post Runs Saved totals that high in the majors—after all, single-season defensive metrics are only so predictive, and strike zone enforcement in the minors is different from the majors. But the fact that all three fared so well bodes promising for their future success.