As September comes to a close, the MLB postseason is rapidly approaching while regular season minor league baseball has already concluded. Many big name prospects have already reached the highest level during this last wave of September call-ups, and while they deserve lots of headlines, I want to shed some light on a few more prospects who may have flown too under the radar during the 2026 minor league season. Whether it may be a physical baseball card collection or a deep dynasty fantasy baseball league, these are five names to keep tabs on over the next year, or even invest in depending on your confidence level.

Wilder Dalis INF Colorado Rockies

At the time of writing this, if you scroll all the way to 26th on Colorado’s top 30 prospects list on mlb.com, you’ll stumble across the switch-hitting Dalis. The 2023 international signee took a couple years to find his footing from a contact standpoint in rookie ball. He hit .327 with 21 steals as an 18 year old in the Dominican Summer League, and was promoted to Single-A Fresno during the following season. Since then, all Dalis has done is make contact AND tap into power than scouts didn’t see many signs of before he signed with Colorado.

Dalis swatted 22 home runs across 124 games between Single-A and High-A, including 19 in 93 games for the latter. He displayed solid speed as well, swiping 27 bases this past year while only being caught three times. His overall .308/.400/.551 slash line in 2026, paired with the fact that he was only given a 50 and 40 on his hit and power tools show significant growth and shattered expectations in his age-20 season. Dalis also boasts defensive versatility, as he slotted in at short stop, third base, and second base at various points during the 2026 season. He projects to start at High-A with a subsequent promotion to AA in 2027, and should be on the Top 100 list in no time if he keeps his growth up.

Brailyn Antunez Outfielder Milwakee Brewers

If you watch our content on Instagram or TikTok, you know how much I love Antunez. Milwaukee always seems to find gems in the international pool and rough out the edges, and the young outfielder is just another key example. Antunez didn’t grade out well with 45 hit, 50 power, and 55 run tools, respectively. In 2026 however, he has absolutely blown the doors off these projections and should be in for a massive leap in prospect rankings entering 2027.

Antunez put together a paltry .215/.353/.282 slash line in rookie ball as a 17 year old. He hit one home run with a mediocre 30:41 BB:K ratio and 23 stolen bases, rounding out an underwhelming pro debut year. Since then, Antunez has done nothing but rake and deserves just as much praise as some other players in the Brewers system that are ranked 10-15 spots ahead of him. He improved his slash line to .302/.407/.529 between rookie ball and Single-A, with a .339 batting average since his last promotion. Antunez also found his power, belting 16 home runs with 74 RBI in 92 games. His BB:K ratio still left a bit to be desired at 45:118, but nonetheless one can’t be anything other than impressed by the growth Milwakee’s 29th ranked prospect showed this season. He will obviously vault up in every sort of ranking after the season concludes, but the level of that jump remains to be seen.

Carlos Virahonda Catcher Arizona Diamondbacks

To continue the theme of underrated prospects outside Pipeline’s top 100, we take a look at Arizona’s second ranked catching and fifth overall prospect in Virahonda. He was an under-the-radar international signing in 2023, and while he didn’t show any immense promise during his first couple years in the system, he absolutely flew through the minor league ranks in 2026.

Virahonda had a .304 average in his debut season in rookie ball, but then followed it up with a .156 average in the DoSL the following year while only hitting two home runs. After an underwhelming start and a power grade of 45, things were looking bleak for the righty backstop. Then he turned a corner in 2025 with a .300/.413/.404 slash line, four dingers, and 34 RBI between rookie ball and Single-A. After that, Virahonda found a new gear in 2026.

Going back to that low-grade power, no one expected much from Virahonda in that department despite improved contact skills and added strength in 2025. He answered those doubters with 19 home runs, 94 RBI, and a .272/.377/.493 slash line in 102 games between Single-A, High-A, and Double-A. This monumental rise through the Diamondbacks’ system bodes well for his accelerated development as a catcher of the future, as Virahonda is almost guarunteed to open the 2027 season in Double-A at 21 years old. If he continues to develop power while maintaining solid contact and plate discipline, Virahonda could end up in the Top 100 and even the MLB in no time.

Hayden Alvarez Outfielder Los Angeles Angels

Excluding Zach Neto, the Angels haven’t had the greatest track record with home-grown hitters developing into stars at the highest level in recent years. With that being said, I believe Alvarez will break that trend. The young right-handed outfielder turns 20 in March of next year, just before the minor league season opens.

A 2024 international signee, Alvarez was looked at as a “hit-and-run” outfielder with the potential to add a small bit of power down the line as he put on weight and gained strength. His debut season in the DoSL looked on par with that assessment, as Alvarez hit one home run to go with 32 stolen bases and a .250 batting average. The next year in rookie ball, he looked to take a significant step forward in multiple departments. he hit two more round-trippers and stole 33 bags, but put together a .340/.435/.430 slash line and notched a solid 41:49 BB:K ratio.

In 2026, Alvarez showed a more complete game while splitting time between Single-A and High-A. In 118 games, he hit 12 home runs and stole 53 bases with a .289/.391/.456 slash line and 75:109 BB:K ratio. He plays solid defense in center field, and his athleticism should allow him to stick there in the majors. If he continues to develop his power while keeping a consistent plus hit tool, Alvarez could break the curse of the Angels failing to turn their prospects into household names.

Alexander Frias Outfielder St. Louis Cardinals

The last time I wrote one of these articles and closed it with a Cardinal, it ended up being blue-chip backstop Rainiel Rodriguez. While I don’t feel as strongly about Frias, it’s pretty close. The Brewers dealt the young outfielder to St Louis during the 2026 trade deadline, and it may turn out to have been a massive mistake.

Frias was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2025, and immediately paid dividends in his debut season in the DoSL. He hit one home run with seven stolen bases, but slashed .316/.411/.400 with 14 walks and only 21 strikeouts. His 2026 season split between rookie ball and Milkwakee and St Louis’s Single-A squads showed flashes of greatness. Frias swatted 10 home runs with 73 RBI, 42 walks, and a .315 average. His two biggest flexes, however, were 25 steals and slugging .500. He displayed his 60 grade power tool, but flashed quite a bit better than a 50 grade run tool while outperforming his 45 grade hit tool by a wide margin. Frias is currently ranked as the Cardinals fifth best prospect, and while he’s knocking on the door to their top couple names and Pipeline’s top 100 overall, now is the time to invest in his stock. I believe he’s only going to continue to exceed expectations at every level, with the potential to clock in as a top-50 prospect in baseball by next season.