A year ago, Wilkel Hernandez was a mostly forgotten prospect in a miserable Los Angeles Angels farm system. His inclusion in the Ian Kinsler trade was the epitome of a lotto ticket toss-in.
Fortunately for the Detroit Tigers, Hernandez’s star has become much brighter since then. He has outshined the “main piece” in the trade, outfielder Troy Montgomery, and now rates among the more promising of the Tigers’ farmhands. He slots in at No. 25 on our list, and could climb higher with a strong season in 2019.
Originally signed in 2015, the 19-year-old Hernandez is a native of Venezuela.