Keith Law just released his annual Top 100 Prospects list on The Athletic (subscription required), and, as usual, I have perused the list for any former Valley Leaguers. And there are four!
Let’s take a look:
48. Rhett Lowder, RHP, Cincinnati Reds: Lowder, ranked my top starter in the VBL in 2021 after his superb season in Strasburg, was the 7th overall pick of the Reds in the 2023 draft. He made his major league debut in the 2024 MLB season, and went 2-2, 1.17, with 22 K’s in 30 2/3 innings. (Law makes it clear, though, that Lowder was pretty lucky, as he didn’t give up a single home run in those six starts.) Law believes that Lowder can be a league-average starter in 2025. (Lowder is #26 on Baseball America’s top 100 list.)
And, interestingly, he mentions that Lowder is the first “Rhett” to play in the major leagues. In all of history! But he’s the 4th Rhett to play in the VBL, following Rhett Stafford (Waynesboro 2008-09), Rhett Harper (Strasburg 2016), and Rhett Willis (Harrisonburg 2017). Rhett James (Woodstock 2023) became the 5th. (Stick with me for more ridiculous VBL trivia.)
67. Cooper Ingle, C, Cleveland Guardians: Ingle played in seven games for Charlottesville in 2021, going 1-4 overall. Law really likes Ingle’s combination of a short, quick swing and solid defense behind the plate. A 4th round pick of the Guardians in 2023, Ingle has hit .303/.426/.466 in 477 plate appearances in his two minor league seasons, with 29 doubles and 11 home runs. (Ingle was not listed on BA’s top 100 list.)
80. Seaver King, SS, Washington Nationals: For the Turks in 2022, King hit .313/.378/.487 in 150 at-bats, with 11 doubles, three triples, three home runs, and an excellent 15/18 BB/K ratio. He was named the South MVP by the league, and the 9th best hitter in the league by this site. He also won the Gold Glove at shortstop, which caused one other team in the league quite a bit of consternation. King was drafted 10th overall in 2024, and then turned around and hit .295/.367/.385 in 90 plate appearances in A-ball in his pro debut. Law likes his quick bat and speed, and thinks he will be “a very good regular” at shortstop. (King was not listed on BA’s top 100 list.)
96. Trey Yesavage, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays: From East Carolina, Yesavage pitched for the 2022 Charlottesville squad, and went 1-1, 2.50, with 25 K’s in 18 regular season innings, and followed that with throwing eight playoff innings without allowing an earned run. After that, in his sophomore and junior season in college, Yesavage went a combined 18-2 in 29 starts, with 250 K’s in only 169 innings. Law doesn’t like Yesavage’s short arm action, but does like his stuff- 91-96 mph four-seamer, plus splitter, and a decent slider. (Yesavage was not listed on BA’s top 100 list.)
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