The top prospect from each NL Central organization heading into the 2026 season

The Milwaukee Brewers have dominated the National League Central in recent years. Not only does Milwaukee hold each of the last three division titles, but they've won four of the last five and five since the 2018 season. Though the Brewers' success has been in large part due to the incredible organization-wide work that has turned a team in the smallest market in baseball into a perennial playoff contender, some will point to the fact that the NL Central is less competitive than other divisions as a reason for the Milwaukee's consistent postseason appearances.

To some extent, it's true: the NL Central isn't the AL East or the NL West, and that's reflected by the fact that for three years, from 2022-2024, the division winner was the only team to make the postseason. In other words, there wasn't an NL Central team competitive enough to even snag a Wild Card spot to accompany the division winner in the playoffs for three straight years.

However, that changed in 2025. Not only were the Brewers the best team in baseball during the regular season, earning the top seed in the playoffs after winning 97 games, but the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds both qualified for the postseason as well. After three years of having no Wild Card teams, the NL Central had two in 2025, signaling a shift in the division that is likely to lead to more competitive division races in the near future.

Adding to this newly competitive NL Central is the fact that the division is loaded with prospect talent, much of which is very near to debuting in MLB. The NL Central had 21 names on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 prospects in baseball when the popular prospect evaluation organization updated their rankings last month. With 21 Top 100 prospects, the NL Central was tied with its American League counterpart, the AL Central, for the most in any division in MLB.

While the quantity of top prospects in the NL Central is astounding, so too is the quality of each team's best rising star. Let's take a look at each NL Central team's top prospect heading into the 2026 season, and when Brewers fans can expect to see them in MLB.

Every NL Central team's top prospect heading into the 2026 season

Pittsburgh Pirates: SS Konnor Griffin (No. 1 prospect in MLB)

Not only is Konnor Griffin the best prospect in Pittsburgh, he's currently the No. 1-ranked prospect in all of baseball. The 19-year-old shortstop, whom the Pirates drafted out of high school with the 9th overall pick in the 2024 draft, has all of the makings of an elite shortstop. He's 6'3", has a 70-grade arm, a 70-grade run tool, popped 21 homers and 23 doubles in his lone professional season in 2025, and would be a plus defender whether the Pirates elected to play him at shortstop or center field.

Despite being less than two years removed from high school baseball, talks of Griffin making Pittsburgh's Opening Day roster this year are genuine -- surprising given the Pirates' history of service time manipulation with their top prospects. Supposedly, the two sides are trying to work out a pre-debut contract extension, much like the one Jackson Chourio signed prior to the 2024 season, but either way, Brewers fans should expect to see Griffin in MLB at some point in 2026.

Milwaukee Brewers: SS Jesús Made (No. 3 prospect in MLB)

Over the last two years, the name Jesús Made has become a household name among Brewers fans. The teenage shortstop out of the Dominican Republic, who wasn't even the top-ranked international free agent that the Brewers signed back in 2024, has quickly become viewed as a key part of the future in Milwaukee. Still just 18 years old, Made's polished blend of speed, power, plate discipline, and defensive acumen is far more developed than it should be for such a young player.

After advancing to Double-A at the end of the 2025 season, joining the Biloxi Shuckers for their postseason run, and earning an invitation to big-league camp, something Chourio didn't even do at this stage in his career, Made is closer to his MLB debut than many evaluators thought he would be at this point. The initial thought was that Made would spend 2026 in Double-A and Triple-A, sign a Chourio-esque contract in the offseason, and be a part of the 2027 Opening Day roster. However, now some more aggressive prospect evaluators are saying they expect to see Made in the big leagues by the end of the 2026 season.

St. Louis Cardinals: SS JJ Wetherholt (No. 5 prospect in MLB)

There's some serious middle infield prospect talent in the NL Central. Checking in at No. 5 on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 prospects list is St. Louis Cardinals' infielder JJ Wetherholt, who despite logging a majority of his minor league innings at shortstop looks destined for second base in the big leagues given the presence of Masyn Winn on the Cardinals' roster. St. Louis selected Wetherholt out of the University of West Virginia with the 7th overall pick in the 2024 draft, and he more than impressed in his first full professional season last year. In 109 games split between Double-A and Triple-A, Wetherholt slashed .306/.421/.510 with 17 homers and 23 stolen bases.

Similar to Griffin, much of the offseason speculation has been whether or not the Cardinals will aggressively include Wetherholt on their Opening Day roster. However, after trading Brendan Donovan and Nolan Arenado this offseason, there are certainly spots open in St. Louis' infield and it now looks more likely than not that Wetherholt will be a part of the Cardinals' roster when the 2026 season starts next month.

Cincinnati Reds: INF Sal Stewart (No. 22 prospect in MLB)

Infielder Sal Stewart, who starts the season as the top prospect in Cincinnati, won't hold his prospect status much longer. The 22-year-old infielder who the Reds took with the 32nd overall pick back in 2022 made his MLB debut in 2025, and was excellent in his small 18-game sample size. The slugging infielder who played both first and third base for the Reds last year, crushed five homers in those 18 games, which followed a minor league season in which he collected 54 extra-base hits in 118 games.

Stewart is a lock to make the Reds' 2026 Opening Day roster, likely serving as Cincinnati's everyday first baseman this year. Though he's not a great defender and doesn't impact the game on the basepaths, the Brewers will feel the impact of Stewart's bat in for the foreseeable future.

Chicago Cubs: C/DH Moisés Ballesteros (No. 55 prospect in MLB)

Similar to Stewart, the Cubs' top prospect, Moisés Ballesteros, has already made his MLB debut. In 20 games for the Cubs last year, Ballesteros impressed, slashing .298/.394/.474 with a pair of home runs. Concerns have never arisen in regard to Ballesteros' bat, but the question mark with his profile is his defense. Though he came up as a catcher, there's certainly been a hesitancy to play Ballesteros behind the dish at the big-league level, with the biggest concern being his athleticism and receiving ability. However, at just 5'8", Ballesteros would be a tough-sell as a first baseman too, especially considering the Cubs already have the left-handed hitting Michael Busch at the hot corner.

Ballesteros' bat is good enough that he will be an important part of the Cubs' roster in 2026, likely serving as the team's primary DH, but the fact that he's already seemingly destined to be a career DH at just 22 years old is somewhat concerning. Lacking a defensive home is generally a good way to lose opportunities at the big-league level, but if the bat continues to play, there will be a place for Ballesteros in Chicago's lineup.