Baseball’s top catching prospects: 2010 outlooks and future stat projections
by Matt HagenApril 01, 2010
Jesus Montero / C/1B / New York Yankees
2010 thoughts:
Montero should face Double-A competition for most of the year, but a Triple-A stint is probable at some point.
Carlos Santana / C / Cleveland
2010 thoughts:
Santana should be a classic June call-up case. As long as he picks up where he left off last year, no current catcher on Cleveland's roster will stand in his way.
Average-year projection:
.272 / .366 / 25 HR / 32 2B / 1 3B / 94 RBI / 85 R / 86 BB / 101 SO / 1 SB / 1 CS
Prime-year projection:
.282 / .383 / 30 HR / 34 2B / 1 3B / 103 RBI / 94 R / 95 BB / 93 SO / 2 SB / 1 CS
Buster Posey / C / San Francisco
2010 thoughts:
Despite whispers of San Francisco allowing Posey to split time between catcher and first base in the majors in order to find him at-bats, I expect him to spend a majority of the season at Triple-A Fresno. With success, I expect him to then get a 2011-preparation look by the time August hits.
Average-year projection:
.293 / .378 / 19 HR / 34 2B / 1 3B / 86 RBI / 82 R / 77 BB / 96 SO / 2 SB / 1 CS
Prime-year projection:
.304 / .399 / 25 HR / 36 2B / 1 3B / 95 RBI / 90 R / 85 BB / 89 SO / 3 SB / 1 CS
Tyler Flowers / C/1B / Chicago White Sox
2010 thoughts:
Most are in agreement over Flowers' poor spring training. At this point logic would dictate that Flowers spends the entire year at Triple-A Charlotte.
Average-year projection:
.268 / .356 / 18 HR / 28 2B / 1 3B / 78 RBI / 72 R / 73 BB / 117 SO / 2 SB / 2 CS
Prime-year projection:
.280 / .379 / 23 HR / 31 2B / 2 3B / 87 RBI / 81 R / 80 BB / 109 SO / 4 SB / 2 CS
Derek Norris / C / Washington
2010 thoughts:
Norris should start at Advanced-A Potomac and finish with Double-A Harrisburg.
Jason Castro / C / Houston
2010 thoughts:
Castro should move fast, and if J.R. Towles fails again as Houston's everyday catcher, Castro could hit the majors in the blink of an eye. Playing it safe, I anticipate that he will split most of the year between Double-A and Triple-A, and then get a September call-up.
Hank Conger / C / Los Angeles Angels
2010 thoughts:
The Angels' catching situation seems to be set in stone, giving Conger a full but necessary year at Triple-A Salt Lake.
Average-year projection:
.286 / .360 / 11 HR / 26 2B / 1 3B / 68 RBI / 63 R / 62 BB / 84 SO / 1 SB / 1 CS
Prime-year projection:
.296 / .374 / 16 HR / 28 2B / 2 3B / 77 RBI / 70 R / 69 BB / 78 SO / 2 SB / 1 CS
Tony Sanchez / C / Pittsburgh
2010 thoughts:
Sanchez should make three stops this year, beginning at Advanced-A Bradenton and ending in Triple-A Indianapolis.
Send Matt questions at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
<< Return to Article