http://www.hardballtimes.com/main Baseball. Insight. Daily. en studes@hardballtimes.com Copyright 2013 2013-05-24T08:08:15+00:00 http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/fantasy/article/thts-top-100-prospects-part-two/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/fantasy/article/thts-top-100-prospects-part-two/#When:08:32:15 here.

*Average and prime year projections are only available for those who have spent sufficient time in Double-A or beyond.

36. Grant Green / SS / Oakland / Double-A / 9/27/87 / ETA: late 2011 / High: #36 / Low: #36 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:
12/3/09 - Coming into the 2009 draft, I felt that Green was perhaps the most sure-thing shortstop I had seen in a couple of years, which I still believe. But I also felt that he didn't have as much upside in his bat as your typical first-round college shortstop.

37. Nick Franklin / SS / Seattle / Advanced-A / 3/2/91 / ETA: 2012 / High: #37 / Low: #37 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:
6/24/10 - I continue to make excuses for why I should leave Franklin off my Top-100 list. None of it will matter as long as he continues to deliver at the plate. His defense has been alright for his age as well, adding extra foundation to his all-star honors.

38. Deck McGuire / SP / Toronto / Single-A / 6/23/89 / ETA: 2012 / High: #38 / Low: #38 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

39. Miguel Sano / SS/3B / Minnesota / Rookie / 5/11/93 / ETA: 2014 / High: #39 / Low: #39 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:
11/25/09 - Another hyped, raw bat has been plucked from the Dominican Republic. Sano's signing bonus was reportedly in record-setting territory, which is notable considering it is the small-market Twins that shelled out the bucks. They must see something special. When it comes to a 16-year-old project with a seven-figure signing bonus, as always, I am cautiously optimistic.

40. Dustin Ackley / 2B/OF/1B / Seattle / Triple-A / 2/26/88 / ETA: late 2011 / High: #40 / Low: #40 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Average Year Projection:
.270 / .353 / 12 HR / 38 2B / 6 3B / 73 RBI / 76 R / 72 BB / 102 SO / 10 SB / 3 CS
Prime Year Projection:
.280 / .369 / 16 HR / 39 2B / 7 3B / 83 RBI / 85 R / 78 BB / 96 SO / 13 SB / 3 CS
Notes:
12/10/09 - While he has good bat speed and oodles of polish, Ackley is far too hyped for his projection. His power/speed combination faces question marks transitioning into pro ball and is simply not in the realm of fellow farmhand Michael Saunders' skill set. But his draft status cannot be ignored. Seattle sees something, and I will give him his due.
3/9/10 - Spring reports are handing Ackley accolades for his fine early work at second base. He has dedicated the off-season to the position, and it has paid off. At this point, we have to expect him to stick there. With a shift to second base, his value will rise.
7/1/10 - I have never been a big believer in Ackley, but Seattle selected him No. 2 overall for a reason. Plate discipline only gets you so far. He was drafted for his power/speed combination, which hasn't translated to this point.

41. Simon Castro / SP/RP / San Diego / Double-A / 4/9/88 / ETA: late 2011 / High: #41 / Low: #41 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Average Year Projection:
Coming soon.
Prime Year Projection:
Coming soon.
Notes:
2/11/10 - Castro's command hit a new level in 2009, meaning his mid-90s fastball was too much for the Midwest League to handle. I can't wait to see if his slider takes a leap forward in 2010 and becomes his out pitch.
6/10/10 - Castro's slider has hit a new level, making him one of the best pitchers in the Texas League. His change-up needs plenty of work still, and, facing Double-A competition, his command isn't where it needs to be, but it is encouraging to see a young pitcher get better with each passing year.

42. Randall Delgado / SP / Atlanta / Advanced-A / 2/9/90 / ETA: 2012 / High: #42 / Low: #42 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:
6/10/10 - Arguably no pitcher in the lower levels of the minor leagues has been better than Delgado. Despite his young age, he sports three strong offerings. He doesn't have jaw-dropping velocity on his fastball, but he has strong movement and command of it, making it too much for Single-A hitters to handle. His secondary offerings will have to be used more often and improve as he climbs the ladder, but Delgado is quickly ascending prospect charts everywhere now that his command and movement have taken the next step.

43. Hank Conger / C / LA Angels / Triple-A / 1/29/88 / ETA: late 2011 / High: #43 / Low: #43 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Average Year Projection:
.274 / .348 / 13 HR / 29 2B / 2 3B / 68 RBI / 62 R / 57 BB / 83 SO / 1 SB / 1 CS
Prime Year Projection:
.284 / .362 / 17 HR / 30 2B / 2 3B / 77 RBI / 69 R / 62 BB / 77 SO / 2 SB / 1 CS
Notes:
12/3/09 - Sporting an exceptional bat for a backstop, Conger is one of the best catching prospects in baseball. The Angels hope that his defense continues to improve with experience and that his injury history is a thing of the past. Both questions are holding him back.

44. Jarrod Parker / SP / Arizona / N/A / 11/24/88 / ETA: 2012 / High: #44 / Low: #44 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Average Year Projection:
Coming soon.
Prime Year Projection:
Coming soon.
Notes:
5/5/09 - He was too good for Advanced-A ball, so his promotion to Double-A Mobile was warranted. Everyone will now be able to get a real sense for how good this kid really is, and he could be great. His first Double-A outing was subpar. Will he show up next time out? I don’t know, but I can’t wait. The kid has ace potential.
5/18/09 - He has truly joined the elite pitching prospects in the game with his short, but so far outstanding, Double-A run. The kid is quickly becoming a star. He has great stuff, and he’s putting it on display. One of the more awe-inspiring pitchers to watch right now.
6/13/09 - A recent bout of walks brought some of his stats back to human level. Hopefully his most recent outing, in which he didn't issue a walk and struck out nine batters over six innings, is a sign that the roadblock is behind him.
6/24/09 - Parker was struck on his right wrist by a line drive his last time out. Luckily for D-back fans, the injury is just a bone bruise, which may land him on the DL, but long-term ramifications won't be an issue.
8/7/09 - An elbow strain has ended Parker's season. It's the type of injury that is certainly cause for concern. Lets just hope that it isn't more serious than it looks. The uncertainty drops him down the board.
1/28/10 - For Parker, everything hinges on a successful recovery from Tommy John surgery. Before the surgery he was one of the more dominant pitchers in the minor leagues. Parker has, of course, been severely downgraded, but he still fits in near the bottom of my top-100 list and at the top of Arizona's top 10.

45. Kolbrin Vitek / OF/2B / Boston / Single-A / 4/1/89 / ETA: 2012 / High: #45 / Low: #45 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

46. Zack Wheeler / SP / San Francisco / Single-A / 5/30/90 / ETA: 2013 / High: #46 / Low: #46 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:
8/19/09 - The Giants have found themselves another potential pitching star in Wheeler. His pure stuff, at this point, isn't quite on par with Bumgarner's, but he certainly has a more electrifying arm than former first-round pick, Tim Alderson. He is a good selection for an organization that has done very well with their high picks in recent years.
2/4/10 - Wheeler sports a low-90s fastball with great movement and has a great shot at increasing his velocity to the mid-90s consistently. His curveball has all the makings of an out pitch, even though his change-up has a long way to go. His command and delivery need some work, but San Francisco has a potential ace on its hands.
6/10/10 - At this extremely early point in Wheeler's development, inconsistencies have been the name of the game—not just from game to game, but from inning to inning. He has had games where his velocity and control are spot-on one instant and then all over the place the next. He has also had games where his curveball has been ineffective with little movement. But he has ratcheted up his fastball to the mid-90s at times and has had some tremendous outings when his command is on. It will be fun to watch this young pitcher grow.

47. Donavan Tate / OF / San Diego / Single-A / 9/27/90 / ETA: 2013 / High: #47 / Low: #47 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:
8/19/09 - San Diego has signed themselves one of the more gifted position players in recent years. As long as they let his numerous tools develop properly, we could be looking at the next Jason Heyward, superstar-level outfield prospect.
2/11/10 - Tate has the raw tools to be a star. He has plus raw power and speed, but he has some serious refinements to make before those tools result in home runs and stolen bases. San Diego made him the No. 3 pick overall for a reason. They think he is a five-tool talent who, given enough time to develop, has a good chance to be an impact player. I'm buying it.

48. Zack Cox / 3B/2B / St. Louis / Single-A / 9/23/88 / ETA: 2013 / High: #48 / Low: #48 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

49. Jaff Decker / OF / San Diego / Double-A / 2/23/90 / ETA: 2012 / High: #49 / Low: #49 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:
2/11/10 - Decker is a 20-year-old with some of the best plate discipline in the minor leagues, and some serious power in his bat to back it up. He still has major holes in his swing to clean up, but with another uptick in his overall development and similar production at a higher level, he could challenge Tate for San Diego's No. 1 prospect spot.

50. Devin Mesoraco / C / Cincinnati / Triple-A / 6/19/88 / ETA: 2012 / High: #50 / Low: #50 /
This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Average Year Projection:
.260 / .317 / 14 HR / 26 2B / 2 3B / 69 RBI / 58 R / 40 BB / 106 SO / 2 SB / 1 CS
Prime Year Projection:
.271 / .333 / 18 HR / 27 2B / 2 3B / 76 RBI / 65 R / 44 BB / 100 SO / 3 SB / 2 CS
Notes:

51. John Lamb / SP / Kansas City / Double-A / 7/10/90 / ETA: 2012 / High: #51 / Low: #51 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:
7/29/10 - Lamb has quietly been one of the best A-ball pitchers of 2010, and he deserves a spot in everyone's Top 100. He has always had great upside, and he is putting the whole package together this year. He combines three at least average offerings with his excellent command.

52. Dee Gordon / SS / LA Dodgers / Double-A / 4/22/88 / ETA: 2012 / High: #52 / Low: #52 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Average Year Projection:
.261 / .315 / 7 HR / 24 2B / 7 3B / 52 RBI / 79 R / 42 BB / 104 SO / 28 SB / 8 CS
Prime Year Projection:
.273 / .335 / 9 HR / 25 2B / 8 3B / 59 RBI / 88 R / 48 BB / 96 SO / 33 SB / 9 CS
Notes:
2/4/10 - In my opinion, Gordon gets too much hype. His speed is game-changing, despite his lack of current baserunning instincts, and his defense will be an asset going forward, but his bat doesn't do much for me. His swing is inconsistent, and I don't see home run power developing. But he is still raw, and the fact that he put up the numbers that he did in 2009 based on athleticism and tools alone is incredible.

53. Aaron Hicks / OF / Minnesota / Advanced-A / 10/2/89 / ETA: 2013 / High: #53 / Low: #53 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon
Notes:
11/25/09 - 2009 brought about a disappointing full season debut from Hicks. But he has a full tool shed to work with and there is every reason to think that he will bounce back in 2010. Perhaps even to the point that he is considered one of the game's best outfield prospects by this time next year.
7/1/10 - Hicks hasn't been as bad as his numbers appear on the surface. He is showing power development and great plate discipline for a 20-year-old. Yet, for as much hype as he gets, he is still playing in Low-A Beloit and barely treading water.

54. Jacob Odorizzi / SP / Kansas City / Advanced-A / 3/27/90 / ETA: 2013 / High: #54 / Low: #54 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

55. Lonnie Chisenhall / 3B / Cleveland / Double-A / 10/4/88 / ETA: late 2011 / High: #55 / Low: #55 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Average Year Projection:
.269 / .333 / 15 HR / 32 2B / 3 3B / 74 RBI / 74 R / 53 BB / 104 SO / 4 SB / 2 CS
Prime Year Projection:
.280 / .349 / 19 HR / 33 2B / 3 3B / 85 RBI / 83 R / 59 BB / 97 SO / 6 SB / 2 CS
Notes:
7/22/09 - From a fantasy perspective, the only Chisenhall criticism that I can place on Cleveland is the fact that they moved the young man to third base. I would have loved to see Chisenhall get a legit shot to stay at shortstop. Oh, well. Lonnie's bat will play just fine at third base, too. Cleveland sports one of the more loaded farm systems in baseball.
11/25/09 - Sporting the swing and approach of a true professional hitter, Chisenhall impressed in 2009. He has a developing blend of power, patience, and contact skills that make me think he has a good chance to be an above-average major league third baseman. An All-Star, though, may be stretching it.
5/13/10 - Where are the extra-base hits? Chisenhall is finding Double-A pitching tough. It will be interesting to see if he adjusts the more he sees the same pitchers.

56. Jose Iglesias / SS / Boston / Triple-A / 1/5/90 / ETA: 2012 / High: #56 / Low: #56 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Average Year Projection:
.271 / .311 / 3 HR / 27 2B / 5 3B / 55 RBI / 70 R / 32 BB / 106 SO / 8 SB / 3 CS
Prime Year Projection:
.281 / .327 / 4 HR / 28 2B / 6 3B / 62 RBI / 79 R / 38 BB / 99 SO / 10 SB / 4 CS
Notes:

57. Drew Pomeranz / SP / Cleveland / Advanced-A / 6/23/89 / ETA: 2012 / High: #57 / Low: #57 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

58. Yasmani Grandal / C / Cincinnati / Double-A / 7/18/89 / ETA: 2013 / High: #58 / Low: #58 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

59. Jonathan Singleton / OF/1B / Philadelphia / Advanced-A / 9/18/91 / ETA: 2013 / High: #59 / Low: #59 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

60. Brett Jackson / OF / Chicago Cubs / Triple-A / 8/2/88 / ETA: 2012 / High: #60 / Low: #60 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

61. Jason Knapp / SP / Cleveland / Single-A / 8/31/90 / ETA: 2013 / High: #61 / Low: #61 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:
11/25/09 - Knapp has the ceiling of an ace, and the work ethic and smarts to get to that point. His high-90s fastball is his meal ticket, but the rest of his game lags behind. Watch for his secondary stuff to take a step forward in 2010.

62. Manuel Banuelos / SP / NY Yankees / Advanced-A / 3/13/91 / ETA: 2013 / High: #62 / Low: #62 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

63. Derek Norris / C / Washington / Advanced-A / 2/14/89 / ETA: 2012 / High: #63 / Low: #63 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:
1/7/10 - Despite his high strikeout rate, Norris has the bat of a future All-Star. The most unheralded aspect of his season was the 90 walks he drew in 437 at-bats. His defense is on track for the majors, but needs some work. If he repeats his performance in 2010, we may be looking at a top-10 prospect in all of baseball. But he does need to do it again if he is going to win me over.

64. Tanner Scheppers / SP/RP / Texas / Triple-A / 1/17/87 / ETA: 2011 / High: #64 / Low: #64 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Average Year Projection:
Coming soon.
Prime Year Projection:
Coming soon.
Notes:

65. Jurickson Profar / SS / Texas / Single-A / 2/20/93 / ETA: 2014 / High: #65 / Low: #65 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

66. Rubby De La Rosa / SP/RP / LA Dodgers / Double-A / 3/4/89 / ETA: 2012 / High: #66 / Low: #66 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

67. Brandon Belt / 1B / San Francisco / Triple-A / 4/20/88 / ETA: late 2011 / High: #67 / Low: #67 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

68. Nick Barnese / SP / Tampa Bay / Advanced-A / 1/11/89 / ETA: 2012 / High: #68 / Low: #68 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:
6/10/10 - Relying on the movement and consistency of his fastball, Barnese continues to impress against Single-A competition. It's great to see his command step up a peg this year, but his repertoire needs work. And whether or not he has what it takes to eventually anchor the top of a rotation remains to be seen, but he is improving and deserves a bump up everyone's board.

69. Zach Britton / SP / Baltimore / Triple-A / 12/22/87 / ETA: late 2011 / High: #69 / Low: #69 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

70. Chris Archer / SP / Tampa Bay / Triple-A / 9/26/88 / ETA: 2012 / High: #70 / Low: #70 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

71. Christian Colon / SS / Kansas City / Advanced-A / 5/14/89 / ETA: 2012 / High: #71 / Low: #71 / This Update: --
2010 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

72. Chris Carter / 1B/OF / Oakland / Triple-A / 12/18/86 / ETA: mid 2011 / High: #72 / Low: #72 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Average Year Projection:
.249 / .336 / 24 HR / 32 2B / 2 3B / 85 RBI / 70 R / 74 BB / 149 SO / 3 SB / 2 CS
Prime Year Projection:
.259 / .351 / 28 HR / 32 2B / 2 3B / 94 RBI / 77 R / 80 BB / 142 SO / 4 SB / 2 CS
Notes:
12/3/09 - Carter is on the opposite end of the spectrum from Wallace. He could become an All-Star, but the holes in his swing and, at times, lack of patience could hinder his potential in the majors. Watch to see if his approach and plate discipline take the next step. Then we can all be firmly back Carter's corner.
6/3/10 - A lot of people put a lot of faith in Carter after his true breakout last year in the Texas League, and it may be time to back off a bit on the praise. His strikeout numbers are not improving, and at this point in his development we all have to wonder if he will ever cut down on the strikeouts. He has home run power and draws walks, but he doesn't separate himself in any way from the other top first base prospects in baseball.

73. Garrett Richards / SP / LA Angels / Advanced-A / 5/27/88 / ETA: 2012 / High: #73 / Low: #73 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

74. Jarred Cosart / SP / Philadelphia / Advanced-A / 5/25/90 / ETA: 2013 / High: #74 / Low: #74 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

75. Trey McNutt / SP / Chicago Cubs / Double-A / 8/2/89 / ETA: 2012 / High: #75 / Low: #75 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

76. Trevor May / SP / Philadelphia / Advanced-A / 9/23/89 / ETA: 2013 / High: #76 / Low: #76 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

77. Jemile Weeks / 2B / Oakland / Triple-A / 1/26/87 / ETA: late 2011 / High: #77 / Low: #77 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Average Year Projection:
.260 / .328 / 9 HR / 30 2B / 5 3B / 65 RBI / 69 R / 56 BB / 114 SO / 13 SB / 5 CS
Prime Year Projection:
.272 / .344 / 12 HR / 32 2B / 6 3B / 74 RBI / 78 R / 61 BB / 107 SO / 16 SB / 5 CS
Notes:
12/3/09 - His potential for power and speed is a rare commodity from a second baseman. Every aspect of his game needs to take a major step forward before his stock matches his first-round draft status, though.

78. Arodys Vizcaino / SP/RP / Atlanta / Advanced-A / 11/13/90 / ETA: 2013 / High: #78 / Low: #78 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

79. Chris Dwyer / SP / Kansas City / Double-A / 4/10/88 / ETA: 2012 / High: #79 / Low: #79 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

80. Brody Colvin / SP / Philadelphia / Advanced-A / 8/14/90 / ETA: 2013 / High: #80 / Low: #80 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

81. Tony Sanchez / C / Pittsburgh / Advanced-A / 5/20/88 / ETA: 2012 / High: #81 / Low: #81 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:
1/21/10 - Make no mistake, Sanchez was an overdraft at No. 4 overall in the 2009 draft. But his initial numbers have been very impressive, and he has the skills necessary, both at the plate and behind it, to be an above-average big league catcher.

82. Craig Kimbrel / RP / Atlanta / MLB / 5/28/88 / ETA: early 2011 / High: #82 / Low: #82 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

83. J.P. Arencibia / C / Toronto / MLB / 1/5/86 / ETA: early 2011 / High: #83 / Low: #83 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Average Year Projection:
.252 / .314 / 16 HR / 30 2B / 1 3B / 72 RBI / 62 R / 43 BB / 113 SO / 1 SB / 1 CS
Prime Year Projection:
.261 / .328 / 19 HR / 31 2B / 1 3B / 78 RBI / 66 R / 48 BB / 107 SO / 1 SB / 1 CS
Notes:
7/29/10 - Arencibia has put his awful 2009 behind him with an incredible batting average for his skill level and an improved, but always impressive, power display. He will always strike out too much, and the batting average won't entirely translate, but if Toronto eventually entrusts him with the full-time catching gig, he should be a pertinent power threat for a long time.

84. Wilin Rosario / C / Colorado / Double-A / 2/23/89 / ETA: 2012 / High: #84 / Low: #84 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

85. Dellin Betances / SP/RP / NY Yankees / Double-A / 3/23/88 / ETA: 2012 / High: #85 / Low: #85 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

86. Nolan Arenado / 3B / Colorado / Advanced-A / 4/16/91 / ETA: 2012 / High: #86 / Low: #86 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

87. Stetson Allie / SP / Pittsburgh / N/A / 3/13/91 / ETA: 2014 / High: #87 / Low: #87 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

88. Carlos Triunfel / 3B/2B/SS / Seattle / Double-A / 2/27/90 / ETA: 2012 / High: #88 / Low: #88 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Average Year Projection:
.258 / .296 / 12 HR / 24 2B / 2 3B / 68 RBI / 69 R / 30 BB / 81 SO / 10 SB / 4 CS
Prime Year Projection:
.269 / .315 / 15 HR / 26 2B / 2 3B / 75 RBI / 77 R / 37 BB / 74 SO / 13 SB / 4 CS
Notes:
5/5/09 - I caught some criticism for aggressively putting an “injured shortstop that won’t stay at shortstop” very high up on my list. But that’s how much I love this kid. I wanted to give him his due. I’m sure he will slide down this list as the year progresses, but I am very high on his ability to be an elite fantasy shortstop in the major leagues. That’s right, I do think he will stay at shortstop. He won’t be anything more than average defensively at the position, but that’s of little concern to us. All we care about is his bat and his speed, and he lots of both.
9/1/09 - Triunfel has made a quicker than expected recovery from his injuries, and he's back where he left off, in the Southern League. He has an opportunity to make an immediate rise up this Top-100 list.
12/10/09 - Triunfel's 2009 was cut very short, which is a shame considering his youth compared to the level of competition he was facing. I think he can stick at shortstop, raising his value, and his overall bat is too good to ignore. His stock remains strong in my book, despite the lost season.
2/22/10 - And now it looks like Seattle is serious about moving him off of shortstop, which hurts his value. But his bat still has a chance to be dynamic at a different position.

89. Andrew Oliver / SP / Detroit / Triple-A / 12/3/87 / ETA: late 2011 / High: #89 / Low: #89 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

90. Johermyn Chavez / OF / Seattle / Advanced-A / 1/26/89 / ETA: 2012 / High: #90 / Low: #90 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

91. Alex Wimmers / SP / Minnesota / Advanced-A / 11/1/88 / ETA: 2012 / High: #91 / Low: #91 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

92. Jason Kipnis / 2B/OF / Cleveland / Triple-A / 4/3/87 / ETA: 2012 / High: #92 / Low: #92 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

93. Carlos Martinez / SP / St. Louis / Rookie / 9/21/91 / ETA: 2014 / High: #93 / Low: #93 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

94. Zach Lee / SP / LA Dodgers / N/A / 9/13/91 / ETA: 2014 / High: #94 / Low: #94 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

95. Tyler Skaggs / SP / Arizona / Single-A / 7/13/91 / ETA: 2013 / High: #95 / Low: #95 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

96. Yonder Alonso / 1B/OF / Cincinnati / Triple-A / 4/8/87 / ETA: mid 2011 / High: #96 / Low: #96 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

97. Lars Anderson / 1B / Boston / Triple-A / 9/25/87 / ETA: late 2011 / High: #97 / Low: #97 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Average Year Projection:
.264 / .339 / 18 HR / 38 2B / 2 3B / 78 RBI / 70 R / 63 BB / 138 SO / 2 SB / 2 CS
Prime Year Projection:
.275 / .355 / 22 HR / 40 2B / 2 3B / 87 RBI / 78 R / 69 BB / 130 SO / 3 SB / 2 CS
Notes:
5/5/09 - I can’t go overboard with Anderson yet, especially from a power perspective, because his power just has not shown up yet. He is very projectable, which is why I like him. He has a big frame and a good swing. Right now, I liken him to Adam LaRoche at the dish. In other words, an above-average player. He has the ability to be a great player, though, and he certainly has the ability to be better than LaRoche. I’m expecting a June call up in 2010, if everything goes well.
10/29/09 - His 2009 season was nothing short of forgettable, but Anderson's power potential is among minor league baseball's best. I haven't given up on him.
5/13/10 - Anderson has quickly put his disappointing 2009 season behind him. He clobbered Eastern League pitching for the first few weeks of the season and earned his way up to Triple-A Pawtucket, where he continues to produce, albeit in a small sample size. I didn't give up, and I hope you didn't, either. He's right on track to make an impact for Boston in 2011.

98. Aaron Miller / SP / LA Dodgers / Double-A / 9/18/87 / ETA: 2012 / High: #98 / Low: #98 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:
2/4/10 - I was not a fan of L.A.'s selection of Miller in the 2009 draft, mainly due to the fact that he was soon to be 22 years old and just beginning to figure out how to pitch. But his initial numbers have shown much more polish than I was expecting, and his fastball/slider combination has turned heads.

99. Chad James / SP / Florida / Single-A / 1/23/91 / ETA: 2013 / High: #99 / Low: #99 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:

100. Chad Jenkins / SP / Toronto / Advanced-A / 3/12/88 / ETA: 2012 / High: #100 / Low: #100 / This Update: --
2011 Thoughts:
Coming soon.
Notes:
11/12/09 - The Blue Jays seem to have a standard type of arm that they go after, and Jenkins fits the mold as their 2009 first-round pick. He's not a fire-baller, but he has a big frame, good endurance, a nice repertoire and natural downward movement on his offerings.

Click here to learn about THT's download subscriptions.]]> Matt Hagen 2011-04-14T08:32:15+00:00 http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/fantasy/article/fantasy-rookie-report-part-four/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/fantasy/article/fantasy-rookie-report-part-four/#When:09:11:15 Starting Pitcher

I have put together top-tier pitching staffs in previous years without even drafting a single pitcher among my first ten picks. It can happen. Breakout candidates are ripe for the picking every year in the middle to late rounds, and this year is no different.

The only rookie who fits into that category is Jeremy Hellickson, and really he is the only draft-worthy rookie around. He has big upside and was able to put it on display late last year. But he has an injury history to think about and, with all young pitchers, he could wear out toward the end of the year as he approaches 180 innings or more.

Mike Minor heads up the next tier of rookie pitchers. He looks like the frontrunner for Atlanta's No. 5 job and has a great minor league pedigree. I'm not sold on his strikeout numbers sticking around, but he's definitely worth a look if gets off to a hot start.

Kyle Drabek looks like a safe bet to open the year in Toronto's rotation. He has good stuff but questionable control, and his minor league numbers haven't been as dominant as you would like. He could take off, but I will wait and see.

Jordan Lyles and Michael Pineda are two potential aces who play for ball clubs in desperate need of their services. But we won't see these guys in the majors until at least June. Either one could explode in the minor leagues and face a promotion that rivals the likes of Tommy Hanson or Stephen Strasburg of previous years.

In order of upside potential, Mark Rogers, Zach Britton, Andrew Oliver and Dillon Gee are among a group of advanced pitchers who have a good shot at some major league rotation time if an injury strikes.

And that leaves Jarrod Parker, who is hoping to put Tommy John surgery behind him. His upside is still immense, so he's a lottery ticket worth keeping an eye on.


Relief Pitcher

This crop of relief pitchers has the potential to make a bigger impact than any other position.

Craig Kimbrel is the closest rookie to a closer job at this point. The only concern I have are his past command issues, but I'll be all over him in the late rounds. He has to iron out his control, but Kimbrel has the talent and the job opening to finish the year as a top-5 closer. For real.

Jake McGee doesn't have Tampa Bay's closer job yet, but he has the potential to not only nail down the job early on this season, but put up some great numbers across the board.

Like Tampa Bay, the White Sox have a closer-by-committee setup at the moment, but Chris Sale is the most talented option and, like McGee, a high upside late-round addition.

Aroldis Chapman might be the most talented pitcher among this group of extremely talented relievers, but he doesn't have the opportunity of the others thanks to Francisco Cordero. Where he's being drafted, I'm letting him go this year.

Jordan Walden and Tanner Scheppers are two more talented relievers worth mentioning. Both have a shot at closing if injuries hit.

Click here to learn about THT's download subscriptions.]]> Matt Hagen 2011-03-17T09:11:15+00:00 http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/fantasy/article/fantasy-rookie-report-part-three/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/fantasy/article/fantasy-rookie-report-part-three/#When:09:10:15 Third base

Third base is full of veteran options, and there aren't a lot of rookie options, either.

Brent Morel looks to be the only rookie third baseman with a good shot at a starting job right out of the gate, but there isn't any home run upside here, leaving his value as an injury replacement at best.

Mike Moustakas is the hot corner rookie to watch. Just like fellow Kansas City farmhand Eric Hosmer, Moustakas is capable of tearing up Triple-A pitching and has only Mike Aviles to contend with in the majors. It wouldn't surprise me to see him in the running for American League Rookie of the Year. Anyone with a need at third base when June hits should not be shy about grabbing this bat.

Lonnie Chisenhall has a lot to prove still, but has the talent to make his mark on Cleveland's lineup by midseason. He has more upside than Morel.

Matt Dominguez is the only other third baseman I could see turning heads. I'm not a fan, but his defense is an asset, and his bat still has potential. He has more upside than Morel, too, and only has Wes Helms and his lack of development holding him back.

Looking at some young non-rookies, Pedro Alvarez has a chance to lay waste to his average draft position. He has special power potential. David Freese and Danny Valencia aren't being counted on to start, but both could be fine injury replacements if the time comes.


Outfield

Outfield is usually a position where rookies can make an impact across the league, but there isn't a lot of advanced talent with an obvious window of opportunity this year. Guys like Eric Hosmer, Chris Carter, and Yonder Alonso might successfully transition from first base, but they were talked about in part one of this series.

Domonic Brown is the hot rookie that everyone wanted to take a shot on, but his hand surgery should temper expectations. Don't reach for him in the middle rounds. If he's there late in the game, take your shot.

Desmond Jennings is next in the rookie outfield pecking order, but will likely start the year in Triple-A. Just like any top-50 prospect who is one step from the majors, keep your eye on him. A hot start that leads to a midseason promotion could land you a key piece to a championship run.

That doesn't leave much else. Michael Taylor, Andrew Lambo, and Josh Reddick are part of a group that seem to be age- and experience-appropriate for this list but are long shots to get any extended big league playing time. Nick Weglarz could push his way to the majors, where he should prove to be a better real-life player than fantasy asset, but his power could surprise.

Turning to some young non-rookies, I have a good feeling about Colby Rasmus this year and have him ranked higher than everyone I have talked to. You're out of your mind if you're ranking the likes of Shane Victorino, Corey Hart, and even Andre Ethier ahead of Rasmus.

I am buying into a Jay Bruce breakout season. Mike Stanton seems to be ranked about right. The home run power could be huge, but he is still very young and could suffer prolonged cold streaks.

Adam Jones isn't getting the attention he deserves. His prime is near, and he has the talent to rake. I am finding myself to be a big Jones investor in my early drafts.

On a side note, Baltimore is my surprise pick to make some noise in the American League, yet their division is so tough I have them finishing fourth with 83 wins. By the way, I reserve the right to change that win total a bit as the season approaches.

How about a couple other guys not getting enough love: Dexter Fowler and Logan Morrison. There are second- and third-year former top prospect outfielders every year who break out. Jones, Fowler, and Morrison are prime candidates this year.

Add a tier-one stud to those three, or even tier-two if the value isn't there, and I would feel very comfortable with that outfield heading into the season. Plus, you allow yourself to invest in sure things at shallower positions by taking Jones, Fowler, and Morrison late.

You should keep Cameron Maybin on speed dial as well, if he goes undrafted, to give yourself another breakout candidate if an injury hits your current crop.

Listen to me, here I am giving away all my draft strategies. Pitchers are next week.

Click here to learn about THT's download subscriptions.]]> Matt Hagen 2011-03-10T09:10:15+00:00 http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/fantasy/article/fantasy-rookie-report-part-two/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/fantasy/article/fantasy-rookie-report-part-two/#When:09:10:15 2nd Base

There are enough veteran second base options around, so rookies won't need to be relied upon. But if you're looking for upside, there are some rookies that should have your attention.

Danny Espinosa is intriguing and appears to be Washington's top option at second base. I don't think he will ever get there, but he has legitimate 20-20 potential. His batting average will never win your league, either, but his upside is enough to take a late-round flier on and plug him in during his hot streaks.

Dustin Ackley doesn't do much for me, but others consider him to be a future all-star. With a hot two months in Triple-A, Seattle will find it difficult to keep him from the big leagues. And that means all of you looking for a spark at second base should take notice.

Tsuyoshi Nishioka is getting some "shiny new toy" buzz, but his upside is limited. He should produce a good batting average and 10-20 steals, but little else. He is a good injury replacement for your No. 1 option.

Brett Lawrie is the only other rookie I could see making an impact at second base, even though it seems that he will end up at third base full-time before long. His bat speed could spell a .300-30 future, which could come sooner rather than later with a great showing at Triple-A to start the season.

On the non-rookie front, Gordon Beckham is someone I am investing heavily in as a classic post-hype sleeper, although I would prefer to have a proven No. 1 option to rely on if things don't work out. I'm not a Sean Rodriguez supporter, but judging by some of his minor league seasons, there is upside to be had. He's worth a plug and play if your options are limited and you can ride a hot streak. Staying in Tampa, I like Reid Brignac more than Rodriguez due to his dual eligibility and proven major league power.


Shortstop

There really isn't much to speak of in terms of rookie shortstops ready to make an impact, given that Espinosa and Nishioka should be shortstop eligible but have already been written about. So it might be best to talk about some of the young guys ready to make a name for themselves.

Ian Desmond is getting a lot of love from a lot of fantasy experts, but I'm thinking we've already seen a career year out of him. The .269 average and 17 steals seems doable again, but I honestly don't see double-digit homers out of his bat ever again. I see him as a solid No. 2 option or injury replacement.

I would take Elvis Andrus over Desmond every time. His batting average is going to get better, and his stolen base production is the real separator. And I think he will end up with more home runs than Desmond, too, despite giving us a goose egg in 2010, making him a solid fantasy starter.

I have Starlin Castro ahead of Desmond, too. I see a better batting average, a bit more power, and similar stolen base production. He is a great No. 2 option for those rainy days.

Asdrubal Cabrera is a strong injury replacement option, but he lacks the overall upside of Castro and the speed upside of Andrus.

And that leaves Alcides Escobar, who I have rated a slight notch below Castro and Desmond. Despite his rookie showing, he has similar upside to Andrus, but I need to see the numbers to believe it.

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Catcher

With the emergence of Buster Posey and Carlos Santana last year, the catching position seems to be stronger and deeper than most years. Decent catchers will be available late this year. You should be able to take two starters in the middle to late rounds, ride the hot bat, and make out fine.

Despite the overall depth at catcher, Toronto's J.P. Arencibia is the only rookie I would consider drafting in a standard league. There isn't much standing in his way and there is power upside to be had.

Jesus Montero is the sexy bat that some seem to want to draft late, but I don't see the point. The Yankees have depth at catcher with Russell Martin and Francisco Cervelli, and even if injuries hit another position that Montero could successfully man, there is plenty of veteran depth to soak up the at-bats.

Hank Conger of the Angels is worth keeping an eye on, as Jeff Mathis has shown nothing with his bat since arriving on the scene. Conger is capable of raking at Triple-A, which could prompt a swift change. If he gets promoted a couple of months into the season he might be worth pouncing on.

Wilson Ramos appears to be an injury away from major playing time in Washington. You can question his upside. I do. But he could surprise.

Tyler Flowers has the ability to finally put the entire package together, but it's a long shot. It's going to take big numbers at Triple-A to even get him on the White Sox' radar screen again.

A couple of young, non-rookie catchers, Milwaukee's Jonathan Lucroy and Jason Castro of Houston, will likely go undrafted but could surprise. Neither has big upside, but both demonstrated offensive aptitude in the minors and are the likely starters for their respective teams.

First base

First base is always a deep position, for obvious reasons. A lot of veteran, middle-of-the-order hitters call first base home, and there shouldn't be any rookies messing up that notion this year.

Freddie Freeman is expected to start in Atlanta, but his youth and good-but-not-great minor league numbers have me thinking he has too many question marks to even be draftable at this point. Feel free to pounce if gets off to a hot start.

Chris Carter is another one of the few who could prove me wrong; he has the power to dominate Triple-A and then is just an injury to Daric Barton or Hideki Matsui away from a full-time gig in Oakland.

Yonder Alonso has been merely getting by since being drafted in Cincinnati, but still has enough upside in his bat to make an impact. With a big start in Triple-A, Cincinnati will be tempted to find room for him.

Lars Anderson doesn't even register with most fantasy players, but I still think he has a future. He could have a big year at Triple-A, but even then it would take a trade or a serious injury to Adrian Gonzalez or David Ortiz for Anderson to get a shot in Boston.

That leaves the most intriguing first base prospect around: Eric Hosmer. He clearly has the ability to rake in the minors, and I don't think Kansas City would hesitate to promote him sometime midseason if that is the case. He's worth a look at that point.

On the non-rookie front, Justin Smoak has upside and is worth a late-round flier if you're not 100 percent comfortable with your No. 1 option. I consider Brett Wallace to be one step below Smoak, so he's one to keep on your radar screen. Gaby Sanchez and Ike Davis had nice rookie seasons, but their 2010 numbers are about as good as it gets. I'd rather have the upside of Smoak or Wallace.

Click here to learn about THT's download subscriptions.]]> Matt Hagen 2011-02-24T07:43:15+00:00 http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/fantasy/article/ranking-baseballs-farm-systems/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/fantasy/article/ranking-baseballs-farm-systems/#When:09:13:15 1. Kansas City Royals. Kansas City has a plethora of top-end impact talent and loads of depth throughout. The best system in baseball and a reason to follow America's pastime for long-suffering Royal fans.
1. Mike Moustakas / 3B
2. Eric Hosmer / 1B/OF
3. Mike Montgomery / SP
4. Wil Myers / C/OF/1B
5. Daniel Duffy / SP
6. John Lamb / SP
7. Jake Odorizzi / SP
8. Christian Colon / SS
9. Chris Dwyer / SP
10. Johnny Giavotella / 2B

2. Tampa Bay Rays. Tampa has the best one-two prospect punch around, high upside pitching, and stellar depth up and down the minor leagues. Alex Torres, Alex Cobb, and Enny Romero are the some of the pitching highlights beyond the top 10.
1. Desmond Jennings / OF
2. Jeremy Hellickson / SP
3. Jake McGee / SP/RP
4. Matthew Moore / SP/RP
5. Nick Barnese / SP
6. Chris Archer / SP
7. Justin O'Connor / C/3B/SS/2B
8. Alex Colome / SP/RP
9. Josh Sale / OF
10. Hak-Ju Lee / SS

3. Atlanta Braves. Atlanta has potential impact players lined up in their top six and oodles of supplemental low-level talent. Their development reputation has the baseball world wondering who their next set of hot shot prospects will be.
1. Julio Teheran / SP
2. Mike Minor / SP
3. Freddie Freeman / 1B
4. Randall Delgado / SP
5. Arodys Vizcaino / SP/RP
6. Craig Kimbrel / RP
7. J.J. Hoover / SP
8. Matt Lipka / SS
9. Christian Bethancourt / C
10. Andrelton Simmons / SS

4. Toronto Blue Jays. Toronto got good in a hurry. There isn't a can't-miss prospect in the bunch, but it's a strong top 10, with the top five likely to appear in my top 100 prospects, and there is plenty of talent throughout the system that is waiting for recognition.
1. Brett Lawrie / 3B/2B/OF
2. Kyle Drabek / SP
3. Deck McGuire / SP
4. J.P. Arencibia / C
5. Chad Jenkins / SP
6. Travis D'Arnaud / C
7. Carlos Perez / C
8. Adieny Hechavarria / SS
9. Zach Stewart / RP/SP
10. David Cooper / 1B

5. San Diego Padres. The Adrian Gonzalez trade gave San Diego a lift, but they had an underrated farm system to begin with. They have a legitimately good top 20 with James Darnell, Adys Portillo, Matt Lollis, and Keyvius Sampson headlining the back end.
1. Casey Kelly / SP
2. Simon Castro / SP
3. Donavan Tate / OF
4. Jaff Decker / OF
5. Reymond Fuentes / OF
6. Anthony Rizzo / 1B
7. Edinson Rincon / 3B/OF
8. Drew Cumberland / SS/2B
9. Cory Luebke / SP
10. John Barbato / SP/RP

6. Minnesota Twins. Minnesota has a well-balanced system with some high upsiders comprising the top three and plenty of future big leaguers up and down their top 30. Minnesota always seems to have bottomless depth.
1. Kyle Gibson / SP
2. Miguel Sano / 3B/SS
3. Aaron Hicks / OF
4. Alex Wimmers / SP
5. Ben Revere / OF
6. Liam Hendriks / SP
7. Adrian Salcedo / SP
8. Max Kepler-Rozycki / OF
9. Oswaldo Arcia / OF
10. David Bromberg / SP

7. Seattle Mariners. Seattle has a severely underrated system. They have five guys who will fit in my top 100, even though I am in the minority when it comes to Triunfel and Chavez, and it wouldn't be difficult to put together a respectable top 20 list, either.
1. Michael Pineda / SP
2. Nick Franklin / SS
3. Dustin Ackley / 2B
4. Carlos Triunfel / 3B/2B/SS
5. Johermyn Chavez / OF
6. Mauricio Robles / SP
7. Rich Poythress / 1B
8. James Jones / OF
9. Blake Beavan / SP
10. Alex Liddi / 3B/OF/1B

8. Los Angeles Angels. The Angels have a lot of high-upside arms to keep things interesting, and having Trout at the top of the list is a great asset. But the No. 1 reason they rank No. 8 is because of their overall depth, which is among Kansas City, Tampa Bay, and Minnesota as the top four deepest systems in baseball.
1. Mike Trout / OF
2. Hank Conger / C
3. Garrett Richards / SP
4. Jean Segura / 2B/SS
5. Kaleb Cowart / 3B
6. Fabio Martinez / SP
7. Tyler Chatwood / SP/RP
8. Alexi Amarista / 2B
9. Mark Trumbo / 1B/OF
10. Cam Bedrosian / SP

9. Cleveland Indians. Cleveland lacks a superstar-level talent, but the team does have four guys who will slot into my top 100 and a good amount of depth, even though they aren't as deep as some are making them out to be.
1. Alex White / SP
2. Lonnie Chisenhall / 3B
3. Jason Knapp / SP/RP
4. Drew Pomeranz / SP
5. Jason Kipnis / 2B/OF
6. Nick Weglarz / OF
7. Chun-Hsiu Chen / C
8. LeVon Washington / OF
9. T.J. House / SP
10. Hector Rondon / SP/RP

10. Colorado Rockies. Colorado has a great one-two pitching punch and brought together an underrated 2010 draft. They have solid depth throughout and a number of guys poised for breakout seasons.
1. Christian Friedrich / SP
2. Tyler Matzek / SP
3. Wilin Rosario / C
4. Nolan Arenado / 3B
5. Chad Bettis / SP/RP
6. Peter Tago / SP
7. Juan Nicasio / SP
8. Kyle Parker / OF
9. Rex Brothers / RP
10. Albert Campos / SP

11. Cincinnati Reds. Cincinnati has a potential superstar at the top, but appear to have only six guys who will fit in my top 200, and the depth really seems to run out after the top 15.
1. Aroldis Chapman / SP/RP
2. Devin Mesoraco / C
3. Yasmani Grandal / C
4. Yonder Alonso / 1B/OF
5. Yorman Rodriguez / OF
6. Billy Hamilton / 2B/SS
7. Kyle Lotzkar / SP/RP
8. Cody Puckett / 2B
9. Todd Frazier / OF/3B/1B
10. Juan Francisco / 3B

12. Philadelphia Phillies. Philadelphia's system looks light years better than it did last year thanks to the emergence of Singleton and their top three pitchers. But the talent falls off a bit after the top five and really tails off after the top 15.
1. Domonic Brown / OF
2. Jonathan Singleton / OF/1B
3. Jarred Cosart / SP
4. Trevor May / SP
5. Brody Colvin / SP
6. Vance Worley / SP
7. Sebastian Valle / C
8. J.C. Ramirez / SP
9. Jesse Biddle / SP
10. Domingo Santana / OF

13. Texas Rangers. The Texas prospect trough has dried up considerably since last year, yet there is talent enough for a solid top 20 list and plenty of time for their young arms and Profar to shine.
1. Martin Perez / SP
2. Tanner Scheppers / RP/SP
3. Jurickson Profar / SS
4. Robert Erlin / SP
5. Robbie Ross / SP
6. Neil Ramirez / SP
7. Kellin Deglan / C
8. Jake Skole / OF
9. Michael Olt / 3B
10. Luis Sardinas / SS

14. New York Yankees. I'm not as high on Betances and Brackman as others are, but Montero is the top prospect in baseball and capable of lifting any farm system. They had a weak 2010 draft, meaning the talent really drops off after the top 15.
1. Jesus Montero / C/OF/1B
2. Manuel Banuelos / SP
3. Dellin Betances / SP/RP
4. Gary Sanchez / C
5. Andrew Brackman / SP/RP
6. Austin Romine / C
7. Cito Culver / SS
8. Brandon Laird / OF/3B
9. Adam Warren / SP
10. Slade Heathcott / OF

15. Washington Nationals. Washington's system goes downhill quickly after the top 10, and the pitching is thin and unproven, but Espinosa, Norris, and the crown jewel, Harper, make this system shine.
1. Bryce Harper / OF
2. Danny Espinosa / 2B/SS
3. Derek Norris / C
4. A.J. Cole / SP
5. Wilson Ramos / C
6. J.P. Ramirez / OF
7. Corey Brown / OF
8. Eury Perez / OF
9. Sammy Solis / SP
10. Chris Marrero / 1B

16. Pittsburgh Pirates. Pittsburgh's best asset is the amount of high-upside pitching they possess. They have a strong top eight and then drop off, and it would be difficult finding guys to slot into the final few slots of a top-20 list. They seemed to have had more overall depth last year.
1. Jameson Taillon / SP
2. Tony Sanchez / C
3. Stetson Allie / SP
4. Rudy Owens / SP
5. Luis Heredia / SP
6. Jeff Locke / SP
7. Andrew Lambo / OF
8. Robbie Grossman / OF
9. Justin Wilson / SP/RP
10. Chase D'Arnaud / SS

17. St. Louis Cardinals. Miller is a great young man to have at the top, but the talent dips after the top five and takes a bigger dip after the top 15 or so. It's a decent system, but there is a lot of work to be done.
1. Shelby Miller / SP
2. Zack Cox / 3B/2B
3. Carlos Matias / SP
4. Oscar Taveras / OF
5. Tyrell Jenkins / SP
6. Eduardo Sanchez / RP
7. Lance Lynn / SP
8. Matt Carpenter / 3B
9. Deryk Hooker / SP/RP
10. Seth Blair / SP/RP

18. Boston Red Sox. The Adrian Gonzalez trade hurts the top of Boston's system, but they have good depth. A top-20 list would be an easy task. The lack of a standout prospect hurts their ranking.
1. Kolbrin Vitek / 3B/2B/OF
2. Lars Anderson / 1B
3. Jose Iglesias / SS
4. Bryce Brentz / OF
5. Anthony Ranaudo / SP/RP
6. Oscar Tejeda / 2B
7. Stolmy Pimentel / SP
8. Chris Balcom-Miller / SP
9. Drake Britton / SP
10. Josh Reddick / OF

19. Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers are more talented than this ranking suggests, but they had a disappointing 2010 from a numbers standpoint. Like Boston, they have good depth but lack a standout prospect.
1. Dee Gordon / SS
2. Rubby De La Rosa/ SP/RP
3. Zach Lee / SP
4. Aaron Miller / SP/RP
5. Chris Withrow / SP
6. Kenley Jansen / RP
7. Allen Webster / SP
8. Jerry Sands / 1B/OF
9. Scott Elbert / RP/SP
10. Garrett Gould / SP

20. Arizona Diamondbacks. If Parker picks up where he left off, this system will get a considerable boost. It looks like they will have nine guys in my top 200 list, and I could comfortably put together a respectable top 20 for this system. It's the lack of top-100 talent that hinders this group.
1. Jarrod Parker / SP
2. Tyler Skaggs / SP
3. Wade Miley / SP
4. Bobby Borchering / 3B/1B
5. Pat Corbin / SP
6. Matt Davidson / 3B/OF/1B
7. Charles Brewer / SP
8. Chris Owings / SS/2B
9. Marc Krauss / OF
10. A.J. Pollock / OF

21. Oakland Athletics. Helping Oakland's case is their top four, all top 100 prospects. Just about everything beyond that is hurting this team. They may have the weakest pitching in all of minor league baseball.
1. Michael Choice / OF
2. Grant Green / SS
3. Chris Carter / 1B/OF
4. Jemile Weeks / 2B
5. Ian Krol / SP
6. Max Stassi / C
7. Josh Donaldson / C
8. Adrian Cardenas / 2B
9. Michael Taylor / OF
10. Eric Sogard / 2B

22. Detroit Tigers. Turner is a great talent to have at the top, and their top five rounds out nicely, but the rest of this system leaves a lot to be desired.
1. Jacob Turner / SP
2. Andrew Oliver / SP
3. Nick Castellanos / 3B
4. Charles Furbush / SP
5. Casey Crosby / SP/RP
6. Daniel Schlereth / RP
7. Brayan Villarreal / SP/RP
8. Daniel Fields / OF
9. Adam Wilk / SP/RP
10. Francisco Martinez / 3B

23. Houston Astros. Lyles is a respectable No. 1 who heads up a respectable top nine. After the first nine, this system falls off a cliff. I find it hard to justify a top-15 list for this group.
1. Jordan Lyles / SP
2. Jiovanni Mier / SS
3. Delino DeShields / 2B/OF
4. Mike Foltynewicz / SP
5. Tanner Bushue / SP
6. Jonathan Villar / SS/3B/2B
7. Jimmy Paredes / 2B
8. Austin Wates / OF
9. J.D. Martinez / OF
10. Jay Austin / OF

24. New York Mets. The Mets have a good amount of high-upside talent on their side and a strong No. 1 to lean on, but I was disappointed with their 2010 draft, and they only have one player in my top 100.
1. Wilmer Flores / 3B/SS
2. Reese Havens / 2B/3B/SS
3. Aderlin Rodriguez / 3B
4. Matt Harvey / RP/SP
5. Brad Emaus / 2B/3B/OF
6. Cesar Puello / OF
7. Cory Vaughn / OF
8. Jeurys Familia / SP/RP
9. Dillon Gee / SP
10. Kirk Nieuwenhuis / OF

25. Chicago Cubs. I'm not as high on Brett Jackson and McNutt as most are. The Cubs' system is built on the reputation of those two right now. This system sees a talent dip after the top seven, but a decent top 15 could be pieced together thanks to some high-upside arms in the lower levels.
1. Brett Jackson / OF
2. Trey McNutt / SP
3. Jay Jackson / SP/RP
4. Hayden Simpson / SP
5. Josh Vitters / 3B
6. Michael Burgess / OF
7. Chris Carpenter / RP/SP
8. DJ LeMahieu / 2B
9. Reggie Golden / OF
10. Austin Reed / SP/RP

26. San Francisco Giants. It appears that only Wheeler will fit in my top 100, and, yes, that does account for Belt, who I am far from sold on. It also appears that San Francisco only has three players who will appear in my top 200, despite having some low-level depth to work with.
1. Zack Wheeler / SP
2. Brandon Belt / 1B
3. Gary Brown / OF
4. Eric Surkamp / SP
5. Jorge Bucardo / RP/SP
6. Thomas Joseph / C/1B
7. Ehire Adrianza / SS
8. Rafael Rodriguez / OF
9. Thomas Neal / OF
10. Francisco Peguero / OF

27. Baltimore Orioles. With Baltimore you have Machado, Britton, and everyone else. I could scrape together a top 15, but this team doesn't deserve much more than that at this point.
1. Manny Machado / 3B/SS
2. Zach Britton / SP
3. Matt Hobgood / SP
4. Xavier Avery / OF
5. Ryan Adams / 2B
6. Joe Mahoney / 1B
7. Mychal Givens / SS/3B/2B
8. Ryan Berry / SP/RP
9. Brandon Erbe / RP/SP
10. LJ Hoes / 2B

28. Chicago White Sox. Sale is the only player keeping this system afloat. Escobar should fit into my top 200. Flowers might. You could make a case that this is the thinnest system in baseball.
1. Chris Sale / SP/RP
2. Eduardo Escobar / SS
3. Tyler Flowers / C/1B/OF
4. Brent Morel / 3B
5. Jared Mitchell / OF
6. Andre Rienzo / SP/RP
7. Addison Reed / SP/RP
8. Josh Phegley / C
9. Brandon Short / OF
10. Jacob Petricka / RP/SP

29. Milwaukee Brewers. Milwaukee will have no one in my top 100 after off-season trades pillaged their finer pieces, but they still have some depth that could surprise. I could piece together a top 20 thanks to some mildly intriguing low-level talent.
1. Mark Rogers / SP/RP
2. Caleb Gindl / OF
3. Kyle Heckathorn / SP
4. Wily Peralta / SP
5. Cody Scarpetta / SP/RP
6. Kentrail Davis / OF
7. Amaury Rivas / SP
8. Cutter Dykstra / 3B/2B/OF
9. Scooter Gennett / 2B
10. Logan Schafer / OF

30. Florida Marlins. James is the only one who has a shot at my top 100 list, and there is little left beyond their top 10. Milwaukee's superior low-end talent solidifies Florida's spot as the worst system in baseball.
1. Chad James / SP
2. Brad Hand / SP
3. Matt Dominguez / 3B
4. Kyle Skipworth / C
5. Osvaldo Martinez / 2B/SS
6. Marcell Ozuna / OF
7. Rob Rasmussen / SP/RP
8. Christian Yelich / OF/1B
9. Jhan Marinez / RP
10. Tom Koehler / SP

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This year's big offseason winner was Milwaukee, if you're into the whole win-now thing. But the moves severely thinned the Brewers' farm system, which has been accounted for already in my write-up of the Brewers. The first top prospect to be traded was Brett Lawrie, going to Toronto. Toronto also took a hit of its own when the New York Mets plucked Brad Emaus in the Rule 5 draft. But Toronto's Top 10 list looks stout with the addition of Lawrie:

1. Brett Lawrie / 3B/2B/OF
2. Kyle Drabek / SP
3. Deck McGuire / SP
4. J.P. Arencibia / C
5. Chad Jenkins / SP
6. Travis D'Arnaud / C
7. Carlos Perez / C
8. Adieny Hechavarria / SS
9. Zach Stewart / RP/SP
10. David Cooper / 1B

Milwaukee then traded for Zack Greinke, bolstering the game's best farm system even more. Alcides Escobar and Lorenzo Cain give Kansas City two major league-ready talents with upside, while Jake Odorizzi finds his way into the Top 10, at the expense of Aaron Crow, and Jeremy Jeffress is left on the outskirts:

1. Mike Moustakas / 3B
2. Eric Hosmer / 1B/OF
3. Mike Montgomery / SP
4. Wil Myers / C/OF/1B
5. Daniel Duffy / SP
6. John Lamb / SP
7. Jake Odorizzi / SP
8. Christian Colon / SS
9. Chris Dwyer / SP
10. Johnny Giavotella / 2B

Another major trade this offseason sent Adrian Gonzalez from San Diego to Boston, and three of Boston's top 10 prospects, Casey Kelly, Reymond Fuentes and Anthony Rizzo, to San Diego in return. San Diego's new-found riches have been accounted for in my write-up. Boston's system has certainly lost some luster, but the Red Sox have good depth to fill in the cracks:

1. Kolbrin Vitek / 3B/2B/OF
2. Lars Anderson / 1B
3. Jose Iglesias / SS
4. Bryce Brentz / OF
5. Anthony Ranaudo / SP/RP
6. Oscar Tejeda / 2B
7. Stolmy Pimentel / SP
8. Chris Balcom-Miller / SP
9. Drake Britton / SP
10. Josh Reddick / OF

The third big trade this offseason sent Matt Garza to Chicago in exchange for the Cubs' No. 2, 4 and 6 prospects, Chris Archer, Hak-Ju Lee, and Brandon Guyer. Tampa Bay owns the second-best farm system in baseball and it just got better. Guyer couldn't make the Top 10 cut. Alex Torres and Kyle Lobstein were removed to make room for Archer and Lee:

1. Desmond Jennings / OF
2. Jeremy Hellickson / SP
3. Jake McGee / SP/RP
4. Matthew Moore / SP/RP
5. Nick Barnese / SP
6. Chris Archer / SP
7. Justin O'Connor / C/3B/SS/2B
8. Alex Colome / SP/RP
9. Josh Sale / OF
10. Hak-Ju Lee / SS

The Cubs got a little something to add back to their system when they acquired Michael Burgess in the Tom Gorzelanny trade. Even so, Chicago's system took a beating but is certainly not without talent:

1. Brett Jackson / OF
2. Trey McNutt / SP
3. Jay Jackson / SP/RP
4. Hayden Simpson / SP
5. Josh Vitters / 3B
6. Michael Burgess / OF
7. Chris Carpenter / RP/SP
8. DJ LeMahieu / 2B
9. Reggie Golden / OF
10. Austin Reed / SP/RP

Washington wasn't done retooling with that move. The Nats acquired Corey Brown from Oakland in the Josh Willingham trade. That leaves their system looking like this:

1. Bryce Harper / OF
2. Danny Espinosa / 2B/SS
3. Derek Norris / C
4. A.J. Cole / SP
5. Wilson Ramos / C
6. J.P. Ramirez / OF
7. Corey Brown / OF
8. Eury Perez / OF
9. Sammy Solis / SP
10. Chris Marrero / 1B

And that leaves Oakland's system:

1. Michael Choice / OF
2. Grant Green / SS
3. Chris Carter / 1B/OF
4. Jemile Weeks / 2B
5. Ian Krol / SP
6. Max Stassi / C
7. Josh Donaldson / C
8. Adrian Cardenas / 2B
9. Michael Taylor / OF
10. Eric Sogard / 2B

Did I forget anything?

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1. Christian Friedrich / SP / Many have jumped off the Friedrich bandwagon, but, despite some warning signs, my respect and expectations for him have not slipped. He went through an elbow injury and command issues during his ugly 2010 season, but his exciting repertoire is still accounted for. Expect a dramatic bounce-back year.
2. Tyler Matzek / SP / Much like Friedrich, Matzek has a great repertoire to work with, including a lively fastball, a potential out pitch with his curveball, and a promising changeup. His high walk rate in 2010 is being attributed to how often he used his work-in-progress changeup—in an attempt to develop that elusive, dangerous third pitch—as opposed to his curveball.
3. Wilin Rosario / C / Rosario was on his way to a breakout season before he tore his ACL mid-season. He is expected to make a full recovery, but it is a concern for a catcher. He is adequate defensively, passable but nothing special. It's the offensive aspect of his game that could set him apart, as the home run potential we were waiting for finally surfaced in 2010.
4. Nolan Arenado / 3B / Arenado did just about everything in 2010 you could expect out of a teenager, but he doesn't look like anything special at this point, just a solid professional hitter. He could prove me wrong if some of his gap power translates into more home runs.
5. Chad Bettis / SP/RP / Bettis' varied repertoire fits the mold of a starter more than reliever, and it appears that Colorado will give him every chance to prove he can start. The initial results have been positive.
6. Peter Tago / SP / Tago is a wiry high school right hander with a lively fastball and velocity upside. His secondary offerings are raw to the bone, but he has the work ethic to become special.
7. Juan Nicasio / SP / Colorado has moved Nicasio slowly through their system, one level at a time, and the 2010 numbers were great even though he was old for the California League. He looks the part of a potential mid-rotation starter with his solid stuff but lack of an out pitch.
8. Kyle Parker / OF / Parker is not an overly exciting first-round pick. He is a college outfielder with some holes in his swing who possesses some sneaky speed and has a chance to hit for a bit of power.
9. Rex Brothers / RP / Brothers has been cemented into a future in the bullpen, where his command will dictate his success level, because he has the raw stuff to become a closer.
10. Albert Campos / SP / Campos is a lively-armed teenager who has a promising three-pitch mix, complete with a developing fastball, average changeup, and a potential out pitch with his curveball.

Colorado Rockies: Top 10 Players Under Age 26 (as of 4/1/11)

1. Carlos Gonzalez / OF
2. Jhoulys Chacin / SP/RP
3. Dexter Fowler / OF
4. Christian Friedrich / SP
5. Tyler Matzek / SP
6. Ian Stewart / 3B
7. Wilin Rosario / C
8. Nolan Arenado / 3B
9. Chad Bettis / SP/RP
10. Peter Tago / SP


San Diego Padres: Top 10 Prospects

1. Casey Kelly / SP / Kelly had a down year in attempting to adjust to Double-A. His changeup is effective at times, but his curveball was unreliable and needs work. I still like him, though, as he has good movement and command on his fastball, is young, and there is room for improvement.
2. Simon Castro / SP / Castro brings a promising fastball/slider combination to the table and continues to step up his game wherever he goes. The Pacific Coast League is the only other obstacle standing between him and the majors.
3. Donavan Tate / OF / It's amazing how many people are completely writing off Tate after an ugly debut. He is 20 years old with perhaps the best raw five-tool set of any prospect in baseball. I am in his corner but am also expecting results in 2011.
4. Jaff Decker / OF / Decker had an up and down 2010 California League campaign, yet I consider him to be one of the safest prospects in baseball. He still has some holes in his swing, but he also possesses the patience and power you look for in a corner outfielder.
5. Reymond Fuentes / OF / Fuentes sported a nice Sally League batting average in 2010, and perhaps predictably, but importantly, Fuentes put his elite speed on display, too. He did all that could be expected of him at this point.
6. Anthony Rizzo / 1B / Rizzo put up impressive power numbers in 2010, but his batting average and strikeout total are concerning. His power could carry him, but I'm still skeptical that it will continue at the current rate.
7. Edinson Rincon / 3B/OF / Rincon held his own in the Midwest League. The only aspect of his game that was disappointing was his walk rate. The most impressive aspect was his power, which is coming along nicely. He could be in store for a huge breakout next year.
8. Drew Cumberland / SS/2B / Despite continued injury concerns, Cumberland continues to succeed. Nothing about his game stands out; in fact, I would consider him average across the board for a shortstop, which San Diego would be satisfied with.
9. Cory Luebke / SP / Luebke posted a second consecutive impressive season. He has sharp command of his low-90s fastball, but has average (at best) secondary offerings. He fits the mold of a back-of-the-rotation type right now, but if something clicks with his slider, a bigger future could be in store.
10. John Barbato / SP/RP / I could have made a case for James Darnell or Adys Portillo here, but Barbato is an exciting high school arm from the 2010 draft class who possesses solid velocity and movement on his fastball to go along with the makings of a strong repertoire. I want to give him a chance to impress.

San Diego Padres: Top 10 Players Under Age 26 (as of 4/1/11)

1. Mat Latos / SP
2. Cameron Maybin / OF
3. Casey Kelly / SP
4. Simon Castro / SP
5. Donavan Tate / OF
6. Jaff Decker / OF
7. Kyle Blanks / OF/1B
8. Reymond Fuentes / OF
9. Anthony Rizzo / 1B
10. Edinson Rincon / 3B/OF

Click here to learn about THT's download subscriptions.]]> Matt Hagen 2011-01-27T08:01:15+00:00 http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/fantasy/article/2011-top-10-prospects-los-angeles-dodgers-and-san-francisco-giants/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/fantasy/article/2011-top-10-prospects-los-angeles-dodgers-and-san-francisco-giants/#When:08:05:15 Los Angeles Dodgers: Top 10 Prospects

1. Dee Gordon / SS / Gordon stayed pretty much par for the course in his move up to Double-A in 2010, which is about what I was expecting. It means he is a solid bet to be an effective everyday shortstop, with the possibility for greater things still looming if he can learn to be more patient at the plate and more consistent on the basepaths.
2. Rubby De La Rosa/ SP/RP / De la Rosa sits comfortably in the mid-90s with his fastball and even touches triple digits occasionally. His slider and change-up show promise, too, and his groundball rate in enviable. His endurance doesn't seem to be lacking, either. So what's not to like? His somewhat pedestrian strikeout rate is the only thing keeping his stock from exploding.
3. Zach Lee / SP / Lee has the raw, natural talent of a young ace with his exciting three-pitch mix, athleticism, and competitiveness. There's a lot to like and a lot to prove.
4. Aaron Miller / SP/RP / Miller has a dangerous slider to go along with his above-average fastball, but his command is a work in progress, and his lack of a third pitch hurts his chances. Despite his age, 23, he has upside and could settle in as a mid-rotation starter one day.
5. Chris Withrow / SP / If Withrow could ever harness his enviable three-pitch mix, he could be dangerous. In fact, his curveball could be one of the best in baseball with control on his side. His mechanics are mostly to blame, and my aggressive ranking after a lousy season means I'm holding out hope that he will figure it out soon.
6. Kenley Jansen / RP / Jansen, a converted catcher, came out of nowhere in 2010, using his mid-90s fastball and tremendous natural movement to dominate not only the minor leagues but the 27 innings of big-league ball he saw, too. He has the upside of a closer but has to develop a consistent second pitch in order to get there.
7. Allen Webster / SP / Webster has an average three-pitch mix at present and the potential for more. He gained confidence in his change-up in 2010, giving him a sturdy building block for success. Increased velocity and sharpened command are next on the checklist.
8. Jerry Sands / 1B/OF / Sands posted a fantastic 2010 and has the strength, build, and patience of a major league slugger, but he struggles with good breaking stuff and has a slow swing, leaving him too reliant on his upper-body strength.
9. Scott Elbert / RP/SP / Elbert's chronic lack of command is inching him closer and closer to being moved to the bullpen permanently. But his nasty fastball/curveball combination gives him a chance to excel in a relief role.
10. Garrett Gould / SP / Ethan Martin, Trayvon Robinson, and Ivan DeJesus received a long look, but the slow, consistent growth in Gould won me over. While his change-up has progressed nicely, his curveball has a chance to be a game changer.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Top 10 Players Under Age 26 (as of 4/1/11)

1. Clayton Kershaw / SP
2. Dee Gordon / SS
3. Rubby de la Rosa / SP/RP
4. Zach Lee / SP
5. Aaron Miller / SP/RP
6. Chris Withrow / SP
7. Kenley Jansen / RP
8. Allen Webster / SP
9. Jerry Sands / 1B/OF
10. Scott Elbert / RP/SP


San Francisco Giants: Top 10 Prospects

1. Zack Wheeler / SP / Wheeler's velocity jumped up a peg in 2010 without a loss in movement, but his secondary offerings and command did not follow suit. He is a hurler with youth, velocity, and impressive movement on his side.
2. Brandon Belt / 1B / Belt put together an amazing 2010 campaign, showing everything you look for in a middle-of-the-order prospect from a statistical standpoint. I have little doubt that his patience and contact skills will continue forward, but, judging by his swing, I don't see his home run numbers continuing, which is a serious negative for a first baseman. His swing fits more with the line-drive, gap-to-gap crowd.
3. Gary Brown / OF / Brown is a superb athlete with plus speed. At the plate he has a little power projection to work with, but he needs to clean up his swing and develop a consistent, patient approach.
4. Eric Surkamp / SP / Surkamp has below-average velocity but more than makes up for it with his knee-buckling curveball. He will be making the always-important transition to Double-A in 2011, where we will see how well his strikeout rate holds up.
5. Jorge Bucardo / RP/SP / Bucardo knows what he is good at. He keeps the ball low and lives in the strike zone. He frustrates hitters and has even managed a solid strikeout rate despite his below-average stuff.
6. Thomas Joseph / C/1B / As a catcher, Joseph's power has the potential to be special. Whether or not he can handle catching is another story, as his pro debut got ugly at times. His plate approach needs a serious overhaul, too.
7. Ehire Adrianza / SS / It's pretty clear that power is not a part of Adrianza's game, but he has some useful speed and a solid plate approach to go along with his defensive prowess. If everything goes well, he will become an average big league shortstop.
8. Rafael Rodriguez / OF / Rodriguez sat in limbo in 2010, again showing the athleticism and tools that all stars are made of, but not producing anything in terms of results. Even the advanced plate discipline he hinted at in 2009 was nowhere to be found. But I'm certainly not giving up yet. I just hope he gets a crack at full-season ball this year.
9. Thomas Neal / OF / Neal's home run power and walk rate faded in 2010, which is a bad sign for a wannabe corner outfielder. His gap power and ability to make contact are real, but he needs to show more if he plans to be a major league regular.
10. Francisco Peguero / OF / Peguero's plus speed, strong defense, and solid ability to hit for contact could carry him for a while, but it won't carry him to the majors if his terrible walk rate doesn't improve. He is a talented player, but I have strong doubts about him.

San Francisco Giants: Top 10 Players Under Age 26 (as of 4/1/11)

1. Madison Bumgarner / SP
2. Buster Posey / C
3. Pablo Sandoval / 3B
4. Zack Wheeler / SP
5. Brandon Belt / 1B
6. Gary Brown / OF
7. Eric Surkamp / SP
8. Jorge Bucardo / RP/SP
9. Thomas Joseph / C/1B
10. Ehire Adrianza / SS

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1. Jordan Lyles / SP / Lyles doesn't have an overpowering fastball, but his change-up makes it look better than it is. He has plus command and movement on everything he throws except for his curveball, which shows promise but is a long way off. He has a chance to be the next Oswalt-level Houston hurler.
2. Jiovanni Mier / SS / His defense should be an asset going forward, but he showed that improvement and consistency is needed. Offensively, his slight power and speed potential didn't play much of a factor in 2010 and his strikeout rate was too high, but he showed effective plate discipline. He is still one of my favorite players in the minor leagues but needs to bounce back.
3. Delino DeShields / 2B/OF / DeShields looks like a bit of an overdraft at No. 8 overall in the 2010 draft. He has speed to burn, is a solid defender, and has a little bit of power potential, yet is raw in his plate approach. But that's to be expected of a high schooler. I like him but don't love him.
4. Mike Foltynewicz / SP / Foltynewicz fits the high-upside high school mold with his tall frame, athleticism, low-90s heat, and feel for his secondary offerings. The tools are likable, but there is so much to prove.
5. Tanner Bushue / SP / Bushue had a so-so full-season debut. His body has not taken a jump forward to this point, leaving his velocity in the low 90s at best. His curveball has shown promise, but his overall command has been inconsistent.
6. Jonathan Villar / SS/3B/2B / Villar's strikeout rate and fielding percentage don't inspire much confidence, but he is 19 years old, has some speed to work with, and a nice line-drive swing.
7. Jimmy Paredes / 2B / Paredes is an intriguing athlete with good speed, solid contact skills, and power potential, but is too undisciplined at the plate to fully buy in. Whether or not his power develops could be his make-or-break factor.
8. Austin Wates / OF / Wates has pretty much average skills across the board and still has some projection in his bat. Some say his power could take off, while others think his plate discipline could separate him.
9. J.D. Martinez / OF / His displayed home run power is pushing Martinez up prospect boards, but his flat swing makes me think it won't show at higher levels. His strong approach at the plate should translate, giving him a shot at the majors.
10. Jay Austin / OF / After Martinez, Houston's system thins out considerably. Austin has game changing speed, but his strikeout-to-walk ratio isn't doing him any favors. He still has considerable upside and the ability to improve.

Houston Astros: Top 10 Players Under Age 26 (as of 4/1/11)

1. Jordan Lyles / SP
2. Brett Wallace / 1B/3B
3. Jason Castro / C
4. Jiovanni Mier / SS
5. Delino DeShields / 2B/OF
6. Mike Foltynewicz / SP
7. Tanner Bushue / SP
8. Jonathan Villar / SS/3B/2B
9. Jimmy Paredes / 2B
10. Austin Wates / OF


Arizona Diamondbacks: Top 10 Prospects

1. Jarrod Parker / SP / Reports are positive regarding Parker's return from Tommy John surgery. I am cautiously optimistic. Even though he is a question mark, he is still the best that Arizona's farm system has to offer.
2. Tyler Skaggs / SP / Skaggs has one of the best curveballs in minor league baseball. His fastball sits in the low-90s and his change-up is a below-average offering. He is intriguing but will need to show he has something else to scare hitters with besides his breaking ball.
3. Wade Miley / SP / Miley's curveball isn't far behind Skaggs'. He does a great job of inducing groundballs, and his defense aided him on his way to a breakout 2010.
4. Bobby Borchering / 3B/1B / Borchering is still whiffing more than anyone expected, but posted a stellar 2010. His best tool, his power, took a great first step. Defensively it got ugly at times. It would be a shame if he needs to move to first base, as his arm would be wasted there.
5. Pat Corbin / SP / Corbin has sharp command of a balanced and advanced-for-his-age three-pitch mix, plus he is young enough to gain velocity and potentially develop his slider into an out pitch.
6. Matt Davidson / 3B/OF/1B / Davidson posted a year that was very similar to Borchering's, although I don't see as much future power projection for Davidson. Other than the power, they are similar prospects.
7. Charles Brewer / SP / Brewer showed superb command of a modest repertoire against Single-A competition. He will be 23 when he hits Double-A in 2011 and will either sink or swim.
8. Chris Owings / SS/2B / Owings is young but rather limited in his upside. The best thing he has going for him is that his defense looks stellar at shortstop. He also has some speed to work with and a short, disciplined swing.
9. Marc Krauss / OF / Krauss has disappointed with his contact rate, which was supposed to be a skill that was at least average. His power played up in the California League (whose doesn't?), but doesn't project to be anything more than average.
10. A.J. Pollock / OF / Mike Belfiore and Ryan Wheeler received consideration, but Pollock is the better all-around prospect and also the better bet to reach the majors one day, despite his lack of a standout tool and injury history.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Top 10 Players Under Age 26 (as of 4/1/11)

1. Justin Upton / OF
2. Daniel Hudson / SP
3. Jarrod Parker / SP
4. Brandon Allen / 1B/OF
5. Tyler Skaggs / SP
6. Barry Enright / SP
7. Wade Miley / SP
8. Bobby Borchering / 3B/1B
9. David Hernandez / RP/SP
10. Gerardo Parra / OF

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