Since MLB.com released
its top 100 prospects, a lot of the players have increased their stock, but
others have fallen flat. Here are the top 10 prospects that they came out with
this past offseason:
1.
Byron Buxton, OF, Twins
2.
Oscar Taveras, OF, Cardinals
3.
Miguel Sano, 3B, Twins
4.
Archie Bradley, RHP, D-Backs
5.
Taijuan Walker, RHP, Mariners
6.
Javier Baez, SS, Cubs
7.
Carlos Correa, SS, Astros
8.
Kris Bryant, 3B, Cubs
9.
Francisco Lindor, SS, Indians
10.
Noah Syndergaard, RHP, Mets
And here were my top 10
prospects. Note: I did not include players that already planned on being in the
MLB at the beginning of the year (Xander Bogaerts, Walker, Taveras). Also when
MLB’s list came out, Bogaerts was ranked #2 before moving to the big leagues.
1.
Byron Buxton
2.
Archie Bradley
3.
Javier Baez
4.
Miguel Sano
5.
Andrew Heaney, LHP, Marlins
6.
Jonathan Singelton, 1B, Astros
7.
Noah Syndergaard
8.
Carlos Correa
9.
Gregory Polanco, OF, Pirates
10.
Kris Bryant
Gregory Polanco and
Jonathan Singleton have both played their games in the MLB now, so I’m taking
them off my list. Andrew Heaney was just called up, so I’ll take him off too.
So let’s take a new
look at the list, shall we?
10. Henry Owens, LHP,
Red Sox
Original Rank: NR
MLB Rank: 26
MLB Comparison: Jon
Lester
So far in the minors
this year, Owens is 9-3 with a 1.99 ERA, holding opponents to a .176 batting
average in AA Portland. At times he can throw gems, and at other times it might
be otherwise.
He’s not going to be
the next great left handed pitcher like Clayton Kershaw (nor will have as good
of a no hitter!). But he could be another good left-handed pitcher for Boston,
maybe even the next Jon Lester?
Right now he is in AA,
but he might make the move to AAA quite soon after throwing a seven-inning
shutout Friday. He struck out eight, walked two, and allowed eight ground balls
while throwing 98 pitches. He has thrown at least seven scoreless innings in
four of his past five starts. During that stretch, he is 5-0 with a 0.25 ERA.
If you want a young
left arm, you look at Heaney and Owens. Nothing else compares to them.
9. Miguel Sano, 3B,
Twins
Original rank: 4
MLB rank: 3
MLB Comparison: Andres
Galaragga/Adam Dunn
Miguel Sano would be
higher on this list if he was healthy. However, he was required to have Tommy
John surgery in March. Mind you, he is a hitter and not a pitcher, so having
Tommy John isn’t as devastating as you may think, but he still will be out for
the season. According to Sano, the surgery “went well” and he is optimistic about
playing baseball in the fall.
Sano is only 20 years
old, getting signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2009. He was expected to
come up towards the beginning of the 2015 season, but he will now come up
towards the end of the all-star break next season. He plays third base and
shortstop, but will probably stay at third base to focus more on hitting than
fielding.
He’s a fine fielder,
has a great arm (even with Tommy John), but he’s most known for his power. His
raw power is by far the best in the minors. In 2013, he had a combined 35 home
runs in A+ and AA ball. In AA, he batted just .236, but his OPS was .915, which
is above average.
He can hit 40 home runs
a year, the question is how he can get on base without hitting one out. He
struck out 142 times last year, or about 27% of the time for each plate
appearance. So he is going to strike out a lot in the majors, but he is a solid
four hitter.
You can arguably
compare him as the next Sammy Sosa from the Dominican Republic, but if he keeps
a low batting average, than he might be another Adam Dunn or Mark Reynolds, maybe
even Pedro Alvarez. Either way, you’re still getting a good hitter. I hope for
the best for Sano that he can make a speedy recovery, because he might be the
next four hitter in Minnesota for years to come.
8. Javier Baez, SS Cubs
Original Rank: 3
MLB Rank: 8
MLB Comparison: Pedro
Alvarez
Another guy just like
Sano with lots of power, Baez might come up sometime next month. However, he
has really struggled in his first year in AAA.
At the beginning of the
year he was batting under .150, but has had some hot weeks to get his average
to .222. A .222 average is still not good, but he seems much more comfortable
in AAA now, and he is more likely to be called up to the big leagues this year.
What needs to be more
focused on is not the average, but the strikeout rate. He has struck out 90
times in 64 games… 90 times! To a team that already leads the majors in
strikeouts (offensively, not pitching wise), it’s something that can plague
Chicago.
Home run wise, he’s
still killing the ball. He has 11 home runs and 42 RBI’s, hitting home runs out
of the park… literally. Why he is still an incredible prospect is because he
has the fastest bat speed in the minors. Some scouts have said that they have
never seen at bat speed as his before.
That’s why despite a
low average and a high strikeout rate, Baez is something special. He can hit 40
home runs a year, home runs that will land out of Wrigley. Like Sano, Baez has
a chance to be either Alex Rodriguez or Pedro Alvarez. Either way, you’re still
getting something decent, especially with a team that really struggles
offensively.
When will Baez come up?
We’ll just have to wait and see.
7. Addison Russell, SS,
Athletics
Original Rank: NR
MLB Rank: 11
MLB Comparison: Hanley
Ramirez
Addison Russell, 20,
was drafted 11th overall by Oakland in 2012, but probably could have
easily gone fourth or fifth. He is an all-tool guy and won’t flash you with
anything TOO special… but he does not have much flaws.
As of now, he’s
flirting with AA and AAA, and will probably stay in the minors until the middle
of 2015. He arguably had the best debut of any member of his draft class… and
that’s saying something. Baez, Carlos Correa, and Byron Buxton were all members
of that draft. In his first full season in the minors (110 games), he batted
.269/.369/.495 with 17 homers and 21 steals. Like I said, he has nice all
around talent.
One thing to take from
the most with this kid? He gets on base. His OBP-Average difference is 0.100,
which is very good. Plus, when you take that into an Athletics team that LOVES
drawing walks… he’ll fit in well.
He could lead-off, bat
second, or even clean-up. It’ll be interesting to see where he will bat, when
he will come up, and (sadly) how long he will stay in Oakland.
6. Francisco Lindor,
SS, Indians
Original Rank: NR
MLB Rank: 9
MLB Comparison:
Andrleton Simmons
Another shortstop, I
know. It’s the most abundant position in the minors right now, and there’s even
more to come.
All of the shortstops
we’ve been talking about are mostly offensive shortstops, which you don’t
really see very often, and is why they are on so many people’s lists of top 10
prospects. Lindor, however, is a little different.
Lindor is a defensive shortstop,
as he has one of the best arms in the minor leagues, plus a sharp glove. I
compare him to Simmons because he has the potential to win one or two gold
gloves, but probably won’t have the best defensive year of all time like
Simmons did.
He makes a lot of
contact and shows good pitch recognition offensively, so he won’t strike out
too much. If you want offense, then pick up Baez, but if you want defense, take
Lindor.
Some argue that Lindor
will have the best career because he’s been progressing well and plays smart.
He has attacked each level in the minors, and can be up in the Majors by the
all-star break. Currently, he is batting .281/.360/.403 in 71 games in AAA,
with 19 steals. He can hit for contact as well as, say, Starlin Castro, but he
can draw more walks too.
At only 5’11”, Lindor
might be a small guy, but he’s on his way to becoming the next star in
Cleveland.
Keep reading as I’ll
unveil the Top 5 prospects later this week!
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