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Here's the next installment.
Link to writeups for #1-#35:
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Link to write-ups for #76-#110:
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Write-ups for #111-#150:
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Link to the list itself:
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36 Kevin Gausman - Did the Orioles get the best pitcher in the draft 2 years in a row? Features a ++ fastball that touches 98 and a + changeup. BA says his aptitude and intelligence set him apart. Could be in Balt. by the end of the year.
37 Archie Bradley - One of several elite arms taken at the top of the 2011 draft. Very high upside. FB is 93-98 and has above average CB. Needs to cuts down on the walks.
38 Jorge Soler - Some have compared his power potential to that of Sano. BA says the ball explodes off his bat. Also has solid speed and good baserunning instincts, which he used well to go 12 for 13 in SBs in only 134 ABs. Also above-average arm. Good pro debut. Very high upside, but needs development.
39 Albert Almora - Lots of upside here, too. Are there 3 better hitting prospects in an organization than Baez, Soler and Almora? He was Baseball Prospectus' surprise #1 Cubs prospect over Soler and Baez. BA says he has solid power projection and GG-potential defense. Needs to be more selective as he hardly walked at all, altho he didnt K much either.
40 Yasiel Puig - BA's report says he has plus-plus power. Could have as much impact as Cespedes when he's ready. Supposedly has some makeup concerns, but these might just be 'Bryce Harper'-type issues.
41 Roman Quinn - Zoomed up the prospect lists after a very good first pro season. Considered one of the fastest players in the minors and scouts hang an 80 grade on his speed. Also a plus arm at SS, altho he's still learning the position. Projects as being an MLB regular, so I'm ranking him high.
42 Francisco Lindor - Great defensive player and his makeup draws raves. There are concerns about his bat, altho BA says he could be a plus hitter w gap power. Had 27 SBs but BA says his speed is only slightly above average.
43 Brian Goodwin - Very good potential and has progressed rapidly. Solid hitting stats, good CFer, above-average speed and good plate discipline. Span is signed thru 2014, and then, if all goes well, Goodwin takes over CF in Washington.
44 Adam Eaton - With Upton finally gone, his path to regular playing time just got easier. He led the minors in BAvg, hits and 2Bs. Has ++ speed which he uses to amass lots of SBs, he's a legit top prospect and he's slated to be ARizona's everyday CFer. That's why he's this high. His splits were excellent and tho a lefty he actually hit LHers better at all 3 levels in 2012. BA says he also has double-digit power potential.
45 Travis D'Arnaud - It's between him and Zunino for the best catcher prospect in the minors. Excellent splits. 2012 season was cut short by a thumb injury, but that shouldnt affect him long-term. BA says he has potential to be an above-average hitter w plus power. He wont be on the Mets' roster to begin the season, but should be the starter at Citi Field by mid-season or so.
46 Leonys Martin - I think he is one of the most underrated prospects. Destroyed AAA w a 1.032 OPS but when called up just sat on the bench. Has plus speed and plus power potential. Right now, he and Gentry figure to platoon in the CF for the Rangers, w Martin getting most of the ABs as a lefty.
47 Aaron Hicks - He reestablished his top prospect status last year. Has been given a chance to be the Twins' regular CFer. He's competing against Mastroianni and Joe Benson, so if he has any kind of decent spring he has a good chance. Provides some pop and has good SB potential. Very good splits, too. Great arm, and some think he has the best FB in the Twins' system, which unfortunately for the Twins may not be as amazing as it seems.
48 Jedd Gyorko - Has always been an elite hitter w one of the best hit tools in the minors. Also solid power. Altho Headley blocks him at 3B, the Padres recently stated that they want Jedd to win the 2B job.
49 Nolan Arenado - A disappointing year has decreased his prospect status, altho he had a great August. But surprisingly BA still ranked him the #1 Rockies prospect over Dahl and Story. They say he has 20-HR potential and should hit for a hi BAvg. Colo. is giving him a chance to win the 3B job out of ST.
50 Trevor Story - Hi upside and good power/speed potential. Led the SAL in XBHs and also was rated the best defensive SS. BA says he might outgrow SS, but if so should fit well at 3B or 2B.
51 Bubba (Derek) Starling - Folks consider his year disappointing, yet his numbers were solid. K-rate is a concern but he walked some, too. Still very raw but loads of potential. BA says he projects as a plus CFer.
52 Kaleb Cowart - Perhaps the only top prospect left in the Angels system. A highly rated hitter ever since HS (was BA's HS POY). BA says his bat speed is plus from both sides of the plate. He's a good defender at 3B and has a very strong arm. Even tho he had 14 SBs in 2012, BA says he has below-average speed.
53 Matt Barnes - Excellent overall numbers, altho he struggled in the 2nd half. FB sits at 93-95 and touches 98. His CB has plus potential. Seems to project to be a #3 starter w a high likelihood of being that.
54 Julio Teheran - His prospect status has taken a hit the past year. The talent is still there and he's still only 22 y/o but some say he's maxed out his potential already. The 2012 numbers were ugly: 18 HRs, 5.00+ ERA, too many hits and not enough Ks. Due to an altered delivery, his velocity was down about 3 mph last year, and may have been a big reason for the down year. The delivery change was to place less strain on his elbow and knee. His FB sat at 90-93. BA projects him as a #2/#3 starter now. He apparently will get an extended chance in the Atlanta rotation now.
55 Chris Archer - Reestablished his high status as a prospect after a down 2011. Has TOR potential, had a great 2nd half and then impressed in his brief MLB stint last year. FB sits at 92-96 and touches 98, but his slider is his best pitch. His splits were not good, however. Some think he may end up in the pen, but TB evidently will give him a chance to start. He may have a little trouble initially forcing his way into the TB rotation, and figures to be in the bullpen on opening day.
56 Trevor Rosenthal - One of the hardest throwers in the minors. His FB sits in the mid-90's as a starter but as a reliever he throws 98 and touches 101. Has ace potential, but may have even more difficulty than Archer getting into the rotation. Wainwright, Garcia, Westbrook, Lynn and S Miller are the starters for StL but if Garcia is not ready on opening day, Rosey will battle Joe Kelly and perhaps Mitchell Boggs to replace him. If not in the rotation, he'll be in the Cards' pen.
57 Casey Kelly - BA says that he may not have the upside of other pitchers ranked here but he's safer. FB is only 90-92 but has good sink. Was in the rotation at the end of last year and has a chance to be there on opening day but will compete w guys like Stults, Tyson Ross and Freddy Garcia.
58 Bruce Rondon - Could be the best reliever in the minors. Sits at 97-100 and touches 102. His L/R splits are severe, as righties found it almost impossible to hit him but lefties did much better. Was slated to the be the closer in Detroit, but now this role allegedly is up for grabs. Detroit has many viable closer candidates so it's questionable how many saves he'll get but if he does well he could emerge as the primary guy. Control has been a concern.
59 Matthew Davidson - Bat has played well, at least in the minors. His L/R splits were pretty severe. Scouts say he's good enough to stick at 3B. But he now would appear to be blocked in Ariz at 3B and 1B and the OF is crowded, too. Could benefit by a trade.
60 Nick Franklin - Has been a top prospect for a while. Was the youngest hitter in the PCL last year. Has solid power. Altho a switch-hitter, he didn’t hit lefties well at all. BA says his stride from the right side is too long. BA also says he profiles better at 2B than SS. May be ready for MLB soon, but no obvious opening for him in Seattle now,
61 Kolten Wong - Projects to hit for a high average. BA says he has good gap power and is a solid defender at 2B. Was already polished in college and may not have much left to prove in the minors. 2B appears to be there for the taking if he can do it, which may be this summer.
62 Carlos Martinez (Matias) - Hard thrower w great stuff. FB sits at 94-98 and touches 100. BA says his CB and CU could develop into plus pitches. Small stature and some question whether he can be a starter and the Cards' rotation already is very crowded, so he'll probably start in the bullpen when he comes up.
63 Noah Syndergaard - FB ranges from 92-98. When he was w Toronto, BA said his stuff didn’t quite match Sanchez' (8 spots down this list) but was more polished. His path to the bigs should be pretty clear w the Mets. Probably a little while before he's ready.
64 Luis Heredia - The 3rd of the Pirates' trio of pitching studs. One of the youngest prospects on this list. Has perhaps as much talent as practically any pitcher on this list. Throws 91-94 w good movement and could gain even more velocity. BA says his CU and CB could become plus pitches also. Also is very projectible. K rate seems surprisingly low given his stuff, but stats at the short-season level are not nearly as important as potential.
65 Masahiro Tanaka - I consider him the best starting pitcher left in Japan. The new deal he signed allows him to be posted early, so he might be in MLB as early as next year. That's why I moved him way up the list. He's taller than most Japanese pitchers (6'2") and has always had great K rates. Look for him in the upcoming WBC.
66 Alfredo Despaigne - BA has indicated at least twice that he's the best player in Cuba. He set the Cuban Leagues record for HRs in a season once again last year. He's listed at only 5'9", 172 lbs., so he's a "toy cannon". I have no idea whether he'll defect, but he's a good one to take a flyer on if you have room on your minor league roster.
67 Tyler (Chris) Austin - Came out of nowhere to achieve top prospect status. BA says he has a balanced plate approach and excellent hand-eye coordination. His lifetime BAvg so far is .331. Despite his 23 SBs BA says he has only average speed. He is solid in RF w a plus arm. Curiously, he had "reverse" splits in 2012.
68 Mason Williams - Toolsy and athletic, his performance has been good but not great. Tho small, BA says he has uncanny power because of quick wrists and bat speed. Has ++ foot speed but needs to use it better. Like Austin, his splits in 2012 were "reverse".
69 Kyle Zimmer - The 2nd of the big 3 college pitcher draftees, behind Gausman. Was excellent in his limited pro debut. FB sits at 93-95 and touches 97-98. Has a plus CB, average slider and developing CU.
70 Michael Wacha - The 3rd of the big 3 college pitcher draftees. Like Zimmer, he had an excellent pro debut but is not as highly rated by most. FB is 90-93 as a starter but 94-97 as a RP.
71 Aaron Sanchez - Excellent stuff. After the trades, he's now the #1 Jays pitching prospect. His plus FB ranges from 94-98 and also has a plus curve. Needs to cut down on walks. I've never seen such severe reverse splits for anyone: altho he's righty, lefties hit only .106 w a .318 OPS while righties hit .287 w a .739 OPS; and he had 1.10 ERA on the road and a 4.16 ERA at home. BTW, did you know that the park for his 2012 team, the Lo-A Lansing Lugnuts, is called Cooley Law School Stadium?
72 Taylor Guerrieri - Excellent pro debut. BA's #1 prospect in the NY-Penn League. His plus FB ranges from 90-95 and has a plus curve. He reportedly had makeup issues before being the drafted, but the Rays report no such issues. BA says he has an ideal pitcher's body.
73 Courtney Hawkins - Lots of talent but very young. Tremendous bat speed and plus power. Has good foot speed, enough to play CF, BA says. If CF doesn’t work out, his strong arm would make him a good fit for RF. Plate discipline needs a lot of work.
74 Max Fried - Besides the injured Giolito, he might have been the best prep pitcher taken in the 2012 draft. FB sits at 90-94 and touches 96. His CU needs work. BA says he has both a hi ceiling and hi floor.
75 Robert Stephenson - Wasn’t quite as highly rated as the elite 2011 pitcher draftees but he's pitched about as well as any of them. FB sits at 93-97 and touches 100. BA says his CU and CB both project as plus pitches and say that he could be a frontline starter.
Link to writeups for #1-#35:
Link to write-ups for #76-#110:
Write-ups for #111-#150:
Link to the list itself:
36 Kevin Gausman - Did the Orioles get the best pitcher in the draft 2 years in a row? Features a ++ fastball that touches 98 and a + changeup. BA says his aptitude and intelligence set him apart. Could be in Balt. by the end of the year.
37 Archie Bradley - One of several elite arms taken at the top of the 2011 draft. Very high upside. FB is 93-98 and has above average CB. Needs to cuts down on the walks.
38 Jorge Soler - Some have compared his power potential to that of Sano. BA says the ball explodes off his bat. Also has solid speed and good baserunning instincts, which he used well to go 12 for 13 in SBs in only 134 ABs. Also above-average arm. Good pro debut. Very high upside, but needs development.
39 Albert Almora - Lots of upside here, too. Are there 3 better hitting prospects in an organization than Baez, Soler and Almora? He was Baseball Prospectus' surprise #1 Cubs prospect over Soler and Baez. BA says he has solid power projection and GG-potential defense. Needs to be more selective as he hardly walked at all, altho he didnt K much either.
40 Yasiel Puig - BA's report says he has plus-plus power. Could have as much impact as Cespedes when he's ready. Supposedly has some makeup concerns, but these might just be 'Bryce Harper'-type issues.
41 Roman Quinn - Zoomed up the prospect lists after a very good first pro season. Considered one of the fastest players in the minors and scouts hang an 80 grade on his speed. Also a plus arm at SS, altho he's still learning the position. Projects as being an MLB regular, so I'm ranking him high.
42 Francisco Lindor - Great defensive player and his makeup draws raves. There are concerns about his bat, altho BA says he could be a plus hitter w gap power. Had 27 SBs but BA says his speed is only slightly above average.
43 Brian Goodwin - Very good potential and has progressed rapidly. Solid hitting stats, good CFer, above-average speed and good plate discipline. Span is signed thru 2014, and then, if all goes well, Goodwin takes over CF in Washington.
44 Adam Eaton - With Upton finally gone, his path to regular playing time just got easier. He led the minors in BAvg, hits and 2Bs. Has ++ speed which he uses to amass lots of SBs, he's a legit top prospect and he's slated to be ARizona's everyday CFer. That's why he's this high. His splits were excellent and tho a lefty he actually hit LHers better at all 3 levels in 2012. BA says he also has double-digit power potential.
45 Travis D'Arnaud - It's between him and Zunino for the best catcher prospect in the minors. Excellent splits. 2012 season was cut short by a thumb injury, but that shouldnt affect him long-term. BA says he has potential to be an above-average hitter w plus power. He wont be on the Mets' roster to begin the season, but should be the starter at Citi Field by mid-season or so.
46 Leonys Martin - I think he is one of the most underrated prospects. Destroyed AAA w a 1.032 OPS but when called up just sat on the bench. Has plus speed and plus power potential. Right now, he and Gentry figure to platoon in the CF for the Rangers, w Martin getting most of the ABs as a lefty.
47 Aaron Hicks - He reestablished his top prospect status last year. Has been given a chance to be the Twins' regular CFer. He's competing against Mastroianni and Joe Benson, so if he has any kind of decent spring he has a good chance. Provides some pop and has good SB potential. Very good splits, too. Great arm, and some think he has the best FB in the Twins' system, which unfortunately for the Twins may not be as amazing as it seems.
48 Jedd Gyorko - Has always been an elite hitter w one of the best hit tools in the minors. Also solid power. Altho Headley blocks him at 3B, the Padres recently stated that they want Jedd to win the 2B job.
49 Nolan Arenado - A disappointing year has decreased his prospect status, altho he had a great August. But surprisingly BA still ranked him the #1 Rockies prospect over Dahl and Story. They say he has 20-HR potential and should hit for a hi BAvg. Colo. is giving him a chance to win the 3B job out of ST.
50 Trevor Story - Hi upside and good power/speed potential. Led the SAL in XBHs and also was rated the best defensive SS. BA says he might outgrow SS, but if so should fit well at 3B or 2B.
51 Bubba (Derek) Starling - Folks consider his year disappointing, yet his numbers were solid. K-rate is a concern but he walked some, too. Still very raw but loads of potential. BA says he projects as a plus CFer.
52 Kaleb Cowart - Perhaps the only top prospect left in the Angels system. A highly rated hitter ever since HS (was BA's HS POY). BA says his bat speed is plus from both sides of the plate. He's a good defender at 3B and has a very strong arm. Even tho he had 14 SBs in 2012, BA says he has below-average speed.
53 Matt Barnes - Excellent overall numbers, altho he struggled in the 2nd half. FB sits at 93-95 and touches 98. His CB has plus potential. Seems to project to be a #3 starter w a high likelihood of being that.
54 Julio Teheran - His prospect status has taken a hit the past year. The talent is still there and he's still only 22 y/o but some say he's maxed out his potential already. The 2012 numbers were ugly: 18 HRs, 5.00+ ERA, too many hits and not enough Ks. Due to an altered delivery, his velocity was down about 3 mph last year, and may have been a big reason for the down year. The delivery change was to place less strain on his elbow and knee. His FB sat at 90-93. BA projects him as a #2/#3 starter now. He apparently will get an extended chance in the Atlanta rotation now.
55 Chris Archer - Reestablished his high status as a prospect after a down 2011. Has TOR potential, had a great 2nd half and then impressed in his brief MLB stint last year. FB sits at 92-96 and touches 98, but his slider is his best pitch. His splits were not good, however. Some think he may end up in the pen, but TB evidently will give him a chance to start. He may have a little trouble initially forcing his way into the TB rotation, and figures to be in the bullpen on opening day.
56 Trevor Rosenthal - One of the hardest throwers in the minors. His FB sits in the mid-90's as a starter but as a reliever he throws 98 and touches 101. Has ace potential, but may have even more difficulty than Archer getting into the rotation. Wainwright, Garcia, Westbrook, Lynn and S Miller are the starters for StL but if Garcia is not ready on opening day, Rosey will battle Joe Kelly and perhaps Mitchell Boggs to replace him. If not in the rotation, he'll be in the Cards' pen.
57 Casey Kelly - BA says that he may not have the upside of other pitchers ranked here but he's safer. FB is only 90-92 but has good sink. Was in the rotation at the end of last year and has a chance to be there on opening day but will compete w guys like Stults, Tyson Ross and Freddy Garcia.
58 Bruce Rondon - Could be the best reliever in the minors. Sits at 97-100 and touches 102. His L/R splits are severe, as righties found it almost impossible to hit him but lefties did much better. Was slated to the be the closer in Detroit, but now this role allegedly is up for grabs. Detroit has many viable closer candidates so it's questionable how many saves he'll get but if he does well he could emerge as the primary guy. Control has been a concern.
59 Matthew Davidson - Bat has played well, at least in the minors. His L/R splits were pretty severe. Scouts say he's good enough to stick at 3B. But he now would appear to be blocked in Ariz at 3B and 1B and the OF is crowded, too. Could benefit by a trade.
60 Nick Franklin - Has been a top prospect for a while. Was the youngest hitter in the PCL last year. Has solid power. Altho a switch-hitter, he didn’t hit lefties well at all. BA says his stride from the right side is too long. BA also says he profiles better at 2B than SS. May be ready for MLB soon, but no obvious opening for him in Seattle now,
61 Kolten Wong - Projects to hit for a high average. BA says he has good gap power and is a solid defender at 2B. Was already polished in college and may not have much left to prove in the minors. 2B appears to be there for the taking if he can do it, which may be this summer.
62 Carlos Martinez (Matias) - Hard thrower w great stuff. FB sits at 94-98 and touches 100. BA says his CB and CU could develop into plus pitches. Small stature and some question whether he can be a starter and the Cards' rotation already is very crowded, so he'll probably start in the bullpen when he comes up.
63 Noah Syndergaard - FB ranges from 92-98. When he was w Toronto, BA said his stuff didn’t quite match Sanchez' (8 spots down this list) but was more polished. His path to the bigs should be pretty clear w the Mets. Probably a little while before he's ready.
64 Luis Heredia - The 3rd of the Pirates' trio of pitching studs. One of the youngest prospects on this list. Has perhaps as much talent as practically any pitcher on this list. Throws 91-94 w good movement and could gain even more velocity. BA says his CU and CB could become plus pitches also. Also is very projectible. K rate seems surprisingly low given his stuff, but stats at the short-season level are not nearly as important as potential.
65 Masahiro Tanaka - I consider him the best starting pitcher left in Japan. The new deal he signed allows him to be posted early, so he might be in MLB as early as next year. That's why I moved him way up the list. He's taller than most Japanese pitchers (6'2") and has always had great K rates. Look for him in the upcoming WBC.
66 Alfredo Despaigne - BA has indicated at least twice that he's the best player in Cuba. He set the Cuban Leagues record for HRs in a season once again last year. He's listed at only 5'9", 172 lbs., so he's a "toy cannon". I have no idea whether he'll defect, but he's a good one to take a flyer on if you have room on your minor league roster.
67 Tyler (Chris) Austin - Came out of nowhere to achieve top prospect status. BA says he has a balanced plate approach and excellent hand-eye coordination. His lifetime BAvg so far is .331. Despite his 23 SBs BA says he has only average speed. He is solid in RF w a plus arm. Curiously, he had "reverse" splits in 2012.
68 Mason Williams - Toolsy and athletic, his performance has been good but not great. Tho small, BA says he has uncanny power because of quick wrists and bat speed. Has ++ foot speed but needs to use it better. Like Austin, his splits in 2012 were "reverse".
69 Kyle Zimmer - The 2nd of the big 3 college pitcher draftees, behind Gausman. Was excellent in his limited pro debut. FB sits at 93-95 and touches 97-98. Has a plus CB, average slider and developing CU.
70 Michael Wacha - The 3rd of the big 3 college pitcher draftees. Like Zimmer, he had an excellent pro debut but is not as highly rated by most. FB is 90-93 as a starter but 94-97 as a RP.
71 Aaron Sanchez - Excellent stuff. After the trades, he's now the #1 Jays pitching prospect. His plus FB ranges from 94-98 and also has a plus curve. Needs to cut down on walks. I've never seen such severe reverse splits for anyone: altho he's righty, lefties hit only .106 w a .318 OPS while righties hit .287 w a .739 OPS; and he had 1.10 ERA on the road and a 4.16 ERA at home. BTW, did you know that the park for his 2012 team, the Lo-A Lansing Lugnuts, is called Cooley Law School Stadium?
72 Taylor Guerrieri - Excellent pro debut. BA's #1 prospect in the NY-Penn League. His plus FB ranges from 90-95 and has a plus curve. He reportedly had makeup issues before being the drafted, but the Rays report no such issues. BA says he has an ideal pitcher's body.
73 Courtney Hawkins - Lots of talent but very young. Tremendous bat speed and plus power. Has good foot speed, enough to play CF, BA says. If CF doesn’t work out, his strong arm would make him a good fit for RF. Plate discipline needs a lot of work.
74 Max Fried - Besides the injured Giolito, he might have been the best prep pitcher taken in the 2012 draft. FB sits at 90-94 and touches 96. His CU needs work. BA says he has both a hi ceiling and hi floor.
75 Robert Stephenson - Wasn’t quite as highly rated as the elite 2011 pitcher draftees but he's pitched about as well as any of them. FB sits at 93-97 and touches 100. BA says his CU and CB both project as plus pitches and say that he could be a frontline starter.
- Wonderboy
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