Top 30 Outfielders Under 25

This is the sixth installment of our seven-part series on the top players under 25 by position. So far, we’ve ranked catchers, first basemen, second basemen, shortstops, and third basemen.

Notes: For this series, we've ranked players based both on potential and proximity to the majors -- opposed to mainly ceiling as we did in our Top 100. Think of this list as one you'd take into a dynasty league draft. Players like Billy Butler, who we see as career designated hitters, were not considered for this list but will be in our Top 200 Overall Under 25. April 1st, 2007 was used as the cutoff date for eligibility on this list.

 

1. Delmon Young, MLB, TB (9/14/85): Looking to follow in the footsteps of Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez, and Joe Mauer – No.1 overall draft picks who have become stars – Young hit a speed bump when he lost his patience, his mind, and his bat (in an umpire’s chest) in April of 2006. Upon his late-summer call-up, however, the 20-year-old won over Devil Ray management with his outstanding skills and fierce work ethic. Criticized for impatience, both at the plate and off the field, Young nevertheless appears certain to be a star.

 

 
2. Grady Sizemore, MLB, CLE (8/2/82): Grady Sizemore has it all: he makes contact, drives the ball all over the park, features great speed and defensive abilities, and on top of all that, the ladies love him. The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder posted an impressive .290/.375/.533 vital line as the center fielder and leadoff man for the Indians last season. That Sizemore ranks below Young in this list is more a complement to Young than a hack on Sizemore.

 

 
3. Nick Markakis, MLB, BAL (11/17/83): Rising to stardom faster than anyone expected, Markakis impressed the entire league last year with his ability to persevere through a horrible first two months. By the end of his rookie season, he became a feared hitter in the heart of the Orioles line-up. Markakis is patient and capable of hitting the ball to all fields. He’ll likely open 2007 as Baltimore’s No. 3 hitter.

 

 
4. Jeremy Hermida, MLB, FLA (1/30/84): Can you remember back to February of 2006? Hermida was sitting pretty as the No. 4 prospect on Baseball America’s Top 100 list. While the Marietta, Ga. native had a disappointing rookie campaign (.251/.332/.368), his potential is not to be forgotten. Hermida, 23, posted a ridiculous .293/.457/.518 line in his last minor league season. Expect the sweet-swinging lefty to open the season healthy and show the ability that has left talent evaluators agape for years.

 

 
5. Carlos Quentin, MLB, ARI (8/28/82): In 346 minor league contests, Carlos Quentin produced a strong .309/.427/.522 vital line, leaving the Stanford product primed for a big league call-up last season. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound slugger may have struggled a bit to produce a solid average (.253), but he did manage nine home runs and 32 RBI in just 166 at-bats en route to establishing a .533 slugging number. Expect a breakout season from Quentin in 2007.

 

 
6. Chris Young, MLB, ARI (9/5/83): Always an eye-catching prospect because of his athleticism and speed, Young was a controversial prospect just a few years ago because of his high strikeout rates. He improved drastically in 2006. And after three straight years with an OPS over .870 and 20 home runs Young’s expected to do great things. The Diamondbacks outfield of the future is stacked, but Young may prove to be the best of the group.

 

 
7. Matt Kemp, MLB, LAD (9/23/84): Unlike the majority of the guys above him on this list, the 6-foot-4 and very athletic Kemp was not a first-round draft pick. Instead he fell to the sixth, possessing immense physical tools but without much polish. A 27-HR season at High-A Vero Beach in 2005 and last year’s romp through the upper minor leagues broadcast his ability. While Kemp looked very streaky in his 154 big league at-bats, not many 21-year-olds storm Triple-A with such a high OPS (.737).

 

 
8. Jeff Francoeur, MLB, ATL (1/8/84): A Georgia legend since his high school days as two-sport star (football/baseball), Francoeur’s mercurial free-swinging ways have attracted accolades and denigrators alike. The raw power and infectious joy displayed during one of his first hitting streaks earned him a Sports Illustrated cover piece in 2005, but his horrible OBP and massive strikeout numbers scare many into believing he is actually a very limited young player. He practiced hitting breaking balls all winter in the cage…will it show in 2007?

 

 
9. Jay Bruce, A, CIN (4/3/87): Jay Bruce is as big as they come when talking impact prospects. He posted a solid .291/.355/.516 vital line while playing though a shoulder injury last season at Single-A Dayton. Prior to injuring his shoulder, the 19-year-old put up a 1.060 July OPS. Bruce has what it takes to quickly move up this list and could become baseball’s No. 1 prospect as soon as 2008.

 

 
10. Cameron Maybin, A, DET (4/4/87): After being the consensus second-best high schooler in the 2005 draft, Maybin leaped ahead over Justin Upton with a superior 2006. Toolsy to the extreme, Maybin projects to be a graceful centerfielder who can hit for power and average. Standing 6-foot-4 with plenty of room to fill out, Maybin could become an impact player capable of 30-30 seasons and gold glove defense. Ken Griffey Jr. comparisons are premature, but perhaps just.

 

 
11. B.J. Upton, MLB, TB (8/21/84): Perhaps no other top prospect’s rise to the majors has been so poorly handled. Upton’s quick ascension as a 20-year-old in 2004 to play an error-heavy shortstop for Tampa Bay seems to have set him back, as has his continued inability to become a reliable defender anywhere in the infield. Despite a very good 2005 in Durham – .882 OPS (.392/.490), Upton relapsed last year. His speed is breathtaking, but can he overcome a rough beginning to become an all-star in the outfield?

 

 
12. Lastings Milledge, MLB, NYM (4/5/85): Controversially cocky in his 2006 big league stint, Milledge underperformed in his 166 at-bat debut and quickly found himself back in the minor leagues – and on the trading block. Thus far the Mets have declined to move the toolsy Milledge for pitching help, but a slow start to 2007 may change their thinking. Milledge possesses quick hands and good speed but has struggled to steal bases effectively or display any pronounced power.

 

 
13. Carlos Gonzalez, AA, ARI (10/17/85): The Venezuelan corner outfielder with a strong arm has leapt onto everyone’s radar screens after posting back-to-back seasons with excellent power. Despite his 6-foot-1, 170-pound frame, Gonzalez pounded out 120 extra-base hits over the past two seasons – although at the expense of unimpressive strikeout-to-walk ratios. After his very strong showing in the Venezuelan Winter League, the Diamondbacks will be hoping Gonzalez can improve his contact rates while maintaining his long ball numbers.

 

 
14. Fernando Martinez, A+, NYM (10/10/88): Known as “ Pequeño ” in the Arizona Fall League, Martinez, 18, is the top teenage Dominican prospect in the minors. After signing to a $1.4 million contract in 2005, he tore up Low-A Hagerstown before being awarded a late-season promotion to High-A St. Lucie. His production slowed after the promotion, but he put up .279/.336/.457 combined vitals.

 

 
15. Andrew McCutchen, AA, PIT (10/10/86): McCutchen impressed in 2006, especially with his enthusiastic and successful finish in Double-A. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound McCutchen showed power and speed in his rise through the Pirates’ system, as well as confidence. And he has said that Double-A was actually easier for him because the pitchers weren’t so wild or scared of pitching to him. If the hardest jump in the minors really came that easy for him, look out.

 

 
16. Justin Upton, A, ARI (8/25/87): The Diamondbacks quickly saw that Justin Upton’s future would be made far easier with a switch to center field. An extraordinary athlete – taller and more muscular than his sleek older brother – Upton has shown power and promise despite a slow start to his professional career. 2007 will be very important for the 2005 No. 1 overall draft pick, as he looks to establish himself after the more impressive debuts of talented draftmates Maybin, Bruce, and McCutchen.

 

 
17. Jose Tabata, A, NYY (8/12/88): Tabata has the tools to become an all-star and maybe even a MVP-caliber player, but he’s still just a 5-foot-11, 160-pound 18-year-old. His .298/.377/.420 vitals in 319 Single-A Charleston at-bats show that he is primed to climb to the next level in the Yankees’ organization (High-A Tampa), where he’ll continue to attempt recover from wrist injuries and use a plate approach that is beyond his years to compensate for playing against much older opponents.

 

 
18. Colby Rasmus, A+, DET (8/11/86): The first premier Cardinals position prospect in years, Rasmus possesses superb athleticism and is the heir apparent to the aging Jim Edmonds in center field. Having shown gap power and relatively strong plate discipline in his first full professional season, the 6-foot-1 Rasmus projects to have 25-25 ability with his power and speed, as well as the capability to be an effective top-of-the order hitter.

 

 
19. Andre Ethier, MLB, LAD (4/10/82): After being dealt by Oakland in the Milton Bradley trade, Either has further made a name for himself wearing Dodger blue. The Arizona State product had a rookie year to remember, posting an impressive .308/.365/.477 vital line in 126 big league games. The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder will look to prove that his rookie campaign was no fluke in 2007.

 

 
20. Melky Cabrera, MLB, NYY (8/11/84): Pretty much no where to be found on 2006 top prospect lists, Cabrera put up a .280/.360/.391 vital line as a 22-year-old in his first full major league season. Incredibly, his 2006 big league numbers were arguably better than his 2005 Double-A numbers. So why the sudden ascension? Strike zone control. Cabrera walked 56 times while only striking out 59 in 460 at-bats. He nearly K’d twice for every walk in the minors.

 

 
21. Adam Jones, MLB, SEA (8/1/85): In his first full season at Triple-A Tacoma, Jones not only handled a position change (shortstop to outfield) well, but mashed, too, hitting .287/.345/.484 with 16 home runs and 19 doubles, while stealing 13 bases in 17 attempts. The 21-year-old is Chris Young-lite to us, a tier below because of his inconsistency, lack of plate discipline, and lesser power numbers. Jones could someday be a 20/20 man with an OPS around 800.

 

 
22. Elijah Dukes, AAA, TB (6/26/84): Dukes is a modern day triple threat: He’s got power, he’s got speed, and he’s got baggage. Six-foot-2, 220 pounds and a terrific athlete, Dukes has consistently impressed over the past two seasons in Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham. In 200 games, he’s put up 28 home runs, 10 triples, and 36 doubles, all the while improving his plate discipline. The Devil Rays are currently dedicated towards working with the troubled Dukes rather than isolating or trading him.

 

 
23. Travis Buck, AA, OAK (11/18/83): Travis Buck is the model of consistency, never posting a batting average below .302 at each of his four minor league stops to date. In 497 at-bats in the minors, the Richland, Wash. product has hammered 53 doubles and walked 60 times en route to posting a strong .328/.399/.511 vital line. Buck, 22, will likely begin the season with Triple-A Sacramento and could be starting in Oakland by season’s end.

 

 
24. Hunter Pence, AAA, HOU (4/13/83): Homegrown Hunter Pence is making an impact in the farm system of the Houston Astros. Pence, a Fort Worth, Tex. native, offers a solid combination of power and ability to hit for average. He has a career vital line of .302/.376/.556 in 1,175 minor league at-bats. Despite losing 20 pounds during the season because of the Texas heat last summer, the 6-foot-4, 210-pounder had 67 extra base hits, including 28 home runs, in 136 games at Double-A Corpus Christi – though most of his mashing took place in the first half of the season.

 

 
25. Jacoby Ellsbury, AA, BOS (9/11/83): In his 146-game minor league career Ellsbury has proven to be a solid leadoff man. Ellsbury, who hails from Madras, Oregon, has produced an efficient 73:73 walk to strikeout rate to develop a .306/.391/.427 line over three levels. A member of the 2005 Oregon State College World Series team, Ellsbury should make his presence felt at Triple-A Pawtucket this season. He will likely land in Boston by September.

 

 
26. Felix Pie, AAA, CHC (2/8/85): After many a year of anticipation, Pie appears poised to make some kind of impact in the Chicago Cubs lineup this season. Pie has been a part of four minor league championship teams in his five minor league seasons, steadily improving along the way. The LaRomana, Dominican Republic product has a vital line of .294/.353/.459 in 487 career minor league games. A speedster, Pie will be doing his part to bring his winning minor league roots to the big league club in 2007.

 

 
27. Dexter Fowler, A, COL (3/22/86): Following a strong 2006 campaign at Single-A Asheville, Fowler’s name has become a rather intriguing one. Fowler, 20, produced a .296/.373/.462 line in 99 games. The Alpharetta, Georgia native hit 31 doubles while adding an impressive 43 stolen bases as well. Expect continued success as the 6-foot-4, 173-pounde five-tool talent continues to fill out his frame while advancing to the upper levels of the minors.

 

 
28. Carlos Gomez, AA, NYM (12/4/85): With a similar tool set and frame as Jose Reyes, Gomez could explode in the next few seasons. But he doesn’t draw many walks or hit for enough power at the moment. Look for the 21-year-old to advance up to Triple-A and not put up better numbers than he managed in Double-A. It’s very likely that Gomez’s breakout season won’t come until he reaches the bigs. Until then, he just eeks in at the tail end of this list.

 

 
29. Shin-Soo Choo, MLB, CLE (7/30/82): Choo is a prime example of why were thought a list like this would be so interesting. How many people are honestly going to draft him in their fantasy leagues this year? Next to none. But he has a very good chance of eventually turning into at least an average big leaguer. Choo, 24, hit .323/.394/.499 in 375 Triple-A at bats last season and maintained practically the same level of success in the big leagues. He’s a .300, 15/15 talent waiting to happen.

 

 
30. Franklin Gutierrez, MLB, CLE (2/21/83): Gutierrez completes one of the most talented young outfields in baseball. While the 24-year-old doesn’t have the same kind of fantasy potential as Choo, he should join him as a solid big league outfielder. Gutierrez hit .278/.373/.433 with nine home runs in 349 Triple-A at-bats last season.

 

Check back next Saturday for our top 50 pitchers under 25.