Project Prospect's Top 25 Rankings

July 9, 2007
Check back every Monday for the only regularly updated in-season prospect rankings on the internet
No. Player   Pos Notes Age Org Level   Pre.
1   Phil Hughes   RHP   Was able to remove ankle boot two weeks ago; starting a throwing program   21   NYY   MLB   1 ↔
2   Yovani Gallardo   RHP   Came out of pen twice last week: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K; .222 BAA in MLB   21   MIL   MLB   2 ↔
3   Billy Butler   1B   Went 7-for-20 (.350) last week with a 2B and 2 HR; now .286/.315/.452 in bigs   21   KC   MLB   3 ↔
4   Jay Bruce   CF   Nearly hit a HR at Futures Game; went 8-for-17 w/ 4 2B, 3B, and a HR last week   20   CIN   AA   4 ↔
5   Clay Buchholz   RHP   There are rumors that he's going to make his debut for Pawtucket this week   22   BOS   AA   5 ↔
6   Colby Rasmus   CF   He told me that he lost 10 pounds due to his sinus infection, gaining it back now   20   STL   AA   6 ↔
7   Justin Upton   CF   I'm not counting Futures Game stats, but Upton's day sold me a little more on him   19   ARI   AA   10 ↑
8   Jarrod Saltalamacchia   C   After playing regularly between 1B and C last week, he's .315/.364/.481 in MLB   22   ATL   MLB   9 ↑
9   Brandon Wood   3B   Despite going 9-for-27 last week only had 1 XBH, a HR; .264/.345/.476 in AAA   22   LAA   MLB   7 ↓
10   Evan Longoria   3B   Similar to Wood, got hits last week, but only 1 XBH, a HR; 8-for-22 on the week   21   TB   AA   8 ↓
11   Adam Jones   CF   Hit 2 HR on Sun. to turn in a 7-for-29 week, but had just 1 walks vs. 9 strikeouts   21   SEA   MLB   11 ↔
12   Andrew Miller   LHP   Boasts .218 BAA after 35.1 MLB IP this season; one start away from graduating   22   DET   MLB   13 ↑
13   Clayton Kershaw   LHP   Coming off 4BB/4.0 IP GS: didn't affect ranking, allowed Futures & MWL ASG HR   19   LAD   A   12 ↓
14   Homer Bailey   RHP   5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K start helps his rank; more than 1/2 way to graduating   21   CIN   MLB   15 ↑
15   Cameron Maybin   CF   "I'm about 75%, but Det wanted to be on the safe side; give it a couple weeks."   20   DET   A+   14 ↓
16   Fernando Martinez   CF   Injured around the All-Star break for the second season in a row (hand injury)   18   NYM   AA   16 ↔
17   Andy LaRoche   3B   Struck out once last week and walked 4 times, 7-for-23 on the week w/ 2B, HR   23   LAD   MLB   17 ↔
18   Jacoby Ellsbury   CF   Went .375/.444/.438 in MLB stint (6/30-7/5) then hit first HR of '07 on 7/6 in AAA   23   BOS   MLB   19 ↑
19   Joba Chamberlain   RHP   His 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 12 K start was one of the best showings in the minors   21   NYY   AA   NR
20   Jacob McGee   LHP   His 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 13 K start was perhaps the best showing in minors   20   TB   A+   24 ↑
21   Reid Brignac   SS   Coming off a huge 12-for-29 week w/ 4 2B, 2 HR, and 3 walks vs. 0 strikeouts   21   TB   AA   NR
22   Will Inman   RHP   Hot start/rocky start AA trend continues; this time (3 ER, 5.2) he had 7 K vs. 0 BB 20   MIL   AA   22 ↔
23   Wade Davis   RHP   Only has 4 BB through 25.2 AA IP, but .239 BAA and 23.2% K rate aren't great   21   TB   AA   21 ↓
24   Jeff Clement   C   5-for-26 week w/ 2B, 3B, 5 BB, amd 3 K isn't great; Barton, Walker were worse   23   SEA   AAA   NR
25   Adam Miller   RHP   Allowed 5 ER on 4 H in 2.2 IP while striking out 4 and walking 2 in his last start   22   CLE   AAA   20 ↓
Honorable Mentions: Daric Barton, Travis Snider, Neil Walker, Andrew McCutchen, Asdrubal Cabrera, Joey Votto, and Chris Marrero.    
Graduated (final ranking): None.                    
Dropped Out of Top 50 (previous ranking): Daric Barton (18), Neil Walker (23), and Carlos Gomez (25).                
* Our rankings combine a player's ceiling with the odds that he'll reach it and favor recent production                
** Only players with less than 130 pro at-bats or less than 50 pro innings are considered for our rankings                
*** Ages are as of July 7th, 2007                    
**** Level is the highest level the player has reached                
***** Pre. is the player's rankings from last week's Top 50.                
                             
<<< Click here to see our July 2nd Top 25 Rankings                
<<< Click here to discuss this week's rankings                

 

Disclaimer
Our in-season Top 25 rankings are a tool that we’ve chosen to implement for the first time this season. We realize that this weekly exercise cannot be as thorough as creating a Top 100 prospect list – which involves months of thought and research. So why even bother publishing these rankings? For fun.

Just like any coaches poll or other in-season rankings, our rankings won’t be as concrete as the ones that can be made when you’re looking at something somewhat after the fact. (We’re still adjusting to the volatile nature of in-season rankings as well.) Lists will stray far from then maybe come back to looking like our previous prospect lists. A few odd names will work their way into the rankings--emphasis is on recent performance.

Think of these rankings like a giant coliseum battle. Everyone will be going after everyone; the air will be cluttered with dust. Then our Top 100 prospect list will be our take once the dust settles. Until then, just remember that's we're trying to judge a battle while it's still in progress.

We hope to provide an entertaining glimpse of our thought process, and a snapshot of how the prospect scene changes throughout the season.

A few other important notes: 1) More than ever, we’re going to begin relying on numbers for our rankings. Perhaps we could make better lists by regularly talking to people in the industry, but that’s not our style. 2) We’ll be balancing 2006 and 2007 numbers in order to draw upon the best sample that we see fit – the same methods will be applied to each prospect.


I am prepared to answer questions in more detail upon email request,

Adam Foster
Project Prospect Founder
adamf@projectprospect.com