Top 25 Rankings

September 3, 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
ERA isn't a good talent idicator; his .239 BAA and 21.7% MLB K rate are solid
21
NYY
MLB
1 ↔
2
Jay Bruce
CF
Could have a 30 HR season as early as 2009; .319/.375/.587 w/ 26 HR this year
20
CIN
AAA
4 ↑
3
Justin Upton
CF
Transitioned from .319/.410/.551 MiLB (385 AB) to .239/.287/.398 MLB (88 AB)
20
ARI
MLB
3 ↔
4
Clay Buchholz
RHP
Looking like most polished elite SP prospect since Lincecum; playoff roster spot?
23
BOS
MLB
5 ↑
5
Joba Chamberlain
RHP
Only threw 1.5 starts worth of innings in August ; very tough to get a read on
21
NYY
MLB
2 ↓
6
Colby Rasmus
CF
The best bet in the minors to be a MLB 30/30 man; .312/.429/.624 second half
21
STL
AA
7 ↑
7
David Price
LHP
2007's no. 1 overall pick; schedule to pitch in the Florida Instructional League
22
TB
NCAA
6 ↓
8
Evan Longoria
3B
Southern League MVP will likely get an look for a 2008 opening day roster spot
21
TB
AAA
8 ↔
9
Cameron Maybin
CF
Transitioned from .316/.409/.523 MiLB (323 AB) to .158/.238/.316 MLB (38 AB)
20
DET
MLB
9 ↔
10
Adam Jones
CF
His .257/.297/.317 MLB line (35 AB) doesn't compare to .314/.382/.586 MiLB line
22
SEA
MLB
10 ↔
11
Clayton Kershaw
LHP
Could be the No. 1 prospect in baseball entering '09...if he doesn't graduate first
19
LAD
AA
12 ↑
12
Brandon Wood
3B
Minor League OBP dropped 20 points from AA to AAA; SLG dropped 61 points
22
LAA
MLB
11 ↓
13
Andy LaRoche
3B
Developed his bat & reputation for being injury-prone in '07; still has AS potential
23
LAD
MLB
13 ↔
14
Reid Brignac
SS
1st half line: .254/.306/.419; 2nd half line: .267/.361/.460; solid power potential
21
TB
AA
15 ↑
15
Jacob McGee
LHP
Continues to show signs of front-of-the-rotation potential; 30.8% K this season
21
TB
AA
14 ↓
16
Andrew McCutchen CF
Has a lot to prove in the AFL; has .265/.329/.388 with 11 HR between AA/AAA
20
PIT
AAA
17 ↑
17
Rick Porcello
RHP
07's 27th overall pick may have gone as high as No. 2 without bonus demands
18
DET
HS
20 ↑
18
Homer Bailey
RHP
Has given up 15 hits in 8.0 A+ rehab IP; 17.9% K and 1.40 K/BB this season
21
CIN
MLB
16 ↓
19
Travis Snider
RF
Nearly as high of an offensive ceiling as Bruce - behind in the power department 19
TOR
A
21 ↑
20
Jeff Clement
C
How much of his up-and-down performance can be attributed to RHP/LHP splits? 24
SEA
AAA
19 ↓
21
Johnny Cueto
RHP
20 K vs. 4 BB in 8/24 and 8/29 starts (12.0 IP); has top-of-the rotation potential
21
CIN
AAA
18 ↓
22
Will Inman
RHP
16 K vs. 4 BB through last 11.2 IP; ranked more on production than potential
20
SD
AA
NR ↑
23
Carlos Gonzalez
RF
His blazing second half put him right back on the map as a top OF prospect
21
ARI
AAA
24 ↑
24
Asbrubal Cabrera
SS
At this rate, he could become a solid MLB 2B; just not much power or speed
21
CLE
MLB
23 ↓
25
Matt Wieters
C
Selected 5th overall in '07; soid bet to stick behind the plate, potential impact bat
21
BAL
NCAA
22 ↓
Honorables: Mike Moustakas, Beau Mills, Fernando Martinez, Ian Kennedy, Gio Gonzalez, Josh Vitters, Chris Marrero, and Angel Villalona.
Graduated (final ranking): None.







Dropped out of Top 25 (previous ranking): Fernando Martinez (25).







* Our rankings combine a player's ceiling with the odds that he'll reach it and favor recent production







** Only signed professional players with less than 130 pro at-bats or less than 50 pro innings are considered for our rankings

*** Ages are as of September 9th, 2007







**** Level is the highest level the player has reached







***** Pts. Is the player's score from my prospect ranking program







****** Pre. is the player's rankings from last week's Top 25.






















<<< Our August 27th Top 25 Rankings







<<< Discuss these rankings









<<< How these rankings work





































 

Disclaimer
Our in-season 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 pre-season 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 preseason 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