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. | |
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Dropped out of Top 25 (previous ranking): Fernando Martinez (25). | |
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* Our rankings combine a player's ceiling with the odds that he'll reach it and favor recent production | |
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** Only signed professional players with less than 130 pro at-bats or less than 50 pro innings are considered for our rankings | |
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*** Ages are as of September 9th, 2007 | |
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**** Level is the highest level the player has reached | |
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***** Pts. Is the player's score from my prospect ranking program | |
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****** Pre. is the player's rankings from last week's Top 25. | |
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<<< Our August 27th Top 25 Rankings | |
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<<< Discuss these rankings | |
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<<< How these rankings work | |
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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