We're back! Though Matt Wieters, Andrew McCutchen, and Matt LaPorta have all performed admirably so far this season, the biggest winner to date has to be the Oakland A's. Not only are Gio Gonzalez, Trevor Cahill, and Carlos Gonzalez performing well, but recent graduate Daric Barton is looking strong in the big leagues. And Brett Anderson is making a push to crack our Top 25 at some point this season, with Fautino de los Santos also in the picture.
| We're excited to take on another year of in-season top prospect rankings | ||||||||||||||
| No. | |
Player | |
Pos. | |
Comments | |
Age | |
Org | |
Lvl | |
Pre. |
| 1 | |
Jay Bruce | |
CF | |
Picking up right where he left off in AAA (.382 wOBA); Note: only has 2 BB in 69 PA | |
21.0 | |
CIN | |
AAA | |
1 ↔ |
| 2 | |
Colby Rasmus | |
CF | |
Rumor has it he's being instructed to focus on going oppo; .222/.314/.292 (87 AAA PA) | 21.6 | |
STL | |
AAA | |
2 ↔ | |
| 3 | |
Evan Longoria | |
3B | |
Another solid week in MLB while Rasmus struggles and he'll pass him in our rankings | |
22.4 | |
TB | |
MLB | |
3 ↔ |
| 4 | |
Clayton Kershaw | |
LHP | |
Absolutely dominating AA (1.90 FIP); walk rate is down from '07 and K% pretty similar | |
20.0 | |
LAD | |
AA | |
6 ↑ |
| 5 | |
Clay Buchholz | |
RHP | |
Hasn't been flawless for Boston; looking good through four starts -- 19.6% K, 8.7% BB | 23.6 | |
BOS | |
MLB | |
4 ↓ | |
| 6 | |
Joba Chamberlain | |
RHP | |
Has arsenal to be a No. 1-2 starter; who knows what he'd be like as a MLB starter? | |
22.5 | |
NYY | |
MLB | |
5 ↓ |
| 7 | |
Matt Wieters | |
C | |
.505 wOBA (57 PA) says he's ready for AA; No. 1 hitting prospect entering 2009? | |
21.9 | |
BAL | |
A+ | |
14 ↑ |
| 8 | |
Johnny Cueto | |
RHP | |
Dealing in April after dazzling in March; looking like an excellent bet to become a No. 2 | |
22.1 | |
CIN | |
MLB | |
11 ↑ |
| 9 | |
Cameron Maybin | |
CF | |
While he's mashing in Double-A (.203 IsoP in 69 PA), his 36.2% K is very concerning | |
21.0 | |
FLA | |
MLB | |
9 ↔ |
| 10 | |
Travis Snider | |
RF | |
Making strong transition to A+ (.376 wOBA), though his 33.3% K is also concerning | |
20.2 | |
TOR | |
A+ | |
13 ↑ |
| 11 | |
Homer Bailey | |
RHP | |
This is the Bailey we were waiting for - 2.82 FIP, 4.0% BB; should be back in Cin soon | |
21.9 | |
CIN | |
MLB | |
12 ↑ |
| 12 | |
Jake McGee | |
LHP | |
Pitching extremely well - despite 13.0% BB; holdup is, he now has forearm soreness | |
21.7 | |
TB | |
AA | |
8 ↓ |
| 13 | |
Rick Porcello | |
RHP | |
Living up to extremely high standards - 3.04 FIP, 19.0% K, 6.0% BB, 63% GB, 84 TBF | |
19.3 | |
DET | |
A+ | |
15 ↑ |
| 14 | |
David Price | |
LHP | |
Still has yet to throw a regular-season, pro pitch thanks to a strained left elbow | |
22.6 | |
TB | |
NCAA | |
7 ↓ |
| 15 | |
Andy LaRoche | |
3B | |
Sidelined by a torn ligament in his right thumb; should make '08 debut this week in AA | |
24.6 | |
LAD | |
MLB | |
10 ↓ |
| 16 | |
Andrew McCutchen | |
CF | |
It's hard to look past his success so far this season: .269/.364/.522 through 77 PA | |
21.5 | |
PIT | |
AAA | |
24 ↑ |
| 17 | |
Gio Gonzalez | |
LHP | |
AAA hasn't been much harder than AA for him to date; watch his 13.7% BB, though | |
22.5 | |
OAK | |
AAA | |
19 ↑ |
| 18 | |
Matt LaPorta | |
LF | |
Looking like he could be ready for Triple-A by midseason (.384 wOBA in AA, 69 PA) | |
23.2 | |
MIL | |
AA | |
28 ↑ |
| 19 | |
Chris Marrero | |
1B | |
.200 IsoP looks great, 2% LD does not; started slow in '07; we think he'll get hot soon | |
19.8 | |
WAS | |
A+ | |
18 ↓ |
| 20 | |
Fernando Martinez | |
CF | |
Struggling w/ contact (25.0% K, 80 PA); another guy who could heat up at any moment | 19.5 | |
NYM | |
AA | |
20 ↔ | |
| 21 | |
Angel Villalona | |
1B | |
Though he's the youngest player in Low-A, he'll need to hit more to stay in our Top 25 | |
17.6 | |
SF | |
A | |
29 ↑ |
| 22 | |
Jeff Clement | |
C | |
Off to a blazing start in AAA (.515 wOBA); forcing SEA to find a way to utilize his bat | |
24.6 | |
SEA | |
MLB | |
31 ↑ |
| 23 | |
Trevor Cahill | |
RHP | |
Many people didn't realize how good he was in '07; start believing (2.32 FIP, 66 TBF) | |
20.1 | |
OAK | |
A+ | |
49 ↑ |
| 24 | |
Brandon Wood | |
3B | |
Power is up from '07 so far (.319 IsoP); so are K's (34.7%, 72 PA); BA down (.242) | |
23.1 | |
LAA | |
MLB | |
23 ↓ |
| 25 | |
Carlos Gonzalez | |
RF | |
Handling Triple-A like a big leaguer - .412 wOBA, 11.0% BB, 16.4% K (though 73 PA) | |
22.5 | |
OAK | |
AAA | |
38 ↑ |
| Honorables: Justin Masterson (BOS), Kevin Mulvey (MIN), Matt Antonelli (SD), Nick Adenhart (LAA), Mike Moustakas (KC), and Jarrod Parker (ARI). | ||||||||||||||
| Graduated (final ranking): Daric Barton (17), Joey Votto (21), Jacoby Ellsbury (22). | |
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| Dropped out of Top 25 (previous ranking): Ian Kennedy (16) and Mike Moustakas (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 professional players with less than 130 MLB at-bats or less than 50.0 MLB innings are considered for our rankings | |
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| *** Ages are as of April 21st, 2008 | |
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| **** Level is the highest level the player has reached | |
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| <<< Our February 18th Top 150 | |
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