Baseball America's 2014 Organizational Top 10 Prospects Thread (Today - AL WEST)

[Jaypers]

Just got hold of the latest magazine, containing the N.L. Central lists. :mrgreen:


CHICAGO CUBS TOP 10 PROSPECTS
1. JAVIER BAEZ, SS
2. KRIS BRYANT, 3B
3. C.J. EDWARDS, RHP
4. ALBERT ALMORA, OF
5. JORGE SOLER, OF
6. PIERCE JOHNSON, RHP
7. ARISMENDY ALCANTARA, 2B/SS
8. JEIMER CANDELARIO, 3B
9. DAN VOGELBACH, 1B
10. ARODYS VIZCAINO, RHP

BEST TOOLS
Best Hitter for Average Albert Almora
Best Power Hitter Javier Baez
Best Strike-Zone Discipline Jeimer Candelario
Fastest Baserunner Jacob Hannemann
Best Athlete Jacob Hannemann
Best Fastball C.J. Edwards
Best Curveball C.J. Edwards
Best Slider Pierce Johnson
Best Changeup Kyle Hendricks
Best Control Kyle Hendricks
Best Defensive Catcher Will Remillard
Best Defensive Infielder Christian Villanueva
Best Infield Arm Kris Bryant
Best Defensive Outfielder Albert Almora
Best Outfield Arm Jorge Soler

 

[Jaypers]

CINCINNATI REDS TOP 10 PROSPECTS
1. ROBERT STEPHENSON, RHP
2. BILLY HAMILTON, OF
3. PHILLIP ERVIN, OF
4. JESSE WINKER, OF
5. YORMAN RODRIGUEZ, OF
6. MICHAEL LORENZEN, RHP
7. CARLOS CONTRERAS, RHP
8. NICK TRAVIESO, RHP
9. BEN LIVELY, RHP
10. TUCKER BARNHART, C

BEST TOOLS
Best Hitter for Average Phillip Ervin
Best Power Hitter Jesse Winker
Best Strike-Zone Discipline Jesse Winker
Fastest Baserunner Billy Hamilton
Best Athlete Billy Hamilton
Best Fastball Robert Stephenson
Best Curveball Robert Stephenson
Best Slider Curtis Partch
Best Changeup Ismael Guillon
Best Control Drew Cisco
Best Defensive Catcher Tucker Barnhart
Best Defensive Infielder Tanner Rahier
Best Infield Arm Cory Thompson
Best Defensive Outfielder Ryan LaMarre
Best Outfield Arm Yorman Rodriguez

 

[Jaypers]

MILWAUKEE BREWERS TOP 10 PROSPECTS
1. JIMMY NELSON, RHP
2. TYRONE TAYLOR, OF
3. MITCH HANIGER, OF
4. JOHNNY HELLWEG, RHP
5. VICTOR ROACHE, OF
6. TAYLOR JUNGMANN, RHP
7. ORLANDO ARCIA, SS
8. DAVID GOFORTH, RHP
9. DEVIN WILLIAMS, RHP
10. HUNTER MORRIS, 1B

BEST TOOLS
Best Hitter for Average Michael Ratterree
Best Power Hitter Victor Roache
Best Strike-Zone Discipline Jason Rogers
Fastest Baserunner Johnny Davis
Best Athlete Tyrone Taylor
Best Fastball Damien Magnifico
Best Curveball Jorge Lopez
Best Slider Jimmy Nelson
Best Changeup Hiram Burgos
Best Control Rob Wooten
Best Defensive Catcher Adam Weisenburger
Best Defensive Infielder Yadiel Rivera
Best Infield Arm Orlando Arcia
Best Defensive Outfielder Tyrone Taylor
Best Outfield Arm Mitch Haniger

 

[Jaypers]

PITTSBURGH PIRATES TOP 10 PROSPECTS
1. GREGORY POLANCO, OF
2. JAMESON TAILLON, RHP
3. TYLER GLASNOW, RHP
4. AUSTIN MEADOWS, OF
5. NICK KINGHAM, RHP
6. ALEN HANSON, SS
7. JOSH BELL, OF
8. REESE MCGUIRE, C
9. HAROLD RAMIREZ, OF
10. LUIS HEREDIA, RHP

BEST TOOLS
Best Hitter for Average Gregory Polanco
Best Power Hitter Andrew Lambo
Best Strike-Zone Discipline Austin Meadows
Fastest Baserunner Gregory Polanco
Best Athlete Gregory Polanco
Best Fastball Tyler Glasnow
Best Curveball Jameson Taillon
Best Slider Stolmy Pimentel
Best Changeup Nick Kingham
Best Control Nick Kingham
Best Defensive Catcher Reese McGuire
Best Defensive Infielder Gift Ngoepe
Best Infield Arm Edwin Espinal
Best Defensive Outfielder Gregory Polanco
Best Outfield Arm Willy Garcia

 

[Jaypers]

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS TOP 10 PROSPECTS
1. OSCAR TAVERAS, OF
2. CARLOS MARTINEZ, RHP
3. KOLTEN WONG, 2B
4. STEPHEN PISCOTTY, OF
5. MARCO GONZALES, LHP
6. TIM COONEY, LHP
7. ALEX REYES, RHP
8. JAMES RAMSEY, OF
9. ROB KAMINSKY, LHP
10. CARSON KELLY, 3B/C

BEST TOOLS
Best Hitter for Average Oscar Taveras
Best Power Hitter Xavier Scruggs
Best Strike-Zone Discipline Mike O’Neill
Fastest Baserunner Charlie Tilson
Best Athlete C.J. McElroy
Best Fastball Carlos Martinez
Best Curveball Rob Kaminsky
Best Slider Carlos Martinez
Best Changeup Marco Gonzales
Best Control Tim Cooney
Best Defensive Catcher Audry Perez
Best Defensive Infielder Patrick Wisdom
Best Infield Arm Patrick Wisdom
Best Defensive Outfielder Tommy Pham
Best Outfield Arm Stephen Piscotty

 

[SINFULONE]

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS TOP 10 PROSPECTS
1. OSCAR TAVERAS, OF
2. CARLOS MARTINEZ, RHP
3. KOLTEN WONG, 2B
4. STEPHEN PISCOTTY, OF
5. MARCO GONZALES, LHP
6. TIM COONEY, LHP
7. ALEX REYES, RHP
8. JAMES RAMSEY, OF
9. ROB KAMINSKY, LHP
10. CARSON KELLY, 3B/C

BEST TOOLS
Best Hitter for Average Oscar Taveras
Best Power Hitter Xavier Scruggs
Best Strike-Zone Discipline Mike O’Neill
Fastest Baserunner Charlie Tilson
Best Athlete C.J. McElroy
Best Fastball Carlos Martinez
Best Curveball Rob Kaminsky
Best Slider Carlos Martinez
Best Changeup Marco Gonzales
Best Control Tim Cooney
Best Defensive Catcher Audry Perez
Best Defensive Infielder Patrick Wisdom
Best Infield Arm Patrick Wisdom
Best Defensive Outfielder Tommy Pham
Best Outfield Arm Stephen Piscotty

Scruggs more power than Taveras?

 

[r2d2]

No Villanueva on the Cubs and Heredia falling to ten on the Pirates =(

 

[Jaypers]

A few observations.

* Mike Olt not on the Cubs list.

* Clint Coulter not on the Brewers list.

* Rob Kaminsky ranked quite a bit lower than I expected.

* Tyrell Jenkins not on the Cardinals list.

 

[SINFULONE]

Wasn't Jenkins hurt part of the year?Where should Cardinals system be ranked this year?

 

[shayscards79]

The Pirates system is looking pretty damn good.

I'm really surprised they had Candelario at 8 for the Cubs.

 

[All The Hype]

Just got hold of the latest magazine, containing the N.L. Central lists. :mrgreen:


CHICAGO CUBS TOP 10 PROSPECTS
1. JAVIER BAEZ, SS
2. KRIS BRYANT, 3B
3. C.J. EDWARDS, RHP
4. ALBERT ALMORA, OF
5. JORGE SOLER, OF
6. PIERCE JOHNSON, RHP
7. ARISMENDY ALCANTARA, 2B/SS
8. JEIMER CANDELARIO, 3B
9. DAN VOGELBACH, 1B
10. ARODYS VIZCAINO, RHP

BEST TOOLS
Best Hitter for Average Albert Almora
Best Power Hitter Javier Baez
Best Strike-Zone Discipline Jeimer Candelario
Fastest Baserunner Jacob Hannemann
Best Athlete Jacob Hannemann
Best Fastball C.J. Edwards
Best Curveball C.J. Edwards
Best Slider Pierce Johnson
Best Changeup Kyle Hendricks
Best Control Kyle Hendricks
Best Defensive Catcher Will Remillard
Best Defensive Infielder Christian Villanueva
Best Infield Arm Kris Bryant
Best Defensive Outfielder Albert Almora
Best Outfield Arm Jorge Soler

I understand he had a great year and was MiLB pitcher of the year, but I'm surprised no one has even mentioned the ranking of Edwards over Almora and Soler! I have more CJ than I can count, so I'm happy about this, but I thought he'd be ranked 5th behind the big 4 position players. What an incredible system.

Also surprised Olt isn't on the list at all. I think he bounces back in 2014.

 

[Jaypers]

I understand he had a great year and was MiLB pitcher of the year, but I'm surprised no one has even mentioned the ranking of Edwards over Almora and Soler! I have more CJ than I can count, so I'm happy about this, but I thought he'd be ranked 5th behind the big 4 position players. What an incredible system.

Also surprised Olt isn't on the list at all. I think he bounces back in 2014.

From the chat:

Jeff C (Matteson, IL): I was mildly surprised to see CJ Edwards ranked so highly. Does his # 3 ranking suggest that BA sees him as capable of sticking as a starter despite his weight issues?

John Manuel: Yes. Durability concerns continue with Edwards and will continue at his current size, but his stuff was firm deep into September; the 93-95 mph reports I got in his last Florida State League start were from outside the organization, not within it. Superstars are unique. Edwards has a chance to be a superstar. He certainly is unique. I understand the trepidation about him; the comps to him start with Oil Can Boyd and I had another scout talk about Satchel Paige. That’s instructive only in that players that skinny don’t come around that often. My man-crush on Edwards is out there, even though I’ve backed up a bit, and I don’t think the Cubs officials would rank him ahead of, say, Almora or even maybe Soler because Almora is safe bet and Solar has such upside. Durability is the concern but frankly that makes him not too different from every other pitcher on the planet, right?

@Jaypers413 (IL): Thanks for the chat, John. How far off the top 10 did Mike Olt land, and are you reasonably confident he'll rebound this year? What is his future position likely to be once he gets the call?

John Manuel: The Cubs have 3 tough holdovers, for me, to rank. I lump Olt in with Brett Jackson and Josh Vitters. I know Olt is new to the organization, but his season was just as disastrous as Jackson’s, if not moreso. He had a concussion that complicates matters as we’ve seen in recent years. I always liked Olt but one scout I was talking to who had Cubs pro coverage just wasn’t optimistic about his return. I think he’s going to give 3B a try again but it won’t matter if he doesn’t hit. He’s putting in a lot of work this offseason with Cubs hitting coordinator Anthony Iapoce to try to rework his swing, but I think it shows where I stand that I ranked a guy who’s missed two seasons ahead of him.

 

[All The Hype]

Nice. Amazing to me how cheap CJ chrome autos still are. Being ranked ahead of Almora/Soler on the Cubs list means he has to be top 25 range in all of baseball...yet $12 per chrome auto?

Call it a shameless plug since I'm admittedly stocked up, or call it common sense....but current prices obviously aren't going to last.

 

[rookieaddict]

Scruggs more power than Taveras?

Don't know if you've seen Scruggs in person or not, but he hits bombs.

 

[Jaypers]

Just got the NL West issue. Here are the lists.


ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS TOP 10 PROSPECTS

1. ARCHIE BRADLEY, RHP
2. BRADEN SHIPLEY, RHP
3. CHRIS OWINGS, SS
4. MATT DAVIDSON, 3B
5. AARON BLAIR, RHP
6. JOSE MARTINEZ, RHP
7. DAVID HOLMBERG, LHP
8. STRYKER TRAHAN, C
9. MATT STITES, RHP
10. BRANDON DRURY, 3B

BEST TOOLS
Best Hitter for Average Chris Owings
Best Power Hitter Matt Davidson
Best Strike-Zone Discipline Jake Lamb
Fastest Baserunner Ender Inciarte
Best Athlete Socrates Brito
Best Fastball Archie Bradley
Best Curveball Jose Martinez
Best Slider Jake Barrett
Best Changeup Chase Anderson
Best Control Matt Stites
Best Defensive Catcher Michael Perez
Best Defensive Infielder Nick Ahmed
Best Infield Arm Sergio Alcantara
Best Defensive Outfielder Evan Marzilli
Best Outfield Arm Ender Inciarte

 

[Jaypers]

COLORADO ROCKIES TOP 10 PROSPECTS

1. JONATHAN GRAY, RHP
2. EDDIE BUTLER, RHP
3. ROSELL HERRERA, SS
4. KYLE PARKER, 1B/OF
5. CHAD BETTIS, RHP
6. DAVID DAHL, OF
7. TOM MURPHY, C
8. RYAN MCMAHON, 3B
9. TREVOR STORY, SS
10. RAIMEL TAPIA, OF

BEST TOOLS
Best Hitter for Average David Dahl
Best Power Hitter Kyle Parker
Best Strike-Zone Discipline Rosell Herrera
Fastest Baserunner Max White
Best Athlete Rosell Herrera
Best Fastball Jonathan Gray
Best Curveball Scott Oberg
Best Slider Eddie Butler
Best Changeup Eddie Butler
Best Control Christian Bergman
Best Defensive Catcher Dustin Garneau
Best Defensive Infielder Trevor Story
Best Infield Arm Trevor Story
Best Defensive Outfielder Wilson Soriano
Best Outfield Arm Jared Simon

 

[Jaypers]

LOS ANGELES DODGERS TOP 10 PROSPECTS

1. JOC PEDERSON, OF
2. COREY SEAGER, SS
3. JULIO URIAS, LHP
4. ZACH LEE, RHP
5. CHRIS ANDERSON, RHP
6. CHRIS WITHROW, RHP
7. ALEXANDER GUERRERO, 2B
8. CHRIS REED, LHP
9. ONELKI GARCIA, LHP
10. ROSS STRIPLING, RHP

BEST TOOLS
Best Hitter for Average Corey Seager
Best Power Hitter Joc Pederson
Best Strike-Zone Discipline Joc Pederson
Fastest Baserunner James Baldwin III
Best Athlete James Baldwin III
Best Fastball Jose Dominguez
Best Curveball Onelki Garcia
Best Slider Tom Windle
Best Changeup Zach Lee
Best Control Julio Urias
Best Defensive Catcher Spencer Navin
Best Defensive Infielder Cody Bellinger
Best Infield Arm Corey Seager
Best Defensive Outfielder Joc Pederson
Best Outfield Arm Noel Cuevas

 

[Jaypers]

SAN DIEGO PADRES TOP 10 PROSPECTS

1. AUSTIN HEDGES, C
2. MATT WISLER, RHP
3. MAX FRIED, LHP
4. HUNTER RENFROE, OF
5. CASEY KELLY, RHP
6. RYMER LIRIANO, OF
7. JACE PETERSON, SS
8. BURCH SMITH, RHP
9. KEYVIUS SAMPSON, RHP
10. JOE ROSS, RHP

BEST TOOLS
Best Hitter for Average Jace Peterson
Best Power Hitter Hunter Renfroe
Best Strike-Zone Discipline Jace Peterson
Fastest Baserunner Mallex Smith
Best Athlete Jace Peterson
Best Fastball Matt Wisler
Best Curveball Max Fried
Best Slider Leonel Campos
Best Changeup Zach Eflin
Best Control Matt Wisler
Best Defensive Catcher Austin Hedges
Best Defensive Infielder Jace Peterson
Best Infield Arm Carlos Belen
Best Defensive Outfielder Rico Noel
Best Outfield Arm Yeison Asencio

 

[Jaypers]

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS TOP 10 PROSPECTS

1. KYLE CRICK, RHP
2. EDWIN ESCOBAR, LHP
3. CHRIS STRATTON, RHP
4. ADALBERTO MEJIA, LHP
5. MAC WILLIAMSON, OF
6. CHRISTIAN ARROYO, SS
7. HEATH HEMBREE, RHP
8. TY BLACH, LHP
9. JOE PANIK, 2B
10. CLAYTON BLACKBURN, RHP

BEST TOOLS
Best Hitter for Average Christian Arroyo
Best Power Hitter Angel Villalona
Best Strike-Zone Discipline Joe Panik
Fastest Baserunner Gary Brown
Best Athlete Gary Brown
Best Fastball Kyle Crick
Best Curveball Kyle Crick
Best Slider Derek Law
Best Changeup Clayton Blackburn
Best Control Ty Blach
Best Defensive Catcher Jeff Arnold
Best Defensive Infielder Ehire Adrianza
Best Infield Arm Chris Dominguez
Best Defensive Outfielder Juan Perez
Best Outfield Arm Juan Perez

 

[SINFULONE]

Didn't realize Crick was that good.Have an autograph somewhere.