Top 50 Prospects

[ShawnC]

I posted my top 50 here last year - although we weren't really "here" if you follow me. Here is my 1st draft for 2009 - I know this isn't the hottest area of these boards, but hopefully some will find it useful. I'm sure I'll be back to modify and/or expand it in the coming weeks...

1. Matt Weiters All signs point to one of the best hitting catcher since Piazza, except he can also defend his position. I think he's capable of doing what Longoria did last year in '09.

2. David Price I expect this guy to be a top 5-10 pitcher for the next decade or so. People are going to say he gets drafted too early like they did with Felix when he came up, but I don't expect his learning curve will be as sharp. He'll justify being drafted as a top 10-15 picher right away.

3. Travis Snider For better or for worse - the Jays have promoted him aggressively and he debuted last September as a 20 year old who was still in need of some time in the minors to sharpen his plate discipline. His K's have been high, but at the same time, he's been young for his league. Upside David Ortiz - safe bet to at least hit .260/.340/.500

4. Colby Rasmus I'm still VERY high on this guy. Tony LaRussa and the Cards messed him up pretty good to start 2008, by the time he recovered, he got hurt.

5. Cameron Maybin Still think he has a good chance at superstar status - will definitely be well above league average at worst.

6. Rick Porcello People are ragging about his K rate. It's justified to an extent, but it will be interesting to see what happens when the Tigers take the baby gloves off. Has a tremendous GB rate (64.1%) and when he does get hit, the contact is generally poor (8.3% LD rate). Those rates become especially astounding when you consider he debuted last year in High-A as an 18 year old. Wouldn't be shocked to see him get a September call-up.

7. Mike Moustakas Started slow before taking off, ended with a bit of a power loss. Last year at this time I thought he could stay at SS, now I'm 50/50 as to whether he'll be a 3B or Of'er.

8. Jason Heyward Want to see some more in High-A / AA before moving him into top 5

9. Pedro Alvarez The real deal. Pirates fans FINALLY have something to take their mind off of passing over Weiters in the '07 draft. Should rocket through the minors and be at 3B full-time sometime in 2010.

10. Matt LaPorta Well rounded hitter should see some time in the majors in '09

11. Madison Bumgarner For the most part, pitching stats in the lower minors don't provide a lot of good insight, but when they are as good as Bumgarner's were last year, you have to take notice. Some worries about his LD rate and secondary stuff, but he's those are minor. Seeing his numbers in AA this year is something I'm looking forward to.

12. Tim Beckham Agressive grade for an '08 draftee, but I think he's a safe bet to be a top SS.

13. Dexter Fowler Athletic and already putting up great numbers. The only concern I have is that 2007 wasn't all that impressive, but the scouting has been there.

14. Trevor Cahill Good stuff combined with a dominant GB rate. I'd like to see him cut down on his walks - really the only thing keeping him out of the top 10.

15. Neftali Feliz I'd have him higher, but this list is fantasy based and he's heading for Arlington.

16. Brett Anderson Don't be fooled by his overall numbers in High-A as a thumb injury watered them down substantially. A lot to like in A's pitching prospects these days.

17. Tim Alderson

18. Buster Posey

19. Yonder Alonzo Another college bat that should move quickly through the minors. Joey Votto needs to start taking some more flyballs ASAP.

20. Jarrod Parker

21. Tommy Hanson

22. Lars Anderson

23. Logan Morrison

24. Derek Holland I REALLY like what he did this year, but I'm a little suspicious of the velo jump.

25. Brett Wallace

26. Chris Tillman

27. Jesus Montero

28. Mike Stanton K's are a major concern ala Brandon Wood.

29. Brian Matusz

30. Wade Davis It's good to be Tampa Bay. Problem here is no room for him - if he gets traded or a there are a rash of injuries, jump on him as he's ready to contribute in the bigs

31. Andrew McCutcheon I am definitely not the believer in this guy that many are. A good prospect yes, but I don't his ceiling as all that high.

32. Michael Bowden I've seen him pitch a few times and his numbers are fantastic. Why people keep saying he's nothing more than a #3 or #4 is beyond me.

33. Jhoulys Chacin Like Jimenez last year - Rockies pitching prospects aren't going to place too high on my lists.

34. Angel Villalona The upside is certainly there, but the performance isn't yet. This is about where I had him last year.

35. Jeff Samardzija Looks like the Cubs really want him in the rotation in 2009. He still has some issues with consistancy, but he really showed why the Cubs invested so much in him

36. Alicides Escobar

37. Josh Vitters

38. Mat Gamel No defense - no worries, his bat will play in the bigs. I think he's got a year or 2 of more ups/downs than most prospects, but will adjust eventually.

39. Eric Hosmer Really like what I'm hearing, but until I'm really liking what I'm seeing, I can't justify him any higher.

40. Justin Smoak It may not matter who the Rangers run out to the bump in a few years. If Hamilton can maintain things for a few years, the Texas offense should be potent.

41. Fernando Martinez Perhaps the most polarizing player currently in the minors. I've never been THAT high on him, but I think some of his detractors are over-reacting.

42. Jeff Niemann MLB ready middle rotation

43. Elvis Andrus

44. Matt Dominguez

45. Gordon Beckham

46. Jeremy Hellickson Ceiling isn't all that high but liked what I saw in AA, especially the K:BB rate.

47. Tyler Flowers Sox say they he's their catcher of the future, but there are well founded doubts about his position. If he goes to 1B/DH - he falls all the way out fo the top 100 IMO.

48. Carlos Santana

49. Jordan Zimmerman

50. Jose Tabata

[Todd Zola]

Nice job Shawn.

I have #6, #7 and #13 on my farm roster in the XFL league, I can live with that.

[maddog]

Thanks for sharing Shawn,always a fun read read for me,prospects that is.

[Bodhizefa]

Fantastic work, Shawn. I'll try to ask questions as I peruse the list more closely and compare to my dynasty teams

[Bodhizefa]

Guys I couldn't agree more on
David Price - I will be delighted to see him pitch for years to come.
Mike Moustakas - To make room for the bat, I think they eventually move him to the outfield.
Jason Heyward - I think it's possible the Braves call him up mid-season over a guy like Schafer if he continues to do well. The Braves have never been shy about promoting youngsters, and Heyward has the talent to make good on it if he continues to work hard.
Matt LaPorta - Big bat that I feel would be better served at first for Cleveland for defensive purposes. I think that's his position longterm.
Madison Bumgarner - I drool whenever I look at his statline. DROOL.
Dexter Fowler - Here's hoping he can hit for double digit power to go with all his steals.
Neftali Feliz - I don't care where he plays, he's going to be quite awesome. He's my favorite pitching prospect in all of baseball.
Chris Tillman - Don't remind me how much the M's paid for Bedard. Please. Don't do it.

Guys I'm curious about
Cameron Maybin - You can strike out a ton and still be valuable... if you have light tower power. And Maybin doesn't. I'm officially worried about his future. Moreso than anyone in recent memory, he really reminds me of Mike Cameron (his name is even eerily similar). He's certainly young enough to improve, but the very high strikeout rates coupled with the high minor league groundball rates portend a mediocre prospect in my opinion.
Rick Porcello - His fastball has been documented to not be as fast as having been previously reported. I even read an interview where Porcello says he doesn't understand where he got his reputation as a flamethrower because he throws in the low 90's with his fastball (a sinker, by the way). The low strikeout rates coupled with the good but not great velocity scream red flags. There are certainly pitchers who succeed with great groundball rates and low K-rates, but they generally have a tougher road as they rely so greatly on their defense.
Alcides Escobar - I think he's a young Rafael Furcal.
Carlos Santana - Everywhere I read, every prospect rater has this guy super high on Cleveland's list. Many have even ranked him above LaPorta. I'll be very interested to see what ends up happening with him, and though I know it's uncouth to rank catching prospects higher, I think he's got a good case to be a top 25-30 guy.
Tim Beckham - I'd like to see some in-depth musings and analysis on him (I don't pay for BA, and I'm still waiting on all the other writers to chime in). I didn't see the usual bluster by all the prospect hounds on him last June that we usually see with the superstud prospects like the Upton brothers, Prior, etc., so I just don't know where in the world to realistically rank him.

[Todd Zola]

With respect to Porcello, I'll let Shawn elaborate on the "kid glove" comment, but if it means what I think it means based on some conversations I had with scouts at the AFL, the Tigers were having him develop certain pitches at the temporary expense of others and there isn't anything to worry about yet. Watch? Certainly. Lose sleep over? Not yet.

[ShawnC]

Todd's got it - Porcello was not only restricted on his what pitches he was able to use, he was pushed to pitch to contact as the Tigers had him on a pretty strict pitch count of around 75 pitches per start. I think they saw him too much as a nibbler and wanted him to improve his efficiency. He was not allowed to use what has been reported as being perhaps his best pitch - his slider. Given those limitations, his age v. league and the results he was able to attain operating under those conditions last year at Lakeland - it's pretty damn impressive in my opinion.

Cameron Maybin - You can strike out a ton and still be valuable... if you have light tower power.

He was able to draw 60 walks in AA as a 21 year old. This is a very important piece of the puzzle that is Cameron Maybin. He may not have light tower power, but keep in mind power is usually the last thing to show up, he does hit for some power now and he projects as adding more - possibly a lot more. Guys that can draw walks can many times cut down on their K rates, especially ones that are young for their league. This is one thing that separates him from guys like Delmon Young and Brandon Wood. Cameron, while an interesting comp, isn't a very appropriate one to me. When Cameron was 21 he was still in High A and OPS'ed 100 points lower than Maybin did in his 21 year old season this year in AA. I think he'll end up closer to Bobby Abreu than Mike Cameron.

Carlos Santana is definitely one I'll be moving up. This was my first draft and it was done fairly quickly. I agree - he'll probably end up closer to 25-30.

I've seen the Furcal comps with Escobar as well, but I'm not convinced. The speed, plate discipline and "power" just aren't there when you look at the results.

Not sure why the Tim Beckham hype machine hasn't taken off yet - it's comin' I think Alvarez was actually the best player in the draft, but Tampa already had Longoria and the only thing they don't have is middle infield, so Beckham got the nod. He's a slick fielder with a well rounded bat and some speed. He does it all well and projects to be an elite SS from the scouting reports I've seen.

[Guest]

I'm with Bod on Maybin - and to be honest with his K rate, basically you have Ryan Howard and no one else in baseball really succeeding at that rate.

Basically, for Maybin to be a productive regular he needs a skills spike which he has yet to demonstrate in his minors career. He's young, no doubt, it happens a lot, but right now the potential you're paying for has not manifested itself in his play to date.

(Please note for the record that Shawn is much more a minors guy than I am - I've spent a lot of time on minor league translations and age adjustments which will be outlined in our premium content in February, but I take a much more quantitative view to minor leaguers than say a Shawn or Jason would consider wise)

[Bodhizefa]

Good stuff there, Shawn. You've obviously done a ton of work on this and any nits I'm picking are fairly minor for the most part (except perhaps for Maybin ). Thanks for the detailed response, and I'll be anxiously awaiting the next installment of your prospect board. I'm sure I'll chime in from time to time with thoughts and questions about other minor leaguers I think warrant attention, too, so thanks for getting what is sure to be an excellent discussion started in style and with some great and thoughtful points to back up your list.

[ShawnC]

I'm with Bod on Maybin - and to be honest with his K rate, basically you have Ryan Howard and no one else in baseball really succeeding at that rate.

A very understandable position - my opinion on Maybin is definitely against the grain somewhat in that I'm making a bit of a leap of faith / assumption that he'll be able to correct what is a major wart at this point. Players overcoming that many strike outs are rare indeed, but Maybin fits well into the profile of players that have a good chance of doing so. Abreu for example had a 120:67 K:BB ratio in 415 AB's during his first year in AAA - Maybin's line was 124:60 in 390 AB's in AA. Sure Abreu's was done at a higher level, but he had also been playing pro ball since he was 17. I hear what you're saying about Howard, but he's such a unique case in so many ways...

[SteveB]

Nice post!!

Warms my heart to see the youngins the Giants have comming up the pipe.


The only factor i wonder about is arrival time. Some of those players like Snider, Maybin, Wieters should be starting this year.

I know for the Giants Baumgarner and Alderson are probably not coming up til '10.

Posey I am curious if he gets an early call this year. I guess will depend on how he starts the year and the health/trade status of Molina. My gut tells me we dont see him til 2010.

Angel is still very young and honestly dont see him making the cut til '11 at the earliest.

I would like to hear anyone that has any specifics thoughts on arrival times? For those in keepers leagues draft and stash is not a problem but in a one year draft league most of these players wont help this year.

[ShawnC]

The only factor i wonder about is arrival time. Some of those players like Snider, Maybin, Wieters should be starting this year.

I plan on adding ETA, position, age and team when I do my first update... I'm also toying with a scoring/rating system that will give better insight and explanation for placement, but that may be a ways off.

[captgus]

There is a video of Porcello warming up in the bullpen on Sickels blog.....I like movement on his fastball and changeup, count me as a believer.

[Hambowen]

What is everyone's feelings on gio gonzalez? i know lots of people had him very high last year but do not hear much about him lately.

[da_big_kid_94]

What is everyone's feelings on gio gonzalez? i know lots of people had him very high last year but do not hear much about him lately.

Gio Gonzalez bothers me. Perry and I had points of contention about him on the old boards. He has great stuff on paper, but he hasn't demonstrated any command at all. Whereas it is possible for ML organizations to make mistakes on a player, the fact that he's been traded three times already (and twice by the same team) sends up a red flag for me. If he's got the goods, he's sure going to get ample opportunity to prove himself this year in Oakland - but I don't see it happening.

[ShawnC]

He has great stuff on paper, but he hasn't demonstrated any command at all. Whereas it is possible for ML organizations to make mistakes on a player, the fact that he's been traded three times already (and twice by the same team) sends up a red flag for me. If he's got the goods, he's sure going to get ample opportunity to prove himself this year in Oakland - but I don't see it happening.

[/quote]

I agree for the most part. The only really bad season he had was in 2006 while in AA. His walks spiked that year - but keep in mind he was only 20 playing at that level. The next year he repeated AA when he came back to the Sox. He was able to lower his walks while also raising his k-rate. He's a fly ball pitcher and gives up his fair share of line-drives. I don't think we'll ever see him as a front end starter, but a solid mid-rotation guy is certainly possible.

[Hambowen]

Someone else not on the list people might be interested in is Carlos Carrasco.

His stuff looks amazing but his stats in the minors has not backed up what our eyes are telling us.

Would love to know what others feel about him.

[RandyKutcherHair]

nice work shawn. i was surprised to see justin smoak so low on your list. most prospect rankings i have seen this year have him ranked the 2nd best 1b prospect behind lars. what caused him to drop on your list?

i'm also interested to hear you opinion on tim beckham vs gordon beckham. what do you think makes tim the better of the two despite the difference in age and success gordan had in the college ranks?

[ShawnC]

I wouldn't classify # 40 as "low" - but while I have been revising, I do see some guys ahead of him that probably shouldn't be. Of the first basemen that are ahead of him on my list, there is a pretty decent argument for all of them with Villalona being the only real question mark, so you're going to see at least him behind Smoak when I update in the next day or two. This years first base crop is a tight bunch - there isn't a lot that separates the top 5 or 6 of them. There is also another tier of 3 or 4 more that are right behind them (Freeman/Carter/Ka'aihue/Marerro)

LaPorta - I'm higher on him than most, but I really like him as a very safe bet to succeed at the major league level. He's this years version of Joey Votto for me.

Alonso - Was taken ahead of Smoak in the draft (there were no signing concerns with either player), and more importantly Alonso showed a better approach at the plate as well as a little more power in college.

Anderson - I really like this guy, but I'm worried about the K's. The scouting on Anderson is pretty high - I'm just not quite as optimistic at this point.

Morrison - Took a significant step forward in his plate discipline this year. Don't be fooled by HR total - his home park has a lot to do with that. I wouldn't be surprised if he's a top 5-10 prospect at this time next year.

Hosmer - HUGE upside, perhaps the biggest bat to come along in a while. If I was drafting a league from scratch, I may be tempted to draft him ahead of Anderson/Morrison. Smoak is more proven, but Hosmer did go ahead of him in the draft despite a hefty asking price, which was basically the tie-breaker so I put Smoak immediately behind him. My prediction for Hosmer is that he destroys. Everything.

Gordan Beckham is very close to MLB ready, but he doesn't have near the superstar upside that Tim Beckham does. Tim went ahead of Alvarez in the draft... originally I credited this to Tampa having Longoria already, but there have been some chinks in Pedro's armor that have come to light and the Rays may have simply felt Beckham was actually the best player available. This is a pretty healthy draft class and going number one overall is very telling of how much upside he has. I think Tampa has emerged as the elite team when it comes to judging/developing talent, so I put a lot of stock into their choice to draft him #1 overall.

[alleyoops]

I posted my top 50 here last year - although we weren't really "here" if you follow me. Here is my 1st draft for 2009 - I know this isn't the hottest area of these boards, but hopefully some will find it useful. I'm sure I'll be back to modify and/or expand it in the coming weeks...

Any idea when we can expect updates, and how frequently? Would be nice to have comments on all players, and perhaps ratings in some form (long term potential, 2009 expectations). And while I'm at it, how about going to Top 100 (maybe with less detail on the lower guys)? Or maybe Top 50 for 2009, supplemented by another list of Top 50 long term (probably would have a number of duplicates).

[Todd Zola]

Hopefully, we will arrange with Shawn to provide this for our Platinum content.

[Kelly_Leak]

Hopefully, we will arrange with Shawn to provide this for our Platinum content.

Wondering if there has been any more thought on this topic? Looks my league may adopt somekind of minor league system this year.

[somerandomguy]

any cgance we can see a updated list on prospects?- i have a minor league draft coming up

[infiniteloop]

Is mastersball going to publish a top prospect list for keeper leagues? I believe you've had one the past few years...

[Todd Zola]

Shawn Carey's updated list, sorry, I thought I posted this weeks ago.


1 Matt Weiters C / Baltimore 2009 All signs point to one of the best hitting catcher since Piazza, except he can also defend his position. I think he's capable of doing what Longoria did last year in '09.
2 David Price P / Tampa Bay 2009 I expect this guy to be a top 5-10 pitcher for the next decade or so. People are going to say he gets drafted too early like they did with Felix when he came up, but I don't expect his learning curve will be as sharp. He'll justify being drafted as a top 10-15 picher right away.
3 Travis Snider OF / Toronto 2009 For better or for worse - the Jays have promoted him aggressively and he debuted last September as a 20 year old who was still in need of some time in the minors to sharpen his plate discipline. His K's have been high, but at the same time, he's been young for his league. Upside David Ortiz - safe bet to at least hit .260/.340/.500
4 Colby Rasmus OF / St. Louis 2009 I'm still VERY high on this guy. Tony LaRussa and the Cards messed him up pretty good to start 2008, by the time he recovered, he got hurt.
5 Cameron Maybin OF / Florida 2009 Still think he has a good chance at superstar status - will definitely be well above league average at worst.
6 Rick Porcello P / Detroit 2010 People are ragging about his K rate. It's justified to an extent, but it will be interesting to see what happens when the Tigers take the baby gloves off. Has a tremendous GB rate (64.1%) and when he does get hit, the contact is generally poor (8.3% LD rate). Those rates become especially astounding when you consider he debuted last year in High-A as an 18 year old. Wouldn't be shocked to see him get a September call-up.
7 Mike Moustakas 3B / Kansas City 2011 Started slow before taking off, ended with a bit of a power loss. Last year at this time I thought he could stay at SS, now I'm 50/50 as to whether he'll be a 3B or Of'er.
8 Jason Heyward OF / Atlanta 2010 Want to see some more in High-A / AA before moving him into top 5
9 Pedro Alvarez 3B / Pittsburgh 2010 The real deal. Pirates fans FINALLY have something to take their mind off of passing over Weiters in the '07 draft. Should rocket through the minors and be at 3B full-time sometime in 2010.
10 Matt LaPorta OF / Cleveland 2009 Well rounded hitter should see some time in the majors in '09
11 Madison Bumgarner P / San Francisco 2011 For the most part, pitching stats in the lower minors don't provide a lot of good insight, but when they are as good as Bumgarner's were last year, you have to take notice. Some worries about his LD rate and secondary stuff, but he's those are minor. Seeing his numbers in AA this year is something I'm looking forward to.
12 Neftali Feliz P/ Texas 2010 I'd have him higher, but this list is fantasy based and he's heading for Arlington.
13 Tommy Hanson P / Atlanta 2009 I originally had him at #21 which was too low. This still may be a tad low, but I definitely think BA is a bit too optimistic placing him at #4. Was very impressive against the Astro's a few days ago, especially the curve ball which looks like it has made a lot of progress.
14 Dexter Fowler OF / Colorado 2009 Athletic and already putting up great numbers. The only concern I have is that 2007 wasn't all that impressive, but the scouting has been there.
15 Tim Beckham SS / Tampa Bay 2012 Agressive grade for an '08 draftee, but I think he's a safe bet to be a top SS.
16 Jarrod Parker P / Arizona 2010 Should start the year off in High-A, may make it as far as AA this year. Showed good ability to get K's in '08 and I expect that to continue along with getting more groundballas and cutting down on his walks. Could be a top 5 prospect next year.
17 Brett Anderson P / Oakland 2010 Don't be fooled by his overall numbers in High-A as a thumb injury watered them down substantially. A lot to like in A's pitching prospects these days.
18 Buster Posey C / San Francisco 2011 Demolished the ACC last year, hitting .463 / .566 / .879 with 26 HR's. Should move quickly through the Giants system, most likely up at some point next year and up to stay in 2011. Should be a top 5 catcher for years to come.
19 Trevor Cahill P / Oakland 2010 Good stuff combined with a dominant GB rate. I'd like to see him cut down on his walks - really the only thing keeping him out of the top 10.
20 Tim Alderson P / San Francisco 2011 The Giants got aggressive with him last year, having him skip low-A and go right to San Jose where he performed very well. Should start this year in AA Connecticut and may make it as far as AAA this year.
21 Yonder Alonso 1B / Cincinnati 2010 Another college bat that should move quickly through the minors. Joey Votto needs to start taking some more flyballs ASAP.
22 Mike Stanton OF / Florida 2011 K's are a major concern ala Brandon Wood, except he's a little more promising in that he can walk at a pretty good rate. Displayed crazy power last year - 39 HR's in the SAL last year as an 18 year old.
23 Lars Anderson 1B / Boston 2010 A favorite among many scouts, I'm slightly tempered in my expectations due to some issues with his plate discipline. Should start in AA and will probably get a September call-up.
24 Logan Morrison 1B / Florida 2010 Took a significant step forward in his plate discipline this year. Don't be fooled by HR total - his home park has a lot to do with that. I wouldn't be surprised if he's a top 5-10 prospect at this time next year.
25 Derek Holland P / Texas 2010 I REALLY like what he did this year, but I'm a little suspicious of the velo jump.
26 Chris Tillman P / Baltimore 2010 The other major piece in the Erik Bedard deal, for as impressive as the k-rate is at 10.2 per 9, the walk rate is equally as bothersome as he issued 65 of them in 135.2 IP. Should start in AA to harness his control, but wouldn't surprise me to see Baltimore rush him up to the majors this year.
27 Eric Hosmer 1B / Kansas City 2011 Originally had him at #39 and was hesitant to move him up too much until I got to see some more footage and scouting reports. He's a monster.
28 Justin Smoak 1B / Texas 2010 How he fell al the way to #12 in the draft is something many teams will be kicking themselves over for years to come. Should move quickly through the minors.
29 Brett Wallace 3B / St. Louis 2010 Great bat, but don't know if how long he'll be able to stay at 3B. With Pujols at 1B, this could be a problem in a few years that may see him on another team.
30 Brian Matusz SP / Baltimore 2010 Highly polished college arm that should zip through the minors - may even exhaust his rookie status this year, but more likely not until 2010. Good strikeout pitcher with good control.
31 Carlos Santana C / Cleveland 2009 EXCELLENT control of the strikezone with a BB:K ratio of 89:85 last year across 3 levels. Power make a marked improvement. Vmart's days behind the dish are numbered. Shold see some time this year around the All-Star break, possibly sooner.
32 Gordon Beckham SS / Chicago (AL) 2009 Not the safest bet to stay at shortstop, a lot depends on how well Alexei Ramirez handles the position this year. Will probably start the year in the high minors, should see some time in the majors this season as he's a fairly polished college player.
33 Jesus Montero C / New York (AL) 2011 More than likely he moves off of catcher, probably a 1B/DH type.
34 Wade Davis P / Tampa Bay 2009 It's good to be Tampa Bay. Problem here is no room for him - if he gets traded or a there are a rash of injuries, jump on him as he's ready to contribute in the bigs
35 Alcides Escobar SS / Milwaukee 2009 J.J. Hardy is in the way here. Even so, should spend most of the year with Milwaukee as a utility type player.
36 Josh Vitters 3B / Chicago (NL) 2011 The bat has started to come around, should start the year in the Midwest league - potential for big breakout year.
37 Mat Gamel 3B / Milwaukee 2009 No defense - no worries, his bat will play in the bigs. I think he's got a year or 2 of more ups/downs than most prospects, but will adjust eventually.
38 Michael Bowden P / Boston 2010 I've seen him pitch a few times and his numbers are fantastic. Why people keep saying he's nothing more than a #3 or #4 is beyond me.
39 Matt Dominguez 3B / Florida 2011 One of my favorite candidates to break out in a huge way this year. Showed very impressive power last year and I think he has a chance to be an elite 3b with the bat as well as the glove. Should spend time in High-A and AA this year.
40 Fernando Martinez OF / New York (NL) 2010 Perhaps the most polarizing player currently in the minors. I've never been THAT high on him, but I think some of his detractors are over-reacting.
41 Angel Villalona 1B / San Francisco 2011 The upside is certainly there, but the performance isn't yet.
42 Andrew McCutcheon OF / Pittsburgh 2009 I am definitely not the believer in this guy that many are. A good prospect yes, but I don't his ceiling as all that high.
43 Jordan Zimmerman P / Washington 2010 Very solid year in AA in '08: 3.46 FIP with a 47/134 walk-to-k ratio in A+ and AA.
44 Jeff Samardzija P / Chicago (NL) 2009 Looks like the Cubs really want him to compete to be in the rotation in 2009. He still has some issues with consistancy, but he really showed why the Cubs invested so much in him
45 Wilmer Flores SS / New York (NL) 2012 16 year old phenom is probably 4 years away, but he is as gifted as they come. Should start in the SAL this year after a highly impressive showing last year in Kingston.
46 Greg Halman OF / Seattle 2011 Showed some good pop last year, but his K's worry me as he only walked 32 times compared to 142 K's. I think Seattle would be wise to take their time with him.
47 Nick Weglarz OF / Cleveland 2010 I am definitely higher on this guy than most anybody right now, but I'm not sure why. Weg's walks about as much as he K's and I expect a power surge from him this year. He's a big guy that will probably end up at 1B.
48 Michael Ynoa P / Oakland 2012 Looks to be the biggest import since King Felix, which may have some mixed connotations depending on who you ask. He is sure to be one of the biggest stories of the year once he takes the mound. Keep a close eye on him as the sky is the limit.
49 Carlos Carrasco P / Philadelphia 2009 He's ready to contribute now and the Phils couldn't more happy as they'll be looking for depth in their title defense.
50 Ben Revere OF / Minnesota 2011 Very good base stealer with excellent on-base skills. Didn't show much power, but should develop a modest amount in the coming years.
51 Jhoulys Chacin P / Colorado 2011 Like Jimenez last year - Rockies pitching prospects aren't going to place too high on my lists.
52 Jeff Niemann P / Tampa Bay 2009 MLB ready middle rotation
53 Andrew Lambo OF / Los Angeles (NL) 2011 Looks like the Dodger have another OF'er they are willing to promote aggresively as he made his AA debut last year as a 19 year old. Small sample size, but looks like he's up to the task. Decent approach at the plate with power that should grow considerably.
54 Austin Jackson OF / New York (AL) 2010 If there's one thing I hate trying to figure out, it's Yanks prospects. Between the hype, mis-handling and the fact it's so hard to see where a rookie fits into a 200 million dollar roster… I like Ajax and tried to grade him as if he was on any other team. He's a well-rounded player, but who knows where he fits.
55 Aaron Hicks OF / Minnesota 2012 Another well-rounded player and another I think could vault himself into elite status this year. Speed, power and tremendous eye at the plate.
56 Jose Tabata OF / Pittsburgh 2010 Really got it going once he got to Pitts farm system. I still really like this guy and think he has a chance to live up to the huge potential he was labeled as having a few years ago. At the same time, he needs to pull it together this year and really start developing more rapidly.
57 Jeremy Hellickson P / Tampa Bay 2010 Ceiling isn't all that high but liked what I saw in AA, especially the K:BB rate.
58 Elvis Andrus SS / Texas 2010 Pretty much ready for Texas, probably won't be worth a fantasy spot for a few years.
59 Kyle Blanks 1B / San Diego 2010 Very solid power hitting 1B that is close to MLB-ready. Problem for Blanks is that SD has Adrian Gonzalez signed to a very cheap contract for the next few years. Something's gotta give.
60 Jake Arrieta P / Baltimore 2010 Has some control issues, but also shows some polish in knowing how to get hitters out when they aren't striking out.
61 Michael Main P / Texas 2011 Another 2009 breakout favorite of mine. If he really gets going move his ETA up to 2010.
62 Dayan Viciedo 3B / Chicago (AL) 2009 Big, fat 3B that can mash. I hope he doesn't eat his way off 3b, but even if he does, his bat should still play at 1B/DH. Rumors have him breaking ST with the Sox, but I'd expect him to see at least a month or two in the minors.
63 Freedie Freeman 1B / Atlanta 2012 Good numbers across the board, should develop into an everyday 1B
64 Carlos Triunfel 3B / Seattle 2011 Another polarizing prospect - questions about his ultimate position abound, as well as his ceiling. I think a middle of the road 3B is what the story will ultimately be.
65 J.P. Arencibia C / Toronto 2010 Hits for good power, but really needs to learn some patience if he's to succeed at the major league level
66 Adrian Cardenas 2B / Oakland 2010 Should be an average 2B in the majors.
67 Brett Cecil P / Toronto 2009 Pretty much MLB-ready, but could use a month or two in AAA. Should split time between pen and starting in Toronto in '09
68 James McDonald P / Los Angeles (NL) 2009 Looks like he may bounce around between the pen and AAA for 2009. Could seize a rotation spot full time by 2010.
69 Dellin Betances P / New York (AL) 2011 Something clicked last year in the second half. Keep a very close eye on him this year and if he gets off to a quick start, grab him if he's available in your leagues with minor rosters.
70 Desmond Jennings OF / Tampa Bay 2011 Don't sleep on Jennings. Came off an injury last year so he kind of got lost to many, but he is a tremendous athlete with great speed, solid habits in the box and some power that should continue to improve.
71 Gio Gonzales P / Oakland 2009 Should compete for a rotation spot in '09. Doesn't look like he'll be much more than a solid #3/#4, but that's certainly not a bad thing.
72 Aaron Poreda P / Chicago (AL) 2010 Lack of different pitches may land him in the pen, could be a very good closer if he can get his K's up. Should start in AA/AAA and wind up seeing a good amount of time in Chicago this year.
73 Jordan Walden P / Los Angeles (AL) 2011 Very good at keeping the ball down - 61% GB rate and doesn't give up too many HR's combined with decent K total.
74 Jason Castro C / Houston 2012 Houston definitely passed on few guys that perhaps should have been drafted instead of Castro, even so, he looks like may pay off without the Astros looking too bad for not having drafted Smoak/Wallace.
75 Jason Donald SS / Philadelphia 2010 A middle infield prospect can't be too optimistic about playing time in Philly these days. Should spend much of the year in the majors, but consistant AB's will be hard to come by.
76 Chris Carter 1B / Oakland 2011 Loads of power and good eye. Swings and misses a bit, but off-sets that with a decent amount of walks.
77 Dominic Brown OF / Philadelphia 2011 Good on-base skills, will provide very balanced fantasy numbers
78 Tyler Flowers C / Chicago (AL) 2011 Sox say they he's their catcher of the future, but there are well founded doubts about his position. If he goes to 1B/DH - he falls all the way out fo the top 100 IMO.
79 Jordan Schafer OF / Atlanta 2010 Another balanced player - should contribute a fair amount of steals, HR's
80 Martin Perez P / Texas 2012 I've seen some Johan Santana comps that have probably taken a bit out of context, even so, he certainly has a very high ceiling, I just don't feel all that confident that he realizes it at this point.
81 Adam Miller P / Cleveland 2009 If he can stay healthy… you know the rest
82 Taylor Teagarden C / Texas 2009 Looks to me as if he'll end up being the main catcher in Texas starting this year. Certainly not a front end catcher, but usefull.
83 Gorkys Hernandez OF / Atlanta 2012 Speedy player, future will depend on developing some more power
84 Kyle Skipworth C / Florida 2012 A bit of a development project, but has skills to stay at catcher. 2012 may be a bit early, but he should be a good once he arrives.
85 Matt Antonelli 2B / San Diego 2009 A victim of "what have you done for me lately?" or is he outmatched at the big league level? I think he's still young enough to pull things together and be a very good, offensive 2B.
86 Max Ramirez C / Texas 2009 With the logjam the Rangers have at C, Ramirez is going to have problems finding an identity, playing time, what team he is supposed to be with… I suppose he could be a so-so catcher if he gets traded, but it looks as if he's destined to be a 1B/DH.
87 Ethan Martin P / Los Angeles (NL) 2012 Would have ranked about this high even if the Dodgers would have decided to let him stay at 3B. As it stands, he's one of the more interesting arms drafted last year. May see him uttered in the same breath as Billingsley/Kershaw in a couple years.
88 Chris Perez P / St. Louis 2009 Inside track on the closers job in St. Louis, but keep an eye on Motte also.
89 Daryl Jones OF / St. Louis 2011 This part of the list is littered with OF that are a jack of all trades and master of none. Could go a number of directions, but I think he's going to add some power and may break out of that generic OF mold.
90 Jeremy Jeffress P / Milwaukee 2011 Very interesting pitcher, "boom or bust" type I've seen said about him, but I think more and more the "boom" is going to win out. Has some control issues to iron out and should be able to do that as long as he doesn't get busted smoking weed again.
91 Michael Saunders OF / Seattle 2010 Fringy player, but has talent to make marked improvements
92 Matt Moore P / Tampa Bay 2013 One of my favorite/lesser known prospects. This kid is gonna be sick. Tampa makes me sick. Rookie-ball numbers don't mean much, but they do foreshadow some great things to come for Moore.
93 Daniel Cortes P / Kansas City 2011 Another pitcher that needs to get his walks down, should he be able to do that he should be a solid mid-rotation starter, otherwise he'll end up in middle relief.
94 Brad Holt P / New York (NL) 2012 Fairly polished college arm who was under-matched in Low-A. Mets need to challenge him this year to get a better read on his potential.
95 David Cooper 1B / Toronto 2012 Very good plate discipline and loads of power potential, has been overshadowed by other draftees as 1B was a deep position last year.
96 Aaron Cunningham OF / Oakland 2009 Strikes out a bit, not sure he fits into Oaklands plans. Probably a 4th OF type
97 Jemile Weeks 2B / Oakland 2011 A solid 2B in the making, should get on base at a good clip and offer some speed
98 Chris Marerro 1B / Washington 2010 His bat would play much better in the OF, but it looks as if the Nats are committed to keeping him 1B. Could break out and be an above average 1B, but I'm thinking he's a bottom half 1B.
99 Kila Ka'aihue 1B / Kansas City 2010 Kind of a weird career path so far, was rushed early on and looks like he finally got his feet under him last year. It's just too hard to tell how good his season was as he was repeating a level. Definitely a player worth tracking this season.
100 Wilin Rosario C / Colorado 2013 Massive power potential for a catcher, but needs to patience at the plate just like most any other 19 year old.

[uharchmajor]

Hey Todd, quick question. How often will this be updated for those of us in keeper leagues with minor slots? I noticed both B.Anderson and T.Cahill are noted as 2010, but both will surely lose eligibility by then as both seem to have made the opening day rotation; with Cahill getting a two start week in week 1.