Post by Rays GM (forbz) on May 26, 2015 11:53:27 GMT -5
1. Carlos Correa, SS
Houston Astros
Current level: Triple-A (Fresno)
Correa won't turn 21 until late September -- by which point he'll be the Astros' starting shortstop -- and already has dominated every minor league level he has played in, including Double-A to start this year, and should remain at shortstop at least for the start of his major league career. He has MVP upside, with one of the best pure hit tools in the minors.
lastname2. Corey Seager, SS
Los Angeles Dodgers
Current level: Triple-A (Oklahoma City)
I'm still in the camp that says he's moving to third base -- he's far too big for short and doesn't have the footwork -- but he projects as an All-Star at the hot corner with a the trio of batting average, power and defense.
lastname3. Byron Buxton, OF
Minnesota Twins
Current level: Double-A (Chattanooga)
He's still an outstanding prospect with a huge ceiling, but injuries have cost him so much development time over the past two years that it seems to have slowed his march to the big leagues, especially in terms of plate discipline and on-base skills.
lastname4. J.P. Crawford, SS
Philadelphia Phillies
Current level: High Class A (Clearwater)
Crawford missed all of April because of a strained oblique muscle, but hit .375/.474/.422 with more walks than strikeouts in his first 17 games back from the DL for Clearwater. He's an elite defender with tremendous bat-to-ball skill who profiles as a true leadoff type with his ability to hit for average, get on base and run a little.
lastname5. Francisco Lindor, SS
Cleveland Indians
Current level: Triple-A (Columbus)
Lindor has had a very slow start at Triple-A, but at 21, he's still young for the level, and he has maintained his strong contact rates. He might need to get stronger to get his BABIP up to normal levels, but the plus defense and strong eye are ready for the majors right now.
lastname6. Lucas Giolito, RHP
Washington Nationals
Current level: High Class A (Potomac)
The Nats held back Giolito and his Potomac rotation mate Reynaldo Lopez in extended spring training for a month to keep their innings from piling up too fast -- perhaps with an eye toward some major league work in September or October -- after which both pitchers have looked as good as ever in high-A. Giolito is still working in the mid-90s with a plus curveball and improving changeup, striking out more than a batter an inning in each of his first three starts.
lastname7. Julio Urias, LHP
Los Angeles Dodgers
Current level: Double-A (Tulsa)
Still just 18 years old and already in Double-A, Urias has cut his walk rate from 3.8 walks per nine innings (at high Class A) in 2014 to just 2.2 BB/9 in his first seven starts at Double-A. He has the three pitches to succeed in the majors right now, but his command might not be there yet. That said, this year's control improvement is a positive sign for his development, especially because he's the age of many high school seniors in this year's draft class.
lastname8. Joey Gallo, 3B
Texas Rangers
Current level: Double-A (Frisco)
Gallo missed about three weeks following surgery on his ankle at the end of spring training, but his grade-80 power has been unaffected; he's tied for fourth in the Texas League in homers despite the missed time. He's making more contact and doing more when he does make contact, along with an improved walk rate -- although I can't imagine anyone's dying to pitch to him at this point. I don't think he's ready to come up in 2015, but it's fair to pencil him in for the bulk of the time at third base for Texas next year.
lastname9. Tyler Glasnow, RHP
Pittsburgh Pirates
Current level: Double-A (Altoona)
He has ace stuff and size without the command yet, although he appeared to be improving in the latter department before suffering a mild ankle injury on May 6. He proceeded to miss a start, come back on May 17 and have his worst start of the season, and now has been placed on the DL due to the sprained ankle.
lastname10. Miguel Sano, 3B
Minnesota Twins
Current level: Double-A (Chattanooga)
This list has a lot of bashers on it, big-power bats without positional questions, with Sano, who missed all of 2014 with Tommy John surgery, being the echt article when it comes to guys who hit homers and don't love to play defense. He seems to have shaken off the rust at the plate, hitting .311/.381/.589 in May. He'll probably earn a promotion to Triple-A in the next month or so.
11. Yoan Moncada, 2B
Boston Red Sox
Current level: Low Class A (Greenville)
Boston's low-A affiliate, the Greenville Drive, is one of the most prospect-laden rosters in the minors, with Moncada, Rafael Devers, Javier Guerra, former first-rounder Michael Chavis, former sandwich-round pick Michael Kopech, former second-rounder Williams Jerez (an ex-outfielder now throwing bullets as a relief pitcher) and more. Moncada is their big bonus baby from this winter, a switch-hitting Cuban shortstop who's playing second base for the Drive. He has barely begun to play, but there's broad consensus that he's going to hit for average and power, although he may ultimately be better defensively at third than second.
lastname12. Nomar Mazara, RF
Texas Rangers
Current level: Double-A (Frisco)
The power hasn't shown up this year, but his average and contact rates are outstanding for a 20-year-old in Double-A, and he has long had the eye and bat speed to project as a star-caliber bat in right field.
lastname13. Austin Meadows, CF
Pittsburgh Pirates
Current level: High Class A (Bradenton)
Meadows already has as many plate appearances in 2015 as he had all of 2014, when a torn hamstring wiped out more than half of his season, and he's even making contact at a higher rate despite moving up to the high-A (and pitcher-friendly) Florida State League. He's still in center field, although it's more likely he ends up in right, where his power/speed/OBP combination will still profile.
lastname14. Rafael Devers, 3B
Boston Red Sox
Current level: Low Class A (Greenville)
"Well That Escalated Quickly: The Rafael Devers Story," written by Mark from Arlington, due out in bookstores later this summer. (My baseball podcast fans know all about "Mahk from Ahlington.") Devers is still not that polished at the plate, but he has explosive bat speed and power, and even if he has to go to the outfield because of his size, he's still a potential middle-of-the-order bat.
lastname15. Kyle Schwarber, C
Chicago Cubs
Current level: Double-A (Tennessee)
Schwarber's pro career to date is very similar to Kris Bryant's first 12 months in pro ball, and you see how the latter is working out so far. The Cubs talk a good game about Schwarber's defense, but he's not a good receiver, and his bat might be the Cubs' best option in left field by midsummer 2015.
lastname16. Aaron Judge, RF
New York Yankees
Current level: Double-A (Trenton)
Judge is prone to strikeouts -- he had 11 in a recent four-game stretch -- but he also is doing so much damage when he does make contact that he projects as an average regular even if he doesn't improve his contact rate. He's also an above-average to plus defender in right. Most scouts I've talked to share my belief that he'll continue to close some of the gaps in his plate coverage, especially if he backs off the plate a little.
lastname17. Daniel Norris, LHP
Toronto Blue Jays
Current level: Triple-A (Buffalo)
The stuff remains plus; the command and control just weren't big league-ready. He's athletic enough to repeat his delivery, which the Blue Jays have simplified since they drafted him. But he appeared to be rushing through his delivery at times, leading to fewer strikes and bad location.
lastname18. Eduardo Rodriguez, LHP
Boston Red Sox
Current level: Triple-A (Pawtucket)
Rodriguez has two plus pitches in his fastball and changeup, excellent control (albeit not command yet) and dominates lefties even though he doesn't have a wipeout breaking ball. I don't think he's the answer to Boston's rotation problems, but he's a better response than Joe Kelly.
lastname19. Jose Peraza, 2B
Atlanta Braves
Current level: Triple-A (Gwinnett)
A true shortstop playing second base because St. Andrelton (Simmons) is playing short for the big club, Peraza has a quick, direct swing that produces very high contact rates, so while he could stand to walk a little more, he should have solid OBPs in the majors by virtue of frequently hitting .300. He's a plus runner as well and could end up a 70 defender at second.
lastname20. Orlando Arcia, SS
Milwaukee Brewers
Current level: Double-A (Biloxi)
Arcia has had one of the minors' biggest breakout campaigns to date, walking more than he has struck out while hitting .325/.382/.450 for Biloxi, along with above-average defense at short. His power has come out now that he's out of the graveyard of high Class A Brevard County as well, and he should be the Brewers' long-term shortstop starting at some point in 2016.
lastname21. Dylan Bundy, RHP
Baltimore Orioles
Current level: Double-A (Bowie)
He isn't all the way back, but he's most of the way back. He was 92-95 mph when I saw him last week with the curveball and changeup both showing plus and the best command he has had since before the injury. He might be more of a No. 2 or great No. 3 starter than an ace, but he should be able to help the major league rotation this year.
lastname22. Jameson Taillon, RHP
Pittsburgh Pirates
Current level: Extended spring training
Taillon had Tommy John surgery last March but should be ready to head to a full-season team by mid-June. His stuff has come back so far, although in just two-inning stints, so we'll get more of a picture when he's stretched out. All reports to date have been positive.
lastname23. Alex Reyes, RHP
St. Louis Cardinals
Current level: High Class A (Palm Beach)
Reyes has seen his stuff tick up this spring in a big way; he's now sitting in the upper 90s as a starter, his curveball is more consistently plus, and he has a developing changeup. He's also maintaining his conditioning better this year and working harder on repeating his delivery, so while his command and control aren't average yet, there's more reason to believe they will be, giving him the potential upside of an ace.
24. Jose De Leon, RHP
Los Angeles Dodgers
Current level: Double-A (Tulsa)
Just ninth in the Dodgers' system coming into the year, the Puerto Rico-born De Leon eviscerated California League hitters even while pitching in a high-offense environment, earning a promotion to Double-A last week. De Leon, a 24th-round pick out of Southern University, has three above-average pitches, excellent command and control and deception in his delivery that continues to fool hitters even as he has moved up the ladder.
lastname25. Jose Berrios, RHP
Minnesota Twins
Current level: Double-A (Chattanooga)
I still have concerns about Berrios' flat fastball making him more prone to hard contact and home runs, but his command and secondary pitches are both clearly good enough for him to pitch in the big leagues as a starter, and if he can keep the ball in the park, he has the potential to be a solid No. 2 starter.
Houston Astros
Current level: Triple-A (Fresno)
Correa won't turn 21 until late September -- by which point he'll be the Astros' starting shortstop -- and already has dominated every minor league level he has played in, including Double-A to start this year, and should remain at shortstop at least for the start of his major league career. He has MVP upside, with one of the best pure hit tools in the minors.
lastname2. Corey Seager, SS
Los Angeles Dodgers
Current level: Triple-A (Oklahoma City)
I'm still in the camp that says he's moving to third base -- he's far too big for short and doesn't have the footwork -- but he projects as an All-Star at the hot corner with a the trio of batting average, power and defense.
lastname3. Byron Buxton, OF
Minnesota Twins
Current level: Double-A (Chattanooga)
He's still an outstanding prospect with a huge ceiling, but injuries have cost him so much development time over the past two years that it seems to have slowed his march to the big leagues, especially in terms of plate discipline and on-base skills.
lastname4. J.P. Crawford, SS
Philadelphia Phillies
Current level: High Class A (Clearwater)
Crawford missed all of April because of a strained oblique muscle, but hit .375/.474/.422 with more walks than strikeouts in his first 17 games back from the DL for Clearwater. He's an elite defender with tremendous bat-to-ball skill who profiles as a true leadoff type with his ability to hit for average, get on base and run a little.
lastname5. Francisco Lindor, SS
Cleveland Indians
Current level: Triple-A (Columbus)
Lindor has had a very slow start at Triple-A, but at 21, he's still young for the level, and he has maintained his strong contact rates. He might need to get stronger to get his BABIP up to normal levels, but the plus defense and strong eye are ready for the majors right now.
lastname6. Lucas Giolito, RHP
Washington Nationals
Current level: High Class A (Potomac)
The Nats held back Giolito and his Potomac rotation mate Reynaldo Lopez in extended spring training for a month to keep their innings from piling up too fast -- perhaps with an eye toward some major league work in September or October -- after which both pitchers have looked as good as ever in high-A. Giolito is still working in the mid-90s with a plus curveball and improving changeup, striking out more than a batter an inning in each of his first three starts.
lastname7. Julio Urias, LHP
Los Angeles Dodgers
Current level: Double-A (Tulsa)
Still just 18 years old and already in Double-A, Urias has cut his walk rate from 3.8 walks per nine innings (at high Class A) in 2014 to just 2.2 BB/9 in his first seven starts at Double-A. He has the three pitches to succeed in the majors right now, but his command might not be there yet. That said, this year's control improvement is a positive sign for his development, especially because he's the age of many high school seniors in this year's draft class.
lastname8. Joey Gallo, 3B
Texas Rangers
Current level: Double-A (Frisco)
Gallo missed about three weeks following surgery on his ankle at the end of spring training, but his grade-80 power has been unaffected; he's tied for fourth in the Texas League in homers despite the missed time. He's making more contact and doing more when he does make contact, along with an improved walk rate -- although I can't imagine anyone's dying to pitch to him at this point. I don't think he's ready to come up in 2015, but it's fair to pencil him in for the bulk of the time at third base for Texas next year.
lastname9. Tyler Glasnow, RHP
Pittsburgh Pirates
Current level: Double-A (Altoona)
He has ace stuff and size without the command yet, although he appeared to be improving in the latter department before suffering a mild ankle injury on May 6. He proceeded to miss a start, come back on May 17 and have his worst start of the season, and now has been placed on the DL due to the sprained ankle.
lastname10. Miguel Sano, 3B
Minnesota Twins
Current level: Double-A (Chattanooga)
This list has a lot of bashers on it, big-power bats without positional questions, with Sano, who missed all of 2014 with Tommy John surgery, being the echt article when it comes to guys who hit homers and don't love to play defense. He seems to have shaken off the rust at the plate, hitting .311/.381/.589 in May. He'll probably earn a promotion to Triple-A in the next month or so.
11. Yoan Moncada, 2B
Boston Red Sox
Current level: Low Class A (Greenville)
Boston's low-A affiliate, the Greenville Drive, is one of the most prospect-laden rosters in the minors, with Moncada, Rafael Devers, Javier Guerra, former first-rounder Michael Chavis, former sandwich-round pick Michael Kopech, former second-rounder Williams Jerez (an ex-outfielder now throwing bullets as a relief pitcher) and more. Moncada is their big bonus baby from this winter, a switch-hitting Cuban shortstop who's playing second base for the Drive. He has barely begun to play, but there's broad consensus that he's going to hit for average and power, although he may ultimately be better defensively at third than second.
lastname12. Nomar Mazara, RF
Texas Rangers
Current level: Double-A (Frisco)
The power hasn't shown up this year, but his average and contact rates are outstanding for a 20-year-old in Double-A, and he has long had the eye and bat speed to project as a star-caliber bat in right field.
lastname13. Austin Meadows, CF
Pittsburgh Pirates
Current level: High Class A (Bradenton)
Meadows already has as many plate appearances in 2015 as he had all of 2014, when a torn hamstring wiped out more than half of his season, and he's even making contact at a higher rate despite moving up to the high-A (and pitcher-friendly) Florida State League. He's still in center field, although it's more likely he ends up in right, where his power/speed/OBP combination will still profile.
lastname14. Rafael Devers, 3B
Boston Red Sox
Current level: Low Class A (Greenville)
"Well That Escalated Quickly: The Rafael Devers Story," written by Mark from Arlington, due out in bookstores later this summer. (My baseball podcast fans know all about "Mahk from Ahlington.") Devers is still not that polished at the plate, but he has explosive bat speed and power, and even if he has to go to the outfield because of his size, he's still a potential middle-of-the-order bat.
lastname15. Kyle Schwarber, C
Chicago Cubs
Current level: Double-A (Tennessee)
Schwarber's pro career to date is very similar to Kris Bryant's first 12 months in pro ball, and you see how the latter is working out so far. The Cubs talk a good game about Schwarber's defense, but he's not a good receiver, and his bat might be the Cubs' best option in left field by midsummer 2015.
lastname16. Aaron Judge, RF
New York Yankees
Current level: Double-A (Trenton)
Judge is prone to strikeouts -- he had 11 in a recent four-game stretch -- but he also is doing so much damage when he does make contact that he projects as an average regular even if he doesn't improve his contact rate. He's also an above-average to plus defender in right. Most scouts I've talked to share my belief that he'll continue to close some of the gaps in his plate coverage, especially if he backs off the plate a little.
lastname17. Daniel Norris, LHP
Toronto Blue Jays
Current level: Triple-A (Buffalo)
The stuff remains plus; the command and control just weren't big league-ready. He's athletic enough to repeat his delivery, which the Blue Jays have simplified since they drafted him. But he appeared to be rushing through his delivery at times, leading to fewer strikes and bad location.
lastname18. Eduardo Rodriguez, LHP
Boston Red Sox
Current level: Triple-A (Pawtucket)
Rodriguez has two plus pitches in his fastball and changeup, excellent control (albeit not command yet) and dominates lefties even though he doesn't have a wipeout breaking ball. I don't think he's the answer to Boston's rotation problems, but he's a better response than Joe Kelly.
lastname19. Jose Peraza, 2B
Atlanta Braves
Current level: Triple-A (Gwinnett)
A true shortstop playing second base because St. Andrelton (Simmons) is playing short for the big club, Peraza has a quick, direct swing that produces very high contact rates, so while he could stand to walk a little more, he should have solid OBPs in the majors by virtue of frequently hitting .300. He's a plus runner as well and could end up a 70 defender at second.
lastname20. Orlando Arcia, SS
Milwaukee Brewers
Current level: Double-A (Biloxi)
Arcia has had one of the minors' biggest breakout campaigns to date, walking more than he has struck out while hitting .325/.382/.450 for Biloxi, along with above-average defense at short. His power has come out now that he's out of the graveyard of high Class A Brevard County as well, and he should be the Brewers' long-term shortstop starting at some point in 2016.
lastname21. Dylan Bundy, RHP
Baltimore Orioles
Current level: Double-A (Bowie)
He isn't all the way back, but he's most of the way back. He was 92-95 mph when I saw him last week with the curveball and changeup both showing plus and the best command he has had since before the injury. He might be more of a No. 2 or great No. 3 starter than an ace, but he should be able to help the major league rotation this year.
lastname22. Jameson Taillon, RHP
Pittsburgh Pirates
Current level: Extended spring training
Taillon had Tommy John surgery last March but should be ready to head to a full-season team by mid-June. His stuff has come back so far, although in just two-inning stints, so we'll get more of a picture when he's stretched out. All reports to date have been positive.
lastname23. Alex Reyes, RHP
St. Louis Cardinals
Current level: High Class A (Palm Beach)
Reyes has seen his stuff tick up this spring in a big way; he's now sitting in the upper 90s as a starter, his curveball is more consistently plus, and he has a developing changeup. He's also maintaining his conditioning better this year and working harder on repeating his delivery, so while his command and control aren't average yet, there's more reason to believe they will be, giving him the potential upside of an ace.
24. Jose De Leon, RHP
Los Angeles Dodgers
Current level: Double-A (Tulsa)
Just ninth in the Dodgers' system coming into the year, the Puerto Rico-born De Leon eviscerated California League hitters even while pitching in a high-offense environment, earning a promotion to Double-A last week. De Leon, a 24th-round pick out of Southern University, has three above-average pitches, excellent command and control and deception in his delivery that continues to fool hitters even as he has moved up the ladder.
lastname25. Jose Berrios, RHP
Minnesota Twins
Current level: Double-A (Chattanooga)
I still have concerns about Berrios' flat fastball making him more prone to hard contact and home runs, but his command and secondary pitches are both clearly good enough for him to pitch in the big leagues as a starter, and if he can keep the ball in the park, he has the potential to be a solid No. 2 starter.