Baseball's Top Prospects for 2010
Remember: This list evolves and changes daily.
C, SF
Not much power but a team leader with a lot of batting smarts. That's the book on Gerald 'Buster' Posey. He's got baseball grit and hustle out the yin-yang, though, so in a draft class that was rich with good catchers, he was both the first off the board and one of the most likely to see early MLB action.
More Scouting Book Info on Buster Posey >
1
RHP, TEX
An eighteen year old Dominican whose fastball has been clocked at 98mph, Feliz was a sleeper deep in the Atlanta system, scooped by Texas as part of the prospect package that sent Mark Teixeira to the Braves. He's still raw, but when he's wild he's effectively wild.
More Scouting Book Info on Neftali Feliz >
2
OF, ATL
Atlanta fans should finally be able to 'Say Heyward' this year, as their prize prospect looks as close to ready as a player can be for big-league baseball. A real treasure for the Braves as 2007's 14th overall pick, the left-handed Heyward has been lauded for his developing plate discipline and 30-homer power potential for a couple of years now.
More Scouting Book Info on Jason Heyward >
3
C, WAS
There's not much more to say about Bryce Harper that hasn't already been reprinted hundreds of times. The young phenom is probably the best hitting prospect since Alex Rodriguez, and that's after we disregard the 96mph fastball he can throw as a pitcher. If his 560-foot home runs are any indication, Harper is a generational talent who should blossom into a star major league player under the right tutelage. A catcher for most of his teenaged life, he certainly has the arm for the position, but he's already pretty large for backstop duty, and there aren't many teams who would be comfortable wearing down an expensive star player's knees so quickly: it's very likely he will be moved to a less-demanding position in the future, likely third base or right field, positions where his cannon arm won't be wasted.
More Scouting Book Info on Bryce Harper >
4
C, CLE
When he was shipped to Cleveland as a piece in the Casey Blake trade of 2008, catcher Carlos Santana immediately became the Indians' top catching prospect, and the heir apparent to the Victor Martinez / Kelly Shoppach tandem. Well-regarded as a catch-and-throw man in the Dodger system, he busted out offensively last year, hitting .330 in a season split between the Dodgers' and Indians' high-A teams, and swatting 20 home runs in the process. The switch-hitting catcher with the musical name will open 2010 back in AA, where he'll likely be asked to keep sharpening his receiving and game-calling skills before he gets a shot at the Jake. He might get a late-season look in 2010 as a fill-in DH, though.
More Scouting Book Info on Carlos Santana >
5
LHP, CIN
A whisper-thin lefthander with a whiplike delivery that can touch 100mph, Cuban Aroldis Chapman is one of the highest-ceiling lefties in baseball today... and also one of the riskiest. Chapman went 6-7 with a 3.89 ERA in 2008 and 11-4 with a 4.03 ERA in 2009 as a starter in Cuba's National League, after working as Holguin's closer the year before. He finished second in the vote for the league's best left-handed pitcher in 2009.
More Scouting Book Info on Aroldis Chapman >
6
C, NYY
The Yankees are committed to Jorge Posada for another couple of years, but after that they're hoping that a fast-growing rookie can take over their young pitching staff... assuming he doesn't outgrow the position altogether. Universally regarded as the best available international free agent, Jesus Montero was signed in the summer of 2006, instantly becoming New York's best catching prospect. While some want to see him move to first base or a corner outfield spot, the Yankees are so far committed to continuing his development as a catcher and are continuing to develop his receiving and game-calling ability with that in mind.
More Scouting Book Info on Jesus Montero >
7
LHP, STL
The Cardinals stole Garcia in the 22nd round of the 2005 amateur draft on the whim of a scout who saw his curve while watching a Mexican junior national team game. His fastball never leaves the low-90s, but the plus nature of his complementary pitches give him a good career potential. St. Louis is hungry for pitching, and good at developing it, so he could be moved up quickly.
More Scouting Book Info on Jaime Garcia >
8
OF, TB
'Carl Crawford with better plate discipline.' That's what some scouts are saying about Tampa's top outfield prospect, who should arrive in MLB in 2010.
More Scouting Book Info on Desmond Jennings >
9
OF, FLA
A high-school outfielder drafted 76th overall in 2007, Stanton went on to destroy high A Jupiter in 2009, raking at a .294/.390/.578 clip while adding 12 home runs in 50 games. His average suffered a bit after a promotion to AA Jacksonville, but his power remained (16 more home runs and a .455 slugging average.) A talented overall player with the tools to fit in at almost any position, he's being worked in right field at present, but could be moved almost anywhere else in the future. His plus power from the right side is aided by studious preparation and discipline beyond his young age. In the field, he has a plus arm, great range and a winning attitude. A rising star in Florida, don't be surprised to see him patrolling center or right for the Marlins as soon as late 2010.
More Scouting Book Info on Mike Stanton >
10
RHP, CIN
A two way player who can turn in above average range and defense in the outfield, Arizona righthander Mike Leake is more appealing to MLB scouts as a pitcher. While he lacks a classic plus pitch, he has four above-average ones, which is remarkable in such a young player, and the baseball smarts to infuriate batters. Some scouts see Leake as too small-bodied for 220-inning seasons, but ever since the rise of Tim Lincecum, smaller pitchers have been getting the benefit of the doubt. The Reds will likely develop Leake as a starter until something changes their mind.
More Scouting Book Info on Mike Leake >
11
LHP, SF
Such a name. Such a talent. A tall, strong lefthander, Bumgarner is the Giant pitcher most ready to follow Cain and Lincecum to glory by the Bay.
More Scouting Book Info on Madison Bumgarner >
12
LHP, BAL
One of the best left-handers available in the 2008 draft, Matusz is an experienced and clever strongman with four quality pitches. His fastball isn't overpowering, though, and his numbers showed some decline last season, so he won't be having a big impact on Baltimore's rotation anytime soon. It'll be fun watching his use his guile along with his stuff to go after better pro hitters, though. As a polished college candidate, his secondary pitches are very advanced for a prospect, and he should be one of the next Baltimore pitchers to break into MLB, probably this season.
More Scouting Book Info on Brian Matusz >
13
RHP, TB
Jacob McGee's old rotation partner in the Midwest League, righthander Wade Davis might end up the more successful MLB player. And since Tampa runs its team on young pitchers, good luck and gasoline fumes, he's bound to get a shot sometime in 2010, though probably only in a limited way. We like him as a starter, but some may prefer the fastball in the pen, especially after how effective David Price was in a limited relief role last year before 'graduating' to the rotation the following season. Right now, Davis might have the highest upside of any pitcher not named Strasburg.
More Scouting Book Info on Wade Davis >
14
3B, PIT
A left-handed power hitting third baseman, Alvarez has a very very high ceiling and is almost big-league ready. He could be a big part of a devastating future Pittsburgh lineup. He's now fully-recovered from a hamate bone he broke in 2007; all reports are positive.
More Scouting Book Info on Pedro Alvarez >
15
RHP, ATL
A rake-thin Colombian being slow-cooked in the Braves pitchin' kitchen, righthander Julio Teheran combines a plus fastball and change with two different breaking balls and flashes of great control. He's still very young, and being called 'the best Latin American pitcher since Felix Hernandez' is a lot of pressure to handle, but he's in the best possible system to nurture his development while also containing his ego. He's been a bit jammed in a system ripe with strong pitching prospects, but if he continues to develop at his current accelerated pace, he's going to force his way onto the big league roster before 2011 is finished. The best-case scenario shows him taking over as Atlanta's ace by the end of 2012.
More Scouting Book Info on Julio Teheran >
16
RHP, WAS
One of the best college pitchers of any class in memory, righthander Stephen Strasburg mixes a high-90's (and low-100's) fastball with a highly-effective slider/curve for a devastating 1-2 punch. He wasn't a strikeout pitcher early in his college career, instead focusing on pitching to contact, but his K rate has been rising steadily since 2007. A few experts are concerned about his delivery, but it's important to take that with a big grain of salt: there was also a choir united about Mark Prior's 'perfect' mechanics, once, too.
More Scouting Book Info on Stephen Strasburg >
17
RHP, TB
He was overshadowed by the more polished David Price in Tampa's minor league system, but the Rays' second best pitching prospect would be a clear number one in most organizations. A power righthander with three-pitch command from a deceptive 3/4 delivery, he has been a strikeout pitcher at all stops, most recently racking up 162 of them in 148 innings last year. A real sleeper in deep leagues, Hellickson is the sort of pitcher who can set a league on fire, especially his first time through. His workload last year is a bit of a worry, however, as it was more than double his previous best effort. If Tampa can show patience with Hellickson, he could be a top-flight pitcher, but the risk of a setback is high in a system famous for pushing its young arms very hard.
More Scouting Book Info on Jeremy Hellickson >
18
OF, PHI
Once the best raw talent in the Phillies system, centerfielder Domonic (sic) Brown draws comparisons to a young Grady Sizemore due to his tall, lanky frame, good speed, plus discipline and strong left arm. He's increased his OBP, K:BB ratio and stolen base success rate at each of his three minor league stops to date (including a .346/.456/.802 line in his first taste of AA ball in 2009), which means his ceiling isn't yet known. He's young, hasn't shown any real power yet, and won't be a factor for a couple more years, but he's one of the best outfield prospects the Phillies have right now, and he could be a future all-star.
More Scouting Book Info on Domonic Brown >
19
LHP, TEX
An undrafted free agent signing from Venezuela, teenage lefty Martin Perez might be one of the Rangers' best-kept secrets. He's not close to MLB yet, but Perez is already a shining star worth following. Making 15 short starts (only 62 innings) at Rookie-level Spokane, Martin went 1-2 with a 3.65 ERA and a 53:28 ratio of strikeouts to walks. The skinny 17 year old, who's breaking down doors with a plus 92mph fastball and a polished curve, turns into a wiry 18 year old this spring, and he should graduate from dazzling rookie league hitters to stumping A-ball hitters in Hickory. He's someone to keep a special eye on over the next few years.
More Scouting Book Info on Martin Perez >
20
1. Buster Posey
2. Neftali Feliz
3. Jason Heyward
4. Bryce Harper
5. Carlos Santana
6. Aroldis Chapman
7. Jesus Montero
8. Jaime Garcia
9. Desmond Jennings
10. Mike Stanton
13. Brian Matusz
15. Pedro Alvarez
19. Domonic Brown
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