Baseball's Top Prospects for 2010
Remember: This list evolves and changes daily.
SS, ATL
A Dominican phenom who was hotly pursued by the Mariners and Yankees for several years, young Edward Salcedo finally signed a free agent contract with the Atlanta Braves in the spring of 2010, more than making up for the team's absence of a first-round pick in the 2010 Draft. A big, strong infielder with soft hands and a very quick bat, Salcedo is currently a gap-to-gap line drive hitter, though his size and strength project out to significant power in the future, as scouts compare him without exaggeration to Hanley Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez. The (certified) 19 year old appears able to stick at shortstop, but even if he doesn't, his bat is so advanced that he'd remain a top prospect, even at third base or in right field. Atlanta should give Salcedo every chance to win the everyday shortstop job first, though, and he could see show-time as soon as 2011.
More Scouting Book Info on Edward Salcedo >
101
LHP, PHI
A scrawny Dominican lefthander who enhances his average stuff with good deception, Bastardo was almost a Phillies fill-in last season before shoulder problems ended his season early. A changeup specialist in the Jamie Moyer fashion, he could have success frustrating slower-handed NL hitters. With Kyle Drabek out of the way and only Phil Aumont to now contend with, he could break into the MLB club by midseason.
More Scouting Book Info on Antonio Bastardo >
102
3B, STL
The Cardinals' first pick of the 2010 Amateur Draft (25th overall), Arkansas' Zack Cox is a toolsy player with a high-end mix of baseball instincts and work ethic. He abandoned pitching to focus on hitting as a college freshman, and he hasn't looked back since. His bat speed is exceptional, and allowed him to turn on even the best heat in college ball while also letting him adjust to off-speed pitches with an ease seldom seen in NCAA. His contact rate isn't terrific, however, so he'll need to work on that if he's to be more than an all-power hitter. He's also a bit rough defensively, but he'll have time to mature as a pro player while waiting for his MLB career to begin.
More Scouting Book Info on Zack Cox >
103
RHP, CLE
An under-the-radar phenom last year, Carrasco can't sneak past anyone now, and when the Indians went looking for a prospect haul in exchange for Cliff Lee, he was on top of their wish list. He's now one of baseball's top pitching prospects, and he's essentially ready for MLB today: he's already got three solid big-league ready pitches, he's shown durability and endurance needed to be a front-line starter, and he's got the brains to outsmart sluggers from outing to outing and at-bat to at-bat. The AL won't be easy on him, and he's bound to get lit up like a pinball machine at times, but if Cleveland gives the kid an early shot, expect some highlight-reel performances.
More Scouting Book Info on Carlos Carrasco >
104
RHP, CLE
An alum of Marlins lefty Andrew Miller and Red Sox fireballer Daniel Bard, Alex White figures to be the next UNC ace to earn an MLB gig. A mid-90's fastball is his workaday pitch, but his slider is a real plus offering, and even his change is well-developed for such a young pitcher.
More Scouting Book Info on Alex White >
105
SS, BAL
A graduate of Team USA's championship squad, Miami's Manny Machado is a powerful well-rounded player who was recognized as one of baseball's best high-school shortstops in 2009. He hasn't have a lot of power yet, and there are questions about his speed, but he does have a solid-average bat and the sort of above-average footwork and soft hands that give him a decent chance of actually sticking at short. Like all shortstops from Miami, Machado is sometimes compared to Alex Rodriguez, though that might be stretching his upside more than a bit. So far he looks more like a future Yunel Escobar. He's very young and a very long way away from MLB, though, so there's plenty of time for a possible break out to a higher level.
More Scouting Book Info on Manny Machado >
106
RHP, SD
Karsten Whitson is a teenage pitching prospect who might have the highest ceiling of any of the 2010 draft class participants. Unlike most pitching prospects, who lack for a serious gap or two in their toolset, Whitson already has a near-ideal mix of stuff, polish, pitchability and projection. His fastball is an MLB-ready 92-94 version with sink, and his slider, a hard 84mph version, shows real plus break. His third pitch is a straight change that, while still below MLB caliber, is already leaps and bounds better than what one usually sees in such a young player. He seems ideally positioned to be the next 'surprise' pitching phenom.
More Scouting Book Info on Karsten Whitson >
107
C, TEX
Max is a professional hitter with a career .314/.414/.521 line in the minors. He's athletic enough to play first, third or even the outfield, but his size and skill set is still best-suited to receiving, where he has a good arm and has proven to be a reliable game-caller. He should get at least a few looks in 2010, but his real future is in 2011 and beyond.
More Scouting Book Info on Max Ramirez >
108
LHP, FLA
A tall and lanky power pitcher in the Jon Lester mold, Chad James was a first round selection who signed with the Marlins in 2009. In addition to moving fastball that he commands well, James has a fantastic (if erratic) curve and a developing change that will dictate his future as he matures. He signed too late to sample pro ball in 2009, but he'll be a bright dot to follow on the radar in 2010.
More Scouting Book Info on Chad James >
109
OF, CHC
A toolsy centerfielder pushing his way up the Cubs ladder, Brett Jackson is a well-rounded player without a single defining skill, but with the right mix for a top-of-the-order role in the future. A .318/.418/.488 hitter across three levels of minor-league ball in 2009, Jackson's mix of plus speed and mature plate discipline portends a leadoff role. His 87% success rate on the basepaths won't hurt either.
More Scouting Book Info on Brett Jackson >
110
RHP, LAD
The Dodgers' first round pick in 2007, righty Chris Withrow went 8-8 over 22 starts in 2009, split between high A Inland Empire and AA Chattanooga. With 131 strikeouts in 114 innings, he's looking like a power pitcher, and that's exactly what the Dodgers are looking for, here. His fastball lives around 93 but can hit 98 with good movement. His improving curve is a strikeout pitch, an 11-5 hammer that he's comfortable throwing in almost any count. A middle-rotation candidate who's already showing superior makeup, Withrow could move quickly, especially if the Dodgers suffer injuries in 2010.
More Scouting Book Info on Chris Withrow >
111
RHP, CHC
Texas Christian's ex-closer, Andrew Cashner has that perfect mix of electric 98mph fastball and nasty low-90's slider that everyone wants to see in a ninth-inning specialist. Of course, the Cubs already have two or three of those on staff, so it's possible that Cashner could be stretched into starting duty: he's already got the workable changeup and innings-eating frame to do that if needed. There was talk of looking at him as a Wrigley fill-in artist in late 2009, but that didn't pan out. For now, look for him to get an audition sometime in 2010.
More Scouting Book Info on Andrew Cashner >
112
OF, BOS
Boston's ninth-round pickup in the 2007 first-year player draft, Ryan Kalish is a toolsy outfielder from New Jersey who projects as a good leadoff or top-of-order hitter once he develops a bit more. If he enters the a Boston lineup that looks like the current one, of course, that'd mean he'd be more likely be hitting seventh or eighth, so his current value is limited without a trade to a team more desperate for OF help.
More Scouting Book Info on Ryan Kalish >
113
SS, TB
While one has to be careful with the way Tampa manages their prospects (it seems that most of them stay in the minors until they're thirty), it's possible we'll see Brignac on opening day 2010, especially now that BJ Upton seems to have stuck as an outfielder.
More Scouting Book Info on Reid Brignac >
114
3B, SEA
Seattle's always been one of the most aggressive clubs when it comes to international signings, and they continued that tradition by signing Italian infielder Alex Liddi in 2005. Two years after his .303 debut in Rookie ball, Liddi slashed .345/.411/.594 at high-A, high-altitude High Desert in 2009, adding 23 homers and 44 doubles to that MiLB batting title performance. Even if you adjust that line for the offensive boost that High Desert tends to provide, he still had a standout season, and his MVP trophy was well-earned. His validity as a productive bat will be tested in 2010 at AA West Tennessee, which shouldn't be quite as forgiving of his long swing or impatience at the plate. If he can come through that crucible still looking like a top prospect, he should be serving in Seattle by 2012.
More Scouting Book Info on Alex Liddi >
115
OF, CHW
The White Sox first round pick out of LSU, outfielder Jared Mitchell is a fully-equipped toolbox on high-performance legs. A plus-plus runner with great instincts on the basepaths, he's also a developing bat with the type of body that could grow into significant power. There's some question about his polish in the outfield, but he'll have a couple of years to develop the skills necessary to patrol the South Side lawn.
More Scouting Book Info on Jared Mitchell >
116
C, CLE
A defensively strong catcher who's made a fast rise through the system, Lou Marson went from being one of a half-dozen decent system backstops to the likely catcher of the future in Philadelphia, mainly on the back of his hard-nosed and 'Phillies-style' attitude. He was traded to the Indians at the 2009 deadline in the package that netted Cliff Lee for the Phillies.
More Scouting Book Info on Lou Marson >
117
OF, BOS
A two-way player who was originally drafted by the Indians as a pitcher, Tennessee's Bryce Brentz should probably now be considered a full-time outfielder despite his success on the mound. Pitching aside, Brentz is a hard-hitting corner outfielder who should move quickly in pro baseball. Built like a tree-trunk, Brentz uses his whole body well in his right-handed swing, getting maximum power from his hip rotation to splash line-drives to all fields with apparent ease.
More Scouting Book Info on Bryce Brentz >
118
SS, NYM
It must be frustrating to be a shortstop prospect in the Mets system. Wilmer Flores probably keeps his bags packed full-time. Lucky for him, he's likely to grow out of shortstop and into a third-baseman soon. Which is also a problem in New York. Well, at the rate his very-young body is still developing, Flores could end up at first base or even left field by the time he's ready for Citi Field. The youngster was ranked 12th in the Appy League in 2008 with an. 842 OPS... as a 6-foot-3 17 year old. He has a high ceiling but also a long road. He's a guy to keep an eye on for the next four or five years, though, to see if the skills can keep pace with the raw athleticism.
More Scouting Book Info on Wilmer Flores >
119
C, PIT
A native of Miami, Jorge 'Tony' Sanchez is an offensive-minded catcher in the style of Matt Wieters (though with less power) or Buster Posey (but with less defensive prowess). He does show enough skill to stick at catcher, though, and his bat is legitimate: He hit .346/.443/.614 at Boston College in 2009. He's seen as nearly major league ready today.
More Scouting Book Info on Tony Sanchez >
120
101. Edward Salcedo
102. Antonio Bastardo
103. Zack Cox
104. Carlos Carrasco
106. Manny Machado
107. Karsten Whitson
108. Max Ramirez
109. Chad James
110. Brett Jackson
111. Chris Withrow
113. Ryan Kalish
114. Reid Brignac
115. Alex Liddi
116. Jared Mitchell
119. Wilmer Flores
120. Tony Sanchez
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