Baseball's Top Prospects for 2010
Remember: This list evolves and changes daily.
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 >
111
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 >
112
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 >
113
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 >
114
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 >
115
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 >
116
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 >
117
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 >
118
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 >
119
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 >
120
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 >
121
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 >
122
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 >
123
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 >
124
3B, FLA
A high-school shortstop drafted at #12 by the Marlins in 2007, Dominguez's size and strength -- not to mention the presence of Hanley Ramirez -- prompted a move to third base last season. A raw power threat with a long but strong swing, Dominguez slugged a Sally League .513 in the second half of 2008, but he's not a one-dimensional talent: he also brings a plus arm and very, very good defensive ability to the field. He won't be making anyone forget Miguel Cabrera anytime soon, but he has the potential to be a solid MLB contributor and perennial gold-glover: he could probably reach the bigs on the strength of his glove alone.
More Scouting Book Info on Matt Dominguez >
125
RHP, STL
The Cardinals' minor league pitcher of the year, righthander Michael (Lance) Lynn is a 6-6, 260lb monster out of U Mississippi who frustrates opposing hitters with a hard sinker mixed with an effective change and curve. More of a smart, pitchability type than a power pitcher, Lynn exhibits plus command of all his pitches and has shown a knack for keeping hitters off balance. If he can hold up to the workloads of pro ball, he could be a real innings eater for the Cardinals in a year or two.
More Scouting Book Info on Lance Lynn >
126
RHP, CHC
If any prospect ever needed a nickname, it's Cubs righthander Chris J. Carpenter, one of the fastest-rising pitching prospects in baseball and part of a prospect resurgence in Chicago. A big power arm out of Kent State, Carpenter's early Tommy John surgery kept him in the shadows for awhile, and left him dangling until the Draft's third round. He's fully recovered now, and looking like a premium arm again. Carpenter, who we're now calling CJ, opened 2009 at A-level Peoria, going 4-3 with a 2.44 ERA and 1.20 WHIP, before being promoted to high-A Daytona. At the higher level, CJ went 2-1 with a 1.44 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in five starts, which was enough to punch another ticket, this time to AA Tennessee. In 27 combined starts at all three levels, he struck out 118 batters while walking only 52. While he's likely to spend all of 2010 in AA, CJ will probably get his first taste of MLB by September.
More Scouting Book Info on Chris Carpenter >
127
3B, ARZ
A switch-hitting third baseman with line-to-line power, Borchering has been drawing Chipper Jones comparisons since high school. He's the hot corner dealer of the future in Arizona. A late signee, he didn't get much of a look at pro pitching in 2009, so 2010 will be his first real test.
More Scouting Book Info on Bobby Borchering >
128
1B, TB
When Jose Julio Ruiz defected from Cuba in 2009 at age 25, he was ranked as one of the league's top-rated hitters. A pure offensive threat, the fireplug-shaped Ruiz will likely be relegated to 1B or DH duties in the USA, but his bat should be able to play at the major league level very soon. A gap hitter with decent but not great power, he has a smooth, quick swing from the left side that should allow him to maintain an average similar to the .300 he traditionally posted in Cuba. While the lack of plus power might hold him back from a top tier position, his overall path could be similar to slow-burning Angel Kendry Morales, who simmered for a couple of years before breaking out in 2009.
More Scouting Book Info on Jose Ruiz >
129
RHP, LAD
No relation to Russ, though the righthanded pitcher does have at least one other thing in common with the catcher: both are viable backups at third base. The Dodgers are looking at Ethan as a pitcher and only a pitcher, however, and that might be more than enough. The powerful, savvy righthander projects a lot like the Giants' young Tim Lincecum, with a pinpoint fastball and a nasty hard slider coming from a compact frame. He's not close to ready, but when he does add some experience to his talent, he should be yet another in a long string of powerful home-grown Dodger arms.
More Scouting Book Info on Ethan Martin >
130
111. Manny Machado
112. Karsten Whitson
113. Max Ramirez
114. Chad James
115. Brett Jackson
116. Chris Withrow
118. Reid Brignac
119. Alex Liddi
120. Jared Mitchell
121. Lou Marson
122. Bryce Brentz
123. Wilmer Flores
124. Tony Sanchez
126. Lance Lynn
128. Bobby Borchering
111 to 130 of 486
