Top Baseball Prospects for 2013
Now updated for 2013's Top Prospects
Scouting Book's Top Prospects list is a Combined List, a calculated summary of the overall valuations of the entire prospect universe.
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The Diamondbacks organizational player of the year for 2009, first baseman Ryan Wheeler was acquired by the Rockies in their trade of Matt Reynolds late in 2012. While his stock has slid a bit since its 2010 heights, Wheeler is still looking like a solid all around player who will land in Coors sooner rather than later. Before slouching into MLB with the Diamondbacks late in the year, Wheeler had slashed a scary-good .351/.388/.572 line in AAA ball, and that's the player the Rockies hope they traded for. His strikeout to walk ratio, just barely over 2:1, wasn't half-bad, either. He should be a part of an under-the-radar Rockies revival in 2013.
Full Scouting Report for Ryan Wheeler
SB 121BA SC BP SN ES ML
A tall lefthander from California, Boston prospect Henry Owens is a raw but high-ceilinged pitcher who many project as a future relief specialist, though he's shown the durability and maturity to survive as a starter, and the Sox are expected to keep him in that role as long as possible. Owens fastball is a low-90's offering with movement, though it could pick up a few ticks as he grows and gains strength. He mixes in two curves, one hard and one soft, with varying degrees of effectiveness, and a weak changeup that does almost no good whatsoever at present.
Full Scouting Report for Henry Owens
SB 122BA 91SC BP SN ES ML 94
The Red Sox's Cuban shortstop prospect Jose Iglesias got a lot more ink, but 2009 defectee Hechavarria (pronounced and sometimes spelled Echavarria) is probably the superior player. In MLB terms, Hechavarria is an 'offensive-minded' shortstop in the Cal Ripken mode: a potentially high-average hitter with above-average power. At the plate so far, though, his spray chart looks a little more like Ichiro Suzuki: he has a knack for finding infield holes and hitting behind runners. One of the bundle of prospects sent to Miami in the 2012 fire-sale, he's the immediate and obvious replacement for the departed Jose Reyes, though he's hasn't shown anything yet to indicate he's anything close to Jose's level. He's likely to develop late and provide a nice quiet surprise for his new owners.
Full Scouting Report for Adeiny Hechavarria
SB 123BA SC BP SN ES ML 82
An offensive-minded shortstop with great patience and power, Clemson grad Brad Miller is a potent force brewing in the Mariner system. After a three year college life in which he hit .339/.452/.485, he signed with the Mariners after being drafted in mid-2011 and promptly did the same thing to A-level pitchers in the Midwest League. Last year, advanced pitching didn't slow him down, either, as he slashed .339/.412/.524 at High Desert, was promptly promoted to AA, and slashed .320/.406/.476 in 40 games thereafter.
Full Scouting Report for Brad Miller
SB 124BA SC BP SN ES ML
A towering righthander from Orange County, Mariner prospect Brandon Maurer is an underrated prospect hidden behind some of Seattle's sexier young pitchers. It's unfortunate, because while he might not have the raw stuff of some of the other arms, he's very ready to be tested in MLB. In 24 AA starts last season, Maurer posted a tidy 3.20 ERA, striking out 117 while walking 48. While some of that ERA was the result of good fortune (his WHIP was 1.315), his minor league track record suggests it's legitimate.
Full Scouting Report for Brandon Maurer
SB 125BA SC BP SN ES ML
Someone in the Texas system is very, very good at finding high quality shortstops. Signed by the Rangers back in 2010 as an IFA, Luis Sardinas is an underrated shortstop prospect from Venezuela who has all the raw tools to be a superstar. After a rookie 2011 cut short due to injury, Sardinas showed what he could do at A-level Hickory last season by slashing an easy .291/.346/.356 line while wowing the crowd with highlight-reel defensive wizardry.
Full Scouting Report for Luis Sardinas
SB 126BA SC BP 86SN ES ML 84
The Topps Player of the Year for the (A-level) Midwest League in 2011, outfielder Rymer Liriano is a five-tool talent on the fast-track to major league duty in San Diego. His 2012 numbers (.251/.335/.377) might look inferior to his track record, but it was the youngster's first crack at AA, so it's actually pretty impressive. The Dominican native's award-winning minor league career is a tantalizing showcase of speed and power, just the thing the Padres could use at the top of the order. If he lights up AA pitching this spring, he could be in the majors by midseason. If not, he's still a near-lock for the 2014 lineup.
Full Scouting Report for Rymer Liriano
SB 127BA SC 44BP 39SN ES 54ML 55
A shortstop who outgrew the position, as so many tall men do, Red Sox prospect Garin Cecchini zipped up prospect lists last year mainly on the strength of his .298/.398/.500 performance at Low-A Lowell in 2011, and that season was obviously no fluke: he slashed .305/.394/.433 a year later at higher-level Greenville. Cecchini shows good (but not great) glove and footwork, and his arm can certainly handle the long throws from third, so there's little worry that he'll be able to play there. While there's no special reason for pessimism, we'll see how he can handle higher quality pitching, including his first taste of ungodly breaking stuff in 2013 before anointing him as a better third base option than Will Middlebooks.
Full Scouting Report for Garin Cecchini
SB 128BA SC BP SN ES ML
An undrafted free agent signing from Venezuela, teenage lefty Martin Perez was one of the Rangers' best-kept secrets until he blew away half the minor leagues in 2009. He's impressive, and slowly getting closer to MLB-ready. The wiry 22 year old stumbled a bit last season and looked iffy in his Arlington debut, but for most of his career hasn't failed to strike out a batter per inning. Thanks to the depth of the MLB club, Perez is most likely to start 2013 back in AAA and join the big club somewhere during the year His prime won't arrive until 2014 or so, however.
Full Scouting Report for Martin Perez
SB 129BA 81SC 55BP 59SN ES 93ML 95
A solid, squarely-built righthander in the Cards' system, Texan Tyrell Jenkins was a first round (supplemental) pick in the 2010 draft. A two-sport star who almost went to Baylor as a quarterback, Jenkins works with a 92mph heater than can touch 96. At the moment, he can also bring a slow curve, a passable slider and an (unreliable) changeup to bear. It'll be the development of those secondary pitches that controls his rise through the minors. He's a couple of more years away from relevant, possible tastes of MLB notwithstanding.
Full Scouting Report for Tyrell Jenkins
SB 130BA SC BP 94SN ES ML
Prospects
Top Prospects 2013
Combined Ranking
120 to 130 of 650 Prospects
