Baseball's Top Prospects for 2010
Remember: This list evolves and changes daily.
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 >
121
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 >
122
RHP, WAS
The winner of the 2009 best righthanded pitcher award in the Cuban League, Yuniesky Maya defected the following year, becoming an MLB-qualified free agent at age 27. Yuni is a smart pitcher with a well-rounded repertoire: his 92mph fastball won't blow many away, but the deft way in which he mixes in a shifty two-seamer, a quality change, a solid curve and even a strikeout slider means he doesn't need to break bats: he can miss them instead. A major sleeper candidate for 2011.
More Scouting Book Info on Yunieksy Maya >
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
121. Bryce Brentz
122. Wilmer Flores
123. Yunieksy Maya
124. Tony Sanchez
125. Matt Dominguez
126. Lance Lynn
127. Chris Carpenter
128. Bobby Borchering
129. Jose Ruiz
130. Ethan Martin
121 to 130 of 484
