Baseball's Top Prospects for 2010
Remember: This list evolves and changes daily.
OF, LAA
The Angels' roster included Chone Figgins, Reggie Willits and Erick Aybar in 2009, but it was 2005 draftee Peter Bourjos who Mike Scoscia called 'the fastest guy in camp' at spring training.
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131
RHP, BOS
A huge beast of a pitcher, the six foot eight Anthony Ranaudo is one of many premium righthanded arms from the 2010 Amateur Draft. The LSU alum works with a mid-90's fastball on an (obviously) downward plane, mixing in an average curve and changeup that will have to improve before he's MLB-worthy. There are some concerns with his mechanics, as is often the case with tall pitchers, and his slightly jerky delivery worries a few scouts. Despite those concerns, though, Ranaudo is a pitcher with significant upside that should be worth the risk. Maybe.
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132
OF, TB
Josh Sale (pronounced 'Sully', more or less) is a powerful Samoan motherslugger from Seattle who just keeps getting bigger and stronger as he develops. Built more like a linebacker than a baseball player, Sale's lefthanded bat already looks like a premium offensive weapon. He's been a third baseman in high school, but he's almost certainly destined for right field or first base by the time he reaches the majors, which should be in a couple of years. When he does arrive, you'll be able to hear the moonshots for miles.
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133
LHP, TB
With three plus-pitches, one of them a plus-plus curve, this is a left-hander with a very bright future. While you probably did not hear his name much, McGee led his AA league in strikeouts in 2006, adding six double-digit strikeout finishes to the morning papers. He slid a bit in 2007 and spent most of 2008 recovering from surgery, but he's still a smart money bet for the future. There is some concern over his stamina, however, so he may be in line for the bullpen in TB this year. Still, a left-handed strikeout artist is a nice pickup, no matter which inning it is when he takes the mound. If Tampa uses him as a five-inning starter too soon, he won't be worth much in fantasy play, but if he's brought up as a setup man, watch out: he could be a super-LOOGY or exceptional setup man very quickly.
More Scouting Book Info on Jake McGee >
134
LHP, KC
With all the focus on Aroldis Chapman, will anyone remember Noel Arguelles? Like Chapman, Arguelles is a young Cuban lefthander who signed a surprise contract with a smaller market club. In Noel's case, the deal was a five-year, $7 million contract with the KC Royals. A 6-foot-4 athlete from head to toe, Arguelles came to international attention pitching the gold medal game for Cuba in the Pan American Junior Championships in 2007.
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135
C, TOR
You have to give the Blue Jays some credit. Even with their backs to the wall and the necessity of trading away the best pitcher in franchise history, they managed to come out ahead by completely restocking their depleted farm system with high-talent players like D'Arnaud. Not to be confused with infielder Chase, Travis is an offensively gifted catcher who recently hit 13 homers in 126 games at A-level Lakewood, the Phillies Sally League affiliate. He's got above-average speed for a catcher and a developing eye for the strike zone that should allow him to hit high in a future Blue Jays batting order.
More Scouting Book Info on Travis D'Arnaud >
136
RHP, CLE
A relatively unknown pitcher hidden in the Cleveland system, righthander Hector Rondon blew through AA last year and landed at AAA for season's end. He went 7-5, 2.75 at AA Akron, striking out 73 batters in 74 innings while walking only 15. His build and delivery concern some scouts, and his ceiling might not be as high as some of the bigger names on the farm, but his darting 93mph fastball and MLB-ready breaking ball are highly effective when he commands them... which is most of the time. He could sneak into the Cleveland bullpen sometime in 2010, or even into the depleted rotation.
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137
LHP , TEX
A first-round selection by the Giants in 2006, Kiker has been up and down during his development as a Ranger. He has a real plus fastball, which once touched 97 but today lives closer to 94, and a better than average changeup. His conditioning has been a question in the past, but he seems to be showing a new commitment to taking care of his body enough to put in the long season. The Rangers want to see him focus and sharpen his command before promoting him, but that shouldn't be seen as a sign of ill-confidence.
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138
C, DET
Plucked from the University of Alabama in the fifth round of 2008's Amateur Draft, catcher Alex Avila has been rocketing up the system so quickly that he's likely to open 2010 on the Tigers' 25-man roster, and he'll do so with some MLB experience already under his belt: after hitting .305 and .264 in A and AA ball, he ended 2009 on the Detroit bench, seeing action in 29 games and getting a taste of the big club's pitching staff. He received rave reviews from that staff as well as the Detroit management, which means he's a near-lock to spend most of 2010 in the Bigs. Avila is a contact hitter with a grounded approach to hitting, combining the ability to hit for high average with an occasional jolt of power. He won't be an everyday player for a few more years, but as even as a backup, he stands to be a very valuable roster piece.
More Scouting Book Info on Alex Avila >
139
RHP, CHC
A two-way player drafted by the Cubs as a pitcher in 2008, Randy 'Jay' Jackson is a sturdy righthander with a heavy 93mph fastball and an average curve. He posted a healthy 4-2, 2.88 half-season in A ball after that, but most eye-opening were the 72 strikeouts in 50 innings. He probably won't duplicate that success against higher-quality hitters, but he should get the opportunity soon enough. He's got some 2012 sleeper potential, but if the Cubs need a power righthanded arm in the bullpen sooner than that, the kid they (should) call 'Dawg' could get a look-see a lot sooner than that.
More Scouting Book Info on Jay Jackson >
140
131. Peter Bourjos
132. Anthony Ranaudo
133. Josh Sale
135. Noel Arguelles
136. Travis D'Arnaud
137. Hector Rondon
138. Kasey Kiker
139. Alex Avila
140. Jay Jackson
131 to 140 of 484
