Baseball Prospect Rankings for 2012
Now updated for 2012'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.
Remember: this page is the result of an automatic process that re-sorts and re-ranks players often.
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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's pretty much major league ready today, especially for a team like Pittsburgh that can provide as much low-pressure on the job training as required.
Full Scouting Report for Tony Sanchez
SB 141BA SC BP SN ES ML
Nathan (not 'Nate', not ever 'Nate') Eovoldi is a hard-throwing, easy-armed righthander working his way to Dodger Stadium as a top Los Angeles prospect. With a 94mph fastball that looks effortless, Eovoldi worked his way right up to a sample start in Arizona last year, striking out seven in a five inning debut before removing himself via an embarrassing fielding tumble. He'll compete for a starting gig in 2012, and could very well win one despite his young age. Even if he doesn't, he should be in Dodger Blue before the season is half-finished.
Full Scouting Report for Nathan Eovaldi
SB 142BA SC BP SN ES ML 70
With stuff enough to be the ace of any college staff, Kyle Gibson was hidden behind Aaron Crow in Missouri. While he's still not a Crow-type talent, the big righthander is a workhorse with a high-command fastball and the determination to grind through opposing batters inning after inning. His fastball can reach 94-95mph, but he works mainly in the 91-92 range, relying on his plus slider and above-average change to beguile batters. Though he suffered a few setbacks in 2011, he still managed a near 4:1 strikeout to walk ratio, further showing that he's only a hair's breadth (or a string of good starts) away from being a permanent big-league fixture.
Full Scouting Report for Kyle Gibson
SB 143BA SC BP SN ES ML
A toolsy, fast college player with a potent bat from the right side of the plate, Jason Esposito is a nice sleeper prospect clawing his way quickly up the Baltimore system. Esposito slashed a nice .330/.405/.514 in three full seasons of ball at Vanderbilt, with a homer every 30 at-bats and 60-of-79 steals. He's not exactly patient at the plate yet, but so far it hasn't held him back. A powerful mix of all the offensive tools that a team like the Orioles should be looking for, he's a premium project for the team to develop. We'll see how he handles pro pitching in 2012.
Full Scouting Report for Jason Esposito
SB 144BA SC BP SN ES ML
A successful shortstop in college whose range was enough of a question mark to merit a cautious move to second, South Carolina graduate David (Reese) Havens could make a heck of a second baseman for a future Mets infield that already includes the player picked just before him in the 2008 Draft, first baseman Ike Davis. A solid line drive hitter with plus plate discipline, Havens could be a long-term keystone solution for the post-Reyes Mets.
Full Scouting Report for Reese Havens
SB 145BA SC BP SN ES ML
Signed as a slick fielder from Curacao, shortstop Andrelton Simmons has already become just as well-known for his bat as his glove: the Curacao native collected the batting title in the high-A Carolina League last year with a .311 average. He also stole 26 bases, though his success rate was somewhere between awful and ungodly. Still, he's a fast, contact hitter with plus instincts, a coaches' favorite who could become the heir apparent to the shortstop job in Atlanta in a couple years, especially if Eddy Salcedo outgrows the position, as expected. Watch for him in late 2013.
Full Scouting Report for Andrelton Simmons
SB 146BA SC BP SN ES ML 65
He's not overpowering and his stuff is only a bit above average, but lefty Sean Gilmartin is already exceeding expectations by pitching smarter and with more cunning than anyone in the Braves organization. A first round selection out of Florida State in 2011, his command and control looked good during his short time in Rome and even better in Fall league play, where his changeup looked more advanced than his experience would suggest. Can smarts and touch get him all the way to The Show? The organization that built an empire around Glavine and Maddux thinks so.
Full Scouting Report for Sean Gilmartin
SB 147BA SC BP SN ES ML
The proud owner of a name that's as much hiphop as shortstop, Reds prospect DiDi Gregorius is part of Cincinnati's posse of hard-hitting infielders of the future. Mariekson Julius Gregorius (okay, now we see why he prefers Didi) is a Netherlands native with a sweet lefthanded swing who can play all over the diamond, though he certainly does seem very much at home at shortstop. He slashed .270/.312/.392 at AA Carolina in 2011, too, proving that there isn't much left between him and the big-league club.
Full Scouting Report for Didi Gregorius
SB 148BA SC BP SN ES ML
Already considered the best defensive catcher in the Cubs' system, Castillo has recently jumped back into the prospect spotlight thanks to his developing bat. While he might be idling awhile as Geovany Soto seems locked into the full-time job in Wrigley, Castillo has enough raw talent to push his way onto the roster anyway, even if it's in a part-time role.
Full Scouting Report for Wellington Castillo
SB 149BA SC BP SN ES ML
A second round pick from the 2006 draft, outfielder Joe Benson skipped out on Purdue to jump into the Twins system, where he's been growing and developing ever since. After rising through the lower levels with strong improvements each season, he ended up at AA New Britain in 2010, where he smashed a power-heavy .251/.336/.527 (23 homers) in 102 games. In the outfield he's capable, with above average wheels at near plus speed, and a solid plus arm. The Twins will be looking for a little more discipline, but other than that he's looking awfully close to ready. He projects as a starting right fielder, perhaps as soon as late 2012.
Full Scouting Report for Joe Benson
SB 150BA SC BP SN ES ML
A prep pitcher drafted last year by the Indians, righthander Jake Sisco went 11-1 with a 1.66 ERA in 15 games as a JC starter. He led all state JuCo pitchers in strikeouts, victories and innings pitched. He harnesses a low-to-mid-90s fastball well, and is developing three complementary pitches that show promise, according to scouts.
Full Scouting Report for Jake Sisco
SB 151BA SC BP SN ES ML
Drafted twice by the Orioles (with three years at UCLA in between proposals), righthander Dan Klein is a near-MLB ready pitcher stuck in a somewhat clogged Orioles system. He's got a nice sinking fastball that comes in at about 92mph and a near-plus change that arrives about 10mph slower. His slider and curve are works in progress, but he didn't need to use them much during his UCLA career, most of which was spent as the team's closer. 2011 will be his first season of pro ball, and the Orioles will try him as a starter first. He'll need to make a very strong impression to have much of a future in an organization so stacked with young pitching. In 39 innings of relief work in Baltimore's high-A and AA care, Klein racked up 47 strikeouts and walked only 7, so he should be a good bet to succeed in a full year of double-A this season.
Full Scouting Report for Dan Klein
SB 152BA SC BP SN ES ML
A switch-hitting third baseman with line-to-line power, Bobby Borchering has attracted comparisons Chipper Jones comparisons since way back in high school. Recently moved to the outfield, he remains a viable offensive force for the near future, and should get an opportunity to show off his smooth swing in Arizona before 2012 is through.
Full Scouting Report for Bobby Borchering
SB 153BA SC BP SN ES ML
An offensive-minded shortstop who might play better in a corner, Rutgers alum Todd Frazier looks like he could be one of the next wave of hard hitting infielders. He's adequate at almost any position, which is why we expected he might see time in Cincinnati as a utilityman in 2011, and the team certainly listened to our instincts: Frazier actually played 1B, 2B, 3B, SS and LF during only 112 at-bats for the Reds in 2011. The Toddfather should see more time as a 2012 utilityman on the big team, and on a club this full of opportunity, play himself into a full-time role rather easily.
Full Scouting Report for Todd Frazier
SB 154BA SC BP SN ES ML
A fastball and slider specialist, Sanchez is a lights-out reliever who's clearly fully cooked in the St. Louis system. The young Venezuelan ended his 2011 with 35 strikeouts in his first 30 big-league innings. If he stays healthy, he will be a nasty late-inning weapon for the Cardinals in 2012, and probably for many years to come.
Full Scouting Report for Eduardo Sanchez
SB 155BA SC BP SN ES ML
One of the prospects acquired at Christmas 2011 for Gio Gonzalez, Peacock gained attention when he served up only a single run in 12 innings of work for the depleted Nationals last season, though he's unlikely to look quite that good with a larger sample size.
Full Scouting Report for Brad Peacock
SB 156BA SC 85BP SN ES ML 75
Righthander Jon Pettibone, signed out a Yorba Linda high school back in 2008's third round, looked awfully well-composed for a young player at high-A Clearwater last year, quietly notching a 2.96 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP across 27 consecutive and low-drama starts. He's not much of a strikeout arm, but he's not prone to walk hitters either, which means his success should ride on the quality of the defense that plays behind him. Philadelphia might consider some infield upgrades before he arrives in 2014. They might also want to turn the lefty-hitting Pettibone around at the plate, if they're concerned at all about protecting their investment.
Full Scouting Report for Jonathan Pettibone
SB 157BA SC BP SN ES ML
A 6-6, 250lb monster back in high school, Taylor avoided an early draft by committing to Stanford. When he emerged from college, he was gobbled up by the Phillies in the same 5th round selection that netted them Ryan Howard six years earlier. Scouts saw similar things in the two sluggers.
Full Scouting Report for Michael Taylor
SB 158BA SC BP SN ES ML
Brian Dozier is a hard-hitting shortstop prospect in the Twins system who could be making the move to the big leagues very soon. Drafted by Minnesota in the 8th round of the 2009 MLB Amateur Draft, Dozier has been scaling the minors ever since, slashing a composite .307/.382/.420 across three full seasons and winding up at AA New Britain last fall.
Full Scouting Report for Brian Dozier
SB 159BA SC BP SN ES ML
A talented and multi-tooled outfielder who homered in the 2011 Futures Game, Dodger prospect Alfredo Silverio looks like he might be the latest in a long line of home grown fielders to grace Dodger Stadium. Signed by the Dodgers at age 16 out of LaRomana in the Dominican Republic, Silverio has made steady progress in the system, gaining eyebrows-raised attention for his 2011 performance in particular: the wiry athlete slashed .306 .340 .542 in 132 games at AA Chattanooga while stroking 16 homers, 18 triples (!) and 42 doubles. He also stole 11 bases, though his skill in the baserunning department is pretty much absent to date. Given another year or so, he should be ready for a Dexter Fowler-style debut in LA.
Full Scouting Report for Alfredo Silverio
SB 160BA SC BP SN ES ML
Prospects
Top Prospects 2012
Combined Ranking
141 to 160 of 525 Prospects
