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.
If you think you have found a mistake, please read this blog entry before telling us. Then tell us.
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 should be parked in the back of the Marlins rotation come 2013, or sooner if the big veterans break down.
Full Scouting Report for Chad James
SB 161BA SC BP SN ES ML
A control artist with a devastating changeup, California native Tom Milone is also an eminently likeable player who coaches enjoy working with. In 12 games with AAA Syracruse last season, he went 12-6 with a 3.22 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP, striking out 155 in 148 innings, some of them on his high-80's fastball that looks a lot nastier when it follows his terrific change. He made five fill-in starts for the Nats when their rotation suffered injury in 2011 (1-0, 3.81, 1.23) and looked like a contender for a fifth starter spot in 2012 until he was summarily bundled up as a forgotten (especially by us) part of the Gio Gonzalez trade.
Full Scouting Report for Tom Milone
SB 162BA SC BP SN ES ML
The Red Sox's Cuban shortstop prospect Jose Iglesias gets a lot of 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 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.
Full Scouting Report for Adeiny Hechavarria
SB 163BA SC BP SN ES ML
A consistent hitter who profiles as a typical second-hole hitter, California boy Tony Wolters is a gritty baseball rat of a player who uses hustle and smarts to play higher than the level of his natural ability. A smallish infielder in the Pedroia mould, he has soft hands and a strong arm, but only average speed and range. If he keeps up his hard work, he's bound to be a fan favorite in Cleveland a few years from now.
Full Scouting Report for Tony Wolters
SB 164BA SC BP SN ES ML
A tall and solid righthander from Lousiana, Phillies prospect Brody Colvin took a step back in 2011, stumbling hard at high-A Clearwater after easily blowing past low-A Lakewood the year before. He's still very young, of course, and his easy arm action still makes scouts smile, so there's no reason to panic just yet. The heat he generates from such a low-effort delivery is plenty hot: 94 with natural sink, which he complements with a breaking ball that's unusually sharp and reliable for such a young player: it could be a real plus pitch soon. He's a few years away from MLB readiness, but he should still be a good one when he arrives.
Full Scouting Report for Brody Colvin
SB 165BA SC BP SN ES ML 80
The Mets first round pick (13th overall) in 2011, outfielder Brandon Nimmo didn't get much pro time on the field last season, but should spend most of this year in rookie ball where the teenager will be under close scrutiny. His earned his high draft pick with superior tools and excellent projectability, thanks to his strong, mature physical frame.
Full Scouting Report for Brandon Nimmo
SB 166BA SC BP SN ES ML
With 41 MLB innings under his belt entering 2012, lefty strikeout machine Rex Brothers gets scant attention in a system with so many live lefty arms, but he should be a mainstay in the Rockies bullpen this season. 59 strikeouts in 41 major league innings is really the only number you need to know, here.
Full Scouting Report for Rex Brothers
SB 167BA SC BP SN ES ML
A righthanded power arm from The Citadel (South Carolina), Asher Wojciechowski is a strong, solid pitcher whose 94mph fastball comes with some nice natural sink. His secondary pitches need work, of course, but he's already impressing scouts with his overall gamesmanship and baseball skills. A hard worker with plus smarts, Wojo's been getting a lot of hard second looks from scouts. He'll need minor league seasoning, but if his command continues to improve as it has recently, he could slot in as an innings-eating workhorse for the Blue Jays as early as 2013.
Full Scouting Report for Asher Wojciechowski
SB 168BA SC BP SN ES ML
A shortstop who outgrew the position as so many tall men do, Red Sox prospect Garin Cecchini has zipped up prospect lists mainly on the strength of his obscene .398/.500/.898 short-season at Low-A Lowell. He shows good but not great glove and footwork, and his arm can certainly handle the longer 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 breaking balls in 2012 before anointing him the Youkcessor over competing teammate Will MIddlebooks.
Full Scouting Report for Garin Cecchini
SB 169BA SC BP SN ES ML
An Iron Mike style strike throwing machine from Venezuela, righthander Jose Campos looked awfully polished in his first taste of US ball last year, using his 95-98mph fastball with pinpoint control on the way to a 2.32 ERA and 0.971 WHIP in 82 innings of work with low-A Everett (Northwest League). He struck out a sizzling 85 batters in that time and walked only 13. Did we mention that he really, really throws a lot of strikes? half his crazy strikeout to walk rate, he should be primed for AA in 2013. Seattle was so full of premium pitching prospects that they decided to shed Campos in the effort to pick up slugger Jesus Montero in 2012's winter. In New York, he can simmer another year or two.
Full Scouting Report for Jose Campos
SB 170BA SC BP SN ES ML
A very big kid from Texas with a pretty big arm, righthander Kyle Crick was the his district's 4A pitcher of the year in 2011. He brings a typical power heavy fastball from a high arm angle, and complements it with a slider that shows serious promise.
Full Scouting Report for Kyle Crick
SB 171BA SC BP SN ES ML
A textbook shortstop from Puerto Rico, Christian Colon is a plus contact hitter with good speed, excellent baseball instincts and soft hands. He won't hit 40 home runs in any league any time soon, but CC should be a good enough contributor at all other aspects of the game to bless the Royals rosters in the next couple of years.
Full Scouting Report for Christian Colon
SB 172BA SC BP SN ES ML
We see a lot of great names here at Scouting Book, but every once and awhile there's still one that makes us do a double-take. This offensive-minded infielder's name (nephew of Indians coach Rouglas) is really named Rougned (RYOO-nyed) Odor. We're hoping that was a little less teaseworthy for the kid growing up in Venezuela than it would have been in Lubbock.
Full Scouting Report for Rougned Odor
SB 173BA SC BP SN ES ML
A part of the trade that also sent Jarrod Parker from Arizona to Oakland, outfielder Collin Cowgill is a small-framed but solidly-built slugger. Hitting right and throwing left (yes, really) the potent corner slugger is probably best-known for swatting 10 home runs for low-A Yakima over a two-week period back in 2008. His power is real (16 more dingers in his first 500 AA at-bats) but he'll need to work on his defense and discipline before he's ready to play for real in high-level ball.
Full Scouting Report for Collin Cowgill
SB 174BA SC BP SN ES ML
A hot prospect before the 2008 draft, Scheppers fell to the Pirates (and, after not signing, the Rangers in 2009) due to concerns about an unusual (but non-structural) shoulder injury. He has big upside, but as he's older than most of his same-experienced peers now, his prospect status has taken a hit. He's still only a small step away from being useful in the majors right now, though, which means he's only a single good string of appearances away from Arlington.
Full Scouting Report for Tanner Scheppers
SB 175BA SC BP SN ES ML
An impressive outfield prospect in the Mets system, Kirk Nieuwenhuis is probably the organization's best true centerfielder. He needs a bit more work to polish his all-around game, but he's got the bat, glove and arm to contribute as a fourth outfielder right now. Of course, the Mets as a team have a whole lot of fourth outfielders already at the major league level. Hmm.
Full Scouting Report for Kirk Nieuwenhuis
SB 176BA SC BP SN ES ML
The Dodgers Minor League Player of the Year for 2008, DeJesus doesn't have much left to prove in the minors, especially after idling with a bubbling .310/.389/.432 during a full year of AAA parking-lot ball in 2011. When he makes contact, he's a hitter in the Howie Kendrick style: gap to gap line drives with excellent bat control. In the field, he has soft hands and excellent (inherited?) baseball instincts.
Full Scouting Report for Ivan DeJesus
SB 177BA SC BP SN ES ML
The best position player available from Japan in 2011, three-time batting champ Norichika Aoki could very well play every day for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2012. His seven year average in Japan is .340, he's reliable for 20 steals, and he has a little pop that should translate into a dozen or so homers per year in MLB. Americans may remember him hitting .324 (12-for-37) in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. He's adept enough to cover any outfield position, which should help the reorganizing Brewers a lot.
Full Scouting Report for Norichika Aoki
SB 178BA SC BP SN ES ML
Originally drafted by the Rangers, Righthander Joe Wieland is today a premium Padres pitching prospect with his sights set squarely on San Diego. A tall and thin kid with easy gas, Wieland works comfortably at 90-94mph, spiced with a genuine plus curve. Even his change shows above-average flash.
Full Scouting Report for Joe Wieland
SB 179BA SC BP SN ES ML
The Red Sox sure spent a lot of money on a pitcher who seems to be turning into a full-time reliever already. After struggling in the rotation, Tazawa seemed to blossom somewhat when moved to the bullpen, and his fastball finally started showing some of the sizzle that was expected when he moved stateside from Japan. He'll be 24 when 2012 breaks, so this is about the time that the Red Sox will need to commit to a path for the onetime rock star: bullpen ace, or rotation enigma?
Full Scouting Report for Junichi Tazawa
SB 180BA SC BP SN ES ML
Prospects
Top Prospects 2012
Combined Ranking
161 to 180 of 525 Prospects
