Baseball's Top Prospects for 2010
Remember: This list evolves and changes daily.
LHP, BAL
A very big, sturdy lefthander from California, Hobgood is a fastball-curve pitching machine who projects as an innings-eating workhorse someday. He's a few years away, though, and he'll definitely need to develop a changeup before he can be set loose on advanced hitters.
More Scouting Book Info on Matt Hobgood >
191
OF, SD
The San Diego Padres third round pick of the 2006 MLB Draft, Hunter dominated the rookie league with a league-best .371 average immediately after signing. Moved up to the Midwest league the following year, he began to show off plus speed, both of the legs and wrists variety. He combines a preciously-good batting eye with gap-power and good outfield defense. A bump to high-A in 2008 did nothing to slow him down, either, as he put up a .318/.362/.442 line against the better pitching, adding a dozen steals and eleven homers just to salt things. AA did slow him down in 2009, though not to any great degree (.261/.294/.331, 13 steals in 16 attempts), which means another year of practice should have him lined up for possible MLB duty in 2011.
More Scouting Book Info on Cedric Hunter >
192
RHP, ATL
Righthander Randall Delgado is a wiry power pitcher with three quality pitches and developing control. His fastball, which can touch 95, lives more in the 92mph range with significant late movement. His control is about where you'd expect it to be in such a youngster: some days he can blow hitter away, while on other days he looks lost on the mound. He struggled a bit in his first full season of pro ball in 2009, but finished strong, with 141 strikeouts to balance against only 49 walks. There's no room for him at higher levels of the Atlanta system (the Braves farm is stacked in pitching) so he's likely to spend 2010 in class-A Rome, even though he's probably ready for a bigger challenge than that.
More Scouting Book Info on Randall Delgado >
193
RHP, CLE
A big-bodied ace in waiting with a 98mph heater, ex-Phillies pitcher Jason Knapp is one of the many young prospects in a refreshed Indians system. He enters 2010 as a 19 year old, but he's already one of the three best pitchers in the Cleveland farm. Arthroscopic shoulder surgery in September 2009 went swimmingly, and he's expected to be at full strength for 2010. He'll probably start at high-A and end the year in AA. He's on target for full-on arrival in 2012 or so.
More Scouting Book Info on Jason Knapp >
194
LHP, COL
A strikeout machine with plus movement and superior velocity, lefthander Rex Brothers gets scant attention in a system with so many live lefty arms. But he should: the Shelbyville (TN) native chewed up A-ball in 2009, striking out 28 while walking only 8 in 22 innings. And lest you worry about the small sample size, that's in line with his NCAA performance, where over three seasons he struck out 322 college hitters over 286 innings while walking only 142 of them. He's a bit behind some of the other Rockies talent developmentally, but he's definitely got the stuff to be a front-line starter someday. Don't forget about him.
More Scouting Book Info on Rex Brothers >
195
C, TOR
Until Travis D'Arnaud arrived, JP Arencibia looked like Toronto's clear-cut catcher of the future. Now that he has some competition, he'll need to step up his game to stay ahead.
More Scouting Book Info on J.P. Arencibia >
196
RHP, MIN
A tall, powerful strikeout artist, Guerra has been considered in both starting and bullpen roles for the last couple of years. He should be easy to lock up in the late rounds of a deep draft this year, but he promises to be much more attractive (and widely known) next year. With electric stuff but not much pro experience under his belt yet, Guerro could be one of those guys who blows through the league, Jared Weaver-like, at least once.
More Scouting Book Info on Deolis Guerra >
197
RHP, SEA
Near-forgotten since elbow problems sidelined him in 2008, Michael Pineda is a lanky Dominican righthander who is once again zooming up the prospect charts in Seattle. Some scouts have concerns about Pineda's delivery: at 6-5 his shoulders and hips don't always seem to be following the same gameplan, and he sometimes shows some scary snap-back on his follow-through. Despite those reservations, though, Pineda looks like an advanced pitcher for his age and bracket already, and is definitely one of the top two or three pitchers on the depleted Mariner farm. His fastball hovers around the 92mph mark, nothing special in itself, but it comes in with reliable, natural sink that can give hitters fits, and when he mixes in his above-average slider and change, he can be almost untouchable. Watch for him to threaten for a Mariner rotation spot in 2012 or so.
More Scouting Book Info on Michael Pineda >
198
OF, SD
A slugger who many downgrade because of his less-than-giant proportions, the small but mighty Kellen Kulbacki might get a little more attention now that Dustin Pedroia has blazed a trail for diminutive bashers. Kulbacki was drafted by San Diego in 2007's supplemental first round after hitting .464 in his junor year in college. He took a step back to a mere .300 in 2007 but looked like his old dominant self again in 2008, slashing .332/.428/.589 (that's a 1.017 OPS) at high A Lake Elsinore. Injuries held him back in 2009, but he should be back in business for 2010, and on the short list of possible impact bats the Padres may look to before the season is finished.
More Scouting Book Info on Kellen Kulbacki >
199
OF, PHI
Tyson Gillies is a Canadian center fielder who came as part of the wild winter trade of 2009. While most noticed him when he stole two bases in the Futures Game, he also put together a standout season overall, stealing 44 bases and batting .341/.430/.486 while playing for High Desert in the California League. His speed is off the charts, but that basestealing wasn't as good as it seems, since he was also thrown out 19 times. With a percentage that low, he won't get many green lights, so he'll need to work on the art of the steal before the tool becomes a real plus skill. Gillies will get his first taste of AA ball in 2010, with a shot at an MLB bench job for 2011. If he does make the majors as a reserve, he'll also provide an extra valuable benefit to the team: as a hearing-impaired player, he's an excellent lip-reader, which could come in awfully handy on the field.
More Scouting Book Info on Tyson Gillies >
200
RHP, STL
A fastball and slider specialist, Sanchez is a lights-out reliever simmering in the St. Louis system. The young Venezuelan ended his 2009 with the Double-A Springfield Cardinals, and now projects as a nasty late-inning weapon for the Cardinals, perhaps as soon as 2010.
More Scouting Book Info on Eduardo Sanchez >
201
OF, PIT
After a brief stint in the Atlanta system, onetime Tiger prospect Gorkys Hernandez was shipped to the Pirates for Nate McLouth in 2009 before ever getting a real shot with the Braves. Still, he's is a quality prospect who hit .316/.361/.387 with 10 steals for Double-A Mississippi (Braves) in 2009, followed by an adjustment-impacted .262/.312/.340 with 9 more swipes at Pittsburgh's own AA Altoona. He shows no real signs of power, at least not yet, but he's fast and talented with exceptional defensive range. He could get a look in Pittsburgh in 2010, though any significant impact should be in 2011 or later.
More Scouting Book Info on Gorkys Hernandez >
202
3B, CHW
A third-round pick in 2008, corner prospect Brent Morel is blessed with a potent power-speed combination that should play well in US Cellular sooner or later: In 2009, Morel hit .281/.335/.453 at high-A Winston-Salem while swatting 16 homers and swiping 25 bases. He's played both third base and the outfield in the minors, but the White Sox are looking at Morel as a corner outfielder for the moment.
More Scouting Book Info on Brent Morel >
203
RHP, MLW
A big right-hander who projects as an innings-eating workhorse down the road, Brewer prospect Eric Arnett throws a 94mph fastball with heavy sink, and complements it with a still-erratic low-80's slider. A still-developing splitter and changeup are also in the quiver, though he doesn't use either with confidence just yet.
More Scouting Book Info on Eric Arnett >
204
3B, MIN
One of the Twins' most promising bats, ex-Miami Hurricane third baseman Danny Valencia could get a shot at the majors this year, after slashing .284/.373/.482 with the AA Rock Cats last year. His arm is decent, his speed is about average, and his glove won't win any awards. But the boy can hit. A long but quick swing helped him pull 14 homers last year in just over 500 at-bats, and he looks like a future 30-homer, 150-strikeout guy from here. He could get a shot in Minnesota by the end of the year.
More Scouting Book Info on Danny Valencia >
205
RHP, BOS
A huge righthanded power pitcher from Texas, Brandon Workman is probably best known for striking out 10 batters while throwing a no-hitter in March of 2009. A sturdy innings-eater, Workman's fastball and cutter live around 92-94mph, and he can throw his 12-6 curve for strikes on command at any time. He's still developing a straight change, but he's already looking pretty polished, and he's probably almost ready to step into an MLB rotation right now.
More Scouting Book Info on Brandon Workman >
206
C, SEA
A big, strong catcher drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the sixth round of 2006, Adam Moore is the proud owner of a lifetime .301 average across four minor league seasons and five levels of play. While his cup of coffee with Seattle in 2009 wasn't all that hot and fresh (.217, seven strikeouts in 23 at-bats), his long term future is sound. The obvious successor to Kenji Johjima, he's won't be winning any MVP awards, but he should provide decent production from a weak position, and he won't hurt the Mariners much. He's penciled in as Rob Johnson's backup for 2010, though another year of daily reps in AA or even AAA might be better for his long-term development.
More Scouting Book Info on Adam Moore >
207
OF, NYY
A powerful lefthanded outfielder, Yankee prospect Slade Heathcott looks like a future offensive monster, especially if he remains on a path leading to New Yankee Stadium. A professional hitter, Heathcott has plus contact and power skills, not to mention superior baserunning ability. He's more than adequate in the field, and while he can play center, his body type might be better-suited to a corner outfield position. All told, he's a legitimate 30-30 candidate as long as he stays focused on development. Mumblings about possible off-field issues seem to be more smoke than substance, but even if there's something to them, the button-down Yankees system is a good place to straighten out any young man looking for discipline and guidance.
More Scouting Book Info on Slade Heathcott >
208
SS, BOS
A toolsy infielder with good bat speed, Tejada is a high-quality prospect with no obvious path in the Boston system. A smart player with a good attitude for learning and development, he possesses the raw skills to play almost any position. In Boston, that means it's possible he may be moved to third base if he develops a bit more power. At his current projection, he's more of a 10-15 homer guy than a major longball threat.
More Scouting Book Info on Oscar Tejada >
209
RHP, LAA
Regarded as the best high school prospect of the 2006 draft, righthander Walden took his time to eventually sign a midnight deal with the Angels in 2007.
More Scouting Book Info on Jordan Walden >
210
191. Matt Hobgood
192. Cedric Hunter
193. Randall Delgado
194. Jason Knapp
195. Rex Brothers
196. J.P. Arencibia
197. Deolis Guerra
198. Michael Pineda
200. Tyson Gillies
201. Eduardo Sanchez
202. Gorkys Hernandez
203. Brent Morel
204. Eric Arnett
206. Brandon Workman
208. Slade Heathcott
210. Jordan Walden
191 to 210 of 486
