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 combination OF-1B bat who might end up at DH, Parmelee has been one of the best pure power hitters in the minor leagues for more than a couple of seasons now. He has a smooth, lofty swing that puts breaking pitches into the bleachers as fast as pitchers can curse. He's got a plus arm, but lacks the speed or range to hold down right field. A definite work-in-progress, Parmelee today is a sort of poor man's Lars Anderson: a big barrel of booming potential, with underdeveloped collateral skills. The bat is so monstrous, though, that the Twins are unlikely to move him or abandon his training: the Twins refuse to lose another David Ortiz.
More Scouting Book Info on Chris Parmelee
SB 191BA SC BP SN ES ML
The rising wave of Canadian pitchers continued when Seattle chose Quebec native Philipe Aumont with their first-round pick in 2007. He was traded to the Phillies in the winter 2009 blockbuster that moved Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee.
More Scouting Book Info on Phillippe Aumont
SB 192BA SC BP SN ES ML
A record-breaking $2.8M international signing for the Blue Jays, Adonis Cardona is a power righthander from Venezuela with excellent projectability, a pitcher uniformly considered the best of the 2010 class. His overhead arm action looks smooth and easy, and as a teenager he's already clocking in at 92-93mph, which means it's frightening to think what he'll do with a little more growth. Cardona also seems to have a wicked breaking ball (a hammer curve) that's advanced for his age, though he hasn't quite learned to throw it for strikes yet. He's got some growing to do, but if the Blue Jays can keep him focused and help him polish his off-speed stuff, he could break into pro ball quickly and rise to the majors a la Felix Hernandez, who made the Seattle rotation as a teenager.
More Scouting Book Info on Adonys Cardona
SB 193BA SC 84BP SN ES ML
The Dodgers first-round pick (16th overall) in 2011, Chris Reed is a big, strong lefty with a solid 94mph fastball and a polished breaking ball. His stuff is electric, especially his strikeout slider: he could be a powerful piece of an MLB bullpen at any time. The Dodgers are thus-far more inclined to let him develop as a starter, though, and given the dodgy state of their rotation, they're probably wise to do so. Reed's physique and mentality do look ideal for a rotation-anchor. Give him a year or two.
More Scouting Book Info on Chris Reed
SB 194BA SC BP SN ES ML
Cuban lefthander Gerardo Concepcion is a young phenom who's been quiet all winter, while arranging his citizenship in Mexico, working out in the Dominican Republic and generally getting ready for his new life in America. That life will have a North Side address, now, as the new Cubs brain trust scooped him up when nobody else was looking. almost fair. Concepcion can't come close to Chapman's heat, and he's even less polished, but he does bring similarly wicked stuff from a similarly tall, wiry frame. Using a deceptive sweeping delivery that makes him look a little like a slinger, Concepcion's arm action restricts his fastball to a maximum of about 92-94mph right now and probably impairs his command somewhat, but he's still got room to grow, and it's quite possible the Cubs will break his mechanics down and rebuild them in a different way, too.
More Scouting Book Info on Gerardo Concepcion
SB 195BA SC BP SN ES ML
The Indians' Bob Feller Award winner in 2011, smallish righthander Chen-Chang Lee projects as a potent bullpen weapon for the Indians in the near future. Lee was signed as an international free agent after gaining attention at the 2008 Olympics.
More Scouting Book Info on Chen-Chang Lee
SB 196BA SC BP SN ES ML
A stocky lefthander, ex-Brave prospect Brett Oberholtzer is a raw, high-ceiling arm in a system known for maximizing pitching talent. A smart pitcher who lacks great stuff but makes up for it with significant pitchability, his developing curve has the potential to be a devastating pitch. If he masters it, he should be ready for some AL-style ball in the reinvented Astros organization come 2013 or 2014.
More Scouting Book Info on Brett Oberholtzer
SB 197BA SC BP SN ES ML
An offensive-minded shortstop with great patience and power, Clemson grad Brad Miller is a potent force brewing in the Mariner system. After a three year college life in which he bashed .339/.452/.485, he signed with the Mariners after being drafted in mid-2011 and promptly did the same thing to A-level pitchers in the Midwest League. In 53 pro at-bats, his career numbers are a familiar looking .415/.458/.528.
More Scouting Book Info on Brad Miller
SB 198BA SC BP SN ES ML
A Venezuelan shortstop who won the organization'sminor league award as best everyday player in 2011, Freddy Galvis has a good shot at the big club, and soon. His season, split between the AA Reading Phillies and the AAA Lehigh Valley IronPigs, gave him a combined line of .278/.324/.392 with 8 HR and 23 SB in 137 games played. Always known as a polished defender (he has one of the best gloves in the Philly system today), the new surge in offensive ability has vaulted him to the front of the Phillies prospect board.
More Scouting Book Info on Freddy Galvis
SB 199BA SC BP SN ES ML
A big, strong and hungry monster with plus contact skills and off-the-charts power, Phoenix native CJ 'Crusher' Cron slashed a nasty-looking .308/.371/.629 right through the rookie Pioneer League in 2011, capped by eight homers in his final ten games. In 2012, he should start chewing up up A-ball just as soon as they open the cage to let him out.
More Scouting Book Info on CJ Cron
SB 200BA SC BP SN ES ML
A first-round pick in the 2011 draft from the University of North Carolina, Twins shortstop prospect Levi Michael was the first everyday college player drafted first by the Twins since 1996 (Travis Lee.) Levi is an athletic switch-hitter with good bat speed and more than a hint of future power in his bat. Michael slashed .306/.432/.510 in his three years with the Tar Heels, stealing 40 bases with a nice 85% success rate.
More Scouting Book Info on Levi Michael
SB 201BA SC BP SN ES ML
A Kentucky-grown pitcher stolen in round two of the 2008 amateur draft, Texas lefty Robbie Ross is one of the lesser-known prospects on a pitching-rich Texas farm. Ross works both sides of the plate with a 92mph that can sniff 95mph from time to time, and his complementary pitches (a hard slider and a mature change) come to him with near-effortless command. He can work the entire strike zone, and his five-to-one ratio of strikeouts to walks is one of the best in the Texas system, or anywhere in the minors.
More Scouting Book Info on Robbie Ross
SB 202BA SC BP SN ES ML
The older of Baltimore's double-fisted Bundy Bundle of righthanded pitching, Robert has a little less upside but a more refined approach to the game, which we suppose should be expected from an elder. Bobby moved from high-A to double-A in 2011, posting a nice composite 12-8, 3.51, 1.24 line that gained him a MiLB Pitcher of the Year nomination. He should put in a full year of AA work this season, and if he can maintain or improve that performance, he'll be due for a test in Camden Yards soon.
More Scouting Book Info on Bobby Bundy
SB 203BA SC BP SN ES ML
With one of the fastest home-to-first sprints since Ichiro and an OBP over .400 in his first season of pro ball, Padres prospect Cory Spangenberg is already looking very capable of sitting atop a San Diego batting order very soon. The versatile infielder played third base in college but will almost certainly be a second baseman in San Diego.
More Scouting Book Info on Cory Spangenberg
SB 204BA SC BP SN ES ML 81
A fast, lanky outfielder who signed as an international free agent, Mets prospect Cesar Puello is one of the most promising offensive prospects in the system, and one of the fastest rising. Already finished with rookie ball at age 18, Puello shrugged off Sally League pitching in 2010 and high-A in 2011: he stroked .259/.313/.397 with 10 homers and 19 steals at St. Lucie. If he continues to outclass his peers at his current rate, he'll be a shiny young New York Met come 2013. We may even get a peek in late 2012.
More Scouting Book Info on Cesar Puello
SB 205BA SC BP SN ES ML
The kind of all-around outfielder that Dexter Fowler once promised to be, Sacramento State's Tim Wheeler was universally regarded as one of the safest 'college hitters' available in the 2009 draft. With plus speed and a good set of instincts for the outfield, he's a solid defender, while his high-contact, high-smarts approach to hitting have always made it look like it could fit right into the top of the Rockies order soon enough.
More Scouting Book Info on Tim Wheeler
SB 206BA SC BP SN ES ML
A huge Venezuelan lefthander now fully recovered from Tommy John surgery, the Indians' Elvis Araujo works with a fastball in the low 90's that can reach 96 on occasion. His secondary pitches aren't there yet, but he hasn't exactly been able to sharpen his twists and torques while nursing his tendons, so give the kid some time to get back on track. We'll know a lot more about his future by 2012's winter.
More Scouting Book Info on Elvis Araujo
SB 207BA SC BP SN ES ML
2011 was a pitching-deep draft, so Dillon Maples, who might have gone in the first few rounds any other year, fell all the way to round 14, which means he might end up being the steal of the season. The Cubs, who also had to spend second round money to talk him out of UNC, end up with a short-arming righthander with bulldog attitude and a selection of developing fastballs and breaking balls. His sometimes-great changeup, though, is what will take him to the big leagues. If the Cubs can harness his stilted delivery, he should move quickly. He's very polished for such a young player.
More Scouting Book Info on Dillon Maples
SB 208BA SC BP SN ES ML
A righthander taken a bit high in the first round of 2011's amateur draft, Miami's Jose Fernandez is still a quality arm in a system that's desperate for pitching depth. The big Cuban defector chased big money all the way to Miami, braving sharks both literal and metaphorical, and has since hit 99mph on the radar gun and shown signs of a plus breaking pitch. He's still a long way from major league ready, though, so let's hope that big signing bonus lasts him awhile.
More Scouting Book Info on Jose Fernandez
SB 209BA SC BP SN ES ML
A smallish shortstop currently working as a third baseman, Taylor 'Red' Green was a draft and follow pick who broke out as the surprise Minor League Player of the Year for Milwaukee in 2007. A smart player with gap power and great plate discipline, Green is a Casey Blake-style player who looked pretty capable stroking a solid but power-free .270/.270/.351 in a 20 game MLB callup during 2011. He should compete for a job in 2012, and might win one outright. Who knows, he might be only one quick stop at Ryan Braun's locker away from blossoming into a surprise power hitter.
More Scouting Book Info on Taylor Green
SB 210BA SC BP SN ES ML
Prospects
Top Prospects 2012
Combined Ranking
191 to 210 of 525 Prospects
