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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The Best 27 First Base Prospects for 2012
Showing 1 to 27 of 27. Overall SB ranking for 2012 shown in parentheses.
A 6-foot-4, solidly-built athlete, Marlin prospect Christian Yelich is a left-handed hitter with a picturesque swing that's a thing of beauty. He's already showing good power, and as he grows into his body, that power should grow, too. Though nominally a first baseman, the Marlins prefer him as an outfielder for now. He's another year or so from being relevant, especially as the big-spending Marlins seem pretty well-stocked in bats, and are playing with a win-right-now attitude all of a sudden.
Full Scouting Report for Christian Yelich
SB 21BA SC 75BP SN ES ML 35
In addition to having the best name in the 2008 draft class, Yonder Alonso is also one of the strongest power hitters of his generation. While his bat is certainly impressive, the Cincinnati Reds draft choice was an odd selection, since they already had young MVP-caliber Joey Votto just settling in for the next decade. The Reds seemed to realize this eventually, and moved him to San Diego in 2011's offseson. Despite the crippling effects of Petco, he should still be one of a handful of premium rookie bats in 2012, especially in the power department. He's adequate but no gold-glover in the field, which means he's probably locked at first base.
Full Scouting Report for Yonder Alonso
SB 25BA SC 98BP SN ES ML 39
A gritty, strong first baseman, Rizzo defeated cancer (lymphoma) to return to action in 2009, and ended up swatting near .300 in the Sally and Carolina leagues, including a dozen home runs and 37 doubles. In 2011, Rizzo batted .331 with 26 home runs and 101 RBI in 93 games for AAA Tucson. His terrific fundamentals and plus bat speed make him a tough out: he can make solid contact to all fields on anything close to the strike zone, and he's not afraid to take a walk on anything that isn't. Rizzo's defense isn't a jumbo mortgage on his hitting, either: unlike some sluggers who merely park at first base, he can actually field the position very well.
Full Scouting Report for Anthony Rizzo
SB 38BA SC 48BP SN ES ML 37
A high-school catcher with a tantalizing power bat (15 homers in 27 games in his senior year), the double-named Tommy Joseph was scooped up by the Giants in 2009. In addition to his terrific raw power, Joseph displays a very strong throwing arm and shows signs of excellent leadership and discipline on the field. While the catcher's position in San Francisco would seem to be locked up for the foreseeable future, the Giants are looking for cheap meidcal insurance as much as any team, especially after the ESPN highlight (lowlight?) injury suffered by Mr. Posey in 2011.
Full Scouting Report for Tommy Joseph
SB 105BA SC BP SN ES ML
Jack Cust, we hardly knew you. Vernon Christopher Carter is an all-or-nothing, power hitting first baseman from Redwood City, California. One of the busload of prospects Oakland acquired from Arizona in the trade that sent Dan Haren to the desert, he's often confused with the other first base prospect named Chris Carter. Oakland's version is the bigger, stronger, younger and much more right-handed version.
Full Scouting Report for Chris Carter
SB 194BA SC 99BP 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.
Full Scouting Report for CJ Cron
SB 196BA SC BP SN ES ML
One of the best hitting prospects in the 2007 Amateur Draft, Beau Mills went to the Indians, who conveniently enough had no long-term 1B or 3B solution in their system. He's turned out to be pretty much as-expected, a lumbering slow slugger with so-so contact skills but plus power. The .300/.358/.522 line he posted in AA Akron in 2011 was validated by a month-long tour with the AAA Clippers in which he turned in similar numbers while homering seven times in 35 games. He's really due for a look at the big club, and he should get an opportunity in 2012.
Full Scouting Report for Beau Mills
SB 234BA SC BP SN ES ML
A big college bat from Vanderbilt, Aaron Westlake is a nominal first baseman who's also being groomed to cover right field or the inevitable DH platoon in Detroit, and he should be ready soon. While the .264/.328/.377 line he posted in low-A ball isn't quite up to his college level (how could it be, the kid had a four year OPS of 1.003) it was definitely enough to flag him as legitimate, so expect him to be moved right along to high-A this season, with Detroit a likely landing spot in late 2013.
Full Scouting Report for Aaron Westlake
SB 288BA SC BP SN ES ML
A tree-trunk of a young man, Cubs prospect Dan Vogelbach won't win any sprints or high-jumping contests, but lordy, lordy, the boy can hit baseballs. Plus contact, plus-plus power to all fields, and a bucketful of moon-shots every day in batting practice: these are the things young Vogelbach is made of. In the NL, a man this large (the Cubs list him at 250lbs, but they're being very polite) is destined for first base, like it or not, and thankfully Vogelbach does show good hands and footwork around the bag.
Full Scouting Report for Dan Vogelbach
SB 295BA SC BP SN ES ML
The nephew of former major leaguer Eli, young Chris Marrero was Washington's top pick in the 2006 draft, and rated a perfect 80 on the scouting power scale, which is tremendous in someone so young. He has a knack for missing some breaking balls by a mile, but he's still very young, so give him some time to learn a little discipline. To make up for his lack of speed, the Nats have converted the onetime OF to full time first-base status, which should also let him concentrate on hitting.
Full Scouting Report for Chris Marrero
SB 301BA SC BP SN ES ML
The Diamondbacks organizational player of the year for 2009, first baseman Ryan Wheeler's stock has slid a bit since then, but he's still looking like a solid all around player who will land in Arizona sooner rather than later. In a full year with the AA Baybears in 2011, he slashed .294/.358/.465 and popped 16 homers in 480 at-bats. His 2:1 strikeout to walk ratio wasn't half-bad, either. He's got a shot at a 2012 gig, depending on how the team's veterans and shinier prospects line up.
Full Scouting Report for Ryan Wheeler
SB 302BA SC BP SN ES ML
The best in-house bet for a first-baseman of the future, Milwaukee's Hunter Morris stroked .271/.299/.461 (with 19 dingers) at high-A Brevard Country in 2011 before a late-season trip to AA Huntsville, where he also looked pretty comfortable. Give him another year and he could be working big league pitching, too.
Full Scouting Report for Hunter Morris
SB 303BA SC BP SN ES ML
The Blue Jays have been bereft of developing power threats recently, but they're fixing it with this move. Cooper is a high-average, high-on-base machine with significant power to all fields, and better than the usual masher's ability at first base, too. He was drafted higher than expected, but the way the power bats were vanishing from the board in 2008, one can hardly blame the Blue Jays for reaching. He only hit .211 in 71 late-season ABs for the Jays in 2011, but he did nail a couple of long balls in that time, and he should be given the opportunity to do so again in 2012. Hopefully his on-base skills will come along for the ride this time.
Full Scouting Report for David Cooper
SB 314BA SC BP SN ES ML
A late-blooming right-handed bat who rose to attention last year as the International League (AAA) MVP while a member of the Tampa Bay system, Russ Canzler was acquired by Cleveland in the off-season. Originally drafted the Cubs back in 2004, Canzler is a versatile player who can handle any corner position, infield or out, though he's performed best as a first baseman to date.
Full Scouting Report for Russ Canzler
SB 321BA SC BP SN ES ML
While Freddy Freeman might have first base locked down for the next decade or so in Atlanta, the Braves also have another promising hitter who could be good enough to merit a move to another position. The unfortunately-named Joey Terdoslavich's hit 52 doubles last year at high-A (a Carolina League record) and blew away concerns about his ability to handle better pitching from either side of the plate. While a move to a corner outfield spot is likely in his future, Terdoslavich should manage to get to the Bigs one way or the other by 2014.
Full Scouting Report for Joey Terdoslavich
SB 326BA SC BP SN ES ML
A talented hitter signed out of Dominica at the end of 2007, third baseman Edinson Rincon didn't have much use for rookie ball, and didn't have much trouble at high-A Lake Elsinore in 2011, either ( .329/.394/497). His fielding is still a mess (18 errors in 39 starts at third) but even that's an improvement over his earleir work. He'll still have time to polish, polish and polish: unless the NL adopts a DH, he won't be playing every day for awhile.
Full Scouting Report for Edinson Rincon
SB 339BA SC BP SN ES ML
His star has faded a bit in Boston, and the long-term signing of Adrian Gonzalez leaves him as an older prospect with no clear path to the majors, but Lars Anderson can still hit baseballs a very, very long way, and in 2011 he launched 14 more dinger s(and 32 doubles) while cooling his heels in AAA Pawtucket. While he provides a little organization depth in a system that could some more infielders, his best opportunity in MLB might have to come with another team. A Jack Cust-like late bloom is possible, here.
Full Scouting Report for Lars Anderson
SB 368BA SC BP SN ES ML
When Jose Julio Ruiz defected from Cuba in 2009 at age 25, he was ranked as one of the league's top-rated hitters. A pure offensive threat, the fireplug-shaped Ruiz will likely be relegated to 1B or DH duties in the USA, but his bat should be able to play at the major league level very soon. A gap hitter with decent but not great power, he has a smooth, quick swing from the left side that should allow him to maintain an average similar to the .300 he traditionally posted in Cuba. While the lack of plus power might hold him back from a top tier position, his overall path could be similar to slow-burning Angel Kendry Morales, who simmered for a couple of years before breaking out in 2009.
Full Scouting Report for Jose Ruiz
SB 373BA SC BP SN ES ML
A third-round pick from the 2006 draft class, the 6-4 and 240 pound Bates is a big, strong hitter with solid plate discipline. Aaron has plus power that's near big-league ready, but not much else. His bat-speed is suspect, which means he may flounder at higher levels if he keeps trying to hit every pitch 600ft. In his first full season under the Twins' tutelage, he seemed to curtail some of his free-swingingness, slashing .316/.408/.439 and taking 53 walks versus only 90 strikeouts at AAA Rochester. He could see 1B/DH duty in Minnesota this year.
Full Scouting Report for Aaron Bates
SB 386BA SC BP SN ES ML
A big slugger with 35+ HR potential, he's also a little old for a 'prospect', as he'll turn 28 this year. Still, his massive, bone-rattling swings should fit right into the Texas lineup if it becomes depleted by injury in 2012.
Full Scouting Report for Joe Koshansky
SB 406BA SC BP SN ES ML
A huge, hulking lumberjack of a first baseman, right-handed slugger Ryan Strieby popped 19 homers in 130 games with AAA Toledo in 2011, and as his power continues to develop he should fit right into Comerica. He's more than a little blocked by Miguel Cabrera right now, of course, and the left field conversion project didn't quite work out, so if he reaches MLB in 2012, it'll be either as trade bait or as a bench player who can push Miguel to DH duties. A hot start this spring could get him a full-time MLB job... somewhere... before the end of the year.
Full Scouting Report for Ryan Strieby
SB 407BA SC BP SN ES ML
A product of the same high school draft class as Jay Bruce and Colby Rasmus, the less-decorated Brandon Snyder was drafted as a catcher before losing most of a year to a torn labrum. Transplanted to first base, he may have found his long-term home. He's come along slower than his classmates, but his .261/.312/.406 line in AAA last season was enoiugh for a cup of coffee, and hisi 3-for-13 taste didn't scare anyone away. A power hitter who will strike out a lot, he can still contribute serious numbers with his ability to hit both fastballs and breaking pitches to all fields.
Full Scouting Report for Brandon Snyder
SB 431BA SC BP SN ES ML
The M's chose Poythress in round two of the 2009 draft based on his ability to hit baseballs very, very hard. He's preytty much done that, though not to the high levels that Seattle was hoping for. His .267/.347/.416 line at AA Jackson included 11 homers and 28 doubles, great numbers for a 20 year old prospect. Unfortunately, Poythress is 23. A big season this year (probably starting back in Tacoma) could give him a shot in Seattle, but a poor one could see him eclipsed by younger and hotter talent. His defensive shortcomings limit him to first base or DH, but luckily Seattle could use depth in both of those positions right now.
Full Scouting Report for Rich Poythress
SB 443BA SC BP SN ES ML
A player who showed unmatchable power at the high school level, John (Cody) Johnson Jr. is a raw but fascinating prospect that the Yankees bought from the Braves in early 2011. As a (mature) prospect, he fits into the Lars Anderson / Chris Parmalee frame of reference: a player who could be a superstar if he could only learn the finer points of the game, but who might also fade into obscurity if he relies on nothing but home run swings.
Full Scouting Report for Cody Johnson
SB 457BA SC BP SN ES ML
The younger of the two Ka'aihue brothers, Kala (full name Isaiah Kala Ka'aihue) is the righthanded half of the matching Hawaiian sluggers. Unlike Kila, who just arrived in Oakland in 2011, Kala is now a Colorado Rockies project. Throughout his minor league career he has drawn comparisons to Andres Galarraga, though he hasn't yet shown anything close to the Big Cat's consistency to hit for average. He's still a semi-interesting sleeper, even as a dead-red slugger, especially for as long as he quietly develops in his older brother's shadow.
Full Scouting Report for Kala Ka'aihue
SB 480BA SC BP SN ES ML
Once a tip-top pitching prospect, lefthander Chuck Lofgren hit a wall while showing off for his new owners in San Francisco last season, and with his development apparently at a standstill after seven years of minor league ball, the Giants are now considering him a corner outfielder and/or first baseman. He's got the athleticism for it, and it would be fun to see that power arm in right field, but as far as rebuilding projects go, there are safer bets out there.
Full Scouting Report for Chuck Lofgren
SB 494BA SC BP SN ES ML
Another of the rich 2008 draft class of slugging first basemen, Dykstra (no relation to Lenny and Cutter) is a textbook lefty power bat with no obvious position on a rebuilding Mets team, but he's bubbling over in hitting talent to such a degree that they'll probably find a way. He could use another year in the minors develop his secondary skills, and the Mets will need to deal with the question of his fielding position, but he projects as a solid 25-30 homer type with a good eye for the plate only a year or two from now. His name alone should give him some popularity points in the Big Apple.
Full Scouting Report for Allan Dykstra
SB 520BA SC BP SN ES ML
Top Prospects 2012
Combined Ranking
