Top Baseball Prospects for 2013
Now updated for 2013'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.
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The main return for the departing Dan Haren, Arizona's Tyler Skaggs is almost ready to compete at the major league level, and should contend for a rotation spot in early 2013. Skaggs was so-so as injury relief for the Diamondbacks last year, but is better than his numbers displayed, and the extra experience will probably only make him stronger. If he doesn't break camp with the Diamondbacks, he'll be back to join them permanently soon enough.
Full Scouting Report for Tyler Skaggs
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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. Yelich is already showing good power, and as he grows into his body, that power should grow along with him.
Full Scouting Report for Christian Yelich
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A powerful young bat getting a lot of attention in the Rockies system, Nolan Arenado is looking like a viable corner bat in the very, very near future. He slashed an impressive .285/.337/.428 line during his first taste of AA-ball in 2012, showing that he's a contact hitter and not just a slugger.
Full Scouting Report for Nolan Arenado
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The Dodgers liked righthander Kevin Gausman a lot back in 2010, but he turned down an above-slot offer to go to LSU instead. Picked up again in 2012 by the Orioles, he's looking just as promising now as he was then: a solid pitcher with a big fastball and promising (though inconsistent) breaking stuff who could develop quickly. He's a bit of a high-risk / high-reward player for the Orioles, but when you're trying to compete in the AL East, you have to take a few chances. So far, he's looking like a good gamble.
Full Scouting Report for Kevin Gausman
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He doesn't have Bryce Harper's moonshot power, but Anthony Rendon is probably still the best pure hitter in the Nationals system today. (Overshadowed by Harper from the very beginning, Rendon was the team's first round draft pick in 2011.) A nominal third baseman, he'll probably shift to second or left field for the Nats soon, at least as long as Ryan Zimmerman appears entrenched at the hot corner. He'll definitely be a potent part of a future Nats lineup, and is the most anticipated new National bat, now that Harper has settled into Beltway life for good.
Full Scouting Report for Anthony Rendon
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The big slugger named Jonathan Singleton had no real future in Philadelphia, but in the AL-destined Astros he looks like a heck of a 1B/DH piece for the near future. Even as a corner outfield prospect, he's competent, and his powerful left-handed bat does nothing but hit. Singleton raked a nice .284 with 21 homers at AA Corpus Christi last season, which would have placed him squarely into contention for an Opening Day job in Houston if he hadn't derailed his career with a 50-game PED-free drug suspension. He'll be back around midseason and should push his way onto the MLB squad before the year is over, regardless.
Full Scouting Report for Jonathan Singleton
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The number two overall pick in 2011, Seattle pitching prospect Danny Hultzen is a solid lefthander who draws more than his share of Cliff Lee comparisons. With a fastball that drops in around 94mph and a no-nonsense workmanlike approach to the game, the comparison isn't far off base, either. In three seasons of duty at the University of Virginia, Hultzen went 32-5 with a 2.08 ERA. The Cavs ace also struck out a nasty 148 batters in 103 innings in his final season.
Full Scouting Report for Danny Hultzen
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The classic all-promise righthander, Arizona's Archie Bradley is a potentially outstanding pitcher who's only a changeup short of a major league career very soon. Of course, that's the pitching equivalent of a hitter who can handle everything except a curve ball, so this youngster's future will depend mighty heavily on how many MPH he can subtract when called upon to do so. If he stumbles, his big fastball and plus curve should still serve his team well in relief, but we won't know for another year or two which road he'll be taking from South Bend to Mobile.
Full Scouting Report for Archie Bradley
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A solid, gritty shortstop without a single stand-out tool in his bag, Florida grad Nick Franklin projects as 'a switch-hitting Michael Young' according to at least one scout. He's an above-average fielder with decent range, a solid line-drive hitter with a discerning eye, and a faster-than-average baserunner with good judgment.
Full Scouting Report for Nick Franklin
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Originally drafted out of high school in 2009, Seattle proto-catcher Mike Zunino (son of ex-Yankee Greg) was still the best catcher available when 2012 rolled around, and Seattle moved quickly to snap up some Jesus insurance by selecting him third overall. Zunino is a power hitter with a bit of a propensity to strike out, but his plus bat speed suggests he could become a better impact hitter with coaching and experience. Behind the plate, he's a strong-armed and very high-quality defensive catcher with significant leadership and game-calling skills, making him a bit of a natural to grow up with Seattle's cadre of young, developing arms. Catchers generally take an extra year or three to really develop, but Seattle is pushing Zunino fast, which makes a Buster Posey-style early ascension not just possible, but probable. He'll take some swings in Safeco this season... and quite possibly more than a few.
Full Scouting Report for Mike Zunino
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Prospects
Top Prospects 2013
Combined Ranking
20 to 30 of 650 Prospects
