Scouting Book: The Best Baseball Prospects for 2008 (Sleepers Too!)

Baseball Prospect Rankings for 2008

Scouting Book's Top Prospects list is different than other prospect lists: we're not in a bubble, and we never sit still. We show you not just our own rankings, but also rankings from some of the other major ranking lists for each player. You can now sort, for example, by Baseball America's rankings, or view the top prospects as chosen by the wizards at Baseball Prospectus, or compare our rankings to those from Sports Illustrated. Also, unlike most lists, we don't publish a book! Our lists are updated often during the offseason, and updated daily during the pre-season to show the latest situations and adjusted for spring results. This means we're always a work in progress. We also think this means our lists are much more useful for fantasy draft purposes. If you notice a mistake or have a suggestion feel free to let us know by mailing mistakes (at) our domain name. For more on our methods, see this blog entry.

Baseball's Top Prospects for Spring 2008

211. Eric Patterson

SS, CHC

He might have been moved to the outfield by the time you read this, but it's important to know that the scrappy Patterson has been a hot shortstop prospect for some time. He combines good speed and defense with a high-average approach to hitting and developing power. His versatility is his strongest suit, but it might also portend a utility role, depending on how well the other Cubs prospects turn out at each position.

More Scouting Book Info on Eric Patterson >

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212. Joe Smith

RHP, NYM

The man with the least-memorable name in baseball lived up to it in 2007, putting in more than fifty quality appearances for the Mets... but nobody noticed. Incredibly, his low innings mean he remains rookie-eligible for 2008, despite the fact he appeared in exactly one third of all Mets games last season.

While his stuff could use a bit more sizzle, Smith was a serviceable setup man on a beaten-up Mets team, and he remains one of their best prospects going forward.

More Scouting Book Info on Joe Smith >

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213. Phil Humber

RHP, MIN

The Mets No. 1 pick and third overall selection in the 2004 First-Year Player Draft, Humber took a slow time to develop, thanks to a long pause to recover from surgery in 2005, but looked good enough in 2007 for the Mets to give him a shot in relief down the stretch. His results were mixed, and the Mets could never quite decide whether his future was in the rotation or bullpen.

A strong, durable type with a high three-quarters delivery, Humber works with a fastball in the 92-94 range and uses his plus curve as his out pitch. His change, which he did not use much in relief, is nearly major-league ready.

More Scouting Book Info on Phil Humber >

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214. Charlie Morton

RHP, ATL

A fireball-hurling righthander in the Kevin Millwood tradition, Charlie Morton is a promising Braves prospect who might see time with the big club in 2008.

Every year since he was drafted in 2002, despite higher and higher levels of competition, Morton's ERA has fallen while his high strikeout rate has remained intact. In 2007, between AA Mississippi and winter ball with the Javelinas, he struck out 87 in 100-2/3 innings of work.

While he hasn't yet shown the stamina for a full-time gig in the majors (most of his starts are of the five-and-out variety), Morton's definitely got the heat and the action to help the Atlanta bullpen soon, and the rotation eventually.

More Scouting Book Info on Charlie Morton >

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215. Romulo Sanchez

RHP, PIT

Originally signed by the Dodgers, Dominican Romulo Sanchez is one of many Pirate flamethrowers who may factor into their bullpen in 2008. While he enjoyed only modest success during his brief stint last season (18 innings, 11 strikeouts, 8 walks, 1.33 WHIP, 5.00 ERA), he's a favorite within the organization, who see him as a future closer despite his average strikeout numbers.

If he can refine his control a little while not losing too much of his velocity, he might be a viable setup man in the near future, but to become a serious force, he'll need to develop secondary pitches.

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216. Jordan Walden

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.

A power pitcher with a plus fastball-slider combination, he's been a dominant starter with iffy control so far. In his pro debut in the Pioneer League (Rookie), Walden threw 64 innings and posted a very nice 1.03 WHIP with a K:BB ratio approaching four. He works his fastbal around 92-94mph. His future in the Angels rotation will depend on how well he develops a changeup, though even without one, he still has the potential to dial his fastball up to 97 and use his plus slider as a 9th-inning strikeout pitch.

He's raw, but a couple of years from now he could be a big part of the Angels' armory.

More Scouting Book Info on Jordan Walden >

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SB #216 | BA #81 | BP #59 | ML unranked | SN unranked | ES #79

217. Gaby Sanchez

C, FLA

An all-conference catcher at the University of Miami, Sanchez was drafted in the fourth round of the 2005 draft by the Marlins. In his first pro season, Sanchez led the New-York Penn League with a .355 average. The next year, Sanchez hit .317 in his first full-seasonand posted a 55-game OPS of 1.050. He finished with a .288 average, 15 HR and 50 RBIs in 74 games. At high-A Jupiter in 2007, Gaby slammed 9 home runs while maintaining a solid .279 average.

Having blown past all levels of play, he's now on the fast-track in youth-oriented Florida system. Sanchez may be moved to 1B if the Marlins feel comfortable with their other options behind the plate. And since his real strengths lie as a hitter, that might be best for his own development too.

So whether he catches or not, he's a hitter, and a hitter who hits for high average, for power, and to all fields. That means the Marlins will find somewhere for him to play, sooner rather than later.

More Scouting Book Info on Gaby Sanchez >

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218. Gorkys Hernandez

OF, ATL

Atlanta might have more hard-hitting OF prospects than any team in baseball, so it's hard to figure out what they must have been thinking in acquiring another one in Hernandez. Still, Hernandez is a quality prospect who hit .293/.344/.371 with 54 steals for Single-A Michigan last season. He's fast and talented, with exceptional defensive range, but his arrival looks to be a few years away.

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SB #218 | BA #92 | BP #83 | ML unranked | SN unranked | ES #99

219. Mitchell Boggs

RHP, STL

A fifth-round pick in the 2005 draft, Boggs is a durable righthander in the Cardinal system. Working primarily with a 95mph fastball and a splitter-slider that he's still learning to master, Boggs is still working to find pitches that he can throw with movement and for strikes at the same time. While Mitch could probably do a fine job in the bullpen very soon, using nothing but his heat, the Cardinals want to keep developing Boggs as a starter in the hope that he can become a major league workhorse. He projects as a middle-to-back-end starter, but a reliable one, in the Joe Blanton category.

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