Baseball's Top Prospects for 2010
Remember: This list evolves and changes daily.
OF, PIT
He might be the most talented youngster in the Pittsburgh Pirates system, but if you haven't heard of him yet, don't feel too badly. An under-the-radar international signee from 2008, Marte is pure projection: a fast, powerful, graceful athlete with great range in the outfield and a plus arm. He has an easy, natural swing and projects to deliver at least average power down the road. Low-A was a bit of a joke for him as a 20 year old in 2009 (.377/.439/.816), so his goal in 2010 will be to reach AA ball by the end of the season. He'll have to start at high-A Lynchburg.
More Scouting Book Info on Starling Marte >
211
RHP, OAK
When a pitcher blows through five teams in a few months, you have to figure he's a pretty dominant reliever on a hot streak. But when that pitcher blows through by changing uniforms four times, something must be very wrong. A dominant minor league reliever two years ago when the Dodgers packaged him up with catcher Carlos Santana for a three month rental of Casey Blake (!) from the Indians, Meloan has since changed teams many more times: Since the end of 2008, he's been a Dodger, an Indian, a Pirate, a Ray and an Athletic.
More Scouting Book Info on Jonathan Meloan >
212
RHP, NYY
A 2006 international signee who impressed scouts with a big fastball, Dominican righthander Ivan Nova has had a rocky road through the minor leagues, despite showing exceptional talent at all levels. His fastball can be a plus pitch with easy 94mph power, and his size and delivery give him good motion with a sinking two-seamer, as well. His curveball comes and goes in its effectiveness, but his changeup usually looks like a real plus offering. A combination of reports on poor work ethic and an inability to concentrate on the mound stops scouts from ranking him higher, but in terms of raw talent he should be a top tier contender. His time to make a big step forward is now, because if he continues to scuffle and underperform with his toolset, he'll be in the 'ex-prospect' bin by the end of 2011.
More Scouting Book Info on Ivan Nova >
213
2B , COL
A small, fast, potent hitter who looks every inch his father, Eric Young Jr. is even lined up take over second base in Colorado, a position his father inaugurated for the expansion Rockies franchise. A very fast and smart base-stealer, he needs to get on base more to make that speed work, and since his patience at the plate has been improving, he's probably ready for a test at the next level. The Rockies have him working in the outfield as well as second to maximize his chances.
More Scouting Book Info on Eric Young Jr. >
214
RHP, MIN
The ex-Miami Hurricanes closer throws a 98mph fastball that could get even faster as he comes back from TJ surgery. His breaking ball is still a bit sub-par, but if any coaching staff can coax secondary pitches from power arms, its the wizard's guild in Minnesota. Gutierrez is still a year or two away from being completely ready, but the Twins work in mysterious ways, which means he could see opportunities as a setup man as early as 2010, with the closer's mantle for Minnesota's post-Nathan days still within reach.
More Scouting Book Info on Carlos Gutierrez >
215
LHP, SEA
A tall, athletic Canadian lefthander who rose to national attention at U Kentucky, James Paxton was selected in the 2009 Draft's supplemental round by the Toronto Blue Jays. He did not sign, however, and quickly became embroiled in a hubbub and eventual lawsuit when it was revealed that his 'adviser' Scott Boras may have negotiated with the Blue Jays on his behalf, which is against NCAA rules. He thus became ineligible to play NCAA ball in 2010, and instead parked himself in independent ball to await the next draft, when he was selected by the Mariners much later, at #132nd overall. His mid-nineties stuff and sick breaking ball didn't get much challenge in Grand Prairie, but at least it kept him in shape. He remains an attractive young arm, despite the money-hungry image he's already attained.
More Scouting Book Info on James Paxton >
216
RHP, OAK
A sandwich pick from 2007, righthander Clay Mortensen zoomed up the Cardinal chart until being bundled off to Oakland for Matt Holliday. The sinker-specialist also features a hard slider, a two-pitch punch that induces plenty of ground balls. Like many young pitchers, his offspeed pitches are a bit raw, and he's been developing a straight change that should make his hard-movers more effective. A move to pitcher-happy environment in Oakland could help Mortensen flourish soon.
More Scouting Book Info on Clayton Mortensen >
217
LHP, ARZ
Texas A&M's ace in 2009 and 2010 and a Big Twelve All-Star, righthander Barret Loux was drafted sixth overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2010 First Year Player Draft. A mature pitcher with advanced smarts for the game, Loux leans heavily on his 95mph fastball, which is so good he's seldom needed other pitches to succeed. That will change in pro ball, of course, and the development of his breaking ball should track his progress through the Arizona system.
More Scouting Book Info on Barret Loux >
218
RHP, LAD
A dominating college closer drafted in the second round of 2008, ex-Boilermaker Josh Lindblom is being developed by the Dodgers as a future starter. In nine short starts (remember, he's just learning), he turned in a shimmering 2.12 ERA and held batters to .157 average over 34 innings. His 37-5 K-BB ratio over that stretch looks a lot like he's still using his closer's stuff, too. He'll spend the year in the minors, probably at AA, but he's a great candidate to zip up to the top of the prospect charts for 2010-2011.
More Scouting Book Info on Josh Lindblom >
219
OF, CIN
A 17th round pick from an obscure college, Reds outfielder Chris Heisey has made slow but relentless progress through the system, playing solid defense and hitting better and better at each higher level of play. At AA Carolina lasyt year, Helsey rocked a .347/.426/.572 line, for an eye-popping OPS of .998. He held his own in AAA during the end of the year, too, opening the question about when he'll get his first taste of big league ball. We're betting the end of 2010, or sooner if injuries strike the Reds' outfield.
More Scouting Book Info on Chris Heisey >
220
RHP, TEX
A two-way player and 2004 Little League star who some prefer as an infielder, righthander Jurickson Profar was signed as an international free agent in 2009. Blessed with a 94mph heater and a slider that could mature into a real plus pitch, the teenager is an ideal late reliever right now, but could go in any direction in the years to come. If he moves to the field, he has the hands and arm strength to work at shortstop, though his hitting ability isn't looking quite as promising just yet. A deep talent in the Rangers system, Jurickson is one to watch in the years to come.
More Scouting Book Info on Jurickson Profar >
221
C, STL
A converted pitcher, Robert Stock is getting a chance behind the plate for the Cardinals in order to mainstream his plus batting eye and lefthanded power bat, so that's how we'll treat him for now.
More Scouting Book Info on Robert Stock >
222
LHP, SD
Pick number 63 in the 2007 Draft, Cory Luebke went 11-4 with a 2.78 ERA and a shimmering 1.10 WHIP at two levels of play in 2009. His 112-32 strikeout to walk ratio is another number worth some yellow highlighter. A tall, lanky pitcher who lives in the low 90s with great two-seam movement, he leans on a reasonable change and a real plus slider as his strikeout pitch. He also shows off one of the best pickoff moves to first base seen in the minors since the days Andy Pettitte pitched at Columbus. He lacks some of the explosive upside of other Padre starters, but his mix of quality pitches and overall polish probably put him closer to the Bigs. He'll open 2010 in AA ball but could see at least a look-see start in San Diego before the end of the year.
More Scouting Book Info on Cory Luebke >
223
SS, SEA
A big, strong middle infielder with soft hands and an offensive mindset, Gabriel Noriega came to Seattle by way of his native Venezuela and childhood Mexico. In his first taste of pro ball, he slashed .311/.360/.456 in 206 Rookie League at-bats. Scouts have been impressed by his exceptional hand-eye coordination, and most expect him to hit for a high average even if he never develops real power. His defensive chops have already arrived, though, and his combination of soft hands, quick feet and a strong arm suggest that he can stick at shortstop. He'll need to learn to take a walk sooner or later, but once he sees a few more years of pro pitching, he'll be ready to make in impact in the bigs.
More Scouting Book Info on Gabriel Noriega >
224
RHP, CLE
Where does Tampa find these kids? Over a statistically significant 500 innings pitched, Talbot's strikeout ratio is over 4, his WHIP is under 1.3, and his potential to break into a major league rotation is very very high, especially for such a young pitcher. His recent trade to Cleveland only accelerates his likely arrival, though the less-magical coaching and development staff could hinder his potential.
More Scouting Book Info on Mitch Talbot >
225
C, ATL
Signed as a sixteen year old out of Panama back in 2008, catcher Christian Bethencourt is a toolsy ballplayer dripping with all-around talent. Competing with much older players in 2009, the 17-year old posted an OPS of .819 at Rookie Level Danville, showing flashes of power and above-average speed to complement his advanced bat control skills. Since he's a catcher with the entire universe of game calling and defense to master, he's many years away, but he's such a shining star that he's a near-lock to rise through the prospect ranks every year for the next four or five before taking over in Atlanta. He's just that talented.
More Scouting Book Info on Christian Bethancourt >
226
SS, TOR
The Red Sox's Cuban shortstop prospect Jose Iglesias gets a lot of ink, but 2009 defectee Hechevarria (pronounced and sometimes spelled Echevarria) is probably the superior player. In MLB terms, Hechevarria is an 'offensive-minded' shortstop in the Cal Ripken mode: a high-average hitter with above-average power. At the plate, his spray chart looks a little more like Ichiro Suzuki: he has a knack for finding infield holes and hitting behind runners. He'll command a high signing bonus and start in the minor leagues, with 2012 or 2013 looking like a possible MLB arrival date.
More Scouting Book Info on Adeiny Hechevarria >
227
RHP, NYM
The seventh overall pick in the 2010 draft, Matt Harvey is a tall righthander from Mystic, Connecticut who pitched his college ball at UNC, where a few tweaks to his high-school delivery paid off with extra cheese on his fastball. He can dial that smooth, easy heat up to 98mph and has a propensity for throwing ground balls. His command is spotty, but nothing out of the norm for such a young, high-upside arm. He should move quickly through a pitching-poor Mets system.
More Scouting Book Info on Matt Harvey >
228
2B, OAK
Baseball America's High School Player of the Year for 2006 is still a bit raw, but his development has been very strong. As a 20 year old in 2008, Cardenas blew through three levels of the minors, hitting .278, .308, .279 in Stockton, Clearwater and Midland. He's hitting an even .300 across his two full minor league seasons, and has maintained great discipline with a career 108 walks against only 174 strikeouts.
More Scouting Book Info on Adrian Cardenas >
229
RHP, Japan
He's six foot five with a 94mph fastball and he's... Japanese? Well, half-Japanese, at least. Darvish, the Japanese/Iranian wunderkind who's half baseball star and half sex symbol, is Japan's best young pitcher. Playing for the Nippon Ham Fighters, Darvish posted a 1.82 ERA over 26 starts while striking out 210. Again, that's 210 strikeouts in only twenty-six starts. at least as high as Daisuke Matsuzaka's, it's more than possible that the financially-strapped Carp will consider how much they could improve their team with, oh, an extra $100 million dollars or so. Despite the flirtatious comments he's made to the media about moving to America, he's committed to Japan for the next couple of years. But he remains a very big question mark for 2012, 2013, 2014...
More Scouting Book Info on Yu Darvish >
230
211. Starling Marte
212. Jonathan Meloan
213. Ivan Nova
214. Eric Young Jr.
215. Carlos Gutierrez
216. James Paxton
218. Barret Loux
219. Josh Lindblom
220. Chris Heisey
221. Jurickson Profar
222. Robert Stock
223. Cory Luebke
225. Mitch Talbot
226. Christian Bethancourt
227. Adeiny Hechevarria
228. Matt Harvey
230. Yu Darvish
211 to 230 of 486
