Baseball's Top Prospects for 2010
Remember: This list evolves and changes daily.
RHP, PIT
Born in Lakewood, Ohio but blessed with a name that really belongs in Texas, righthander Stetson Allie is one of the hottest teenaged arms in baseball. He's played third base a great deal, and is an average defender and slightly above-average hitter from that position, but most scouts agree his future is on the mound.
More Scouting Book Info on Stetson Allie >
231
RHP, SF
A rising star in the Giants system, the 6-foot-2 righthander Henry Sosa is a power pitcher in the Matt Cain variety, though without the control and (so far) without the command of his breaking stuff: his curve could be a plus pitch one day, but so far it's very much a work-in-progress, which means hitters can sometimes sit on his 96mph fastball.
More Scouting Book Info on Henry Sosa >
232
OF, OAK
A thickly-built, wide-framed power bat from Texas who moves pretty well for his size, Mike Choice is a player destined for an outfield corner rather than the centerfield he played at UT. He draws comparisons to Pedro Alvarez for his body type and the attack angle of his quick right-handed swing. As an advanced bat with an excellent work ethic and (by all reports) a solid character, he should move quickly through the Oakland system.
More Scouting Book Info on Michael Choice >
233
LHP, SF
A ninth-round pick back in 2007, pitcher Dan Runzler has zipped right up the Giants' prospect chart on the strength of his 97mph buzzer. Starting 2009 in low-A Augusta and making four stops before landing in San Francisco, the lefty reliever's worst ERA came with the giants, when he posted a 1.04 mark in 11 appearances. Used mainly as a LOOGY but capable of multiple-inning work, Runzler is a favorite to land a spot in a depleted 2010 Giants bullpen.
More Scouting Book Info on Dan Runzler >
234
OF, TB
Not content to merely outdraft the rest of baseball, the Tampa Bay Rays have also set out to sign every emerging soccer star in the United States. Perez, a superior soccer player who only began mastering the baseball diamond in college, wound up an All-Ivy pick as Columbia's centerfielder in 2004, when he hit .317 and led the League with 18 steals.
More Scouting Book Info on Fernando Perez >
235
SS, FA
A mature prospect who'll be 26 (or so) later this year, Cuban Yadil Mujica is a contact hitter with plus speed, good range and a plus arm from shortstop. In his last year in Cuba, he hit .358/.432/.440, that average enough for twelfth-best in the league (modern Cuban baseball is hitter-friendly, which explains why so few Cuban pitchers stick in MLB.)
More Scouting Book Info on Yadil Mujica >
236
2B, Japan
The Hiroshima Toyo Carp's number one draft pick in 1999, infielder Akihiro Higashide finished in the top ten among Central League hitters in 2009 with a .295 average. A versatile infielder who has played most of his career at second base, Aki is a free agent eligible player who has contemplated a move to the USA for some time. He has seen interest from a number of MLB teams, including the San Francisco Giants.
More Scouting Book Info on Akihiro Higashide >
237
RHP, NYM
A stocky right-handed specialist who spent most of his career with NPB's Yakult Swallows before moving to America, Ryota Igarashi is the proud owner of a lifetime 3.26 ERA and 1.07 in Japan, almost all of it in relief. Though most frequently a setup man or middle reliever, he also closed 37 games for the Swallows in 2004. In 2010, he'll provide depth in the bullpen for the Mets, who signed him to a two year deal during the offseason.
More Scouting Book Info on Ryota Igarashi >
238
OF, SF
Tommy 'the Titan' Neal is a power-hitting corner bat pushing his way through the San Francisco farm system. Since his signing in 2005 at age 17, he's done nothing but hit at every level, most recently racking up a 1.010 OPS (.337/.431/.579) while launching 22 dingers in 475 at-bats at high-A San Jose. The pitching-rich Giants farm is lacking in quality bats, which means a juggernaut like Neal could move quickly. Watch for him to get a taste of the action in 2010, and compete for a roster spot come 2011.
More Scouting Book Info on Thomas Neal >
239
RHP, BOS
Japan's best amateur pitcher, 22-year old Junichi Tazawa met with four big league teams this spring, and the Red Sox were first in line with a big check, not to mention first in Tazawa's heart. He is the first premium amateur to skip Japanese baseball altogether.
More Scouting Book Info on Junichi Tazawa >
240
231. Stetson Allie
232. Henry Sosa
233. Michael Choice
235. Fernando Perez
236. Yadil Mujica
237. Akihiro Higashide
238. Ryota Igarashi
240. Junichi Tazawa
231 to 240 of 484
