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. If you think you have found a mistake, please read this blog entry before telling us. Then tell us.

Delino DeShields

2B

Currently

251

The junior Delino is a shorter, stronger, faster and very much more righthanded version of his father. Which is to say, he's not very much like his father at all. What Delino is is a highly athletic all around ballplayer with superior defensive skills, a contact bat that should play at almost any position and serious plus plus speed. While he's still a ways from MLB, his athleticism and bloodline propel him to the front of Houston's weak farm system right away.

Full Scouting Report for Delino DeShields

SB 251BA SC BP SN ES ML

Taylor Guerrieri

RHP

Currently

252

A power pitcher from Columbia (that's South Carolina), Taylor Guerrieri is a bit of a shadow prospect in the Rays system, and he's easy to miss when you're busy being starstruck by all the Moores and Archers. But Guerrieri is a solid prospect in his own right, uncoiling a nice mid-90's fastball from a classic power pitcher's frame that can even reach 98 on occasion. His curve shows flashes of greatness and could humiliate major leaguers someday, and he's continue to sharpen it as he also works on a change and cutter. His mechanics seem solid, as much as mechanics can be judged, and at least he's consistent with his delivery, a vanilla 3/4 without any scary snapbacks or recoil. He'll continue to sharpen his command in the minors, but could be a mid-rotation contender come 2014 or so.

Full Scouting Report for Taylor Guerrieri

SB 252BA SC BP SN ES ML 99

Tsuyoshi Wada

LHP

Currently

253

One of the best available veteran pitcher available from Japan this year, Softbank Hawks lefthander Wada is the all-time record holder for college strikeouts in Japan, ringing up 476 younsters in three years. More recently, he Wada registered a 1.51 ERA in 184 2/3 innings for Fukuoka last season, with a nice with 8.2 strikeouts per nine innings. As is typical of Japanese pitchers, his fastball only brushes 90mph on occasion, but he also brings good control of a confusing array of other pitches, including a plus change and a good slider. Now in Baltimore, won't be an ace, but he could be a solid contributor.

Full Scouting Report for Tsuyoshi Wada

SB 253BA SC BP SN ES ML

Munenori Kawasaki

SS

Currently

254

An eight-time All-Star in Japan, infielder Munenori Kawasaki is a fast, slappy hitter best known for his solid fielding, and that's the value he should bring to the Mariner bench this season while playing in the shadow of the master of Fast Slappiness (and his personal idol) Ichiro Suzuki.

No slouch at the plate, Muni chipped away at Pacific League opponents for a career .294 average, stealing almost 30 bases per year over the past five seasons, including a high of 44 in 2009 (warning: you get caught too often, grasshopper!)

By all accounts a fine person who should be a great representative for the Mariner public relations department, Munenori turns 31 at midseason, so he's a prospect in only the technical sense.

Full Scouting Report for Munenori Kawasaki

SB 254BA SC BP SN ES ML

Wade Miley

LHP

Currently

255

Playing for a less-known school caused Miley to slide to the 2008 draft's second round, but the lefthander was one of college ball's leading strikeout artists in his time. He looked like one heck of a steal for the Diamondbacks last year, as his 2010 line at AA Mobile was 5-2 in 13 starts with a 1.98 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 72 innings. He's still underrated by many, but he should work his way into the Arizona rotation, or at least the bullpen, before 2012 is through.

Full Scouting Report for Wade Miley

SB 255BA SC BP SN ES ML

Lance Lynn

RHP

Currently

256

The Cardinals' minor league pitcher of the year for 2009, righthander Michael (Lance) Lynn is a 6-6, 260lb monster out of U Mississippi who frustrates opposing hitters with a hard sinker mixed with an effective change and curve. More of a smart, pitchability type than a power pitcher, Lynn exhibits plus command of all his pitches and has shown a knack for keeping hitters off balance. If he can hold up to the workloads of pro ball, he could be a real innings eater for the Cardinals very soon.

Full Scouting Report for Lance Lynn

SB 256BA SC BP SN ES ML

Andy Oliver

LHP

Currently

257

The Tigers second round pick in 2009, lefty Andy Oliver fits the pattern of big, intimidating power pitchers so loved by the Detroit brass. In his three years at OSU, he went 18-9 with a 4.02 ERA, and he's been a strong if unspectacular workhorse as a pro ever since, racking up a 17-20, 4.12, 1.43 line in two full seasons that even included seven so-so starts in Detroit.

Oliver works with a 96mph fastball that blows away lesser hitters, with an above-average change to keep them honest, though he struggles to locate it successfully, leading to an unacceptably high number of walks. His breaking pitches aren't quite ready for prime time yet, either, and so it would be awfully nice if the Tigers would stop pushing him so hard, and would let him just blossom in his own time.

Full Scouting Report for Andy Oliver

SB 257BA SC BP SN ES ML

Alex Wimmers

RHP

Currently

258

A well-rounded righthander from Ohio State drafted the Twins in the first round of 2010, Alex Wimmers is that rare example of a college pitcher who's already got control of three pitches, including a genuine plus changeup. A big-game pitcher who excelled under pressure, Wimmers showed consistent shutdown ability whenever the Buckeyes needed it, and while he seemed a little wild at high-A Fort Myers last year, he did calm down toward the end of the season. His uncanny ability to outsmart hitters rather than blow them away with his stuff is probably his primary asset, and that should serve the future Twins well, no matter whether he comes as part of the rotation or the bullpen.

Full Scouting Report for Alex Wimmers

SB 258BA SC BP SN ES ML

Tyler Saladino

SS

Currently

259

An offensively-capable shortstop, White Sox prospect Tyler Saladino rapped out a nifty .270/.363/.501 line in his first high-A experience in 2011, a full-season tour with the Winston-Salem Dash. If he keeps rising in the system, he'll probably need to move to second base in deference to franchise player Alexei Ramirez, but he has the skills and arm to play from the more challenging position, too. He'll be doing his best to push into AA this season, with Chicago a viable goal for 2013.

Full Scouting Report for Tyler Saladino

SB 259BA SC BP SN ES ML

Robbie Grossman

OF

Currently

260

A sturdy outfielder who can nonetheless patrol center with skill, Pirates prospect Robbie Grossman has vaulted onto the top half of the sheet thanks to an impressive full season at high-A Bradenton last season. Grossman's .294/.418/.451 line showed strong improvement from his already-acceptable performance of a year earlier, and the way he added 24 steals to his 49 extra-base hits showed that he could bring his entire game to the park every day. He also proved durable, starting 134 out of 137 games. The switch-hitting Grossman became the first minor leaguer at any level to score 100 runs and walk 100 times in a season since Nick Swisher did so in 2004. He should play most of 2012 in Altoona, and should be contributing meaningful numbers in Pittsburgh before 2013 rolls into summer.

Full Scouting Report for Robbie Grossman

SB 260BA SC BP SN ES ML

251 to 260 of 525 Prospects

Top Prospects 2012

Combined Ranking

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1B	2B	3B	SS	OF
C	LHP	RHP	Matrix

Prospect Notes

Recent Player News

Roman Hernandez, KC

2/7/2012: Roman Hernandez has signed with the Royals, and will be sending a half-million dollar signing bonus back to his family in Cuba, one way or the other. Hernandez projects as a bench player with some power right now, and looks best in a corner outfield slot. At only 23, he still has room to grow, too.
More on Hernandez >

Also In The News...

Top Prospects 2012

Combined Ranking

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1B	2B	3B	SS	OF
C	LHP	RHP	Matrix

CloserWatch Notes

Recent Closer News

Update: SEA: 2/6/2012

Seattle took a flier on the sometimes dominant lefty reliever Hong-Chih Kuo today, signing him to an incentive-laden 1-year deal. Kuo, one of baseball's best lefthanders the last decade or so, struggled with both physical and emotional turmoil in his last year as a Dodger.

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Baseball Prospect Rankings for 2012

Now updated for 2012's Top Prospects

2B

Currently

251

RHP

Currently

252

LHP

Currently

253

SS

Currently

254

LHP

Currently

255

RHP

Currently

256

LHP

Currently

257

RHP

Currently

258

SS

Currently

259

OF

Currently

260

Top Prospects 2012

Prospect Notes

Also In The News...

Top Prospects 2012

CloserWatch Notes

Update: SEA: 2/6/2012

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