Top Baseball Prospects 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.
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The least of the three prospects the Padres landed for Mat Latos, USC righthander Brad Boxberger is still no slouch. The 43rd player selected in the 2009 draft is a strong, stout pitcher who projects as a middle-of-rotation arm for the Padres in the near future, thanks to his pro-level collection of above-average pitches and his ability to survive under pressure. He works with a 92-94mph fastball that he'll work in on hitters quite fearlessly, and he complements it with a decent-and-improving curve. Most interestingly, though, he features a nifty sinking change that could be a real strikeout pitch for him once he learns to command it a bit more consistently.
More Scouting Book Info on Brad Boxberger
SB 291BA SC BP SN ES ML
A quality outfielder with a nice set of offensive tools, Rockies' rookie Charlie Blackmon might be relegated to fourth outfielder by some scouts, but he remains a solid ballplayer with tantalizing upside. That .337/.393/.572 line at AAA last season got him time in Colorado, and his mix of power and speed is pretty much ideal for Coors Field 2.0. He should be a part of the Opening Day roster for the Rockies in 2012, and there's no great reason to keep him out of the lineup most days, either. A nice sleeper, since only one small step up could propel him into the top ranks.
More Scouting Book Info on Charlie Blackmon
SB 292BA SC BP SN ES ML
Bad from the bullpen (7.72 ERA). Great in the rotation (2.12). That's the short version of John Hellweg's 2010 tour at high-A Inland Empire. That's enough to get him a lot of asterisks and scribbled marginalia, but it's also enough to inspire the Angels to treat the big enigma as a starter going forward, at least provisionally.
More Scouting Book Info on John Hellweg
SB 293BA SC BP SN ES 81ML
With all the focus on Aroldis Chapman, will anyone remember Noel Arguelles? Like Chapman, Arguelles is a young Cuban lefthander who signed a surprise contract with a smaller market club. In Noel's case, the deal was a five-year, $7 million contract with the KC Royals. A 6-foot-4 athlete from head to toe, Arguelles came to international attention pitching the gold medal game for Cuba in the Pan American Junior Championships in 2007.
More Scouting Book Info on Noel Arguelles
SB 294BA SC BP SN ES ML
Nathanial Jiwani James is the fastest player in the Phillies farm system today, and now that he's been converted from a two-way player to a full-time outfielder, he should have every opportunity to put that speed to use. He's still a bit strikeout prone, but if he can pick up a little patience to go with the blazing wheels and all-fields stroke, he'll be the leading candidate to take over the top of the Phillies lineup when it's time for Jimmy Rollins to step down in the order, likely sometime in late 2013 or 2014.
More Scouting Book Info on Jiwan James
SB 295BA SC BP SN ES ML
An international signee who collected an eye-popping $2.6M bonus from the Astros in 2011, young Ariel Ovando is an outfield prospect with very big offensive potential. While he's destined for a second year of rookie ball this year, the 6-4 teenager is already showing glimpses of what could be plus power from his rapidly-maturing frame. He has a lot to learn, so be patient with him, as the certainly will Astros will be, and he could be something special come 2017 or so.
More Scouting Book Info on Ariel Ovando
SB 296BA SC BP SN ES ML
The younger brother of infielder Andrew, Austin Romine was a two way player in the Buster Posey fashion, acting as his high school closer as well as everyday catcher. As you might expect, he has one of the best cannons to second of any catcher in the minors today. At the plate he has doubles power and an easy swing, which looks projectable to 20-30 homer power someday. His cup of coffee in 2011 (2 for 19 in 9 games) was a reward for a good AA season as much as it was relief for an overworked Yankee catching corps. He's still a ways away from Yankee Stadium, but he's a hard worker with enough raw talent to get there sooner or later, and he's the most promising defender of the Yankee catching prospects.
More Scouting Book Info on Austin Romine
SB 297BA SC BP SN ES ML
Puerto Rican prospect Neftali Soto is a toolsy infielder who's growing up fast in the Reds' power-packed farm system. Following a down year at high-A Lynchburg, he bounced back strong in 2011 with a .272/.329/.575 line at AA Carolina while smashing 30 homers, and even had a nice taste of AAA in which he hit .412 in four games. His increasing size and strength are making third base a chore, so he might need to make 1B or RF his home soon. He should get to see Great American in 2012, though maybe not in April.
More Scouting Book Info on Neftali Soto
SB 298BA SC BP SN ES ML
Small but tough, Red Sox prospect Sean Coyle is a scrappy infielder from Pennsylvania who seems engineered to perform well in Boston. Coyle's batting eye looks sabermetrically-promising already, and when he swings, he displays great bat speed from a short, compact stroke.
More Scouting Book Info on Sean Coyle
SB 299BA SC BP SN ES ML
A tweener talent from the Red Sox system, Pirate shortstop Yamaico Navarro is a native of The Land of Shortstops, San Pedro de Macoris, and while his development has been slower than some, he still shows signs of following in the footsteps of so many who came down that road before. A bit bulkier than most, he might be best suited for second or third base, so for now let's just say he's an offensive-minded infielder of some sort, with a powerful, aggressive approach at the plate. His bat is quick, and he adds some natural loft to most of his line drives, which should translate into a threat, though the results haven't been all-there yet. In the field, he's a bit clumsy around the bag, but has a plus arm and slick glove, with a penchant for turning in dazzling plays at least once a week.
More Scouting Book Info on Yamaico Navarro
SB 300BA SC BP SN ES ML
A huge righthander in the Pirate system, Nicholas Kingham (not Kingman) is another young power arm in a system that's busting at the seams with them. Drafted fresh out of high school in 2010, he's busy going through the traditional 'fastball, fastball, fastball' period of his ongoing development with the Pirates, so it's difficult to judge how much more than that he'll be able to offer when the time comes. He did show off a quality change back in high school, as well as a very rough curve, so there's potential.
More Scouting Book Info on Nicholas Kingham
SB 301BA SC BP SN ES ML
A small-framed midwestern shortstop drafted in the 21st round back in 2008, Vincent Logan Watkins has pulled himself up to the top tier of Cubs prospects on the strength of his steady bat. Watkins spent all of 2011 in high-A Daytona, playing quite literally all over the field, as he started games in left, right, center as well as at third base, shortstop and his 'real' position of second base. As hoped, he found a bit of power, too, slashing an impressive .352/ .404 /.756 line that should propel him to the next level of play in 2012. He looks like the best bet (so far) to join Starlin Castro in a young and exciting double-play combination in the near future... let's call it 2014.
More Scouting Book Info on Logan Watkins
SB 302BA SC BP SN ES ML
You know what the Atlanta Braves really need? More overpowering relievers with electric stuff. No, wait, actually, they already have more of those than they know what to do with. No matter, JR Graham is exactly that kind of righthanded prospect, and he won't let a niggling thing like a logjam stop his 100mph sizzler.
More Scouting Book Info on JR Graham
SB 303BA SC BP SN ES ML
The best outfield arm in the Milwaukee system also has the best wheels. If his bat catches up to his overall athleticism, Brewer baby D'Vontrey Richardson could end up a quality major league ballplayer... but the jury is still out on his offensive ceiling despite a good showing at high-A Brevard County last year.
More Scouting Book Info on D'Vontrey Richardson
SB 304BA SC BP SN ES ML
Not to be confused with the older Oakland outfielder, this Michael ('Anthony') Taylor is a centerfielder in the Nationals organization. The Nats, who drafted him out of high school in the sixth round of the 2009 MLB Amateur Draft, have a shortage of true centerfield prospects in the system, which makes Taylor one to watch.
More Scouting Book Info on Michael Taylor
SB 305BA SC BP SN ES ML
The 20th overall selection of the 2011 Draft, lefthander Tyler Anderson is a high upside pitcher who most scouts agree is close to MLB-ready. Many see a younger version of Jeff Francis, a fast-moving pitcher who was able to succeed even in rarefied Colorado. In his last year of college ball, Anderson struck out 114 batters in just 108 innings, mainly on the strength of a solid fastball-change combination that he commands well. His other pitches aren't anything to write home about, but he's good enough right now that he could spend most of 2012 in AA with a possible September or 2013 turn in the MLB rotation completely within reason.
More Scouting Book Info on Tyler Anderson
SB 306BA SC BP SN ES ML
The Tigers' sixth round pick in 2009, high school shortstop Dan Fields is the son of former Tigers' hitting coach Bruce Fields, which might explain his allegedly-advanced hitting ability as well as the reach that the team took in selecting him so early. Big and strong for a real shortstop, even in this post-Ripken era, Fields might be moved to third base or a corner outfield spot eventually, but it shouldn't matter: he'll rise or fall on his bat, which we have to assume will get a lot of careful coaching in the years to come. It'll need some, too: in his repeat of high-A ball in 2011, his batting average actually dropped from .240 to .220. Dad can't be too pleased.
More Scouting Book Info on Andrew Susac
SB 307BA SC BP SN ES ML
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.
More Scouting Book Info on Andy Oliver
SB 308BA SC BP SN ES ML
The Tigers' sixth round pick in 2009, high school shortstop Dan Fields is the son of former Tigers' hitting coach Bruce Fields, which might explain his allegedly-advanced hitting ability as well as the reach that the team took in selecting him so early. Big and strong for a real shortstop, even in this post-Ripken era, Fields might be moved to third base or a corner outfield spot eventually, but it shouldn't matter: he'll rise or fall on his bat, which we have to assume will get a lot of careful coaching in the years to come. It'll need some, too: in his repeat of high-A ball in 2011, his batting average actually dropped from .240 to .220. Dad can't be too pleased.
More Scouting Book Info on Daniel Fields
SB 309BA SC BP SN ES ML
Prospects
Top Prospects 2012
Combined Ranking
291 to 310 of 500 Prospects
