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.

Justin Jackson

SS

Currently

341

A true five-tool talent who has been slow to develop, the Blue Jays Justin Jackson still looks like he could play any position on the field once his skills catch up to his raw tools. Shortstop is the first position he'll need to exhaust, of coure, and his plus range, fast feet and absolute cannon of an arm could make him a gold glove candidate someday at that position. At the plate, he shows good discipline and reasonable strike zone judgement for such a young player, though neither of these traits has developed to any better level than he displayed as a 16 year old yet. When he swings, his bat usually makes solid contact, but he's still got some length in that swing that pitchers continue to exploit, holding down his performance significantly. If he can shorten his stroke and learn to handle hard stuff inside, he'll be a star in a few years, but he's not exactly on a fast track.

Full Scouting Report for Justin Jackson

SB 341BA SC BP SN ES ML

Josh Smoker

LHP

Currently

342

One of the top high-school pitchers available in 2007, Smoker unexpectedly slipped to the supplemental round, where he was gobbled up by the Nationals. His long arm and easy, slinging action let him throw a low to mid-90's fastball with the same apparent motion as his slider, splitter and change. The net result of all that? Filthy.

Just 18 when he was drafted, Smoker looked overmatched in A-ball in 2010, but bounced back to form last season, with 56 strikeouts in 51 high-A innings at high-A Potomac. Smoker is still a year or two away from truly ready, but if he stays healthy he could be something special. In fact, the entire Nats bullpen could be really, really good in a couple of years.

Full Scouting Report for Josh Smoker

SB 342BA SC BP SN ES ML

Edinson Rincon

1B

Currently

343

A talented hitter signed out of Dominica at the end of 2007, third baseman Edinson Rincon didn't have much use for rookie ball, and didn't have much trouble at high-A Lake Elsinore in 2011, either ( .329/.394/497). His fielding is still a mess (18 errors in 39 starts at third) but even that's an improvement over his earleir work. He'll still have time to polish, polish and polish: unless the NL adopts a DH, he won't be playing every day for awhile.

Full Scouting Report for Edinson Rincon

SB 343BA SC BP SN ES ML

Donavan Tate

OF

Currently

344

Widely seen as the best high school athlete available in the 2009 draft, outfielder Donavan Tate draws comparisons to Tim Beckham for his tools-to-the-wall talent and approach. After a .283/.406/.409 line at low-A Eugene, he's destined for Fort Wayne in the tougher Midwest League in 2012, and the Padres will probably continue to move him slowly, one level per year, until he's ready for the Bigs around 2015. He's raw, of course, and very young, but he has a big, strong build and a swing that looks suited to major league power. It's a shame that San Diego's ballpark will hide that.

Full Scouting Report for Donavan Tate

SB 344BA SC BP SN ES ML

Jake Skole

OF

Currently

345

A talented but incomplete outfielder who committed to Georgia Tech in both football (safety) and baseball before being drafted by the Texas Rangers in the middle of 2010's first round, Jake Skole is the kind of powerful left-handed bat that plays well in Arlington. He looked pretty good in A-level Hickory (Sally League) in 2011, but his .264/.366/.389 line isn't what coaches expect to see in such a hitter-happy place, and his strikeout rate has been climing to scary-bad levels. He's still only nineteen, of course, so hang in there. He'll try to work into high-A ball this year, and pick up a little discipline along the way.

Full Scouting Report for Jake Skole

SB 345BA SC BP SN ES ML

Tanner Bushue

RHP

Currently

346

The 19th pick of the 2009 draft's second round, righthander Tanner Bushue is a 6-4 teenager who can hit the upper 90's with his fastball, though he usually works around 92-94mph. He's a long way on the horizon, and struggled mightily in 2011's A-level work, but in a thin farm system he could be moved up as quickly as he can handle it.

Full Scouting Report for Tanner Bushue

SB 346BA SC BP SN ES ML

Jake McGee

LHP

Currently

347

With three plus-pitches, one of them a plus-plus curve, Jack McGee should have a very bright future. There is some concern over his stamina, however, so he's probably looking at a career in the bullpen. Still, a left-handed strikeout artist is a nice pickup, no matter which inning it is when he takes the mound. He scuffled a bit in 2011, but Tampa should stick with him, at least until he shows that he can handle a little failure mixed in with all that success.

Full Scouting Report for Jake McGee

SB 347BA SC BP SN ES ML

Fernando Perez

OF

Currently

348

Released by the Cubs before he even set foot in Wrigley, outfielder Fernando Perez is a natural center fielder with impossibly good range, A onetime obvious leadoff candidate. He hasn't really reached his hitting potential as hoped (he 'hit' only .238 and .187 in his two AAA stops last year), but he's already shown a proficiency for pitch recognition and baserunning that's years beyond his formal training. 'Mr Excitement' should have an easier time landing an everyday MLB job for his new owners in New York than he did for those pickier owners in Chicago and Tampa Bay.

Full Scouting Report for Fernando Perez

SB 348BA SC BP SN ES ML

Evan Gattis

C

Currently

349

Gattis, an offensive-minded catcher, hit .322 in A ball last year, enough to collect the pitching-friendly South Atlantic League's batting title. A big, strong hitter, he's still a long way from Turner Field, but it's nice to see that the Braves do have prospects like Gattis and Christian Bethancourt in the pipe to replace Brian McCann someday.

Full Scouting Report for Evan Gattis

SB 349BA SC BP SN ES ML

James Darnell

3B

Currently

350

A top third base prospect in the Padres system, James (JD) Darnell slashed a nice .265/.348/.408 line in his very first season of AA ball in 2010, following it up with similar numbers at AAA Tuscon in 2011. A well-rounded hitter who has more than just corner pop, Darnell has doubles hustle and good baserunning skills despite raw speed that's only average. His fielding is a work in progress for now, and it's possible that his training may be cut short with a move across the diamond to first base in the future, but at present he looks like a good long-term value for the Padres, and his work in the minors will continue to focus on fielding drills and defense while he competes for an MLB job that he's almost qualified for already.

Full Scouting Report for James Darnell

SB 350BA SC BP SN ES ML

341 to 350 of 525 Prospects

Top Prospects 2012

Combined Ranking

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50	60	70	80	90
100	110	120	130	140
150	160	170	180	190
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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

1+	10	20	30	40
50	60	70	80	90
100	110	120	130	140
150	160	170	180	190
200	210	220	230	240
250	260	270	280	290
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350	360	370	380	390
400	410	420	430	440
450	460	470	480	490

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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Scouting Book

Tools and Lists for Finding Better Baseball Prospects, Closers and More!

Baseball Prospect Rankings for 2012

Now updated for 2012's Top Prospects

SS

Currently

341

LHP

Currently

342

1B

Currently

343

OF

Currently

344

OF

Currently

345

RHP

Currently

346

LHP

Currently

347

OF

Currently

348

C

Currently

349

3B

Currently

350

Top Prospects 2012

Prospect Notes

Also In The News...

Top Prospects 2012

CloserWatch Notes

Update: SEA: 2/6/2012

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