Baseball's Top Prospects for 2010
Remember: This list evolves and changes daily.
RHP, CLE
A promising righthander with strikeout stuff, Bryson was buried a little too deep in the Brewers' system until the orbit of CC Sabathia pulled him out of Milwaukee and into Cleveland. A flamethrower with a 96mph fastball and an electric if erratic slider, Bryson put up an 84:26 K:BB ratio in the Sally League, and should find better traction in the shallower Indians' system. He might be best off moving to the bullpen, where he'd have a better shot at the big leagues, sooner. If he remains a starter, he'll need to show that he can get through a lineup more than twice with his snappy pitches, or add a quality change, and soon.
More Scouting Book Info on Rob Bryson >
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RHP, CLE
One of the best college closers of recent years, Rice righthander Bryan Price was a fireball threat buried deep in the Red Sox Nation before the Victor Martinez acquisition sent him him Cleveland. There are some questions about his health and the durability of his shoulder, which makes the comparisons to Joel Zumaya especially poignant.
More Scouting Book Info on Bryan Price >
342
OF, SEA
A two-time minor league player of the year in the Blue Jays' system, Seattle outfielder Johermyn Chavez came to Seattle as part of the Brandon Morrow trade during the 2009 offseason. He'll be 21 years old when 2010 season begins, and he's already looking like a quality asset on the farm. The young Venezuelan hit .283 at A-level Lansing in 2009, adding 21 homers. He takes the place of Wladimir Balentine as Seattle's enigmatic maybe-slugger.
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343
RHP, LAA
Angels prospect Fabio Martinez went 4-2 (3.35 ERA / 1.31 WHIP) in sixteen starts at Rookie-level Orem in the Pioneer League in 2009. That's not a blazing season, but Martinez is raw enough that the overall game results don't matter that much just yet. What does matter is his huge, exploding fastball. That heater touched 98mph and racked up 102 strikeouts in just 68 innings of work. Fabio tends to work more often in the 94mph range most days, and he comes to work also armed with a quality slider. His command and control are about what you'd expect from such a youngster (not very good) but he's a big enough talent that the Angels can take their time to teach him the finer points of the game.
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344
RHP, CIN
USC righthander Brad Boxberger was the 43rd player selected in the 2009 draft. The strong, stout Boxberger projects as a middle-of-rotation arm for the Reds 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.
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C, OAK
Chicago's first supplemental round pick in 2007, Josh Donaldson is a converted third baseman, which means he has a plus arm from behind the plate. Overshadowed by Matt Wieters in that draft class, he's only a notch behind the Georgia grad when it comes to actual tools. Josh is an offensive force with both pull and opposite-field power: he's a legitimate middle-of-the-order threat. He's still learning the ins and outs of game calling, though, so unlike the all-around Wieters, Donaldson is a couple of years away from having any impact.
More Scouting Book Info on Josh Donaldson >
346
2B, SEA
An on-again/off-again prospect, Crabbe's chances of breaking into major league ball increased slightly with his pickup by Seattle, who could probably benefit from some infield depth. Playing his age 23/24 season with the Brewer's Nashville club in the AAA PCL, Crabbe hit .287 with nine homers, posting an OPS of .812, all espectable numbers at that level, especially from a middle infielder. His career walks-to-strikeouts ratio is dead even, and he has usable speed, swiping 17, 18 and 32 bases in his last three AA and AAA seasons. A contact hitter with good on-base skills and solid infield hands, Crabbe's short-term value may be as a utility player. If an injury takes out any of the infielders ahead of him, he's more than capable of stepping in and holding his own. Those of you thinking about how great a baseball name Crabbe has may also wish to note that the gentleman's middle name is 'Sadeaq'.
More Scouting Book Info on Callix Crabbe >
347
RHP, CHC
Another promising product of the exceptional Braves farm system, righthander Robinson Lopez worked mainly as a starter for the Braves in 2009 (striking out 42 in just 48 innings of Rookie ball work) but is seen by many as a future closer. In a system stacked with 'future closers', though, his best fortune may come from a trade to a team without such ridiculous pitching depth. Lopez controls his mid-90's fastball well and is able to work both sides of the plate with ease. His secondary pitches, a loopy curve and a straight change, are still very much works in progress. There has been suggestion of adding a slider to his repertoire in order to hasten his development.
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348
RHP, PIT
The Yankees selected Daniel McCutchen in round 13 of the 2006 Draft. A product of the University of Oklahoma, McCutchen's rapid rise to the bigs was derailed by a 50-game steroids suspension near the beginning of his pro career. Following that interruption, he burned through A-level ball and was promoted to AA in the summer. In 2009, he went 13-6 with a 3.47 ERA and a 22 WHIP at AAA Indy. Some see him as bullpen-bound, but McCutchen's lethal combination of a high-control 92mph fastball and knee-buckling curve/splitter, as well as his penchant to change speeds often, make him look like a better starting prospect to us. The Pirates seem to agree, as they handed him six tryout starts toward the end of 2009 to reasonable results: a 4.21 ERA and a 1.35 ERA wasn't embarrassing, after all, but that 19/11 strikeout/walk ratio isn't exactly a soothing sight for fans, either. He should compete for a back-end starter's job in 2010, and/or be lingering around for a midseason opening. He's still a bit raw for such a mature prospect, but the ceiling is a lot higher than the results to date. 2010 will be his crucible in Pittsburgh.
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349
OF, TEX
A talented 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. That's assuming he commits to baseball, of course, an outcome that's far from guaranteed.
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350
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