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.
Remember: this page is the result of an automatic process that re-sorts and re-ranks players often. If you're coming to this page directly, you're missing 9/10ths of what we do, so please
also visit our home page , and read this blog entry before telling us how stupid we are. Thanks!
A switch hitting third baseman with some pop in his bat, Tiger prospect Jason King holds significant offensive promise in a system that's overwhelmingly pitcher-heavy at the moment. A bit of a forgotten man thanks to a couple of injury-plagued college years, King still projected as an impact bat for the Tigers, who drafted him in 2011's 4th round. He's got a good all-around toolset without any one standout ability, but he does look competent at third base, a relatively new position for him, and his patience and batting eye look high quality. King looked pretty good in the NY-Penn League late last season (.341/.415/.756), and we're looking forward to seeing what he can do in a full season of A ball in 2012. It's possible that history will one day remember him as a steal of the 2011 draft.
More Scouting Book Info on Jason King
SB 360BA SC BP SN ES ML
The Blue Jays have been bereft of developing power threats recently, but they're fixing it with this move. Cooper is a high-average, high-on-base machine with significant power to all fields, and better than the usual masher's ability at first base, too. He was drafted higher than expected, but the way the power bats were vanishing from the board in 2008, one can hardly blame the Blue Jays for reaching. He only hit .211 in 71 late-season ABs for the Jays in 2011, but he did nail a couple of long balls in that time, and he should be given the opportunity to do so again in 2012. Hopefully his on-base skills will come along for the ride this time.
More Scouting Book Info on David Cooper
SB 361BA SC BP SN ES ML
A big lefty from Boston College, Arizona's Mike Belfiore was selected 45th overall by the Diamondbacks in 2009. A closer and first baseman in college, he combines easy heat with a plus slider: the perfect combination for a relief pitcher. While his big body and strong bat could play in the field, the Diamondbacks looked at Belfiore as a starting pitcher first, and so far they're sticking to that. Belfiore posted a 3.99 ERA in 25 starts for A-level South Bend in 2010, but slid to earth in 2011, with an ERA of 5.92 in 79 innings, most of them from the bullpen. This might be seen as a step back, but as long as he keeps up his strikeout rate (an even one per inning), he's got a bright future somewhere on a major league roster.
More Scouting Book Info on Mike Belfiore
SB 362BA SC BP SN ES ML
A tall, powerful strikeout artist, Guerra has been considered in both starting and bullpen roles for the last couple of years. He should be easy to lock up in the late rounds of a deep draft this year, but he promises to be much more attractive (and widely known) next year. With electric stuff but not much pro experience under his belt yet, Guerra will probably keep striking out a batter per inning until the Twins' brain trust can't ignore him anymore.
More Scouting Book Info on Deolis Guerra
SB 363BA SC BP SN ES ML
Josh Sale (pronounced 'Solly', more or less) is a powerful Samoan motherslugger from Seattle who just keeps getting bigger and stronger as he develops. Built more like a linebacker than a baseball player, Sale's lefthanded bat already looks like a premium offensive weapon. He's been a third baseman in high school, but he's almost certainly destined for right field or first base by the time he reaches the majors, which should be in a couple of years. When he does arrive, you'll be able to hear the moonshots for miles.
More Scouting Book Info on Josh Sale
SB 364BA SC BP SN ES ML
Antonelli is a little-known but quality athlete who could have a bright future at almost any fielding position in Baltimore.
More Scouting Book Info on Matt Antonelli
SB 365BA SC BP SN ES ML
One of those offensive-minded 'shortstops' in quotation marks, A's prospect Yordy Cabrera seems to already be outgrowing the position, despite the fact he's barely old enough to shave. A 2010 draft pick out of high school, Cabrera's calling card is natural plus power from the right side of the plate. He's also got above-average wheels and a strong throwing arm, but it's the power bat the Athletics signed and it's the power bat they want to develop. As we expected, he started to show that power in A-ball last year, tapping six balls over the fence and another 21 into the gaps in 359 at-bats. That's a good start. He's got a way to grow yet, and there are the usual question marks, but if you absolutely must pencil in a Bay Area arrival, we'd bet on late 2013, probably as a third baseman or right fielder.
More Scouting Book Info on Yordy Cabrera
SB 366BA SC BP SN ES ML
A Dominican who will probably be most-remembered for being one of the prospects traded for new Miami manager Ozzie Guillen, Jhan Marinez is a bit of an under-the-radar sleeper prospect now in the White Sox system who doesn't get as much attention as he probably deserves, despite his appearance in the Futures Game last season. Marinez is a slight player with a power fastball that can touch 98, but he has more success with his two-seamer, a 92mph offering with exceptional movement. His change and slider still need to improve before they're ready for the big stage, but he has so much raw talent that he's bound to make it sooner or later.
More Scouting Book Info on Jhan Marinez
SB 367BA SC BP SN ES ML
A college shortstop with enough determination to make up for his limited power ceiling, Mark Hallberg is a scrappy infielder who could make a few major league teams right now as a utility infielder and bench-deepener. The fiesty army brat smashed .362 as a Fantasy Islander in 2008, landing him the Hawaiian League MVP award and making him look like a viable starter in Arizona, but he came down to earth in the last two seasons, most recently slashing a respectable but unremarkable .279/.343/.399 line in the Diamondback waiting room in AAA Reno. He may play with the big boys in 2012, but it won't be a starring role.
More Scouting Book Info on Mark Hallberg
SB 368BA SC BP SN ES ML
A big, strong, flamethrowing star of the future signed as an international free agent in 2006, righthander Jose Ceda was probably Chicago's best remaining pitching prospect (depending on how you view the enigma of Jeff Samardzija) when he was shipped to Florida for the more established Kevin Gregg in 2008's offseason. A burly pitcher cast from Jonathan Broxton-sized iron, Ceda is a power pitcher with strikeout stuff who could ascend to closing duties for the Marlins in 2012 or 2013 Problems with his mechanics remain, though (he struggles to repeat his delivery, leading to spurts of wildness and some eye-opening walk numbers) and there is some concern about the ability of his legs and back to hold up to a season of work.
More Scouting Book Info on Jose Ceda
SB 369BA SC BP SN ES ML
Prospects
Top Prospects 2012
Combined Ranking
360 to 370 of 500 Prospects
