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.

Matt Hobgood

LHP

Currently

390

A very big, sturdy lefthander from California, Hobgood is a fastball-curve pitching machine who projects as an innings-eating workhorse someday. He's a few years away, though, and he'll definitely need to develop a changeup before he can be set loose on advanced hitters. His velocity, a concern in 2010, improved in 2011, though he's still struggling with command issues. Since he's still got all the stuff he ever showed before, a new coach or a random light bulb could turn him into a top prospect overnight.

More Scouting Book Info on Matt Hobgood

SB 390BA SC BP SN ES ML

Slade Heathcott

OF

Currently

391

A powerful lefthanded outfielder, Yankee prospect Slade Heathcott looks like a future offensive monster, especially if he remains on a path leading to New Yankee Stadium. A professional hitter, Heathcott has plus contact and power skills, not to mention superior baserunning ability. He's more than adequate in the field, and while he can play center, his body type might be better-suited to a corner outfield position. All told, he's a legitimate 30-30 candidate as long as he stays focused on development. Mumblings about possible off-field issues seem to be more smoke than substance, but even if there's something to them, the button-down Yankees system is a good place to straighten out any young man looking for discipline and guidance.

More Scouting Book Info on Slade Heathcott

SB 391BA SC BP SN ES ML

Mychal Givens

SS

Currently

392

He was the Orioles' shortstop of the future until the drafting of Manny Machado, but no matter wher ehe ends up, infielder Mychal Givens should be an impact player sooner or later. In 2011, he blew through low-A (361 .337 .698) and had a more respectable good time in A-level Delmarya (.260 .229 .488). He should be able to hit near-.300 at any level once he finds his feet, and projects as a nice contact bat. His rough glovework, which was once a major concern, seems to be improving, though he'll need to be better than a 19-out-of-20 fielder to succeed at shortstop.

More Scouting Book Info on Mychal Givens

SB 392BA SC BP SN ES ML

Aaron Bates

1B

Currently

393

A third-round pick from the 2006 draft class, the 6-4 and 240 pound Bates is a big, strong hitter with solid plate discipline. Aaron has plus power that's near big-league ready, but not much else. His bat-speed is suspect, which means he may flounder at higher levels if he keeps trying to hit every pitch 600ft. In his first full season under the Twins' tutelage, he seemed to curtail some of his free-swingingness, slashing .316/.408/.439 and taking 53 walks versus only 90 strikeouts at AAA Rochester. He could see 1B/DH duty in Minnesota this year.

More Scouting Book Info on Aaron Bates

SB 393BA SC BP SN ES ML

Gregory Infante

RHP

Currently

394

A righthander with some tangible upside, White Sox pitcher Gregory Infante looked good in AA last year (14 strikeouts in 15 innings) but stumbled when parked in AAA (40:21 and a 1.47 WHIP in 24 appearances). He's got a nice, easy mid-90's fastball and a promising curve, but he needs a reliable third pitch if he's going to fool batters more than once or twice each. Look for him to hover around the fringes of the White Sox bullpen in 2012.

More Scouting Book Info on Gregory Infante

SB 394BA SC BP SN ES ML

Eric Arnett

RHP

Currently

395

A big right-hander who projects as an innings-eating workhorse down the road, Brewer prospect Eric Arnett throws a 94mph fastball with heavy sink, and complements it with a still-erratic low-80's slider. A still-developing splitter and changeup are also in the quiver, though he doesn't use either with confidence just yet.

More Scouting Book Info on Eric Arnett

SB 395BA SC BP SN ES ML

Andrew Lambo

OF

Currently

396

A 4th round 2007 pick out of Newberry Park (Los Angeles) high school, first baseman Andrew Lambo fell lower than his talent dictated due to character concerns, but now that he's maturing, he's a civilized monster waiting to happen. The Dodgers preferred to use his all-around athletic ability in the outfield, but his new owners in Pittsburgh may reopen the question of Lambo as a future first baseman. In any case, he'll need to develop a little more contact ability if his power is going to have much impact: his .184 average across 60 AAA games last season wasn't exactly impressive.

More Scouting Book Info on Andrew Lambo

SB 396BA SC BP SN ES ML

Chance Ruffin

RHP

Currently

397

Ex-Tiger Chance Ruffin, son of ex-MLBer Bruce Wayne Ruffin (yes, really), is a Seattle-owned righthander who works mainly from a 94mph fastball that has run, tail, and sink thanks to his arm angle and somewhat violent delivery. Ruffin is something of a flinger, luring hitters into chasing darting fastballs and hard curves that are often out of the strike zone. This seems to be working so far, at least at lower levels: Ruffin's 5:1 strikeout to walk ratio in college decayed to 3:1 in the minor leagues, and 2:1 during his two stints in the majors. That's the wrong direction for change. He needs to learn to be effective when smarter hitters force him to pitch inside the box if he's going to blossom into a serious pitching force in Seattle, or anywhere.

More Scouting Book Info on Chance Ruffin

SB 397BA SC BP SN ES ML

Drake Britton

LHP

Currently

398

A power pitcher with a three-quarter delivery and a wicked 96mph fastball who's zoomed up the charts in the last year, lefthander Drake Britton was once one of the Red Sox's top pitching prospects before being dreailed by injury. Working his way back in 2011, he had a troubled year in high-A Salem, posting a nasty 6.91 ERA and hard to look at 1.70 WHIP, all of which resulted in a glaring 1-13 record. He works a plus curve from that fastball, but he seems to have lost the ability to throw his once devastating 80mph change reliably, which will keep him from advancing in the system.

More Scouting Book Info on Drake Britton

SB 398BA SC BP SN ES ML

Tyler Matzek

LHP

Currently

399

The kind of big, strong lefthander that scouts fall in love with, the six-foot-six Matzek not only brings overpowering heat from the left side but flusters hitters with three different offspeed pitches to boot. A king-sized almost-ace in the making, Matzek stumbled hard at high-A Modesto last season, but he still has the raw stuff to be the anchor of many Major League teams in the future. He's striking out more than one batter per inning, but he's walking even a higher number, which means he's got some distance to go before reaching Coors Field. He's a good bounce-back candidate for 2012.

More Scouting Book Info on Tyler Matzek

SB 399BA SC BP SN ES ML

390 to 399 of 525 Prospects

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
300	310	320	330	340
350	360	370	380	390
400	410	420	430	440
450	460	470	480	490

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

Prospect Notes

Recent Player News

Yoenis Cespedes, FA

2/8/2012: Cuban free agent prospect Yoenis Cespedes expressed his hope to become a Marlin today after meeting with management and touring the team's new home. While other organizations could offer more money and all of them already offer less-ridiculous uniforms, we're betting he will with Florida: no other team will be able to beat all the ropa vieja and moros y cristianos that's available right in the Marlin's back yard.
More on Cespedes >

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
300	310	320	330	340
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.

About ScoutingBook.com

ScoutingBook.com is the backyard toolshed of a handful of swell fellas (and one sassy lady) who live, work or breathe baseball, information processing, online gaming, economic theory, infographicology, or some combination of those things.

We made it to combine our overlapping work for our own benefit and amusement. If it's useful to you, too, that's a bonus.

For more about us, and how our prospect-ranking system works, read this.

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
300	310	320	330	340
350	360	370	380	390
400	410	420	430	440
450	460	470	480	490

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
300	310	320	330	340
350	360	370	380	390
400	410	420	430	440
450	460	470	480	490

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

LHP

Currently

390

OF

Currently

391

SS

Currently

392

1B

Currently

393

RHP

Currently

394

RHP

Currently

395

OF

Currently

396

RHP

Currently

397

LHP

Currently

398

LHP

Currently

399

Top Prospects 2012

Prospect Notes

Also In The News...

Top Prospects 2012

CloserWatch Notes

Update: SEA: 2/6/2012

About ScoutingBook.com

Rising and Falling

Scouting Book Toolbox

NEWTop Prospects

SOONProbable Pitchers

We Recommend...

Did We Help You Win?

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
300	310	320	330	340
350	360	370	380	390
400	410	420	430	440
450	460	470	480	490