Baseball's Top Prospects for 2010
Remember: This list evolves and changes daily.
C, MLW
A smart, careful student of the game, Kottaras is an offensive catcher with very good plate discipline and 20-homer potential. His body is still filling out, but he's expected to be able to perform to MLB levels while remaining behind the plate.
More Scouting Book Info on George Kottaras >
391
SS, CHC
A big and strong shortstop from Vanderbilt, Ryan 'Flash' Flaherty seems blocked at short (Starlin Castro) and third (Josh Vitters), but as a hard-hitting all-around ballplayer he should find a place somewhere sooner or later. He doesn't have great raw tools, and his speed of development (just .276/.343/.470 as a 23 year old at A-level Peoria) hasn't yet lived up to his nickname, but he does have great baseball skills and resolve. He could appear as a utility infielder by mid-2011.
More Scouting Book Info on Ryan Flaherty >
392
SS, DET
After forsaking the Church of Baseball to go on a year-long Mormon mission in Portugal (which apparently has some kind of shortage of Christians?) Canadian Cale Iorg is back on the prospect lists as the up-and-coming shortstop in Detroit, where management has all but anointed him as the long-term Tiger six. A true five-tool player with a great feel for the game thanks to his lineage (he's Garth's son), Cale hit .251/.329/.405 at high-A Lakeland in 2008, respectable but not jaw-dropping, and slid even further when pushed to AA Erie in 2009. He'll need to develop a lot more pop over the next couple of years if he's going to live up to the high expectations. He'll be back in AA come 2010, but high-A is probably more his speed right now.
More Scouting Book Info on Cale Iorg >
393
RHP, BAL
A Vanderbilt product from Carefree, Arizona, righthander Brett Jacobson has sky-high potential but fell to the Tigers in the fourth round of the 2008 draft due to some rough college outings in his junior season. His 95mph fastball has hard sink, and the combination of his max-effort approach and deceptive over-the-top delivery seem to indicate a bullpen role in his future. His secondary pitch is a 12-6 curve that he's still learning to control, but it won't matter as anything other than a show-me pitch as a reliever.
More Scouting Book Info on Brett Jacobson >
394
3B, BAL
After a bumpy ride through A ball in 2007, this pride of New Jersey hit .248/.315/.368 in a near-full season at high-A Fremont in 2008 while adding a remarkable amount of muscle to his frame. Scouts are all over the board on this one: some describe the next Barry Bonds, others caution that he may be the next... Barry Bonds. Still, if he keeps moving up the system, the Orioles can't help but give him a shot in the near future... and hopefully he can stick.
More Scouting Book Info on Billy Rowell >
395
SS, TOR
A true five-tool talent, Blue Jays prospect Justin Jackson could play any position on the field, but looks right at home at shortstop, where is plus range, fast feet and absolute cannon of an arm could make him a gold glove candidate someday. At the plate, he shows exceptional discipline and strike zone judgement for such a young player, and his easy swing makes solid contact more often than not. While he won't be a true power threat, 15-20 homer potential is likely. His swing can get a bit long, which better pitchers will exploit, but if he can shorten his stroke and learn to handle hard stuff inside, he'll be a star in a few years.
More Scouting Book Info on Justin Jackson >
396
LHP, DET
The first Chinese professional to jump to MLB, Taiwanese lefthander Fu-Te Ni led the CPBL in 2008 with 132 strikeouts last season with the China Trust Whales, and has struck out a total of 257 in his 267 pro innings to date. He's best known for one-hitting Canada in the 2008 Olympics, the highlight of his 1-2, 4.09 ERA tournament.
More Scouting Book Info on Fu-Te Ni >
397
LHP, BAL
Another of many development projects undertaken by the Seattle Mariners, Butler was been an on-again/off-again hot prospect since he was drafted by the Ms in the 3rd round (81st overall) of the 2006 draft. Traded to the Orioles as part of the package that brought Erik Bedard to Seattle in 2008, Butler's chance to break into the starting rotation will now happen in Baltimore Orange.
More Scouting Book Info on Tony Butler >
398
3B, SF
In drafting Omaha native Conor Gillaspie in the supplemental round of the 2008 amateur draft, the Giants raised a lot of eyebrows. A high-average hitter with projectable power, he was expected to last later than that. he Giants gave him five MLB at-bats at the tail end of 2008, during which he walked twice and homered off, of all people, Dan Haren. Pushed back to his proper level for 2009, Gillaspie slashed a respectable .286/.364/.386 at high-A San Jose, popping four homers and stealing a couple of bases in the bargain.
More Scouting Book Info on Conor Gillaspie >
399
3B, TOR
Drafted as a shortstop, the switch-hitting Ahrens has since been moved to 3B due to his lack of speed and fielding quickness.
More Scouting Book Info on Kevin Ahrens >
400
391. George Kottaras
392. Ryan Flaherty
393. Cale Iorg
394. Brett Jacobson
396. Justin Jackson
399. Conor Gillaspie
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