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.
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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 392BA SC BP SN ES ML
Bryan (BA) Vollmuth is a big, solid hitting prospect toiling in the lower levels of the Oakland A's minor league system. Drafted out of high school by the Astros, he opted for a stay at Southern Miss instead, where he excelled as an offense-first shortstop. Redrafted by the A's in 2011, he sure looks more like a third baseman to us, or maybe even a first baseman if he doesn't stop growing, and soon.
Full Scouting Report for BA Vollmuth
SB 393BA SC BP SN ES ML
A so-so starter at Rice before he found his feet as an exceptional closer, Reds prospect Tony Cingrani might just be the long-term answer in the Cincinnati bullpen, either as a lefty specialist or future closer. While his plus fastball was already 95mph as a starter, it can touch 99 in relief, and he flashes just enough of a loopy slider and acceptable change to keep hitters more or less honest. Give him a few months in pro ball, and we could see him in Cincinnati late 2012. He should compete for the closer's role in 2013, at worst.
Full Scouting Report for Tony Cingrani
SB 394BA SC BP SN ES ML
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.
Full Scouting Report for Josh Smoker
SB 395BA SC BP SN ES ML
A strong, burly outfielder drafted by the Tigers in 2011, Texas native Tyler Collins is a high-potential offensive player in a system that needs them. Collins, who has flown a little under the radar thanks to a detour in Australian baseball (an All-Star, thank ya mate), Collins shows good bat control to go along with his significant power, and has better wheels than one might expect from his body type. He'll need a good year or two of simmering stateside before he's ready for big-league play, but he shouldn't be ignored: that .313/.360/.534 that he slashed in a short-season of low-A ball last year isn't a fiction, and he should be able to produce at a good eighty percent of that level in real baseball this year.
Full Scouting Report for Tyler Collins
SB 396BA SC BP SN ES ML
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 397BA SC BP SN ES ML
The Yankees top international signee back in 2007, righthander Arodys Vizcaino got a taste of MLB ball in 2011 and was looking like he would be back to stay in 2012, at least until x-rays found irreparable damage in his elbow, necessitating TJ surgery to replace his shredded ligaments. Pre-surgery, his fastball hovered in the low 90s, but could get even harder once he is fully recovered. He is known to complement his heat with an already-superb curve and a developing change, which he'll hopefully remember how to throw come 2014.
Full Scouting Report for Arodys Vizcaino
SB 398BA 40SC 21BP 62SN ES 14ML 36
A mature prospect who got a quick taste of MLB life with the Astros last season, righthander Juan Abreu was the lesser-known piece of the trade that sent Michael Bourn to Atlanta last year. Abreu's command isn't always top-shelf, but he has a live arm and quality bag of stuff to bring. He should see significant time in the Houston bullpen this year.
Full Scouting Report for Juan Abreu
SB 399BA SC BP SN ES ML
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, and his results to date have been more impressive, too.
Full Scouting Report for Donavan Tate
SB 400BA SC BP SN ES ML
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 401BA SC BP SN ES ML
The 49th overall selection in the 2009 draft, high schooler Zachary Von Rosenberg was a high-upside pick for the Pirates, who went well over their usual budget to sign him and keep him away from LSU. A big, strong player with good overall athleticism, he projects as an innings-eating workhorse, as long as he can stay healthy. He's no ace, but he's already quite well-developed, with three pitches that look like they could play in the majors quite soon: a 90mph fastball with movement that should get harder as he grows, an already-advanced curve, and a changeup that's quite a bit ahead of average.
Full Scouting Report for Zack Von Rosenberg
SB 402BA SC BP SN ES ML
A combination catcher/third base prospect in the Yankees system, JR Murphy earned a promotion to high-A ball last season after living up to his offensive buzz and slashing .297/.343/.457 in the Sally League. He has no real speed (no surprise there) but does show a plus batting eye, great patience, and a short, powerful swing from the right side.
Full Scouting Report for JR Murphy
SB 403BA SC BP SN ES ML
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 404BA SC BP SN ES ML
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 405BA SC BP SN ES ML
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 406BA SC BP SN ES ML
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 407BA SC BP SN ES ML
Alex Dickerson gets a lot of press in Piratelandia, but it could be another first base masher, the smaller but just as potent Matthew Curry, who ends up launching dingers in Pittsburgh first. Curry, a 16th round (!) selection back in 2010, destroyed the Sally League last year to the tune of a .361/.477/.671 line before being fast-tracked to AA Altoona. He came to earth a bit at the higher level, but still held his own, knocking six more dingers and proving that he belonged in real pro ball. His performance this season, likely to start again in Altoona, will determine his fate with the big club. A strong full season could see him in a Pirate uniform for 2013, and he could be a nifty midseason sleeper before that.
Full Scouting Report for Matt Curry
SB 408BA SC BP SN ES ML
Only one thing is certain: Darren Ford is a speed-demon. One of the fastest players in minor league ball, his base-stealing ability, defense and range in center is top-notch and unquestioned. There's a shortage of optimism regarding his bat, however. Unless he turns it up a notch, his future looks like the role of a pinch-running, defensive replacement fourth outfielder. That's how the Giants used him in 2010, and 2011, when they decided tor reward his hard minor league work with a cup of coffee each year that reflected his strengths perfectly: he's the proud owner of nine major league steals, with only 14ABs on his record. He's not going to blossom into a power hitter, ever, but it would sure be nice if he could add some more gap power to his Juan Pierre-style resume.
Full Scouting Report for Darren Ford
SB 409BA SC BP SN ES ML
A mature prospect who recently defected from Cuba, Leslie Anderson (Stephens) is a plus-contact hitter with a high level of patience and discipline that's uncharacteristic of most Latin American exports. In Cuba, he has been experienced at both infield and outfield corners, and he even subbed in at centerfield for the power-laden Cuban National team in 2008. A natural lefthander in the field and at the plate, he projects as an MLB corner with better defense and less power than most. He definitely looked comfortable in AAA Durham last year, putting up a near identical .277/.359/.418 line to the one he posted a year earlier, though he did raise his homer ttal from 11 to 13. He will turn 30 n 2011, so he doesn't have much room to develop, but he looks good enough to be on Tampa's bench tomorrow, so maybe that's just as well.
Full Scouting Report for Leslie Anderson
SB 410BA SC BP SN ES ML
Prospects
Top Prospects 2012
Combined Ranking
391 to 410 of 500 Prospects
