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.
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The Best 41 Third Base Prospects for 2012
Showing 1 to 41 of 41. Overall SB ranking for 2012 shown in parentheses.
Probably the best overall hitter in the Nats system despite lacking Bryce Harper's moonshot power, Anthony Rendon was the team's first round draft pick in 2011. A nominal third baseman, he'll probably shift to second or left field for the Nats soon, at least as long as Ryan Zimmerman appears entrenched at the hot corner. He'll definitely be a potent part of a future Nats lineup, and could debut around the same time as superprospect Bryce Harper moves to the Beltway for good.
Full Scouting Report for Anthony Rendon
SB 16BA SC 56BP SN ES ML 27
A powerful young bat getting a lot of attention in the Rockies system, Nolan Arenado is looking like a viable corner bat in the very near future. He slashed a ridiculous .308/.338/.520 line during his first taste of A-ball at Asheville in 2010, showing that he's a contact hitter and not just a slugger, and backed it up with a very similar .298/ .349/.487 performance at higher-level Modesto last season. He's a line-drive hitter now, but he has real developing power that could catapult him to elite status very soon. His defensive ability, while improving, is still a big question mark, though, so it's very possible that he'll be limited to first base or left field in the National League.
Full Scouting Report for Nolan Arenado
SB 33BA SC 18BP SN ES ML 22
The Cardinals' first pick of the 2010 Amateur Draft (25th overall), Arkansas' Zack Cox is a toolsy player with a high-end mix of baseball instincts and work ethic. He abandoned pitching to focus on hitting as a college freshman, and he hasn't looked back since. His bat speed is exceptional, and allowed him to turn on even the best heat in college ball while also letting him adjust to off-speed pitches with an ease seldom seen in NCAA.
Full Scouting Report for Zack Cox
SB 39BA SC BP SN ES ML
Taken by Boston in the fifth round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft out of Liberty-Eylau High School in Texarkana, third baseman Will MIddlebrook is a sharp line-drive hitter with advanced baseball savvy. An offensive machine, he raked .302/.345/.520 with 18 homers for the AA franchise in 2011 before a late season taste of AAA. His fielding, on the other hand, is lagging behind, and he'll need to get a lot more sure with the glove and arm before he's ready for everyday MLB duty, especially at third base. But if the BoSox grow injury-riddled again, they may decide some power is worth a few kicked grounders: he's probably the most potent in-house bat available to the team for the next year or two.
Full Scouting Report for Will Middlebrooks
SB 45BA SC 68BP SN ES ML 56
A high-school shortstop drafted at #12 by the Marlins in 2007, Dominguez's size and strength -- not to mention the presence of Hanley Ramirez -- prompted a move to third base last season, though he couldn't have been delighted to see Hanley also move to third during the winter.
Full Scouting Report for Matt Dominguez
SB 73BA SC BP SN ES ML 87
Yes, Cheslor. A Nicaraguan third baseman who seems skilled enough to stick at the position, the Royals' young slugger looked pretty darn good in his first look at A-ball in 2011. Cuthbert's Mighty Cudgel hammered baseballs all over Kane County for a critical .267/.345/.397 points of damage. His eight homers in 300 at-bats looks a bit low compared to expectations, but considering he was only 17 when the season started, we can give the kid some slack. He'll be a lot of fun if he continues at this pace.
Full Scouting Report for Cheslor Cuthbert
SB 82BA SC 94BP SN ES ML
A big, strong third baseman in the Matt Williams tradition, Diamondback prospect Matt Davidson hit .270 with 20 homers at high A-level Visalia in 2011, though those numbers need a hard eye: the Cal League is notoriously hitter friendly. With fellow prospect Bobby Borchering moving to the outfield this year, Davidson has a clear shot at the third base gig in Phoenix, as long as his bat remains respectable and his defense continues to improve. He's a decent 2013 bet, and could be up for a quick dip in the Arizona hot tub sooner than that.
Full Scouting Report for Matt Davidson
SB 89BA SC BP SN ES ML
A rapidly-maturing slugger in the Rangers system, Mike Olt ('Mike Olt!') is a legit third-base candidate whose defense is already passable, though his first-step could use some improvement. Olt hit .267/.387/.504 at high-A Myrtle Beach in 2011, but more impressively clubbed 14 homers while striking out 'only' once per game, pretty good for a slugger of his developing age.
Full Scouting Report for Mike Olt
SB 90BA SC 62BP SN ES ML 43
Drafted by the Padres after winning the 2010 Brooks Wallace Award as the best shortstop in NCAA Division I, Jedd Gyorko is officially regarded as a third basemen by the organization, despite his smallish stature. Of course, his bat has been nothing small since joining the Friars: In 119 games this year between High-A Lake Elsinore and AA San Antonio, Gyorko slashed a very shiny .323/.392/.518 line, including 47 doubles and 25 homers. With numbers like that, the Padres won't mind if they have to fudge his height in the official program. He should be ready by the end of 2012, if not sooner.
Full Scouting Report for Jedd Gyorko
SB 103BA SC 86BP SN ES ML 71
A high-profile 2010 pick for the Tigers, high-schooler Nick Castellanos was one of the best bats available in the draft. He shows very quick wrists and great natural hitting ability already, which means as he grows and fills out, he could become a certifiable monster. He has surprising speed for a big guy, too. He played shortstop in high school, but Scouting Book readers know that we were pretty sure he would be a third baseman or corner outfielder as a pro from the moment the Tigers signed him. In a full season of A-ball in West Michigan, he was indeed primarily deployed at third base (we're so smart), and he raked to the tune of .312/.367/.436 while popping seven homers over 500+ at-bats.
Full Scouting Report for Nick Castellanos
SB 106BA SC 69BP SN ES ML 51
The Chicago Cubs made Vitters the third overall pick in the 2007 draft, and while he's not yet lived up to expectations, the hope in Hopeland is that he'll develop 25-homer power soon, because Theo really needs someone to replace the departed Aramis Ramirez. He's not a perfect prospect, though: in addition to wishy-washy discipline (he strikes out four times as often as he walks), one cause for concern is that he might need to move from third base to left field, but if he continues to maintain his overall offensive numbers at higher levels of play, the Cubs will find room for him somewhere.
Full Scouting Report for Josh Vitters
SB 122BA SC BP SN ES ML
A Dominican phenom who was hotly pursued by the Mariners and Yankees for several years, young Edward Salcedo finally signed a free agent contract with the Atlanta Braves in the spring of 2010, more than making up for the team's absence of a first-round pick in the 2010 Draft. A big, strong infielder with soft hands and a very quick bat, Salcedo is currently a gap-to-gap line drive hitter, though his size and strength project out to significant power in the future, as scouts who compare him to Hanley Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez are applying only a little exaggeration.
Full Scouting Report for Edward Salcedo
SB 123BA SC BP SN ES ML
The 2009-10 Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year, Kaleb Cowart is a switch-hitting two-way player that the Angels have flip-flopped on a couple of times in the last year, and right now it looks like they want to see him as an infielder. That's a shame, because as a pitcher he's blessed with easy heat in the 92mph range and can also touch 95mph on occasion. His curve is of the tight and hard variety, and his change was last seen developing at the usual (slow) rate.
Full Scouting Report for Kaleb Cowart
SB 126BA SC 93BP SN ES ML
A speedy college player with a potent contact bat from the right side of the plate, Esposito hit .330/.405/.514 in his three full seasons of ball at Vanderbilt, with a homer every 30 at-bats and 60/79 steals. He's not exactly patient at the plate yet, but so far it hasn't held him back. He's a powerful mix of all the offensive tools that a team like the Orioles should be looking for, and now he's their project to develop. We'll see how he handles pro pitching in 2012.
Full Scouting Report for Jason Esposito
SB 140BA SC BP SN ES ML
An offensive-minded shortstop who might play better in a corner, Rutgers alum Todd Frazier looks like he could be one of the next wave of hard hitting infielders. He's adequate at almost any position, which is why we expected he might see time in Cincinnati as a utilityman in 2011, and the team certainly listened to our instincts: Frazier actually played 1B, 2B, 3B, SS and LF during only 112 at-bats for the Reds in 2011. The Toddfather should see more time as a 2012 utilityman on the big team, and on a club this full of opportunity, play himself into a full-time role rather easily.
Full Scouting Report for Todd Frazier
SB 154BA SC BP SN ES ML
A shortstop who outgrew the position as so many tall men do, Red Sox prospect Garin Cecchini has zipped up prospect lists mainly on the strength of his obscene .398/.500/.898 short-season at Low-A Lowell. He shows good but not great glove and footwork, and his arm can certainly handle the longer throws from third, so there's little worry that he'll be able to play there. While there's no special reason for pessimism, we'll see how he can handle breaking balls in 2012 before anointing him the Youkcessor over competing teammate Will MIddlebooks.
Full Scouting Report for Garin Cecchini
SB 166BA SC BP SN ES ML
A smallish shortstop currently working as a third baseman, Taylor 'Red' Green was a draft and follow pick who broke out as the surprise Minor League Player of the Year for Milwaukee in 2007. A smart player with gap power and great plate discipline, Green is a Casey Blake-style player who looked pretty capable stroking a solid but power-free .270/.270/.351 in a 20 game MLB callup during 2011. He should compete for a job in 2012, and might win one outright. Who knows, he might be only one quick stop at Ryan Braun's locker away from blossoming into a surprise power hitter.
Full Scouting Report for Taylor Green
SB 207BA SC BP SN ES ML
Has it been that long already? Son of the Blake Street Basher himself, Dante Jr. is a pretty disciplined power hitter for such a young player, and seems capable of playing a more than reasonable third base in the bargain. Already shining as the easy pick as GCL MVP for 2011 (.342/.446/.505), he'll still require a lot more cooking, but he already looks more advanced than his daddy did at the same age.
Full Scouting Report for Dante Bichette
SB 209BA SC BP SN ES ML
Acquired from the Cubs in the Ian Stewart trade during the winter of 2011, David John LeMahieu is a near-MLB-ready corner infielder with good contact skills and plus defense, now on the Colorado roster. Good defense and a solid contact stroke aren't exactly the first two things one looks for in a cormer position of course, but then again Coors Field still has a habit of making great hitters out of merely good ones.
Full Scouting Report for DJ LeMahieu
SB 211BA SC BP SN ES ML
Don't confuse him with that Dominican F-Mart from the other coast. The Venezuelan Francisco Martinez is a real five-tool player with boundless raw ability and one of the biggest upsides in the Mariner system today. After coming over from Detroit in midseason, he raked AA pitchers over the coals in Southern League Jackson, posting a great .310/.326/.481 line and knocking three homers in his 33 games.
Full Scouting Report for Francisco Martinez
SB 218BA SC BP SN ES ML
A sixth round selection by the O's in 2011, catcher and third baseman Nick Delmonico probably has the best pure power bat in the Baltimore system, but it'll be a year or two before we know that for sure. Most intriguing is the reflection that his success in high school came mainly on the strength of his patience and selectivity at the plate: if that kind of discipline can be nurtured in pro ball, he could be a very powerful offensive force indeed. He's a few years away.
Full Scouting Report for Nick Delmonico
SB 222BA SC BP SN ES ML
He might not really be a third baseman, but his good eye and plus contact mean he should play at almost any position, and his versatility means that the M's will find a place for him when necessary. The M's Minor League Player of the Year on the strength of a .349, 25 homer season. Catricala vaulted into a leadership role immediately upon joining the system, pacing the organization with 106 RBIs split across A and AA. It's starting to look like Seattle realy stole him in 2009's 10th round. The Mariners don't really have many offensive threats on the farm, but Catricala is a good one.
Full Scouting Report for Vinnie Catricala
SB 231BA SC BP SN ES ML
Seattle's always been one of the most aggressive clubs when it comes to international signings, and they continued that tradition by signing Italian (yes, Italian) infielder Alex Liddi in 2005. He might not have looked ready yet during 40 at-bats in Seattle, but his full-season .259/.332/.488 30 homer line at Tacoma is probably his real value, especially the 30-homer part. His defense at third isn't as bad as some fear, either, he's just a big guy who doesn't always look so elegant in the way he does his business. Still, with better options available, he's probably a 1B/DH in the majors sooner or later.
Full Scouting Report for Alex Liddi
SB 232BA SC BP SN ES ML
It's amazing how much a player's prospect status can be impacted by a tiny little murder charge. Until he was arrested in the Dominican Republic at the tail end of 2009, Giants slugger Angel Villalona was the Giants unquestioned number one prospect: a serious, middle of the order power threat with 30-30 potential. Charges against Villalona were finally dropped last year, and the team recently added him back to their 40-man roster. Assuming he can actually obtain a new US work visa, he should be back on the radar in San Francisco, too, since the club hasn't exactly added a bevy of power prospects while he was away. Obviously, he'll have some catching up to do.
Full Scouting Report for Angel Villalona
SB 236BA SC BP SN ES ML
Puerto Rican prospect Neftali Soto is a toolsy infielder who's growing up fast in the Reds' power-packed farm system. Following a down year at high-A Lynchburg, he bounced back strong in 2011 with a .272/.329/.575 line at AA Carolina while smashing 30 homers, and even had a nice taste of AAA in which he hit .412 in four games. His increasing size and strength are making third base a chore, so he might need to make 1B or RF his home soon. He should get to see Great American in 2012, though maybe not in April.
Full Scouting Report for Neftali Soto
SB 273BA SC BP SN ES ML
While it was not surprise to see him blow away lesser Rookie leaguers, Austin also looked pretty darn good at low-A Staten Island last year, dinging out a solid 323/.402 /.542 line and swiping seven bases in seven attempts.
Full Scouting Report for Tyler Austin
SB 280BA SC BP SN ES ML
A forgotten 13th round pick in 2010, third baseman Brandon Drury would up MVP of the Appy League last year as an 18 year old slugger. A gritty player who could become a fan favorite, he's an all-around infielder who isn't always pretty but usually gets the job done. The Braves will move slowly with Drury, as they don't yet have a glaring need and a few more developed infielders already in the system. He's a 2015'er, most likely.
Full Scouting Report for Brandon Drury
SB 293BA SC BP SN ES ML
The Phillies best third base prospect in a very long time, Dominican Maikel Franco is on a pretty good course toward the big club, though he shouldn't go ordering family pack tickets for another few years. A good all-around hitter, Franco notched an impressive .367/.411/.778 line at low-A Williamsport last year before sampling high-A ball in the fall.
Full Scouting Report for Maikel Franco
SB 294BA SC BP SN ES ML
A 2009 draftee who's been simmering in the Atlanta farm system, outfielder Mycal Jones is the benefactor of a positionally thin field. While the 252 .359 .381 he slashed at AA Mississippi in 2011 isn't exactly eyebrow-raising, it is good enough to make him one of the top-ranking outfielders in a Braves system that has a lot more of everything else. While hampered by a broken foot for part of the year, Jones still found time to do a little of everything, showing good speed and baseball instincts. He doesn't look like much more than a toolsy fourth outfielder on a major league team, but in outfield-starved Atlanta, he could see playing time as early as 2012.
Full Scouting Report for Mycal Jones
SB 299BA SC BP SN ES ML
Another in the endless parade of young hitters with question marks in the Mariners' system, Triunfel has slipped a bit from his high-flying days of hype, but remains intriguing because of his advanced batting development at an early age. While he lacks real power, he does have line-drive stroke and an ability to work to all fields.
Full Scouting Report for Carlos Triunfel
SB 311BA SC BP SN ES ML
Acquired from the infield-deep Angels in the Scott Kazmir trade of 2009, left-handed slugger Matt Sweeney looked like a good fit for Tampa, thanks to the organization's need for corner power. A strong, tree-trunk of a hitter, most call him a third baseman, but he's looking like a Casey Kotchman-style first basemen to us right now. His 2011 season was a major disappointment in AA, which means he really needs to dial it up for 2012, or risk a future in a new field, perhaps actual lumberjackery rather than the metaphorical.
Full Scouting Report for Matt Sweeney
SB 332BA 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 344BA SC BP SN ES ML
Drafted as a shortstop, the switch-hitting Ahrens has since been moved to 3B due to his lack of speed and fielding quickness. His bat is solid, though, especially from the right side, from which he can hit for both power and average at a near-MLB level, despite his young age. He improved on his 2010 numbers when he returned to high-A Dunedin in 2011, slashing .242/.334/.389 and popping 13 homers in 429 at-bats. He'll try to make the move to double-A this season.
Full Scouting Report for Kevin Ahrens
SB 348BA SC BP SN ES ML
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. The 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. Other than another 19 ABs (and another homer) in 2011, he's been back in his proper environment since, and has grown as his keepers hoped.. While he could be a bench player in the bigs immediately, the Giants are probably best off having him start in the minors again while waiting for an opening.
Full Scouting Report for Conor Gillaspie
SB 362BA SC BP SN ES ML
Campbell doesn't walk much, but his power is significant, and he projects to whiff less than 17% of the time, so that'll help the old averages. He looks like a younger Rocco Baldelli, which is not a bad similarity to have. With most of his 2011 season lost to a thumb injury in the Reds system, he'll be spending 2012 trying to make Braves management regret cutting him.
Full Scouting Report for Eric Campbell
SB 365BA SC BP SN ES ML
Promising young infielder Jefry Marte is a high-ceiling talent who isn't lighting anyone's desire on fire just yet, but his respectable .248/.313/.346 line (with seven homers and fourteen stolen bases) as a 20 year old in St. Lucie (high A) last season does keep him on the list. He's still a long way off, but he might yet live up to his early billing as the best bat in the Mets system. Just don't bank on it happening before 2015 or later.
Full Scouting Report for Jefry Marte
SB 397BA SC BP SN ES ML
An All-American at second base, the switch-hitting Suttle's skills play well at almost any infield position, though he's growing fast enough that he may end up limited to first or third. A quality overall ballplayer without one specific standout tool, he'll still need to develop more power and a more disciplined eye (108 strikeouts in only 86 games at AA Trenton is disappointing) if he wants to break out of a future utlity role.
Full Scouting Report for Bradley Suttle
SB 454BA SC BP SN ES ML
Adalberto Ibarra is a multitalented utility bat who enjoyed great success in the Cuban League, where he hit .341/.470/.481 in his final (2008-2009) season at the age of 22. He auditioned for many major league clubs in spring of 2009, and impressed many scouts with his bat and arm, but the Red Sox won the war for his services. Ibarra is usually listed as a catcher, and certainly has the right body type for the position, but that's a position he only began to play in 2009, which means he's a long way from MLB-ready behind the plate. Before that he played first, second and third base, which is where he projects as the safest bet right now, thanks to his cannon arm. Despite the fact that his name can be translated as 'intelligent fielder' with only the slightest amount of cheating, his defense is probably his weakest skill. He is, however, a plus contact hitter with good opposite-field sense, he has below-average raw speed but is a competent baserunner nonetheless. He could develop power as he matures. His future value will come down to whether the Red Sox commit to educating him as a catcher, or parking him as a corner infielder, where he'll develop more quickly but be less valuable in the long term. He lost most of the 2011 offseason recovering from torn labrum (shoulder) surgery, but expects to be back to full-time training by spring 2012. He's a few years away.
Full Scouting Report for Adalberto Ibarra
SB 468BA SC BP SN ES ML
Drafted as a shortstop out of Georgia Tech in the 2nd round of the 2006 draft, Hodges is a solid line-drive hitter with a very quick bat and an explosive, level swing. He has good hands and a plus arm at third base, with acceptable range for the corner. While he wore out his welcome in Cleveland (twice), he's recently signed on with the Giants, who aren't quite as prospect-jammed and can afford to let him develop for another year or two down on the farm. He's no longer the hottest ticket in town, but he's still got substantial upside, and shouldn't be forgotten about.
Full Scouting Report for Wes Hodges
SB 471BA SC BP SN ES ML
Signed as an international free agent by the Red Sox in 2007, Michael Almanzar is a lanky shortstop who's athletic enough to also play center field. Thin, raw, and eager to play baseball 24/7, he reminds Latin scouts of a younger Alexei Ramirez, though his fidgety habits in the batter's box look more like Alfonso Soriano to us. Either way, he's a raw prospect with a very high ceiling but a questionable work ethic, so it's hard to project when (or if) he'll ever develop the skills and grace needed to excel at the American game.
Full Scouting Report for Michael Almanzar
SB 508BA SC BP SN ES ML
He was once a tip-top prospect, but these days corner infielder Billy Rowell doesn't crack many top ten lists, despite his clear skill set. Scouts have always been of sixteen different minds on Rowell, some seeing a great future hitter, others seeing a scuffling AAAA future. The latter bunch has been more accurate of late, as even a trip back to Rookie ball failed to cure Rowell of his propensity for swinging at any and every pitch that gets close enough for him to reach. He didn't show much of the power that once looked promising, either, leaving not a whole lot to see here, other than eternal potential. He's organizational filler until he shows that he can recapture that teenaged proficiency.
Full Scouting Report for Billy Rowell
SB 513BA SC BP SN ES ML
Top Prospects 2012
Combined Ranking
