Baseball's Top Prospects for 2010
Remember: This list evolves and changes daily.
RHP, MIN
Steve 'Shooter' Hunt is an erratic but high-ceiling righthander from Tulane who could join the stable of frontline Minnesota starters in the future. With a plus-action fastball, strikeout curve and an already-polished changeup, he has terrific raw stuff, but his spotty command will have to improve before he's a big-league caliber pitcher. He's definitely one to keep an eye on for 2012 or so.
More Scouting Book Info on Shooter Hunt >
400
RHP, FLA
A stocky righthander who generates good power from his strong legs, Marlins' pitcher Ryan Tucker has been up and down the depth chart in Florida, and remains on the horizon for a future role with the Marlins. Signed for his plus moving fastball, Tucker has been working hard to add a slider and change to his repertoire. Results have been mixed, and he'll need some more time to refine those secondary pitches if he's going to remain on the hot-prospect radar in South Florida.
More Scouting Book Info on Ryan Tucker >
401
LHP, MLW
Big Fred, a huge lefthander in the CC Sabathia mold, comes from the same school that produced White Sox phenom Aaron Poreda, and he's almost as exciting a prospect. A fastball-slider guy with a 94mph heat, his control has been an issue until now, and that's what the Brewers will be working on for the next while.
More Scouting Book Info on Evan Frederickson >
402
RHP, TEX
The only closer the young Golden Eagles have ever had, Fukimori is an unusual closer, but a very successful one. Working with high control rather than overpowering heat, Fukumori's fastball won't break 90 often, but he mixes in an array of breaking pitches (forkball, knuckle-curve, shuuto) and keeps batters off balance.
More Scouting Book Info on Kazuo Fukumori >
403
LHP, WAS
One of the top high-school pitchers available, Smoker was an unexpected first round supplemental pick by the Nationals in 2007. 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.
More Scouting Book Info on Josh Smoker >
404
LHP, PIT
Not yet recovered from labrum sugery and showing no signs of the curve that once made scouts rave. Add in the fact that he's a one-pitch flame-thrower who did most of his development under the 'care' of the Cubs trainers, and you have a recipe for a very fantastic, and very short, major league career.
More Scouting Book Info on Donald Veal >
405
RHP, FLA
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 closer cast from Jonathan Broxton-sized iron, Ceda is a power pitcher with strikeout stuff who could ascend to closing duties for the Marlins within the next few years. Problems with his mechanics remain, though (he struggles to repeat his delivery, leading to spurts of wildness) and there is some concern about the ability of his legs and back to hold up to a season of work. If he continues to mow down hitters in the minors, though, Florida will find room for him soon enough, and he can polish his skills in Miami.
More Scouting Book Info on Jose Ceda >
406
RHP, BAL
Jason Berken is a strikeout artist in the Baltimore Orioles system who vanished from the prospect radar for awhile after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2005. The Green Bay native and Clemson alum came back, though, and went 12-4 with a 3.58 ERA at AA Bowie last year, showing off an impressive 125:38 ratio of strikeouts to walks. He leans hard on a fastball-slider combination, which makes him look a lot like a reliever, but his change and curve are too good to abandon. A squat workhorse, he seems to have the grit to grind out a long season. Baltimore has other pitching prospects with much higher upsides, but Berken's close enough to MLB ready that he might get a chance sooner than any of them.
More Scouting Book Info on Jason Berken >
407
LHP, TEX
Drafted in the supplemental first round of the 2005 draft, the Braves considered Jones to be the best prep left-hander in the country. He was acquired by the Rangers as part of the package of prospects that netted the Braves Mark Teixeira in 2007.
More Scouting Book Info on Beau Jones >
408
SS, Japan
The Pacific League rookie of the year in 1996, shortstop Makoto Kaneko is a premium infielder who could fit onto many MLB rosters tomorrow. The winner of two golden glove awards and a part of Japan's bronze medal winning 2004 Olympic team, he's a plus defender, and that's where his strength lies: while a talented overall athlete, his career hitting line in Japan is a pedestrian .256/.309/.345.
More Scouting Book Info on Makoto Kaneko >
409
400. Shooter Hunt
401. Ryan Tucker
402. Evan Frederickson
403. Kazuo Fukumori
404. Josh Smoker
405. Donald Veal
407. Jason Berken
409. Makoto Kaneko
400 to 409 of 486
