Top Baseball Prospects for 2013
Now updated for 2013'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 high school slugger cooking slowly and quietly in the Twins system, Travis Harrison might be a future answer for the team at first base or DH. Or maybe right field. In any case, not at the third base he's playing today, at least not if his quickly-expanding body has anything to say about it. It'll be awhile before we know how he can handle breaking stuff, but in the mean time, that .301/.383/.461 line he posted during his first ever pro test at rookie-league Elizabethton should give Twins fans something to dream about.
More Scouting Book Info on Travis Harrison
SB 401BA SC BP SN ES ML
A huge, daunting figure who can touch 99mph with his heater, White Sox righthander Simon Castro is one of the most promising pitchers in a system that's not especially deep in pitching to begin with. Castro's slider is probably his best pitch, and when he's locating the fastball at the same time, he's nearly unhittable. Some scouts see a closer in Castro, but for now the Sox will follow the path the Padres started, and keep pushing him as a rotation member. One thing is sure: he's got the frame necessary to carry 200 innings, so they're probably wise to squeeze him into the rotation if possible.
More Scouting Book Info on Simon Castro
SB 402BA SC BP SN ES ML
A fireballing righthander who pretty much has 'future closer' tattooed on his forehead, National prospect Rob Wort made 40 appearances at high-A Potomac last year, all of the one or two inning variety, and struck out 95 hitters. His strikeouts per nine innings is so ridiculously high that we'll let you scroll down this page and look it up yourself so you believe. He still has to get through AA, but if that fastball-slider combo holds up (and it should), Wort is the best-positioned player to take over as closer in Washington come 2015 or so. We may even see him for support work sooner than that.
More Scouting Book Info on Rob Wort
SB 403BA SC BP SN ES ML
Josh Sale (pronounced 'Solly', more or less) is a powerful Samoan motherslugger from Seattle who just keeps getting bigger and stronger as he develops. Built more like a linebacker than a baseball player, Sale's lefthanded bat already looks like a premium offensive weapon. He hit his way through rookie ball in 2011, and moved up to the roster of A-level Bowling Green, where he produced at a .264/.391/.464 clip, including 10 homers in 74 games. In fact, all of his numbers looked better at the higher level of play in a similar amount of playing time. We've always found that's one of the strongest indicators of future success. A third baseman in high school, he's been used in corner outfield spots by the Rays so far, and that sounds right to us: he'll likely arrive in MLB as a right fielder or first baseman. And when he does arrive, you'll be able to hear the moonshots for miles.
More Scouting Book Info on Josh Sale
SB 404BA SC BP SN ES ML
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 pitcher cast from Jonathan Broxton-sized iron, Ceda is a power pitcher with strikeout stuff who could ascend to closing duties for the Marlins at any time. Problems with his mechanics remain, though (he struggles to repeat his delivery, leading to spurts of wildness and some eye-opening walk numbers) and there is some concern about the ability of his legs and back to hold up to a season of work.
More Scouting Book Info on Jose Ceda
SB 405BA SC BP SN ES ML
An outfielder universally regarded as one of the best prospect talents of the 2011 market, Dominican Elier Hernandez was locked down by the Royals. The Royals, always aggressive in the international game, popped a lot of eyes with their $3M plus contract they awarded Hernandez.
More Scouting Book Info on Elier Hernandez
SB 406BA 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, looked awfully good in AA last year, slashing a .285/352/.480 line at Altoona. He'll probably start 2013 back in Altoona, but as long as he maintains the same level of performance, he'll end the year with the big club.
More Scouting Book Info on Matt Curry
SB 407BA SC BP SN ES ML
Blessed with a name that would be right at home in a Steve McQueen movie, Georgia Tech's Deck McGuire is a bulldog indeed: an imposing 6-6, 220lb righthanded power pitcher whose mound presence and smarts earn him top marks. McGuire is a workhorse pitcher who mixes in three above-average pitches that aren't spectacular on their own, but are more than good enough to get hitters out in a variety of ways, especially when he commands them so well. His 'pitchability' has been cited by many coaches as off the scale. He's the type of polished college pitcher who could move very quickly.
More Scouting Book Info on Deck McGuire
SB 408BA SC BP SN ES ML
A prep pitcher who some expected to go in the first round after improving his stuff immensely in 2011, Floridian righthander Zach Eflin almost did just that, winding up as the second pick of the compensation round in 2012. Eflin's fastball is a 95mph dart with late life that he throws from a high arm slot for maximum effect, while his curve looks remarkably well-developed for such a young player. His change, as with so many young pitchers, is still a work in progress, but scouts rave about Eflin's work ethic and commitment to improve, two things we love to see here at Scouting Book.
More Scouting Book Info on Zach Eflin
SB 409BA SC BP SN ES ML
A mature prospect who's already had one turn through MLB, reliever Tim Wood was originally drafted by the Marlins in the 44th round of the 2002 First-Year Player Draft, and has spent most of his career since in the Pirates' system. A classic reliever, he mixes a high-90's fastball with a low-80's slider that often looks like a plus pitch. He posted a 2.19 ERA at AAA Indianapolis last season, his second straight year of very good AAA work, striking out 67 and walking 23 in 70 innings. He's ready for MLB, and his new owners in Minnesota are just the type to give him one, too. He's a nice sleeper closer candidate in a system that doesn't have many naturals.
More Scouting Book Info on Tim Wood
SB 410BA SC BP SN ES ML
Prospects
Top Prospects 2013
Combined Ranking
400 to 410 of 650 Prospects
