Baseball's Top Prospects for 2010
Remember: This list evolves and changes daily.
3B, SD
A talented infielder signed out of Dominica at the end of 2007, third baseman Edinson Rincon didn't have much use for rookie ball (.308/.429/.354), and didn't have much trouble with A-ball, either. In 2009, the still-a-teenager slashed .300/.415/.468 with a few home runs and stolen bases thrown in for good measure. His fielding is still a mess (22 errors in only 44 games) but he'll have time to polish, polish and polish while he brews away on the ever-patient San Diego farm.
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410
1B, ATL
The younger of the two Ka'aihue brothers, Kala (full name Isaiah Kala Ka'aihue) is the righthanded half of the matching Hawaiian sluggers. Kala was originally drafted by Boston, but declined and was later drafted by the Braves. He's one of Atlanta's best power prospects, drawing comparisons to Andres Galarraga. He crushed Myrtle Beach pitching in 2007 (22 homers in only 89 games) and was moved up to AA Mississippi for 2008, where he slashed .274/.417/.457 with 14 homers in 376 at-bats. He's a great sleeper, especially for as long as he quietly develops in his older brother's shadow.
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411
RHP, BAL
No information is available on this player at this time. Check back later for an updated report.
More Scouting Book Info on Pedro Beato >
412
SS, BOS
A sleeper talent in the Red Sox system, Yamaico Navarro is a native of The Land of Shortstops, San Pedro de Macoris, and he shows ever sign of following in the footsteps of so many who came before. A bit bulky for a shortstop, he might be best suited for second or third base, but for now he's an offensive-minded middle infielder with a powerful, aggressive approach at the plate. His bat is quick, and he adds some natural loft to most of his line drives, which means he could be a serious Miguel Tejada type threat in a couple more years. In the field, he's a bit clumsy around the bag, but has a plus arm and slick glove, with a penchant for turning in dazzling plays at least once a week. Navarro isn't much more than a dark horse option on the Red Sox depth chart, but if he continues to grow and develop, he'll force management to start considering him as a viable long-term option for Fenway. For now, he'll open the season in AA.
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413
RHP, CHW
With a name bound to be misspelled often in the coming years, White Sox prospect Clevelan Santeliz is a right-handed pitcher from Valencia, Venezuela. A stocky six-footer with broad shoulders and high heat, he was nearly unhittable at AA Birmingham in 2009, when he posted a shiny 0.96 in 40 relief appearances. Then again, maybe hitters should just sheathe their lumber: his 35 walks in only 56 innings is frighteningly consistent with his minor league average of just under six per nine innings. He'll need to harness that control if that mid-90's fastball is going to play more than one batter at a time.
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414
LHP, LAA
A lefthander snatched up by the Angels in 2009's first round supplemental, the wiry Tyler Skaggs projects as a lanky starter once he grows into his 6-4 frame. His fastball, a low-90's offering with good lateral movenment, is already polished enough for action, but his secondary pitches (a sharp curve and an iffy change) need work. He only had time for a few innings of rookie ball in 2009, (a 1.80 ERA in 10 innings of autumn work) but he'll be back for a full season of development in 2010. He's several years away from deployment.
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415
SS, CIN
The Cincinnati Reds' Minor League Player of the Year for 2008, infielder Chris Valaika hit .317 in the FSL with 18 HR, 81 RBI and nine stolen bases. He looks like a long-term shortstop, with good hands and quick feet. At the plate, he has an aggressive approach that's working well so far, with good line-drive power that could blossom into 20-homer pop in the future. He'll start the year back at AA, but he could get a look on a shallow Reds' bench before 2010 is over.
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416
RHP, NYY
The Yankees drafted William Alan Horne in the 11th round of the 2005 MLB Draft, a lower position than xpected due to his TJ surgery. He's come along slowly but surely since then: he went 12-4 with a 3.11 ERA and a 165/57 K/BB ratio with AA Trenton last year, on his way to winning the Eastern League Pitcher of the Year honors. Horne projects as a mid-to-back of rotation starter, but he's more likely to get some early work in relief as the Yankees try to measure his confidence and ability.
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417
RHP, PHI
A young, raw, but very promising prospect signed at the tender age of 16 Dominican Years (that is, 18 or 19), Garcia has always shown the potential to bring spectacular stuff to the mound, but his still-developing control and lack of experience have so far made it impossible to judge exactly how good he'll be. Garcia has a low-90's fastball that will likely get nastier as he matures, along with a workable slider and a changeup that's better than it should be in one so young. At various levels of minor league ball in the years since, Garcia has been at times dominant, striking out almost 11 per nine innings way back in 2005. At other times, he's looked afraid to throw anything other than a strike, and he's been hammered as a result. In 2008, for example, he dominated high-A hitters in the FSL (8-2, 3.97 ERA), but fell apart after a promotion to AA Reading (1-7, 8.22 ERA). Given his inability to put together six consecutive good innings and the creaky condition of the Phillies bullpen, it's not impossible that he'll make an appearance with the big-league team before 2010 is over, if only to give the coaches a good look at his performance under the big lights before his age surpasses his potential.
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418
RHP, CLE
Miller, formerly known as 'Mr. 101' stemming from a late-season velocity reading before an arm injury in 2004, has dialed down his fastball since his teenage years, but still hits the mid nineties, working his two-seam fastball down, down, and down in the zone. His slider is one of the best in the minors, while his change is also above average. He's fought injuries over the past three seasons now, including multiple injuries to the index finger of his pitching hand (a rather important finger, that) but none of them have been serious enough to be worth forgetting about the young righthander. In an attempt to preserve his health and get the most value from his serious heat, the Indians will be trying him as a reliever in 2010, and in that role he could flourish, with the potential to be a top-flight setup man or premium closer.
More Scouting Book Info on Adam Miller >
419
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