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 lefty reliever in the Indians system, Scott Barnes is a mature prospect who mixes a quality slider and occasional change in with his low-90s heat, just enough to keep hitters off-balance. He posted a nice 3.95/1.15 performance across 52 innings in Columbus in 2012, piling up 67 glittering strikeouts, before getting a short shot in Cleveland. He'll return to the depleted Indians in 2013, who may only hesitate because they're unsure how to use him: despite the southpaw arm, he's actually been most effective against righthanders in recent years.
Full Scouting Report for Scott Barnes
SB 421BA SC BP SN ES ML
A contact hitter with college experience and decent power, Reds outfield prospect Jeff Gelalich looks like he could fit into an MLB lineup very soon. Drafted as a junior, he'll need a solid thousand at-bats or so before the Reds can really schedule his itinerary. The 127 he logged in late-season rookie ball last year is a good start, of course. If the polish he showed in his last season at UCLA sticks, he'll be ready for bench duty on an MLB ballclub by September, 2014.
Full Scouting Report for Jeff Gelalich
SB 422BA SC BP SN ES ML
A Vegas-born shortstop in the Tampa Bay system, young Jake Hager did that thing we love to see most at Scouting Book: improved his performance year-on-year even while moving up a level. The .281/.345/.412 Hager slashed in the A-Level Midwest League is substantial enough the he may even taste AA ball in 2013. A line-drive hitter with reasonable gap power for an infielder, he's also a smart baserunner and solid fielder, though his range may limit him to a second base job in the future. For now, though, he's remains a shortstop, and a pretty good one at that.
Full Scouting Report for Jake Hager
SB 423BA SC BP SN ES ML
The rising wave of Canadian pitchers continued when Seattle chose Quebec native Philipe Aumont with their first-round pick in 2007. He was traded to the Phillies in the winter 2009 blockbuster that moved Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee. A 6-7 righthander with a 92-95 MPH sinking fastball, Aumont has an imposing mound presence that endears him to scouts and coaches alike. While he's barely 22, he's already raising eyebrows with a precocious ability to pound the lower part of the zone and work both sides of the plate. While he has a slider and changeup, neither is a plus pitch, which means he'll rise or fall on his sinker. Now that he's in the NL East, there's some talk of making him a reliever, but it's most likely that the Phils will keep him in a minor league rotation as long as possible to refine his secondary game and build his endurance, no matter how he ends up being used in his impending major league career.
Full Scouting Report for Phillippe Aumont
SB 424BA SC BP SN ES ML
A power-hitting second base prospect imported from Tampa at the tail-end of 2012, Marlin Derek Dietrich should provide Uggla-like numbers for the team soon. He can get a bit chase-and-pull happy, so by 'numbers' we mean both home runs and strikeouts. Still, he's young enough that it's not completely impossible he may gain a sharper eye and taste for actual strikes in the years to come.
Full Scouting Report for Derek Dietrich
SB 425BA SC BP SN ES ML
An often-overlooked part of Oakland's wheely-dealy offseason, righthander Raul Alcantara is a flamethrowing righthander with very hot stuff that he's still learning how to control. He's got a near-perfect pitcher's body and seems to show an ability to learn from coaching, an ability that shouldn't be taken for granted among the young and naturally talented. While we're not confident he will stick as a starter, he should benefit from Oakland's clever approach to pitching development, so even the 'bad' result should allow him to become a strong piece of a vibrant young bullpen in just another couple of years.
Full Scouting Report for Raul Alcantara
SB 426BA SC BP SN ES ML
A mature prospect who could break onto the Mets roster in 2013, lefthander Scott Rice is a huge pitcher who's been used exclusively as a reliever since 2005. Originally drafted by the Orioles way back in 1999, Rice has been through a half-dozen organizations and one elbow surgery since, impressing with a big, heavy fastball and an exceptional work ethic. He's almost certainly destined for LOOGY work in MLB, but on a weak Mets roster, he could end up being a lot more than that.
Full Scouting Report for Scott Rice
SB 427BA SC BP SN ES ML
A lefthander with wicked stuff and an unfathomable strikeout rate, Mets prospect Jack Leathersich is on a fast track to join the team's relief corps. Leathersich struck out 113 in only 72 Florida League innings, using his fastball-curve combo exclusively from the bullpen. He's got closer stuff, and if he rises that far, his small size will inspire many Billy Wagner comparisons.
Full Scouting Report for Jack Leathersich
SB 428BA SC BP SN ES ML
A possible future closer, relief prospect Jake Barrett brings serious heat and good movement from the right side. His best second pitch is probably his curve, which is a bit odd for a closer, but it's been working. He struck out exactly one batter per one-inning outing for A-level South Bend in 2012, using that fastball about ninety percent of the time. He'll try to baffle hitters at higher levels in 2013, and could help out the Arizona bullpen at almost any time thereafter.
Full Scouting Report for Jake Barrett
SB 429BA SC BP SN ES ML
Jacksonville University's ace in 2013, righthander Chris Anderson is one of the best pitching prospects from the 2013 draft class. The very template of a front-line starter, Anderson has size, velocity, command and poise enough to succeed at the MLB level. Working from a high-90's fastball with good sink, he mixes in a quality wipeout slider to great effect, and a promising (though raw) change to lefthanders. Sharper changeup command is really all he needs to do to perform well in MLB tomorrow.
Full Scouting Report for Chris Anderson
SB 430BA SC BP SN ES ML
420 to 430 of 650 Prospects
Top Prospects 2013
Combined Ranking