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.
If you think you have found a mistake, please read this blog entry before telling us. Then tell us.
A crafty Australian with a highly-deceptive darting fastball and advanced pitchability, Twins prospect Liam Hendriks blew through two more levels of play and just kept on embarrassing hitters again in 2011. Hendriks is a solid starter, mixing up four above-average pitches to deliver a 29-17, 2.78, 1.09 line over three years of minor league development. His career minor league K-to-BB ratio is a almost 6:1, one of the best qualifying ratios in modern minor league history. A clever control pitcher like Hendriks could be a godsend in the middle of the Twins rotation for years to come, and he's ready to start his Twins career right about... now.
More Scouting Book Info on Liam Hendriks
SB 51BA SC BP SN ES ML
A flamethrowing lefthander, Montgomery was grabbed early by the Royals in the 2008 draft. So far, he's looking pretty legitimate, if unspectacular. He's assembled a 3.47 ERA, a 1.24 WHIP and a 349/148 collection of strikeouts versus walks. He's only 22 years old, and he could probably use another year of polish after his stumbles in AAA last season, but the nothing-to-lose Royals might take a look at him sooner than that.
More Scouting Book Info on Mike Montgomery
SB 51BA SC 32BP SN ES ML 31
The Chicago Cubs Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2010, power righthander Chris Archer was the premium prospect returned to Tampa Bay in the trade that sent Matt Garza to Chicago. While his command is still spotty, the wild life he gets on a 97mph fastball and his true plus slider are tantalizing. As long as he can command his pitches a bit better and mix in his sub-average (for now) change, he still looks likely to be a near-ace starter come 2013 or so. If not, he's looking a lot like lights-out closer material already.
More Scouting Book Info on Chris Archer
SB 52BA SC BP SN ES ML 74
Trade one young star, get two in return. Thats what the Padres did when they picked up not just Yonder Alonso, but also Yasmani Grandal by trading away young ace Mat Latos in 2011. A switch-hitting Cuban catcher with a powerful right arm, Grandal was the top actual-catcher of the 2010 draft class. While his receiving and game-calling need a lot of work, his bat is already looking like a premium contact weapon, and with his body type, overall athleticism and team-leader personality, he looks likely to remain behind the plate.
More Scouting Book Info on Yasmani Grandal
SB 53BA SC 91BP SN ES ML 68
A wiry power pitcher with three quality pitches and developing control, Randall Delgado looks every bit the part of a young phenom: some days he can blow hitters away, while on other days he looks lost on the mound. His fastball, which can touch 95, lives more in the 92mph range with significant late movement. He got a look at the Braves big club in 2011, and he should get a much longer look in 2012. Depending on how beat up the major league staff is in midsummer, he could even get a call to stay.
More Scouting Book Info on Randall Delgado
SB 54BA SC 55BP SN ES ML 42
Dominican catcher Wilin Rosario was signed by the Rockies as an IFA with little fanfare in 2008. He went on to destroy the Pioneer League (.316/.371.532) at the age of 19, the best performance by a PL catcher since Russell Martin's debut. He found his AA level last year, slashing .249/.284/.457 at Tulsa, and even took four dozen at-bats away from veterans in Colorado by season end. He looks like he will have the acumen and temperment to handle a pitching staff, and his catch-and-throw skills are developing rapidly. If he can remain a catcher, he could be a top prospect very soon, and it's hard not to drool a little thinking about his bat reaching Coors Field full-time in 2013 or so.
More Scouting Book Info on Wilin Rosario
SB 55BA SC BP SN ES ML 63
Originally drafted by the Dodgers in 2007, Matt Szczur passed on LA and went to Villanova University, where he played both baseball and football. (His complete college CV would read something like WR/RB/QB/KR/OF/2B/SS/Catcher.) Redrafted by the Cubs three years later, he thankfully dedicated himself to baseball and performed very well in A ball: .314/.366/.431 at A-level Peoria and .260/.283/.410 at high-A Daytona in the fall.
More Scouting Book Info on Matt Szczur
SB 57BA SC 82BP SN ES ML
Another two-way player inherited from the Phillies system, Jarred Cosart is primarily a pitcher as far as the Astros are concerned. As a pitcher, he displays a consistent, balanced delivery, with a mid-90's fastball and a polished 11-5 curve that's probably the best hammer in the Astro system. His change, while a bit rough, also looks to be a potential plus offering.
More Scouting Book Info on Jarred Cosart
SB 58BA SC 25BP SN ES ML 61
There aren't a lot of Arubans around MLB, but the tiny island's reputation should be well-represented by Red Sox infield prospect Xander Bogaerts. A player of exceptional baseball intelligence, the man with the name straight from a JK Rowlings novel has a graceful, quick swing with a little natural loft that should serve him well once his body fills out a bit more: it was already good enough for 16 homers at A-level Greenville. His contact is solid and strong to all fields, and he's an above-average baserunner to boot. His weaknesses to date are iffy strike zone judgement (he's young) and some awkwardness in the field, especially with his footwork (he's young). Given a couple more years, he could be a well-known prospect. He'll try to hit his way through A-ball this year.
More Scouting Book Info on Xander Bogaerts
SB 59BA SC 42BP SN ES ML 76
A talented lefty hitter who's played nothing but outfield since being drafted by the Brewers in 1998, Logan Shafer also put up one of the most impressive minor league seasons in baseball in 2011. Leaping from high A to AA to AAA and eventually getting a pat on the rear with eight games on the Milwaukee bench, Shafer actually performed better and better as he moved up the ladder, culminating in an eye-popping .331/.401/.521 during 40 games at AAA Nashville.
More Scouting Book Info on Logan Schafer
SB 60BA SC BP SN ES ML
Prospects
Top Prospects 2012
Combined Ranking
51 to 60 of 525 Prospects
