Baseball's Top Prospects for 2010
Remember: This list evolves and changes daily.
SS, MLW
The Brewer's top everyday prospect, shortstop Alcides Escobar shows plus speed and range, and has demonstrated a very strong throwing arm. His bat has always been iffy, but that's been improving, and he looks to have a future as a leadoff with plus speed. With JJ Hardy out of the way, in fact, it looks like he'll have to stumble hard in order to miss the 2010 everyday roster.
More Scouting Book Info on Alcides Escobar >
51
OF, SEA
A tall, sturdy Canadian, Saunders was a five-sport athlete in childhood and is a legitimate five-tool talent in the Seattle outfield. A natural center fielder with 20 home run potential and plus speed, he even touched 92mph as a sometime pitcher in high school. He'll be pushed fast, like all Seattle prospects seem to be, but unlike some that have fallen by the wayside, Saunders can probably handle the pressure and workload. He'll be fighting for an outfield spot in 2010's preseason, and might just win the job outright. Even if he falls short, he'll be on the speed dial for midseason.
More Scouting Book Info on Michael Saunders >
52
RHP, ARZ
One of the fastest-moving prospects in the minors, White Sox righthander Dan Hudson went from rookie ball all the way to AAA Charlotte in 2009, and had just been promoted back to MLB in July 2010 when he was traded to the Diamondbacks for Edwin Jackson.
More Scouting Book Info on Dan Hudson >
53
SS, CIN
An offensive-minded shortstop, Rutgers alum Todd Frazier looks like he could be one of the next wave of hard hitting middle infielders. He slashed .290/.350/.481 at AA-level Carolina in 2009. He's a sure bet to hit, but very unlikely to stick at shortstop. He's adequate at almost any position, though, so he could see time in 2010 as a junior utilityman in Cincinnati, especially if a starter goes down to injury.
More Scouting Book Info on Todd Frazier >
54
RHP, KC
A righthander with three quality pitches and middle of the rotation capability, Aaron Crow was a nice fit for a patient Nationals team that's good at developing overlooked pitching talent. Sadly, the Nats couldn't sign him before the deadline in 2008, and so he went back into the draft for 2009, when he was selected by his local Kansas City Royals. Don't forget about him.
More Scouting Book Info on Aaron Crow >
55
LHP, BAL
Selected by the Orioles in 3rd Round (85th overall) of the 2006 amateur draft, lefty Zach Britton is a slightly-built starter who went 9-6 with a 2.70 while pitching for High-A Frederick in 2009, striking out 131 in 140 innings of work. A ground-ball pitcher with a plus changeup, Britton is a sneaky, thinking man's pitcher who can outsmart even the best hitters and leave many looking foolish. He gets little attention in Baltimore thanks to the rich and deep farm system, but he could be the number one prospect on a lot of other ballclubs.
More Scouting Book Info on Zach Britton >
56
RHP, BOS
Michaen Bowden is a polished young righthander in the Red Sox system who zoomed all the way from AA ball at the start of 2008 into the Boston bullpen for the playoffs. While his ERA increased at each stop (2.33 to 3.38 in Pawtucket and up to 3.60 in Fenway), that's expected as a young player faces better and better competition.
More Scouting Book Info on Michael Bowden >
57
3B, CHC
The Chicago Cubs made Vitters the third overall pick in the 2007 draft, and the hope in Hopeland is that he'll develop 25-homer power in time to replace the declining Aramis Ramirez. He's not a perfect prospect, however. In addition to wishy-washy discipline (he strikes out four times as often as he walks), one cause for concern is that he might need to move from third base to left field, but if he continues to maintain his overall offensive numbers at higher levels of play, the Cubs will find room for him.
More Scouting Book Info on Josh Vitters >
58
3B, MLW
One of the last of the recent wave of slugging third basemen to arrive, Milwaukee's Mat Gamel deserves a little more attention than he receives. A polished pro hitter, Gamel has all-fields line drive swing with developing power. He's a bit of a liability at third base, but the Brewers seem determined to keep him there for now. He's a bit weak against offspeed pitches, too, but he should work his way through that with good coaching and increased patience in the high minors. While most of the 1B/3B prospects are serious power threats, Gamel blends a slightly lighter bat with a high-average approach that could make him a better all-around hitter.
More Scouting Book Info on Mat Gamel >
59
OF, PIT
Tabata is a polished fielder who's almost major-league ready, despite his young age. A natural right fielder with excellent patience, Tabata has vanished from the national radar since leaving the bright lights of New York for Pittsburgh, but he's just as solid a prospect now as he was in the Bronx. He could probably benefit from another minor-league season to sharpen his ancillary tools and focus, but other than that, there's not much holding him back. There aren't many good reasons to keep him off tomorrow's MLB roster in Pittsburgh.
More Scouting Book Info on Jose Tabata >
60
51. Alcides Escobar
52. Michael Saunders
53. Dan Hudson
54. Todd Frazier
55. Aaron Crow
56. Zach Britton
57. Michael Bowden
58. Josh Vitters
60. Jose Tabata
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