Baseball's Top Prospects for 2010
Remember: This list evolves and changes daily.
SS, MIN
The biggest Latin American signing of 2009 (sorry, Aroldis Chapman fans), 17-year old Miguel Angel Sano Jean, heretofore known as simply Miguel Sano, was a coup of sorts for the small market Minnesota Twins. Sano was a coveted athlete pursued by all the usual big-market teams, but it was Minnesota's relentless (one might say piranha-like) tenacity that finally landed the youngster. He's got the glove and arm to stick at shortstop, but as a teenager who's already 6 foot 3, he might outgrow the position, making a move to third base or the outfield necessary. He hasn't shown much power yet, but that's not exactly a red mark: for such a young player, what matters is raw talent and work ethic, and Sano seems to have both of those in spades. He'll be on the back burner for a few years, but he should be a good one once he's properly stewed.
More Scouting Book Info on Miguel Sano >
61
C, HOU
Three catchers were in the top ten picks of the 2008 draft, and Castro was one of them. An ex-teammate of fellow prospect Buster Posey, Castro is a more well-rounded athlete who also played his share of the outfield in college. He showed that he's not much of a shadow-seeker by hitting .300/.380/.446 at A and AA in his first year of pro ball, and he's jumped up the depth chart quickly enough that it looks like the J.R. Towles era might be over before it even begins in Houston. Even if both youngsters develop, Castro's a good enough ballplayer to find another place to play if necessary.
More Scouting Book Info on Jason Castro >
62
C, LAA
He's been on the radar for a couple of years now, but this year Angels catcher Hyun Choi 'Hank' Conger (we're assuming that 'Hammerin' Hyun Choi' did not exactly roll off the tongue) has officially arrived as an elite hitting prospect.
More Scouting Book Info on Hank Conger >
63
1B, BOS
His star has faded a bit in Boston, but the facts remain: one of these years, Big Papi will go out for a pack of smokes and never come home to Boston again. When that happens, Lars is the best bet to be the new daddy in Beantown.
More Scouting Book Info on Lars Anderson >
64
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 >
65
1B, KC
He's a little older, a little wiser, and a little less powerful than Pedro Alvarez (who was, fairly, drafted two spots higher), but Eric Hosmer is probably a more advanced hitter with better fundamentals.
More Scouting Book Info on Eric Hosmer >
66
OF, SD
A two-way star in high school, Jaff has a beautiful swing from the left side of the plate to go with a 94mph darting fastball... also from the left side. The Padres are viewing him as a centerfielder for now, though, and he has the bat and the range to hold that position down. He's young and still growing, but right now he looks like he might become the player Grady Sizemore was supposed to be.
More Scouting Book Info on Jaff Decker >
67
2B, MLW
It's a bit cheap comparing Canadian slugger Brett Lawrie to fellow Canucks Larry Walker and Justin Morneau, but in this case the comparison is about more than nationality: Lawrie can flat-out rake, though he does it from the right side of the plate and hasn't shown the power potential of those two other lumberjacks. An all-around baseball talent with no ceiling in sight, the fact that he's played both shortstop and catcher well enough to make it onto both position lists tells you something about the special youngster. With both of those positions pretty locked down in Milwaukee, he's also been asked to learn second base, which might be his quickest path to the majors right now.
More Scouting Book Info on Brett Lawrie >
68
RHP, BAL
Young and unpolished, the onetime phenom Erbe still shows signs of greatness, even if the shine isn't quite so blinding anymore. He still demonstrates a 98 mph fastball that provides moments of dominance, but he has never really showed that he can hold down a job for a full season: he tends to tire in the summer months and usually stumbles to a poor finish. This all projects 'relief pitcher', if you haven't been paying attention. While still a longshot to contribute much in 2010, he's a possible backup plan as a closer or spot starter, so he shouldn't be completely forgotten about. The tools remain there, even if it's taking a bit longer than hoped to get them into play.
More Scouting Book Info on Brandon Erbe >
69
RHP, DET
One of the top high school arms in the country, Jacob Turner was drafted in the first round (9th overall) by the Detroit Tigers in 2009. More a potential pitcher than a pitcher just yet, Turner has a big, strong, projectable body and a low-90's fastball, but not much else... which means that he'll need to be molded into something greater before he can have an impact on professionals.
More Scouting Book Info on Jacob Turner >
70
61. Miguel Sano
62. Jason Castro
63. Hank Conger
64. Lars Anderson
65. Zach Britton
66. Eric Hosmer
67. Jaff Decker
68. Brett Lawrie
70. Jacob Turner
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