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.
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Anthony Gose is an outfielder in the Toronto minor league system. A two-way player in high school, the lefthanded Gose's electric breaking stuff enticed his first MLB team (the Astros) to try his luck on the mound, but as expected he played his way back into the outfield quickly. Moved to the Blue Jays before the summer trade deadline in 2010, Gose now projects as Toronto's long-term answer in center, where he's got the legs and the arm... assuming his bat can hold up. His raw speed is genuine plus tool, but until recently he hasn't been very good at using it on the bases. That improved in 2011, when he swiped 70 of 85, his best performance as a pro.
More Scouting Book Info on Anthony Gose
SB 61BA SC 45BP SN ES ML 57
An all-around ballplayer with a solid bat, infielder Zack Cozart has a great shot at breaking Spring Training with the Reds in 2012. After putting up a stellar .310/.357/.467 line in 77 games with the AAA Bats and then showing off in September by going 12-for-37 (.324) with the big league club, there's just not much more left to prove. Cozart has plus hands, great first-step range and a cannon arm in the field, making shortstop seem like his proper position from here on out. He's also an exceptionally smart baserunner who will pickpocket more than his share of prizes from inattentive pitchers. If he wins the shortstop gig outright this spring, he'll be a decent bet for ROY.
More Scouting Book Info on Zack Cozart
SB 62BA SC BP SN ES ML
A righthanded smoke-monster with two plus pitches, Garrett Richards might have the best raw stuff among starters in the Anaheim system today. The question with Richards is his command. The Angels are great at coaxing peak performance from even their flawed pitchers, though, so Richards is in the right place at the right point in his career. 2012 is a good window for Richards, who could challenge for a spot in spring training and nail one down permanently by midseason.
More Scouting Book Info on Garrett Richards
SB 63BA SC BP SN ES ML 67
Don't forget about Tim Beckham. Just don't. A classic 'tools' player, BA's 2007 Youth Player of the Year Tim Beckham was a safe pick for Tampa Bay as the #1 overall pick of the 2008 draft. While he's still a couple of years from breaking into the big leagues and some of the luster has faded from his aura, he's been making measurable progress on the farm, increasing his baserunning smarts and showing improving patience at the plate in the last two seasons.
More Scouting Book Info on Tim Beckham
SB 64BA SC BP SN ES ML 92
The Dodgers' first round pick in 2007, righty Chris Withrow has been growing into a premium power arm, and that's exactly what the Dodgers are looking for. His fastball still lives around 93 but can hit 98 with good movement. His improving curve is a strikeout pitch, an 11-5 hammer that he's comfortable throwing in almost any count. A potential middle-rotation candidate who's already showing superior makeup, Withrow went 6-6, 4.20 at AA Chattanooga in his second tour of the league, a substantial improvement on an aberrant 2010. He could move quickly once he gets his walks back under control, especially if the Dodgers suffer injuries in 2012.
More Scouting Book Info on Chris Withrow
SB 65BA SC BP SN ES ML
A solid, squarely-built righthander in the Cards' system, Texan Tyrell Jenkins was a first round (supplemental) pick in the 2010 draft. A two-sport star who almost went to Baylor as a quarterback, Jenkins works with a 92mph heater than can touch 96. At the moment, he can also bring a slow curve, a passable slider and an (unreliable) changeup to bear. It'll be the development of those secondary pitches that controls his rise through the minors. He's several years away from relevant.
More Scouting Book Info on Tyrell Jenkins
SB 66BA SC 92BP SN ES ML
Wily Peralta is a gutsy young righthander in the Brewer system who should probably be considered the team's best pitching prospect today. Currently a two-pitch flinger who flashes an occasionally plus curve, Peralta looked awfully good at AA Huntsville in 2011, going 9-7, 3.46 with a 1.29 WHIP.
More Scouting Book Info on Wily Peralta
SB 67BA SC 46BP SN ES ML 49
A Cuban defector signed by the Rangers in early 2011, Leo Martin is a lefty-swinging ballplayer with plus athleticism, great defense and a strong arm from centerfield. A patient line-drive hitter with the ability to work his way on base, he's also a blossoming base-stealer with above-average speed.
More Scouting Book Info on Leonys Martin
SB 68BA SC 44BP SN ES ML 89
A power righthander who many see as the next Dodger ace, first round draft pick Zach Lee has a ways to go before he's a sure thing, but he did nothing to frighten away believers in 2011, racking up a great start to his pro career in A ball. With a 92mph fastball, plus curve and a developing change, he's a young pitcher worth worth watching closely.
More Scouting Book Info on Zach Lee
SB 69BA SC 59BP SN ES ML 45
It's always nice when you can trade away a fading veteran for a team's top prospect, and that's what the Mets did in acquiring Zack Wheeler from the Giants as the best move in their sudden fire sale rebuilding plan.
More Scouting Book Info on Zack Wheeler
SB 70BA SC 53BP SN ES ML 28
A devasting lefthander who has struck out more than one batter per inning throughout his college career, Texan Matt Purke signed with the Nats in late August after being drafted in 2011's third round. The man who went 16-0 as a college freshman is one of several Nats youngsters who could rise to dominate as a closer, though his lefthandedness should tempt the Nationals to at least explore using him in longer outings before committing him to a 9th inning future.
More Scouting Book Info on Matt Purke
SB 71BA SC BP SN ES ML
A righthanded power pitcher, Dillon Howard inherits the title of top pitching prospect in the Indians system almost by default, but he deserves a top spot on merit, too. Howard went 9-1 with a 0.31 ERA in 12 starts for Searcy High School last year, striking out 115 batter in 58 innings (read that again if you like.) His perfect pitcher's frame, not to mention that 95mph fastball with natural sink and run, make him pretty projectable. His curve is a bit of a slurvy mess at present, but give the youngster time and coaching and he should be able to tighten it up into a solid-average offering. He's many years away.
More Scouting Book Info on Dillon Howard
SB 72BA SC BP SN ES ML
A nominal shortstop, Puerto Rican Cub Javier Baez also looks just fine at second and third, and has one of the highest overall upsides of any infield prospect in baseball. His ultimate position will probably come down to some mix of organizational need and how his body develops.
More Scouting Book Info on Javier Baez
SB 73BA SC 65BP SN ES ML 62
A high-school shortstop drafted at #12 by the Marlins in 2007, Dominguez's size and strength -- not to mention the presence of Hanley Ramirez -- prompted a move to third base last season, though he couldn't have been delighted to see Hanley also move to third during the winter.
More Scouting Book Info on Matt Dominguez
SB 74BA SC BP SN ES ML 87
A solid, gritty shortstop without a single stand-out tool in his bag, Florida grad Nick Franklin projects as 'a switch-hitting Michael Young' according to at least one scout. He's an above-average fielder with decent range, a solid line-drive hitter with a discerning eye, and a faster-than-average baserunner with good judgment.
More Scouting Book Info on Nick Franklin
SB 75BA SC 40BP SN ES ML 52
The most-likely catcher of the future in Philadelphia, Mexican prospect Sebastian Valle is a young offensive dynamo with plus bat control and a powerful swing that should play at any level. Already holding his own against much older competitors, Valle is due to hit AA sometime in 2012. Give him another year or two to master the intricacies of handling a top-flight pitching staff, and he should be a fixture in Philly soon enough.
More Scouting Book Info on Sebastian Valle
SB 76BA SC BP SN ES ML
Yes, he sounds like a character from snowy Skyrim, but Texan Noah Syndergaard is more of a dusty cowpoke than uppity Jarl. The Blue Jays thought highly enough of him to say 'no' to the Oakland A's when the Athletics were shopping Gio Gonzalez around. The towering Syndergaard played in three levels of pro ball with the Jays last year, building up a composite 1.99 ERA and 1.09 WHIP, striking out 74 hitters and walking only 22.
More Scouting Book Info on Noah Syndergaard
SB 77BA SC 81BP SN ES ML 95
Ryan 'Scooter' Gennett is a fast-rising middle infielder in the Milwaukee Brewers system. A small-framed fireplug, the lefty-swinging Gennett destroyed high-A Brevard County last year just the way he chewed up low-A Wisconsin the year before. His .334/.406/.740 performance probably merits another promotion, but his sloppy baserunning and lack of power might necessitate a little more training time in high-A first. In the field he played second base exclusively, leaving shortstop in his past, and while his glovework isn't exceptional, it should be good enough to get his bat into play. If he can round the rough edges of his game, he will be ready for the two-hole in the Milwaukee order sometime in 2013.
More Scouting Book Info on Scooter Gennett
SB 78BA SC BP SN ES ML
Signed as a sixteen year old out of Panama back in 2008, catcher Christian Bethencourt is a toolsy ballplayer dripping with all-around talent. Competing with far-older players in 2009, the 17-year old showed flashes of power and above-average speed to complement his advanced bat control skills. He looked better positioned at low-A Rome in 2010 and 2011 while working primarily on his defense.
More Scouting Book Info on Christian Bethancourt
SB 79BA SC 37BP SN ES ML 91
The depleted (or maybe just well-spent) Phillies farm system has provided an opportunity for a few mid-level prospects who can now break into the top levels, and pitcher Trevor May is one of those who will be getting a lot more attention in the near future. May brings three good pitches to the plate every time out, and he's already had some pretty stunning success at low levels of minor league ball. He stumbled a bit when faced with high-A batters last year, but that sort of adjustment period is common, and it shouldn't scare the Phillies away from what remains a very solid and still-developing athlete. May's fastball is a standard 92-94 offering with heavy sink, and his secondary pitches (a hammer curve and a straight change) are almost ready for more advanced hitters. He's a pitcher to watch in 2012, though any meaningful big-league effectiveness is still a year or two away. Not that the Phillies are exactly in dire need of arms, anyway.
More Scouting Book Info on Trevor May
SB 80BA SC 74BP SN ES ML 54
Prospects
Top Prospects 2012
Combined Ranking
61 to 80 of 525 Prospects
