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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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
A Golden Spikes Award finalist this past season at the University of Texas, with a 1.60 ERA and 126 strikeouts in 141 innings. Drafted by the Brewers in the first round and signed with big bonus money , he's already a polished and complete pitching package with crazy-good stuff and a nice-and-easy delivery, albeit one with an odd and twitchy followthrough. Perhaps best of all, he's the rarest of flamethrowers: the kind who doesn't fall in love with his own heat, preferring to dismantle hitters with changing speeds and great lateral control. He should arrive in the majors, at least for a looksee, before the end of the 2012 season.
More Scouting Book Info on Taylor Jungmann
SB 81BA SC 66BP SN ES ML
A high-school shortstop from Puerto Rico with a live bat from both sides of the plate, Cleveland's Franky Lindor is a young and talented all-around player who shows signs of all five major league tools. His glove is pretty shiny, and his baserunning smarts and instincts are already several years ahead of his age bracket. As he works his way through several hundred thousand practice swings in the next four or five years, we'll find out if he can produce the offensive side of the Indians' requirement.
More Scouting Book Info on Francisco Lindor
SB 82BA SC 60BP SN ES ML 32
Born in Lakewood, Ohio but blessed with a name that really belongs in Texas, righthander Stetson Allie is one of the hottest teenaged arms in baseball. He played third base a great deal in high school, too, and is an average defender and slightly above-average hitter from that position, but most scouts agree his future is on the mound, where his signature is heat, heat and more heat. He can already bring a near-99mph fastball to the plate with an easy, repeatable delivery and mix in a filthy slider whenever he likes.
More Scouting Book Info on Stetson Allie
SB 83BA SC BP SN ES ML
Yes, Cheslor. A Nicaraguan third baseman who seems skilled enough to stick at the position, the Royals' young slugger looked pretty darn good in his first look at A-ball in 2011. Cuthbert's Mighty Cudgel hammered baseballs all over Kane County for a critical .267/.345/.397 points of damage. His eight homers in 300 at-bats looks a bit low compared to expectations, but considering he was only 17 when the season started, we can give the kid some slack. He'll be a lot of fun if he continues at this pace.
More Scouting Book Info on Cheslor Cuthbert
SB 84BA SC 94BP SN ES ML
Right-handed outfielder Jake Marisnick, a third-round draft choice in 2009, hit 14 home runs and stole 37 bases at A-level Lansing last year while slashing an impressive .320/.392/.496. While he's not yet an all-around ballplayer, he's probably the best overall raw athlete in the Toronto Blue Jays system today, and seems dedicated to training and professional development without needing a whole lot of coaching. He's also got the sort of positive, outgoing personality that big league promotions managers love. He'll be a high-A player in 2012, with AA a solid possibility for the second half of the year, and a cup of coffee in the Rogers Mausoleum not completely out of the question.
More Scouting Book Info on Jake Marisnick
SB 85BA SC 49BP SN ES ML 58
A legitimate 5-tool prospect who the Twins should have the patience to develop, this is an Adam Jones / Carlos Gomez type prospect who's just a year or two behind that curve. Still very young, his skills haven't yet caught up to his raw ability: it's clear he has the plus plus speed, for example, and he's been leveraging it for extra base hits more and more often, but he hasn't yet shown the savvy to steal bases efficiently. If he can work on that, while also maintaining the great patience and batting eye he's been showing in the minors, he'll be all set for a major league leadoff role.
More Scouting Book Info on Aaron Hicks
SB 86BA SC 27BP SN ES ML 72
He's only 22 years old, but ever since he hit a dozen homers in 94 games at high-A Potomac in 2010, catcher Derek Norris has had everyone's attention. Norris is a patient slugger with a perfect catcher's build who's still working on his blocking and game-calling. He already sports a powerful arm, as shown when he threw out nearly half of all would-be basestealers last season. He's one to watch for in 2013 or so.
More Scouting Book Info on Derek Norris
SB 87BA SC BP SN ES ML
The Sox second-round pick in 2009 out of high school, outfielder Trayce Thompson is a 6-4, 200 pound righthanded masher from Rancho Margarita, California. The son of ex-NBA player Mychal Thompson, Trayce is a high-quality athlete with a solid set of tools. Both his power and speed project as possible plus tools. Hopefully, the shortage of quality players on the Chicago farm won't force the Sox to move him too quickly, because he really needs to percolate for a few instructional years before he's ready to be an impact player in Chicago.
More Scouting Book Info on Trayce Thompson
SB 88BA SC BP SN ES ML
A converted shortstop with a cannon arm and a terrific pop time, catcher Jake (JT) Realmuto was another part of Greensboro's A-level championship title in 2010. Untapped power and good speed (for a catcher) combine with a quickly-developing eye that should propel him to the majors one day. Realmuto is Florida's top catching prospect today, though he's still a few years away from Miami baseball.
More Scouting Book Info on JT Realmuto
SB 89BA SC BP SN ES ML
A rapidly-maturing slugger in the Rangers system, Mike Olt ('Mike Olt!') is a legit third-base candidate whose defense is already passable, though his first-step could use some improvement. Olt hit .267/.387/.504 at high-A Myrtle Beach in 2011, but more impressively clubbed 14 homers while striking out 'only' once per game, pretty good for a slugger of his developing age.
More Scouting Book Info on Mike Olt
SB 90BA SC 62BP SN ES ML 43
Prospects
Top Prospects 2012
Combined Ranking
71 to 90 of 525 Prospects
