Top Baseball Prospects 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.
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SB 81BA 70SC 66BP SN ES 58ML
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.
Full Scouting Report for Cheslor Cuthbert
SB 82BA 84SC 94BP 83SN ES 43ML
He might be the most talented everyday player in the Pittsburgh Pirates system, but if you haven't heard of him yet, don't feel too bad. An under-the-radar international signee from 2008, Marte was signed on pure projection: a fast, powerful, graceful athlete with great range in the outfield and a plus arm. He has an easy, natural swing and looks to deliver at least average power in the majors. With a little more polish and preparation, he could bump Andrew McCutchen to a corner very soon. Of course, he wouldn't look so bad in left field himself, either.
Full Scouting Report for Starling Marte
SB 83BA 73SC 87BP 56SN ES 72ML 40
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.
Full Scouting Report for Noah Syndergaard
SB 84BA SC 81BP 93SN ES ML 95
With a WHIP under 1.00 throughout 2010 and a scary-good strikeout rate, Betances has been one of the many weapons being sharpened in Hell's Kitchen, and just in time, too: the Yankee's mighty pitching has grown a lot less fearsome in recent years. His lightning stuff has been sidelined a bit too often by minor injuries, sadly, and he underwent a bit of surprise surgery in late 2009 that slowed his development somewhat. The team also pushed him way too quickly last season, probably panicking a little over their MLB bullpen woes. Still, he remains a high-ceiling if risky long-term asset: guys with stuff this wicked always seem to find their way onto MLB rosters sooner or later.
Full Scouting Report for Dellin Betances
SB 85BA 63SC 28BP 63SN ES 83ML 41
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.
Full Scouting Report for Tyrell Jenkins
SB 86BA 94SC 92BP SN ES 74ML
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.
Full Scouting Report for Matt Purke
SB 87BA SC BP 91SN ES ML
Even with the departure of Sweet Jesus Montero, there is promise: Mason Williams remains in the Yankee stable, providing the sweet scent of offense-to-come. Mason, the son of former NFL receiver Derwin and the proud owner of a monicker that any power-suited New York attorney would be happy to carry, has already shamed the teams that passed him over four or five times each. The fourth-round pick arrived as a fiery, aggressive hitter and baserunner, with plus speed and solid defense in center. He's already looking like a better leadoff hitter and all-around player than Brett Gardner... and Curtis Granderson can play right field, can't he?
Full Scouting Report for Mason Williams
SB 88BA 85SC 96BP 99SN ES 34ML 73
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.
Full Scouting Report for Chris Withrow
SB 89BA SC BP SN ES ML
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, though both have seen improvements in the last year He already sports a powerful arm, as shown when he threw out nearly half of all would-be basestealers last season. A little blocked in Washington, he now has only the soon-to-be-expensive Kurt Suzuki ahead of him in Oakland, and the land of Moneyball is a great place to be affordable. His contact rate is a bit low, but a mix of patience and power is probably more valuable than that, anyway (see Napoli, Mike for details). Watch for him in late 2012, with an eye on an everyday job in 2013.
Full Scouting Report for Derek Norris
SB 90BA SC BP 96SN ES 93ML
A control artist with a devastating changeup, California native Tom Milone is also an eminently likeable player who coaches enjoy working with. In 12 games with AAA Syracruse last season, he went 12-6 with a 3.22 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP, striking out 155 in 148 innings, some of them on his high-80's fastball that looks a lot nastier when it follows his terrific change. He made five fill-in starts for the Nats when their rotation suffered injury in 2011 (1-0, 3.81, 1.23) and looked like a contender for a fifth starter spot in 2012 until he was summarily bundled up as a forgotten (especially by us) part of the Gio Gonzalez trade.
Full Scouting Report for Tom Milone
SB 91BA SC BP SN ES ML
Prospects
Top Prospects 2012
Combined Ranking
81 to 91 of 500 Prospects
