Scouting Book: The Best Baseball Prospects for 2008 (Sleepers Too!)

Baseball Prospect Rankings for 2008

Scouting Book's Top Prospects list is different than other prospect lists: we're not in a bubble, and we never sit still. We show you not just our own rankings, but also rankings from some of the other major ranking lists for each player. You can now sort, for example, by Baseball America's rankings, or view the top prospects as chosen by the wizards at Baseball Prospectus, or compare our rankings to those from Sports Illustrated. Also, unlike most lists, we don't publish a book! Our lists are updated often during the offseason, and updated daily during the pre-season to show the latest situations and adjusted for spring results. This means we're always a work in progress. We also think this means our lists are much more useful for fantasy draft purposes. If you notice a mistake or have a suggestion feel free to let us know by mailing mistakes (at) our domain name. For more on our methods, see this blog entry.

Baseball's Top Prospects for Spring 2008

91. Oscar Tejada

SS, BOS

A toolsy infielder with good bat speed, Tejada is a high-quality prospect with no obvious path in the Boston system. A smart player with a good attitude for learning and development, he possesses the raw skills to play any position. In Boston, that means it's possible he may be moved to third base if he develops a bit more power. At his current projection, he's more of a 10-15 homer guy than a major longball threat.

More Scouting Book Info on Oscar Tejada >

92. Chin-Lung Hu

SS, LAD

A gap-hitting middle infielder with good defensive skills and developing power, Hu looks to be a part of the Dodgers future, though perhaps not until 2009.

With Rafael Furcal entrenched at SS, and Jeff Kent returning to L.A. for at least one more season, there won't be a place for Hu to play this year. And that's too bad: His .319/.337/.508 line in short AAA action last year means he's worth a look somewhere. If the Dodgers don't want him on the bench, or are otherwise reluctant to start his major league payroll clock, he'll spend the year in the minors before getting a chance to audition September. He's a frequent trade target, so don't be surprised to see his name come up during June and July.

More Scouting Book Info on Chin-Lung Hu >

SB #92 | BA #55 | BP #32 | ML unranked | SN unranked | ES #50

93. Radhames Liz

RHP, BAL

A fascinating blip on the prospect radar for a few years now, Liz is one of the Orioles' most interesting prospects. While he has a solid moving fastball in the upper-90s, it's his devastating slider that has scouts buzzing. If he can learn to rein in the walks and keep his pitches near the zone, he'll be dominant. If he can't, he'll flame out quickly once he starts facing more patient batters.

Despite his lanky frame and long arms, Liz uses a simple overhand pitching motion rather than the slingshot that some coaches have tried to teach him. As such, he's having difficulty disguising his otherwise-quality changeup.

While he's listed as a starter, a number of scouts would rather see his nasty 1-2 combination in the bullpen, where he could give max effort for an inning or two rather than grind through an entire game with iffy control.

More Scouting Book Info on Radhames Liz >

SB #93 | BA #69 | BP #85 | ML #45 | SN #16 | ES unranked

94. Bryan Anderson

C, STL

A slugging left-handed catcher who hit .302 as a 19-year old A-baller and .298 as a 20-year old in AA the next season, Anderson is generally regarded as the catcher of the near future in St Louis.

A fourth round pick in 2005, Anderson has impressed coaches and scouts ever since, and could see action in St Louis as soon as 2008.

More Scouting Book Info on Bryan Anderson >

SB #94 | BA #85 | BP #71 | ML unranked | SN unranked | ES unranked

95. Justin Huber

1B, SD

The Australian connection never did arrive in Kansas City Junction, despite his great offensive power. Originally drafted by the New York Mets, Huber was part of the 2004 trade for Kris Benson.

A converted catcher who could still serve as a backup there, Huber has line-drive power with very high on-base skills. He lurked in the shadows of Kansas City just behind Alex Gordon and Billy Butler, never quite breaking past them. He's a good player who deserves a full-time gig in MLB, but he'll be hard-pressed to find it in San Diego. Even if the Padres can make space for his all-bat approach, Petco is a poor showcase.

More Scouting Book Info on Justin Huber >

96. Sean Gallagher

RHP, CHC

While he struggled some at AA, he has solid career numbers, and projects to be a significant piece in the Cubs future. His 1.29 WHIP and 361:142 K to BB ration come from more than 350 minor league innings, so he's the real thing.

More Scouting Book Info on Sean Gallagher >

SB #96 | BA #82 | BP unranked | ML unranked | SN unranked | ES #71

97. Tyler Robertson

LHP, MIN

A ground ball pitcher who seems to handle lefties just as well as right-handed batters, Robertson is just the latest out machine to come from the Twins pitching factory. While some bemoan his awkward delivery, nobody minded the way he used his 92mph fastball, nasty curve and excellent slider to finish second in league ERA for the low-A Beloit Snappers.

To go with that 2.29 ERA and 1.17 WHIP, Roberston struck out 123 batters (in only 102 innings) while walking only 33. The combination of his insane K-BB ratio, nasty repetoire and odd delivery have gained him a few 'left-handed Lincecum' comparisons, but nobody will mistake his 6-5 frame for the diminutive Giant.

More Scouting Book Info on Tyler Robertson >

98. Chris Carter

1B, OAK

Chris Carter, a hard-hitting first baseman from Redwood City, California, is one of the busload of prospects Oakland acquired from Arizona in the trade that sent Dan Haren to the desert. Often confused with the other first base prospect named Chris Carter, Oakland's version is the bigger, stronger, younger and much more right-handed version.

He's a couple of years away from seriously contributing, and he's moved from being blocked by Conor Jackson to being blocked by Daric Barton (note: not good news for Carter fans), but he's got a quality bat and good plate discipline, two things that Oakland loves dearly. He could show up in 2009 or 2010 at 1B, OF or DH.

More Scouting Book Info on Chris Carter >

SB #98 | BA n/a | BP #99 | ML unranked | SN #49 | ES unranked

99. Phillippe Aumont

RHP, SEA

The rising wave of Canadian pitchers continued when Seattle chose Quebec native Philipe Aumont with their first-round pick in 2007. With visions of Randy Johnson dancing in their heads, the Mariners are definitely looking to a strong future.

A 6-7 righthander with a 92-95 MPH sinking fastball, Aumont has an imposing mound presence that endears him to scouts and coaches alike. While he's only 18, he's already raising eyebrows with a precocious ability to pound the lower part of the zone and work both sides of the plate. While he has a slider and changeup, neither is a plus pitch, which means he'll rise or fall on his sinker.