Top Baseball Prospects for 2013
Now updated for 2013'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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The Best Southpaw Prospects for 2013
Overall SB ranking shown in parentheses.
The main return for the departing Dan Haren, Arizona's Tyler Skaggs is almost ready to compete at the major league level, and should contend for a rotation spot in early 2013. Skaggs was so-so as injury relief for the Diamondbacks last year, but is better than his numbers displayed, and the extra experience will probably only make him stronger. If he doesn't break camp with the Diamondbacks, he'll be back to join them permanently soon enough.
Full Scouting Report for Tyler Skaggs
SB 20BA 12SC 13BP 17SN ES 12ML 10
The number two overall pick in 2011, Seattle pitching prospect Danny Hultzen is a solid lefthander who draws more than his share of Cliff Lee comparisons. With a fastball that drops in around 94mph and a no-nonsense workmanlike approach to the game, the comparison isn't far off base, either. In three seasons of duty at the University of Virginia, Hultzen went 32-5 with a 2.08 ERA. The Cavs ace also struck out a nasty 148 batters in 103 innings in his final season.
Full Scouting Report for Danny Hultzen
SB 25BA 29SC 11BP 50SN ES 66ML 18
A so-so starter at Rice before he found his feet as an exceptional closer, Reds prospect Tony Cingrani might just be the long-term answer in the Cincinnati bullpen, either as a lefty specialist or future closer. While his plus fastball was already 95mph as a starter, it can touch 99 in relief, and he flashes just enough of a loopy slider and acceptable change to keep hitters more or less honest. Give him a few months in pro ball, and we should see him in Cincinnati this season to fill in wherever the Reds feel weak: whether it's to bolster the bullpen or retool the starting rotation. Since the Reds have already shown they don't much care for lefty-righty nonsense, Cingrani could compete for either a rotation spot or the closer's role in 2014.
Full Scouting Report for Tony Cingrani
SB 34BA 82SC 64BP 91SN ES 98ML 66
Hyun-Jin Ryu is a veteran lefthander who won the Korean Rookie of the Year and MVP in 2006, and has been a league All-Star for six seasons since. Most recently, Ryu went 9-9 with a 2.66 ERA and 210 strikeouts in 183 innings last season for the Hanwha Eagles.
Full Scouting Report for Hyun-Jin Ryu
SB 49BA 42SC BP SN ES ML
One of the bundle of top prospects sent to Miami for Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson and company in November, Justin Nicolino is a finessey lefty in the Tom Glavine fashion. Nicolino can dial his fastball up to 92 or 93, but not much more than that. It's more than enough, though. Nicolino had what might be the best debut by a Jays prospect ever in 2011, and has continued to blossom since. If he makes the big leagues in 2013, which is possible, he'll do it on the strength of an easy, repeatable throwing motion (balls will come down, down, down on hitters from his tall frame and overhand motion) and a propensity to throw strikes, strikes and more strikes.
Full Scouting Report for Justin Nicolino
SB 56BA 86SC 39BP 73SN ES 62ML 72
A quality lefthander who looks close to MLB ready, San Diego pitcher Max Fried should see Petco sooner rather than later. Fried's fastball doesn't exceed 92mph very often, though he can add a bit more when he really needs it and gets more outs thanks to its sinking nature than its velocity, anyway. His cutter and change are average pitches already, and should be better than average by the time he's anchored into the Padre rotation.
Full Scouting Report for Max Fried
SB 80BA 46SC 68BP 61SN ES 51ML 53
Two years from now, the Seattle Mariners might just have one of the very best rotations in all of baseball. Yes, really. In addition to solid and near-ready Danny Hultzen and phenom Taijuan Walker, the Mariners also own James Paxton, a tall, athletic Canadian lefthander. Paxton rose to national attention at U Kentucky, and was selected in the 2009 Draft's supplemental round by the Toronto Blue Jays. He did not sign, however, and quickly became embroiled in a hubbub and eventual lawsuit when it was revealed that his 'family adviser' Scott Boras may have negotiated with the Blue Jays on his behalf, which is against NCAA rules. He thus became ineligible to play NCAA ball in 2010, and instead parked himself in independent ball to await the next draft, when he was selected by the Mariners much later, at #132nd overall.
Full Scouting Report for James Paxton
SB 91BA 87SC 82BP 92SN ES ML 61
A big, strong strikeout artist who's been held back thus far by control issues, homegrown Phillies lefty Jesse Biddle still gets a very high nod thanks to his crazy-good stuff. He struck out a batter per inning at low-A Lakewood last year, which is enough to give him a pass (for now) on the fact that he also walked exactly one batter per odd inning.
Full Scouting Report for Jesse Biddle
SB 102BA 89SC 88BP 67SN ES 95ML 60
A smallish but smart-throwing lefthander from Oklahoma, Marlin prospect Andrew Heany is the proud owner of a quality three-pitch arm. On a Marlin club shallow in the pitching department, Heany could move quickly: we wouldn't be surprised to see him arrive in 2014, a year ahead of schedule.
Full Scouting Report for Andrew Heaney
SB 110BA 43SC BP SN ES ML 81
A tall lefthander from California, Boston prospect Henry Owens is a raw but high-ceilinged pitcher who many project as a future relief specialist, though he's shown the durability and maturity to survive as a starter, and the Sox are expected to keep him in that role as long as possible. Owens fastball is a low-90's offering with movement, though it could pick up a few ticks as he grows and gains strength. He mixes in two curves, one hard and one soft, with varying degrees of effectiveness, and a weak changeup that does almost no good whatsoever at present.
Full Scouting Report for Henry Owens
SB 122BA 91SC BP SN ES ML 94
An undrafted free agent signing from Venezuela, teenage lefty Martin Perez was one of the Rangers' best-kept secrets until he blew away half the minor leagues in 2009. He's impressive, and slowly getting closer to MLB-ready. The wiry 22 year old stumbled a bit last season and looked iffy in his Arlington debut, but for most of his career hasn't failed to strike out a batter per inning. Thanks to the depth of the MLB club, Perez is most likely to start 2013 back in AAA and join the big club somewhere during the year His prime won't arrive until 2014 or so, however.
Full Scouting Report for Martin Perez
SB 129BA 81SC 55BP 59SN ES 93ML 95
A smallish lefty drafted in 2009's third round and traded to San Diego in mid-2011, Robbie Erlin has risen very quickly through the farm system and could even get to the majors as early as 2013. Working through three levels of play in 2011, Erlin did the bulk of his work at AA Frisco after outclassing A hitters in the Carolina League. His 2012 numbers (2.82, 1.25, 80:16), racked up mainly at AA San Antonio, are so good that he might get an opportunity in San Diego this season. If he's among the Texas League's better starters by midseason, which is quite possible, expect to see him in San Diego by the second half.
Full Scouting Report for Robbie Erlin
SB 147BA SC BP SN ES ML
A workhorse lefty with a quality curveball, Holmberg was the 71st pick overall in the 2008 draft. He's not an overpowering pitcher, but he's pretty well-developed, setting up his almost MLB-ready hammer with a 90mph fastball that features tricksy late movement: it cuts in on righthanded hitters in an especially nasty way. He's a year or so away from everyday usefulness at an MLB level, but he should move quickly. He'll break more than his share of bats along the way.
Full Scouting Report for David Holmberg
SB 156BA SC BP SN ES ML
With a nickname that sounds like something out of a Radical Feminist Manifesto, Manny Banuelos is a young and tiny lefthander signed out of Mexico who's already being heralded as a shining success story for the Yankees international scouting team. Man-Ban's fastball is an easy 92mph, while his changeup already looks like a plus pitch, remarkable in such a young player. He's been working on adding a curve and/or slider to his mix, which would silence those calling him a bullpen-only piece, but even his existing two-pitch arsenal has been effective so far. He'll be brought along slowly, as the ever-conservative Yankees have no need to rush him, but if his next year is as good as his last, he'll have to be considered one of the top young arms in the minor leagues.
Full Scouting Report for Manny Banuelos
SB 157BA SC 89BP SN ES ML
Charlotte native Alex Wood is a lefthanded prospect pitcher drafted by the Braves in 2012's second round. The Friday night starter for Georgia last season, Wood projects as a quality middle-of-the-rotation arm for the Braves, and once they add their usual magic, he could be even better than that. His calling card to date has been his fastball, which is exceptional for a left, while not exactly David Price quality. His secondary pitches haven't been seasoned as much, but that's what the minor leagues are for.
Full Scouting Report for Alex Wood
SB 161BA SC BP SN ES ML
A flamethrowing lefthander, Montgomery was grabbed early by the Royals in the 2008 draft. Four minor league seasons later, he's still looking pretty legitimate, if unspectacular. He's assembled a 4.17 ERA, a 1.34 WHIP and a 460:212 collection of strikeouts versus walks over 546 innings that have propelled him to AAA and the major league doorstep. Traded to the Rays during the 2012 winter, he'll be looked to sooner than he might have been in KC. He's only 23 years old, and suffered some flameout control issues at times last season, but we still expect to see him in the majors this season. A new coaching staff might be all that it takes to restore his onetime shine.
Full Scouting Report for Mike Montgomery
SB 163BA SC BP SN ES ML
A college ace at Georgia Tech, lefthander Jedidiah Custer Bradley compiled a three year record of 18-11, 4.62, though it was his 7-3, 3.49 final season that got him a ticket to the first round of the MLB draft, when he was selected 15th overall by Milwaukee. While his 94mph heater isn't anything special, his advanced command of the changeup is what moved him to the highest levels of the draft, and it's that same change that will get him to MLB sooner or later. Probably sooner.
Full Scouting Report for Jed Bradley
SB 172BA SC BP SN ES ML
A lefty who can touch 96mph with a sizzling fastball, Toronto's Daniel Norris is a bit of a sleeper who should be gaining a lot more attention in the months and years to come. Norris already complements his heat with a hammer curve that can be devastating, and if he manages to get a third pitch up to even major-league average, he'll be an ace on a team known for discovering gems.
Full Scouting Report for Dan Norris
SB 179BA SC BP SN ES ML
A big power lefty from Kent State who's already had TJ surgery, Diamondback prospect Andrew Chafin was an A-round selection in the 2011 draft, though many expected him to go sooner than that. His fastball is a 94mph offering with a nice natural sink, perfect for Chase Field, and he locates it well inside and out to frustrate all types of batter. His secondary pitches, a curve and slider, are average and a bit erratic, but he'll have time to refine those, along with his underused and underdeveloped change. While he closed during his early days in college, he should now be considered a middle-rotation candidate as long as his bionic arm stays attached.
Full Scouting Report for Andrew Chafin
SB 180BA SC BP SN ES ML
A smallish lefty drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the third round of the 2011 MLB Draft, Georgia native Adam C. Morgan is a quality pitcher on his way to Citizens Bank in the near future. After spending most of the year in high-A Clearwater, Morgan enjoyed a late-season promotion to AA Reading, where he struck out 29 batters in 35 innings and turned in a 1.27 WHIP. He's likely to return to Reading for most or all of 2013, during which time he'll work on sharpening his already-plus change and trying to get some repeatable movement on his 92mph fastball, which can flatten out at times. Some scouts cringe at his stiff-legged high-effort delivery, but when you're only six feet tall, you need to generate power somehow. While a bit risky going forward, he seems to have the smarts and work ethic to succeed. Pencil him in as bullpen help next year and a fifth-starter competitor the year after that.
Full Scouting Report for Adam Morgan
SB 181BA SC BP SN ES 92ML
Top Prospects 2013
Combined Ranking
