Scouting Book's Top Prospects list is a Combined List, a calculated summary of the overall valuations of the entire prospect universe.
Overall SB ranking for 2012 shown in parentheses.
He's six foot five with a 95mph fastball and he's... Japanese? Well, half-Japanese, at least. Darvish, the Japanese/Iranian wunderkind who's half baseball star and half sex symbol, is Japan's best young pitcher, and his upside is high enough that more than one team felt comfortable giving him a $60M contract, and that's only after spending another $50M for the right to even speak to him in the first place. MLB players who've faced him or played beside him call him one of the best pitchers they've ever seen. His most recent manager calls him 'the best pitcher in the history of Japanese baseball.' And ex-manager Trey Hillman has said that if it was possible, Darvish would be worth 'the rosters of a couple of major league teams' in a fair-value trade. (Then again, Hillman also said that Darvish's rock star cool was like 'Fonzie and Elvis, both at the same time.' so maybe he was having a little too much Sapporo.)
More Scouting Book Info on Yu Darvish
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As expected by Scouting Book readers, rake-thin Colombian righthander Julio Teheran forced his way onto the Braves roster in 2011, and he should be considered one of the very best prospects in all of baseball entering 2012. Unless he falls off the rails, this will be the last time he qualifies as a prospect: he should be be toeing the rubber every fifth day for the Braves next year. The man scouts have called 'the best Latin American pitcher since Felix Hernandez' has a lot of pressure to handle, but he's in the best possible system to nurture his development while also containing his ego. He stumbled a bit in 2011, but he still looks on-track to receive his first Cy Young Award by 2014 or so. Yes, he's that filthy.
More Scouting Book Info on Julio Teheran
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The Cardinals first round pick in 2009, pitcher Shelby Miller is a raw but talented prospect with a wicked-hot fastball that has excellent and natural late movement. He's learning to rely on more than just his admittedly-great heat to excel in pro ball, too, so it's not surprising to see his nifty 12-6 curve frustrate batters. More exciting is the extra sink he's starting to trust on the less-explosive two-seam version of his fastball, a pitch that even good hitters will beat into the ground with abandon. With a projectable body that could probably add muscle in the years to come, he looks like a good workhorse candidate in St. Louis come late 2013 or so, though he'll probably get a look-see a bit sooner than that.
More Scouting Book Info on Shelby Miller
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Like a taller twin to Gerrit Cole, righty James Taillon is a geniune monster power arm from Texas (via Quebec), a very high-ceiling pitcher who has already cracked 100mph on many radar guns. If that's not enough to get your attention, note that while his slider and change are below average, his curveball has already been rated a plus pitch. If he can hold his arm together under increasing workloads and develop his command and control to pro levels, he could be a viable #2 or #3 starter by 2014 or so, with a shot at being a genuine ace somewhere down the road. If Pittsburgh can keep Taillon, Cole and Allie together and healthy, they could have a rotation that evokes 1990's Atlanta only a few years from now.
More Scouting Book Info on Jameson Taillon
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The Yankees top international signee back in 2007, righthander Arodys Vizcaino got a taste of MLB ball in 2011 and should be back to stay in early 2012. His fastball hovers in the low 90s, but should get harder as he matures. He complements that with an already-superb curve and a developing change. In any other system, he'd be a number one prospect. In Atlanta, he's easy to overlook.
More Scouting Book Info on Arodys Vizcaino
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Spending $8M to sign number one pick Gerrit Cole might have seemed extravagant for a 'small market' team like the Pittsburgh Pirates, but when you keep finishing in last place year after year, you need to get something out of it, right? The net result is that the Pirates look very wise indeed: the righthanded Cole joins Jameson Taillon in what might be the best 1-2 punch on any prospect roster in the majors. One of the best starters in UCLA history, Cole left the school firmly entrenched on pretty much every record and leader board, and he'll bring his 98mph cannon to bear in 2012 as he tries to add some professional smarts to all that raw talent. A hot start could pressure Pittsburgh to promote him to the big club right away, but the team is still a couple of years from competing, so they'd be better served with patience, here. (It'll save them a lot of money, which they can spend on next year's big draft pick.)
More Scouting Book Info on Gerrit Cole
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One of the top high school arms in the country, Jacob Turner was drafted in the first round (9th overall) by the Detroit Tigers in 2009. More a potential pitcher than a pitcher just yet, Turner's three starts in Detroit last season weren't exactly high art, but at least the organization has a firm handle on what they're working with now. Turner has a big, strong, projectable body and a low-90's fastball, but the rest of his arsenal is very much in-development. While he could contend for a starting job in the thin 2012 Tiger rotation, smarter money would put him back on the farm to refine his game a bit first.
More Scouting Book Info on Jacob Turner
SB 13BA SC 11BP SN ES ML 15
Jarrod Parker, one of the most highly-touted prospects in the 2007 draft, fell to the Arizona Diamondbacks with the 9th overall pick. Shipped to Oakland as a part of Billy Beane's re-re-rebuilding plan, Parker shows exceptional character and makeup, which means he may be destined for the big leagues sooner than most. He draws comparisons to 2007 super-phenom Tim Lincecum, since he produces tremendous power from a smaller-than-average build. Though he doesn't have quite the same freakish ability or 102mph stuff as Lincecum, he'll likely follow a similar path anyway. Relief work will get him to the majors sooner than later, but if Oakland can be patient and help him along, he could be a middle-rotation starter as 2013 opens.
More Scouting Book Info on Jarrod Parker
SB 16BA SC 23BP SN ES ML 26
The fourth overall pick in the draft, righthander Trevor Bauer was overshadowed by rotation mate Gerrit Cole while at UCLA, but after turning pro he became one of the most impressive young arms anywhere in the minors. After blowing past high-A ball last year, he found his level in AA, and that's where he should open 2012. Bauer is a smallish pitcher, with a bit of an unconventional motion, but he's not the overpowering Lincecum type, more of a bag-of-tricks pitcher with a good head for the game. While he can dial his fastball up to 96mph when he wants to, he's much more effective when he holds back and lets the natural movement of his breaking balls do the work for him. It's possible he breaks camp with the Diamondbacks, but with the team not hurting for starters just yet, it's most likely that his real prime time won't be until 2013.
More Scouting Book Info on Trevor Bauer
SB 21BA SC 36BP SN ES ML 9
The younger of Baltimore's Bouncing Baby Bundies, the growly-looking Dylan is a righthander with ace upside, but he remains untested against pro hitters, and under professional pressure. His ungodly 0.25 ERA and 158 strikeouts in 71 innings as a high school senior earned him honors as the Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year, BA's High School Player of the Year Award and USA Today's National Player of the Year. That said, he's still a high school pitching prospect, among the riskiest bets in baseball, and will need more than a fastball/cutter combination to succeed as a starter, even though those two pitches are both genuine plus offerings. If you have to gamble though, note that the Baltimore organization has done nothing in the last few years to suggest they're not one of the very best incubators for pitching talent, so we're going with cautiously optimistic, here.
More Scouting Book Info on Dylan Bundy
SB 31BA SC 30BP SN ES ML 10
The Mariners' first round pick in 2010, righthander Taijuan Walker looks like a number one starter on almost any MLB team. On the Mariners, that probably makes him a number three, or maybe two-and-a-half. (This team's pitching depth in the minors is just plain sick, which explains why they could part with young ace Michael Pineda so 'easily' this winter.) Walker works mainly with a 94mph darting fastball that has great late movement, and when he mixes in a sometimes-effective straight change at 82mph, the fastball is nearly unhittable. His breaking pitch is a slurvy curve that isn't yet ready for regular use, but he'll have time to develop. He took a big step forward in 2011, going 6-5, 2.89, 1.12 at A-level Clinton. He struck out 113 in just 97 innings of work, walking only 39. Walker has higher upside (and higher risk) than either Hultzen or Paxton, but he's also a lot younger, and will probably take longer to realize his potential. If all goes well, he could be impressing coaches in AA as early as 2012, and be eating garlic fries for breakfast by the end of 2013. A safer bet puts him in contention for MLB work in 2014.
More Scouting Book Info on Taijuan Walker
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Originally a supplemental first round pick for the Brewers, this tall righthander has a smooth and easy delivery that portends well for his future in the system. He's still a couple of years away from serious attention, but he's worth keeping an eye on. A part of the prospect package that moved Zack Greinke to Milwaukee, Odorizzi should have a quicker path to the big leagues in Kansas City, too.
More Scouting Book Info on Jacob Odorizzi
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The Padres sure are good at picking up future superstars. In Casey Kelly, San Diego added a big, strong pitcher who will eventually make up for the loss of the very expensive Adrian Gonzalez. Young Casey Kelly is already 6-3 and 200lbs, with more size and strength to come as he fills out, and now that he's a full time mound monster, he can put all of that strength into his fastball. He took an uncomfortable step backwards with the Red Sox back in 2010, which probably precipitated their sudden willingness to part with the once-untouchable asset, but his stuff is still there, just waiting for his ability to catch up: Kelly's fastball was rated the best heatuh in the Red Sox system in 2010. And so was his curve. And so was his changeup. Put all that together with his plus control, and it seems pretty clear we're looking at the next Padres ace. After posting an 11-6, 3.98 record in AA San Antonio last year, he doesn't have much more growing to do. And that means he should be ready for the Show just.... about... now.
More Scouting Book Info on Casey Kelly
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The classic all-promise righthander, Arizona's Archie Bradley is a lesser known but potentially outstanding pitcher who's only a changeup short of a major league career very soon. Of course, that's the pitching equivalent of a hitter who can handle everything except a curve ball, so this youngster's future will depend mighty heavily on how many MPH he can subtract when called upon. If he stumbles, his big fastball and plus curve should still serve his team well in relief, but we won't know for another year or two which road he'll be taking from Visalia to Mobile.
More Scouting Book Info on Archie Bradley
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The player formerly known as Carlos Matias is a high-risk, high-upside pitcher from the Dominican who brings an advanced fastball and pitchability to the US mound. He's a bit of a mystery, and there's some question about how well his stuff will translate to the US game, but his minor league performance in 2011 quelled any fears that he would be a bust, as he struck out 98 A and high-A batters in 85 innings of pro work.
More Scouting Book Info on Carlos Martinez
SB 43BA SC 19BP SN ES ML 30
One of three top prospects acquired in winter 2011 from the Nationals, AJ Cole is a six-foot-five, lanky righthander who can already touch 95mph with his fastball. Cole also mixes in a power curve and passable changeup that could develop into plus pitches with good coaching and support. He's already drawing comparisons to Justin Verlander, who was a similar pitcher at the same age.
More Scouting Book Info on AJ Cole
SB 44BA SC 76BP SN ES ML 88
The seventh overall pick in the 2010 draft, Matt Harvey is a tall righthander from Mystic, Connecticut who pitched his college ball at UNC, where a few tweaks to his high-school delivery paid off with extra cheese on his fastball. He can dial that smooth, easy heat up to 98mph and has a propensity for throwing ground balls. His command is spotty, but nothing out of the norm for such a young, high-upside arm. He should move quickly through a pitching-poor Mets system, and it wouldn't be a shock to see him in Flushing sometime in 2012.
More Scouting Book Info on Matt Harvey
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The Red Sox first round pick in 2011, UConn's Matt Barnes was the 2011 Big East Pitcher of the Year. With a 98mph fastball and a curveball that looks downright impossible on a good day, he already looks like he could be a part of a big-league rotation, though his 1-2 pitch combo probably wouldn't work very well the third or fourth time through an MLB order. To fix this shortcoming, he'll work on developing his all-important third pitch, a change that's already reasonable but still raw. He'll do that while working in the minors this year, while the Red Sox try to train him to their style of play and development. Watch for him in 2013.
More Scouting Book Info on Matt Barnes
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He might sound more like a law firm than a pitcher (and there have indeed been a few ballplayers who've needed a good DUI lawyer in Chicago lately) but Addison Reed is actually a big, burly fireballer from Rancho Cucamonga who could push his way into the front of the White Sox bullpen as soon as this season. He's worked for his masters on the Sox farm as both starter and reliever, but it's only from the bullpen that his 98mph heat and wicked slider make him a truly exciting prospect, especially as a dark horse closer candidate for the bullpen-bereft ChiSox. Reed made a couple of relief appearances for the big club in 2011 (3.68 ERA thanks to 3 runs in 7 innings) but much more worthy of attention is the other half of that stat line: twelve strikeouts. In seven innings.
More Scouting Book Info on Addison Reed
SB 49BA SC 58BP SN ES ML 100
The Chicago Cubs Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2010, power righthander Chris Archer was the premium prospect returned to Tampa Bay in the trade that sent Matt Garza to Chicago. While his command is still spotty, the wild life he gets on a 97mph fastball and his true plus slider are tantalizing. As long as he can command his pitches a bit better and mix in his sub-average (for now) change, he still looks likely to be a near-ace starter come 2013 or so. If not, he's looking a lot like lights-out closer material already.
More Scouting Book Info on Chris Archer
SB 51BA SC BP SN ES ML 74
A crafty Australian with a highly-deceptive darting fastball and advanced pitchability, Twins prospect Liam Hendriks blew through two more levels of play and just kept on embarrassing hitters again in 2011. Hendriks is a solid starter, mixing up four above-average pitches to deliver a 29-17, 2.78, 1.09 line over three years of minor league development. His career minor league K-to-BB ratio is a almost 6:1, one of the best qualifying ratios in modern minor league history. A clever control pitcher like Hendriks could be a godsend in the middle of the Twins rotation for years to come, and he's ready to start his Twins career right about... now.
More Scouting Book Info on Liam Hendriks
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A wiry power pitcher with three quality pitches and developing control, Randall Delgado looks every bit the part of a young phenom: some days he can blow hitters away, while on other days he looks lost on the mound. His fastball, which can touch 95, lives more in the 92mph range with significant late movement. He got a look at the Braves big club in 2011, and he should get a much longer look in 2012. Depending on how beat up the major league staff is in midsummer, he could even get a call to stay.
More Scouting Book Info on Randall Delgado
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Another two-way player inherited from the Phillies system, Jarred Cosart is primarily a pitcher as far as the Astros are concerned. As a pitcher, he displays a consistent, balanced delivery, with a mid-90's fastball and a polished 11-5 curve that's probably the best hammer in the Astro system. His change, while a bit rough, also looks to be a potential plus offering.
More Scouting Book Info on Jarred Cosart
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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
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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
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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. He looked even better when moved up to AAA Nashville. As a Sound, he went 2-0 in five starts with a shimmering 2.03 ERA and 40 strikeouts in only 31 innings of work. While he's still in the habit of working his way deep into counts with even iffy hitters, he's also still young ,and has been improving in this department lately. He should be pushing for MLB work in 2012, and if he arrives, he's going to embarrass a lot of lesser hitters at the highest level.
More Scouting Book Info on Wily Peralta
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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. A flame-throwing righthander from Georgia, Wheeler mixes his 96mph fastball with a curve ball that's already a plus pitch. He's working now on adding a changeup, and if he can make it even a league-average offering, he can be a middle-rotation starter anywhere, anytime. Even without one, his fastball-curve combination is good enough for a major league bullpen today. He'll need some seasoning, of course, and most scouts would prefer to see that his pitcher-perfect body can hold up under a full season's workload before signing his ticket to Flushing. While he could pitch the Bigs right now, the Mets could benefit from showing a little patience: they won't be contenders in 2012 anyway, so it's probably better to bring an even-better Wheeler to the majors in 2013.
More Scouting Book Info on Zack Wheeler
SB 70BA SC 53BP SN ES ML 28
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
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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. He's zooming quickly up the system, and when this imposing righthander arrives, it'll be thanks to the plus command he shows with his decent 94mph fastball and near-plus curve. As with any young pitcher, it'll be the quality of his developing change that will determine whether he's an ace or a middle-of-the-pack starter two or three years from now. You just know Nolan Ryan wants this kid, but for now he's locked into a different home and native land.
More Scouting Book Info on Noah Syndergaard
SB 77BA SC 81BP SN ES ML 95
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
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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
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. Command is a big issue, as is his ability to deal with hitters late in games, so many see him as an ideal closer. Whether Pittsburgh is the right place to develop and polish the young pitcher is a question worth considering, but if he comes along as expected he should provide the third arm in a potentially dominant rotation by the middle of the decade. Worst case, he could be closing games in Pittsburgh by the end of 2013.
More Scouting Book Info on Stetson Allie
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The A's first round pick in the 2011 draft, righthander Sonny Gray is a small, stocky pitcher with big stuff. His 95mph fastball has great natural movement, and he's already complementing it with a quality curve. As can be said of 99% of all amateurs, though, his changeup isn't really all there yet, and it'll be what matters most to move him ahead. He's succeeded pitching up in the zone until now, which might come back to bite him, especially if the San Jose Athletics give Sonny Gray real estate that's a little less forgiving than the Oakland version.
More Scouting Book Info on Sonny Gray
SB 92BA SC 31BP SN ES ML 85
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.
More Scouting Book Info on Dellin Betances
SB 96BA SC 28BP SN ES ML 41
First drafted by the Red Sox way back in 2008, righthander Alex Meyer passed on an alleged $2M signing bonus to go attend U Kentucky, in order to reenter the draft in 2011. Apparently, he spent his time in school eating well: the youngster now tips the scales at 6-10 and 230lbs. A power pitcher (no kidding) with a high-90's fastball and a wicked slider, he's got stuff to burn, but a sometimes-wonky delivery and spotty command have plagued him through his young career. The Nats will be cautious with him, because he's one of those extremely high-ceiling types who's only a nudge or two from superstardom... or disaster. At least one fraction of the Nats organization wants to see him converted to closing duties, as the path to the majors could be much quicker and less risky with only two pitches needed along the way.
More Scouting Book Info on Alex Meyer
SB 101BA SC BP SN ES ML 83
Blessed with a name that would be right at home in a Steve McQueen movie, Georgia Tech's Deck McGuire is a bulldog indeed: an imposing 6-6, 220lb righthanded power pitcher whose mound presence and smarts earn him top marks. McGuire is a workhorse pitcher who mixes in three above-average pitches that aren't spectacular on their own, but are more than good enough to get hitters out in a variety of ways, especially when he commands them so well. His 'pitchability' has been cited by many coaches as off the scale. He's the type of polished college pitcher who could move very quickly.
More Scouting Book Info on Deck McGuire
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Acquired from the Blue Jays for shortstop-closer Sergio Santos, Nestor Molina is a slip of a Venezuelan righthander who might be the best prospect in the White Sox system. (Yes, that's a little like being the most-shy of the Kardashian sisters, but still.) Molina zipped up the charts when he went 12-3 with a 2.21 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in 23 minor league starts last year, splitting his time between A and AA ball. His strikeout rate of 10.2 per 9 innings also fits nicely into the category 'Things Sabermetricians Love'. The Sox are pushing him as a starter, but like teammate Addison Reed, Molina's crazy stuff might work best in relief. Stay tuned.
More Scouting Book Info on Nestor Molina
SB 116BA SC 64BP SN ES ML
A big righthander in the Carlos Zambrano mold, the amusingly-named Trey McNutt cracked three levels of the minors in 2010, then spent all of 2011 quietly racking up starts in AA Tennessee. McNutt combines an overpowering fastball with a disorienting power curve. While a third pitch would be nice to have in his back pocket, those two existing choices are both serious plus offerings, so the only real thing he's wanting for is a 'show me' selection or two. Chicago covets McNutt highly: when Tampa Bay asked for nominal top prospect Chris Archer or McNutt in a trade for Matt Garza, the Cubs didn't hesitate, and sent Archer packing immediately. McNutt will spend most or all of 2012 in the AA Tennessee rotation once again, but if he continues to dominate hitters, a cup of coffee in Chicago is not out of the question. Heck, if the club follows through on rumors it may trade another of its big starters, it's not impossible McNutt will end the season in the Wrigley rotation.
More Scouting Book Info on Trey McNutt
SB 117BA SC BP SN ES ML
A big righthanded reliever from the glittering metropolis known as Cowpens, South Carolina, Giants pitcher Richard (Heath) Hembree is a low-glamor, low-maintenance and highly durable farmhand who would probably take the mound 162 times each season if his coach asked him to. He looked pretty darn good at AA Richmond last year, striking out 34 and walking only 13 in 28 one-inning appearances. Give him another half year and he'll be ready to chew through the middle innings in San Francisco, too.
More Scouting Book Info on Heath Hembree
SB 119BA SC BP SN ES ML
A huge beast of a pitcher, the six foot eight Anthony Ranaudo is one of many premium righthanded arms from the 2010 Amateur Draft. The LSU alum works with a mid-90's fastball on an (obviously) downward plane, mixing in an average curve and changeup that will have to improve before he's MLB-worthy. He made 10 starts for A-level Greenville in 2011, and sixteen more for high-A Salem in the more hitter-friendly Carolina League. Across both teams, he went 9-6, 3.97, 1.27, striking out 117 hitters in 127 combined innings, which means he should continue to move up on schedule this eason. There are still some concerns with his mechanics, as is often the case with tall pitchers, and his slightly jerky delivery worries a few scouts. Despite those concerns, though, Ranaudo is a pitcher with significant upside that should be worth the risk the Sox took on him.
More Scouting Book Info on Anthony Ranaudo
SB 120BA SC 63BP SN ES ML
A dominating college closer drafted in the second round of 2008, ex-Boilermaker Josh Lindblom might still be a big-league starter, assuming the Dodgers make up their mind soon, rather than Elberting the youngster around for his entire career. He did look very good in nine relief appearances for the Dodgers in 2011 (2.73 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 30 innings), so he seems damn-near ready for 2012 bullpen work right now.
More Scouting Book Info on Josh Lindblom
SB 122BA SC BP SN ES ML
Yes, he's still a prospect. The Mets may not have handled him in the best way possible, yanking him around between the bullpen and rotation as well as up and down the development ladder, but righthander Jenrry ('Henry') Meija seems to have survived the abuse well enough. An international signee who immediately jumped to the top of the Mets' pitching prospect chart, Meija is one of the few bright spots in a downtrodden farm system. The proud owner of easy heat in the form of a mid-90s fastball and a very good, deceptive change, he's still on the cusp of full-time usefulness in MLB. That means that once again, he'll probably get a shot at the Mets rotation in 2012, and if he can perform, he'll hold it for years to come.
More Scouting Book Info on Jenrry Mejia
SB 123BA SC BP SN ES ML
An eighteenth round pick (!) of the Dodgers back in 2008, righthander Allen Webster has made the Dodger scouts look awfully clever since, as he's risen into the very top ranks of the system in the past three seasons. Splitting 2011 between the two cutest-named minor league cities in baseball, Webster followed up a 5-2 record and 1.24 WHIP in 9 starts at Rancho Cucamonga with a 6-3, 1.50 WHIP in 17 more at Chattanooga, his first test in AA ball. He'll start (and probably finish) 2012 with the Lookouts, and should be getting measured for Dodger Blue soon after that.
More Scouting Book Info on Allan Webster
SB 126BA SC 78BP SN ES ML 79
A frighteningly tall and thin righthander, Hisashi Iwakuma is one of the most polished import pitchers from Japan. Best known to western eyes from his performance in the 2009 World Baseball Classic, Iwakuma's strength is his plus control. He works mainly from a sinking low 90's fastball that generates a very high ground ball percentage. He also throws a serviceable shuuto and splitter. While the Oakland A's secured the rights to Iwakuma prior to the 2011 season, the two sides failed to reach an agreement, returning the pitcher to Japan for one more season. The second time around, the Mariners won the blind auction and did not fail, signing Iwakuma to a one-year contract. He will compete for, and is expected to win, a rotation spot.
More Scouting Book Info on Hisashi Iwakuma
SB 131BA SC BP SN ES ML
The Blue Jays have a lot of pitching prospects that aren't wicked-nasty aces, but are smart, quality pitchers who could be just fine in the middle or back of an MLB rotation in the years to come. Righthander Drew Hutchison definitely fits into that category. While he lacks the physicality and projectability of some of the glossier arms in the system, Hutchison has produced quiet, smart results by picking apart big swingers with superior control of pedestrian stuff. It's hard to complain about his 14-5, 2.54, 1.04 showing across three levels of play last year, especially when you note that he struck out an impressive 171 in 150 innings (27 starts). If he has downsides, it's that his 92ish fastball isn't blowing many away, and he seems to have a lot of success early in games that he can't sustain past the fifth inning. He could also pack on a few more cheeseburgers, which might be related to that second issue. Of course, he's 20 years old, so let's see what happens in 2012 before judging the kid too harshly. Next year will be his first to start in AA, and it should serve the usual purpose in sorting out how sustainable his low-minors performance will be.
More Scouting Book Info on Drew Hutchison
SB 134BA SC 79BP SN ES ML
A thin, wiry righthander from the Dominican Republic, Reds prospect Daniel Corcino doesn't do anything fancy on the mound. He simply mixes a maxed-out 98mph heater with a quality breaking ball and gets hitters out. In a full year of A-ball at Dayton in 2011, Corcino went 11-7, 3.42, striking out 156 would-be hitters in only 139 innings of work. Perhaps most impressively for such a hot arm, he walked only 34. If his progress continues unabated, he'll start 2012 in high-A and end up in AA before the season is over. That puts him on track for a midseason callup in 2013.
More Scouting Book Info on Daniel Corcino
SB 135BA SC BP SN ES ML
A dominant closer at Texas Tech, Rockies righthander Chad Bettis is exactly the right kind of pitcher to survive at Coors Field. He mixes a heavy and loose fastball with just enough of an effective mid-80's slider that prevents hitters from making square contact... the scariest kind of contact. His brief time in the minors to date has been no challenge at all, as Bettis has easily delivered a shimmering 2.70 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 237 career innings of work across three levels of play. He's also struck out out 240 and walked only 58 in that time. He's being groomed as a full-time starter, at least for now, and he still has to get over the hurdle of AA, but at this rate, he'll be banging on the door in Colorado before 2012 is finished. His sweet spot is mid-2013, though.
More Scouting Book Info on Chad Bettis
SB 139BA SC BP SN ES ML 66
Nathan (not 'Nate', not ever 'Nate') Eovoldi is a hard-throwing, easy-armed righthander working his way to Dodger Stadium as a top Los Angeles prospect. With a 94mph fastball that looks effortless, Eovoldi worked his way right up to a sample start in Arizona last year, striking out seven in a five inning debut before removing himself via an embarrassing fielding tumble. He'll compete for a starting gig in 2012, and could very well win one despite his young age. Even if he doesn't, he should be in Dodger Blue before the season is half-finished.
More Scouting Book Info on Nathan Eovaldi
SB 142BA SC BP SN ES ML 70