Top Prospects -- Good read for leagues that have Rookie Keepers

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Looking at the top third-base prospects Story Tools: Print Email Blog This Subscribe Dayn Perry / FOXSports.com Posted: 3 days ago

This week, we're continuing our tour of the diamond by ranking the top 10 prospects at each position. Up this time around are the third basemen. Top catcher prospects Top first-base prospects Top second-base prospects In this list we're excluding those third base prospects who are certain to exhaust their rookie status (e.g., Ryan Zimmerman) or almost certain to exhaust their rookie status. Onward … 1. Alex Gordon, Royals, Age: 22 Acquired: 1st round, 2005, U. of Nebraska The second overall pick of last year's draft, Gordon is a tremendous offensive talent. He hits for high averages and shows outstanding power to all fields. While he doesn't draw a ton of walks, he has excellent contact skills and knows the strike zone. Defensively, he shows good footwork and has a powerful throwing arm. This season, Gordon is hammering the ball (.323 AVG/.383 OBP/.594 SLG) at Double-A Wichita. He's bound for superstardom. 2. Andy Marte, Indians, Age: 22 Acquired: Non-drafted free agent, 2000, Dominican Republic Marte, despite his All-Star potential, is already on his third organization. Defensively he's outstanding, and his raw power numbers have been excellent despite the fact that he played in a slew of pitcher-friendly parks while coming through the Braves' system. In the majors, Marte should be good for a .275 average with 25 homers and 70 walks per season. This season, Marte has a nifty .394 OBP, but he's not hitting for power just yet. If Aaron Boone's slide continues, Marte will be in Cleveland sooner rather than later. 3. Ian Stewart, Rockies, Age: 21 Acquired: 1st round, 2003, La Quinta HS (Westminster, CA) Stewart's numbers from 2005 don't look all that impressive at first blush, but that was mostly because he was hampered by an injured hamstring in the early weeks of the season. When healthy, Stewart boasts a light-tower stroke to all fields, plays passable defense at third and runs the bases reasonably well. This season, he's off to an excellent start in the Texas League. Expect him to put up monster numbers at Coors Field and become the best prospect the Rockies have developed since Todd Helton. 4. Ryan Braun, Brewers, Age: 22 Acquired: 1st round, 2005, U. of Miami Yet another impact bat set to come out of the Brewers system ... Braun boasts quick wrists through the zone, excellent bat speed and a knack for recognizing breaking pitches early. On the downside, Braun's swing can get awkward at times, and he's nothing special with the glove. He's had some elbow problems in the recent past, but those didn't prevent him from tearing up the Sally League last season. Still, if his elbow doesn't hold up, he could be moved to an outfield corner. 5. Matt Moses, Twins, Age: 21 Acquired: 1st round, 2003, Mills Godwin HS (Richmond, VA) Moses gets the bat through the zone in a hurry, so he's capable of ripping the ball. He doesn't exhibit much patience at the plate, so he'll need to hit for high averages if he's to be effective. Moses' numbers in 2004 were dampened by a back injury, but he rebounded nicely at High-A Fort Myers. This season, Moses is in Double-A, and he's hitting (.324 AVG/.380 OBP/.521 SLG). If he keeps that up, he's for real. 6. Andy LaRoche, Dodgers, Age: 22 Acquired: 39th round, 2003, Grayson County Junior College Andy LaRoche made in impression in last year's All-Star Futures game. (John Reid III/MLB / Getty Images) LaRoche, the younger brother of Braves first baseman Adam, spent the first half of the 2005 season at High-A Vero Beach of the pitcher-friendly Florida State League. There, LaRoche hit .333 AVG/.381 OBP/.651 SLG with 21 homers in 249 at bats. His numbers dropped after a mid-season promotion to AA-Jacksonville, and this season he's once again struggling in the Southern League. LaRoche's power is quite good, and he's also a skilled contact hitter. However, this season raises doubts that he's going to be on schedule in adapting to the high minors. 7. Josh Fields, White Sox, Age: 23 Acquired: 1st round, 2004, Oklahoma State The White Sox had great luck with the last OSU third baseman they drafted in the first round (Robin Ventura), but Fields isn't on that level. Fields does have good bat speed and some power, but he's not likely to hit for high averages or draw many walks. In 2006, Fields is putting up quality numbers at Triple-A Charlotte. Long-term, think Joe Crede without the defense. 8. Johnny Whittleman, Rangers, Age: 19 Acquired: 2nd round, 2005, Kingwood HS (Kingwood, TX) Whittleman is raw, but he's got hitting tools. He has an advanced idea of the strike zone, he makes contact, and he'll show power to the gaps. He was drafted as a shortstop, but he lacks the footwork for the position. At third, however, Whittleman has the potential to be a plus defender. This season, he's struggling in the Midwest League. 9. Scott Moore, Cubs, Age: 22 Acquired: 1st round, 2002, Cypress HS (Cypress, CA) (by Tigers) Nabbed from the Tigers last year as part of the Kyle Farnsworth deal, Moore is a tolerable defender at third who enjoyed a bit of a power spike last season in his second tour of duty in the FSL. The 2005 campaign was his first truly impressive one with the bat, so he'll need to prove those numbers weren't a fluke. 10. Eric Duncan, Yankees, Age: 21 Acquired: 1st round, 2003, Seton Hall Prep HS (West Orange, NJ) Duncan had a breakout season in 2004, showing good raw power in the Florida State League at the age of 19. However, last season Duncan looked overmatched at Double-A Trenton (a batting line of .235 AVG/.326 OBP/.408 SLG in 126 games). Undaunted, the Yankees, for reasons known only to them, promoted Duncan to Triple-A for the start of the 2006 season. Not surprisingly, he's struggling badly against International League pitching. Duncan has good bat speed and crushes fastballs, but some within the organization wonder whether he'll be able to handle major league breaking stuff. To compound matters, Duncan's glove may not play at third. If he winds up at first base, his offensive bar is that much higher. It's far too soon to write Duncan off, but he's solidly overrated at this juncture. Dayn Perry is a frequent contributor to FOXSports.com and author of the new book, "Winners: How Good Baseball Teams Become Great Ones" (Available now at Amazon.com).

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Ranking the top 10 catcher prospects Story Tools: Print Email Blog This Subscribe Dayn Perry / Special to FOXSports.com Posted: 17 days ago

Beginning this week, we're going to take a tour of the diamond and rank the top 10 prospects at each position. Up first are the catchers. In this list we're excluding those catching prospects who are certain to exhaust their rookie status (e.g., Kenji Johjima) or almost certain to exhaust their rookie status (e.g., Josh Willingham, Jeff Mathis). Top prospects by position ... Catcher Top 100 prospects for 2006 ... Dayn Perry recently counted down the Top 100 youngsters in the game. See who came out on top. Prospects No. 1-10 Prospects No. 11-20 Prospects No. 21-30 Prospects No. 31-40 Prospects No. 41-50 Prospects No. 51-60 Prospects No. 61-70 Prospects No. 71-80 Prospects No. 81-90 Prospects No. 91-100 Onward ... 1. Jeff Clement, Mariners, Age: 22 Acquired: 1st round, 2005, USC Clement has awesome left-handed power to his credit, and his defense is coming along fairly well. He doesn't profile as a high-average hitter, and the plate discipline leaves much to be desired. But the power will carry him. Behind the plate, his throwing arm is sub-optimal, but he's otherwise a capable receiver. He'll good for 25-30 homers annually at the highest level. A strong showing in major league camp this spring may have accelerated his timetable. 2. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Braves, Age: 20 Acquired: 1st round, 2003, Royal Palm Beach HS (West Palm Beach, FL) Although "Salty" played half his games last season at High-A Myrtle Beach, which is perhaps the toughest hitter's park in professional baseball, he still managed to put up a batting line of .314 AVG/.394 OBP/.519 SLG. Suffice it to say, that's nifty production for a catcher. Saltalamacchia is a switch-hitter, but there's a chance he'll bat exclusively from the left side before he reaches the majors. He knows the strike zone and has an excellent power stroke, but the presence of Brian McCann in Atlanta means Salty's future behind the plate is left to question. He's with Double-A Mississippi this season. 3. Neil Walker, Pirates, Age: 20 Acquired: 1st round, 2004, Pine Richland HS (Gibsonia, PA) The 11th-overall pick of the 2004 draft, Walker is fluid and mobile behind the plate, and his offensive skills are also promising. Walker spent most of last season in the South Atlantic League, where he hit.301 AVG/.329 OBP/.452 SLG. Walker boasts good bat speed and a swing and body type that lends itself to power production down the road. He's presently sidelined after undergoing off-season wrist surgery, but he's expected to be back in action by the end of the month. 4. Mike Napoli, Angels, Age: 24 Acquired: 17th round, 2000, Charles Flanagan HS (Cooper City, FL) For his minor league career, Napoli boasts an OBP of .377 and an SLG of .474. Oh, and he's also whacked 165 extra-base hits in 1,494 career at bats. To boot, Napoli is also a highly capable defensive backstop, so he certainly profiles as a quality regular in the bigs. He's one of the most underrated position prospects in the game today. 5. Russell Martin, Dodgers, Age: 23 Acquired: 17th round, 2002, Chipola College In 2005, Martin posted .430 OBP, which was good for second in the Southern League. He's also a skilled defensive catcher with polished receiving skills and a strong throwing arm. Martin's power stroke, however, leaves something to be desired. He's a career .419 slugger, and his raw-power indicators are even more troubling. He has the swing mechanics for a power breakout, but so far that hasn't happened. He's off to a hot start this season at Triple-A Las Vegas. 6. George Kottaras, Padres, Age: 22 Acquired: 20th round, 2002, Connors State College In the second half of 2005, Kottaras posted a .397 OBP even though he toiled in the pitcher-friendly Southern League. The power hasn't yet come, but he's a skilled on-base guy. Kottaras boasts a smooth line-drive swing from the left side, and he's quick behind the plate. His release on throws is a bit slow, but that's a correctable flaw. Kottaras needs to show more power this season, and he's doing just that in the early going at AA-Mobile. 7. Chris Iannetta, Rockies, Age: 23 Acquired: 4th round, 2004, U. of North Carolina Good gap-to-gap swing, reasonable defensive skills, strong walk rates, ability to hit for average—Iannetta's a good one. His throwing arm is major league quality, but otherwise he could stand to improve his work behind the plate. This season, he's back at Double-A Tulsa, and you can expect solid numbers from him. If he hits this season, Iannetta will be a top-30 prospect in 2007. 8. Miguel Montero, Diamondbacks, Age: 22 Acquired: Non-drafted free agent, 2001, Venezuela Montero has a strong pull stroke, and he made strides with his plate discipline last season. He struggled after a late-season promotion to Double-A Tennessee, but struggling in one's first exposure to the high minors isn't entirely damnable. Montero's defense has improved in recent seasons, but he needs to show he can handle advanced pitching. Got something to say to Dayn Perry Subject: Comment/Question: Name: (ex, john doe) Email: (ex, a@b.c) Hometown: 9. Kurt Suzuki, A's, Age: 22 Acquired: 2nd round, 2004, Cal State Fullerton Suzuki's dilemma is one common to many young catchers: Playable bat, questionable defense. Last season at High-Stockton, Suzuki showed good plate discipline (63 walks vs. 61 strikeouts), but his power numbers were not impressive for a college-trained hitter in the Cal League. This season, he's raking at AA-Midland, and he needs to keep that up if he's join the upper tier of catching prospects. 10. Jake Fox, Cubs, Age: 23 Acquired: 3rd round, 2003, U. of Michigan Fox's right-handed power stroke will play well in Wrigley one day, but it's not certain what position he'll be manning. He's not a good defensive catcher, and if he's moved elsewhere on the diamond (say, first base or one of the outfield corners), his offense suddenly isn't all that special. Whether Fox can stick at catcher will determine his ceiling. He's off to a slow start this season at High-A Daytona. Dayn Perry is a frequent contributor to FOXSports.com and author of the forthcoming book, "Winners: How Good Baseball Teams Become Great Ones" (Available soon at Amazon.com).

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Barton tops among first-base prospects Story Tools: Print Email Blog This Subscribe Dayn Perry / Special to FOXSports.com Posted: 17 days ago

Beginning this week, we're going to take a tour of the diamond and rank the top 10 prospects at each position. Up first are the first basemen. Top catcher prospects In this list we're excluding those first base prospects who are certain to exhaust their rookie status (e.g., Prince Fielder, Conor Jackson) or almost certain to exhaust their rookie status (e.g., Mike Jacobs, James Loney). Onward ... 1. Daric Barton, A's, Age: 20 Acquired: 1st round, 2003, Marina HS (Huntington Beach, CA) (by Cardinals) Barton has a command of the strike zone that belies his young age, but his raw power indicators aren't quite so strong. In the second half of last season, he hit .316 AVG/.413 OBP/.491 SLG at AA-Midland as a 20-year-old — that's impressive. He's not a smooth defender, and there's some question as to his power potential in the majors. Still, Barton will hit for average and be good for maybe 100 free passes a season, and he could flash good doubles power. He'll be valuable even if his homer totals aren't what you'd want from a first baseman. This season, he's off to a hot start at AAA-Sacramento, and he doesn't even turn 21 until mid-August. 2. Kendry Morales, Angels, Age: 22 Acquired: Non-drafted free agent, 2004, Cuba Kendry Morales is the biggest Cuban signing in recent history. (John Reid III / Getty Images) Morales is the most hyped Cuban signing in recent memory, and despite adjusting to a new culture, he flashed big-time power at AA-Arkansas in 2005. He's a switch-hitter, and his power numbers from both sides should hold up in the major leagues. This season, he's off to a slow start at AAA-Salt Lake City, but he's still on target to open the 2007 campaign as the Angels' full-time DH. 3. Justin Huber, Royals, 23 Acquired: Non-drafted free agent, 2000, Australia (by Mets) Huber went to KC as part of the Kris Benson three-way swap of 2004, and ever since then he's impressed the organization with his power and patience at the dish. Coming into 2006, his career SLG in the minors is .493, and those numbers have been even better in recent seasons. Also, in 2005 between AA-Wichita and AAA-Omaha he drew 64 unintentional walks against 348 at-bats. In the majors, once he adjusts he should be good for 20 homers and a .370-plus OBP on an annual basis. That the Royals signed Doug Mientkiewicz instead of giving the first base job to Huber tells you all you need to know about the organization. As for Huber, he's pounding the ball at AAA-Omaha. 4. Ryan Garko, Indians, Age: 25 Acquired: 3rd round, 2003, Stanford Coming into this season, Garko had a career minor league batting line of .310 AVG/.389 OBP/.511 SLG, which is strong production even after you consider he's been older than his peer group at every stop. He's spent much of his minor league career being toggled between catcher and first base, but this season he's been deployed exclusively at first. He's raking in the early going at AAA-Buffalo, and he should be Ben Broussard's platoon partner next season. 5. Ryan Shealy, Rockies, Age: 26 Acquired: 11th round, 2002, U. of Florida The Rockies were hoping that Shealy would be in their outfield mix this season, but a spring elbow injury snuffed out those plans. He's still sidelined and will likely return to first base once he's healthy. Shealy is a career .324 AVG/.417 OBP/.594 SLG hitter in the minors. Those are highly impressive numbers, but keep in mind the generally hitter-friendly Rockies system. Shealy will crush fastballs in the majors, but it's not certain how he'll handle advanced breaking stuff. Also, note the age. 6. Michael Aubrey, Indians, Age: 24 Acquired: 1st round, 2003, Tulane The 11th-overall pick of the 2003 draft, Aubrey was one of the most coveted college hitters in that draft class. However, he's struggled as a pro. Aubrey is a skilled defender, and he can hit for average. However, the secondary skills — power and walk rates — leave much to be desired, particularly by first base standards. Aubrey hasn't hit in the high minors, and he also missed time with a back injury last season. This season, he's still in extended spring training because of a rib cage injury. Considering the Indians' depth at first base, it's a make-or-break year for Aubrey. 7. Ryan Mulhern, Indians, Age: 25 Acquired: 11th round, 2003, U. of South Alabama Mulhern, on the strength of a tremendous power display last season (.711 SLG at High-A Kinston and a .594 SLG at AA-Akron), was named the Indians' minor league player of the year for 2005. This season, he's off and running back at AA-Akron. Mulhern has tremendous raw power from the right side and excellent bat speed, but he's an awful defender. His future is as the right-handed half of a DH platoon in Cleveland, but not as long as Travis Hafner is seeing every-day duty. 8. Jason Botts, Rangers, Age: 25 Acquired: 46th round, 1999, Glendale Community College In Botts' favor: home-run power in recent seasons, track record of good on-base abilities, career .296 hitter. Not in Botts' favor: slow start to his swing means he can be exploited by more advanced pitching, sub-optimal defender, old for a prospect. He's shown some power this season in the early going at AAA-Oklahoma, but it's not likely he'll be anything more than a semi-regular in the majors. 9. Brett Harper, Mets, Age: 24 Acquired: 45th round, 2000, Scottsdale Community College Harper has good left-handed power and an ability to hit to all fields. He's a tad old for a prospect, and he's burdened with platoon issues. However, last season he tallied 36 homers across two levels. At first, Harper's defense is adequate at best, and even in the best of circumstances he'll need a platoon partner. Still, the sock from the left side will come in handy for some team (although it's hard to imagine his cracking the Mets' roster any time soon). 10. Kila Kaaihue, Royals, Age: 22 Acquired: 15th round, 2002, U. of Nebraska Kaaihue has posted excellent walk rates throughout the minors, including his 2005 campaign when he drew 97 free passes at High-A High Desert. He makes contact and gets on base, but his power skills leave much to be desired. Kaaihue also doesn't run the bases or play defense particularly well, so he's likely going to be a reserve at the highest level. He can thrive in that role, but his presence on this list is a testament to how weak the minor league crop of first basemen is at this moment in time. Dayn Perry is a frequent contributor to FOXSports.com and author of the forthcoming book, "Winners: How Good Baseball Teams Become Great Ones" (Available soon at Amazon.com).

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Looking at the top second-base prospects Story Tools: Print Email Blog This Subscribe Dayn Perry / Special to FOXSports.com Posted: 3 days ago

This week, we're continuing our tour of the diamond and ranking the top 10 prospects at each position. Up this time around are the second basemen. In this list we're excluding those second base prospects who are certain to exhaust their rookie status (e.g., Josh Barfield, Dan Uggla) or almost certain to exhaust their rookie status (e.g., Anderson Hernandez, Ian Kinsler). Onward ... Top catcher prospects Top first-base prospects 1. Howie Kendrick, Angels, Age: 22 Acquired: 10th round, 2002, St. John's River Community College Kendrick doesn't show much in the way of patience at the plate or raw power, but he's a tremendous hitter for average. Coming into this season, Kendrick had a career batting average of .359 (!), which is obviously a tremendous mark. At second, Kendrick makes the routine plays, but in terms of range he's average. Still, he's good enough to stick at the position. Kendrick was recently called up by the Angels. 2. Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox, Age: 22 Acquired: 2nd round, 2004, Arizona State Other than half a season of struggles at Triple-A Pawtucket last season, Pedroia has done nothing but hit as a pro. He won't put up gaudy power numbers in the majors, but he will hit for average and draw walks at a nice clip. Pedroia was drafted as a shortstop, and his defense at second profiles as an asset. With Mark Loretta headed for free agency after this season, Pedroia should take over as the regular keystoner in Boston in 2007. 3. Eric Patterson, Cubs, Age: 23 Acquired: 8th round, 2004, Georgia Tech Here's a sleeper. The younger brother of Corey Patterson, Eric, hit .333 AVG/.405 OBP/.535 SLG last season at Low-A Peoria. For his troubles, he was named the Cubs' minor league player of the year. He's a sound defender at second, and he flashes speed and instincts on the bases. The power is there, and he has a decent idea of the strike zone. If Patterson keeps it up at the higher levels, he'll emerge as a top prospect. In 2007, Patterson is putting up solid numbers at AA-West Tennessee despite skipping High-A altogether and seeing time at short. 4. Kevin Melillo, A's, Age: 23 Acquired: 5th round, 2004, U. of South Carolina Melillo's calling card at this juncture is power. Coming into the 2006 campaign, Melillo boasted a career minor league slugging percentage of .539, which is excellent by middle-infield standards. The question is whether Melillo's defense will allow him to remain at second. He's made strides, but he still has work to do with the glove. Offensively, he's got good power to the gaps, but Melillo does have platoon issues. Still, if he's able to stick at the position, he profiles as a quality major league regular. 5. Alberto Callaspo, Diamondbacks, Age: 23 Acquired: Non-drafted free agent, 2001, Venezuela (by Angels) Acquired from the Angels in exchance for reliever Jason Bulger, Callaspo is a consistent hitter for average, and he runs the bases well. Defensively, he's excellent at second. He hasn't flashed much power in the high minors, but he posts high contact rates and projects as a .300 hitter in the majors. If Callaspo can tighten up his plate discipline, he'll be a strong on-base threat. If the Snakes opt to part ways with Orlando Hudson after this season, Callaspo will likely be their starting second baseman in 2007. 6. Jose Martinez, Cardinals, Age: 20 Acquired: Non-drafted free agent, 2004, Venezuela Keep your eye on this one. Martinez, toiling in the rookie-level Appalachian League last season, hit .300 AVG/.382 OBP/.500 SLG with excellent plate discipline and speed on the bases. Martinez has raw ability with the glove, and with experience should become a capable glove man. The bat will carry him, and expect those numbers to hold up as he moves through the system. This season, he's been at extended spring training, but he joins High-A Swing of the Quad Cities this week. 7. Travis Denker, Dodgers, Age: 20 Acquired: 21st round, 2003, Brea-Olinda HS (Brea, CA) Denker is in the midst of transition from third to second, and he's struggling accordingly. It's not certain he'll be able to handle the defensive rigors of the position, but his bat will play almost anywhere. Denker strikes out a bit too much, but he takes his walks and generally crushes the ball when he makes contact. This season, Denker is struggling in the early going back at High-A Vero Beach. 8. Jed Lowrie, Red Sox, Age: 22 Acquired: 1st round, 2005, Stanford At the dish, the switch-hitting Lowrie takes pitches and hits for average, although he doesn't profile as much of a power threat. Last season in the Sally League, he showed excellent on-base abilities, but, then again, college-trained hitters should thrive at the lowest of full-season circuits. He's a good base runner and a plus defender at second. Lowrie's been spending some time at short this season, so it remains to be seen where in the middle infield he'll be deployed. He'll go as far as his on-base skills carry him. 9. Kevin Frandsen, Giants, Age: 23 Acquired: 12th round, 2004, San Jose State Frandsen is a dirty-uniformed type who makes contact at the plate and is sure-handed defensively. Last season, he put up solid offensive numbers despite playing across three different levels. Frandsen doesn't figure to show much power at the highest level, but he should post solid OBPs. On the bases, Frandsen isn't a speedster, but he's athletic in the field. This season, is putting up strong numbers at Triple-A Fresno. 10. Jeff Keppinger, Mets, Age: 26 Acquired: 4th round, 2001, U. of Georgia (by Pirates) Keppinger, who came to the Mets from Pittsburgh as part of the Kris Benson trade, is certainly old for a prospect, but he's put up solid-to-excellent offensive numbers at every stop. This past season, Keppinger was hitting .337 AVG/.376 OBP/.455 SLG at Triple-A Norfolk when he went down with a broken left leg. If not for the injury, he might be starting in Queens right now. Once he settles in, he'll hit for average in the majors, play reliable defense and run the bases well. He makes a better long-term solution at second than Anderson Hernandez does. If Hernandez continues to founder at the plate, don't be surprised if Keppinger gets a crack at the job at some point this season. Dayn Perry is a frequent contributor to FOXSports.com and author of the new book, "Winners: How Good Baseball Teams Become Great Ones" (Available now at Amazon.com).