Baseball America - Top 100

[Frayed Knot]

#56 - Jenrry Mejia -- ETA 2011
#62 - Ike Davis -- ETA mid-2010
#77 - Fernando Martinez -- mid-2010
#88 - Wilmer Flores -- ETA mid-2012


1 - Jason Heyward - OF, Braves
2 - Steven Strasburg - RHP, Nationals
3 - Mike Stanton - OF, Marlins
4 - Jesus Montero - C, Yankees
5 - Brian Matusz - LHP, Orioles
6 - Desmond Jennings, OF, Rays
7 - Buster Posey - C, Giants
8 - Pedro Alvarez - 3B, Pirates
9 - Neftali Feliz - RHP, Rangers
10 - Carlos Santana - Guitar, Indians



(OK, that last guy is a catcher, just wanted to see if you were paying attention)



Full list:
Nos 1-20
Nos 21-40
Nos 41-60
Nos 61-80
Nos 81-100

[Benjamin Grimm]

That mid-2010 for Ike is interesting. I can't help but read that as, at least partially, an expectation that Daniel Murphy isn't going to be all that.

[Frayed Knot]

Keep in mind that those dates are merely BA's estimate of when each player will be ready to advance to the ML level. It's not like they're taking the plans of the individual teams into account when making those projections.

IOW, the Mets could have Pujols at 1B and it wouldn't change their ETA for Davis unless they thought he'd need a lot more time in order to learn a completely new position.

[metirish]

Pedro Alvarez - 3B, Pirates - ETA Mid 2010....

Looking forward to this kid , a lot riding on him.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

It's a little scary that the top 3 prospects are all division guys who could start killing us this year.

It's not likely that all of them will suck, hopefully 2 of 3 or something

[metirish]

Jason Heyward is the Braves second big OF prospect in the last few seasons , what's the other guys name?

[ashie62]

I like Ike in 2010

Fmart in CF 2010

Flores- his best attribute was not speed

If the Mets can hit the daily double with Ike & Fmart Omar's job gets a whole lot easier.

[Frayed Knot]

Jason Heyward is the Braves second big OF prospect in the last few seasons , what's the other guys name?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

It's a little scary that the top 3 prospects are all division guys who could start killing us this year.

It's not likely that all of them will suck, hopefully 2 of 3 or something

[Frayed Knot]

As John Sickels said about Fernando: 'if a college sophomore was drafted and right off the bat put up his kind of numbers in AAA we'd all be drooling over him'.

But since he was signed to a high bonus at age 16 it already seems like he's been around forever. Tack on the NYC factor generating more talk about him than even the usual prospect makes some file him in bust territory already.
The point about the injuries is key too, yeah there have been a lot of them which have cut down on his ABs each season - but it's not like they've been related and point to a potentially chronic problem.

[Frayed Knot]

btw, here's Kevin Goldstein's (Baseball Prospectus) take on Atlanta's Heyward and Florida's Stanton:




Jason Heyward - OF
DOB: 8/9/89
Height/Weight: 6-4/220
Bats/Throws: L/L
Drafted/Signed: 1st round, 2007, Henry County HS (GA)
2009 Stats: .296/.369/.519 at High-A (49 G); .352/.446/.611 at Double-A (47 G); .364 at Triple-A (3 G)

Year in Review: Atlanta�s top prospect flirted with .400 at Double-A as a teenager while establishing himself as the top position prospect in the game.

The Good: Heyward has the potential to be a "face of the franchise" talent. He's arguably the best pure hitter in the minors, combined with outstanding plate discipline and pitch recognition. He has the ability to contend for batting and on-base titles, all in a massive athletic package that's loaded with tools. His raw power is plus, his speed is average to a tick above, and he's a very good outfielder who can even play center in a pinch. His arm is a true plus-plus weapon.

The Bad: When asked what aspects of Heyward's game need improvement, one scout simply replied, "Nothing." The only real concern about Heyward is his health, as Heyward has played just 226 games over the past two years due to a variety of minor maladies.

Perfect World Projection: He�s a game-changing superstar.

Path to the Big Leagues: The Braves have a slot waiting for him in their outfield.

Timetable: Heyward spent significantly more time in big-league camp last year just because manager Bobby Cox liked watching him play so much. He'll be gunning for a big-league job this spring, with a 50/50 chance of breaking camp with the Braves and a nearly guaranteed major-league role by the All-Star break.






Mike Stanton - RF
DOB: 11/8/89
Height/Weight: 6-5/240
Bats/Throws: R/R
Drafted/Signed: 2nd round, 2007, Notre Dame HS (CA)
2009 Stats: .294/.390/.578 at High-A (50 G); .231/.311/.455 at Double-A (79 G)

Year in Review: This top-notch power prospect wasn't slowed down at all in the Florida State League, but he scuffled at times against the more advanced pitching of Double-A.

The Good: Stanton's raw power is a pure 80, but it's his ability to consistently showcase it in games that makes him so special. His power goes to all fields, and he's one of those rare players who doesn't have to make full contact to drive it out of the park. He's much more than just a pure slugger, though, as he's a fine athlete with good instincts in the outfield, an above-average arm, and average speed that increases to a tick above once he gets going.

The Bad: While Stanton's high strikeout rate is unavoidable due to the crazy power, he does need to hone his approach. His inability, or perhaps his unwillingness to shorten his swing with two strikes�or even just when he�s behind in the count�led to some extended slumps at Double-A, and experienced pitchers with good breaking balls were able to feast on him at times. Due to his massive size, there are some concerns as to how long he'll be able to maintain his speed.

Perfect World Projection: Stanton will be a massive slugging right fielder, and he�s arguably the one prospect in baseball most likely to hit 50 home runs in a season.

Path to the Big Leagues: Cody Ross is a nice little player and all, but he's hardly a roadblock.

Timetable: Stanton will try get his batting average back up to snuff with a return to Double-A in 2010, but he could be in the big leagues by September if he continues to perform.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Also, Pat Andriola defends Ferny's honor. I mean, a 47-spot drop?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Top fifty Met prospects according to Mets Inside Pitch:

Rank	Name	DOB	Ht	Wt	Pos	Proj. Pos	B	T	Signed	2009 Club	ETA
1	Fernando Martinez	10/10/1988	6'1"	200	CF	CF-RF	L	R	2005 (FA)	Buf/NYM	2010
2	Jenrry Mejia	10/11/1989	6'0"	170	SP	RP-SP	R	R	2007 (FA)	StL/Bin	2011
3	Brad Holt	10/13/1986	6'4"	200	SP	SP-RP	R	R	2008 (Sup)	StL/Bin	2010
4	Ike Davis	3/22/1987	6'5"	200	1B	1B	L	L	2008 (1st)	StL/Bin	2011
5	Wilmer Flores	8/6/1991	6'3"	175	SS	LF-1B	R	R	2007 (FA)	Sav	2013
6	Jon Niese	10/27/1986	6'4"	215	SP	SP	L	L	2005 (7th)	Buf/NYM	2010
7	Ruben Tejada	9/1/1989	5'11"	165	SS	2B-SS	R	R	2006 (FA)	Bin	2011
8	Josh Thole	10/28/1986	6'1"	205	C	C	L	R	2005 (13th)	Bin/NYM	2010
9	Kirk Nieuwenhuis	8/7/1987	6'3"	210	CF	LF-RF-CF	L	R	2008 (3rd)	StL/Bin	2011
10	Reese Havens	10/20/1986	6'1"	195	SS	2B-3B	L	R	2008 (1st)	StL	2011
Rank	Name	DOB	Ht	Wt	Pos	Proj. Pos	B	T	Signed	2009 Club	ETA
11	Jeurys Familia	10/10/1989	6'3"	185	SP	SP-RP	R	R	2007(FA)	Sav	2013
12	Tobi Stoner	12/3/1984	6'2"	215	SP	SP-RP	R	R	2006 (16th)	Buf/NYM	2010
13	Dillon Gee	4/28/1986	6'1"	200	SP	SP	R	R	2007 (21st)	Buf	2010
14	Brant Rustich	1/23/1985	6'6"	230	SP	RP-SP	R	R	2007 (2nd)	StL	2011
15	Zach Lutz	6/3/1986	6'1"	220	3B	3B-1B	R	R	2007 (5th)	Stl/Bin	2011
16	Kyle Allen	2/12/1990	6'3"	195	SP	SP	R	R	2008 (24th)	Sav	2012
17	Eric Niesen	9/4/1985	6'0"	192	SP	RP-SP	L	L	2007 (3rd)	Stl/Bin	2011
18	Robert Carson	1/23/1989	6'3"	220	SP	RP-SP	L	L	2007 (14th)	Sav	2012
19	Lucas Duda	2/3/1986	6'5"	240	OF	LF-1B-RF	R	R	2007 (7th)	Kin	2011
20	Scott Shaw	8/3/1986	6'5"	230	SP	SP-RP	R	R	2008 (13th)	StL	2011
Rank	Name	DOB	Ht	Wt	Pos	Proj. Pos	B	T	Signed	2009 Club	ETA
21	Stephen Matz	5/29/1991	6'2"	192	SP	SP-RP	R	L	2010 (2nd)	High Sch.	2014
22	Cesar Puello	4/1/1991	6'2"	195	RF	RF	R	R	2010 (7th)	Kin	2013
23	Matt Bouchard	12/12/1986	6'0"	185	SS	SS-2B	R	R	2007 (11th)	StL	2011
24	Scot Moviel	5/7/1988	6'11"	235	SP	RP-SP	R	R	2007 (2nd)	Bro/StL/Bin	2012
25	Nick Carr	4/19/1987	6'1"	195	RP	RP-SP	R	R	2005 (41st)	StL	2011
26	Shawn Bowman	12/9/1984	6'2"	215	3B	3B-1B	R	R	2002 (12th)	Bin	2010
27	Robbie Shields	1212/1987	6'1"	195	SS	IF-OF	R	R	2009 (3rd)	Bro	2013
28	Aderlin Rodriguez	11/18/1991	6'3"	210	3B	3B-1B	R	R	2008 (FA)	GCM	2014
29	Michael Antonioni	8/6/1985	6'2"	200	SP	RP	R	L	2007 (18th)	Bin-Buf	2011
30	Francisco Pe�a	10/12/1989	6'2"	230	C	C	R	R	2006 (FA)	StL	2012
Rank	Name	DOB	Ht	Wt	Pos	Proj. Pos	B	T	Signed	2009 Club	ETA
31	Jefry Marte	6/21/1991	6'1"	187	3B	3B-RF	R	R	2007 (FA)	Sav	2013
32	Sean Ratliff	2/24/1987	6'3"	185	CF	LF-CF-RF	L	L	2008 (4th)	Sav-StL	2012
33	Darrell Ceciliani	6/22/1990	6'1"	185	CF	CF-LF	L	L	2009 (4th)	Kin	2013
34	Ryan Coultas	4/24/1982	6'3"	180	SP	RP-SP	R	R	2004 (6th)	Bin	2011
35	Eric Beaulac	11/13/1986	6'5"	200	SP	RP-SP	R	R	2008 (9th)	Sav	2012
36	Armando Rodriguez	1/28/1988	6'2"	195	SP	SP	R	R	2006 (FA)	Kin-Sav	2013
37	Carlos Guzman	5/24/1986	6'3"	195	RF	RF-LF	S	S	2006 (FA)	StL-Bin	2012
38	Josh Stinson	3/14/1988	6'4"	210	RP	RP	R	R	2006 (37th)	Sav-StL	2012
39	Richard Lucas	11/2/1988	6'1"	205	3B	3B-LF-1B-RF	R	R	2007 (4th)	Kin-GCM-Bro	2013
40	Rafael Fernandez	8/3/1988	6'1"	175	CF-RF-LF	CF-LF	L	L	2006 (FA)	Sav	2013
Rank	Name	DOB	Ht	Wt	Pos	Proj. Pos	B	T	Signed	2009 Club	ETA
41	Nick Santomauro	6/13/1988	6'3"	205	LF-RF	LF	L	L	2009 (10th)	Bro	2013
42	Brandon Moore	1/24/1986	6'3"	190	SP	SP-RP	R	R	2008 (14th)	Bro	2012
43	Eduardo Aldama	12/23/1989	6'1"	175	SP	RP-SP	R	R	2006 (FA)	Kin-Sav	2013
44	Jordany Valdespin	12/23/1987	6'0"	174	2B-SS	2B	L	R	2007 (FA)	DSLM-GCM-Bro-Sav	2012
45	Alonzo Harris	1/16/1989	5'11"	165	2B	2B-LF	R	R	2007 (39th)	Kin-Sav	2013
46	Chase Greene	4/22/1990	5'11"	180	CF	CF-LF-RF	R	R	2009 (16th)	GCM	2013
47	Dylan Owen	7/12/1986	5'11"	185	SP	SP-RP	R	R	2007 (20th)	StL-Bin	2011
48	Chris Schwinden	9/22/1986	6'3"	215	SP	SP	R	R	2008 (22nd)	Sav-StL	2012
49	Roy Merritt	9/22/1985	6'0"	175	RP	RP	L	L	2007 (29th)	Bin	2011
50	James Fuller	6/1/1987	5'10"	180	SP	RP	L	L	2008 (21st)	Bro	2012

[MFS62]

The guy at Inside Pitch seems to think that Ratliff has as much potential as any of the other outfield prospects from a standpoint of all-around tools. But he has to show it this year.
And he really likes Puello's arm.

Later

[Guest Edgy DC]

What's sort of remarkable --- in that it isn't remarked on at all --- is that there's no place in the top 50 for Eddie Kunz. It's like the rush to declare Fernando Martinez a flop before his first legal beer has obscured this true flop of a firstish-round pick (and, at number 42, he was about as low a first-rounder as can be). I mean, the jury is still out, but if there's no thought for him having at least as promising a future as Roy Merritt, well, that's a tough sack of flour to lug around.

[Frayed Knot]

Yeah, Kunz is likely to have a career as a serviceable middle reliever even if the hoped-for closer role never works out. Meanwhile, lots of guys on this (or any) top 50 list will never see the big leagues.

There's no Juan Urbina either.
You can argue that he's not included because he's at the other end of the spectrum: young, pure potential with no pro experience at this point and so far away from the majors. Sure, but so is Stephen Matz.