The Atlanta Braves
2010 MLB Record: 91-71 (second place, NL East)
Minor League Power Ranking: 4th (out of 30)
Click for: Last Year’s Top 10 Prospect List

The Prospects

1. Julio Teheran, RHP
Acquired: 2007 non-drafted free agent (Colombia)
Pro Experience: 3 seasons
2010 MiLB Level: A-/A+/AA
Opening Day Age: 20
Estimated Peak WAR: 5.0

Notes: Teheran has been a much-hyped prospect since his amateur days, but his career was slowed initially by some injury (shoulder) concerns. The right-hander pitched just 15.0 innings during his pro debut in 2008 and followed that up with an 81.1 inning season. Teheran’s workload then jumped to 142.2 innings in 2010 when he spent time at three different levels and finished the season in double-A. The young hurler has excellent control for his age (1.85 BB/9 in 63.1 high-A innings) and does a nice job of commanding his three-pitch repertoire (fastball, changeup, curveball). His heater sits in the 93-96 mph range and has posted double-digit strikeout rates. He repeats his delivery well but slings the ball at times. His arm angle is low-three-quarters and there is a little bit of effort to his action. I would think that his arm angle would better suit a slider than a curveball, but he makes the latter pitch work. Teheran should open 2011 in double-A and could see the Majors by August, depending on the club’s needs. Just 20, he has the potential to develop into a No. 1 starter before he turns 25.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Philadelphia Phillies
2010 MLB Record: 97-65 (first place, NL East)
Minor League Power Ranking: 5th (out of 30)
Click for: Last Year’s Top 10 Prospect List

1. Domonic Brown, OF
Acquired: 2006 20th round (Georgia HS)
Pro Experience: 5 seasons
2010 MiLB Level: AA/AAA/MLB
Opening Day Age: 23
Estimated Peak WAR: 5.5

Notes: Brown had an impressive showing in the minors in 2010 by posting a wOBA of .427 in 65 double-A games and .417 in 28 triple-A contests. He was also able to sustain his ’09 power outburst and saw his ISO rate stay above .200 for the second straight season (peaking at .284 in AA). Although he strikes out a fair bit (21.6 K% in ’10), Brown shows good patience and posted a walk rate of 10.7 BB% in double-A. He showed the rough edges of his game during a brief MLB trial in which he produced a triple-slash line of .210/.257/.355 in 62 at-bats. His strikeout rate also skyrocketed to 38.7 K%. To be more consistent at the plate, I’d like to see the prospect stay back a little more; if he can avoid getting out of his front foot so early, he may be able to drive the ball more. Defensively, Brown has a strong arm and good range in right field; he just needs more experience to sharpen his overall skills in the field. Despite his struggles in The Show, Brown is the favorite – and deservedly so – to replace the recently-departed Jayson Werth, although he’ll likely miss at least the first month of the 2011 season after breaking his hamate bone. He won’t post Jason Heyward like numbers in 2011 (sorry, Bill James projections but I think The Fans are a little closer to reality) but Philadelphia fans will be happy that the organization refused to part with Brown during the Roy Halladay trade.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Cincinnati Reds
2010 MLB Record: 91-71 (first place, NL Central)
Minor League Power Ranking: 7th (out of 30)
Click for: Last Year’s Top 10 Prospect List

The Prospects

1. Aroldis Chapman, LHP
Acquired: 2010 non-drafted free agent (Cuba)
Pro Experience: 1 season
2010 MiLB Level: AAA/MLB
Opening Day Age: 23
Estimated Peak WAR: 5.5 (as a starter)

Notes: The Reds organization swooped in seemingly out of nowhere to pull the rug out on a number of clubs, including the Toronto Blue Jays, and came away with the amateur free agent. Chapman made his pro debut at the AAA level and over-powered hitters with his 100+ mph fastball and strikeout slider. His strikeout rate sat at 11.60 K/9 but he showed his iffy control (4.94 BB/9). When he moved up to the Majors, Chapman showed improved control at the MLB level (3.38 BB/9) in a small sample size. Despite his inexperience, the lefty could supplant veteran Francisco Cordero as the club’s closer by the end of the season. Hopefully Chapman’s arm, elbow and shoulder holds up a little better than Joel Zumaya’s (another hard-throwing reliever known for his DL stints). He does throw with a nice, compact delivery that he explodes out of with a low-three-quarter arm slot.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Texas Rangers
2010 MLB Record: 90-72 (first place, AL West)
Minor League Power Ranking: 8th (out of 30)
Click for: Last Year’s Top 10 Prospect List

The Prospects

1. Jurickson Profar, SS
Acquired: 2009 non-drafted free agent (Curacao)
Pro Experience: 1 season
2010 MiLB Level: Short-season
Opening Day Age: 18
Estimated Peak WAR: 5.0

Notes: Profar was challenged with a North American debut in short-season ball and held his own. Then 17, he hit .250/.323/.373 in 252 at-bats. He utilized a quick bat to post a .123 ISO rate despite a slight frame. Encouragingly, Profar also showed a lot of patience for his age and experience level by posting a walk rate of 9.7 BB%. His strikeout rate was reasonable at 18.3 K%. At the plate, he doesn’t take much of a stride but he has a balanced base and quick hips. On the base paths, the youngster shows decent speed and stole eight bags in 11 tries. Defensively, he’ll have no issues with remaining at shortstop thanks to good range, soft hands and a strong arm (He was coveted by many teams as a pitcher). Rangers fans should be excited about this infielder.

Read the rest of this entry »

1. Mike Trout, CF
Acquired: Drafted 1st Round 2009 (New Jersey HS)
2010 Level: A/A+
Opening Day Age: 19.9

Notes: Twenty three teams passed on Trout in the 2009 draft, and looking back less than two years later, it’s hard to believe a player with Trout’s combination of tools and skills could last until the end of the first round. Despite being listed at 215 pounds, Trout is one of the fastest players in the minor leagues. He gets down the line so quickly that fairly routine ground balls to the left side can quickly become an adventure. Once he’s on base, he continues to put pressure on the defense, stealing 56 bases in 2010. There is some sentiment that Trout may slow down as he ages, but he should always be a plus runner. At the plate, Trout has exceptionally quick hands and the coordination to consistently barrel the ball. Seeing him play, his line drives seem to have 5-10 more mph on them than anybody else. So although he only hit only ten home runs last year, he could wind up slugging 20-25 a year as he learns to look for pitches to drive. Just as impressive, Trout shows an extremely patient approach for such a young hitter, posting a BB% of over 12 percent last year. Defensively, his speed allows him to cover a lot of ground, and his arm is good enough that he should be able to stay in center.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Arizona Diamondbacks
2010 MLB Record: 65-97 (fifth place, NL West)
Minor League Power Ranking: 10th (out of 30)
Click for: Last Year’s Top 10 Prospect List

The Prospects

1. Jarrod Parker, RHP
Acquired: 2007 1st round (Indiana HS)
Pro Experience: 4 seasons
2010 MiLB Level: Injured
Opening Day Age: 22
Estimated Peak WAR: 5.5

Notes: Parker remains the top prospect in the system despite missing all of 2010 while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. The 22-year-old hurler still has No. 1 starter potential and the organization expects his stuff to rebound to pre-surgery levels. He throws a mid-90s fastball and rounds out his four-pitch repertoire with a plus slider, curveball and changeup. Parker looks a little smaller on the mound than 6’1” but he has a sturdy frame. He has a low three-quarter arm slot and a fairly smooth delivery. After an encouraging instructional league, Parker should open 2011 in double-A or triple-A and could be in the Majors by the end of the season.

Read the rest of this entry »

In case you’ve missed the Top 10 lists so far, here they are. Click the team names for the scouting reports/profiles.

30. The Chicago White Sox
29. The Houston Astros
28. The Detroit Tigers
27. The New York Mets
26. The San Diego Padres (Pre-Boston Trade)
25. The Florida Marlins
24. The Milwaukee Brewers (Pre-Kansas City Trade)
23. The Baltimore Orioles
22. The St. Louis Cardinals
21. The Oakland Athletics

20. The San Francisco Giants
19. The Chicago Cubs
18. The Washington Nationals
17. The Los Angeles Dodgers
16. The Seattle Mariners
15. The Minnesota Twins
14. The Colorado Rockies
13. The Pittsburgh Pirates
12. The Cleveland Indians
11. The Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox
2010 MLB Record: 89-73 (third place, AL East)
Minor League Power Ranking: 11th (out of 30)
Click for: Last Year’s Top 10 Prospect List

The Prospects

1. Jose Iglesias, SS
Acquired: 2009 non-drafted free agent (Cuba)
Pro Experience: 1 season
2010 MiLB Level: SS/AA
Opening Day Age: 21
Estimated Peak WAR: 4.0

Notes: Iglesias vaults to the top of the Red Sox prospect rankings after the Adrian Gonzalez trade with San Diego. The Cuban shortstop had a solid first pro season in North America by hitting .285/.315/.357 in 221 at-bats. On the down side, Iglesias clearly has work to do when it comes to his aggressiveness at the plate. He posted a walk rate of just 3.4 BB%, while his strikeout rate sat at 22.2 K%. I’d like to see him be a little more balanced at the plate; after watching Iglesias in the Arizona Fall League, he does get out on his front foot a little too often against off-speed pitches. The 21-year-old’s value is tied heavily to his glove. He’s a slick fielder who could probably play defense in the Majors right now. He has quick hands and feet, good range as well as a strong arm. Because he struggled after the regular season during the AFL (.265 wOBA), Iglesias could head back to double-A to begin the 2011 season.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Cleveland Indians
2010 MLB Record: 69-93 (fourth place, AL Central)
Minor League Power Ranking: 12th (out of 30)
Click for: Last Year’s Top 10 Prospect List

The Prospects

1. Lonnie Chisenhall, 3B
Acquired: 2008 1st round (North Carolina JC)
Pro Experience: 3 seasons
2010 MiLB Level: AA
Opening Day Age: 22
Estimated Peak WAR: 4.5

Notes: I personally see Chisenhall as more of a solid regular contributor at the hot corner than a true star. He had a nice double-A season in 2010 by hitting .278/.351/.450 in 460 at-bats. His power has been respectable throughout his minor league career. He posted a .216 ISO rate in high-A in ’09 but it slipped to .172 in ’10. Chisenhall does a nice job of hitting with pop while making solid contact and his strikeout rate was below 20% at double-A. He has an upright stance and takes just a short stride. Chisenhall’s swing is simple and repeatable. I don’t see impact bat speed – it’s still a tick above average – and there is a little upper cut to his swing. I don’t foresee Chisenhall making a significant contribution at the big league level in 2011 but he could be ready to step in as the starter at the beginning of 2012.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Pittsburgh Pirates
2010 MLB Record: 57-105 (sixth place, NL Central)
Minor League Power Ranking: 13th (out of 30)
Click for: Last Year’s Top 10 Prospect List

The Prospects

1. Jameson Taillon, RHP
Acquired: 2010 1st round (Texas HS)
Pro Experience: None
2010 MiLB Level: None
Opening Day Age: 19
Estimated Peak WAR: 5.5

Notes: The Pirates organization had a difficult decision to make with the second overall pick in the 2010 draft: prep hurler Taillon or high school shortstop Manny Machado. The club took the talented arm and it’s hard to argue the decision. Taillon was arguably the most talented arm in the draft with a mid-to-high-90s fastball, a promising curveball and two more pitches (slider, changeup) rounding out his repertoire. Taillon occasionally throws his curveball from a slightly higher arm slot than his other pitches. He appears to have a lot of confidence on the mound but I’d like to see him follow through with his delivery a little more, and he tends to leak out in front of the rubber. It’s all relatively minor stuff that should be corrected with experience and good coaching. He didn’t play after signing, but could potentially open the season in low-A ball, benefiting from some time in extended spring training. Taillon has No. 1 starter potential if he can stay healthy. I have to say, I am really impressed with the new-look Pirates organization and this young hurler is the cream of a nice crop of prospects.

Read the rest of this entry »