FanGraphs Top 15 Prospects Lists – A Recap
There truly is no off-season for prospect watchers. The first Top 15 list at FanGraphs — the Toronto Blue Jays — hit the Web in early November 2012. The 30th, and final, Top 15 list — the New York Yankees — published on March 6, 2013. It’s a huge task that I love doing, but it’s exhausting at times.
The prospecting industry is currrently in a Gold Age period with high-quality work being done by numerous other writers and publications, including the Baseball America crew, Keith Law at ESPN, the Baseball Prospectus crew, Jonathan Mayo at MLB.com, and John Sickels at SB Nation, as well as some of the newer kids on the block like Bullpen Banter.
I want to publically thank the many contacts in the industry that assisted me in compiling these lists and reports. It’s amazing that so many people, in such important (and busy) positions, were willing to donate their time and knowledge to the process. I also want to thank fellow FanGraphers who helped out: David Laurila, Mike Newman and J.D. Sussman, an up-and-coming top prospect himself.
Keep your eyes peeled for the FanGraphs Top 100 prospects list on Monday, March 11.
***Click on the team name to see the full Top 15 lists with scouting reports.
Baltimore Orioles
The Top 3
1. Dylan Bundy
2. Kevin Gausman
3. Jonathan Schoop
Boston Red Sox
The Top 3
1. Xander Bogaerts
2. Matt Barnes
3. Jackie Bradley
New York Yankees
The Top 3
1. Mason Williams
2. Gary Sanchez
3. Slade Heathcott
Tampa Bay Rays
The Top 3
1. Wil Myers
2. Chris Archer
3. Hak-Ju Lee
Toronto Blue Jays
The Top 3 (Updated)
1. Aaron Sanchez
2. Roberto Osuna
3. D.J. Davis
Chicago White Sox
The Top 3
1. Courtney Hawkins
2. Carlos Sanchez
3. Erik Johnson
Cleveland Indians
The Top 3
1. Francisco Lindor
2. Trevor Bauer
3. Dorssys Paulino
Detroit Tigers
The Top 3
1. Nick Castellanos
2. Bruce Rondon
3. Jake Thompson
Kansas City Royals
The Top 3 (Updated)
1. Kyle Zimmer
2. Yordano Ventura
3. Bubba Starling
Minnesota Twins
The Top 3
1. Byron Buxton
2. Miguel Sano
3. Aaron Hicks
Houston Astros
The Top 3
1. Jonathan Singleton
2. Carlos Correa
3. Delino DeShields Jr.
Los Angeles Angels
The Top 3
1. Kaleb Cowart
2. Nick Maronde
3. C.J. Cron
Oakland Athletics
The Top 3
1. Addison Russell
2. Sonny Gray
3. Dan Straily
Seattle Mariners
The Top 3
1. Mike Zunino
2. Taijuan Walker
3. Danny Hultzen
Texas Rangers
The Top 3
1. Jurickson Profar
2. Mike Olt
3. Martin Perez
Atlanta Braves
The Top 3
1. Julio Teheran
2. J.R. Graham
3. Christian Bethancourt
Miami Marlins
The Top 3
1. Jose Fernandez
2. Christian Yelich
3. Andrew Heaney
New York Mets
The Top 3
1. Zack Wheeler
2. Travis d’Arnaud
3. Noah Syndergaard
Philadelphia Phillies
The Top 3
1. Jesse Biddle
2. Adam Morgan
3. Roman Quinn
Washington Nationals
The Top 3
1. Brian Goodwin
2. Anthony Rendon
3. Lucas Giolito
Chicago Cubs
The Top 3
1. Javier Baez
2. Albert Almora
3. Jorge Soler
Cincinnati Reds
The Top 3
1. Billy Hamilton
2. Robert Stephenson
3. Tony Cingrani
Milwaukee Brewers
The Top 3
1. Tyler Thornburg
2. Taylor Jungmann
3. Wily Peralta
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Top 3
1. Gerrit Cole
2. Jameson Taillon
3. Alen Hanson
St. Louis Cardinals
The Top 3
1. Oscar Taveras
2. Michael Wacha
3. Shelby Miller
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Top 3
1. Tyler Skaggs
2. Archie Bradley
3. Matt Davidson
Colorado Rockies
The Top 3
1. Nolan Arenado
2. Trevor Story
3. David Dahl
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Top 3
1. Zach Lee
2. Chris Reed
3. Corey Seager
San Diego Padres
The Top 3
1. Austin Hedges
2. Jedd Gyorko
3. Max Fried
San Francisco Giants
The Top 3
1. Kyle Crick
2. Clayton Blackburn
3. Chris Stratton
Marc Hulet has been writing at FanGraphs since 2008. His work focuses on prospects and fantasy. Follow him on Twitter @marchulet.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading all 30 and trying to keep up with it all. I’ve looked forward to reading the next of these with the conclusion of each analysis.
Do you have any idea when a top 50 or 100 list will be out?
He said he’ll be releasing a top 100 next Monday.
I’m not sure he was specific enough.
Monday, March 11
Indians, texas, amd pirates have nice top 3 i like jorge soler
A Herculean effort indeed, Marc. Thank you for compiling all of these lists for us. Time for an off-season for you.
Nice job, Marc. Thank you for your work.
Great work.
Just traded Hamilton for Bogaerts in my league (farm teams) – very excited.
In one of my 16 team dynasty leagues with a 7 man minor league roster ( it goes up to 11 men off season ) ,I just traded Alen Hanson and Jorge Polanco for Addison Russell. I had too many guys to keep anyway . Now my 7 keepers are Profar,Cole,Taveras,Myers,Bradley ,Russell ,and Story . I won this league last year and it looks like my team is going to get much better in the next couple of years . Thank you Mark ,you and Mike Newman are two of my primary sources for prospect info .
Question of opinion:
Xander Bogaerts v. Billy Hamilton, two of the top SS prospects in the game
Who is the better prospect going forward, taking into account likelihood of sticking at SS and if not how their offensive skillset will play at the position they move to if they do (for Boagerts, corner OF unless Middlebrooks fails/goes elsewhere and for Hamilton CF).
It has to be Xander and not even close. Both are more likely to move off SS than not and Xander has, by far, the best offensive potential of the two. Not even sure how you can compare the two.
They have completely different offensive profiles, yes. And personally, I am a fan of Xander Bogaerts having seen him play and having followed him closely. But my knowledge of Xander is based on my geographic locality and my being a Red Sox fan. Hamilton on the other hand, I have not seen play and only know what I have read of him and have observed from reading his statistics so I feel like my conception of him as a player is sketchy.
It appears that he could be a .280/.375 leadoff man with 60-80 SB potential. Due to the fact that his speed is off the charts and the ever-present threat of a stolen base when he reaches base his run-scoring potential (given even an adequate lineup) would be enormous. His OBP has steadily increased to an amazing .400 this season, showing that he has an excellent batters eye. I don’t know much about his fielding ability in regards to his glove and ability to read balls but I would assume that his excellent speed would help especially in center should he be moved.
I guess it depends on what you value more. Both of their ceilings are insane: In Hamilton, a .300/.400, 80 SB lead off man with disruptive on-base ability who can play a premium defensive position well with incredible range. Or with Bogaerts, a .300/.350/.525, 35+ HR who plays a corner position (if you do not think his glove will play at short).
I personally prefer Bogaerts, but I was thinking about Hamilton’s potential as a lead off man and was wondering what others thought.
Hamilton has already moved off short and Bogaerts may have to do so as well. The hype on both is pretty out of control right now, as I’m not sure Hamilton will hit enough to be more than Vince Coleman. Of the two I suppose I’d take Bogaerts because I’m more confident he’ll actually play. Moving to center actually helps Hamilton in that respect since the Reds have shown a willingness to deal with offensive struggles in center and he has no long-term competition there.
I picked up Hamilton early in my dynasty leagues ,which are points leagues where perception of Hamilton’s value is wildly inflated by hype directed to leagues where the one thing he does well ,stealing bases,can win you that category by himself . I then traded him to guys who were caught up in the hype for much better prospects .
I watched Kyle Crik pitch through high school. My grandson caught him. Can’t wait to see him play on TV.. Sherman High School has had some good players through the years.
Reds picks are good you did well, but Donald Lutz will be in the top 3 before July 4,
Where would the top 3 Angels rank in the Cardinals system. Wait, I don’t want to know…too depressing.