Reviewing the Top 100 Prospects List, 100-76

Creating the annual FanGraphs Top 100 prospect list is always harder than it seems – much more difficult than the Top 15 prospect lists. Ranking the best prospects in baseball requires comparing apples to oranges to pears to plums, with hitters versus pitchers, triple-A hitters versus short-season prospects, and raw Latin players versus advanced college athletes. With that said it gets a little bit easier each year and three months later I remain quite happy with the 2012 list.

Below you’ll find prospects 100 to 76. We’ll look at 51-75 on Wednesday.

100. Garin Cecchini, 3B, Boston: The young third baseman is 30-for-33 in steal attempts but his power has yet to develop so it remains to be seen if he has the skill set for the hot corner. (Value Up)

99. Dillon Howard, RHP, Cleveland: The Indians have handled Howard with kid gloves and he was held back in extended spring training before being assigned to the rookie Arizona League. (Value Static)

98. Mason Williams, OF, New York AL: After posting a wRC+ of 126 in low-A ball Williams earned a promotion to high-A ball. He continues to hit for average and has started to produce more power. (Value Up)

97. Alex Meyer, RHP, Washington: Meyer has dominated low-A ball (despite average-at-best control) but that is to be expected from a 22-year-old top college draftee (from the 2011 draft). He needs to be challenged with a promotion to high- or double-A ball. (Value Up)

96. Sonny Gray, RHP, Oakland: Pitching in double-A, Gray started off the year OK but has struggled in both June and July. His strikeout rate is below average but he has excellent ground-ball numbers. (Value Static)

95. Chris Carter, 1B, Oakland: Carter has been playing at the triple-A level since 2009. He received a recent promotion to The Show and started off on fire with three homers in his first four games. (Value Static)

94. Christian Bethancourt, C, Atlanta: The young catcher has struggled mightily with the bat as he tries to adjust to the leap from A-ball to double-A. His power numbers have essentially disappeared. (Value Down)

93. Andrelton Simmons, SS, Atlanta: Simmons nearly won the starting big league job in spring training but opened the year in double-A. It didn’t take long for him to reach the Majors, though, and it doesn’t look like he’s headed back to the minors any time soon. A broken bone in his hand will cost him at least six weeks. (Value Up)

92. Tyler Pastornicky, SS, Atlanta: Pastornicky struggled during his first taste of the big leagues but he should still become a useful big league player as he has youth on his side. With that said he’ll likely be more of a complementary player as opposed to an above-average regular. Atlanta probably won’t be overly comfortable going back to Pastornicky to fill in during Simmons’ injury rehab. (Value Static)

91. Jean Segura, 2B/SS, Los Angeles AL: Segura, 22, missed a good portion of 2011 due to injuries and opened ’12 with a little rust. He started hitting better in June and July but he has yet to drive the ball with the authority he’s shown in previous seasons. With a ton of middle infield depth at the big league level the organization can afford to be patient with Segura. (Value Static)

90. Matt Davidson, 3B/1B, Arizona: Davidson got off to a scorching start to 2012 with an OPS of 1.000 in April but his numbers have dipped with each subsequent month. He’s now hitting just .259 on the year with 85 Ks in 88 games. Despite his struggles, Davidson is only 21 years old and remains the organization’s third baseman of the future. (Value Static)

89. Jesse Biddle, LHP, Philadelphia: Biddle continues to improve and looks like a future No. 2 or 3 starter at the big league level. The southpaw has done a nice job against both left-handed and right-handed batters and he’s been durable. Biddle, just 20, is almost ready for double-A ball. (Value Up)

88. Wily Peralta, RHP, Milwaukee: Peralta received his first taste of the Majors earlier this year but he hasn’t pitched overly well at triple-A, having allowed 96 hits and 49 walks in 90.0 innings of work. On the plus side, he’s showing some of the best ground-ball rates of his career. (Value Down)

87. Brett Jackson, OF, Chicago NL: The list of prospect analysts that think Jackson is going to be a star at the big league level continues to dwindle. He should still be a decent regular but strikeouts continue to be an issue. He’s struck out 122 times in 82 games and has walked just 34 times. Jackson continues to tease with his power potential (.233 ISO) and speed (10 triples, 20 steals in 24 attempts). (Value Static)

86. Sean Gilmartin, LHP, Atlanta: Atlanta knew what it was getting with Gilmartin when he was selected 28th overall during the 2011 draft: An advanced pitcher with a high floor and modest ceiling who would move quickly through the system. He’s posted solid but unspectacular numbers at the double-A level in 2012. (Value Up)

85. Austin Hedges, C, San Diego: Known for having plus defensive skills, Hedges’ detractors questioned how much bat he’d have at the pro level. The young catcher quieted some critics when he hit .319 in April but he’s been around .250 since. Although he may not hit for a huge average, Hedges has shown some good pop. (Value Static)

84. Sebastian Valle, C, Philadelphia: Valle finally reached double-A in his sixth season. His approach at the plate continues to be an issue and he has just nine walks with 66 strikeouts in 65 games. (Value Down)

83. Brody Colvin, RHP, Philadelphia: Colvin has been passed by Jesse Biddle on Philadelphia’s depth chart. The former has struggled with both his command and control and allows far more base runners than he should with the raw talent that he possesses. (Value Down)

82. Derek Norris, C, Oakland: Traded to Oakland in the off-season from Washington, Norris began the year in triple-A where he posted solid numbers. He recently received a call to the Majors and could push the more expensive veteran Kurt Suzuki out of town. (Value Up)

81. Neil Ramirez, RHP, Texas: Rushed through high-A and double-A in 2011, it finally caught up to Ramirez who posted a 7.66 ERA in 15 triple-A starts earlier this season. The right-hander has been demoted to double-A where the 23-year-old appears to be righting the ship. (Value Down)

80. Allen Webster, RHP, Los Angeles NL: After making fairly easy work of the lower minors, Webster has struggled at the double-A level, both in 2011 and ’12. The right-hander continues to show solid stuff but the ground-ball pitcher continues to allow a lot of hits – but that’s something that could correct itself when he gets some better defenders behind him in the Majors. (Value Static)

79. Chris Reed, LHP, Los Angeles NL: The former Stanford reliever has taken to starting in pro ball like a duck takes to water. The lefty even received the opportunity to pitch in the Futures Game recently. He’s pitched just 50 pro innings but Reed is already at the double-A level and could help LA in 2013. (Value Up)

78. Enny Romero, LHP, Tampa Bay: Another Futures Game participant, Romero has allowed just 59 hits in 83.0 innings at the high-A ball level. On the downside the 21-year-old hurler has struggled with his control and has walked 46 batters. Romero’s talent is obvious but he still has a lot of rough edges to smooth out. (Value Up… a Bit)

77. Chris Archer, RHP, Tampa Bay: Archer, 23, has made his first two appearances at the big league level this year but has spent the bulk of the season in triple-A. It’s been the same storyline for the right-hander this season as he continues to struggle with his control, having walked 50 batters in 82.2 innings. Archer, though, has overpowered hitters at times with 98 strikeouts and above-average ground-ball rates. (Value Up… a Bit)

76. Brad Peacock, RHP, Oakland: Peacock joined Derek Norris in the off-season Gio Gonzalez deal that sent the prospects from Washington to Oakland. He’s struggled to adapt to a new organization but has had some very bad luck with a LOB% of just 55.3% and a BABIP of .390. His ERA sits at 7.00 but his FIP is just 3.68 at triple-A. (Value Down)