This is the 25th edition of Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospects list, and as a premium for subscribers, we present the Top 100 with their complete scouting reports from our offseason organization prospect coverage.
Archie Bradley
The genesis of the Top 100 Prospects comes with the building of our organization Top 10 Prospects lists, which we roll out throughout the offseason. The information in those reports helps us decide where to line up all the prospects as we start comparing across organizations.
And as a handy reference for you, we’ve put all of the scouting reports for the best players in the game right here on one page. Just click the Show/Hide button for each player and find out all you need to know.
The voters for this year’s Top 100 Prospects were editor in chief John Manuel, along with J.J. Cooper, Matt Eddy, Vince Lara-Cinisomo, Will Lingo, Clint Longenecker and Josh Norris. The scouting reports you see here were written by the writers of each of our Organization Top 10 Prospects lists.
Rank
Player
Pos.
2014 Org.
Age
ETA
Scouting Report
1
Byron Buxton
of
20
2014
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In consecutive years, Buxton has been named the Baseball America High School Player of the Year and its Minor League Player of the Year. He jumped directly onto the fast track after the Twins drafted him second overall in 2012, then gave him a $6 million bonus that remains the largest in franchise history. A product of rural Georgia, Buxton led Appling County High to the Georgia state 2-A championship as a senior. Still throwing 91 mph in the seventh and final inning, he recorded an 18-strikeout complete game in the title clincher. After some early struggles in his debut in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, Buxton took off upon his promotion to Rookie-level Elizabethton. He helped the team win the Appalachian League title, then took his game to another level in 2013, ranking sixth in the minors in batting (.334) and seventh in on-base percentage (.424). The Twins aggressively sent him to the Arizona Fall League, where he was shut down with eight games left with a strained left shoulder. It was the same shoulder he had injured while taking a swing early in the AFL season, causing him to miss nine days. He finished with a .212 batting average and .288 on-base percentage in the AFL, but those numbers weren’t much different from what Mike Trout put up at a similar age the year before exploding onto the big league scene. Buxton’s combination of tools and production made him the talk of the minor leagues. Blessed with quick hands and strong wrists, he generates tremendous bat speed and keeps the bat in the zone for what seems like forever. Considering his rural background, he stunned scouts with his advanced approach at the plate and shows excellent discipline for such a young player. He is learning to backspin balls and can generate easy power to all fields, and his future home run power is one of scouts’ few questions about Buxton. Timed at 3.9 seconds to first from the right side, he is an 80 runner underway but is still working to improve his reads and instincts. He stole 55 bases at a 74 percent success rate that should climb as he refines his craft. Not even having a nail removed on his right big toe in late July could slow him down. He missed just five days. In the field, Buxton has tremendous arm strength and plus-plus range in center field. As his jumps and routes have improved, he habitually makes the difficult play look effortless. Quiet and still somewhat shy, Buxton is unfailingly polite and has a deep-seated work ethic that is second to none. After the shoulder scare in Arizona, the Twins will be even more cautious than usual with Buxton. He should open the year at Double-A New Britain, where he will play for the same manager who had him in the AFL, Jeff Smith. A late-season promotion seems logical, and Buxton should have every opportunity to seize the starting center field and leadoff spots with the Twins by Opening Day 2015.
2
Xander Bogaerts
ss/3b
21
2014
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As Mike Lord wrapped up his scouting trip to Aruba in early 2009, he’d identified only one player—catcher Jair Bogaerts—who represented a strong candidate to sign. But before leaving, the Red Sox international crosschecker made his standard inquiry: Anyone else to see? Most emphatically yes. Lord learned that Jair’s twin brother Xander had to be seen despite being bedridden with chicken pox. The scout then persuaded Bogaerts’ family to let the young shortstop come to a workout, and it was love at first sight when Boston signed Bogaerts for $410,000. In four years, Bogaerts has rocketed to the big leagues, spending no more than 104 games at any level. He has been a standout performer at every stop since then despite being one of the youngest players at each level. The Red Sox emphasized their desire to see him improve his plate discipline in spring training 2013, and improve he did. Bogaerts posted a .388 on-base percentage between Double-A and Triple-A, then drew critical walks both in the American League Division Series against the Rays and the AL Championship Series against the Tigers’ Max Scherzer. He became the youngest Red Sox position player in four decades when he made his debut as a 20-year-old in August and the team’s youngest postseason starter since Babe Ruth. Bogaerts has already shown the ability to excel against top pitching in the playoffs, with game-changing patience and power. With a simple, balanced swing, impressive bat speed and strength, he demonstrated shocking maturity and advancement at the plate in his year-ending exposure to the majors. He has home run power from left field to right-center, resulting in the confidence to stay back on pitches, swing at strikes and drive them. Defensively, he continued to make strides, showing the athleticism, hands, arm and mechanical efficiency (despite his size) to play shortstop, a position most evaluators believe he can play at a major league level. After playing the hot corner for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic, he adapted quickly to his crash course at third. Bogaerts made considerable defensive progress at both positions, to the point where he gives Boston the flexibility to let him play either position, depending on the team’s offseason. He has average speed, and stolen bases won’t be part of his game. October may not have been so much Bogaerts’ coming-out party as a tantalizing scratching of the surface. “They may end up making a statue of this guy,” one evaluator said. He’s major league ready as a shortstop or third baseman, one who will hit lower in the order to begin 2014, with a likely peak of 25-plus homers a year in the middle of the lineup.
3
Oscar Taveras
of
21
2014
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As if the hesitancy of Taveras’ steps rounding second base in May wasn’t enough, the slam of his batting helmet as he got to dugout revealed just as much any MRI could. The top hitting prospect developed by the Cardinals since Albert Pujols lost a majority of the 2013 season because of an ankle sprain that three times knocked him off the field and eventually required high-ankle surgery. The lefthanded-hitting Taveras was limited to 173 at-bats and 46 games at Triple-A Memphis, but general manager John Mozeliak became fond of repeating, “When he played, he hit.” Taveras always has. Signed for $145,000 from the Dominican Republic in 2008, Taveras has a .320/.377/.518 batting line in five professional seasons. In his first three seasons with a domestic affiliate he won a league MVP, a low Class A Midwest League batting title and three championships at three different levels. He was a comet streaking toward the majors with a scheduled debut in 2013 until his ankle gave out and chronic discomfort slowed his trip around the bases—and his arrival. Taveras has a preternatural gift for hitting, one honed by trying to hit the caps of water jugs spun fast to veer like a Frisbee, and thousands of swings against a tire lashed to a fence. He has electron-quick bat speed. He barrels pitches in the zone, and he can drive any pitch he can reach, sometimes going outside the zone to do so. He’s a bad-ball hitter who doesn’t strike out often, and whose 57 extra-base hits at Double-A show the power ahead. He displayed his knack during spring training against big league pitchers and had some staff members arguing he was ready to open the season in the majors. The other elements of his game, including attention to detail and constant effort, are catching up to his hitting. Taveras’ zest is at the plate, and his game can wander away from it. His best position is right field, where his plus arm and range play, but the Cardinals believe his athleticism is a fit for center. The high-ankle injury cost him valuable experience in center, where he played well at times in 2013 and drifted at other times. Mozeliak said the big question because of the lost time “is where he can play defensively and how confident we are with him in center.” Taveras had a turbulent 2013, one buffeted by the injury, fickle changes to his representation, two off-field matters that required returns to the Dominican and other instances that reminded the organization he’s young and still adapting. He will have to mature on the job. Taveras would have been on the postseason roster in 2013 and perhaps the starting center fielder if not for injury. He will arrive in spring training with a chance to win a spot on the major league roster, and if he can prove reliable in center, an everyday job awaits him. The Cardinals want his bat in the lineup and believe that given health and given playing time he’s a Rookie of the Year candidate and all-star in the making.
4
Masahiro Tanaka
rhp
25
2014
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Tanaka earned national fame in Japan when he broke Daisuke Matsuzaka’s career record for strikeouts by a high school pitcher in 2006, then the next year pitched a full season in the Rakuten Eagles rotation as an 18-year-old. Tanaka soon became one of the top pitchers in Japan, winning the 2011 Sawamura Award, the Japanese equivalent of the Cy Young. When Yu Darvish left Japan after the 2011 season, Tanaka became the undisputed No. 1 pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball. In 2013 he won his second Sawamura Award and the Pacific League MVP en route to leading Rakuten to an NPB championship. Tanaka has the stuff and polish to become a No. 2 starter in the major leagues immediately. He pitches off a fastball that sits at 90-94 mph and touches 96 while making one start a week. He mixes a two-seamer to get quick groundball outs and a four-seamer when he needs extra velocity. Tanaka has a plus fastball but he sinks on the backside of his delivery, which causes his fastball to come in on a flat plane, making the pitch more hittable than the pure velocity would suggest. Tanaka’s 84-89 mph splitter alleviates some of the concern about his fastball angle, as it’s a wipeout pitch that hitters have trouble distinguishing from his fastball. It’s arguably the best splitter on the planet, earning 70 grades with late downward tumble, starting at the hitter’s thighs and looking like a juicy fastball before dropping beneath the bottom of the zone. Tanaka’s 82-85 mph slider has flashed as a third plus pitch, though he had some trouble snapping it off consistently last year and got hurt when he hung them, but it’s another swing-and-miss pitch when it’s on point. Tanaka also mixes a 71-76 mph curveball that he’ll use early in the count on occasion. Tanaka does wrap his wrist in the back of his arm action, but he has a repeatable delivery and a track record of throwing strikes. Facing Japanese hitters, Tanaka is known to cruise against hitters at the bottom of the lineup, then ramp up his stuff against the better hitters or when pitching out of a jam. Tanaka doesn’t have the upside of Darvish when he left Japan, but several teams project him as a frontline starter.
5
Javier Baez
ss
21
2014
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Tom Clark coached at Lake City (Fla.) CC for more than 20 years and had a history of recruiting and coaching Puerto Rican players. When the school changed its name and dropped athletics, Clark latched on with the Cubs as an area scout, and his experience came in handy scouting Baez, who was born in Puerto Rico and moved to Florida when he was 12. Baez’s aggressive style had boiled over at times in his amateur career, even prompting a near-brawl at a 2010 showcase in Jupiter, Fla., but Clark got to know Baez and his family. The Cubs were confident enough to draft him ninth overall in 2011, signing him for a $2.625 bonus. After ending 2012 with a broken left thumb, Baez showed no ill effects in 2013, with a torrid finish at Double-A Tennessee pushing him to 37 home runs, tied for second in the minors. He led all minor leaguers with 111 RBIs and 75 extra-base hits. Baez has special bat speed and produces top-of-the-scale power with an exceptionally aggressive approach and swing. He has tremendous plate coverage and really has no true holes in his swing, which takes a direct and violent path to the ball. Baez has work to do with pitch recognition and can drift at times thanks to his leg kick, but he hits the ball so hard, he doesn’t have to square it up to hit it out of the park. His patience and pitch recognition improved against better competition, and some scouts see him as an above-average hitter despite his propensity to chase. Baez’s defensive tools suit him for shortstop, while his aggressiveness does not. He has average speed and solid range to go with solid actions and a 70-grade arm, but he needs to slow the game down and consistently make the routine play. He committed 44 errors on the season. His baseball instincts suit him well at the plate and on the basepaths, and his competitiveness, which at times comes across as over-the-top swagger, has helped him rise to big moments, such as a walk-off homer against Japan’s World Baseball Classic team during a spring training exhibition game. Baez hit 41 homers in 2013 between big league spring training and the regular season—plus 10 more in minor league camp—and his power should make Wrigley Field look small sooner than later. With Starlin Castro signed through 2019 but coming off a poor season, Baez presents the Cubs with a fascinating option. If his defense improves with maturity and experience—reasonable, given his tools—he could force Castro to second or third base. More likely, Baez shifts to second or third, causing a logjam with other Cubs prospects such as 2013 first-rounder Kris Bryant and Baez’s Tennessee double-play partner Arismendy Alcantara. Spring training will help decide Baez’s 2014 assignment and position, but he profiles as an all-star-caliber, 30-homer infielder wherever he lands.
6
Miguel Sano
3b
20
2014
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How many athletes have starring roles in not one but two documentaries by age 20? That’s life for Sano, who signed for $3.15 million after a long ordeal that included an age dispute, bone-density scans and sour grapes from some of the teams that fell short in the bidding. He quickly rose to No. 1 on the Twins prospect list after 2012 before ceding the top spot to Byron Buxton, whom he joined at the Futures Game in 2013. Sano was benched for four games last July by Double-A New Britain manager Jeff Smith following a 29-second home run trot against former teammate Bobby Lanigan. The report on Sano starts with the power, which earned him best power prospect in both the Florida State and Eastern leagues. He crushed a combined 35 homers in 2013, fourth-most in the minors. He also hit .330 in the FSL, where rival managers voted him best batting prospect and most exciting player. Sano’s average dropped off after he was promoted to the EL on June 10, but his power played against better competition. Defensively, he worked with Hall of Famer Paul Molitor, the Twins’ roving infield instructor, to improve his footwork and hands, which still need polishing. He has a plus arm and made progress in 2013, committing 23 errors and nearly halving his total in 2012. He’s a below-average runner. Sano was shelved after two games in the Dominican League with a strained throwing elbow. That could cost him momentum as he heads into 2014, when he figures to open at Triple-A Rochester, but shouldn’t slow his fast path to Minnesota.
7
Carlos Correa
ss
19
2016
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The Astros had several good options with the No. 1 pick in the 2012 draft. They could have taken Byron Buxton, considered the top position player in the draft. They could have taken one of a trio of college righthanders—Mark Appel, Kyle Zimmer or Kevin Gausman—or they could be a little more creative. By choosing Correa, the Astros were able to sign the No. 1 overall pick for $4.8 million, less than it would have taken to sign Buxton or Appel, freeing up money to sign sandwich-rounder Lance McCullers Jr. and fourth-rounder Rio Ruiz to above-slot deals. While Buxton was considered the superior prospect, Correa wasn’t a signability pick. He starred at the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy and on the showcase circuit in 2011, and as a shortstop, he filled a glaring need in the organization in a way that Buxton, a center fielder, did not. Since signing, Correa has lived up to, and arguably exceeded, expectations. As one of the youngest players in the low Class A Midwest League in 2013, he finished third in batting (.320) and top five in on-base percentage (.405) while leading league shortstops in fielding percentage (.973) and finishing second in total chances (551). He also participated in the Futures Game, where he was the exhibition’s youngest player. Correa combines exceptional tools and outstanding knowledge and feel for the game. Some scouts worry that he’ll have to move to third base eventually because of his size and speed. He’s an average runner at best right now and likely will slow down. At 6-foot-4 and pushing 200 pounds, he’s already one of the bigger shortstops around. But others note that Correa makes all the plays expected of a front-line shortstop. He can make plays in the hole thanks in part to a 70 arm, and he also goes to his left well. Correa is more sure-handed than most young shortstops, with soft hands and a refined internal clock that lets him know when to charge a ball, when to stay back and when to put the ball in his back pocket. At the plate, he should hit for above-average power and average. He has the bat speed to rip fastballs, but his advanced pitch recognition means he also has excellent plate coverage and lays off breaking balls out of the zone. While he hangs in against righthanders, he hit .432/.523/.550 against southpaws in 111 at-bats for Quad Cities in 2013. Though he hit just nine home runs in his first full season, he has 20-25 potential. Correa is one of those rare players who could hit in the middle of the lineup while playing a solid shortstop. Even if he ends up moving to third base, he has the power to be an impact player. After posting loud numbers in 2013, he could take those numbers to a new stratosphere at the hitter’s paradise that is high Class A Lancaster in 2014.
8
Kris Bryant
3b
22
2014
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Bryant was an 18th-round pick out of Las Vegas’ Bonanza High in 2010 but attended San Diego instead. After hitting 23 home runs in his first two seasons, Bryant was BA’s College Player of the Year as a junior, leading the nation in home runs (31), walks, total bases and slugging. The Cubs drafted him No. 2 overall, and he got the largest signing bonus in franchise history and in the 2013 draft, $6,708,400. He hit nine home runs in his debut and helped high Class A Daytona win the Florida State League title. Tall, lean and athletic, Bryant has all-star tools. He adjusted as a junior by spreading out in the batter’s box, lowering his head and eliminating pre-swing movement. He can still get a bit uphill with his swing but now punishes the low ball. He has the leverage and loft in his swing to produce 40 homers annually while being an above-average hitter. Bryant’s easy arm strength fits well at third base and he has solid infield actions, but he’s tall for the position and some scouts consider him a better fit for right field. He played some right and even center field in college thanks to his average speed and long strides. Bryant’s torrid Arizona Fall League tour indicates he is on the fast track to Wrigley Field. If he moves quickly, he likely will shift to an outfield corner.
9
Archie Bradley
rhp
21
2014
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Bradley arrived as Arizona’s reward for failing to sign 2010 sixth overall pick Barret Loux. The Diamondbacks received the seventh pick in 2011 as compensation, selecting Bradley after taking Trevor Bauer third overall. It’s the highest pair of picks by one team in draft history. The Diamondbacks offered a $5 million bonus just before the signing deadline to lure Bradley away from Oklahoma, where he would have played quarterback. He was one of two premium Oklahoma prep products in the 2011 draft, pairing with Dylan Bundy, whom Bradley beat in the state playoffs to conclude their senior seasons. After spending his first full year at low Class A South Bend, Bradley began the 2013 season with five dominating starts at high Class A Visalia before moving up to Double-A Mobile, where he helped lead the BayBears to a third consecutive trip to the Southern League finals. Bradley’s combined 1.84 ERA ranked third in minors, and he placed fifth with 162 strikeouts. He even started a combined no-hitter against Huntsville on Aug. 14 with five innings, though he walked five and needed help from five relievers. Bradley ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the SL, behind only the Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig. With a solid, fairly athletic 6-foot-4 body and an electric arm, Bradley has the potential to be a frontline starter. The key to his repertoire is the overpowering, plus-plus fastball that he throws at 93-94 mph and up to 97 with good downhill plane and tailing life. Bradley’s curveball gives him another plus pitch. His changeup is a slightly above-average pitch that he hasn’t used enough to develop fully, though it could also be a plus pitch in time. Bradley throws with some effort, with an arm recoil to conclude his follow-through. He repeated his delivery more consistently in 2013, helping lower his walk rate from 5.6 to 4.1 per nine innings. That’s still high for a starter, but the improvement encouraged the Diamondbacks, who believe maturity was a key to his improvement. He keeps the ball in the ballpark, allowing six homers in 26 starts. The Diamondbacks might have brought Bradley to the big leagues had they remained in playoff contention, but because he does not yet have to be added to the 40-man roster he stayed in Mobile. The 2013 big league staff underachieved at times, and general manager Kevin Towers has indicated an interest in adding another starting pitcher. After an invitation to big league camp, Bradley will likely start the season at Triple-A Reno, a challenging assignment for any 21-year-old. A slow start or injury to a big league starter likely will result in his big league debut at some point in 2014.
10
Gregory Polanco
of
22
2014
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When Pirates Latin American scouting director Rene Gayo first laid eyes on Polanco as a 17-year-old amateur pitcher in the Dominican Republic, he said was reminded of a sick giraffe. Polanco still has giraffe-like qualities. His long legs make him appear taller than his listed height of 6-foot-4, and he has the frame to pack on more than his listed 170 pounds. Gayo’s second thought about Polanco was that he wouldn’t make it as a pitcher in professional baseball, but his long frame made him an intriguing outfield prospect. So Gayo offered Polanco a $150,000 bonus if he would give up pitching, and he hasn’t stepped on a mound since. Polanco’s lack of hitting experience showed in his first two seasons in the United States as he hit a combined .218/.288/.322 in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. Polanco broke out in 2012 at low Class A West Virginia, winning the South Atlantic League player of the year award as he hit .325/.388/.522 with 16 home runs and 40 stolen bases. While Polanco didn’t match that performance in 2013, he hit .285/.356/.434 over three levels, advancing from high Class A Bradenton to finish the season as part of Triple-A Indianapolis’ playoff team. He also wowed scouts with his batting practice before the Futures Game at spacious Citi Field in New York by driving a number of balls deep into the right-field stands. Polanco is an athletic five-tool talent with the ability to hit for power and average, run, throw and play superior defense in center field. The area in which Polanco needs the most work is hitting. Though he has exceptional bat speed and fast hands, his swing tends to get long, and he also has trouble laying off breaking pitches outside the zone. At his size, Polanco always will have some holes in his swing, and some scouts question whether he will hit for plus power because of the lengthy swing. Others are convinced his improved plate discipline and growing feel for hitting will translate into an all-star power/speed combination. Polanco’s long, gliding strides enable him to cover tons of ground, especially laterally, as he can track down flyballs from gap to gap, and his plus arm would allow him to play right field. His route-running, especially on balls over his head, needs polish but should improve with experience. His above-average speed also makes him a threat on the bases, and he continues to hone his baserunning instincts. While face-of-the-franchise Andrew McCutchen patrols center, right field is open in Pittsburgh, and Polanco is so talented that he almost certainly will force his way into the major league lineup at some point in 2014, most likely in right. He would join McCutchen and Starling Marte to give the Pirates one of the most dynamic outfields in the business, but he still needs some finishing touches, so he will start the 2014 season back at Indianapolis. He should be in the major leagues before long and figures to be an impact player for many years to come.
11
Taijuan Walker
rhp
21
2014
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Walker returns to the Mariners’ No. 1 prospect ranking after dropping to No. 2 for one season, 2013, behind catcher Mike Zunino. He concentrated more on basketball at Yucaipa High, when he had the nickname “Sky Walker” and averaged 21 points and 15 rebounds as a senior. But he also played baseball for coach Jeff Stout, who has worked with big leaguers such as Mark Teahen, Corky Miller, Matt Carson and Walker’s former prep teammate, Diamondbacks prospect third baseman Matt Davidson. The Mariners made Walker their first pick in the 2010 draft, selecting him 43rd overall, then signing him for $800,000. He’s a quick learner and hard worker, which combined with his outstanding athletic ability has allowed him to become one of baseball’s top pitching prospects. Walker turned heads at the Futures Game in both 2012 and 2013. The latter was particularly special because it marked the first time Walker’s father had a chance to see his son play in a professional game. Walker has two plus pitches, a fastball with plus armside action and a slider/cutter hybrid. The fastball ranges from 93-98 mph and usually sits at 95-96, while the slider is in the 88-92 range and has good, late break. Scouts consider his slider his best pitch, even over his fastball. Walker also throws a curveball and changeup. The latter has a chance to be an above-average pitch if he can learn to throw it for strikes more often and subtract more velocity to add differentiation from his fastball. He has a hard time commanding his mid-70s curveball, which can be a sharp pitch but is his fourth offering. All of Walker’s pitches tend to catch a little bit too much of the plate at times, and he needs to work on honing his command, which has improved quite a bit since he first entered pro ball. As one would expect from a former basketball star, Walker is agile. That not only helps him repeat his delivery but has enabled him to improve his pickoff move and defense. Walker made his major league debut in September 2013, getting three starts before being shut down after reaching 156 innings for the season. The Mariners were so impressed by how he handled his first taste of the big leagues that he figures to slot in near the back of their rotation to begin 2014. He has the raw ability to be a No.1 starter and at least settle in as a fine wing man for Felix Hernandez.
12
Jonathan Gray
rhp
22
2014
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The Rockies had Gray ranked atop their draft board in 2013 and were ecstatic when the Astros chose Mark Appel and the Cubs selected Kris Bryant, allowing Colorado to take Gray with the third overall pick. He signed for a franchise-record $4.8 million, well above the previous mark of $3.9 million given to 2009 first-rounder Tyler Matzek. Gray had been drafted twice previously. The Royals took him in the 13th round in 2010 out of Chandler (Okla.) High. He went to Eastern Oklahoma State JC, where the Yankees took him in the 10th round in 2011. He rejected New York’s $500,000 offer and transferred to Oklahoma, where he got in better shape. In his junior season at OU, Gray went 10-3, 1.64 in 17 starts with 147 strikeouts and 24 walks in 126 innings. In the pre-draft drug testing, he tested positive for the prescription drug Adderall, a stimulant that cannot be used without a waiver under the Major League Baseball policy on performance-enhancing substances. As a result, he will be subject to additional testing during his professional career. Gray is the fourth college righthander drafted by the Rockies in the first round, following John Burke (Florida, 1992), Jason Jennings (Baylor, 1999) and Greg Reynolds (Stanford, 2006). Because of his college workload, the Rockies limited him to no more than five innings in any start, and after accumulating 163 innings between college and pro ball, the Rockies scratched him from his final start at high Class A Modesto. The Rockies have never had a power pitcher with command as sharp as Gray’s. Ubaldo Jimenez threw nearly as hard but didn’t have Gray’s command. Gray sits at 95-96 mph with his four-seam fastball that ranges from 93-100 and on multiple occasions hit 102. His heater has good finish with a small amount of run and little, if any, sink. The pitch has only a bit of movement, understandable given the high velocity. Because Gray had thrown his slider excessively at Oklahoma, the Rockies limited him to throwing one slider per batter at Rookie-level Grand Junction. That restriction was removed at Modesto, where he was virtually unhittable. Gray has an 85-88 mph slider with tight, late break when thrown properly, but it can get big at times and needs more consistency. He has a good feel for a straight changeup that needs more work, not surprising since it wasn’t a necessary pitch in college. But when he keeps it down, his changeup is 83-87 mph with slight fade. Gray has three very good pitches, and the Rockies expect that all will be above-average offerings. Power pitchers are often burdened by walks, which shouldn’t be the case with Gray, whose command is good thanks to an efficient delivery. He’ll start at Double-A Tulsa and could reach the majors at some point during the 2014 season. His combination of power and efficiency makes him a potential No. 1 starter.
13
Francisco Lindor
ss
20
2014
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Lindor gained minor fame as a youth in Puerto Rico, where his local all-star teams won 8- and 9-year-old national championships, and the mayor of his hometown of Caguas honored him as the town’s player of the year. Seeking better competition than he could find on the island, Lindor’s family enrolled him at Montverde (Fla.) Academy at age 12. He went on to star on the high school showcase circuit and for USA Baseball’s 16U national team, for which he served as captain and won a gold medal at the 2009 World Youth Championships in Taiwan. Lindor even scored the winning run in the ninth inning of the gold-medal game as Team USA rallied back from a 5-1 deficit to beat Cuba 7-6. The Indians made Lindor the first high schooler they’d taken in the first round since 2001 when they snagged him No. 8 overall in 2011, signing him for $2.9 million. A precocious talent, he wasn’t out of his element as the second-youngest everyday player in the high Class A Carolina League in 2013. After hitting .306/.373/.410 for Carolina, Lindor moved up to Double-A Akron in July and was the youngest position player to play in the Eastern League. Lindor brings everything to the table with his tools, instincts and makeup. He’ll fit more as a No. 1 or 2 hitter in a future big league lineup rather than as a run-producer, but there’s very little he can’t do. He has a compact swing from both sides of the plate and drives balls to all fields. Raw power is the only tool where he’s not above-average, but he could still be a threat to hit 15 homers once he fills out. He does have a little more power from the right side that would sometimes cause his righthanded swing to get bigger, but he did a better job of keeping it more consistent in 2013. Lindor has an uncanny feel for the strike zone, especially for his age. He rarely chases bad pitches or gives away at-bats, drawing more walks than he had strikeouts across two levels last year. Though he’s still polishing the small-ball aspects of his game, such as bunting and stealing, he’s an intelligent baserunner with above-average speed. Lindor shines even brighter on defense, where he has the potential to be a Gold Glove shortstop. Beyond just his soft hands and above-average arm, Lindor has an advanced feel for anticipating plays. He slows the game down and always plays under control. His work ethic is second to none as well, as he doesn’t just settle with getting by on talent and is driven to be a complete player. The only areas for improvement for Lindor at this stage are adding a bit more strength and gaining more experience against upper-level pitchers. With Asdrubal Cabrera’s contract expiring after the 2014 season, Lindor is right on schedule to be the Indians’ Opening Day shortstop in 2015. He’ll begin the 2014 season back in Akron, but if he shows he’s ready, Cleveland may ring in the Lindor era sooner than later.
14
Addison Russell
ss
20
2014
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A prominent amateur player, Russell was one of just two underclassmen to play in the 2010 Under Armour All-America Game. Athletics scouts were impressed at how he stood out playing with USA Baseball’s 18U team, where he hit a grand slam in the gold-medal win against Canada in the 2011 Pan Am Championship in Colombia. In 2012, Oakland made him its first first-round pick out of high school since Jeremy Bonderman in 2001. The 11th overall pick, Russell signed for $2.625 million. After tearing up three levels in his pro debut in 2012, he earned an invitation to big league spring training in 2013, even though it wasn’t stipulated in his contract. The A’s gave him an aggressive assignment to high Class A Stockton, where he was the youngest player on a California League Opening Day roster by six months. Russell took some time to catch up with the speed of the league but responded to hit .305/.424/.555 in the second half, followed by a solid .282/.361/.435 showing in the Arizona Fall League. One of the game’s premier shortstop prospects, Russell can do everything on the field while showing polish beyond his years. His swing hasn’t required much tinkering since he entered pro ball, as he generates explosive bat speed and has the bat-to-ball skills to make consistent contact. During Russell’s time in big league camp, A’s manager Bob Melvin noted the quality of the shortstop’s at-bats. He uses the whole field and stays inside the ball well. He already had a mature approach, but he chased fewer pitches and controlled the strike zone even better as the 2013 season went along. His 61 walks were the second most of any Stockton player, and he drew 34 free passes over 52 games in the second half. Russell has plenty of power for a shortstop, though he’ll rate closer to average overall as he projects to continue producing 15-20 homers a season after clubbing 17 in 2013. Russell tried bulking up in high school to become more of a power hitter, but the extra muscle mass did little more than relegate him to third base with Team USA. As a result, he refocused his efforts on ensuring he could stay at shortstop, and few question his defensive future now. Russell has solid fundamentals and takes good angles to balls. His lower half works well, and he has the range and athleticism to make plenty of highlight-quality plays. He doesn’t have a cannon for an arm, but it’s strong enough for the position and plays up thanks to his quick transfer and accuracy. He runs well and steals bases efficiently. The question isn’t if Russell will become the A’s everyday shortstop, but when. Jed Lowrie and Nick Punto will hold down the position in 2014, but neither should stand in Russell’s way when he’s ready. Slated to open 2014 at Double-A Midland, he should debut in Oakland at some point in 2014 and be the regular shortstop in 2015.
15
Dylan Bundy
rhp
21
2014
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Considered among the most advanced prep pitchers in years, Bundy went fourth overall in a deep 2011 draft and signed a $6.225 million major league contract that included a $4 million bonus. He then lived up to that by going 9-3, 2.08 at three levels of the minors in 2012, fanning 119 batters in 104 innings and reaching Double-A Bowie. Bundy became the fourth player from his draft class to reach the big leagues, as well as the fourth 19-year-old to pitch in the majors in the last decade when he made two September relief appearances for the Orioles. He became the first Baltimore player to debut before age 20 since righthander Mike Adamson on July 1, 1967. Ticketed to begin the 2013 season at Bowie, Bundy saw his velocity dip during a spring training start, and late in March he was shut down with elbow soreness. After rest and rehab didn’t alleviate the issue, Bundy had Tommy John surgery performed by Dr. James Andrews on June 27. He continued his rehab over the winter at the Orioles’ spring training facilities in Sarasota, Fla. Bundy showed the expected high-end velocity throughout 2012, pitching in the mid-90s and at times touching 98 mph. The Orioles asked him to not throw his cut fastball during the minor league season to get more work on his secondary pitches, and he showed a plus curveball with sharp break and a changeup that made dramatic improvement through the season and was often a plus pitch by the end of the year. Despite his 6-foot-1 build, Bundy has tremendous strength, creates good plane on his pitches and is very athletic. What truly makes him special, with No. 1 starter potential, is the talent in combination with tremendous work ethic and makeup. Bundy was the first prep pitcher from the deep 2011 draft to reach the majors, but now he has a long way to go to match Jose Fernandez as the best high school arm from that class, and fellow Oklahoman and friend Archie Bradley of the Diamondbacks is catching up. Bundy’s rehab schedule called for him to begin throwing six months after surgery, around Jan. 1. He likely won’t throw off a mound until April. Bundy’s strong drive and work ethic have him on schedule, if not ahead a bit, in his recovery. It may be a couple of months into the season before he is game ready, and the Orioles figure to be cautious and conservative with such a young talent. He likely will start 2014 at extended spring training and may begin pitching in games there with the hope that he could eventually settle in at Bowie to get the bulk of his innings. Can he make an impact at the big league level in 2014? That seems ambitious, yet no one will rule it out with Bundy.
16
Noah Syndergaard
rhp
21
2015
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The Blue Jays correctly gauged Syndergaard’s potential and signability when they nabbed the Dallas Baptist commit with the 38th pick in the 2010 draft. He flew up Toronto’s draft board that spring as area scout Steve Miller watched the 17-year-old righthander’s velocity climb from the high 80s to a steady 92-94 mph. Syndergaard struck out 39 batters in his final three starts for Legacy High in the Texas 4-A playoffs, then wasted no time in signing with the Blue Jays for a below-slot $600,000 bonus. He breezed through two short-season levels in 2011, then starred in a prospect-studded Lansing rotation in 2012 that also featured Justin Nicolino and Aaron Sanchez. That offseason, Syndergaard (and catcher Travis d’Arnaud) joined the Mets in the trade that sent reigning Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey to the Blue Jays. He started the 2013 Futures Game for the U.S. team at New York’s Citi Field, then jumped on the fast track with a second-half promotion to Double-A Binghamton. He ranked as the top pitching prospect in both the Florida State and Eastern leagues. Overpowering fastball velocity and sharp control have always been Syndergaard’s hallmarks. He throws his fastball at 94-98 mph with vicious armside run that saws off righthanders, who hit .196/.240/.294 with four homers in 251 plate appearances against him in 2013. Just six starters who qualified for the minor league ERA title struck out batters at a higher rate than Syndergaard (28.2 percent), and his 4.75 SO/BB ratio surpassed anyone in the top 10. A repeatable delivery and clean arm action help him pitch downhill and throw consistent strikes, and he averaged a tick more than one walk per start in 2013. His secondary stuff grades more as average in most starts, though his 12-to-6 curveball features more power and spin than it did when he first turned pro. Pitching coordinator Ron Romanick encouraged Syndegaard to visualize throwing his breaking ball with a fastball mentality and arm speed, rather than casting the pitch and trying to drop the perfect curve in the zone. He throws a firm changeup that sits in the high 80s, a pitch he must refine after allowing lefties to hit .296 and slug .471 against him in 2013. He still has yet to throw more than 120 innings in a season. With a typical development track at Triple-A Las Vegas, Syndergaard stands poised to make his big league debut around midseason in 2014, a la Matt Harvey in 2012 and Zack Wheeler in 2013. With the stuff he has now Syndegaard would profile as a No. 3 starter, but if one of his secondary pitches becomes a consistent plus, then he becomes a prototype No. 2 because scouts have no questions about his mound presence or command.
17
Maikel Franco
3b
21
2014
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Signed for just $100,000 out of the Dominican Republic, Franco stood out as an amateur for his power bat, throwing arm and 7.7-second time in the 60-yard dash. That lack of speed had the Phillies consider a move to catcher, but that’s no longer the case. Franco showed enough offensive polish to jump to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League as a 17-year-old and reached low Class A Lakewood in late 2011 at age 18. Back at Lakewood in 2012, he dealt with a serious case of over-aggression, leading to a .207/.269/.338 line over his first 64 games in full-season ball. Once the weather in the Northeast warmed up, however, so did Franco (.346/.395/.530), and he hasn’t stopped hitting. Franco followed up with a 31-homer season in 2013, earning himself a spot on the Florida State League all-star team in the first half, as well as his second Futures Game nod and a promotion to Double-A. He was the organization’s player of the year after leading it in batting (.320), homers (31) and RBIs (103). Franco offers premium bat speed that produces 70 power on the 20-80 scale. He’s still too aggressive at times, but he has significantly cut down on his strikeouts and increased his walk rate. He doesn’t walk much but makes such hard, consistent contact that he rarely goes into slumps. His swing gets out of control at times, and he has shown a vulnerability to breaking pitches down and in. Even with those dings and despite his top-shelf power, he struck out just 70 times in 581 plate appearances in 2013, or just 12 percent of the time. At third base, Franco showed good hands and actions, along with an above-average arm while making 15 errors. He moves left to right well and has the footwork to stick at third despite his poor running speed. The Phillies see him as a true middle-of-the-order bat who can hit for average and produce something on the order of 30 homers annually. They moved Franco to first base for the last week or so of the season, a move designed to make him more comfortable with a new position rather than an abandonment of the hot corner. Rookie third baseman Cody Asche jumped to Philadelphia in August, and while his promotion was a factor in Franco’s late stint at first base, Franco’s ceiling is higher. His time at first provides Ryan Howard insurance for Philly, which intends to send Franco to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to open the 2014 season. He could challenge for a spot at Citizens Bank Park sometime toward the end of the season. Once he gets there, Philadelphia should have a power righthanded bat to complement Howard, Chase Utley and Domonic Brown in the middle of the lineup.
18
George Springer
of
24
2014
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Springer has a fascinating family history, but since signing for $2.525 million as the 11th pick in the 2011 draft, he’s made his own name, including a strong run at a 40-40 season in 2013 in which he fell three home runs short of the feat. He goes to the plate looking for a pitch on the inner half that he can drive, and he succeeded frequently in doing so in 2013 as he advanced to Triple-A Oklahoma City. His outstanding bat speed allows him to catch up to most anything, but his aggressive approach often leaves him out on his front foot when he faces quality offspeed stuff. Because his arm, speed, power and defense all rate as at least plus tools, Springer can be productive even as he strikes out excessively. A .299 career minor league hitter, he won’t approach that in the majors unless he starts lining pitches on the outer half to right field more often. Though he’s not on the 40-man roster, Springer should earn a big league spot in Houston’s woeful outfield at some point in 2014. If he makes enough contact to hit .270 in the big leagues, he’s a perennial all-star. He has enough other tools to help a team win even if his swing-and-miss tendencies turn him into a .240 hitter.
19
Robert Stephenson
rhp
21
2015
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Hindsight confirms what scouts thought at the time—the