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Devils Top Prospects(2019 Midseason Complete)


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We are going to try this again in 2019.

Going to start with the top 10 prospects from each position

RHP
1.Dylan Cease||Chicago White Sox
2.Forrest Whitley||Houston
3.Casey Mize||Detroit
4.Chris Paddack||San Diego
5.Ian Anderson||Atlanta
6.Alex Reyes||St Louis
7.Brent Honeywell||Tampa Bay
8.Matt Manning||Detroit
9.Hunter Greene||Cincinnati
10.Mitch Keller||Pittsburgh

LHP
1.Jesus Luzardo||Oakland
2.Mackenzie Gore||San Diego
3.AJ Puk||Oakland
4.Brendan McKay||Tampa Bay
5.Matthew Liberatore||Tampa Bay
6.Cionel Perez||Houston
7.Joey Wentz||Atlanta
8.Justus Sheffield||Seattle
9.DL Hall||Baltimore
10.Brailyn Marquez||Chicago Cubs

OF
1.Eloy Jiminez||Chicago White Sox
2.Jo Adell||Los Angeles Angels
3.Victor Robles||Washington
4.Kyle Tucker||Houston
5.Alex Kirilloff||Minnesota
6.Taylor Trammell||Cincinnati
7.Drew Waters||OF||Atlanta
8.Cristian Pache||Atlanta
9.Julio Rodriguez||Seattle
10.Travis Swaggerty||Pittsburgh

C
1.Francisco Mejia||San Diego
2.Joey Bart||San Francisco
3.Keibert Ruiz||Los Angeles Dodgers
4.Sean Murphy||Oakland
5.Ronaldo Hernandez||Tampa Bay
6.Danny Jansen||Toronto
7.MJ Melendez||Kansas City
8.William Contreras||Atlanta
9.Miguel Amaya||Chicago Cubs
10.Andrew Knizner||St Louis

1B
1.Pete Alonzo||New York Mets
2.Evan White||Seattle
3.Nick Pratto||Kansas City
4.Brent Rooker||Minnesota
5.Nate Lowe||Tampa Bay
6.Seth Beer||Houston
7.Matt Thaiss||Los Angeles Angels
8.Triston Casas||Boston
9.Grant Lavigne||Colorado
10.Will Craig||Pittsburgh

2B
1.Keston Hiura||Minnesota
2.Brendan Rodgers||Colorado
3.Vidal Brujan||Tampa Bay
4.Luis Urias||San Diego
5.Nick Madrigal||Chicago White Sox
6.Brandon Lowe||Tampa Bay
7.Jahmai Jones||Los Angeles Angels
8.Nick Solak||Tampa Bay
9.Garrett Hampson||Colorado
10.Shed Long||Seattle

3B
1.Vlad Guerrero Jr||Toronto
2.Nick Senzel||Cincinnati
3.Colton Welker||Colorado
4.Ke'Bryan Hayes||Pittsburgh
5.Mark Vientos||New York Mets
6.Austin Riley||Atlanta
7.Nolan Gorman||St Louis
8.Nolan Jones||Cleveland
9.Jake Burger||Chicago White Sox
10.Ryan Mountcastle||Baltimore

SS
1.Fernando Tatis Jr||San Diego
2.Wander Franco||Tampa Bay
3.Royce Lewis||Minnesota
4.Carter Kieboom||Washington
5.Gavin Lux||Los Angeles Dodgers
6.Bo Bichette||Toronto
7.Luis Garcia||Washington
8.Oneil Cruz||Pittsburgh
9.Andres Giminez||New York Mets
10.Jeter Downs||Los Angeles Dodgers

 

Top 5 Per Team

Boston
1.Triston Casas||1B||A
2.Michael Chavis||3B||AAA
3.Darwinzon Hernandez||LHP||AA
4.Tanner Houck||RHP||A+
5.Bobby Dalbac||3B||AAA

Player to Watch:Durbin Feltman||RHP||AA

-Boston is the only team in baseball not to have a guy in my top 150. This is a really bad organization. Casas, their first round pick this past draft, is their top prospect and he will probably get time at third, but he is ultimately going to be a first baseman. He has good raw power, but has a large swing, which is concerning. Michael Chavis is much like Casas. Big power, nothing else. His lack of athleticism could move him to first like Casas. I might would have him first and a 150 player, but the PED suspension clouds him as a prospect. My player to watch is Durbin Feltman. A high leverage reliever from TCU drafted in 2018, who could have two plus pitches, and could move very quickly in the organization, and with a team as reliever needy as Boston, he could see time in the majors this season.

NY Yankees
1.Estevan Florial||OF||AA
2.Jonathan Loaisiga||RHP||AAA
3.Devi Garcia||RHP||AA
4.Trevor Stephan||RHP||AAA
5.Albert Abreu||RHP||AAA

Player to Watch:Thairo Estrada||INF||AA

-The Yankees have graduated, and traded a number of their top prospects in the past couple of years, and with other guys not progressing like people thought they would, the system looks bare. Estevan Florial was about league average as a 20 year old in high A last year, but none of his potential plus tools really shined. He could have plus power and speed, but he showed neither. He still has time to develop, but he might not end up as good as people once thought. Behind him, the team has a number of pitching prospects that look to be starters at the back end of a rotation, or in the bullpen. Thairo Estrada looked to potentially be a breakout player in 2018 after a good 2017 season and an impressive stint in the AFL. That never came. Estrada was shot last year and he missed most of the year because of it. He should start 2019 in AA, and while he doesnt have tools that blow you away, he could end up on a major league roster.

San Francisco
1.Joey Bart||C||A
2.Heliot Ramos||OF||A+
3.Chris Shaw||OF||AAA/MLB
4.Jake Wong||RHP||A
5.Marco Luciano||SS||R

Player to Watch:Jacob Gonzalez||3B||A+

-The Giants have gone from maybe the worst organization in baseball to maybe the second or third worst after the past two drafts. Joey Bart and Heliot Ramos are both top 100 players, but after them, there really isnt much else. Chris Shaw has proved himself in AAA the past two seasons. He is probably nothing more than a fourth outfielder, but his huge power is at least intriguing. The team really doesnt have too many intriguing guys lower in the rankings, so I will highlight Jacob Gonzalez. Played most of his 19th year in full season A ball, and while it didnt turn out great, he still showed some glimpses of being a good player. If he can tap into his power, he could be legit. This organization is going to stay in limbo as long as they do not trade off their high profile guys for prospects, and thats not good for the long term future of the club.

Miami
1.Sixto Sanchez||RHP||AA
2.Victor Victor Mesa||OF||A
3.Isan Diaz||2B||AAA
4.Monte Harrison||OF||AAA
5.Sandy Alcantara||RHP||MLB

Player to Watch:Jordan Yamamoto||RHP||AAA

-The Marlins have traded away two MVPs and two more all stars, and they still have one of the worst farm systems in the majors. The Phillies were more than happy to give away Sixto Sanchez, who has had nagging injuries the past couple of seasons. He has top of the rotation skills, but he hasnt hit 100 innings in four years in professional baseball. Victor Victor Mesa. What do we really know about him? He has looked great in workouts, but its been two years since he has played in any meaningful games, and he will be 23 before the end of the season. Behind him, Diaz and Harrison have some upside, but had big holes show in their games in 2018. Alcantara could be the safest of them all, but still might end up as a bullpen piece because of his control....Jordan Yamamoto. He is here because of his work in the AFL. Even though his fastball can barely hit 90, he has great command for his level, and he has three offspeed pitches that could be major league level. For a team like the Marlins, he could be a key piece somewhere on the major league roster.

Chicago Cubs
1.Miguel Amaya||C||AA
2.Brailyn Marquez||LHP||A
3.Nico Hoerner||SS||A+
4.Cole Roederer||OF||R
5.Adbert Alzolay||RHP||AAA

Player to Watch:Yovanny Cruz||RHP||A

-The Cubs are a organization that knows what works for them and stick to it. College hitters and international free agents. They veered off that path for a couple of drafts, but their farm looks better now than it has in three years. Miguel Amaya doesnt have any plus tool, but he can be above average with his hit tool, power, arm, and defense, and in this age of catchers, that means he could be one of the best in baseball. He still looks to be a few years away, but he is firmly one of the best catching prospects in the game. Nico Hoerner and Cole Roederer were both selected in the first two rounds in the 2018 draft, and both impressed in their short time in the Cubs system. Yovanny Cruz is an interesting international signee. He wont be 20 until the end of August, but he was great in his first year in the states in rookie ball. His fastball has a sink to it and could settle into the mid 90s as he matures. He also has an advanced changeup for his age. If he matures physically, and continues to get a feel for his off speed pitches, he could have a legitimate shot at the majors.

Arizona
1.Jon Duplantier||RHP||AA
2.Jazz Chisholm||SS||AA
3.Daulton Varsho||C||AA
4.Geraldo Perdomo||SS||A
5.Blaze Alexander||SS||A

Player to Watch:Drew Ellis||3B||AA

-Jon Duplantier just cant stay healthy. He has dealt with injuries since college, which led him to slide to the third round. In 2018, he missed more than a month because of tendinitis, but when he was healthy, he was dominant. He has the tools to be a top 30-40 prospect in the game, and could be a mid rotation starter for Arizona, but the injury concerns pop up year after year. Arizona has some intriguing SS prospects. Chisholm is the closest to the majors. I do question if he can play short in the majors, and I am always weary of players that have their breakout seasons in the very hitter friendly Cal League. Geraldo Perdomo and Blaze Alexander are both 19, and should start in full season A ball together. I think Perdomo is the better prospect that the moment. He has a lot of room to grow physically, and that could come with a move off short. I do think there is a lot of power in his body, and its going to come out soon. Giving Blaze Alexander enough money to keep him from college might be the best decision Arizona did in this past draft. I think he is more of a classic shortstop. Great arm and good range. Not going to be a real powerful guy, but it seems that he has a great idea of the strike zone, and could be an on base machine.

Baltimore
1.Yusniel Diaz||OF||AA
2.DL Hall||LHP||A+
3.Ryan Mountcastle||3B||AAA
4.Grayson Rodriguez||RHP||A
5.Jean Carlos Encarnacion||3B||A+

Player to Watch:Bruce Zimmermann||LHP||AA

-If it werent for their trades with the Dodgers and Braves last year, the Orioles would possibly have the worst system in baseball. It looks like they have done a good job drafting in the first round(Mountcastle, Hall, Rodriguez), but they have been atrocious drafting after that. Diaz, the crown jewel in the Machado trade, looks like he will be an everyday starting outfielder, but with a bunch of tools that are just average, he is really going to have to develop one of them to be more than just pretty good. Hall was a guy that I had a top 10 grade on in the 2017 draft. Things started rocky for him in rookie ball and in A to begin 2018. The results finally started to come when he was able to command his pitches better. He could possibly have three above average pitches, and could be a regular in a rotation as long as he continues to improve the command. Jean Carlos Encarnacion and Bruce Zimmermann. Two guys the Orioles got from the Braves last year. Encarnacion has really grown and is a physical specimin. He has plus raw power to all fields. He hasnt mastered the strike zone yet, but that isnt too concerning yet but he needs to start showing improvement in 2019, which will be his fourth year in the professional leagues. Zimmermann broke out big time in A ball in 2018 before being traded. He was striking out over a batter an inning and was not walking anyone. He is not very physically impressive, and is pretty much maxed out, but with his advanced feel for pitching, he could be a guy that makes a career coming out of the pen in the majors.

Milwaukee
1.Keston Hiura||2B||AAA
2.Brice Turang||SS||A
3.Corey Ray||OF||AAA
4.Tristen Lutz||OF||A+
5.Zack Brown||RHP||AAA

Player to Watch:Braden Webb||RHP||AA

-The Brewers have really depleted their system in the past year, but at least they are an organization that has actually tried to win, unlike most of the teams in the majors, and they are one of the favorites in the NL because of it. They still have some impact guys at the very top, and that is led by Keston Hiura. He was a guy that had a very advanced bat coming out of UC Irvine. Milwaukee was not scared by his bad elbow, and since drafted, he has made the organization look like geniuses. His plus hit tool and potential plus power make him one of the best hitting prospects in the game. After Hiura, you have 2018 first rounder Brice Turang. Much like Hiura, he was a guy that some organizations soured on during the draft process. He fell into the Brewers lap, and if his first taste of professional ball is any indicator, teams are going to regret passing him up. He is going to stick at short. He has potential gold glove ability there to go along with potential plus speed. If he is able to get any power out of his body, then he could be a top half starting shortstop in the majors. Brandon Webb is the guy to watch for this year. With the way the Brewers use relievers for multiple innings, Webb could find a role in Milwaukee. He has a fastball that is a plus pitch and a curve that is developing and shows plus at times. The Brewers will probably start him off in the rotation this year, but his future role is going to be in the pen.

Colorado
1.Brendan Rodgers||INF||AAA/MLB
2.Colton Welker||3B||AA
3.Garrett Hampson||2B||AAA/MLB
4.Ryan Villade||SS||A+
5.Grant Lavigne||1B||A

Player to Watch:Terrin Vavra||SS||A

-The Rockies are set on the left side of the infield for the foreseeable future with Arenado and Story. They Signed second baseman Daniel Murphy to play first, and former top prospect Ryan McMahon is sliding from first to second this year. Where does that leave their prospects? Brendan Rodgers has over 600 plate appearances at AA or higher. Hampson just had a 121 wRC+ in AAA last year, and Colton Welker should start this year in AA. Are the Rockies just gun shy in putting prospects in starting roles when they want to fight for a playoff spot this year, or are they not as high on their prospects as the scouting community? Thats not something I know the answer to, but I think all three can be at least average major leaguers. Terrin Vavra was the Rockies third pick in the 2018 draft from the University of Minnesota. Like almost their whole organization, Vavra is a hit first middle infielder. He will probably end up at second as he advances. He has a very advanced eye at the plate, and he could develop double digit power. I could see him moving up the ladder pretty quickly.

NY Mets
1.Andres Giminez||SS||AA
2.Pete Alonso||1B||MLB
3.Mark Vientos||3B||A
4.Simeon Woods-Richardson||RHP||R
5.Ronny Mauricio||SS||R

Player to Watch:Tony Dibrell||RHP||A+

-Giminez is only 20 years old, and has already played two years in full season ball. It is impressive that he has been league average with the bat in both years, but Im still not convinced that he is going to be a real threat with the bat even as he ages. He probably isnt going to hit for power, and he doesnt have plus speed, so right now, his positional value and age is whats working in his favor. Now Pete Alonso has power. It hits 80, and he will probably have many 30+ home run seasons. Hitting for average might be a problem for him. His K% skyrocked up to 25.9% in AAA last season. Was it an abnormality or is it something that is going to hinder his value in the majors? Woods-Richardson was taken by the Mets in the second round this past season. Before his senior season, he was looked at going much higher, but the velocity was down and he just wasnt any good. In short season ball, everything looked to be back to normal, and if he can keep the velocity, then he has the potential to have two plus pitches. Tony Dibrell was much like Woods-Richardson. At Kennesaw State, he had a bad junior season, but he had flashed tools. The Mets took him, and last year in A ball, Dibrell was back to the pitcher that caught scouts eye. DIbrell doesnt have any plus pitches, but his advanced feel could help him to maybe be a back end of the rotation guy.

Cleveland
1.Triston McKenzie||RHP||AAA
2.Ethan Hankins||RHP||R
3.Nolan Jones||3B||AA
4.Yu Chang||3B||AAA/MLB
5.Lenny Torres||RHP||R

Player to Watch:Nick Sandlin||RHP||AA

-I really, really, really liked Cleveland's draft in 2018. It was probably top two with Detroit for me. Ethan Hankins has the most potential of any pick from the draft, and if it wasnt for the shoulder tightness, he would have went either #1 or #2. He is going to make a lot of people look stupid. Their third first round pick, Lenny Torres, blew scouts away once he made it to the AZL Indians. Fastball is plus. Slider flashes plus, and he did all of this at 17 years old(birthday is in October). The Indians first draft pick in 2018, not even in the top 5, was Noah Naylor. As a catcher, he could be one of the best offensive ones in the game, but much like former farm hand Francisco Mejia, he is very athletic and might move to another position to maximize his offensive value, and get him moving up the ladder quicker. The teams second rounder was reliever Nick Sandlin, and all he did last year was make it through four levels. He is a very advanced pitcher from the college ranks. He has four pitches that are probably major league average that he throws from multiple arm slots. Dont be surprised if he is the first guy from the 2018 draft to make it to the majors.

Cincinnati
1.Nick Senzel||INF/OF||MLB
2.Taylor Trammell||OF||AA
3.Hunter Greene||RHP||A+
4.Vladimir Gutierrez||RHP||AAA
5.Tony Santillian||RHP||AA

Player to Watch:Nick Hanson||RHP||R/A

-Im glad Cincinnati is joining the small ranks of teams that are trying to win. I just think that they have gone about it the wrong way. Through two trades, they have lost Jeter Downs, Shed Long, and Josiah Gray. Two players in my rankings, and another that is a 2018 draftee that has some descent upside. Because of this, the farm system has taken a bit of a hit. They do have three players that are in my top 50. Senzel is going to play somewhere in Cincinnati in 2019. You have to give him credit. He has played so many positions, trying to get him in the lineup, and he has been at least serviceable at all of them. I think his approach at the plate is a lot like Reds great Joey Votto. He is going to be a on base machine, with adequate power. Hunter Greene is a guy that you just want to cheer for. Look up what he has done for his community for the past few years as a teenager. He has the makeup you want, and it helps that he has a 80 fastball. The secondary stuff and the command have a ways to go, but he doesnt even turn 20 until August, so his ceiling is sky high. Nick Hanson is a guy that has 20 career innings in three years. He was a cold weather arm(Minnesota) that could have went higher than the third round in 2016. He was babied after being drafted, and then had TJS before the start of the 2017 season. This year will be his first full one in professional baseball. He is a big kid at 6'6 that has a plus fastball and not much else right now. Who knows what will come of him, but he is pretty intriguing.

Los Angeles Angels
1.Jo Adell||OF||AA
2.Brandon Marsh||OF||AA
3.Jahmai Jones||2B||AA
4.Griffin Canning||RHP||AAA/MLB
5.Matt Thaiss||1B||AAA

Player to Watch:Livan Soto||SS||A

-Just a few years ago, the Angels had one of the worst farm systems that might have been one of the worst ever. Thaiss and Marsh were drafted in 2016. Adell and Canning were drafted in 2017, and they benefited from the Braves scandal to get Kevin Maitan and Livan Soto. Add in some great athletes in the 2018 class, and Mike Trout might actually have some help in Los Angeles soon. Adell and Marsh are two guys that were great athletes with raw tools when drafted, but have been able to develop them during their time in the organization. Adell is as close as you can get to a true 5 tool player. He has shown the ability to hit for both average and power so far as a teenager to go along with potential Gold Glove ability in the field. He will turn 20 in April and will be in AA. Marsh might not have quite the potential with the bat as Adell, but he still looks to be a solid contributor at the plate, and he does have the speed and defensive ability to be great. At 18 years old, Livan Soto should make his debut in full season ball this year. He is a guy that will definitely stick at shortstop, and has shown a advanced approach so far. If he can show he has any power, he could be on his way to the majors.

Philadelphia
1.Adonis Medina||RHP||AA
2.Luis Garcia||SS|R
3.Adam Haseley||OF||AAA
4.Alex Bohm||3B||A
5.Spencer Howard||RHP||A+

Player to Watch:Jhailyn Ortiz||1B||A+


-The Philadelphia Phillies arent good at the draft thing. Only one of their players drafted in the past 10 years is on their roster(Nola), and only three are even in the majors(Crawford, Biddle). 2015 first rounder Cornelius Randolph is a non-prospect. 2016 first pick, Mickey Moniak, has been a non-factor so far. 2017 first round pick, Adam Haseley, is one of their better prospects but he is going to be limited to left field, and he doesnt have the power to really be a big impact there. I was not high on Alec Bohm in the 2018 draft. I do not think his raw power will translate to games. He also isnt too athletic, and will likely end up at first before he reaches the majors. I do like Adonis Medina, and I think the Marlins might regret taking Sanchez over him in the Realmuto trade. Medina just turned 22 in December, but he already has an advanced feel for the strike zone for his age. His fastball has nice movement to it, and he has two secondary pitches that can flash plus at times. I would not be surprised to see him in the majors by the end of this season. Jhailyn Ortiz is a bad body first baseman that possibly has 80 raw power. Besides that, he is still very raw. He doesnt have a good idea of the strike zone, and he is obviously stuck to first base. If he can somewhat put it together at the plate, and harness the power, he could be a prospect to watch for.

Washington
1.Victor Robles||OF||MLB
2.Carter Kieboom||SS||AAA
3.Luis Garcia||SS||AA
4.Mason Denaburg||RHP||R
5.James Bourque||RHP||AAA

Player to Watch:Tanner Rainey||RHP||AAA/MLB

-No team in the majors has as much disparity in their system. They have three prospects that could rank in the top 50, but after that? They have a 2018 draft pick with promise, and not much else. Victor Robles probably has four elite tools. He is uber athletic and fast. Add that to good instincts, and you have a guy that could be one of the best defenders in center for years. He's also a guy that has a good eye at the plate. He doesnt strike out much, and he takes plenty of walks. The only question mark I have is his power. He's never really show it in the minors, but he could be a good gap hitter, and with his speed, he could be a doubles machine. Up until last year, Luis Garcia was overshadowed by fellow 2016 signee Yasel Antuna, but he broke out in a big way in A/A+. He doesnt turn 19 until May, but he could already be headed to AA ball. He somewhat surprisingly hit 7 HRs last season, and he could have a little more power in his body as he matures. He also only struck out 15% of the time in over 500 plate appearances. He solid, not spectacular, at short, but he will definitely stick at the position. Tanner Rainey is your prototypical reliever in today's game. He has a fastball that can hit triple digits. A slider that flashes as a above average major league pitch, and lots of problems throwing strikes. If he can somehow find the strike zone, he could be a high leverage guy for the Nationals.

Oakland
1.Jesus Luzardo||LHP||MLB
2.AJ Puk||LHP||AA
3.Sean Murphy||C||AAA
4.Austin Beck||OF||A+
5.Lazaro Armenteros||OF||A+

Player to Watch:Marcos Brito||SS||A

-Im not going to even start with them wasting their first round pick in the top ten on a player that shouldnt have even been picked in the first round which pretty much made them punt the 2018 draft. What they have in their system is some guys that could vault them into one of the better systems if they come back from injury. James Kaprielian(16th overall in 2015) hasnt pitched since 2016. Grant Holmes(22nd overall in 2014) threw 6 innings last year. Daulton Jefferies(CBA 2016) has thrown 20 innings in three years. All three guys have nice potential, but they have to stay healthy, and if they can finally do that, the A's could have a nice problem. This isnt even counting AJ Puk, who broke out big time in 2017, but had to have TJS last year. Now top prospect Jesus Luzardo is dealing with some shoulder discomfort. It would be a huge blow to not only the organization, but the major league team, if he has to miss significant time because he was going to be looked to as a guy to make a impact in 2019. The system really needs guys like Jorge Mateo and Sheldon Neuse to take that next step in AAA. Both showed major glimpses last season in Nashville, but  both ultimately had disappointing years. Mateo has true 80 speed, and is a good defender at short, but has a sky rocketing K%, and if he cant make contact, he cannot show off the blazing speed(16 triples in 2018). Neuse is a under the radar guy that had a breakout year at the plate in 2017, but couldnt recreate it in AAA in 2018. He has the arm and is adequate enough at third to profile as a good defender, but he struck out almost a third of his at bats last year and the power left. He did show some offensive ability in the last few months of the season last year, so maybe he has turned the corner and is in line for a big 2019.

Pittsburgh
1.Mitch Keller||RHP||AAA
2.Oneil Cruz||INF||A+
3.Travis Swaggerty||OF||A
4.Ke'Bryan Hayes||3B||AAA
5.Calvin Mitchell||OF||A+

Player to Watch:Lolo Sanchez||OF||A+

-Oneil Cruz. He turned 20 years old in October. He is 6'7. He wasnt this big just over a year ago. Is he going to keep growing? There's no way he can stick at short is there? No one knows. He is a physical freak with a cannon(80) of an arm. He will find a spot to play either in the infield or outfield. He also has plus raw power that could be plus plus. He could be a top ten prospect in a year, or we could be laughing at me hyping him up so much. The floor to ceiling to so big for him right now because of his size. Ke'Bryan Hayes is a gold glover at third. He needs to hit more because neither his power nor his speed will be above average in the majors. Travis Swaggerty was one of my favorite players in the 2018 draft. He doesnt have one tool that really stands out, but he has five tools that look to be above average, and that is extremely valuable. Because he is an advanced player. He needs to go up the ladder pretty quickly. Pittsburgh has a lot of 4A players that fit their organizational profile in Cole Tucker, Kevin Newman, Bryan Reynolds, and Kevin Kramer. Its good for organizational depth, but these guys arent going to help the big league club that much. Lolo Sanchez has a lot of issues right now. He has no power. He has problems with the breaking ball. His hit tool looks pretty bad at the moment, but he hasnt hit 20 years old yet and he has already played a full year in A ball. He will stick in center and he can be above average there. His speed plays. He just needs a breakout season at the plate to show that he can be a guy that can start at the big league level in the future.

St Louis
1.Alex Reyes||RHP||AAA
2.Andrew Knizner||C||AAA/MLB
3.Nolan Gorman||3B||A
4.Elehuris Montero||3B||AA
5.Jhon Torres||OF||R

Player to Watch:Ivan Herrera||C||A

-St Louis was another organization that I thought knocked it out of the park in the 2018 draft. There was no reason for Nolan Gorman to slip to the 19th pick, but the Cardinals will benefit from the stupidity of other teams. He dominated the Appalachian League as a 18 year old and was even pushed to full season A ball. He looked absolutely lost there, but thats not uncommon for someone just months out of high school. He had the best prep power in the draft and showed it. The swing and miss is the biggest concern, and that is probably why he dropped so low, but in today's game, even striking out over a third of the time is ok if you can get on base and hit the ball a long way. I was high of Griffin Roberts out of Wake Forst because his slider might have been the best off speed pitch in the draft. He is a future closer, but the team is going to try and develop him as a starter first. He will be out a while for a failed drug test. Luken Baker is a monster, and I mean that literally. I dont think Ive ever met a bigger person trying to play baseball. He was a uber prospect out of high school but decided to go the college route. A few injuries later, and it cost him a lot of money, but if his short showing in A ball is any indicator, he will be just fine. Gorman might have had the best pure power in HS, but Baker has the best power from the college ranks. He is going to be a prototypical power 1B as long as he can stay healthy and his body doesnt get worse. Finally, we get to Steven Gingery. A lefty from Texas Tech, that was one of the better college pitchers for his first two seasons, but got the TJ bug in 2018, and was lost for the season. He is a lefty that doesnt blow you away, but knows how to pitch, and already has three pitches that are almost major league ready, and he can command them, which helps since he sits around 90 during starts. Ivan Herrera. 18 years old until June. Played so well in the Gulf Coast, that he was called up to AA for two games when injuries depleted their catchers. He could make a huge impact in full season ball in 2019.

Texas
1.Bubba Thompson||OF||A+
2.Cole Winn||RHP||R
3.Hans Crouse||RHP||A
4.Julio Pablo Martinez||OF||A
5.Cole Ragans||LHP||R

Player to Watch:Eli White||2B||AAA/MLB

-As you can see, every prospect of note in the Texas system is in the lower levels. This team has almost no one of note between AA and AAA. They did make a couple of trades for pitchers bringing in Taylor Hearn(Pittsburgh) and Brock Burke(Tampa Bay) into the organization. This helps their putrid depth, but I dont think either is a long term solution in the Texas rotation. The organization has started to take high ceiling high school picks in the past few drafts, and it could be rewarding in a couple of years. Cole Ragans might be my favorite pitching prospect in the organization. A first round pick in 2016. He was poised for the breakout year in 2018 before he went down and had to have TJS before the season started. Before the injury, he showed a plus fastball and changeup that helped to dominate the Northwest League in 2017. Its not sure if he will be back this year. He could be a 22 year old starting A ball in 2020. The Rangers two big international names, Leody Taveras and Julio Pablo Martinez, had disappointing seasons in 2018, and look nothing like the prospects that many thought the were before 2018. Taveras just hasnt hit. Everyone keeps thinking the next year will be the one that he breaks out, but it hasnt happened yet. As a supposed advanced 22 year old out of Cuba, Julio Pablo Martinez looked just ordinary during his 60 games in the Northwest League in 2018. Maybe it was adjusting to playing ball in America, or maybe he was rusty from not playing high level competition, but the tools didnt look as great as advertised, and since he is probably going to be strictly a left fielder, he is going to have to hit to justify playing in the majors. 2019 could be make or break years for both prospects.

Toronto
1.Vlad Guerrero Jr||3B||MLB
2.Bo Bichette||SS||AAA
3.Danny Jansen||C||MLB
4.Eric Pardinho||RHP||A
5.Nate Pearson||RHP||A

Player to Watch:Hagen Danner||C||A

-Everyone knows about Guerrero and Bichette. Vlad might be a better prospect that Ronald Acuna was, and thats saying a lot, and Bichette is a consensus top 20-25 prospect. I have one concern for both players, and that is position. Both will lose some value if they cannot stay on the left side of the infield. It shouldnt hurt Vlad at all if he hits as much as everyone thinks he will, but it is a small knock on Bichette. He will still very valuable at second because of his offense, but he would be much higher if he found a way to stick at short. After those two, the Blue Jays have two very intriguing right handed pitching prospects. Eric Pardinho just hit 18 years old in January, but he was dominant during his stint in the Appalachian League last year. He struck out a lot of guys, and walked hardly any. He has a fastball and curveball that are very advanced for his age, and as you can see, he already has an idea of the strike zone. He could be a fast riser in the system and in rankings if he can get that third pitch to major league average. Pearson might have the best fastball in minor league baseball. Its a true 80 that clocked in at 104 in the AFL during the all star game. The problem is that he isnt healthy and has only thrown 21 professional innings(not counting AFL). He's wild. The plus slider doesnt know where its going at times. He has lights out closer written all over him, but the Jays will try to make him a starter first. Hagen Dagger was primarily a pitcher for most of his high school career, but he showed enough behind the plate for the Jays to take him early in 2017. He looked advanced for the Appalachian League last year as a 19 year old. If he can show the ability at the plate in full season ball that he did last year, then he could be a viable prospect because he is going to stick at catcher for his career.

Detroit
1.Casey Mize||RHP||AA
2.Matt Manning||RHP||AA
3.Daz Cameron||OF||AAA
4.Franklin Perez||RHP||A+
5.Beau Burrows||RHP||AA

Player to Watch||Dustin Peterson||OF||AAA

-I mentioned Detroit as one of the teams that I loved from the 2018 draft. Its easy to love their first pick. Casey Mize is the best college pitching prospect since Carlos Rodon in 2014. He's already shown a plus fastball, splitter, and cutter at Auburn, while showing at least average MLB command. He should move fast, and depending on when Detroit wants to start to bring their wave of talent up, he could be in the majors as early as this year. Parker Meadows was easily a first round pick in my eyes. The brother of Austin, Parker shows elite speed, along with a body that is built for potential. He could be a power hitting corner infielder before he is done growing. He is a better prospect than his brother at this age. Kody Clemens was an all american at Texas. He did come on late in his career in Austin, but he has enough power to be a above average second baseman if the hit took catches up. Adam Wolf is a name to watch. He was a dominant pitcher in college the past few seasons, but as a 6'6 lefty, he only sits around 90-91. If the organization can get a few more mphs out of him, then he could be an intriguing prospect. Watch for Dustin Peterson to get some meaningful time in Detroit this year. He was released by Atlanta this past offseason. While at Atlanta, he should lots of promise before a team bus accident injured him, and he never was the same after.

Houston
1.Forrest Whitley||RHP||AAA
2.Kyle Tucker||OF||AAA
3.Cionel Perez||LHP||AAA
4.Josh James||RHP||MLB
5.Yordan Alvarez||OF||AAA

Player to Watch:Peter Solomon||RHP||AA

-The Houston system is littered with pitchers that have plus fastballs. The organization has certain attributes that they look for, and it has done them well in the past couple of years. Forrest Whitley might just be the best pitching prospect in baseball, even after missing most of 2018 because of suspension and injuries. He has a plus fastball. He has a plus changeup. He has a curve that flashes plus. He even has a slider that looks to be a plus pitch. He has great stuff, but he needs to learn to command it better. His command is descent as is, and he could probably get away with it and be a pretty descent pitcher in the majors at the moment, but if he can get better with locations, he could be a true ace. Cionel Perez is a guy that has pitched both as a starter and out of the pen. He is a small guy that can reach 98, but he isnt max effort pitcher like fellow Astro farmhand JB Bukauskas. Because of this, I really think his future is in the rotation. Along with the fastball, he has a slider that just keeps getting better, and could be a plus pitch soon. Josh James is starting the season from the pen in Houston. He has a plus plus fastball that hits 100, and a slider that he is still working on, but it at least flashes major league average. He is a guy that will probably get a chance as a starter in the future, but his control is a huge issue, and it could lead to him being a pen arm. Peter Solomon went through two levels in his first full year with the organization in 2018. He is another guy that fills what the Astros are looking for. He has a big arm and a curve with a high spin rate. He was successful in 2018 because he was able to limit his walks. If he continues to do this as he climbs the ladder, he could be in a spot where he could see himself in the Houston rotation.

Kansas City
1.MJ Melendez||C||A+
2.Brady Singer||RHP||A+
3.Nick Pratto||1B||A+
4.Seuly Matias||OF||A+
5.Daniel Lynch||LHP||A+

Player to Watch:Michael Gigliotti||OF||A

-In the 2018 draft, the Royals chose college players with their first eleven picks. It seemed strange at the time, but a number of the guys were able to make it full season ball and made a impact. The best of the bunch was lefthander Daniel Lynch. He was unhittable across two levels last year. He showed a plus fastball that he had never really shown in college, along with two good offspeed pitches, and he walked 8 batters in 50 innings. If he can continue this, he will fly up prospect charts. Jackson Kowar followed Lynch up to Lexington in 2018. He is a right hander with mid 90s fastball. His change up is his best pitch, and he has not much of note after that. He could be a pen arm as he rises in the organization, although he will be given the chance to start. The 2018 Lexington Legends(A) won the Sally League Championship. Lynch and Kowar were both big reasons why, but the rest of the top prospects in the organization were there as well. MJ Melendez, Nick Pratto, and Seuly Matias spent all of 2018 in Lexington, and it gives the Royals some great potential in a couple of years since all their top guys are advancing at the same time. The lost name in all of this is Michael Gigliotti. He was drafted in 2017 and advanced up the ranks with a stellar first campaign. He was set to start his 2018 in Lexington, but he tore is ACL at the beginning of the season and lost the year. He is healthy in 2019. His calling card is speed and defense, but if he can show the hitting ability that put him on the radar in 2017, then he has a chance to rise up the prospect rankings.

Minnesota
1.Royce Lewis||SS||AA
2.Alex Kirilloff||OF||AA
3.Brusdar Graterol||RHP||AA
4.Brent Rooker||1B||AAA
5.Trevor Larnach||OF||A+

Player to Watch:Akil Baddoo||OF||A+

-Royce Lewis is the best player that I saw in person in 2018, and that includes names like Kyle Tucker, Jo Adell, Alex Kirilloff, and Keston Hiura. He has such a quiet swing, and you dont expect power from a guy his size, but I saw him hit a lazer about 390 feet off a right field wall. After that, I saw him easily steal a base, and play excellent defense. He has every tool you would hope for, and he reminds me so much of Derek Jeter. After a lost 2017, Alex Kirilloff broke out in a big was last season. He followed Lewis from Cedar Raids to Ft Myers. All he did was hit 20 home runs and 44 doubles while having a .970 OPS. He is a right fielder, and while he isnt going to wow you with his defense, he should be able to do enough out there to be average. Outside of the top five, you have Wander Javier, who the Twins signed for 4 million in 2015. He missed most of 2016 and all of 2018, and still hasnt played full season ball. Javier is a potential plus defender at short, and he looks like he could be a gap hitter once he matures physically. At 20 years old, he could follow Lewis and Kirilloff with a midseason promotion to Ft Myers in 2019. Akil Baddoo had 11 homers, 11 triples, and 22 doubles last year in A ball. He walked 14% of the time. He plays center with plus speed, but a below average arm. He has the tools to be a major league player but he needs to cut down on his strike outs and be a little more selective with what he swings at.

Seattle
1.Julio Rodriguez||OF||R
2.Jarred Kelenic||OF||A
3.Evan White||1B||AA
4.Justus Sheffield||LHP||MLB
5.Shed Long||2B||AAA

Player to Watch:Wyatt Mills||RHP||AA

-The Seattle Mariners went from one of the two or three worst organizations in the majors to a upper half one during the offseason because of trades(hint hint San Francisco). They added Jarred Kelenic, Justus Sheffield, Shed Long, Justin Dunn, and Jake Fraley this offseason. All of who are in their top fifteen prospects. One guy they didnt add through trades is Julio Rodriguez. Rodriguez turned 18 years old this past December, and while Wander Franco gets all the love for being a top teenage prospect, Rodriguez isnt that far behind. The kid is about 6'3 180, but we do not know where his body will end up. He already shows potential plus power. He had 27 extra base hits in only 59 games in the DSL last season. Its not known if the Mariners will push him to full season ball, but if they do, he is one to look out for. Wyatt Mills is a guy that could be in the majors soon with a good start to 2019. He was a senior sign in 2017 out of the bullpen, and he was able to dominate at two levels after being drafted. He continued his dominance last year in A+ before being moved up to AA. He is prototypical reliever, with two potential plus pitches, but unlike most relievers, he is a side-armer that actually throws strikes.

Atlanta
1.Ian Anderson||RHP||AA
2.Drew Waters||OF||A+
3.Cristian Pache||OF||AA
4.Touki Toussaint||RHP||MLB
5.Mike Soroka||RHP||AAA

Player to Watch:Freddy Tarnok||RHP||A+

-Drew Waters and Cristian Pache. Which one is going to get to the majors first, and which one does Atlanta like more? Waters was named the best prospect in the Sally League last season, and a Braves scout believes that Atlanta sees a Ronald Acuna like rise for him in 2019. Cristian Pache has the backing of guys like Andruw Jones and Chipper Jones. The best defender in the minors, and he could probably win a Gold Glove in 2019. He also stayed with the big club all spring and hit over .400 and flashed good power. Ender Inciarte will probably be traded and Nick Markakis is on a one year deal. Dont be surprised to see both start in the outfield with Acuna on opening day 2020. Freddy Tarnok is the next in line of great pitching prospects. He played both ways in high school, and really didnt develop as a pitcher. I think his potential is greater than any pitcher in the system other than Joey Wentz. Plus fastball that just explodes out of his hand. I saw him in 2018, and I was amazed with his fastball. His secondary pitches and control are behind because of his limited experience as a pitcher, and the Braves organization is still babying him, and working him into a starting role. He has high leverage reliever written all over him if he cannot develop pitches. Note:I have moved Mike Soroka down. He hasnt pitched since last summer, and usually injuries do not cause me to move prospects down, but this shoulder issue seems a lot worse than first expected, and until he's healthy and throwing again, Im not going to be as high on him.

Chicago White Sox
1.Eloy Jimenez||OF||AAA/MLB
2.Dylan Cease||RHP||AAA
3.Dane Dunning||RHP||AAA
4.Nick Madrigal||2B||AA
5.Michael Kopech||RHP||N/A

Player to Watch:Jonathan Stiever||RHP||A

-Last year, I said that the White Sox organization has the biggest group of top prospects with bust potential, and even though Eloy is still Eloy, and Dylan Cease has become maybe the top pitching prospect in baseball, I still feel the same. I still see Michael Kopech as a reliever. He did have a couple starts at the end of last year where he located better, and was unhittable at times, but I would have to see a lot more before I change my mind, and now he is out for the year with TJS. Dane Dunning. A pitcher that is probably a mid rotation guy, but has shown good results, is now also out for the year with TJS. Alec Hansen, a guy that I thought had turned the corner after a great 2017, dealt with a lot of injuries last year, and walked 59 in 51 innings. Luis Robert is stealing money so far. Was limited to 50 games last year because of injuries, and when he has been healthy, he has not been impressive at all. One guy that I really do like is Jake Burger. He missed all of 2018 because of injuries, but he was my #2 prospect in the 2017 draft. I think he showed Kris Bryant potential at Missouri State, and although he is now a year behind, I think he can get on track in 2019. Jonathan Stevier was the teams fifth round pick in 2018 out of Indiana. He pitched well last year in the Northwest League after signing. He sits in the mid-90s and can reach back for a little more when he needs to. He also has a 12-6 curve that flashed plus, but he does have some problems locating it. He's a good watch in full season ball this year.

Los Angeles Dodgers
1.Gavin Lux||SS||AA
2.Keibert Ruiz||C||AAA
3.Alex Verdugo||OF||MLB
4.Dustin May||RHP||AA
5.Jeter Downs||SS||A+

Player to Watch:Josiah Gray||RHP||A

-If you arent a Dodgers fan, it has to piss you off with just how well run the organization is. The graduate stars like Corey Seager, Walker Buehler, and Cody Bellinger, yet they still have a top ten farm system. The find a trade partner to get rid of salaries, and in that trade, they bring back a top 100 prospect, and another guy from the 2018 draft that has nice potential. Gavin Lux broke out in a big way last year in high A. The Cal League is known for over-inflating hitting numbers, so I wanted to wait to see what he did at the next level before anointing him as a top prospect. He spent the last month of the season in AA as a 20 year old. In roughly 125 plate appearances, his OPS'd over .900, almost walked as much as he struck out, and even had 9 extra base hits. He is thick for a shortstop, but he has good speed and quickness, so its not out of the question that he can stick there in the majors, and his hitting value from short would be monumental. Alex Verdugo is about to lose all value that he one had. He was once close to a top 25 prospect, but after spending another year in AAA, his deficiencies are being seen. It doesnt look like he is going to hit for power, and he doesnt have the greatest of bodies, so even with a plus arm, he might be a permanent fixture in left. Josiah Gray played shortstop in college before his last year, so he is raw, but he is athletic, has a mid-90s fastball, and what looks like a major league average slider. The Dodgers will probably take their time with him, but he is definitely intriguing.

San Diego
1.Fernando Tatis Jr||SS||AAA
2.Mackenzie Gore||LHP||A+
3.Chris Paddack||RHP||AAA
4.Francisco Mejia||C/OF||MLB
5.Luis Patino||RHP||A+

Player to Watch:Tucupita Marcano||SS||A

-Fernando Tatis, Chris Paddack, and Francisco Mejia will probably exhaust their prospect eligibility by the end of May, and there is a outside chance tha Luis Urias and Logan Allan do the same, and if that happens, San Diego will still have a top five farm system. They are stocked at the major league level. They are stocked at El Paso. They are stocked in Amarillo. They are stocked.....You understand what Im saying. MacKenzie Gore and Luis Patino might be the best 1-2 punch at Lake Elsinore this year. The reports from Mexico last week are jaw dropping with Gore. If he is really hitting those numbers, I might have to re-evaluate my prospect rankings. Patino was overshadowed by Gore in A ball last year, but all he did was have a 2.17 ERA as a 18 year old, and stuck out almost 11 batters per 9. He has the plus, maybe plus plus, fastball. He has the plus slider, and a potential plus curve. Its hard to really figure out who to talk about next. There really is too many prospects. Here is a list of guys that will be in A/A+ next year to look out for. Any of them could be the next breakout guy. Gabriel Arias-SS, Tucupita Marcano-SS, Esteury Ruiz-2B, Tirso Ornelas-OF, Jeisson Rosario-OF, Blake Hunt-C, Osvaldo Hernandez-LHP, Travis Radke-LHP. This really could be the deepest farm system that I have ever seen. I see no reason why they shouldnt be World Series contenders in 2020. They need to trade from their huge surpluss of talent for the right major leaguers.

Tampa Bay
1.Wander Franco||SS||A
2.Vidal Brujan||2B||AA
3.Brent Honeywell||RHP||AAA
4.Ronaldo Hernandez||C||A+
5.Brendan McKay||LHP/DH||AA

Player to Watch:Moises Gomez||OF||A+

-The Bowling Green Hot Rods(A-Midwest League) are my home team. I live in Nashville, but I much more enjoy the Hot Rod games, so Ive seen a lot of these prospects play a number of times. Ive gotten to know a few of them, and for better or worse, I really root for them. Vidal Brujan, Ronaldo Hernandez, Moises Gomez, Taylor Walls, and Resly Linares are guys that spend a good chunk of 2018 in Bowling Green. Brujan is the real deal. I think he could play short. He has the instincts and ability. If not, he is a gold glove type at second. He looks to have deceptive power much like a Ozzie Albies. In fact, Albies is a good comp for him. Hernandez has plus power behind the plate. He is more athletic than what his body shows, so sticking behind the plate will not be a problem. I honestly think he has just tapped into his potential. Gomez broke out last year, kind of out of nowhere. 60 extra base hits from left field. He has enough power to potentially put up 30 in the majors. He does need to cut down on the swing and misses a little though. Taylor Walls was the teams second round pick from 2017. I said last year, and I still believe it, that Walls will make it to the majors before Brendan McKay does. He has a lot of Bo Bichette in him. He is a professional hitter that knows the strike zone. Doesnt strike out much, and takes tons of walks. He will probably stick at short, but he would be an excellent defender at second. Finally, we have Linares. The Rays have taken it slow with him so far, but the numbers are there. He has produced. He is tall and lanky. There could still be some projection in him. His fastball is in the low 90s, but he has excellent command for his age and a curve ball that is developing into his best pitch. The Rays are almost as deep as the Padres. The one thing that the Rays have on anyone in baseball is their middle of the field prospects. They have five that will be in my rankings and a number of young guys that they either just drafted or international guys that have intrigue with them.

150-126

150.Tyler Stephenson||C||Cincinnati
-Injuries keep him from being a top prospect
149.Jonathan India||3B||Cincinnati
-#5 overall pick in 2018, will start in A+
148.Taylor Walls||SS||Tampa Bay
-12.2 BB%, 14.8 K% in A ball
147.Tirso Ornelas||OF||San Diego
-Will be 19 for all of 2019 and in A+
146.Leody Taveras||OF||Texas
-Can be a plus defender in centerfield
145.Nicky Lopez||INF||Kansas City
-Has struck out 134 times in over 1300 career PAs
144.Cole Ragens||LHP||Texas
-Draws comparisons from former Ranger Cole Hamels
143.Shed Long||2B||Seattle
-12 HR, 19 SB in AA in 2018
142.Tristen Lutz||OF||Milwaukee
-Hit .262 with 24 XBH in the last two months of 2018
141.Juan Pablo Martinez||OF||Texas
-Had a .916 OPS in the AFL
140.Tony Santillian||RHP||Cincinnati
-Big bodied rightly with a 70 fastball
139.Ryan Vilade||SS||Colorado
-Hit .298 w/22 XBH and 12 SB after June 1st
138.Khalil Lee||OF||Kansas City
-Was a pitcher in HS. Has a plus arm from center
137.Yu Chang||3B||Cleveland
-13 HR at AAA, another 4 in the AFL
136.Wander Javier||SS||Minnesota
-Missed all of 2018 because of injury
135.Lazaro Armenteros||OF||Oakland
-Plus speed. Potential plus power for a 19 year old
134.Alec Bohm||3B||Philadelphia
-#3 pick in the 2018 draft. Has plus power potential
133.Vladimir Gutierrez||RHP||Cincinnati
-Potentially has one of the best curves in the game
132.Elehuris Montero||3B||St Louis
-16 HR, 37 2B, 3 3B between two levels in 2018
131.Dennis Santana||RHP||Los Angeles Dodgers
-Converted to pitcher in 2014. Lots of room to develop
130.Adam Haseley||OF||Philadelphia
-Hit .305 between high A and AA last season
129.Griffin Canning||RHP||Los Angeles Angels
-Went from A+ to AAA in his first season in professional baseball
128.Isaac Paredes||INF||Detroit
-142 wRC+ as a 19 year old in AA in 2018
127.Austin Beck||OF||Oakland
-Only 4 professional HRs, but many believe he has plus power in his body
126.Freudis Nova||SS/3B||Houston
-Advanced bat for 19 years old. Potenital plus speed and power

125.Daniel Lynch||LHP||Kansas City
-34th pick in 2018. 1.58 ERA in 51 innings to start career
124.Beau Burrows||RHP||Detroit
-Has logged 41 starts and 210 innings in AA the past two years
123.Victor Victor Mesa||OF||Miami
-Signed with the Marlins in 2018 for 5.25 million
122.Will Smith||C/3B||Los Angeles Dodgers
-Broke out at AA in 2018 w/19 HR and a 141 wOB+
121.Anderson Espinoza||RHP||San Diego
-Once a highly rated prospect but he has not pitched since 2016
120.Trevor Larnach||OF||Minnesota
-The 20th pick in the 2018 draft, Larnach could have three above average tools from right
119.Luiz Gohara||LHP||Atlanta
-2018 was a lost season because of injuries and family issues
118.Garrett Hampson||2B||Colorado
-Speed and versatility. Hampson will play a number of roles for the Rockies in 2019
117.Nick Solak||2B||Tampa Bay
-19 HR, 21 SB, 140 wRC+ in 565 PA in AA
116.Blake Rutherford||OF||Chicago White Sox
-Doesnt possess one great tool, but could have four that are above average
115.Nate Pearson||RHP||Toronto
-Pitched on 1.2 innings in 2018, but hit 104 on the gun in the AFL
114.Jahmai Jones||2B||Los Angeles Angels
-Parts are greater than the whole at the moment, but a good stint in the AFL keeps him on the prospect radar
113.Jonathan Loaisiga||RHP||New York Yankees
-Because of his size and two pitch repertoire, he could be used as a high leverage reliever
112.Brandon Lowe||2B/OF||Tampa Bay
-Lowe should be able to play up to 4 positions for the Rays, which will be able to get his improving bat in the lineup
111.Eric Pardinho||RHP||Toronto
-Turned 18 in January. Has an exciting 4 pitch mix that he can start to develop in full season ball in 2019
110.Luis Robert||OF||Chicago White Sox
-After signing for 26 million, Robert did not have the best start to his career in 2018, but was able to show some promise durin the AFL
109.Corbin Martin||RHP||Houston
-Advanced college draftee in 17. Used three above average pitches and control to dominate AA
108.Hans Crouse||RHP||Texas
-20 yr old that will start his first full season in the minor in 2019 with a plus fastball and curveball
107.Franklin Perez||RHP||Detroit
-Highly coveted prospect in the Verlander deal. Has only thrown 19 innings with Detroit
106.Seuly Matias||OF||Kansas City
-In 94 games, hit 31 home runs, but also struck out 34.8% of the time
105.Luis Garcia||SS||Philadelphia
-Not to be confused with the Nationals SS prospect, this Garcia had a 162 wRC+ in the GCL in 2018
104.Ryan Mountcastle||3B||Baltimore
-Will probably move to 1st in the majors, has had 103 XBH in the past 2 seasons
103.Nico Hoerner||SS||Chicago Cubs
-.337/.396/.523 was his slash line in 21 games in the AFL
102.Cole Winn||RHP||Texas Rangers
-15th overall pick in the 2018 draft, will have his professional debut in 2019
101.Daulton Varsho||C||Arizona
-A bat first catcher, has the athletic ability to move positions to advance him quicker

100.Daz Cameron||OF||Detroit
-Followed a solid AFL in 2018 with a .357 average and 7 XBH this spring
99.Jake Burger||3B||Chicago White Sox
-The 11th pick in the 2017 draft. Missed all of 2018 with a torn ACL
98.Logan Allen||LHP||San Diego
-2.75 ERA over 148 innings between AA and AAA
97.Bubba Thompson||RHP||Texas
-31 XBH and 32 SB in the Sally League last year
96.Yordan Alvarez||OF||Houston
-Plus, maybe plus plus raw power, but will probably end up as a DH
95.Brailyn Marquez||LHP||Chicago Cubs
-20 year old with a plus fastball. Struck out over 9 per between A- and A
94.Jazz Chisholm||SS||Arizona
-Broke out big in Cal League in 2018. 2019 will show if that was skill or the hitter friendly environment
93.Corey Ray||OF||Milwaukee
-27 HR, 32 2B, 7 3B, 37 SB in Biloxi, but K'd 29.3% and had a .239 average
92.Brice Turang||SS||Milwaukee
-Plus speed. Plus defense. Needs to demonstrate more power
91.Jeter Downs||SS/2B||Los Angeles Dodgers
-13 HR, 37 steals as a 19 year old in full season A ball
90.DL Hall||LHP||Baltimore
-Command is a issue, but had a 2.10 ERA and struck out 9.54 per 9 in the Sally as a 19 year old
89.Brent Rooker||1B||Minnesota
-22 HR, 32 2B a year removed from college. Swing and miss is his biggest issue
88.Estevan Florial||OF||New York Yankees
-Has briefly demonstrated plus power, speed, and defense, but has not been able to put it together in game
87.Justus Sheffield||LHP||Seattle
-Sheffield has dominated the minors since being drafted in 2014, but the lack of a true 3rd pitch is his biggest issue
86.Nolan Jones||3B||Cleveland
-He hasnt reached 21 yet, but he has a lot of room to grow and could have plus plus power in a couple years
85.Adrian Morejon||RHP||San Diego
-Mature pitching wise for his age. He might not have plus pitches, but he has three that are above average and above average control
84.Kyle Muller||LHP||Atlanta
-Went through 3 levels in 2018 with his short stint of 29 innings in AA being his best
83.Nolan Gorman||3B||St Louis
-Destroyed pitchers as a 18 year old in the Appalachian League. Swing and miss is his biggest drawback
82.Austin Riley||3B||Atlanta
-127 wRC+ in AAA and showed above average defense, but struck out almost 30% of his ABs
81.Kyle Wright||RHP||Atlanta
-Wright was an advanced college pitcher with a high floor. His ceiling isnt that high but he should be a solid starter for years to come
80.Andrew Knizner||C||St Louis
-Has hit over .300 in all his minor league stops. Still only average as a defender, but he has the athleticism to improve
79.Josh James||RHP||Houston
-James, already 26, has a 70 fastball. Needs a third pitch to be able to move from the pen to rotation
78.Nick Pratto||1B||Kansas City
-Very athletic 1B. 22 steals and potential Gold Glove defense to go along with average power
77.Miguel Amaya||C||Chicago Cubs
-Had double digit homers, double digit walk rate, and above average defense as a 19 year old in the Midwest League
76.Joey Wentz||LHP||Atlanta
-Had a 30 inning scoreless stretch in the Florida State League between injuries

75.Alex Verdugo||OF||Los Angeles Dodgers
74.Evan White||1B||Seattle
73.Mark Vientos||3B||New York Mets
72.Cionel Perez||LHP||Houston
71.Pete Alonso||1B||New York Mets
70.Dustin May||RHP||Los Angeles Dodgers
69.Heliot Ramos||OF||San Francsico
68.Matthew Liberatore||LHP||Tampa Bay
67.Andres Giminez||SS||New York Mets
66.Michael Kopech||RHP||Chicago White Sox
65.Brady Singer||RHP||Kansas City
64.William Contreras||C||Atlanta
63.Michael Baez||RHP||San Diego
62.Jon Duplantier||RHP||Arizona
61.Brandon Marsh||OF||Los Angeles Angels
60.Nick Madgigal||2B||Chicago White Soc
59.Jesus Sanchez||OF||Tampa Bay
58.Dane Dunning||RHP||Chicago White Sox
57.Ethan Hankins||RHP||Cleveland
56.Luis Urias||2B||San Diego
55.Triston McKenzie||RHP||Cleveland
54.Jarred Kelenic||OF||Seattle
53.Yusniel Diaz||OF||Baltimore
52.Sixto Sanchez||RHP||Miami
51.Ke'Bryan Hayes||3B||Pittsburgh

50.MJ Melendez||C||Kansas City
49.Brendan McKay||LHP/DH||Tampa Bay
48.Adonis Medina||RHP||Philadelphia
47.Danny Jansen||C||Toronto
46.Mike Soroka||RHP||Atlanta
45.Luis Patino||RHP||San Diego
44.Travis Swaggerty||OF||Pittsburgh
43.Ronaldo Hernandez||C||Tampa Bay
42.Julio Rodriguez||OF||Seattle
41.Colton Welker||3B||Colorado
40.Brudsar Graterol||RHP||Minnesota
39.Sean Murphy||C||Oakland
38.Touki Toussaint||RHP||Atlanta
37.Oneil Cruz||SS||Pittsburgh
36.AJ Puk||LHP||Oakland
35.Cristian Pache||OF||Atlanta
34.Mitch Keller||RHP||Pittsburgh
33.Hunter Greene||RHP||Cincinnati
32.Keibert Ruiz||C||Los Angeles Dodgers
31.Matt Manning||RHP||Detroit
30.Drew Waters||OF||Atlanta
29.Brent Honeywell||RHP||Tampa Bay
28.Joey Bart||C||San Francisco
27.Vidal Brujan||2B||Tampa Bay
26.Alex Reyes||RHP||St Louis

25.Francisco Mejia||C/OF||San Diego
24.Luis Garcia||SS||Washington
23.Ian Anderson||RHP||Atlanta
22.Brendan Rodgers||INF||Colorado
21.Bo Bichette||SS||Toronto
20.Gavin Lux||SS||Los Angeles
19.Chris Paddack||RHP||San Diego
18.Casey Mize||RHP||Detroit
17.Taylor Trammell||OF||Cincinnati
16.Alex Kirilloff||OF||Minnesota
15.Kyle Tucker||OF||Houston
14.Mackenzie Gore||LHP||San Diego
13.Nick Senzel||INF/OF||Cincinnati
12.Keston Hiura||2B||Milwaukee
11.Jesus Luzardo||LHP||Oakland
10.Carter Kieboom||SS||Washington
9.Forrest Whitley||RHP||Houston
8.Victor Robles||OF||Washington
7.Dylan Cease||RHP||Chicago White Sox
6.Jo Adell||OF||Los Angeles Angels
5.Eloy Jiminez||OF||Chicago White Sox
4.Royce Lewis||SS||Minnesota
3.Wander Franco||SS||Tampa Bay
2.Fernando Tatis Jr||SS||San Diego
1.Vlad Guerrero Jr||3B||Toronto

Edited by devils1854
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I might be inclined to ding Puk, Honeywell, and Greene because of injury concerns.  I get Greene still in the top 10 though because the upside is still sky high and he avoided the knife (at least for now).  I think i'd take Cease over Whitley as well, although both are going to be frontline guys as long as injuries or stupidity don't get in the way.

I think Tucker is a little over rated, and maybe a little early on Swaggerty until he shows out a little bit in full season ball, but overall a pretty solid OF list.

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On 3/4/2019 at 7:54 AM, ramssuperbowl99 said:

Que?

Guys that impress me in person always get a bump for me(for good or bad). I saw Cease last July in Birmingham and he was easily the most impressive pitcher I saw all last season. I think he has the best 1/2 pitches in the minors. 

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On 3/4/2019 at 7:28 AM, THE DUKE said:

I might be inclined to ding Puk, Honeywell, and Greene because of injury concerns.  I get Greene still in the top 10 though because the upside is still sky high and he avoided the knife (at least for now).  I think i'd take Cease over Whitley as well, although both are going to be frontline guys as long as injuries or stupidity don't get in the way.

I think Tucker is a little over rated, and maybe a little early on Swaggerty until he shows out a little bit in full season ball, but overall a pretty solid OF list.

I try not to penalize players for injuries too much because most injuries are so easy to come back from nowadays. 

Until reports or performances change, I try to keep with my rankings of players out of the draft, and I had Swaggerty as a top 5 player. There will be another WTF ranking in the top 100 for a player that was just drafted.

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57 minutes ago, devils1854 said:

Guys that impress me in person always get a bump for me(for good or bad). I saw Cease last July in Birmingham and he was easily the most impressive pitcher I saw all last season. I think he has the best 1/2 pitches in the minors. 

I did the same thing with Whitley back when he was in Low A.  Saw him come through Dayton and his stuff just oozed big league front line starter.  I had him in my top 25 overall after that.

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C
1.Francisco Mejia||San Diego
2.Joey Bart||San Francisco
3.Keibert Ruiz||Los Angeles Dodgers
4.Sean Murphy||Oakland
5.Ronaldo Hernandez||Tampa Bay
6.Danny Jansen||Toronto
7.MJ Melendez||Kansas City
8.William Contreras||Atlanta
9.Miguel Amaya||Chicago Cubs
10.Andrew Knizner||St Louis

1B
1.Pete Alonzo||New York Mets
2.Evan White||Seattle
3.Nick Pratto||Kansas City
4.Brent Rooker||Minnesota
5.Nate Lowe||Tampa Bay
6.Seth Beer||Houston
7.Matt Thaiss||Los Angeles Angels
8.Triston Casas||Boston
9.Grant Lavigne||Colorado
10.Will Craig||Pittsburgh

2B
1.Keston Hiura||Minnesota
2.Brendan Rodgers||Colorado
3.Vidal Brujan||Tampa Bay
4.Luis Urias||San Diego
5.Nick Madrigal||Chicago White Sox
6.Brandon Lowe||Tampa Bay
7.Jahmai Jones||Los Angeles Angels
8.Nick Solak||Tampa Bay
9.Garrett Hampson||Colorado
10.Shed Long||Seattle

3B
1.Vlad Guerrero Jr||Toronto
2.Nick Senzel||Cincinnati
3.Colton Welker||Colorado
4.Ke'Bryan Hayes||Pittsburgh
5.Mark Vientos||New York Mets
6.Austin Riley||Atlanta
7.Nolan Gorman||St Louis
8.Nolan Jones||Cleveland
9.Jake Burger||Chicago White Sox
10.Ryan Mountcastle||Baltimore

SS
1.Fernando Tatis Jr||San Diego
2.Wander Franco||Tampa Bay
3.Royce Lewis||Minnesota
4.Carter Kieboom||Washington
5.Gavin Lux||Los Angeles Dodgers
6.Bo Bichette||Toronto
7.Luis Garcia||Washington
8.Oneil Cruz||Pittsburgh
9.Andres Giminez||New York Mets
10.Jeter Downs||Los Angeles Dodgers

Biggest takeaway I have from doing this is that this might be the best group of catching prospects that Ive ever seen. I have twelve guys that are in my top 150ish guys, and there are more coming. Plus, its going to get even better after the draft with Adley Ruschman(likely #1 pick) and Shea Langeliers(likely top 15) coming.

Only other thing that stands out is that first base is trash. I only see four starting caliber guys right now with guys with question marks, or guys that were just drafter, after.

Edited by devils1854
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11 hours ago, devils1854 said:

C
1.Francisco Mejia||San Diego
2.Joey Bart||San Francisco
3.Keibert Ruiz||Los Angeles Dodgers
4.Sean Murphy||Oakland
5.Ronaldo Hernandez||Tampa Bay
6.Danny Jansen||Toronto
7.MJ Melendez||Kansas City
8.William Contreras||Atlanta
9.Miguel Amaya||Chicago Cubs
10.Andrew Knizner||St Louis

1B
1.Pete Alonzo||New York Mets
2.Evan White||Seattle
3.Nick Pratto||Kansas City
4.Brent Rooker||Minnesota
5.Nate Lowe||Tampa Bay
6.Seth Beer||Houston
7.Matt Thaiss||Los Angeles Angels
8.Triston Casas||Boston
9.Grant Lavigne||Colorado
10.Will Craig||Pittsburgh

2B
1.Keston Hiura||Minnesota
2.Brendan Rodgers||Colorado
3.Vidal Brujan||Tampa Bay
4.Luis Urias||San Diego
5.Nick Madrigal||Chicago White Sox
6.Brandon Lowe||Tampa Bay
7.Jahmai Jones||Los Angeles Angels
8.Nick Solak||Tampa Bay
9.Garrett Hampson||Colorado
10.Shed Long||Seattle

3B
1.Vlad Guerrero Jr||Toronto
2.Nick Senzel||Cincinnati
3.Colton Welker||Colorado
4.Ke'Bryan Hayes||Pittsburgh
5.Mark Vientos||New York Mets
6.Austin Riley||Atlanta
7.Nolan Gorman||St Louis
8.Nolan Jones||Cleveland
9.Jake Burger||Chicago White Sox
10.Ryan Mountcastle||Baltimore

SS
1.Fernando Tatis Jr||San Diego
2.Wander Franco||Tampa Bay
3.Royce Lewis||Minnesota
4.Carter Kieboom||Washington
5.Gavin Lux||Los Angeles Dodgers
6.Bo Bichette||Toronto
7.Luis Garcia||Washington
8.Oneil Cruz||Pittsburgh
9.Andres Giminez||New York Mets
10.Jeter Downs||Los Angeles Dodgers

Biggest takeaway I have from doing this is that this might be the best group of catching prospects that Ive ever seen. I have twelve guys that are in my top 150ish guys, and there are more coming. Plus, its going to get even better after the draft with Adley Ruschman(likely #1 pick) and Shea Langeliers(likely top 15) coming.

Only other thing that stands out is that first base is trash. I only see four starting caliber guys right now with guys with question marks, or guys that were just drafter, after.

Catcher:
I'd take Bart, Ruiz, and Murphy over Mejia.  Mejia might not even stick at catcher and the hit tool while still solid, doesn't look as special as we might have thought.  If he ends up in left field, he becomes fairly average.  It'll be interesting to see who from that second tier in your 5-12 range steps up and becomes a fast riser in the prospect rankings this year.  My Reds bias says don't sleep on Tyler Stephenson, he was hitting very good in A+ last year before nagging injuries slowed him down.  Surprisingly good defender at C too for a guy who is 6'4".

1B:
Never really an issue that this position is thin in the minors because 1B is where they guys who couldn't move well enough at other positions but can hit end up.  The rare plus defensive 1B like Evan White you don't see often, because typically guys that athletic get challenged at harder positions.  White could probably be a solid CF even.  Alonso is a guy i'm trying to target in my fantasy dynasty draft this year.  Miggy is just about done.

2B:
Pretty strong crop of 2B.  Madrigal might be limited in his impact because I don't know if the power is even there.  Very different body type than other smaller guys like Altuve.  Could be a gold glover at 2B though.  No real issues of how these guys are ranked, although I think I'd take Rodgers over Hiura.

SS: 
Incredible strong top 6.  Not too surprising with the best athletes usually put at SS from a young age so you get the good hitters there with more power than ever and increasingly it seems like they stick there.  Jeter Downs bat is legit, but he is not a SS.  I saw him extensively in Dayton last year and he had some struggles at 2B and didn't even compare to Jose Garcia as a SS.  Wander Franco is going to be the next teenage big leaguer.  Only reason he might not be is the Rays penchant for slow rolling their top prospects.  He'll be in AA before this year is up.

3B:
Circle back to my not worrying about 1B depth in the minors and look right at the top of 3B for the reason.  Vlad Jr is going to be a 1B/DH sooner rather than later if he doesn't get his conditioning under control.  People compare him to Miggy, but Miggy was significantly more fit at the same age.  Vladdy is more athletic than Cabrera though.  Vientos, Gorman, and Mountcastle might all end up at 1B long term as well.  I'm a big believer in Gorman's bat though.  Was high on him in the draft and his debut only increased that enthusiasm.

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4 hours ago, THE DUKE said:

Catcher:
I'd take Bart, Ruiz, and Murphy over Mejia.  Mejia might not even stick at catcher and the hit tool while still solid, doesn't look as special as we might have thought.  If he ends up in left field, he becomes fairly average.  It'll be interesting to see who from that second tier in your 5-12 range steps up and becomes a fast riser in the prospect rankings this year.  My Reds bias says don't sleep on Tyler Stephenson, he was hitting very good in A+ last year before nagging injuries slowed him down.  Surprisingly good defender at C too for a guy who is 6'4".

1B:
Never really an issue that this position is thin in the minors because 1B is where they guys who couldn't move well enough at other positions but can hit end up.  The rare plus defensive 1B like Evan White you don't see often, because typically guys that athletic get challenged at harder positions.  White could probably be a solid CF even.  Alonso is a guy i'm trying to target in my fantasy dynasty draft this year.  Miggy is just about done.

2B:
Pretty strong crop of 2B.  Madrigal might be limited in his impact because I don't know if the power is even there.  Very different body type than other smaller guys like Altuve.  Could be a gold glover at 2B though.  No real issues of how these guys are ranked, although I think I'd take Rodgers over Hiura.

SS: 
Incredible strong top 6.  Not too surprising with the best athletes usually put at SS from a young age so you get the good hitters there with more power than ever and increasingly it seems like they stick there.  Jeter Downs bat is legit, but he is not a SS.  I saw him extensively in Dayton last year and he had some struggles at 2B and didn't even compare to Jose Garcia as a SS.  Wander Franco is going to be the next teenage big leaguer.  Only reason he might not be is the Rays penchant for slow rolling their top prospects.  He'll be in AA before this year is up.

3B:
Circle back to my not worrying about 1B depth in the minors and look right at the top of 3B for the reason.  Vlad Jr is going to be a 1B/DH sooner rather than later if he doesn't get his conditioning under control.  People compare him to Miggy, but Miggy was significantly more fit at the same age.  Vladdy is more athletic than Cabrera though.  Vientos, Gorman, and Mountcastle might all end up at 1B long term as well.  I'm a big believer in Gorman's bat though.  Was high on him in the draft and his debut only increased that enthusiasm.

If Mejia is a LF, then its a totally different story, but right now, I think his overall potential is better than the other catcher. I kinda have Mejia/Bart/Ruiz as Tier 1, Murphy as Tier 2a, then that next tier is pretty close. Stephenson, Daulton Varsho, Will Smith, potentially Noah Naylor are all close. 

I definitely understand that most guys get moved to first, but there really is a lack of any in the minors with any potential, but you are right Evan White is a beast, and I would almost put Pratto with him when it comes to defensive ability. 

I read some article last year, maybe baseball prospectus, but it said that in AA, Rodgers was atrocious against mid level to higher level pitching in the league, and was feasting on the no-names. That with what it seems like the Rockies arent even giving him opportunities to play(McMahon/Hamptson 2B)/signing Murphy), and I wonder if there are more problems than what we really know.

I saw Gorman twice in the playoffs against Bowling Green at the end of last year, and he could barely touch anything. I know he is young and that was an aggressive promotion, but the swing and miss is a huge question mark. I feel the same way about Austin Riley. Seen him a couple of times and there is a definite hole in his swing. He's been good on correcting mistakes as he goes up the ladder, but if he flames out, I would not be surprised. 

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I'm going to try to have to catch a Dragons game when Peoria rolls through Dayton so I can see Gorman live.  I won't fault looking lost as a young 18 year old in full season ball (Gorman won't turn 19 until May 10), i'd expect him to be over matched.  The fact that the Cards were willing to challenge him like that right out of the gate is more encouraging than anything.  If he could have handled that promotion in his draft year, we'd be talking about another phenom.

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9 hours ago, devils1854 said:

I saw Gorman twice in the playoffs against Bowling Green at the end of last year, and he could barely touch anything. I know he is young and that was an aggressive promotion, but the swing and miss is a huge question mark. I feel the same way about Austin Riley. Seen him a couple of times and there is a definite hole in his swing. He's been good on correcting mistakes as he goes up the ladder, but if he flames out, I would not be surprised

The Cardinals legitimately had him facing guys who were 3+ years older than him, and he held his own.  A 97 wRC+ in a league where he shouldn't have been is impressive when you put things into context.  He destroyed the rookie league in the 167 PA that he had.  He had no business being in that low of a league, and they challenged him.

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Top 5 Per Team

Boston
1.Triston Casas||1B||A
2.Michael Chavis||3B||AAA
3.Darwinzon Hernandez||LHP||AA
4.Tanner Houck||RHP||A+
5.Bobby Dalbac||3B||AAA

Player to Watch:Durbin Feltman||RHP||AA

-Boston is the only team in baseball not to have a guy in my top 150. This is a really bad organization. Casas, their first round pick this past draft, is their top prospect and he will probably get time at third, but he is ultimately going to be a first baseman. He has good raw power, but has a large swing, which is concerning. Michael Chavis is much like Casas. Big power, nothing else. His lack of athleticism could move him to first like Casas. I might would have him first and a 150 player, but the PED suspension clouds him as a prospect. My player to watch is Durbin Feltman. A high leverage reliever from TCU drafted in 2018, who could have two plus pitches, and could move very quickly in the organization, and with a team as reliever needy as Boston, he could see time in the majors this season.

NY Yankees
1.Estevan Florial||OF||AA
2.Jonathan Loaisiga||RHP||AAA
3.Devi Garcia||RHP||AA
4.Trevor Stephan||RHP||AAA
5.Albert Abreu||RHP||AAA

Player to Watch:Thairo Estrada||INF||AA

-The Yankees have graduated, and traded a number of their top prospects in the past couple of years, and with other guys not progressing like people thought they would, the system looks bare. Estevan Florial was about league average as a 20 year old in high A last year, but none of his potential plus tools really shined. He could have plus power and speed, but he showed neither. He still has time to develop, but he might not end up as good as people once thought. Behind him, the team has a number of pitching prospects that look to be starters at the back end of a rotation, or in the bullpen. Thairo Estrada looked to potentially be a breakout player in 2018 after a good 2017 season and an impressive stint in the AFL. That never came. Estrada was shot last year and he missed most of the year because of it. He should start 2019 in AA, and while he doesnt have tools that blow you away, he could end up on a major league roster.

San Francisco
1.Joey Bart||C||A
2.Heliot Ramos||OF||A+
3.Chris Shaw||OF||AAA/MLB
4.Jake Wong||RHP||A
5.Marco Luciano||SS||R

Player to Watch:Jacob Gonzalez||3B||A+

-The Giants have gone from maybe the worst organization in baseball to maybe the second or third worst after the past two drafts. Joey Bart and Heliot Ramos are both top 100 players, but after them, there really isnt much else. Chris Shaw has proved himself in AAA the past two seasons. He is probably nothing more than a fourth outfielder, but his huge power is at least intriguing. The team really doesnt have too many intriguing guys lower in the rankings, so I will highlight Jacob Gonzalez. Played most of his 19th year in full season A ball, and while it didnt turn out great, he still showed some glimpses of being a good player. If he can tap into his power, he could be legit. This organization is going to stay in limbo as long as they do not trade off their high profile guys for prospects, and thats not good for the long term future of the club.

Miami
1.Sixto Sanchez||RHP||AA
2.Victor Victor Mesa||OF||A
3.Isan Diaz||2B||AAA
4.Monte Harrison||OF||AAA
5.Sandy Alcantara||RHP||MLB

Player to Watch:Jordan Yamamoto||RHP||AAA

-The Marlins have traded away two MVPs and two more all stars, and they still have one of the worst farm systems in the majors. The Phillies were more than happy to give away Sixto Sanchez, who has had nagging injuries the past couple of seasons. He has top of the rotation skills, but he hasnt hit 100 innings in four years in professional baseball. Victor Victor Mesa. What do we really know about him? He has looked great in workouts, but its been two years since he has played in any meaningful games, and he will be 23 before the end of the season. Behind him, Diaz and Harrison have some upside, but had big holes show in their games in 2018. Alcantara could be the safest of them all, but still might end up as a bullpen piece because of his control....Jordan Yamamoto. He is here because of his work in the AFL. Even though his fastball can barely hit 90, he has great command for his level, and he has three offspeed pitches that could be major league level. For a team like the Marlins, he could be a key piece somewhere on the major league roster.

Chicago Cubs
1.Miguel Amaya||C||AA
2.Brailyn Marquez||LHP||A
3.Nico Hoerner||SS||A+
4.Cole Roederer||OF||R
5.Adbert Alzolay||RHP||AAA

Player to Watch:Yovanny Cruz||RHP||A

-The Cubs are a organization that knows what works for them and stick to it. College hitters and international free agents. They veered off that path for a couple of drafts, but their farm looks better now than it has in three years. Miguel Amaya doesnt have any plus tool, but he can be above average with his hit tool, power, arm, and defense, and in this age of catchers, that means he could be one of the best in baseball. He still looks to be a few years away, but he is firmly one of the best catching prospects in the game. Nico Hoerner and Cole Roederer were both selected in the first two rounds in the 2018 draft, and both impressed in their short time in the Cubs system. Yovanny Cruz is an interesting international signee. He wont be 20 until the end of August, but he was great in his first year in the states in rookie ball. His fastball has a sink to it and could settle into the mid 90s as he matures. He also has an advanced changeup for his age. If he matures physically, and continues to get a feel for his off speed pitches, he could have a legitimate shot at the majors.

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Arizona
1.Jon Duplantier||RHP||AA
2.Jazz Chisholm||SS||AA
3.Daulton Varsho||C||AA
4.Geraldo Perdomo||SS||A
5.Blaze Alexander||SS||A

Player to Watch:Drew Ellis||3B||AA

-Jon Duplantier just cant stay healthy. He has dealt with injuries since college, which led him to slide to the third round. In 2018, he missed more than a month because of tendinitis, but when he was healthy, he was dominant. He has the tools to be a top 30-40 prospect in the game, and could be a mid rotation starter for Arizona, but the injury concerns pop up year after year. Arizona has some intriguing SS prospects. Chisholm is the closest to the majors. I do question if he can play short in the majors, and I am always weary of players that have their breakout seasons in the very hitter friendly Cal League. Geraldo Perdomo and Blaze Alexander are both 19, and should start in full season A ball together. I think Perdomo is the better prospect that the moment. He has a lot of room to grow physically, and that could come with a move off short. I do think there is a lot of power in his body, and its going to come out soon. Giving Blaze Alexander enough money to keep him from college might be the best decision Arizona did in this past draft. I think he is more of a classic shortstop. Great arm and good range. Not going to be a real powerful guy, but it seems that he has a great idea of the strike zone, and could be an on base machine.

Baltimore
1.Yusniel Diaz||OF||AA
2.DL Hall||LHP||A+
3.Ryan Mountcastle||3B||AAA
4.Grayson Rodriguez||RHP||A
5.Jean Carlos Encarnacion||3B||A+

Player to Watch:Bruce Zimmermann||LHP||AA

-If it werent for their trades with the Dodgers and Braves last year, the Orioles would possibly have the worst system in baseball. It looks like they have done a good job drafting in the first round(Mountcastle, Hall, Rodriguez), but they have been atrocious drafting after that. Diaz, the crown jewel in the Machado trade, looks like he will be an everyday starting outfielder, but with a bunch of tools that are just average, he is really going to have to develop one of them to be more than just pretty good. Hall was a guy that I had a top 10 grade on in the 2017 draft. Things started rocky for him in rookie ball and in A to begin 2018. The results finally started to come when he was able to command his pitches better. He could possibly have three above average pitches, and could be a regular in a rotation as long as he continues to improve the command. Jean Carlos Encarnacion and Bruce Zimmermann. Two guys the Orioles got from the Braves last year. Encarnacion has really grown and is a physical specimin. He has plus raw power to all fields. He hasnt mastered the strike zone yet, but that isnt too concerning yet but he needs to start showing improvement in 2019, which will be his fourth year in the professional leagues. Zimmermann broke out big time in A ball in 2018 before being traded. He was striking out over a batter an inning and was not walking anyone. He is not very physically impressive, and is pretty much maxed out, but with his advanced feel for pitching, he could be a guy that makes a career coming out of the pen in the majors.

Milwaukee
1.Keston Hiura||2B||AAA
2.Brice Turang||SS||A
3.Corey Ray||OF||AAA
4.Tristen Lutz||OF||A+
5.Zack Brown||RHP||AAA

Player to Watch:Braden Webb||RHP||AA

-The Brewers have really depleted their system in the past year, but at least they are an organization that has actually tried to win, unlike most of the teams in the majors, and they are one of the favorites in the NL because of it. They still have some impact guys at the very top, and that is led by Keston Hiura. He was a guy that had a very advanced bat coming out of UC Irvine. Milwaukee was not scared by his bad elbow, and since drafted, he has made the organization look like geniuses. His plus hit tool and potential plus power make him one of the best hitting prospects in the game. After Hiura, you have 2018 first rounder Brice Turang. Much like Hiura, he was a guy that some organizations soured on during the draft process. He fell into the Brewers lap, and if his first taste of professional ball is any indicator, teams are going to regret passing him up. He is going to stick at short. He has potential gold glove ability there to go along with potential plus speed. If he is able to get any power out of his body, then he could be a top half starting shortstop in the majors. Brandon Webb is the guy to watch for this year. With the way the Brewers use relievers for multiple innings, Webb could find a role in Milwaukee. He has a fastball that is a plus pitch and a curve that is developing and shows plus at times. The Brewers will probably start him off in the rotation this year, but his future role is going to be in the pen.

Colorado
1.Brendan Rodgers||INF||AAA/MLB
2.Colton Welker||3B||AA
3.Garrett Hampson||2B||AAA/MLB
4.Ryan Villade||SS||A+
5.Grant Lavigne||1B||A

Player to Watch:Terrin Vavra||SS||A

-The Rockies are set on the left side of the infield for the foreseeable future with Arenado and Story. They Signed second baseman Daniel Murphy to play first, and former top prospect Ryan McMahon is sliding from first to second this year. Where does that leave their prospects? Brendan Rodgers has over 600 plate appearances at AA or higher. Hampson just had a 121 wRC+ in AAA last year, and Colton Welker should start this year in AA. Are the Rockies just gun shy in putting prospects in starting roles when they want to fight for a playoff spot this year, or are they not as high on their prospects as the scouting community? Thats not something I know the answer to, but I think all three can be at least average major leaguers. Terrin Vavra was the Rockies third pick in the 2018 draft from the University of Minnesota. Like almost their whole organization, Vavra is a hit first middle infielder. He will probably end up at second as he advances. He has a very advanced eye at the plate, and he could develop double digit power. I could see him moving up the ladder pretty quickly.

NY Mets
1.Andres Giminez||SS||AA
2.Pete Alonso||1B||MLB
3.Mark Vientos||3B||A
4.Simeon Woods-Richardson||RHP||R
5.Ronny Mauricio||SS||R

Player to Watch:Tony Dibrell||RHP||A+

-Giminez is only 20 years old, and has already played two years in full season ball. It is impressive that he has been league average with the bat in both years, but Im still not convinced that he is going to be a real threat with the bat even as he ages. He probably isnt going to hit for power, and he doesnt have plus speed, so right now, his positional value and age is whats working in his favor. Now Pete Alonso has power. It hits 80, and he will probably have many 30+ home run seasons. Hitting for average might be a problem for him. His K% skyrocked up to 25.9% in AAA last season. Was it an abnormality or is it something that is going to hinder his value in the majors? Woods-Richardson was taken by the Mets in the second round this past season. Before his senior season, he was looked at going much higher, but the velocity was down and he just wasnt any good. In short season ball, everything looked to be back to normal, and if he can keep the velocity, then he has the potential to have two plus pitches. Tony Dibrell was much like Woods-Richardson. At Kennesaw State, he had a bad junior season, but he had flashed tools. The Mets took him, and last year in A ball, Dibrell was back to the pitcher that caught scouts eye. DIbrell doesnt have any plus pitches, but his advanced feel could help him to maybe be a back end of the rotation guy.

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