Forum
Forum Navigation
Top ## List
#101 · January 20, 2021, 2:57 pm
- CJ Abrams, SS
- MacKenzie Gore, LHP
- Luis Campusano, C
- Robert Hassell, OF
- Ryan Weathers, LHP
- Hudson Head, OF
- Justin Lange, RHP
- Jorge Ona, OF
- Reiss Knehr, RHP
- Tucupita Marcano, IF
The Prospects You Meet Outside The Top Ten
Prospects to dream on a little
Joshua Mears, OF
You would think a second-round prep outfielder in this subhead would be somewhat of a projection bet, and Mears will have to improve some things for sure. That said, he’s already built like a major league right fielder in the midst of his physical prime. He has that kind of power too, although the swing is going to need a fair bit of fine tuning to get to it. He should be fine in right field and is a good runner for his size. It’s going to need to click, and I don’t know how likely that is, but you can dream on it. —Jeffrey Paternostro
Tirso Ornelas, OF
Ornelas slides out of the Top 10 because he badly needed a consolidation year in the minors in 2020. The physical tools are among the best for position players in the system, but he struggled with his swing and approach the last time we saw him in game action. —Jeffrey Paternostro
Big-league bats, but less upside than you’d like
Eguy Rosario, INF
Rosario is a future utility infielder who can handle all three spots and shows some feel for contact. The game power is limited, he probably won’t get on base a ton, and he’s swung and missed a little too much in two shots at the Cal League. He had a nice little instructs campaign, but the upside remains limited. —Jeffrey Paternostro
MLB arms, but probably relievers
Reggie Lawson, RHP
Lawson offers mid-90s heat and a potential plus hook, but our missing 2020 means that he hasn’t been able to follow up on his rather electric 2019 AFL performance that itself followed an injury-marred regular season. We noted in last year’s blurb that he was just 22, but next year he will be 24, so it might be time to move him to the pen and let him move quickly. He could be a boon to the Padres’ 2021 relief corps. —Jeffrey Paternostro
You always need catching
Jonny Homza, C
Prep catchers are a risky proposition. Cold weather prep catchers? Even riskier. Well, it doesn’t get much colder than Anchorage, Alaska. Homza, the first player ever drafted out of South Anchorage High School has taken a very conservative path through the minors and still hasn’t seen full-season ball yet. He’s a good defender, though, and there’s some projection in the bat that might be starting to bubble up after a good instructs. —Jeffrey Paternostro
Top Talents 25 and Under (as of 4/1/2021):
- Fernando Tatis Jr., SS
- CJ Abrams, SS
- MacKenzie Gore, LHP
- Chris Paddack, RHP
- Luis Campusano, C
- Robert Hassell, OF
- Ha-Seong Kim, SS
- Trent Grisham, OF
- Adrian Morejon, LHP
- Ryan Weathers, LHP
#102 · January 21, 2021, 10:38 am
Thanks for posting that LynchMob... can't subscribe to everything 🙂
#103 · January 21, 2021, 11:58 am
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/prospects/article/64061/2021-prospects-the-top-101/
1.) Wander Franco, SS, Tampa Bay Rays
2.) Adley Rutschman, C, Baltimore Orioles
3.) Julio Rodríguez, OF, Seattle Mariners
4.) Sixto Sánchez, RHP, Miami Marlins
5.) Ian Anderson, RHP, Atlanta Braves
6.) Jarred Kelenic, OF, Seattle Mariners
7.) Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Pittsburgh Pirates
8.) Marco Luciano, SS, San Francisco Giants
9.) Bobby Witt Jr., SS, Kansas City Royals
10.) C.J. Abrams, SS, San Diego Padres
11.) MacKenzie Gore, LHP, San Diego Padres
12.) Nick Madrigal, 2B, Chicago White Sox
#104 · January 26, 2021, 8:36 am
Fantasy Top 100 from CBS ... https://power12.baseball.cbssports.com/news/21529298-f7ef-4cb0-8c77-a5a8442b865b
What do I even write here?
You know what prospects are. You know what a top 100 list is. I'd call the concept self-explanatory.
But wait, my list might be a little different than the ones you're used to seeing. See, mine is for Fantasy baseball, where defense only matters to the extent it impacts playing time and time itself is more of an obstacle.
There is no one-size-fits-all list, and this one won't be either. Different prospects can matter to different Fantasy formats. Someone who plays in a keeper league might be looking to stash a couple guys early for 2022 while someone who plays in a Dynasty league might be aiming for a bigger score three or four years down the road. And then, of course, the process of projecting how good a player will be is itself more art than science.
So quibbles are to be expected, and quibbles are welcome. It's not intended to be the final word, just my own.
One last note: To qualify for this list, a player must be rookie-eligible, which excludes, most notably, Jo Adell. He would rank 10th here if he did still qualify.
1. Wander Franco, SS, Rays
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2019: low Class A, high Class A
2019 minors: .327 BA (425 AB), 9 HR, 27 2B, 18 SB, .885 OPS, 56 BB, 35 K
One of the big teases of the abbreviated 2020 was whether Franco would get the call, but it's a foregone conclusion for 2021. His ability to put bat to ball sets him apart from other young hitters, giving him an 80-grade hit tool and possible Juan Soto outcome if the power develops as hoped.
Scott's 2021 Fantasy impact: fighting this spring
2. MacKenzie Gore, SP, Padres
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2019: high Class A, Double-A
2019 minors: 9-2, 1.69 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 101 IP, 28 BB, 135 K
The left-hander was suspiciously bypassed for the Padres' postseason push, with some chatter about him possibly underachieving at the alternate training site. But there are no challengers to his top spot among pitching prospects, and with his high leg kick, big extension and deep arsenal of four plus pitches, he's well equipped to dominate.
Scott's 2021 Fantasy impact: fighting this spring
3. Jarred Kelenic, OF, Mariners
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2019: low Class A, high Class A, Double-A
2019 minors: .291 BA (443 AB), 23 HR, 20 SB, .904 OPS, 50 BB, 111 K
The Mariners managed to resist the urge to call up Kelenic even as they found themselves on the fringes of contention, but there may not have been a prospect who screamed for a promotion more. He's an advanced hitter with a plan for each at-bat and enough speed to make him a true five-category threat when he arrives.
Scott's 2021 Fantasy impact: fighting this spring
4. Spencer Torkelson, 3B, Tigers
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2019: not under contract
The top pick in the 2020 draft feels like the sort of inevitability Kris Bryant was as a prospect, delivering the optimal combination of floor and ceiling. He'll take his walks and drive the ball to all fields, boasting the sort of power bat that was good enough to break Barry Bonds' freshman home run record at Arizona State.
Scott's 2021 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
5. Julio Rodriguez, OF, Mariners
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2019: low Class A, high Class A
2019 minors: .326 BA (328 AB), 12 HR, 26 2B, .929 OPS, 25 BB, 76 K
It's a worthy debate whether Kelenic or Rodriguez is the better Mariners outfield prospect, but with Rodriguez a step behind and a couple steps slower, Kelenic gets the nod on this list. Rodriguez's bat might play even louder, though, which could make him the best hitter the Mariners have developed since that other Rodriguez guy 25 years ago.
Scott's 2021 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
6. Andrew Vaughn, 1B, White Sox
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2019: Rookie, low Class A, high Class A
2019 minors: .278 (205 AB), 6 HR, 17 2B, .832 OPS, 30 BB, 38 K
When a true first baseman -- and a right hand-hitting one at that -- goes third overall, as Vaughn did in 2019, the bat better play, and by all accounts, his will, putting him in line to be the next young stud welcomed to the White Sox lineup. Power and plate discipline are his game, earning him the Golden Spikes Award for best college player in 2018.
Scott's 2021 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
7. Adley Rutschman, C, Orioles
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2019: Rookie, short-season Class A, low Class A
2019 minors: .254 BA (130 AB), 4 HR, 8 2B, .774 OPS, 20 BB, 27 K
While the threshold for becoming an impact catcher in Fantasy baseball is high, the top pick in the 2019 draft is the rare sort of generational talent you can bet on meeting it. His defense won't be an impediment to his playing time, and his bat could be MVP-caliber, getting compared to some of the all-time greats at the position.
Scott's 2021 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
8. Ian Anderson, SP, Braves
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2019: Double-A, Triple-A
2019 minors: 8-7, 3.38 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 135 2/3 IP, 65 BB, 172 K
2020 majors: 3-2, 1.95 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 32 1/3 IP, 14 BB, 42 K
The No. 3 pick back in 2016 had mostly gathered detractors since then, but it all clicked for him at the alternate training site, where he refined his changeup into a true put-away pitch on the level of Luis Castillo. From his one-hit debut against the Yankees to his three scoreless playoff outings, he showed unusual confidence in a three-pitch mix that included a loopy curveball.
Scott's 2021 Fantasy impact: pencil him in
9. Sixto Sanchez, SP, Marlins
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2019: high Class A, Double-A
2019 minors: 8-6, 2.76 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 114 IP, 21 BB, 103 K
2020 majors: 3-2, 3.46 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 39 IP, 11 BB, 33 K
The questions about Sanchez's strikeout potential persist, but he actually had a better swinging-strike rate in his major-league stint than Anderson and dominated the other two legs of the FIP triangle with an elite strike percentage and sinking 98 mph fastball. Those two skills will take him far even if he never fully develops the third.
Scott's 2021 Fantasy impact: pencil him in
10. C.J. Abrams, SS, Padres
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2019: Rookie, low Class A
2019 minors: .393 BA (150 AB), 3 HR, 15 SB, 1.083 OPS, 11 BB, 14 K
The first of four consecutive shortstops is perhaps the most foolproof, showcasing 80-grade speed and a hit tool to match. He's young enough that we shouldn't rule out the possibility of some power development, especially given how prevalent it is in today's game, but it's worth noting Abrams could wind up in center field.
Scott's 2021 Fantasy impact: don't count on it
#105 · January 30, 2021, 11:24 am
https://theathletic.com/2338178/2021/01/28/keith-law-top-100-prospects-2021/
Always one of my favorite reads of the year. After all the trades, two of the Top 10 prospects in all of baseball are still in San Diego. If you don’t subscribe to The Athletic for @dennistlin - then you should for Keith. jc https://twitter.com/keithlaw/status/1354776568401453060
PS. Another HUGE reason, IMO, to subscribe to The Athletic is Joe Posnanski ... https://theathletic.com/author/joe-posnanski/ ... the best baseball writer today.
#106 · January 31, 2021, 5:24 pm
San Diego Padres
51. Henry Henry, RHP
Age: 22
Highest Level: A
More than just a name – well, two identical names – Henry provides decent deception with a nasty slider that might prove useful as a lock reliever. Lack of upside limits his overall ranking, but he has a good chance to break through to the big leagues. (Alex Sanchez)
#107 · February 1, 2021, 11:21 am
This is an interesting list and appears their analysts actually saw these prospects play in some form or another. Because of losing a year of development, it will be interesting to see how accurate the Tier assessments are. Lot of movement from last year because of all the prospects traded, but I think the system still ranks in the upper half of MLB and has some great prospects at the top that are almost major league ready.
#108 · February 2, 2021, 7:10 am
Thanks for posting it. I love the deep lists, especially Fangraphs, but he takes FOREVER to post it
#109 · February 2, 2021, 5:04 pm
#110 · February 5, 2021, 8:50 am
Madfriars, DID you guys have Patino rated #3 in our system behind Abrams before the trade?