Top Ten Hitting Prospects in Baseball

[illiniguy]

Illiniguy, I'm very high on Billy Butler indeed, I hear about him a lot being in KC. I just want to see him keep posting good numbers at a higher level before I really jump on the bandwagon.

 

Someone mentioned Howie Kendrick, I've seen him play--he's the real deal indeed. The Angels have Manny Aybar too, what an embarassment of infield riches with Wood, Macpherson and Kotchman as well.

 

There is a real dearth of decent catching prospects, which isn't really all that new, but it seems especially bleak at this point in the cycle. Teams would do well to hoard any catchers in their system with even marginal hopes for the big leagues.

 

I forgot about Daric Barton :oops: And yes, I put that list together off the top of my head, don't know what I was thinking with Encarnacion, Kotchman and Upton, all three have exceeded ROY requirements.

yeah living in kansas city I hope to get to see billy a little this year either in witchita or kc. But, I guess the doug meinkeiwitz signing has blocked that for the time being.

 

I'm pretty sure he'll start the season in AA Wichita. If he continues to post good numbers, a promotion to Omaha is likely, and maybe a late season September call-up. But 2007 is the year he'll likely hit the bigs.

What do you think Gordon's path would look like? I hope to get both he and Butler's autos this year on one of my mini helmets, but hope I can do so in one trip. You think odds are they both end up in Wichita?

[fiver]

I find myself pining for young hitting talent, after pondering how fetid our own system has been. I'm curious who you'd list as the top ten hitting prospects in the game? To be on the list, the player would have to qualify for ROY in 2006, though he could be lower in the minors and be a year or two away yet, too. Here's my list:

 

1. Jeremy Hermida (Florida)

2. Stephen Drew (Arizona)

3. Delmon Young (Tampa)

4. BJ Upton (Tampa)

5. Carlos Quentin (Arizona)

6. Andy Marte (Boston)

7. Prince Fielder (Milwaukee)

8. Lastings Milledge (Mets)

9. Josh Barfield (San Diego)

10. Casey Kotchman (Angels)

 

Others (random order): James Loney (Dodgers), Franklin Gutierrez (Cleveland), Conor Jackson (Arizona), Edwin Encarnacion (Cincinnati), Brandon Wood (Angels), Ian Kinsler (Texas), Felix Pie (Cubs), Hanley Ramirez (Florida), Joel Guzman (Dodgers), Nick Markakis (Baltimore)

 

Is Barfield still on track to become a force at 2B for the Padres? He was decent when he played for their AA team in Mobile, but I haven't heard much about him since then.

 

edit - the answer is most likely a resounding YES. He put up some very good numbers at AAA last season...in fact much better than his AA numbers. I do remember him scoring the only run off of Angel Guzman in '04 during one of Guz's starts. Barfield hit a solo HR off of Guz in that game.

[fiver]

on Barfield from CBSSportsline:

 

The trade of Mark Loretta might have paved the way for top prospect Josh Barfield to open the season as the Padres' second baseman. He went .310-15-72-74-20 in his first full season in Triple-A and those numbers don't reflect his slow start through the season's first month.

(Updated 12/09/2005).

 

The son of former major-leaguer Jesse Barfield is a solid big-league prospect in his own right. Josh, 23, has pop and speed and could compete for the job in spring and bat eighth for the Padres this season. Consider him a sleeper for NL rookie of the year and take a flier on him in larger mixed leagues.

[burnt out cubbie fan]

I think that trading Williams for Brandon Wood is like offering Pie for Byung Yung Kim

Yeah, I don't think you are going to get a top 15 prospect for a 5th starter.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I think that trading Williams for Brandon Wood is like offering Pie for Byung Yung Kim

Yeah, I don't think you are going to get a top 15 prospect for a 5th starter.

 

Yes, but what about Williams? He's a 3 starter at worst.

[burnt out cubbie fan]

I think that trading Williams for Brandon Wood is like offering Pie for Byung Yung Kim

Yeah, I don't think you are going to get a top 15 prospect for a 5th starter.

 

Yes, but what about Williams? He's a 3 starter at worst.

How do you figure that?

[NorthsideAvenger]

I think that trading Williams for Brandon Wood is like offering Pie for Byung Yung Kim

Yeah, I don't think you are going to get a top 15 prospect for a 5th starter.

 

Yes, but what about Williams? He's a 3 starter at worst.

 

Williams will be a very solid back of the rotation starter for the next xxxx of yrs. You can pick up one of those kind of pitchers in the draft, FA, or a lower type trade. But to trade a back end of the rotation pitcher for an Adam Dunn type power prosepct like Wood, who may be the next Alex Rodriguez at SS, that you don't do.

 

Jerome Williams MIGHT be able to fetch Erick Aybar or Albert Callapse (or however you spell his lat name), but to get Wood (no jokes, plz) you have to offer a BIG temptation, say Mark Prior or Carlos Zambrano.

[Quakers]

Jerome Williams MIGHT be able to fetch Erick Aybar or Albert Callapse (or however you spell his lat name), but to get Wood (no jokes, plz) you have to offer a BIG temptation, say Mark Prior or Carlos Zambrano.

 

Trying....really.... hard....not.....to....make....a....joke....about....having....to....be....really....tempting....to....get....Wood.........arg...... :willynilly: