BA's 2008 SL Top 20 Prospects

[CaliforniaRaisin]

No Cubs. Of course the Cubs will be facing the top prospect in the SL sometime in the NLDS.

 

1. Clayton Kershaw, lhp, Jacksonville (Dodgers)

2. David Price, lhp, Montgomery (Rays)

3. Cameron Maybin, of, Carolina (Marlins)

4. Matt LaPorta, of, Huntsville (Brewers)

5. Alcides Escobar, ss, Huntsville (Brewers)

6. Chris Volstad, rhp, Carolina (Marlins)

7. Mat Gamel, 3b, Huntsville (Brewers)

8. Michael Saunders, of, West Tenn (Mariners)

9. Tommy Hanson, rhp, Mississippi (Braves)

10. Wade Davis, rhp, Montgomery (Rays)

11. Chris Coghlan, 2b, Carolina (Marlins)

12. Jeremy Hellickson, rhp, Montgomery (Rays)

13. Jordan Schafer, of, Mississippi (Braves)

14. James McDonald, rhp, Jacksonville (Dodgers)

15. Ivan DeJesus, ss, Jacksonville (Dodgers)

16. Jake McGee, lhp, Montgomery (Rays)

17. Angel Salome, c, Huntsville (Brewers)

18. Michael Brantley, cf, Huntsville (Brewers)

19. Adam Moore, c, West Tenn (Mariners)

20. Luis Valbuena, 2b, West Tenn (Mariners)

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/prospects/rankings/league-top-20-prospects/2008/266943.html

[rawaction]

There's the potential for about 18 elite players from that list.

[Guest]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/chat/chat.php?id=2008100101

 

Ben Badler chat on the SL will be at 2 pm CT if you can tear yourself away from the Brewers-Phillies. Flood them with questions...if you're looking for potential topics, the Smokies most intriguing prospects were Jeff Samardzija, Jose Ceda, Esmailin Caridad, Donnie Veal, Mitch Atkins, Welington Castillo, Tyler Colvin and Nate Spears.

[Warren Brusstar]

There's the potential for about 18 elite players from that list.

 

I'd bet my left nut there won't be 18 elite players from that last. 5 would be a huge stretch.

[Guest]

There are 10 teams in the SL but only 6 of them are represented in the top 20. The Brewers have 5 prospects, Rays have 4 prospects, the Dodgers, Marlins and Mariners have 3 each and the Braves only have 2.

 

Sucks for the Cubs, DiamondBacks, Reds and White Sox.

[Little Slide Rooter]

18. Michael Brantley, cf, Huntsville (Brewers)

 

I think this is the guy the Indians are leaning toward taking to complete the CC deal. It was between him and some pitcher. Since the Brewers made the PO, the Indians get to chose. Im assuming that Gamel and Escobar are off limits.

[rawaction]

There's the potential for about 18 elite players from that list.

 

I'd bet my left nut there won't be 18 elite players from that last. 5 would be a huge stretch.

 

That's kinda why I said POTENTIAL.

[Guest]

Moderator: Hi everyone, Ben Badler here, thanks as always for spending the afternoon. I've spent the last two weeks of my waking hours working on a team-by-team recap of what all 30 teams did this year in signing international prospects. We'll roll that out soon, beginning with the National League, but it's time to jump back into domestic prospects for a couple hours. With the Carolina ballpark close to my home, I was fortunate enough to have seen probably 40-50 Southern League games or so this year, so I've seen every player on this list at least once, with the exception of Hanson and Hellickson, and every team except for Birmingham. So let's get started.

 

Q: Navin from Pasadena, CA asks:

Did you hear anything on Tennessee's Esmailin Caridad who had some nice numbers in the SL? I can't wait for that international signings recap - I am a big fan of your international work. Thanks for the chat!

 

A: Ben Badler: Thanks. Very, very interesting backstory as to how the Cubs signed Caridad. I'll save that for the recap, but he's got a good fastball, backs it up with a curve and a changeup. It's not overpowering stuff, but he throws plenty of strikes and pounds the zone, so he's got a chance.

 

Q: Tod from Chattanooga asks:

Tyler Colvin obviously had a less than stellar year - Is he a wash or can you see him turning things around? Where do you see him playing if he does - I noticed over the last few years in Tennessee they have moved him all over the outfield?

 

A: Ben Badler: He's looking more like a left fielder than a center fielder, and I'm not sure the bat profiles there. He showed some strides being more patient at the plate, but there weren't many more positives to derive from his year.

 

Q: Jon from Peoria asks:

Do you think Donnie Veal will improve his command and potentially becoming a 2 or 3 starter? Did he receive much consideration for the list?

 

A: Ben Badler: I never really saw what the fuss was about Veal, and I didn't see it when I saw his last start of the year either. He had no clue where the ball was going when it left his hand. His velo was 88-92 (I heard reports of mid-80s in the middle of the season too) when I saw him, but he didn't touch 90 much after the second inning because he had already thrown so many pitches. The curveball has some promise but it's inconsistent, so maybe he ends up in the bullpen, but there's several arms in that system who have surpassed him, for me.

 

Q: Jack from Toronto asks:

I know Samardzija struggled at AA, but I'm surprised his AAA and ML performance didn't get him on the list. What was the consensus on him?

 

A: Ben Badler: I just spent the last two weeks on the phone with a couple dozen international scouts and scouting directors, where everyone has a different opinion on 16-year-old kids from Latin America. Opinions couldn't have been more unanimous on Samardzija: was underwhelmed with him in the Southern League, was 88-94 with so-so secondary stuff, surprised at the numbers he put up in Triple-A and couldn't believe it when they saw him on TV in the big leagues pumping 95-96 mph fastballs with movement. I think his long-term future is in the bullpen, where his stuff, especially his fastball, can play up. I'd love to see the Cubs use Samardzija as a two-inning reliever, but I'm guessing the more conventional 8th-inning role is probably more likely.

 

Q: Navin from Pasadena, CA asks:

Thanks for answering my previous question. Who was the closest Smokies player to making it? Jose Ceda or Welington Castillo?

 

A: Ben Badler: Ceda. He needs to improve his control, but he's pumping 96-98 mph heat on every fastball and backing it up with a good hard slider out of the bullpen.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/prospects/rankings/league-top-20-prospects/2008/266954.html

[YearofDaCubs]

Interesting on the Shark. The scouts take were the same as Vance's take when he saw him pitching as a starter in the minors.

[SouthSideRyan]

Come on, I asked pretty much the same Caridad question, and he answered yours instead? BS

[Guest]

Come on, I asked pretty much the same Caridad question, and he answered yours instead? BS

 

I buttered him up. If that hadn't worked, I was going to switch to "Nivan from South Pasadena, CA" like you had suggested.

 

Actually, Ben and I have emailed back and forth a few times on international prospects so he probably recognized me. (Just a heads up but he's really good about replying to emails.)

[Brett]

Come on, I asked pretty much the same Caridad question, and he answered yours instead? BS

 

I buttered him up. If that hadn't worked, I was going to switch to "Nivan from South Pasadena, CA" like you had suggested.

 

Actually, Ben and I have emailed back and forth a few times on international prospects so he probably recognized me. (Just a heads up but he's really good about replying to emails.)

 

You were already an excellent resource, Raisin, but it just keeps getting better.