MLB.com top 50 prospects countdown: Castro #22, no Vitters

[Little Slide Rooter]

The countdown was on MLB TV. top 3 were #3: Mike Stanton, #2: Steven Strasberg, #1 Jason Heyward. I was pretty surprised not to see Vitters make the list.

[Cubswin11]

Vitters was on it last year wasn't he? He was on the lower end IIRC.

[toonsterwu]

Vitters wasn't on Mayo's list last year. I believe Samardzija surprised and made it at 50th.

 

The Castro comments, for those too lazy to go over there and check

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?topic_id=7962336&content_id=7150953

 

Starlin Castro, SS

 

* 2009 Rank: NR

* Signed: Oct. 25, 2006

* ETA in Majors: 2011

* MiLB.com stats page >

 

Statistically speaking: There are two things you didn't see Castro do much in 2009: walk and strike out. Castro drew 29 walks and struck out just 53 times in his two stops, spanning 469 at-bats. He spent the bulk of his time in the Florida State League where his walk and strikeout rates were both the ninth lowest in the league.

 

Scouting report: Castro exploded on the scene in 2009, making his full-season debut as the youngest regular in the Class A Advanced Florida State League. He showed an innate ability to make consistent, hard contact. He hits to all fields and while he hasn't shown it yet, there's probably some power in there once he matures. He's got outstanding speed, which he'll put to better use as he learns the nuances of baserunning. He's a plus defender at shortstop, as well.

 

Upside potential: With the confidence to meet any challenge at any level, it's hard to put a ceiling on a player like Castro. Just 20 this season, he could be ready to take over in Chicago sooner rather than later, with all the ingredients to be an elite, All-Star caliber shortstop.

 

They said it: "The kid has rocketed through the system. He is the type of player I would pay to watch play." -- Cubs vice president of player personnel, Oneri Fleita

 

He said it: "I want to be the best shortstop in the Major Leagues."

[TruffleShuffle]

so assessments of his speed range from below-average to outstanding.... got it.

[JWCUB]

NO. PLAYER

1 Jason Heyward, OF, ATL

2 Stephen Strasburg, RHP, WAS

3 Carlos Santana, C, CLE

4 Buster Posey, C, SFO

5 Mike Stanton, OF, FLA

6 Desmond Jennings, OF, TAM

7 Martin Perez, LHP, TEX

8 Dustin Ackley, CF, SEA

9 Justin Smoak, 1B, TEX

10 Jesus Montero, C, NYY

11 Brian Matusz, LHP, BAL

12 Starlin Castro, SS, CHC

13 Neftali Feliz, RHP, TEX

14 Domonic Brown, RF, PHI

15 Wade Davis, RHP, TAM

16 Aroldis Chapman, LHP, CIN

17 Jeremy Hellickson, RHP, TAM

18 Casey Kelly, RHP, BOS

19 Aaron Hicks, RHP, MIN

20 Brett Wallace, 1B, TOR

21 Logan Morrison, 1B, FLA

22 Tyler Matzek, LHP, COL

23 Jenrry Mejia, RHP, NYM

24 Michael Taylor, OF, OAK

25 Zach Britton, LHP, BAL

26 Lonnie Chisenhall, 3B, CLE

27 Jaff Decker, OF, SDG

28 Madison Bumgarner, LHP, SFO

29 Tim Beckham, SS, TAM

30 Josh Vitters, 3B, CHC

31 Derek Norris, C, WAS

32 Ryan Westmoreland, OF, BOS

33 Chris Carter, 1B, OAK

34 Eric Hosmer, 1B, KAN

35 Pedro Alvarez, 3B, PIT

36 Christian Friedrich, LHP, COL

37 Jarrod Parker, RHP, ARI

38 Shelby Miller, RHP, STL

39 Dee Gordon, SS, LAD

40 Kyle Drabek, RHP, TOR

41 Wilmer Flores, 3B, NYM

42 Wilson Ramos, C, MIN

43 Arodys Vizcaino, RHP, ATL

44 Carlos Triunfel, 2B, SEA

45 Casey Crosby, LHP, DET

46 Simon Castro, RHP, SDG

47 Brett Lawrie, 2B, MIL

48 Jhoulys Chacin, LHP, COL

49 Mike Trout, OF, LAA

50 Jay Jackson, RHP, CHC

51 Hector Rondon, RHP, CLE

52 Hank Conger, C, LAA

53 Anthony Rizzo, 1B, BOS

54 Alcides Escobar, SS, MIL

55 Zach Stewart, RHP, TOR

56 Lars Anderson, 1B, BOS

57 Jose Tabata, OF, PIT

58 Tyler Flowers, C, CHW

59 Daryl Jones, OF, STL

60 Jordan Lyles, RHP, HOU

61 Josh Bell, 3B, BAL

62 Matt Dominguez, 3B, FLA

63 Julio Teheran, RHP, ATL

64 Ike Davis, 1B, NYM

65 Jason Castro, C, HOU

66 Todd Frazier, 2B, CIN

67 Freddie Freeman, 1B, ATL

68 Matt Sweeney, 3B, TAM

69 Mike Moustakas, 3B, KAN

70 Austin Jackson, OF, DET

71 Michael Brantley, OF, CLE

72 Mike Leake, RHP, CIN

73 Fernando Martinez, OF, NYM

74 Michael Saunders, OF, SEA

75 Mike Montgomery, LHP, KAN

76 Yonder Alonso, 1B, CIN

77 Trevor Reckling, LHP, LAA

78 Tanner Scheppers, RHP, TEX

79 Andrew Cashner, RHP, CHC

80 Jacob Turner, RHP, DET

81 Matt Moore, LHP, TAM

82 Tony Sanchez, C, PIT

83 Chris Withrow, RHP, LAD

84 Zack Wheeler, RHP, SFO

85 Randall Delgado, RHP, ATL

86 Ryan Kalish, OF, BOS

87 Aaron Crow, RHP, KAN

88 Chris Heisey, OF, CIN

89 Kyle Gibson, RHP, MIN

90 Jake Arrieta, RHP, BAL

91 Jose Iglesias, SS, BOS

92 Drew Storen, RHP, WAS

93 Grant Green, SS, OAK

94 Jiovanni Mier, SS, HOU

95 Jared Mitchell, OF, CHW

96 Manny Banuelos, LHP, NYY

97 Miguel Sano, SS, MIN

98 Junichi Tazawa, RHP, BOS

99 Travis d'Arnaud, C, TOR

100 Nick Hagadone, LHP, CLE

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/insider/columns/story?columnist=law_keith&id=4856310&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fmlb%2finsider%2fcolumns%2fstory%3fcolumnist%3dlaw_keith%26id%3d4856310

[illiniguy]

NO. PLAYER

1 Jason Heyward, OF, ATL

2 Stephen Strasburg, RHP, WAS

3 Carlos Santana, C, CLE

4 Buster Posey, C, SFO

5 Mike Stanton, OF, FLA

6 Desmond Jennings, OF, TAM

7 Martin Perez, LHP, TEX

8 Dustin Ackley, CF, SEA

9 Justin Smoak, 1B, TEX

10 Jesus Montero, C, NYY

11 Brian Matusz, LHP, BAL

12 Starlin Castro, SS, CHC

13 Neftali Feliz, RHP, TEX

14 Domonic Brown, RF, PHI

15 Wade Davis, RHP, TAM

16 Aroldis Chapman, LHP, CIN

17 Jeremy Hellickson, RHP, TAM

18 Casey Kelly, RHP, BOS

19 Aaron Hicks, RHP, MIN

20 Brett Wallace, 1B, TOR

21 Logan Morrison, 1B, FLA

22 Tyler Matzek, LHP, COL

23 Jenrry Mejia, RHP, NYM

24 Michael Taylor, OF, OAK

25 Zach Britton, LHP, BAL

26 Lonnie Chisenhall, 3B, CLE

27 Jaff Decker, OF, SDG

28 Madison Bumgarner, LHP, SFO

29 Tim Beckham, SS, TAM

30 Josh Vitters, 3B, CHC

31 Derek Norris, C, WAS

32 Ryan Westmoreland, OF, BOS

33 Chris Carter, 1B, OAK

34 Eric Hosmer, 1B, KAN

35 Pedro Alvarez, 3B, PIT

36 Christian Friedrich, LHP, COL

37 Jarrod Parker, RHP, ARI

38 Shelby Miller, RHP, STL

39 Dee Gordon, SS, LAD

40 Kyle Drabek, RHP, TOR

41 Wilmer Flores, 3B, NYM

42 Wilson Ramos, C, MIN

43 Arodys Vizcaino, RHP, ATL

44 Carlos Triunfel, 2B, SEA

45 Casey Crosby, LHP, DET

46 Simon Castro, RHP, SDG

47 Brett Lawrie, 2B, MIL

48 Jhoulys Chacin, LHP, COL

49 Mike Trout, OF, LAA

50 Jay Jackson, RHP, CHC

51 Hector Rondon, RHP, CLE

52 Hank Conger, C, LAA

53 Anthony Rizzo, 1B, BOS

54 Alcides Escobar, SS, MIL

55 Zach Stewart, RHP, TOR

56 Lars Anderson, 1B, BOS

57 Jose Tabata, OF, PIT

58 Tyler Flowers, C, CHW

59 Daryl Jones, OF, STL

60 Jordan Lyles, RHP, HOU

61 Josh Bell, 3B, BAL

62 Matt Dominguez, 3B, FLA

63 Julio Teheran, RHP, ATL

64 Ike Davis, 1B, NYM

65 Jason Castro, C, HOU

66 Todd Frazier, 2B, CIN

67 Freddie Freeman, 1B, ATL

68 Matt Sweeney, 3B, TAM

69 Mike Moustakas, 3B, KAN

70 Austin Jackson, OF, DET

71 Michael Brantley, OF, CLE

72 Mike Leake, RHP, CIN

73 Fernando Martinez, OF, NYM

74 Michael Saunders, OF, SEA

75 Mike Montgomery, LHP, KAN

76 Yonder Alonso, 1B, CIN

77 Trevor Reckling, LHP, LAA

78 Tanner Scheppers, RHP, TEX

79 Andrew Cashner, RHP, CHC

80 Jacob Turner, RHP, DET

81 Matt Moore, LHP, TAM

82 Tony Sanchez, C, PIT

83 Chris Withrow, RHP, LAD

84 Zack Wheeler, RHP, SFO

85 Randall Delgado, RHP, ATL

86 Ryan Kalish, OF, BOS

87 Aaron Crow, RHP, KAN

88 Chris Heisey, OF, CIN

89 Kyle Gibson, RHP, MIN

90 Jake Arrieta, RHP, BAL

91 Jose Iglesias, SS, BOS

92 Drew Storen, RHP, WAS

93 Grant Green, SS, OAK

94 Jiovanni Mier, SS, HOU

95 Jared Mitchell, OF, CHW

96 Manny Banuelos, LHP, NYY

97 Miguel Sano, SS, MIN

98 Junichi Tazawa, RHP, BOS

99 Travis d'Arnaud, C, TOR

100 Nick Hagadone, LHP, CLE

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/insider/columns/story?columnist=law_keith&id=4856310&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fmlb%2finsider%2fcolumns%2fstory%3fcolumnist%3dlaw_keith%26id%3d4856310

Is this a typo, or did he actually switch to pitching?

[Guest]

That's got to be a typo.

[toonsterwu]

so assessments of his speed range from below-average to outstanding.... got it.

 

I believe that his raw speed is solid-good. Perhaps not the gushy 70 that Jason Churchill gave him, but solid to good. He just doesn't have the game speed in terms of base running, which is where you get the below-average speed comments (Adam Foster at PP was looking at C-1st times, and KG had similar reports from scouts).