BA's SL Top 20 Prospects

[CaliforniaRaisin]

1. Kris Bryant

For the second straight year, a Cubs prospect who spent half the season at Tennessee led the minors in extra-base hits. Bryant collected 78 in all, surpassing by three Javier Baez’s total from 2013, while also leading the minors in home runs (43), slugging (.661) and OPS (1.098). He earned a second-half promotion to Triple-A Iowa and won the BA Minor League Player of the Year award.

In the tradition of hard-hitting college third basemen such as Alex Gordon or Mark Teixeira, Bryant won’t require much minor league time. While the hot corner might not be Bryant’s ultimate position, SL evaluators favorably reviewed his double-plus arm and defensive agility.

Bryant’s big righthanded bat will play no matter where he settles on the diamond. His leveraged, upper-cut swing is designed: to launch the ball in the air with plus power to all fields, and half of his 22 homers in the SL went out either to center or right field. One scout said Bryant had the fastest bat in the league, which will enable him to hit for average even though he projects to strike out as much as a quarter of the time.

“We wanted to pitch him away (to try to neutralize his power), but he hit the ball so hard the other way that we decided to go back inside,” Chattanooga manager Razor Shines said. “That was a mistake, too. He’s going to swing and miss, but if the pitcher doesn’t hit his spots, then he’s going to pay the price.”

2. Addison Russell

The Athletics drafted Russell 11th overall out of high school in 2012 and fast-tracked him to high Class A the following year, then to Double-A in 2014. He finished the season as a member of the Cubs organization after Oakland used him as lure to acquire Jeff Samardzija in a July 4 trade.

Scouts regard Russell as a safe bet to stick at shortstop despite just average speed because he’s agile, sure-handed and owns an accurate, solid-average arm most notable for its quick release.

Russell hit for more power than ever after joining Tennessee in July, punishing inside fastballs for power and sitting on breaking balls away and driving them to right field with a short, compact stroke. He makes steady contact and will hit for average in the majors, though it’s his plus power and solid glove at shortstop that will make him a star.

5. CJ Edwards

One year before the Cubs leveraged Jeff Samardzija in a July trade to acquire shortstop prospect Addison Russell from the Athletics, they used Matt Garza to pry Edwards away from the Rangers at the 2013 deadline. Both prospects suited up for Tennessee in the second half of 2014, though not before Edwards missed all of May, June and July after coming down with a shoulder strain.

Tall and lean, Edwards has plus life and so much cutting action on a low-90s fastball—he tops out near 95 mph—that batters simply can’t square him up. SL opponents hit just .180 against him, and he has allowed just two home runs in 50 career appearances. One scout said that Edwards threw the best curveball in the SL, and it’s a plus pitch when he stays on top of the ball.

Edwards continues to improve the quality and arm speed on his mid-80s changeup, and the primary long-term concerns for the gangly, long-limbed righthander will stamina, health and coordination of delivery. No one doubts his stuff will play at the top of a rotation.

18. Albert Almora

Almora joined fellow precocious 2012 high school draftees Addison Russell and Corey Seager in the SL at the end of July. While he did the least to stand out in the context of the league, batting .234 with two homers and no steals in 36 games at Tennessee, Almora’s skills always have been subtle.

If Almora reaches his ceiling, he’ll be a high-average, top-of-the-order hitter and a Gold Glove-caliber defender in center field. He receives unanimously positive reviews for his plus range and fielding ability even though he rates as no better than solid-average as a runner. As such, stolen bases won’t be a big part of his game.

Almora got beat with good fastballs in the SL, according to one scout, and he struggled with timing issues relating to his big leg kick at various points all season, even in the first half at high Class A Daytona. While he walks only once every two weeks on average, Almora does a good job spraying the ball around and projects as an above-average hitter for some scouts. For others, his bat fits best as an extra outfielder.

[Guest]

“We wanted to pitch him away (to try to neutralize his power), but he hit the ball so hard the other way that we decided to go back inside,” Chattanooga manager Razor Shines said. “That was a mistake, too."

 

hahahahaha

[jersey cubs fan]

Almora joined fellow precocious 2012 high school draftees

 

Did Peter King start writing for Baseball America?

[TruffleShuffle]

that's higher than i would have expected edwards to be on that list.

[Guest]

That blurb doesn't sound as bullish on Russell's D as previous things I've read. Has this changed at all?

[Guest]

That blurb doesn't sound as bullish on Russell's D as previous things I've read. Has this changed at all?

He makes steady contact and will hit for average in the majors, though it’s his plus power and solid glove at shortstop that will make him a star.

??

[Guest]

Full list:

 

1. Kris Bryant, 3b, Cubs

2. Addison Russell, ss, Cubs

3. Corey Seager, ss, Dodgers

4. Robert Stephenson, rhp, Reds

5. C.J. Edwards, rhp, Cubs

6. Jose Peraza, 2b, Braves

7. J.T. Realmuto, c, Marlins

8. D.J. Peterson, 1b/3b, Mariners

9. Jake Lamb, 3b, Diamondbacks

10. Archie Bradley, rhp, Diamondbacks

11. Aaron Blair, rhp, Diamondbacks

12. Michael Lorenzen, rhp, Reds

13. Andrew Heaney, lhp, Marlins

14. Chris Reed, lhp, Dodgers

15. Ketel Marte, ss/2b, Mariners

16. Micah Johnson, 2b, White Sox

17.Scott Schebler, of, Dodgers

18. Albert Almora, of, Cubs

19. Justin Nicolino, lhp, Marlins

20. Ben Lively, rhp, Reds

[craig]

Thanks much for the reports, cal.

 

that's some unexpected buzz for Edwards, higher than I'd expected, and more TOR than I expected. Would we have expected that he'd finish 5 spots ahead of Archie Bradley last winter during Samardz trade discussions.

 

Reading a report like this on Russell makes him seem like such an extraordinarily "safe" prospect. Not a huge K problem, not real defensive questions, not a big question about breaking stuff. He just seems so safe and low-stress.

 

Like the Bryant bat-speed bit, and the defense comment was relatively encouraging, I thought.

 

Almora, not so much. Possibly 4th outfielder, trouble with fastballs, and more high-leg-kick doesn't excite a lot. I wonder if he's got any interest in toning down the leg kick? That he's even included, though, still speaks to the possibilities that many see.

[Cubswin11]

The fastest bat speed thing on Bryant is the first comment I've ever seen of the like regarding him.

[jersey cubs fan]

That blurb doesn't sound as bullish on Russell's D as previous things I've read. Has this changed at all?

He makes steady contact and will hit for average in the majors, though it’s his plus power and solid glove at shortstop that will make him a star.

??

 

It's not that bullish. Bullish would be something akin to a strong buy rating.

 

Scouts regard Russell as a safe bet to stick at shortstop despite just average speed because he’s agile, sure-handed and owns an accurate, solid-average arm most notable for its quick release.

 

This description is much more hold or outperform. Not particularly glowing. Multiple uses of the word average.

[Guest]

That blurb doesn't sound as bullish on Russell's D as previous things I've read. Has this changed at all?

He makes steady contact and will hit for average in the majors, though it’s his plus power and solid glove at shortstop that will make him a star.

??

 

It's not that bullish. Bullish would be something akin to a strong buy rating.

 

Scouts regard Russell as a safe bet to stick at shortstop despite just average speed because he’s agile, sure-handed and owns an accurate, solid-average arm most notable for its quick release.

 

This description is much more hold or outperform. Not particularly glowing. Multiple uses of the word average.

 

Thanks Jersey. Prior reads had me thinking Russell was far and away the best Cub SS defender but this makes me less certain. Seems like Almora's value is tied to his CF defense.