Posted by Jeremy on January 29, 2009 under 2009 Top 20 Prospects | 
Here’s the first of a nine part series that will detail the top 20 prospects from each of the various positions on the diamond. Each profile offers only a brief overview. For more detailed analysis, check out my other site Hot-Prospects. The prototypical catcher has changed over the past decade or so. Gone are the days of the unathletic and offensively inept backstop. Today’s catching prospects have middle of the lineup bats, rocket arms and good athletic skills. This batch offers no exception and its headliner may just be the best overall prospect in baseball this season.
#1) Matt Wieters—Baltimore Orioles
2008 Stats:
| FRD |
CAR |
.345 |
69 |
229 |
48 |
79 |
8 |
0 |
15 |
40 |
132 |
44 |
47 |
1 |
2 |
.448 |
.576 |
1.024 |
| BOW |
EAS |
.365 |
61 |
208 |
41 |
76 |
14 |
2 |
12 |
51 |
130 |
38 |
29 |
1 |
0 |
.460 |
.625 |
1.085 |
| Minors |
|
.355 |
130 |
437 |
89 |
155 |
22 |
2 |
27 |
91 |
262 |
82 |
76 |
2 |
2 |
.454 |
.600 |
1.053 |
Strengths: Um….everything. You name it, his bat, plate discipline, glove, arm, power, leadership, and work ethic are all at elite levels and ready for major league action.
Weaknesses: He won’t steal many bags, but then again, which catchers do? Also, and this is nitpicking, his size evokes comparisons to Joe Mauer which leads me to have fleeting concerns about future injury struggles. Wieters has never had to miss action in the past, however, and shows no signs of slowing down yet.
2009 Outlook: The O’s signed Greg Zaun in the offseason as insurance for Wieters. There’s no doubt that he is ready to start in the big leagues, but Baltimore may opt to keep him at AAA Norfolk just long enough hold back the hands of the arbitration clock. A strong spring could and should make that a moot point. Once he emerges, he is a top candidate for A.L. Rookie of the Year honors and for many future All-Star seasons.
2.) Buster Posey—San Francisco Giants
2008 Stats:
| GIA |
AZL |
.385 |
7 |
26 |
8 |
10 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
18 |
5 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
.484 |
.692 |
1.176 |
| SKV |
NOR |
.273 |
3 |
11 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.429 |
.455 |
.883 |
| Minors |
|
.351 |
10 |
37 |
10 |
13 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
23 |
8 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
.467 |
.622 |
1.088 |
Strengths: Posey’s bat is electric, slashing deep drives to the gaps and down the lines. He batted .469 with 23 HR and 93 RBI with the Florida State Seminoles this past season. He has stellar plate discpline and hand eye coordination. A converted SS, Posey may be the most athletic catching prospect in baseball with plus defensive skills and agility.
Weaknesses: It is unclear how much power Buster will hit for as a pro. He had one big power season with an aluminium bat but has been more of a line drive guy since. He has high upside behind the plate, but is still learning the subtle nuances of the position.
2009 Outlook: The Giants are excited to pair him up with top pitching prospects Madison Bumgarner and Tim Alderson at High-A San Jose. Those three will serve as integral pieces in shaping the future success of the Giants organization and the outlook for that happening is quite good.
3.) Jesus Montero—New York Yankees
2008 Stats:
| CHA |
SAL |
.326 |
132 |
525 |
86 |
171 |
34 |
1 |
17 |
87 |
258 |
37 |
83 |
2 |
1 |
.376 |
.491 |
.868 |
| Minors |
|
.326 |
132 |
525 |
86 |
171 |
34 |
1 |
17 |
87 |
258 |
37 |
83 |
2 |
1 |
.376 |
.491 |
.868 |
Strengths: His bat is golden. In his first full season, Montero demonstrated that he can hit for a high average and that his power, while good now, has a chance to be great. Unlike many young hitters, Montero doesn’t strike out too much and he seems to be quite willing to grind out walks
Weaknesses: His glove is not golden. Montero’s size affects his agility behind the dish and his quickness in throwing out baserunners (26 of 105). His 6-4 225 lb. body is not done growing either which should mean that a switch to 1B or DH will soon follow.
2009 Outlook: It’s on to High-A Tampa for Montero to see if he can continue his torrid hitting. Expect some of those 34 doubles from last season to become HR’s this season and, with the success of Austin Romine (more on him later) behind the dish, expect to see Jesus with a 1B or DH behind his name more often.
4.) Carlos Santana—Cleveland Indians
2008 Stats:
| INL |
CAL |
.323 |
99 |
350 |
88 |
113 |
34 |
4 |
14 |
96 |
197 |
69 |
59 |
7 |
4 |
.431 |
.563 |
.993 |
| KIN |
CAR |
.352 |
29 |
105 |
34 |
37 |
5 |
1 |
6 |
19 |
62 |
20 |
24 |
3 |
0 |
.452 |
.590 |
1.043 |
| AKR |
EAS |
.125 |
2 |
8 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
.125 |
.500 |
.625 |
| Minors |
|
.326 |
130 |
463 |
125 |
151 |
39 |
5 |
21 |
117 |
263 |
89 |
85 |
10 |
4 |
.431 |
.568 |
.999 |
Strengths: His thunderous bat broke through big time in ‘08. He produces surprising power with a compact swing and fast hands. His plate discipline is top notch and he has a knack for driving in runs in clutch situations.
Weaknesses: While he has good receiving skills, his arm is inaccurate (34 of 127 CS) and his release time is below average. These things shouldn’t deter him from sticking as a catcher, though. Santana had a great season, but the ability for him to repeat it is yet to be known.
2009 Outlook: Santana will move on to AA Akron where he had a cameo last season. Heisted from the Dodgers in the Casey Blake trade, Santana is fully capable of becoming an exceptional option to fill the void behind the plate in Cleveland that Victor Martinez leaves behind.
5.) Tyler Flowers—Chicago White Sox
2008 Stats:
| MYR |
CAR |
.288 |
122 |
413 |
72 |
119 |
32 |
1 |
17 |
88 |
204 |
98 |
102 |
8 |
7 |
.427 |
.494 |
.921 |
| Minors |
|
.288 |
122 |
413 |
72 |
119 |
32 |
1 |
17 |
88 |
204 |
98 |
102 |
8 |
7 |
.427 |
.494 |
.921 |
Strengths: If the Arizona Fall League performance from Mr. Flowers (.387 12 HR 23 RBI 25 runs in 20 games) is any indication, Tyler may have more power than any other catching prospect in baseball. With his 6-4 245 lb. frame Flowers can hit just about any pitch out of the ballpark. Flowers is a highly selective hitter as well walking 98 times in ‘08.
Weaknesses: Like Jesus Montero, Flowers will be hard pressed to stay behind the plate. His enormous size and below average athleticism makes him a more ideal candidate for one of the infield corner positons.
2009 Outlook: Now as a memeber of the White Sox, Flowers should move on to AA Birmingham or AAA Charlotte for the start to the 2009 season. Expect Flowers to dramatically exceed his Myrtle Beach HR totals (17) this season.
#6.) J.P. Arencibia—Toronto Blue Jays
2008 Stats:
| DUN |
FSL |
.315 |
59 |
248 |
38 |
78 |
22 |
0 |
13 |
62 |
139 |
11 |
46 |
0 |
0 |
.344 |
.560 |
.904 |
| NHM |
EAS |
.282 |
67 |
262 |
32 |
74 |
14 |
0 |
14 |
43 |
130 |
7 |
55 |
0 |
0 |
.302 |
.496 |
.798 |
| Minors |
|
.298 |
126 |
510 |
70 |
152 |
36 |
0 |
27 |
105 |
269 |
18 |
101 |
0 |
0 |
.322 |
.527 |
.850 |
Strengths: A powerful bat that can hit 20-25 HR per season at the MLB level and improving defensive tools to go with his top notch leadership skills.
Weaknesses: His plate discipline is awful (18 BB/101 K) and he is a prototypical base-clogging catcher.
2009 Outlook: Arencibia’s power is intriguing, but he is not ready to make his MLB debut. He should play the entire season at AAA Syracuse before earning a few Rogers Centre AB’s in September.
7.) Lou Marson—Philadelphia Phillies
2008 Stats:
| REA |
EAS |
.314 |
94 |
322 |
55 |
101 |
18 |
0 |
5 |
46 |
134 |
68 |
70 |
3 |
3 |
.433 |
.416 |
.849 |
| Minors |
|
.314 |
94 |
322 |
55 |
101 |
18 |
0 |
5 |
46 |
134 |
68 |
70 |
3 |
3 |
.433 |
.416 |
.849 |
| MLB |
|
.500 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
5 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
.500 |
1.250 |
1.750 |
Strengths: Marson has a line drive bat that produces occasional power to the gaps and should hit for a high batting average in Philly. His plate discipline is also very good and his receiving skills makes him one of the better defensive backstops in the minor leagues.
Weaknesses: In a position that is becoming increasingly populated with power hitters, Marson has yet to demonstrate much. If it does come around, he may find himself bumped up a notch or two on this list.
2009 Outlook: Marson got a look last season and performed quite well, but the post season heroics of Carlos Ruiz should mean that the 22 year old Marson will head to AAA Lehigh Valley to start the season. He’ll be back up at some point—hopefully with a little added thunder in his bat.
8.) Taylor Teagarden—Texas Rangers
2008 Stats:
| FRI |
TEX |
.169 |
16 |
59 |
6 |
10 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
6 |
18 |
8 |
23 |
1 |
0 |
.279 |
.305 |
.584 |
| OKL |
PCL |
.225 |
57 |
187 |
26 |
42 |
5 |
3 |
7 |
16 |
74 |
28 |
59 |
0 |
1 |
.332 |
.396 |
.728 |
| Minors |
|
.211 |
73 |
246 |
32 |
52 |
7 |
3 |
9 |
22 |
92 |
36 |
82 |
1 |
1 |
.319 |
.374 |
.693 |
| MLB |
|
.319 |
16 |
47 |
10 |
15 |
5 |
0 |
6 |
17 |
38 |
5 |
19 |
0 |
0 |
.396 |
.809 |
1.205 |
Strengths: Teagarden has elite defensive skills. Baserunners simply do not run on him like they do other minor league catchers. He has the potential to be a 20 HR hitter in the major leagues and his brief stint in Texas was nothing short of impressive.
Weaknesses: Injuries have cost Teagarden costly development time early in his career. His subpar performances in two hitter-friendly environments (Frisco and Oklahoma City) raises the question “Who is thre REAL Taylor Teagarden?”
2009 Outlook: The Rangers are flush with young catchers. There have been some trade rumors swirling around one of them (more likely Saltalamacchia or Ramirez) heading to Boston. Teagarden’s defensive advantages supercedes both Salty and Max Ram’s offensive upsides. Expect Teagarden to get the majority of AB’s in Texas this season.
#9) Jonathan Lucroy—Milwaukee Brewers
2008 Stats:
| 2008 Season |
| WVA |
SAL |
.310 |
65 |
239 |
45 |
74 |
16 |
1 |
10 |
33 |
122 |
30 |
39 |
8 |
1 |
.391 |
.510 |
.901 |
| BRE |
FSL |
.292 |
64 |
236 |
31 |
69 |
12 |
1 |
10 |
44 |
113 |
28 |
45 |
1 |
2 |
.364 |
.479 |
.843 |
| Minors |
|
.301 |
129 |
475 |
76 |
143 |
28 |
2 |
20 |
77 |
235 |
58 |
84 |
9 |
3 |
.377 |
.495 |
.872 |
Strengths: Lucroy has surprising power from his average sized frame and he blends it with above average plate discipline. His defensive skills are underrated as he gunned down 49 % of would be base stealers and earned a .989 fielding %.
Weaknesses: Lucroy’s athleticism has probably peaked already and there is a chance that his numbers may slip a little as he progresses against more advanced competition.
2009 Outlook: He’ll start at AA Huntsville and may get a look at AAA Nashville at some point this season. Angel Salome’s sterling ‘08 season has placed him in Milwaukee’s immediate plans, but Lucroy’s blend of skills is considerably better and it is only a matter of time until he surpasses Salome.
10.) Angel Salome—Milwaukee Brewers
2008 Stats:
| HUN |
SOU |
.360 |
98 |
367 |
67 |
132 |
30 |
2 |
13 |
83 |
205 |
33 |
57 |
3 |
2 |
.415 |
.559 |
.973 |
| Minors |
|
.360 |
98 |
367 |
67 |
132 |
30 |
2 |
13 |
83 |
205 |
33 |
57 |
3 |
2 |
.415 |
.559 |
.973 |
| MLB |
|
.000 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
.000 |
.000 |
.000 |
Strengths: Salome makes good contact at the plate and peppers line drives all over the field. He is compact and powerfully built and his athleticism and arm strength are both above average.
Weaknesses: Salome’s receiving skills and arm accuracy are rudimentary at this point. Also, while he has good power to the gaps, he will likely be a 10-15 HR hitter in the major leagues. Salome’s mechanics at the plate have been characterized as “unconventional” and “ugly but effective”. This could lead to problems against pitchers paid to exploit those flaws.
2009 Outlook: Salome is a better option than any of the three other receivers on Milwaukee’s roster. He will be given a shot at earning a spot in the Brewers’ opening day lineup. If he doesn’t succeed, he will head back to AAA Nashville and wait for his opportunity.
11.) Hank Conger—L.A. Angels
2008 Stats:
| 2008 Season |
| RCQ |
CAL |
.303 |
73 |
294 |
47 |
89 |
20 |
2 |
13 |
75 |
152 |
14 |
55 |
2 |
1 |
.333 |
.517 |
.850 |
| Minors |
|
.303 |
73 |
294 |
47 |
89 |
20 |
2 |
13 |
75 |
152 |
14 |
55 |
2 |
1 |
.333 |
.517 |
.850 |
Strengths: Conger can flat out hit. He has power from both sides of the plate and has a knack for driving in runs in bunches. He has a good approach at the plate and is aggressive with pitches in the strike zone. His arm strength is also quite strong.
Weaknesses: Conger is a walking M.A.S.H. unit. He has missed time in each of his first three seasons suffering from various maladies. Behind the plate, Conger’s skills are below average and a move to 1B or DH seems to be in the making.
2009 Outlook: Hopefully it is a healthy one. He’ll start at AA Arkansas with a promotion to Salt Lake City being a possibility. The Angels would love to get his bat into their lineup in some capacity or another by mid-2010.
12.) Kyle Skipworth—Florida Marlins
2008 Stats:
| MRL |
GCL |
.208 |
43 |
159 |
22 |
33 |
6 |
0 |
5 |
21 |
54 |
13 |
46 |
2 |
2 |
.263 |
.340 |
.602 |
| Minors |
|
.208 |
43 |
159 |
22 |
33 |
6 |
0 |
5 |
21 |
54 |
13 |
46 |
2 |
2 |
.263 |
.340 |
.602 |
Strengths: Power, power, power. Skipworth has it from foul pole to foul pole and the fact that it comes from the left hand side of the plate makes him even more valuable. He has a cannon for an arm and he is not afraid to use it to nab unaware baserunners.
Weaknesses: His other skills behind the plate are quite sloppy. He has hard hands and his large size makes affects his coordination and quickness at blocking balls in the dirt and rising from a crouch. His debut with the GCL league also showed that he needs some work on his plate discipline as well.
2009 Outlook: The Marlins should give Skipworth a shot a full season Low-A ball this year at Greensboro. If he struggles early on, he may go back down to short season Jamestown. The future is very bright for this youngster, he just needs time.
13.) Brett Lawrie—Milwaukee Brewers
2008 Stats: Not Available
Strengths: Lawrie had one of the most intriguing prep bats in the 2008 draft. He has plus-plus power potential and exceptional bat speed. Additionally, his athleticism could eventually make him a solid defensive player behind the plate.
Weaknesses: Rawness and inexperience. There are quite a few unknowns about how Lawrie will develop defensively and he may need to shift to another position if catching doesn’t take.
2009 Outlook: With both Salome and Lucroy already experiencing success in the system. The Brewers will opt to take their time with Lawrie. He should get some work at extended spring training before joining the Brewers’ short season affiliate Helena.
14.) Max Ramirez—Texas Rangers
2008 Stats:
| FRI |
TEX |
.354 |
69 |
243 |
49 |
86 |
16 |
2 |
17 |
50 |
157 |
37 |
56 |
2 |
2 |
.450 |
.646 |
1.096 |
| RAN |
AZL |
.800 |
2 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.857 |
1.200 |
2.057 |
| OKL |
PCL |
.243 |
10 |
37 |
5 |
9 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
6 |
16 |
3 |
13 |
0 |
0 |
.293 |
.432 |
.725 |
| Minors |
|
.347 |
81 |
285 |
58 |
99 |
19 |
2 |
19 |
57 |
179 |
42 |
69 |
2 |
2 |
.439 |
.628 |
1.067 |
| MLB |
|
.217 |
17 |
46 |
8 |
10 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
9 |
17 |
6 |
15 |
0 |
0 |
.345 |
.370 |
.715 |
Strengths: Max Ram has an explosive bat that hits for a high average and good power to all fields. He is an aggressive hitter who makes good contact and drives in runs by the bunches.
Weaknesses: He is a terrible defensive catcher. The Rangers have tried to find a different position for him to play (1B, LF, DH) and the odds are pretty good that his future resides with one of them.
2009 Outlook: Ramirez’s Venezuelan Winter League stint (.298 15 HR 53 RBI) has the Rangers abuzz about his potential in their lineup, but there are log jams at every stop. I think his future in Texas will not be long lived. The Rangers need pitching and he is one of the best young bats that they have available for trade.
#15.) Derek Norris—Washington Nationals
2008 Stats:
| VER |
NYP |
.278 |
70 |
227 |
42 |
63 |
12 |
0 |
10 |
38 |
105 |
63 |
56 |
11 |
9 |
.444 |
.463 |
.906 |
| Minors |
|
.278 |
70 |
227 |
42 |
63 |
12 |
0 |
10 |
38 |
105 |
63 |
56 |
11 |
9 |
.444 |
.463 |
.906 |
Strengths: Norris drew 63 walks in 70 games at short season baseball. He has an athletic and powerful catcher’s build that profiles to hit for power and average as well. He has good speed for a catcher and will steal the occasional base. Defensively, Norris has solid all around skills and a strong arm that gunned out 47 % of potential base stealers last season.
Weaknesses: Norris needs to prove he can continue this success at full season ball. He could cut his K rate back a little bit as well.
2009 Projection: Full season Low-A Harrisburg seems to be the likely destination for Norris. There is quite a bit of upside in this young receiver’s game and he could find himself much higher on this list next season.
16.) Wilin Rosario—Colorado Rockies
2008 Stats:
| |
| CAS |
PIO |
.316 |
66 |
263 |
48 |
83 |
15 |
3 |
12 |
49 |
140 |
24 |
57 |
4 |
3 |
.371 |
.532 |
.903 |
| Minors |
|
.316 |
66 |
263 |
48 |
83 |
15 |
3 |
12 |
49 |
140 |
24 |
57 |
4 |
3 |
.371 |
.532 |
.903 |
Strengths: Rosario’s bat has the potential to be a middle of the lineup run producer that hits 20-25 HR per season with a high batting average. He is an aggressive hitter who have excellent bat speed and wiry strength. His arm is a force to be reckoned with as he vanquished 46% of potential base stealers in ‘08.
Weaknesses: His high energy approach tends to make him overly aggressive at the plate at times. He will be challenged to continue his stellar numbers at the next level. It will be important for him to work counts more effectively to avoid a drop off.
2009 Outlook: Low-A Asheville awaits Rosario. This should be an environment where his bat will continue to flourish. Like Derek Norris, another fine season from Wilin Rosario will bump him considerably higher on next season’s list.
17.) Adam Moore—Seattle Mariners
2008 Stats:
| WTN |
SOU |
.319 |
119 |
429 |
60 |
137 |
34 |
2 |
14 |
71 |
217 |
40 |
77 |
0 |
1 |
.396 |
.506 |
.902 |
| Minors |
|
.319 |
119 |
429 |
60 |
137 |
34 |
2 |
14 |
71 |
217 |
40 |
77 |
0 |
1 |
.396 |
.506 |
.902 |
Strengths: Moore is big and strong (6-3 220 lb.) and his bat shows it. He is not just a masher, though. Moore hits the ball well to all fields and has a sound approach at the plate in all situations. He is a solid game caller and should be a vocal leader in the clubhouse.
Weaknesses:He has made good strides in his defensive game, due in large part to extensive work with M’s catching instructor Roger Hanson. However, his large frame has a negative effect on his mobility, as testified by his 44 passed balls over the past two seasons.
2009 Outlook: The M’s have Kenji Johjima and Matt Clement blocking Moore’s opportunities in Seattle, but he won’t be far away. He’ll play the majority of the season at AAA Tacoma and will continue to work on his agility behind the dish. Expect a call up in September.
18.) Austin Romine—New York Yankees
2008 Stats:
| CHA |
SAL |
.300 |
104 |
407 |
66 |
122 |
24 |
1 |
10 |
49 |
178 |
25 |
56 |
3 |
0 |
.344 |
.437 |
.781 |
| Minors |
|
.300 |
104 |
407 |
66 |
122 |
24 |
1 |
10 |
49 |
178 |
25 |
56 |
3 |
0 |
.344 |
.437 |
.781 |
Strengths: Romine’s first season offensive numbers were icing on the cake to many analysts who are more enamored with his athleticism and elite arm strength. Romine showed that he could be an offensive force as well who hits for a good average and solid power numbers.
Weaknesses:Romine didn’t put his defensive abilities to good use in ‘08, throwing out just 20 of 98 base runners and allowing 18 passed balls.
2009 Outlook: Romine continues alongside fellow catching prospect Jesus Montero to High-A Tampa for more development. It will be interesting to see how the Yankees organization addresses this developing situation. The best bet is that Montero will be the one who shifts to 1B.
19.) Bryan Anderson—St. Louis Cardinals
2008 Stats:
| SPR |
TEX |
.388 |
19 |
80 |
12 |
31 |
5 |
0 |
2 |
14 |
42 |
4 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
.412 |
.525 |
.937 |
| MEM |
PCL |
.281 |
73 |
235 |
27 |
66 |
13 |
2 |
2 |
27 |
89 |
32 |
46 |
2 |
0 |
.367 |
.379 |
.745 |
| Minors |
|
.308 |
92 |
315 |
39 |
97 |
18 |
2 |
4 |
41 |
131 |
36 |
58 |
2 |
0 |
.377 |
.416 |
.793 |
Strengths: Anderson has a line drive bat and highly developed plate discipline. He is an intelligent player who has a great feel for calling pitches and commanding a pitching staff. He should hit for a high average at the major league and play solid defense.
Weaknesses: The power has not developed yet, as Anderson’s career high for HR’s in a season is 6. He is an average athlete who has a low ceiling for development.
2009 Outlook: Anderson’s path to St. Louis is obscured by Yadier Molina who is entering the prime of his career and is under contract through at least 2011. Likely, Bryan will be playing everyday at AAA Springfield again in hopes that he can develop a little more pop in his bat to draw attention of the Cardinals’ brass.
20.) Wilson Ramos—Minnesota Twins
2008 Stats:
| FTM |
FSL |
.288 |
126 |
452 |
50 |
130 |
23 |
2 |
13 |
78 |
196 |
37 |
103 |
0 |
1 |
.346 |
.434 |
.780 |
| Minors |
|
.288 |
126 |
452 |
50 |
130 |
23 |
2 |
13 |
78 |
196 |
37 |
103 |
0 |
1 |
.346 |
.434 |
.780 |
Strengths: Ramos is very strong with good bat speed that produces power to all fields. He is a good athlete as well with above average quickness for a catcher and a strong, accurate arm (43% CS rate in ‘08).
Weaknesses: His aggressiveness can get him in trouble at times at the plate. He strikes out too much and walks too little (37 BB/103 K).
2009 Outlook: AA New Britain will provide a good challenge for Ramos this season and give us all abetter look at his potential going forward. If he can hone his plate discipline, he should move up this list. If not, he could find himself off of it.
Others to consider:
Luis Exposito, Jason Castro, Josh Donaldson, Mike McKenry, Francisco Pena, Jacob Jefferies, Petey Paramore, Adrian Nieto,
Stay tuned for the next installment as we travel 90 ft. up the 1st base line to examine the formidable Top 20 1st Basemen. If you enjoyed this series, feel free to check out some of the eBay links to some great auctions going on right now. Use the comments list below to propose your top 20 catchers or comment on mine!
Tags: adam moore, adrian nieto, angel salome, atlanta braves, atlanta braves prospects, austin romine, baltimore orioles, brett lawrie, bryan anderson, buster posey, buster posey auto, buster posey rc, buster posey scouting report, carlos santana, carlos santana auto, carlos santana rc, chicago white sox, chicago white sox prospects, cleveland indians, cleveland indians prospects, colorado rockies, derek norris, florida marlins, francisco pena, hank conger, houston astros, j.p. arencibia, j.p. arencibia auto, j.p. arencibia scouting report, jacob jefferies, jason castro, jesus montero, jesus montero auto, jesus montero rc, jesus montero scouting report, jonathan lucroy, josh donaldson, kyle skipworth, l.a. angels, l.a. dodgers, l.a. dodgers prospects, Lou Marson, lou marson auto, lou marson rc, lou marson scouting report, luis exposito, matt wieters, matt wieters auto, matt wieters autograph, matt wieters scouting report, Max Ramirez, mike mckenry, milwaukee brewers, minnesota twins, new york mets, new york yankees, new york yankees prospects, oakland a's, petey paramore, philadelphia phillies, philadelphia phillies prospects, san francisco giants, san francisco giants prospects, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, tampa bay rays, taylor teagarden, texas rangers, toronto blue jays, toronto blue jays prospects, tyler flowers, tyler flowers auto, tyler flowers rc, washington nationals, wilin rosario, wilson ramos
Posted by Jeremy on December 6, 2008 under Uncategorized |
I have been doing quite a bit of work evaluating the market for the new prospect products like Bowman Chrome Draft and Donruss Elite Extra. I thought this would be a good time to do an exclusive $100 Well Spent on autographed prospects from the Donruss Elite Extra set. This set trumps the earlier release of Donruss Threads in both appearance and assortment of prospects, and I think that the prospect autos in the Elite set will garner more demand than similar Threads autos down the road.
Aside: I feel like somewhat a hypocrite writing an article about spending $100 wisely on baseball prospects. It wasn’t all that long ago that I wrote an article giving some of my views of our current economic state as it relates to the prospecting market. But…this is a baseball card prospecting blog and I intend to continue to share with you what I think are good value buys given the current economic state.
As always, the prices of each card are approximate median prices on eBay with shipping costs factored in. I’ve pulled my hypothetical C-note out of my hypothetical wallet and, in no particular order, here’s how I spent it.
Jordan Danks (#/254)—$12.00
Danks impressed me in his brief stints with Kannapolis and in the Arizona Fall League with Peoria. He hit over .300 at both stops and showed that he can hit the ball with authority. He reminds me quite a bit of fellow Longhorn Drew Stubbs with his long, lanky frame and projectible power potential. At $12, his autos are a bit high, but they are only numbered to 254 and are the only autos of his to date.
Wilin Rosario (#/1099)—$6.00
What’s not to like about teenaged catchers who bat over .300 in their first professional season with solid power and plate discipline? The Rockies organization have a few intriguing backstops in their farm system (Mike McKenry, Lars Davis), though none have the upside that Rosario has. His skills are raw and projectible right now, but his given a couple more seasons, he could be one of Colorado’s top prospects.
Ryan Kalish (#/1129)—$9.00
Most prospectors know Kalish by now (especially if you read this blog). He reminds me of a hybrid between Jacoby Ellsbury and J.D. Drew. He has the potential to be a fine 20 HR/20 SB player once he develops, but the power is not there yet. Defensively, he can play any OF position, though the presence of Ellsbury and, likely, Josh Reddick will push him to LF once he reaches the majors. Red Sox prospects are always popular on the market and this next season is a big one for Kalish. He will join Lancaster of the California League where he should put up some gaudy numbers.
J.P. Ramirez (#/719)—$10.00
I don’t know a ton about this guy other than the fact that he was a second team high school All-American last season after hitting .504 with 10 HR and 39 RBI. Ramirez wasn’t drafted until the 15th round due in large part to his commitment to Tulane. The Nationals lured him away with a $1 million signing bonus. Ramirez is toolsy with good raw power and a sweet left-handed stroke. At 5-11 180 lb., he may be close to maxed out physically, but from all accounts, his bat has considerable upside.
Yeicok Calderon (#/819)—$10.00
Calderon is a 17 year old OF signed out of the Dominican Republic. He is already 6-3 200 lb. and projects to grow even more. His muscular frame and left handed swing has drawn comparisons to a young Cliff Floyd (who for you newer collectors) was an absolute beast of a prospect in the early 90’s. Calderon is as strong as an ox and early reports show that he is hitting the ball really well. He seems to have a strong work ethic and a desire to be a better player. Defensively, he profiles as a corner OF. Yankees prospects, like Red Sox farm hands, are always very popular collectors items. My gut tells me that we’ll be hearing more from this young man in the future.
Rafael Rodriguez (#/999)—$20.00
Rodriguez was going to have an auto in the Bowman Chrome Draft but they cut it from their roster. That makes this card so much more alluring. Rodriguez was a big time free agent sign out of the Dominican Republic this year. How highly do the Giants value him? Enough to sign him to a $2.55 million bonus as a 16 year old. It is easy to see why the Giants are excited. At 6-5 and 200 lb. Rodriguez is the complete package of speed, power (lots of power) and athleticism. $20 is a lot to spend on someone who has yet to play a professional game, but Rodriguez has the tool set to someday earn back every penny of that an oh so much more.
Jason Knapp (#/999)—$7.00
Hmmm….He’s 6-5 and 215 lb. He throws his fastball with regularity at 93-95 MPH, occasionally hitting 97, and has projectible offspeed stuff. He was committed to join Tim Melville at North Carolina but opted to sign for $590K to pitch for the Phillies. He had a good showing with the Phillies’ GCL team going 3-1 with a 2.61 ERA and 12 BB/38 K’s in 31 IP. He’s got the projectibility to be a frontline power pitcher. Lots can happen between now and his MLB debut that could change things, but I’m optimistic about his potential.
Dominic Brown (#/996)—$10.00
If you’ve read my blog for any amount of time, you already know that I’m a big fan of Dominic Brown. 6-5 205 lb. with projectible power and an already enhanced strike zone acumen makes him a superb 5-tool talent. He continued his torrid hitting in the Hawaiian Winter League by leading the pitcher friendly circuit with a .389 BA. Brown’s power has yet to manifest itself. Once it does, he will be a top 25 prospect and the days of $10 autos of his will be long gone.
Cole Rohrbough (#/719) —$5.00
Rohrbough was the 7th ranked prospect in the Braves farm system prior to the 2008 season. He suffered through some injury woes and inconsistency this season which would explain the 5-8 record and 4.40 ERA. A closer look at his numbers, though, is cause for optimism as he struck out 104 in just 90 IP, allowed a .243 BAA and surrendered just 3 HR. Rohrbough has a 92-94 MPH fastball and the best curveball in the Braves system. If he can continue to develop his changeup, he will be a solid mid-rotation starter.
Bryan Petersen (#/319)—$5.00
Petersen put together a nice 20/20 season over 3 levels as a 22 year old CF. The Marlins are loaded with toolsy OF prospects so it is tough to figure out exactly where Petersen plays in. Petersen can play any of the outfield positions though Maybin will have CF locked down and John Raynor looks pretty good as the future LF of the Marlins. That leaves Petersen to battle with Scott Cousins to keep RF warm until Michael Stanton comes and takes it away for good. Petersen would really benefit from a change of scenery as his tools are just too good to be relegated to the role of 4th OF.
Jarek Cunningham (#/719)—$6.00
I watched some tape on this kid and really liked what I saw. Cunningham has a very quick swing that should generate good loft and increasing power numbers. Jarek was an 18th round selection in the ‘08 draft and he had an immensely successful GCL debut hitting .316 with 5 HR 22 RBI and 20 runs scored in 42 games. Cunningham also showed solid plate discipline earning a fine 14 BB/26 K ratio. It looks like he will play 3B as a pro, though he is getting some looks at 2B as well. His arm can be erratic at times and he can get a little jumpy at the plate. All in all, the start he got off to is very promising and worth watching in the future.
There’s a look at my C-Note. Notice that names like Gordon Beckham, Buster Posey, Michel Inoa and Logan Morrison were missing. I wanted to give you a look at some sleepers and a couple of keepers who aren’t fetching the same market love of the more popular players. Feel free to contribute your point of view or other prospects.
Tags: 2008 mlb draft, bryan peterson, cole rohrbough, dominic brown, donruss elite extra 2008, j.p. ramirez, jarek cunningham, jason knapp, jordan danks, minor league prospects, mlb prospects, rafael rodriguez, rookie cards, ryan kalish, sportscards, wilin rosario, yeicok calderon
Posted by Jeremy on November 11, 2008 under What I Bought |
After looking at the huge list of prospect autos in the recent release of 2008 Donruss Threads, I tossed some coin at a variety of autos. Here’s the breakdown of Ebay purchases over the last couple weeks from most recent to least recent.
The first batch of cards I bought were all from the same seller who gave me a solid deal on the combined shipment which save me a few bucks. Note: When buying several items from one seller, it doesn’t hurt to ask for a deal on the shipping (especially before the auction ends) usually they are very willing to acommodate you. Here’s the breakdown:
2008 Donruss Threads Desmond Jennings Auto #/749—$4.25
- Jennings has an incredible ceiling and I purchased this shortly after I saw that he was playing in the Arizona Fall League. Health has been a big problem for Jennings, but I figure his first autographed card is well worth this price.
2008 Donruss Threads Wilin Rosario Auto #/999—$9.00
2008 Donruss Threads Wilin Rosario Gold Signatures Auto #/100—$8.49
- Yep, you read that right. I got the Gold Signature for less than the regular auto. I am pretty high on Rosario as one of the next big superstar catchers and think that less than $10 for each card is a good buy.
2008 Donruss Threads D.J. Jones Auto #/399—$4.25
2008 Donruss Threads D.J. Jones Gold Signatures Auto #/100—$4.58
- Jones is a classic high ceiling/high risk player. He is very raw offensively, though his athleticism is said to be off the charts. I like those types of players. You cannot teach athleticism, though, raw tools can be refined. Jones was drafted in the 11th round as it was thought that he was going to commit to playing football at Auburn. The Rays took a chance and signed him to a bonus for well over slot money. Let’s see if their gamble paid off. Given the Rays’ recent track record, I’m willing to toss in a few chips
2008 Donruss Threads Dominic Brown Auto #/999—$10.16, $11.34, $11.53
- I purchased a Dominic Brown Auto from 3 separate vendors, which increased my per/unit price. Even at their final costs, I think I will come out ahead. Brown has so many intriguing tools to like. Big frame, power potential, great speed, solid range and arm strength, but most of all, superior plate discipline. That aspect in his game will help him to carry his batting average forward against tougher pitching. Prices have come down a little since Threads went live and $10 a pop is a super bargain price.
2008 Donruss Threads Gold Signature Josh Vitters Redemption Auto #/25—$33.99
- The jury’s out on this pickup. True, Vitters is a supreme talent and likely will be one of baseball’s top 10 prospect within a year or so, but this is not his first year card or even his first auto. Being numbered to just 25 copies, though, I just couldn’t resist. We’ll see if my gamble pays off in the long run.
2005 Bowman Chrome Draft Brandon Snyder Lot (X29)—$21.61
- Those of you who read my blog know that I think very highly of Brandon Snyder as a sleeper prospect in ‘09. It is hard these days to find bulk lots of his stuff in this quantity. At the above price, I paid 75 cents per card, which to me seems about right at this time. Snyder is slated for AA Bowie this season which should give me a better look at his long term potential.
2008 Bowman Chrome Prospects Carlos Rivero Lot (X20)—$12.07
- Rivero is another guy that is high on projectible skills and low on outcomes. The first thing that sticks out to me is that he is a big-bodied SS who has the range and glove to stick there. The Indians are going to be hard pressed to move him to 3B with the rapid ascention of Wes Hodges and Beau Mills. Rivero is very young and was a young prospect at High-A Kinston. This tells me that he is on a fast track, though I am hoping that the Tribe is prudent in allowing him ample time to develop and mature.
2008 Bowman Chrome Prospects Josh Bell X-Fractor Auto #/250—$8.50
2008 Bowman Chrome Prospects Josh Bell Blue Refractor Auto #/150—$10.00
- These two autos came via the same dealer who had them for auction on a Best Offer feature. I contacted the buyer with an offer that was about 70% of the asking price and got combined shipping. I have been a fan of Bell since his draft in ‘05, but many collectors shied away from his stuff this season as he was shut down early this sesaon with injuries. After reading an article about him, I discovered that the surgery he has was a precautionary venture and his rehab has been going well. You can’t always believe what you read (unless its on this blog!) but I got the feel that Bell was hungry to fulfill the potential that he was showered with in ‘05. The Dodgers don’t have any real solid 3B threats holding Bell back. Watch his BB/K numbers this next season. If they improve…watch out!
Tags: brandon snyder, carlos rivero, d.j. jones, desmond jennings, dominic brown, ebay, josh bell, josh vitters, Minor League Baseball, minor league prospects, wilin rosario
Phoenix Desert Dogs 11
Surprise Rafters 2
Peoria Javelinas 9
Scottsdale Scorpions 5
Mesa Solar Sox 6
Peoria Saguaros 4
