Baseball America’s Most Popular Rankings, Stories In 2018
With the 2019 prospect handbook finally off to press and another year quickly approaching, we stopped to take a look back at some of our more popular pieces from 2018. This is by no means a comprehensive breakdown of all of our 2018 work, but it’s a fun snapshot to review the year and set the stage for the next 12 months.
If you’d like to purchase our “Best of 2018” issue, you can find it here.
We’d also like to especially thank all of those who subscribe to Baseball America, both in print and digital. We have an immense amount of fun dissecting the next wave of baseball talent, whether in the professional or amateur ranks, but our work wouldn’t be possible without those who subscribe and join in on the fun with us. Here’s to another great year in 2019 — we’re excited about what the future holds.
| 2018 Year-in-Review |
| Rankings |
| MLB Draft |
| College |
| Rule 5 Draft |
| International |
| MLB |
| Minors/Miscellaneous |
| 2018 Awards |
RANKINGS
It didn’t take Vladimir Guerrero Jr. long to wrangle the top spot in our prospect rankings. See our final Top 100 list of 2018 ahead of our unveil of the 2019 rankings next month.
Our final college top 25 of the year featured the two College World Series finalists at the top and two non-power 5 schools ranked within the top 12.
We’ve ranked the top 10 prospects in 24 of the 30 MLB organizations ahead of 2019.
Who is best position for the future? In early August, the Padres and Rays boasted the deepest systems in baseball.
At season’s end, we ranked the 20-best prospects in each league across the minors.
MLB DRAFT
This list frequently changed in the weeks leading up to the draft. Our final installment ranked the 500 best draft prospects as we saw it, with Casey Mize leading the way.
By June, we’ll have more than 1,000 draft-eligible prospects in the system. But the list has to start somewhere, and this was the initial group.
The 50 best draft-eligible high school prospects.
College baseball’s 50-best draft-eligible prospects.
Superlatives, sleepers and more from every team’s 2018 Draft haul.
In an effort to better understand where professional talent comes from, we crunched the numbers and determined which states are best at producing talent.
We compiled the best draft prospects sorted by state as well.
What happens to top picks who fail to sign?
Carlos Collazo examined the history of players, such as Brady Aiken, who are taken high in the MLB Draft but fail to come to terms with the team that selected them.
COLLEGE
LSU takes home the best class in 2018, but it wasn’t an easy competition.
Arkansas takes home No. 1, but this list is constantly subject to change as programs embark on renovations throughout the country.
It’s never too early to look ahead. Here are eight teams who should contend for a title in 2019.
UNC leads college baseball into the analytics age
The Tar Heels have their own whiz kid and they’re putting advanced stats to good use.
NCAA introduces new recruiting rules
Now, recruits can begin taking official visits during their junior year.
The rising stars in the coaching ranks.
Does Kyler Murray stand to do better financially in the NFL?
One of the popular Kyler Murray narratives is that the Oakland A’s draft pick and Heisman trophy winner at Oklahoma stands to make more money by pursuing baseball. But J.J. Cooper explains why that isn’t necessarily the case — especially if Murray goes in the first round of the NFL Draft.
RULE 5 DRAFT
J.J. Cooper tirelessly scouted more than 90 Rule 5 eligible players ahead of this year’s draft. Here are the results, draft order and reports, which includes Orioles top pick Richie Martin.
INTERNATIONAL
Ben Badler’s annual signing tracker on July 2nd.
We tracked the 50 best international prospects and where they agreed to sign.
How the Cubs lost their top 2017 signing:
Ben Badler explains why Florencio Serrano the circumstances that led to the Cubs failing to sign their most sought-after international prospect in the 2017 class.
MLB
If you want to see the best park in baseball, you better start looking at trips to the Bay Area.
No one bats 1.000 on these, but at least we nailed a couple.
Kyle Glaser forecasted the Rookie of the Year race back in March, and was spot on at the top.
Tracy Ringolsby looks at 10 people who aren’t in the Baseball Hall of Fame, but they should be.
Ranking every prospect dealt at the deadline
We love rankings. We love prospects. And we love the trade deadline. Presenting the perfect blend of all three.
MINORS/MISCELLANEOUS
‘Save America’s Pastime Act’ Could Kill Indy Ball
J.J. Cooper explores why a new law could put some independent leagues in a future bind.
Studs, sleepers and more from all 30 MLB organizations at the end of the 2018 season.
The best MiLB park is currently in Charlotte.
Grading the prospects with the loudest tools prior to the start of the 2018 season.
The four benefits of long toss
Debunking some of the myths associated with long toss.
2018 Awards
Player of the Year: Mike Trout
Rookie of the Year: Shohei Ohtani
Organization of the Year: Milwaukee Brewers
Executive of the Year: Dave Dombrowski
Manager of the Year: Bob Melvin
MiLB Player of the Year: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
MiLB Executive of the Year: Robert Murphy
MiLB Manager of the Year: Drew Saylor
MiLB Organization of the Year: Bowling Green Hot Rods
Freitas Awards: Oklahoma City (AAA), Tennessee Smokies (AA), Winston-Salem (A), Spokane (Rookie)
Independent League Player of the Year: Jordany Valdespin
College Player of the Year: Brady Singer
College Coach of the Year: David Pierce
Assistant Coach of the Year: Josh Jordan
Freshman of the Year: Kevin Abel
High School Player of the Year: Cole Winn
High School Team of the Year: Parkview, Georgia
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