MiLB Top 10 Prospects Flashback: 2015 International League

Image credit: Francisco Lindor (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

No minor league has seen its alumni produce more WAR in the big leagues or accumulate more plate appearances or innings than the Triple-A International League. While the league counts 14 members today, it was an eight- or 10-team league in the 1980s and ’90s until the dissolution of the American Association after the 1997 season.

Cal Ripken Jr. ranked as the IL’s first ever No. 1 prospect for BA in 1981. Following him as IL top 10 prospects were fellow Hall of Famers John Smoltz (1988), Mike Mussina (1991), Chipper Jones and Jim Thome (1993), Derek Jeter (1995) and Roy Halladay (1997 and ’98).

Francisco Lindor (No. 1) headlined the IL class of 2015 and could one day join the others in the Hall of Fame. The IL that season also featured future impact big leaguers Trea Turner (No. 4) and Aaron Judge (No. 10), along with power arms Luis Severino (No. 2), Eduardo Rodriguez (No. 5) and Jose Berrios (No. 9), who are still building toward their peak years.

2015 International League Top 10 Prospects

No Player Pos Team Org PA/IP WAR
1 Francisco Lindor SS Columbus Indians 3,493 28.9
2 Luis Severino RHP Scranton/WB Yankees 530 12.1
3 Maikel Franco 3B Lehigh Valley Phillies 2,767 4.6
4 Trea Turner SS Syracuse Nationals 2,366 16.9
5 Eduardo Rodriguez LHP Pawtucket Red Sox 699 13.5
6 Greg Bird 1B Scranton/WB Yankees 700 0.8
7 Daniel Norris LHP Buffalo Blue Jays 452 5.3
8 Henry Owens LHP Pawtucket Red Sox 27 0.5
9 Jose Berrios RHP Rochester Twins 655 10.4
10 Aaron Judge OF Scranton/WB Yankees 1,817 18.6

The Indians assigned Lindor to Columbus to “limit his defensive lapses” and “impact the ball better from the left side.” Mission accomplished. He is a generational shortstop who has won two Gold Gloves and has topped 30 homers three times in his young career.

Turner faced questions about his impact potential in terms of power and arm strength but has satisfactorily answered them. He was projected to develop power as he “fills out a still-lanky frame,” but his “blazing speed” marked him as a “threat on the basepaths and to beat out infield hits.”

Judge used a “gap-to-gap approach with bat speed and natural strength to drive the ball,” which is the perfect approach for a righthanded slugger at Yankee Stadium. He earned comps with future Yankees teammate Giancarlo Stanton for his power to all fields.

International League All-Time BA No. 1 Prospects

Players listed with career major league plate appearances/innings and FanGraphs WAR. Stats for active players current through mid August.

Year Player Pos Team Org PA/IP WAR
1981 Cal Ripken Jr. 3B Rochester Orioles 12,883 92.5
1982 Steve Balboni (tie) 1B Columbus Yankees 3,440 2.8
1982 Tony Fernandez (tie) SS Syracuse Blue Jays 8,793 43.5
1983 Gerald Perry 1B Richmond Braves 3,527 0.5
1984 Scott Bradley C Columbus Yankees 1,801 -1.5
1985 Dan Pasqua OF Columbus Yankees 3,000 11.7
1986 Randy Myers LHP Tidewater Mets 885 18.2
1987 Kevin Elster SS Tidewater Mets 3,225 6.1
1988 John Smoltz RHP Richmond Braves 3,473 79.6
1989 Glenallen Hill OF Syracuse Blue Jays 4,033 10.6
Year Player Pos Team Org PA/IP WAR
1990 Mark Whiten OF Syracuse Blue Jays 3,523 13.1
1991 Derek Bell OF Syracuse Blue Jays 5,068 13.0
1992 Sam Militello RHP Columbus Yankees 69 1.0
1993 Jim Thome 3B Charlotte Indians 10,313 69.1
1994 Shawn Green OF Syracuse Blue Jays 7,963 29.9
1995 Paul Wilson RHP Norfolk Mets 942 5.2
1996 Nomar Garciaparra SS Pawtucket Red Sox 6,116 41.5
1997 Carl Pavano RHP Pawtucket Red Sox 1,789 19.1
1998 Alex Gonzalez SS Charlotte Marlins 5,528 11.3
1999 Vernon Wells OF Syracuse Blue Jays 7,212 25.1
Year Player Pos Team Org PA/IP WAR
2000 Jon Garland RHP Charlotte White Sox 2,151 26.8
2001 Adam Dunn OF Louisville Reds 8,328 25.6
2002 Carl Crawford OF Durham Rays 7,178 41.5
2003 Jose Reyes SS Norfolk Mets 8,240 43.8
2004 B.J. Upton SS Durham Rays 5,858 24.4
2005 Delmon Young OF Durham Rays 4,371 -1.3
2006 Delmon Young OF Durham Rays 4,371 -1.3
2007 Jay Bruce OF Louisville Reds 6,555 20.5
2008 Jay Bruce OF Louisville Reds 6,555 20.5
2009 Matt Wieters C Norfolk Orioles 4,400 17.2
Year Player Pos Team Org PA/IP WAR
2010 Carlos Santana C Columbus Indians 6,255 21.4
2011 Matt Moore LHP Durham Rays 895 6.4
2012 Matt Harvey RHP Buffalo Mets 830 11.2
2013 Xander Bogaerts SS Pawtucket Red Sox 4,025 25.2
2014 Gregory Polanco OF Indianapolis Pirates 2,713 7.3
2015 Francisco Lindor SS Columbus Indians 3,355 27.4
2016 Trea Turner SS Syracuse Nationals 2,220 14.5
2017 Ronald Acuna Jr. OF Gwinnett Braves 1,280 9.9
2018 Eloy Jimenez OF Charlotte White Sox 600 2.4
2019 Luis Robert OF Charlotte White Sox 95 1.0

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