2017 Top 100 Prospects With Scouting Reports
Prospect season never ends at Baseball America, but the Top 100 Prospects is the natural demarcation between one season to another. Countless conversations with scouts, coaches and team officials as well as many road trips over the past year lead to this list. And as soon as we put it in your hands, we begin working toward next year’s. The Top 100 is compiled with input from John Manuel, J.J. Cooper, Matt Eddy, Ben Badler, Kyle Glaser, Hudson Belinsky and Vince Lara-Cinisomo.
For premium subscribers, you get our 2017 Top 100 Prospects list that includes scouting reports for ALL prospects. Just click a player’s name to see the report.
1. Andrew Benintendi, of, Red Sox
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 70. Power: 60. Speed: 55. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Benintendi was one of the top high school hitters in Ohio history and also drafted by the Reds in the 31st round but opted to head to Arkansas. After a modest freshman season with the Razorbacks, Benintendi passed on playing in summer leagues, instead focusing on improving his strength and conditioning. The result was a spectacular 2015 season that saw him lead the country with 20 home runs on the way to winning BA College Player of the Year and vaulted him to top-of-the-first-round status. The Red Sox selected him seventh overall. Benintendi confirmed the expectation that he could take the fast track to the big leagues by flying through high Class A Salem and Double-A Portland—he batted .312/.378/.532 in 97 games—en route to a callup to Boston at the beginning of August. He missed three weeks with a knee injury but returned in September. He homered in his first postseason plate appearance and put together the best at-bats of any Red Sox hitter in their American League Division Series loss to the Indians. Multiple evaluators believe that Benintendi has a chance to be a perennial all-star who competes for batting titles. “He’s a once-in-a-decade hitter,” one said. Benintendi combines excellent hand-eye coordination with the pitch recognition to avoid strike zone expansion. His precisely-tuned swing, with his strong forearms and core along with a rare knack for putting the bat on the ball, allow him to drive the ball with surprising authority given his diminutive stature. Another evaluator thought Benintendi’s upside was that of a 20-25 home run player with 50 doubles. More conservative views of his abilities still suggest an everyday player with a plus hit tool, which would make him an ideal No. 2 hitter with modest extra-base abilities but whose lack of weakness will minimize slumps. Though he hit just .179 in 28 at-bats against big league lefthanders, his willingness to use the whole field mitigates long-term platoon concerns. Defensively, Benintendi has the ability to play center field at an above-average level, though with Jackie Bradley in center and Mookie Betts in right in Boston, he appears destined for left where his plus range will be barely taxed playing in front of the Green Monster. Benintendi isn’t a burner on the bases, but his baserunning impact exceeds his pure speed, which grades as above-average. In short, evaluators see a player who does everything well while displaying phenomenal makeup that could make him a cornerstone for years to come. Benintendi seems almost certain to open 2017 in the same role he occupied at the end of 2016: a near-everyday outfielder in the big leagues. Depending on how his game evolves—whether to feature more power or take more walks—it would come as little surprise to see him occupying one of the top three spots in the Red Sox lineup for years to come. | |
2. Yoan Moncada, 2b/3b, White Sox
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 60. Speed: 70. Fielding: 50. Arm: 70. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Moncada showed plenty of promise during a transition year in 2015 following his entry into the Red Sox organization for a record-setting $31.5 million bonus. Boston paid a 100 percent penalty tax—$31.5 million—when they signed the young Cuban because they exceeded their allotted international bonus pool. Still, the way in which Moncada’s tools coalesced in 2016 proved to be breathtaking at times at high Class A Salem and then Double-A Portland. He hit .294/.407/.511 with 15 home runs and 45 stolen bases in 106 games and also starred at the Futures Game in San Diego, where he earned MVP honors. The Red Sox called up Moncada in September as they sought offensive punch at third base, but it proved to be an anticlimactic final note to the year. He hit just .211 with 12 strikeouts in 19 at-bats. Yet the progress he has made as a professional reinforces the notion that his tools and aptitude could yield a player of rare impact. The White Sox are on board with that projection after trading ace Chris Sale to the Red Sox at the 2016 Winter Meetings for Moncada plus three other prospects: hard-throwing high Class A righthander Michael Kopech, switch-hitting low Class A center fielder Luis Alexander Basabe and low Class A reliever Victor Diaz. Moncada possesses the size and strength of a linebacker and he runs like a runaway locomotive. Though he typically features a flat bat path that creates screaming line drives, the switch-hitter showed an increasing willingness to drive balls with loft in 2016, resulting in some prodigious home runs on top of doubles. While batting lefthanded, he evokes comparisons with Robinson Cano. On the bases, he possesses elite speed though with still-developing situational awareness, and his enormous stolen base totals are likely to decline as he advances. Moncada showed hickeys in his game even before he struggled in the big leagues. He hit a more modest .243/.371/.379 batting righthanded and striking out 25 percent of the time, both of which raise concerns about this hit tool. Still, many believe that he has the athleticism and aptitude, along with the pitch recognition and strike-zone recognition, to intermingle high averages and on-base percentages with plenty of extra-base power. Moncada spent most of 2016 at second base, where he showed sounder fundamentals and an ability to make standout plays. His lateseason move to third base, however, showed off his flexibility. He displayed an enormous arm and quick-twitch actions that could play well at the hot corner, though his footwork and fundamentals suggest a work in progress. Many evaluators believe that he could also handle the outfield, though for now, he will work primarily at second base. Moncada will be given a chance to compete for a big league job in spring training, but especially given how he struggled after being rushed to the big leagues in 2016, it seems more likely that he’ll open the year at Triple-A Charlotte. Still, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if he asserted himself as ready to make a substantial big league impact by the middle of 2017. If he makes the adjustments to limit his strikeouts, he could explore a ceiling that may be unrivaled in the minors. | |
3. Dansby Swanson, ss, Braves
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 50. Speed: 60. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Winning has become synonymous with Swanson since he was a dual-sport athlete at Marietta High in suburban Atlanta. He was part of two state championships in basketball and was a member of the East Cobb Yankees, a team that won the 2012 Perfect Game national championship. After opting to attend Vanderbilt despite being drafted by the Rockies in the 38th round in 2012, Swanson overcame a broken foot and a shoulder injury as a freshman, then led the Commodores to the program’s first College World Series national championship as a sophomore in 2014. He earned CWS Most Outstanding Player honors while hitting .323. He moved from second base to shortstop as a junior and helped guide Vandy back to the CWS finals in 2015. That month the Diamondbacks made Swanson the first overall pick in the draft. Hit in the face by a pitch during a simulated game, he bounced back in time to be part of short-season Hillsboro’s Northwest League championship in his pro debut. Three months later, Arizona sent Swanson, outfielder Ender Inciarte and righthander Aaron Blair to the Braves for righthander Shelby Miller and low Class A lefthander Gabe Speier. He proceeded to tear up the high Class A Carolina League for a month in 2016 before moving on to the Double-A Southern League, where he ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the circuit. He made his major league debut as Atlanta’s starting shortstop on Aug. 17, stroking two hits in four at-bats against the Twins. He batted 129 times, thus retaining his rookie eligibility for 2017 by just two at-bats. Braves scouting director Brian Bridges got to know Swanson well during the latter’s high school career and loved everything the shortstop brought to the table at a young age. Rated by SL managers as the league’s best defensive shortstop, Swanson has outstanding quickness with exceptional range, soft and steady hands, and above-average arm strength with excellent accuracy on his throws. He uses his intelligence and superior feel for the game to anticipate plays, which helped him lead all minor league shortstops with an average of 3.27 assists per game in 2016. His cerebral approach is also noticeable on offense, where he uses his above-average speed to take the extra base. An ideal No. 2 hitter, Swanson makes hard and consistent contact with his advanced approach at the plate. His patience and feel for the strike zone allow him to work counts and pile up walks. He also is capable of executing the hit-and-run and driving the ball to all fields, and he should have at least average power once he gains more experience at the game’s top level. The biggest question scouts have is how much his power will play to go along with a fairly high strikeout rate going back to his Vanderbilt days. Swanson looked the part as Atlanta’s long-term answer at shortstop over the final seven weeks of the 2016 campaign. While he may not put up the kind of numbers to garner perennial MVP consideration, his steady and consistent performance on the field and his overall makeup and personality off it, while playing his home games in the county where he was born, make Swanson a natural fit for a rebuilding organization. He’s positioned to be a face for the franchise as its starting shortstop for years to come. | |
4. Alex Reyes, rhp, Cardinals
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 80. Curveball: 70. Changeup: 60. Control: 50. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| When he decided to leave his home and family in New Jersey to see if baseball would take notice of him in the Dominican Republic, Reyes packed his dreams of being a third baseman, a glove, some cleats and a few bats. He wouldn’t need the bats for long. Born and raised in Elizabeth, N.J., the righthander skipped his prom and graduation to live with his grandmother and become eligible as an international amateur, if he could draw the scouts. He did with one move—to the mound. Reyes volunteered to throw when his Dominican team ran out of pitchers one day, and after flashing a power fastball a trainer gave him advice: “Stick to pitching,” Reyes recalled. As his velocity increased, scouts swarmed. The Cardinals signed him for $950,000 in December 2012 after winning a bidding war against the Astros and Royals. Reyes zoomed through the minors, but late in 2015, at the Arizona Fall League, he drew a 50-game suspension for marijuana use. That delayed his 2016 debut but not his arrival to the majors. He reached St. Louis on Aug. 9 and topped out at 101 mph. The Cardinals see Reyes as a stronger, taller, broader version of a pitcher with whom he’ll share the rotation: Carlos Martinez. Reyes operates at the highest registers when it comes to velocity. He averaged 97 mph on his fastball in the majors, routinely worked from 96-100 with it, and an opposing team clocked him in the minors at 102. He can maintain that power late into his starts and spot it up in the zone. Nearly 45 percent of his outs recorded came via strikeouts in the minors. His fastball has been described as elite and a true top-of-the-scale weapon. With it, he mixes a hard, hammer curve that unnerves the first batter who sees it in every game. It too is a plus pitch, and increasingly in the majors his strikeouts came off the curve, or soon after a hitter saw it. Reyes’ changeup profiles as a plus pitch, though he’s had less consistency with it, and he is working on a cutter-slider hybrid that can get him access to both sides of the plate. Reyes throws across his body and his mechanics, like his command, can fluctuate. To pitch deeper into games he has to become more efficient with his pitch count (he walked 4.5 per nine innings in the majors), and a root cause coaches feel is finding a rhythm for his delivery so that he can repeat it. He has the wide shoulders and tree-trunk legs to hog innings. If other teams’ interest is any measure of a prospect, then Reyes is poised for stardom. The Cardinals had difficulty finding an impact trade for an outfielder because other teams wanted Reyes. That was a non-starter for the Cardinals, who intend to make Reyes a permanent part of the big league rotation in 2017. In the years to come could emerge as that rare, power-packed, bona fide ace. | |
5. Gleyber Torres, ss, Yankees
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 55. Speed: 50. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| As an amateur, Torres trained in Venezuela with Ciro Barrios, who also worked with Athletics shortstop prospect Franklin Barreto. The Cubs signed Torres on July 2, 2013, for a bonus of $1.7 million as part of the same international haul that brought outfielder Eloy Jimenez to the Chicago organization. Torres also worked with Cubs minor league infield coordinator Jose Flores to help him mold the skills that will help him stay at shortstop for the long term. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman reportedly was given a choice between Torres and Jimenez when negotiating the Aroldis Chapman deal with the Cubs, and he chose the shortstop. Torres joined high Class A Tampa after the trade and slotted in at shortstop despite the presence of Jorge Mateo, another of the system’s cadre of shortstops and the organization’s No. 1 prospect entering the season. Pushing Mateo to the other side of the bag, Torres continued to hit after the trade. He batted .270/.354/.421 with 11 home runs, 21 stolen bases and 58 walks at two high Class A stops and impressed evaluators in the Carolina (No. 4 prospect) and Florida State (No. 2) leagues. Even with a host of talented middle-infield prospects in the system, Torres shoots to the top of the ranking. He’s an excellent bet to stay at shortstop because of his soft, quick hands and smooth actions around the bag. He’s also got range to both sides, and an accurate arm with enough strength to handle third base if he switches positions. He also played a little second base in the Arizona Fall League (because there are other players who need time at shortstop) and showed the same smooth actions and instincts at the keystone. Moreover, he looked comfortable turning the double play from that position. Evaluators in the FSL compared his defensive chops with the Reds’ Zack Cozart. What makes Torres special, however, is his offensive potential. At just 19 years old he already has excellent pitch recognition skills and has shown the ability to sort through breaking pitches in order to get to the fastball he desires. Early in the season, Torres tried too hard to hit for power and got pull happy, but he showed the ability to adjust and got back to an all-fields approach. Evaluators believe Torres has the ability to hit for plus average and plus power, and this season showed pop to both corners. It’s evident in both games and batting practice, but Torres has an uncanny ability to put barrel of the bat on the baseball. To prove it, he opened his AFL campaign with a monster home run to the opposite field at Scottsdale Stadium. Though he has just average speed, he has enough baseball instincts, aggressiveness and intellect to make it play on the bases. After being named MVP of the Fall League, Torres should move up to Double-A Trenton in 2017. He’ll continue to be paired with Mateo in what should be a dynamic Trenton lineup. He’ll play all of the 2017 season at age 20, and with a good year could position himself to make his big league debut before he turns 22. | |
6. Austin Meadows, of, Pirates
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 60. Speed: 60. Fielding: 60. Arm: 55. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The Pirates selected Meadows with the first of two first-round picks in the 2013 draft, choosing him ninth overall with the compensation pick the club received for failing to sign first-rounder Mark Appel in 2012. Meadows battled back-and-forth with fellow Georgia prep outfielder Clint Frazier for the title of best high school bat in the 2013 draft class. Frazier ended up going before Meadows but both have lived up to expectations so far. Meadows signed for $3,029,600 to forgo a Clemson commitment. He comes from an athletic background as the son of two Division I athletes. His father played baseball and football at Morehead State, while his mother was a softball player at Georgia Southern and Georgia State. Meadows also played football in high school as a running back, linebacker and punter. He ranked among the top prospects in Double-A Eastern and Triple-A International leagues in 2016, a season in which he batted .266/.333/.536 with 12 home runs and 17 stolen bases in 87 games. Meadows has harnessed his athleticism to become a pure hitter with a short, smooth stroke who sprays line drives to all fields. He is in the process of unlocking his raw power as he continues to get comfortable turning on pitches and learning when it is wise to sell out for power. Meadows also shows a good eye at the plate, rarely chasing pitches out of the strike zone, and is willing to take a walk. Defensively, Meadows is a fluid outfielder with outstanding instincts that allow him to get good jumps in center field and run down fly balls from gap to gap. His arm is slightly above-average, which will allow him to play right field if needed—or left field at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park, where the gap in left-center field stretches to 410 feet. Meadows also runs well and has the raw speed to become a topflight baserunner, though he still needs to improve his leads and jumps on balls off the bat while running the bases. Meadows wins high marks for his makeup as a hard worker with a great attitude and leadership capabilities. One potential drawback is durability. He missed most of the 2014 season and a month in 2016 at Triple-A Indianapolis because of hamstring injuries. The 2016 injury caused him to miss the Futures Game in San Diego. Meadows is expected to begin 2017 back at Indianapolis, but it is not out of the question that he will make his major league debut before the all-star break or earlier if the Pirates decide to trade Andrew McCutchen. Some additional development time wouldn’t hurt because Meadows did not get a full year of development in 2016, and injuries, which also included a fractured orbital bone sustained in spring training in a freak accident while playing catch, set him back slightly. He projects to be a star-caliber player and probably will follow in the footsteps of such outfielders as Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco, who have been developed by the Pirates over the last decade. | |
7. Cody Bellinger, 1b, Dodgers
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 70. Speed: 50. Fielding: 70. Arm: 60. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Bellinger’s father Clay played three seasons with the Yankees from 1999-2001 and two games with the Angels in 2002, batting .193 over 311 career at-bats. While Clay’s major league career was brief, his son Cody has a chance to develop into one of the game’s stars. Bellinger was 17 when the Dodgers drafted him in the fourth round of the 2013 draft and signed him for $700,000. His first two years in the system, Bellinger showed impressive pure hitting ability but mostly gap power as a first baseman. In 2015, Bellinger transformed himself into slugger who hit 30 home runs at high Class A Rancho Cucamonga despite skipping a level. In 2016, after missing most of April with a strained left hip, he put himself among baseball’s elite prospects with a terrific season in the Double-A Texas League. In September, he joined Triple-A Oklahoma City, hit three home runs in three games, then went to the Arizona Fall League and batted .314/.424/.557 in 85 plate appearances. Cody’s younger brother, Cole Bellinger, played in the 2016 Area Code Games and is committed to play baseball at Grand Canyon. While most first base prospects tend to be one-dimensional sluggers, Cody is a dynamic allaround player in both the batter’s box and with his glove. He made an adjustment in 2015 to load his hands to create better torque instead of relying more on his body in his swing. That change increased his power production, but also created a more uphill swing plane, leaving him with a bigger strikeout rate. Toward the end of 2015, Bellinger condensed his hand trigger slightly and became more studious of opposing pitchers and his own strengths and weaknesses, which allowed him to cut his strikeout rate. Those changes carried over into 2016, as he lowered his strikeout rate from 27 percent at high Class A in 2015 to 20 percent at Double-A in 2016 without sacrificing his power. Bellinger has a balanced lefthanded swing with plus bat speed, good leverage and use of his lower half, generating the potential to hit 30 home runs at the next level. He has good hand-eye coordination and a disciplined feel for the strike zone and he hangs in well against lefties. Bellinger is a supreme athlete for a first baseman and a gifted fielder who earns 70 grades on the 20-80 scouting scale for his defense. He’s a potential Gold Glove winner with excellent range, smooth actions, clean footwork and soft hands to go along with a plus lefthanded arm. Bellinger is even an average runner, so the Dodgers have had him play the outfield as well. He’s stretched thin in center field but is playable at both corners. Bellinger has a chance to be a foundational hitter in the middle of a lineup who can also save runs with his fielding at first base. The Dodgers have first baseman Adrian Gonzalez signed through the 2018 season, but Bellinger will be ready before then, so Bellinger’s versatility and athleticism in the outfield could come in handy soon. Bellinger should start 2017 in Oklahoma City, but he could make his major league debut in the second half of the year. | |
8. Amed Rosario, ss, Mets
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 45. Speed: 60. Fielding: 70. Arm: 60. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Sandy Alderson took the reins as Mets general manager after the 2010 season and promoted Chris Becerra to international scouting director in 2012. Becerra had previously worked as an area scout in Southern California— he recommended Robert Gsellman for the 2011 draft—and in his new role focused on Rosario as his first major acquisition. The Mets signed the Dominican shortstop for $1.75 million on July 2, 2012, and that bonus amount stands as a franchise record for an international amateur. Rosario, who was teammates with Rangers right fielder Nomar Mazara as a youth in Santo Domingo, graduated from high school before turning pro. His father, who was a lawyer and a judge, helped steer the signing process. Rosario wowed the Mets at instructional league after signing and made his pro debut at Rookie-level Kingsport in 2013, ranking as the No. 1 prospect in Appalachian League at age 17. After ranking as the top position prospect in the short-season New York-Penn League in 2014, he shot to high Class A St. Lucie in 2015. Rosario advanced rapidly through the minors in his teens, but he didn’t begin to hit until 2016, his age-20 season, when he spent half the year at St. Lucie before moving to Double-A Binghamton in the second half. All told he hit .324/.374/.459 with 42 extra-base hits and 19 stolen bases in 120 games, and his .833 OPS ranked fourth among minor league shortstops. Tall and lean, Rosario began to fill out his frame and swing the bat with more authority in 2016. He also improved his pitch selectivity and batto-ball skills, resulting a career-best .324 average and walk rate of 7.6 percent across high Class and Double-A. His bat plays best when he lets the ball travel and uses his hands, strong wrists and plus bat speed to drive the ball to all fields. Capable of turning on the ball for occasional pull power, Rosario set a new personal standard with five home runs and .135 isolated slugging percentage in 2016. While his strikeout rate crept into dangerous territory at Double-A, Rosario has all the tools to be a plus hitter with possibly fringe-average power. Plus speed and strong instincts will help him take extra bases and steal perhaps 20 bags per season. The best athlete in the Mets system, Rosario stands out most for his glove work. Managers in both the Florida State and Eastern leagues recognized him as the best defensive shortstop in those leagues in 2016, and he has the easy plus range and arm strength to profile as a true impact defender. He will improve his throwing accuracy with experience, but scouts rave about his hands, live body and infield actions. Rosario has the potential to be an all-star shortstop with Gold Glove potential who can bat near the top of a lineup. He might begin 2017 back at Binghamton to refine his plate discipline, but he could push his way into the big league picture later in the season. The Mets have Asdrubal Cabrera under contract through 2017, meaning Rosario could be the organization’s full-time shortstop at some point in 2018. | |
9. Nick Senzel, 3b, Reds
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 55. Speed: 50. Fielding: 60. Arm: 55. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| All through his prep career at Farragut High in Knoxville, Senzel was never viewed as the star. Teammate Kyle Serrano drew the majority of the scouting attention, though the Reds’ reports from that time did note they believed Senzel had a chance to become a very good player. But first, he needed to head to college. After three years at Tennessee, Senzel has now far surpassed Serrano as a prospect. As a junior in 2016, Senzel hit .352/.456/.595 with a Southeastern Conference-best 25 doubles while walking nearly twice as often as he struck out. He even stole 25 bases for the Volunteers. The Reds selected Senzel with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 draft and signed him for $6.2 million, the highest signing bonus for any member of the draft class and also the Reds’ franchise record for a drafted player. He kept lining doubles as a pro, hitting 23 in 58 games at low Class A Dayton, where he ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the Midwest League. Senzel was arguably the safest pick in the 2016 draft. Even scouts who aren’t sold on him being an impact player see him as a polished college hitter who should move quickly. He has worked hard to develop into an above-average defender at third base, and even held his own in a stint at shortstop with Tennessee. Senzel has above-average shortrange quickness thanks to quick hips. His hands are average, while his best asset defensively is his plus arm. Senzel’s throws have plenty of carry, but they are even more notable for accuracy. He can throw from a variety of arm angles and doesn’t need to set his feet to uncork an accurate throw. At the plate, Senzel is a hitter who sometimes drives the ball for power rather than a slugger who can hit. He stays balanced in his swing and has excellent pitch recognition, laying off tough breaking balls out of the zone while catching up to fastballs. His biggest vulnerability in his pro career has been when pitchers bust him up and in with fastballs, though he will yank the occasional inside pitch. All seven of his pro home runs were pulled to left field. He has average productive power, but he is more comfortable lining the ball from gap to gap. In batting practice he shows plus raw power. Senzel is a heady baserunner who has a knack for basestealing. He will turn singles into doubles by aggressively coming out of the batter’s box and reading how outfielders play balls in the gaps. Senzel’s long track record of production—he hit .300 or better in each of his three years at Tennessee and was the Cape Cod League MVP in 2015—makes scouts comfortable he will be a big league regular. The debate is just how much impact he will make. Senzel’s excellent work ethic and surprising athleticism give him a chance to exceed some of those expectations. He projects as a .280-.290 hitter with 15-20 home runs, plenty of doubles and solid defense at third base. If he hits the high end of his projection, he is a plus hitter with plus power. Players with Senzel’s type of hitting ability and strength sometimes exceed their power projections in the majors. He is ready for high Class A Daytona in 2017 and should reach Double-A Pensacola during the season. If all goes according to plan, Senzel should be competing for a job in Cincinnati by 2018. | |
10. Willy Adames, ss, Rays
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 55. Speed: 50. Fielding: 55. Arm: 55. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The Rays’ 2014 trade of David Price signaled a transition from one era to another, as the organization soon saw a change of management and leadership in the baseball operations department. Adames, the lone prospect acquired in the Price trade, has since established himself as the Rays’ top prospect, and he’s put himself in the discussion among the best position prospects in baseball. Signed as an international free agent by the Tigers for $420,000 in 2012, Adames advanced through the low minors rapidly. The Tigers skipped him past their domestic Rookie-level affiliates and assigned him to low Class A West Michigan for his U.S. debut as an 18-year-old in 2014. After heading to the Rays as the centerpiece of the Price trade, Adames hit the ground running, and he’s made steady progress and adjustments as he’s climbed the minor league ladder. He reached Double-A Montgomery in 2016 and led the Southern League with 74 walks and ranked third with 31 doubles. He led all SL shortstops with 11 home runs and earned a spot in the Futures Game. In 2014, Adames showed power to his pull side and the ability to drive the ball to the wall in center field. His power has steadily developed as he’s matured physically, and in 2016 he showed the ability to drive the ball out to the opposite field in game situations. Offensively, Adames earns plus grades for his hit tool and raw power, though scouts see his power playing more in the way of hard line drives, with annual home run total projections ranging from 15-25. He has above-average bat speed and the loose wrists to control the barrel, make late adjustments and square up pitches with late movement. He shows both the ability to stay inside the ball and to turn on inside pitches. He works deep counts and isn’t afraid of hitting with two strikes. Adames’ timing at the plate has improved from year to year, and his strikeout rate declined to 21 percent in 2016, down from 27 percent in 2015. Defensively, he continued to endear himself to scouts in 2016. Adames has plus hands and a well-timed internal clock, and he doesn’t rush plays or play nervously in the field. He lacks exceptional range and explosive foot speed, and he’s more of an average runner on the basepaths, but his pure arm strength typically plays aboveaverage. He has an ability to get his feet set and make accurate throws consistently, though he can flash plus arm strength when needed. In addition to his well-rounded assortment of tools, Adames has exceptional makeup, both in terms of his work ethic and character. He quickly achieved fluency in English and connects well with American players as well as other Latin Americans. Rays officials laud his leadership ability and enthusiasm for game-day preparation. Overall, Adames has the total package that teams look for in top prospects, with impact tools on both sides of the ball and the personality to become a marketable franchise player. In 2017, Adames figures to spend the season at Triple-A Durham. He projects as the Rays’ shortstop of the future, with the ability to hit somewhere in the middle of the lineup. | |
11. Ozzie Albies, 2b/ss, Braves
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 70. Power: 40. Speed: 70. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Albies continued his rapid ascent through the organization in 2016. At age 19, he skipped high Class A and led the Double-A Southern League in average (.321) and on-base percentage (.391). Despite struggling during a two-month stint in Triple-A at midseason, he thrived in a return to Mississippi before breaking the tip of a bone in his right elbow on Sept. 9, keeping him out of the SL playoffs. Strictly a shortstop prior to 2016, Albies shifted to second base when he teamed with Dansby Swanson at Mississippi. The definition of a quick-twitch athlete, Albies’ first-step quickness, soft hands, above-average arm strength and baseball instincts make him a plus defender at both middle-infield spots. He has work to do making the pivot on double plays, which should come with experience. His offensive strength is his ability to make hard and consistent contact from both sides of the plate, thanks to his plus bat speed and superior hand-eye coordination. He drives the ball better than advertised, draws walks and uses his plus speed to beat out grounders and steal bases, making him an ideal top-of-the-lineup hitter. Atlanta’s long-term second baseman, Albies is headed for Triple-A Gwinnett in 2017 with his first big league callup not far off. | |
12. J.P. Crawford, ss, Phillies
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 45. Speed: 50. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| For the third straight season, Crawford ranks as the Phillies’ top prospect. It’s a ranking that comes after a season in which he didn’t take the next big leap forward that was expected of him coming into the year, but he’s still one of the game’s elite shortstop prospects. His athleticism runs in the family—he’s a cousin of Carl Crawford and his father played football at Iowa State and the Canadian Football League—but it’s the combination of athleticism and polished baseball skills for his age that have made Crawford stand out since his high school days. The Phillies selected him with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2013 draft and signed him for $2,299,300. Crawford moved through the system quickly, reaching Double-A Reading as a 20-year-old in 2015 in a season that ended when he tore a ligament in his thumb in the Arizona Fall League. He opened 2016 by returning to Reading, where he spent six weeks before playing the rest of the season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He missed one week in August with an injured oblique. Crawford hit .250/.349/.339 with seven home runs in 123 games between the two stops. Crawford’s best offensive asset is his plate discipline. He has nearly as many walks (232) as strikeouts (243) in his career and shows a keen eye at the plate by recognizing offspeed pitches and rarely expanding the strike zone. Even as he went through growing pains upon reaching Triple-A, his strike-zone judgment remained intact. Crawford is a high-contact hitter with an efficient, compact swing from the left side, which combined with his plate discipline gives him a chance to be a high on-base threat at the top of a lineup. When Crawford struggled, he had a habit of stepping in the bucket and leaking open early with his hips, creating a longer path to the ball. His ability to keep his hands back and control the bat head still allowed him to make contact, however. When his swing is in sync, Crawford stays inside the ball well, with a chance to be an above-average hitter. Getting stronger will be critical for him because his power is mostly to the gaps, with the occasional home run to the pull side. His power hasn’t developed as quickly as some evaluators expected, but between his bat speed and room to fill out his frame, Crawford could develop average pop in the future. In the field, Crawford shows plus defense, a mixture of athleticism, actions and instincts. With average speed, he isn’t a burner on the basepaths, but he has a quick first step and reads the ball well off the bat, providing him with plenty of range at shortstop. Crawford is a fluid defender who can make plays to either side with his plus throwing arm, which plays up because of his fast hands and quick transfer. Crawford isn’t on the Phillies’ 40-man roster yet, though he hasn’t shown enough yet to merit a spot in the Opening Day lineup ahead of incumbent Freddy Galvis. Instead, he should return to Triple-A, with an opportunity to force his way to the major leagues by the all-star break. If everything clicks, the Phillies should have a franchise cornerstone at shortstop. | |
13. Victor Robles, of, Nationals
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 50. Speed: 70. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Robles had impressed Nationals evaluators for years before breaking out in 2015 during his U.S. debut. He signed with Washington for $225,000 in 2013 and impressed in the Dominican Summer League the following year. He wowed the Nationals during extended spring training in 2015, then carried that performance over to the regular season in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and short-season Auburn. He ranked as the No. 2 prospect in both leagues while hitting a combined .352/.445/.507 with 24 stolen bases in 61 games. Robles advanced to full-season ball in 2016 for the first time, beginning the season at low Class A Hagerstown. After earning a spot in the South Atlantic League all-star game, he was promoted to high Class A Potomac, where the 19-year-old was the youngest player in the Carolina League. He again ranked as a top prospect in two leagues—No. 1 in the South Atlantic and No. 3 in the Carolina. Robles was sidelined for about three weeks in the second half of the season by a thumb injury he suffered after being hit in the hand by a fastball, one of 34 times he was hit by a pitch in 2016. Even as he has raced through the minor leagues, Robles has continued to hit and earn praise for his baseball IQ and willingness to learn. Robles has excellent quick-twitch athleticism and true five-tool potential. He is advanced for his age, displaying a good feel for hitting. He has strong, quick hands that help him to produce impressive bat speed. Presently, his power results mostly in hard line drives to the gaps, but as he physically matures, those balls should start going over the fence. He sometimes gets big in his swing as he tries to drive the ball with more authority. He has a good feel for the barrel and is difficult to strike out, though he does not often walk. He sets up very close to the plate, which allows him to cover the outer half of the plate well, but also results in him often being hit by pitches. He is confident in his ability to turn on inside pitches, but after his stint on the disabled list he is also starting to learn about the importance of getting out of the way of inside pitches. Robles is a plus runner and makes good use of his speed on both the basepaths and in the outfield. He tracks down balls well in center field and has plus arm strength. His defensive ability and speed enable him to impact the game in many different ways. He plays with lots of energy in all facets of the game, a trait that endears him to teammates, coaches and scouts alike. Robles has proven to be capable of moving quickly in the minors and will likely return to Potomac to open 2017. Because he won’t turn 20 until May, he will likely again be among the youngest players in the Carolina League. It will be a challenging assignment for the precocious outfielder, but his makeup and dynamic skill set should help him continue to find success against older competition. He has all-star potential and could arrive in Washington late in the 2018 season and be a regular player at age 22 in 2019. | |
14. Eloy Jimenez, of, Cubs
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 70. Speed: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 45. ETA: 2019. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Jimenez’s father Luis played and coached basketball in the Dominican Republic, so Jimenez grew up around athletes and some degree of fame. He was ready for the spotlight when his baseball career took off as an amateur and he ranked as the top talent in the 2013 international signing class. The Cubs signed both of the top players that year, Jimenez for $2.8 million and Venezuelan shortstop Gleyber Torres for $1.7 million. They have grown into exactly what the Cubs thought they were, with Torres the savvier, steadier middle infielder and Jimenez the high-risk, high-upside corner bat. When Torres was traded to the Yankees in the Aroldis Chapman deal in July 2016, Jimenez emerged as the Cubs’ top prospect with a breakout season at low Class A South Bend. He led the Midwest League in doubles (40) and slugging (.532) while ranking third in batting (.329). He also played in the Futures Game, where he homered and made a highlight-reel over-the-fence catch in foul territory down the right-field line. Jimenez was signed for his bat and his body— one club official admiringly called him “a physical animal”—and has started to deliver. His body evokes comparisons with former Cub Jorge Soler and Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton, but he is more than just a power-first hitter. Some scouts rate Jimenez’s pure hitting ability on par with his power, or put 60 grades on his hitting and 70 on his power (on the 20-80 scouting scale). While his walk rate is modest, Jimenez improved his strikezone judgment in 2016 by seeing more pitches per at-bat, identifying spin better and applying the Cubs’ selective-aggressive mantra. When he turned it loose, he barreled balls and made plenty of hard contact. He added a knee tuck and a bit of a hand pump to his swing, getting less rotational and on time more often, and it aided his ability to drive the ball to right-center field. Some scouts see long levers and a long swing, which could be exploited more by advanced pitchers. However, he has tremendous plate coverage and the aptitude to adjust quickly, and scouts laud his hitting intelligence. Jimenez is an average runner limited to a corner defensively, and he mostly played left field in 2016. An average defender, he may move to right field if he improves his below-average arm. He must continue to work to improve his throwing mechanics, which remain inconsistent. His throws lack carry, though he has become more accurate He had only one outfield assist in 2016 and has five in his career. He has a chance for an average arm, though, if he dedicates himself to a throwing program. The Cubs are working to keep him lean and athletic physically so he doesn’t get too big. Some scouts question Jimenez’s ultimate level of athleticism, as he’s not graceful, but the Cubs believe he is still growing into his body and will gain body control with natural physical maturity and added strength. While the Cubs don’t need Jimenez soon considering their wealth of outfield options, he may force their hand if his bat continues to progress. He has polish to add against lefthanded pitchers—who handled him with a steady diet of offspeed stuff—and to his defense to be more than just a left fielder. But his bat will play. Jimenez likely will take one step at a time, reporting to high Class A Myrtle Beach for 2017, with a big league ETA of 2019. | |
15. Francis Martes, rhp, Astros
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 70. Curveball: 70. Changeup: 55. Control: 50. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The Marlins don’t spend much money internationally, but they have done a great job of finding bargains on the international market. Miami signed Martes for just $78,000 in 2012 and watched him quickly develop from a pitcher with a high-80s fastball and some feel into a lowto mid-90s fireballer. He stood out in the Dominican Summer League in 2013 before he ever pitched in the U.S. Impressed with Martes’ ability to mix a plus fastball and plus curveball in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 2014, the Astros ensured he was included in the Jarred Cosart trade that July, even though Martes was struggling to get outs and throw strikes in a complex league. He has made dramatic leaps since then as he has filled out and developed a changeup. Once considered a likely power reliever, Martes has developed into one of the fastest-moving starting pitchers in the minors. For example, he was the youngest pitcher in Double-A when the 2016 season began. Martes started slowly at Corpus Christi and had a 5.03 ERA in early June, but he went 5-4, 2.67 in the second half with 81 strikeouts and 20 walks in 71 innings. Few minor league pitchers can match Martes in terms of raw stuff, and the same is true for major leaguers. He has touched 100 mph with his fastball and generally sits 93-97. His plus-plus four-seamer doesn’t have exceptional run, but it still generates plenty of swings and misses thanks to its extreme velocity and his ability to work in and out and up and down. Scouts debate whether Martes’ ability to work all four quadrants is by design or by good fortune, because he sometimes misses his target significantly but still manages to be around the strike zone. Even though he’s short for a righthander—he is officially listed at 6-foot-1 but probably is closer to 6 feet—Martes gets some downhill plane when he works down in the zone. His hard downer curveball at 85-87 mph gives him a second potential 70-grade pitch on the 20-80 scouting scale. It has power and downward break reminiscent of that of fellow Astros righthander Lance McCullers Jr. Martes’ curve comes in at slider speed, but it has true 12-to-6 or 11-to-5 break rather than the sweep of a slider. Unlike McCullers, Martes uses his fastball as his main weapon, which sets up his curve. His changeup is less consistent, but it generates plus grades from some and it improved as 2016 wore on. He throws it harder than most changeups, but it generates whiffs thanks to its late drop. It will show some late fade at times, though more by accident than design. The fade generally happens when he spins out of his delivery instead of staying direct to the plate. Martes has also toyed with using a cutter against lefthanders. Martes has the raw profile of an ace with two pitches that grade near the top of the scale, a changeup that is at least average and at least average control. He has filled out into a thick-chested, meaty righthander who evokes comparisons with Johnny Cueto because of his short stature and big stuff. After six starts in the Arizona Fall League, Martes is ready for Triple-A Frenso and could reach the big leagues at some point in 2017. | |
16. Brendan Rodgers, ss/2b, Rockies
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 60. Speed: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55. ETA: 2019. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Rodgers grew up in a family that had a focus on soccer, but his attention turned to baseball at the age of 5. His best friend’s father, Ralph Nema, introduced Rodgers to baseball and coached him a good part of his youth. He was a multi-sport participant during his youth, but in kindergarten he proclaimed that he would be a baseball player when he grew up. He certainly had big league touches to his development. While Nema was his youth coach, former big leaguers Dante Bichette, an original Rockies outfielder, and all-star closer Tom Gordon also coached Rodgers. He was considered the top prospect in the 2015 draft but slipped to the Rockies with the No. 3 pick when the two teams ahead of them opted for college shortstops. The Diamondbacks took Vanderbilt’s Dansby Swanson at No. 1 and the Astros selected Louisiana State’s Alex Bregman at No. 2, and they both reached the majors in 2016. The Rockies signed Rodgers to a franchise-record $5.5 million bonus. His pro beginning was a challenge. He battled nagging foot, hamstring and hip injuries at Rookie-level Grand Junction in 2015, limiting him to 37 games and leading scouts who hadn’t seen him as an amateur to question his attitude and potential. At low Class A Asheville in 2016, Rodgers reaffirmed his elite status. He finished third in the South Atlantic League in home runs (19) and fourth in slugging (.480) despite being one of only 14 players in the SAL who was younger than 20. Don’t be misled by the fact Rodgers saw time at second and third base as well as shortstop in 2016. The Rockies still feel he has a strong future at shortstop, but the front office is trying to create flexibility with its prospects so that they will be able to fill various holes. With Rodgers’ athleticism and power potential he could fit anywhere in the infield. He has elite bat speed and good feel for the bat head, and he punished fastballs before SAL pitchers adjusted and fed him a steady diet of offspeed stuff. He made adjustments but will have to do so against quality sliders he rarely saw as an amateur. He has a polished approach for such a young hitter with solid plate discipline. With strength and conditioning in the offseason, he will add strength and durability. He has quality actions at shortstop and a solid, at times plus, arm that will improve in its consistency with added strength. Rodgers does not have the speed of a player who would be considered a basestealing threat, but his athletic ability and instincts give him surprising range. The Rockies see Rodgers as an eventual all-star and feel confident he can attain that goal at shortstop if he can stay healthy. A hamstring problem landed him on the disabled list in May 2016, and he went through a dead-arm period in his first full season that he must learn from. The Rockies will allow Rodgers to force the issue when he is ready—they have Trevor Story in Colorado, and he just set an NL record for homers by a rookie shortstop—but the next step is high Class A Modesto. | |
17. Mickey Moniak, of, Phillies
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 50. Speed: 55. Fielding: 60. Arm: 55. ETA: 2020. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Moniak was the center fielder and two-hole hitter for the U.S. team that won the 18U World Cup in Japan in 2015. A strong high school senior season propelled him to the top of the 2016 draft, with the Phillies signing him for a club-record $6.1 million as the No. 1 overall pick. Moniak is a premium position prospect who does a lot of things well with few glaring weaknesses. He has an easy lefthanded swing that’s short, quick and fluid. His barrel awareness and pitch recognition allow him to consistently square up good fastballs and adjust to put the bat on breaking balls. He’s a disciplined hitter who goes with where the ball is pitched and uses the whole field. He’s still skinny with mostly gap power now, but he should hit 10-15 home runs one day with strength gains, and he added about 20 pounds in the fall after a three-week strength and conditioning camp at the Phillies’ Clearwater complex. Moniak is an above-average runner with a quick first step in center field, where his good instincts and above-average arm make him a plus fielder. Moniak’s balance of tools and skills on both sides of the ball make him a high-upside prospect without any major risk factors, aside from inexperience. He will make his full-season debut at low Class A Lakewood in 2017. | |
18. Rafael Devers, 3b, Red Sox
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 60. Speed: 40. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The Red Sox felt that Devers was the best international amateur bat available in 2013, viewing him as a future middle-of-the-order slugger. He hasn’t disappointed them yet. Devers started slowly at high Class A Salem in 2016, carrying a .195 average into June, but he was one of the best hitters in the Carolina League over the final three months. Devers shows an unusual ability to drive the ball to all fields with loft and backspin that creates the possibility for all-fields power. He’s aggressive in a way that likely will cap his on-base percentage but with bat-to-ball skills that suggest solid batting averages and that, to date, have limited his strikeout totals. As a 19-year-old in 2016, his most significant progress came at third base, where evaluators saw a player with above-average to plus range and throwing arm. His wide hips suggest that his weight management and conditioning will always be a focus, but to this point, he’s maintained athleticism not only to stay at third but also to surprise as a solid baserunner. That reflects well on his makeup and willingness to work. At this point, Devers looks like the top power-hitting prospect in the system, a future fiveor six-hole hitter with plus power and above-average defense. He appears destined for Double-A Portland for most if not all of 2017. | |
19. Kyle Tucker, of, Astros
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 60. Speed: 50. Fielding: 55. Arm: 55. ETA: 2019. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The younger brother of Astros big league outfielder Preston Tucker, Kyle was the BA High School Player of the Year in 2015, when he hit .484 with 10 home runs and 10 stolen bases. The fifth overall pick that year, he stood out in a pair of Rookie-level stops in his pro debut then jumped to low Class A Quad Cities in 2016. Tucker’s advanced bat gives him a shot to be a plus hitter with plus power. Even though he is lean with long levers, he actually prefers hitting balls on the inner half, which helps explain why he has handled lefthanders well. He can pull his hands in on the inside pitch, and his hands and wrists work well to make his pull-oriented approach work. His swing generates excellent loft. But that projected power won’t arrive until Tucker adds some more good weight to add strength in his trunk and legs. The Astros have worked him in all three outfield spots, but he projects as an above-average right fielder with an above-average arm. He’s an average runner but does a great job reading pitchers and timing his jumps. Tucker handled a late-season cameo at high Class A Lancaster with no issues. He will return to high Class A in 2017—at the Astros’ new Carolina League affiliate—and could reach Double-A before he turns 21. | |
20. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 3b, Blue Jays
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 70. Speed: 50. Fielding: 45. Arm: 55. ETA: 2020. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Vladimir Guerrero signed with the Expos in March 1993, reached the majors in 1996 and became American League MVP with the Angels in 2004, one of his nine all-star seasons. In spring training before his first all-star campaign, in 1999, his son Vladimir Jr. was born in Montreal. He grew into a hitting prospect with some of his father’s mannerisms (such as a lack of batting gloves), a strong facial resemblance and plenty more fanfare. The father signed for a $2,100 bonus, while Vladimir Jr. signed for $3.9 million. In fact, the Blue Jays traded minor leaguers Tim Locastro and Chase De Jong to the Dodgers for three international bonus slots, raising their international pool high enough just to sign the junior Guerrero. The Blue Jays first saw Guerrero take swings in their Dominican complex when he was 14 years old, after he’d already been training with his uncle Wilton, also a former major leaguer. He shifted from outfield to third base in instructional league after signing, went through his first spring training in 2016 and had a strong pro debut in the Rookie-level Appalachian League, finishing third in total bases while being the league’s youngest player. Guerrero does just about everything evaluators want to see in a teenage hitter. He has tremendous hand-eye coordination and bat-to-ball skills, to the point he seems to have been born to hit. His special hands allow him to manipulate the barrel and square up pitches of all types. He has excellent strike-zone judgment for a 17-year-old, walking nearly as often as he struck out and showing an ability to lay off breaking balls that will be further tested at higher levels. He has tremendous raw power and showed the ability to drive the ball to all fields at an advanced rate for his age. Guerrero covers the plate well and should be an above-average hitter with 30-plus homer potential down the line. Some club officials have compared his overall offensive profile to that of Edwin Encarnacion, though with more speed, as he’s actually an average runner. Like Encarnacion, Guerrero has a chance to be a third baseman early in his career. Defense was rarely a focus of his as an amateur, and moving to third base from outfield has prompted Guerrero to work harder on all aspects of that side of the ball. He has improved his short-area quickness and arm strength the most. If he keeps working on his defense, he should have average range. Once owner of a below-average arm, he now flirts with a plus tool. His footwork has improved as well, and he made the routine play with some reliability in his debut. Guerrero has gotten his stocky body in better shape since signing, but it will always be a concern and is his biggest weakness as a prospect. The Blue Jays’ high-performance team, which focuses on mental and physical training, will continue to work with Guerrero to maintain his looseness while improving his body fitness. His potential may not match his father’s, but he won’t shame his dad’s name as a ballplayer. He figures to reach low Class A Lansing in 2017, and he could make it hard for the Jays to keep him from getting to the big leagues by the time he’s 20. | |
21. Anderson Espinoza, rhp, Padres
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 70. Changeup: 70. Curveball: 60. Control: 55. ETA: 2019. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| While some teenage international standouts fly under the radar, Espinoza is one whose promise has been evident for some time. Considered the top available pitcher by a wide margin in the 2014 international class, he signed with the Red Sox for $1.8 million. If Espinoza felt any pressure from the lofty expectations he never showed it, zooming all the way from the Dominican Summer League to low Class A in 2015, his age-17 season, and ranking as one of baseball’s top prospects one year after signing. The Red Sox were reluctant to part with him but ultimately did in a onefor-one swap for Drew Pomeranz two days after Pomeranz pitched in the 2016 All-Star Game as a member of the host Padres. The lean Espinoza is not physically intimidating but possesses a strong lower half and electric arm speed that allows him to nonetheless pitch with elite velocity. He is not dissimilar from fellow 6-foot flamethrower Yordano Ventura in that regard. Espinoza’s 95-98 mph four-seam fastball possesses so much late tail away from lefthanded batters that Padres broadcaster and former major league pitcher Mark Grant confused it for a two-seamer—a mistake made by others before him—and Espinoza commands it masterfully to both sides of the plate. His main secondary pitch is a mid-80s changeup that is above-average on a bad day and “simply fantastic” in the words of one opposing scout on a good one. His upper-70s curveball lacks consistency but still flashes plus with 11-to-5 movement. Spotty command of his breaking pitches led to Espinoza getting hit more often at low Class A in 2016 than his pure stuff indicates he should, and he also struggled with trying to be too fine at times rather than attacking hitters. He admitted being a bit shell-shocked after being traded and struggled in his first few outings in the Padres system, but he adjusted and finished strong with 10 strikeouts and just two runs allowed in his final two starts at Fort Wayne. He continued that with a dominant 1-2-3 inning in the Padres’ futures game at Petco Park on Oct. 7, where he struck out two Rangers batters. His exceptional performance on a big stage at Petco was nothing new for Espinoza, who draws raves for his ability to reach back and find something extra in big moments. He possesses exceptional makeup and intelligence, signified both by his poise on the mound and the fact he learned English almost fluently by age 18, less than two years after first coming to the U.S. Ventura is a common comparison for Espinoza in terms of size and raw stuff, but Espinoza does it easier and possesses superior makeup and maturity that should help him surpass the Royals righthander. He has all the tools to become a front-of-the-rotation ace and will look to solidify that profile atop high Class A Lake Elsinore’s rotation in 2017. | |
22. Mitch Keller, rhp, Pirates
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 70. Curveball: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 60. ETA: 2019. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Keller climbed up many teams’ draft boards when he added nearly 10 mph to his fastball between his junior and senior seasons of high school. The Pirates snatched him in the second round of the 2014 draft and signed him for an above-slot $1 million to forgo a North Carolina commitment. His older brother Jon is a pitcher in the Orioles system. Keller’s fastball reaches 97 mph, sits at 93-95 and has the type of late life that causes plenty of swings and misses. He also has an above-average curveball with 11-to-5 shape that improved as the 2016 season progressed. He learned to take a little off his breaking ball in order to gain better control. Keller’s changeup is also becoming an effective pitch. It drops just as it reaches the strike zone, generating many ground balls. Durability is a concern after Keller missed most of 2015 with forearm problems, but he stayed healthy throughout the 2016 season at low Class A West Virginia and finished strong with high Class A Bradenton, winning a pair of playoff starts to help the Marauders win the Florida State League title. He earns high marks for his maturity. For example, he immediately offered to help victims when flooding struck southern West Virginia. Keller will begin 2017 back with Bradenton and will likely end it at Double-A Altoona. He has the stuff, size and makeup to become a front-of-the-rotation stalwart and could reach the majors by late 2018 or early 2019. | |
23. Tyler Glasnow, rhp, Pirates
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 70. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 45. Control: 45. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Glasnow threw just 83-89 mph in high school with an uncoordinated 6-foot-7 frame, but the Pirates saw potential and drafted him in the fifth round of the 2011 draft. He has added strength to his body and became one of the most dominant pitching prospects in the game as he ascended. His trek culminated in his major league debut in 2016. Glasnow’s added strength gave him outstanding raw stuff, topped by a 92-95 mph fastball that hits 99 and a wipeout curveball. He also throws his changeup at 90 mph, and the pitch is showing signs of being a third plus weapon. He has allowed a career .172 opponent average in 500 minor league innings. Walks, however, have been a major problem for the now 6-foot-8 Glasnow, who like many other tall pitchers has problems repeating his mechanics. He also struggles holding runners because of his slow times to the plate and lack of an effective pickoff move. That weakness was exposed at the major league level. While some have questioned his athleticism, Glasnow answered by posting a video on social media of him dunking a basketball after pulling it between his legs. He will get a chance to win a rotation spot in spring training but will likely return to Triple-A Indianapolis. He has the ceiling of a No. 1 starter, but many evaluators outside the organization believe his futures lies as a reliever due to his poor control. | |
24. Manuel Margot, of, Padres
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 40. Speed: 60. Fielding: 70. Arm: 55. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The Red Sox signed Margot for $800,000 as a 16-year old international free agent in 2011 and watched him stand out at every level as he ascended their system. He was a consensus Top 100 Prospect when the Padres acquired him and three other well-regarded minor leaguers in exchange for closer Craig Kimbrel after the 2015 season. Margot possesses strong wrists and exceptional feel for the barrel, allowing him to make consistent hard contact. His plus speed helps his bat play up, turning singles into doubles and doubles into triples, and his control of the strike zone was uncanny for a player his age at Triple-A. The sum of all of that profiles Margot as a plus offensive player, even with fringe-average power. The Padres were surprised at Margot’s lack of defensive polish when he first arrived, but he dramatically improved his reads and routes throughout 2016, which combined with his raw speed and athleticism, turned him into one of the top defensive outfielders in the upper minors. His above-average arm also took a huge leap forward in 2016, with corrected footwork leading to more strength behind his throws to the point he led the Pacific Coast League with 18 assists. Margot has everything you want in a top-of-the-order center fielder. His superior offensive profile to Travis Jankowski makes Margot the Padres’ center fielder of the future, beginning in 2017. | |
25. Lucas Giolito, rhp, White Sox
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 60. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 50. Control: 50. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Giolito has shown incredible promise since his high school days, when he was considered the top prep pitcher in the 2012 draft class until he sprained his ulnar collateral ligament and was shut down early that March. After being drafted by the Nationals 16th overall he had Tommy John surgery later that summer. Washington traded him to the White Sox—along with righthanders Reynaldo Lopez and Dane Dunning—for Adam Eaton at the 2016 Winter Meetings. Giolito made his longanticipated major league debut in July 2016, completing a closely watched journey through the minors. While he stumbled in Washington, his star remains bright. Giolito has three above-average offerings and an extra-large frame that allows him to throw from a steep downhill angle. He has touched 100 mph in the past, but his fastball has not typically shown that kind of velocity when he is pitching on a regular schedule. He topped out at 96 mph with his fastball in the major leagues, and sat around 94 mph. He still has a powerful 12-to-6 curveball that can be a plus pitch. His changeup has good sinking action and is effective against lefthanded hitters. Most concerning about Giolito’s 2016 performance was his control. After averaging 2.7 walks per nine innings in his first two years of full-season ball, he saw his walk rate spike in 2016, particularly in the big leagues where he averaged 5.1 walks per nine. Giolito often fell behind in the count and will need to get back to consistently throwing quality strikes to get big league hitters out. While Giolito’s big league debut was disappointing, he still has incredible upside. He will pitch most of 2017 as a 22-year-old and still has the potential to develop into a front-of-the-rotation starter. He likely will open the season at Triple-A Charlotte. | |
26. Yadier Alvarez, rhp, Dodgers
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 70. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 50. Control: 45. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| In 2014, Alvarez couldn’t make Cuba’s 18U junior national team in 2014, as he walked 35 in 31 innings in the country’s 18U youth league. Yet when Alvarez popped up in the Dominican Republic, his fastball skyrocketed and the Dodgers signed him for $16 million. Alvarez is a good athlete who fires explosive stuff with remarkably little effort. With a free-and-easy delivery, Alvarez’s electric fastball explodes on hitters, sitting at 94-97 mph and reaching 101. He has shortened his loose arm action as a pro to add deception and create a more repeatable arc, which helped his control. Fastball command, however, is still a focal point. Beyond a lively, overpowering fastball, Alvarez has a plus curveball that, when it’s on, is a true putaway pitch. He hasn’t thrown his changeup much, so it’s inconsistent, but it flashes plus with late tail and could become a plus pitch once he uses it more. Alvarez only threw 59 innings and his longest outing was five innings—something he did in just five of his 14 starts—so his durability is still unknown. Alvarez is a tantalizing mix of immense potential with high risk and minimal track record. If he can maintain his stuff over a full season’s workload, he can develop into a frontline starter. | |
27. Lewis Brinson, of, Brewers
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 50. Power: 60. Speed: 60. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The Rangers selected Brinson with the next-to-last pick in the first round of the 2012 draft, and he broadcast his powerspeed ability in five years in the Texas system. He had scuffled at Double-A Frisco in 2016, however, before the Brewers acquired him (and Luis Ortiz) from the Rangers at the trade deadline for Jonathan Lucroy and Jeremy Jeffress. Some of Brinson’s struggles were related to a shoulder issue that forced him to the disabled list for a month in June. The Brewers opted to elevate him to the hitter-friendly environment at Triple-A Colorado Springs, and he thrived more than anyone could have anticipated by recording a 1.005 OPS in 23 games. High altitude or not, that showing was a huge confidence boost for both Brinson and the organization, and it put him in position to challenge for a spot on the major league roster sometime in 2017. He quickly inherited No. 1 prospect status in the Brewers system after the promotion of shortstop Orlando Arcia to Milwaukee, which coincided with the trade. Brinson has worked hard to reduce his strikeout rate since whiffing 38 percent of the time in his full-season debut at low Class A Hickory in 2013. He trimmed that rate to 20 percent in 2016. Brinson has the coveted combination of speed and power, and he projects to be at least an average hitter. It is difficult for pitchers to get a fastball past Brinson, who has great bat speed, but he has trouble laying off breaking balls out of the zone and continues to work on plate discipline. He still needs plenty of work in patience, as evidenced by his two walks in 93 plate appearances at Colorado Springs. He has learned to use the whole field and is not as pull-conscious as he was earlier in his career. Some scouts question whether Brinson will be able to remain in center field, where he continues to work on improving his routes and throwing accuracy. He has good gap-to-gap range and arm strength, and the Brewers prefer to keep him in center until proven he needs to move to a corner. He would likely fit well in right field, if he does need to eventually change positions. Brinson clearly has the raw tools to be an impact player, but it’s up to him to make the most of them, especially on offense. His overall skill set will serve him well in the outfield, but he might not be cut out to bat near the top of the order unless he improves his walk rate. While Keon Broxton got a foot in the door in center field for the Brewers over the final two months of 2016, Brinson is guaranteed to get a good look in spring training. The Brewers have stockpiled young center fielders in recent years—whether they be draft picks Trent Clark and Corey Ray or trade pickups Brinson and Brett Phillips—but only one can play there at a time. Brinson has the most experience of the group, but his arm strength and power potential also would play in a corner. | |
28. Francisco Mejia, c, Indians
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 45. Speed: 30. Fielding: 50. Arm: 80. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The Indians challenged Mejia with aggressive assignments at the outset of his career, and he reached full-season ball as a 19-year old in 2015. That season, he was one of just three teenagers serving as an everyday catcher in the Midwest League. He scuffled at the plate against the older competition (hitting .243/.324/.345), and he returned to low Class A Lake County to start 2016. While repeating the level, Mejia broke out. He authored a historic 50-game hitting streak that is the longest in the modern era of the minor leagues (dating to 1963). Mejia’s streak, which began in late May and stretched into August, increased his notoriety, as did a promotion to high Class A Lynchburg and an appearance in the Futures Game, where he started behind the plate for the World team. He was also a popular name as the trade deadline approached, and the Indians nearly dealt him to the Brewers in an attempt to land Jonathan Lucroy at the trade deadline, but Lucroy exercised his no-trade clause to block the move. Mejia kept hitting, even with the off-field distractions, and his .342 average ranked sixth in the minors. He also led all qualified Indians minor leaguers in both slugging percentage (.514) and OPS (.896). Even before the streak, Mejia has long been known for his hitting ability. The switch-hitter consistently makes hard contact from both sides of the plate. He is a more productive righthanded hitter and has more power from that side of the plate, but can also do damage as a lefthanded hitter. Like many young hitters, he previously had a more pull-oriented approach at the plate. Part of his maturation as a hitter has been to become better at handling pitches on the outer half of the plate and using the opposite field to hit. His bat speed gives him more raw power than his lean, 5-foot-10 frame would suggest, but he more typically drives balls into the gaps than over the fence. He has an aggressive approach and doesn’t walk much, but his excellent feel for the barrel prevents him from striking out often and he is comfortable working down in the count. Like most catchers, he is a below-average runner. Mejia has made strides defensively, but his bat is more advanced than his glove. Mejia has elite arm strength and soft hands, but his setup behind the plate still needs work to allow him to block balls and frame pitches more consistently. He is learning how to call games and is comfortable speaking English, a key skill for him to develop a relationship with his pitchers. Mejia often played second base as an amateur and some believe he could handle that position if he moved out from behind the plate. But he is just 21 and has the tools to become a capable defender with some further refinements. Mejia took a big step forward in 2016, but he will need to continue to improve as he advances to the upper levels of the system. He will likely begin 2017 at Double-A Akron. If he continues to progress, he should be in line to make his major league debut sometime in 2018. | |
29. Jose De Leon, rhp, Dodgers
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 60. Changeup: 60. Slider: 50. Control: 55. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| De Leon quickly turned into a late-round gem for the Dodgers by improving his conditioning after signing and seeing his stuff spike in turn. He missed time with shoulder inflammation in 2016 but dominated when healthy with Triple-A Oklahoma City. He made his major league debut in September. De Leon pitches off a fastball that sits 90-94 mph and touches 96. It’s not overpowering velocity, but it has late life and he hides the ball well behind his body in his delivery, so the ball jumps on hitters faster than they expect, leading to empty swings in the strike zone. His go-to weapon is an 80-84 mph changeup. It’s a plus pitch with good speed differential off his fastball and is effective against both lefties and righties. De Leon’s third pitch is an average slider, a pitch some evaluators would like to see him use more frequently. They’d also like to see more of him; he’s yet to top 115 innings in a season. With a delivery that will require some maintenance, durability is still a question mark. If De Leon can maintain the stuff he showed at the end of 2016 over a full season’s workload, he can be a No. 2 starter. He has a chance to realize that potential immediately in 2017. | |
30. Brent Honeywell, rhp, Rays
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 60. Changeup: 60. Curve: 50. Screwball: 60. Control: 55. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Undrafted out of high school, Honeywell established himself as a prospect as a junior college freshman in 2014. He built his legend with his screwball, a pitch he learned from his father, who learned it from his cousin, former Dodgers reliever Mike Marshall. Honeywell’s velocity jumped in junior college, and the Rays selected him in the supplemental second round. Honeywell has a well-rounded arsenal, with five pitches he can throw for strikes. His plus fastball works in the mid-90s and shows late life to induce weak contact. He has shown feel for his plus changeup and screwball, with the latter showing more fade and horizontal movement. His average curveball shows occasional bite and his cutter was a developmental focus in 2016. He missed six weeks in the middle of the summer with forearm soreness, but his fastball reached 97 mph in his first start back. Honeywell succeeded at Double-A Montgomery to close 2016, and will probably repeat that level to start 2017 before heading to Triple-A Durham. | |
31. Reynaldo Lopez, rhp, White Sox
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 70. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 50. Control: 50. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Lopez was an unheralded 18-year-old with a high-80s fastball when the Nationals signed him for $17,000 in 2012. His velocity quickly began to increase, and he took off in 2014. He reached the big leagues two years later, first as a starter before moving to the bullpen down the stretch. His performance as a reliever earned him a spot in the Nationals bullpen during the playoffs. Washington bundled Lopez with first-round righthanders Lucas Giolito and Dane Dunning to acquire Adam Eaton from the White Sox at the 2016 Winter Meeting. Lopez has made incredible strides as a professional, and his fastball now comfortably sits in the mid-90s and touched 100 mph in the big leagues. His improved strength also has helped his curveball, which is a powerful 11-to-5 hammer that is a swing-and-miss offering. Lopez made strides with both his changeup and control in 2016, two areas critical to his chances to remain in the rotation in the big leagues. His changeup has become a third solid pitch for him, giving him a weapon against lefthanded hitters. He also did a better job of repeating his delivery, leading to improved command. That didn’t immediately translate to the major leagues, where he averaged 4.5 walks per nine innings. Lopez has shown he is ready to help as a reliever, and he could win a spot in the Chicago bullpen during spring training. | |
32. Michael Kopech, rhp, White Sox
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 80. Slider: 60. Changeup: 45. Control: 45. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The Red Sox viewed Kopech as a power arm when they drafted him out of high school, but no one foresaw his emergence as the hardest-throwing starter in the minors in 2016. Though his innings have been limited by a pair of off-field incidents—a 50-game suspension for testing positive for a banned stimulant in 2015 and a broken right hand from a spring-training fight with a teammate in 2016—he has demonstrated an ability to overpower opponents. The Red Sox traded Kopech, second baseman Yoan Moncada and two other prospects to the White Sox in order to land Chris Sale at the 2016 Winter Meetings. Kopech’s fastball sat 95-99 mph and frequently touched triple digits. His 90-92 mph power slider grades average now but projects as plus. Though his changeup is currently below average, Kopech should be able to improve it to near-average. His velocity creates questions of injury risk and limits his command, but he’s learned to control his delivery to sustain both power and control. Despite his off-field incidents, most speak highly of Kopech’s makeup and ferocious mound demeanor. He should start at Double-A in 2017 and has front-of-the-rotation potential, earning comparisons from scouts to Noah Syndergaard. | |
33. Josh Hader, lhp, Brewers
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 70. Slider: 60. Changeup: 45. Control: 45. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| One of four players acquired from the Astros in the July 2015 trade that sent Carlos Gomez and Mike Fiers to Houston, Hader drew raves from scouts with a sensational showing in that year’s Arizona Fall League. He breezed through 11 starts at Double-A Biloxi in 2016 before encountering trouble at Triple-A Colorado Springs, a hitter’s haven. Still, he struck out 161 batters to rank fourth in the minors. Hader has no trouble striking out batters from both sides of the plate with a live fastball in the 92-97 mph range and a filthy, sharp-breaking slider he throws from a low three-quarters arm slot. With the low arm angle and funky delivery, deception is a big part of his game. Hader made it even harder to track his pitches by moving to the firstbase side of the rubber, and he changed the grip on his slider to give him more command of the high-80s breaking ball. If Hader ever finds consistency with his changeup, he’ll be almost completely unhittable, but he has struggled to stay on top of the pitch. Because he is not afraid to pitch inside, righties cannot dig in on him. He still has bouts of wildness and must concentrate on his mechanics to avoid having those issues elevate his pitch counts. Hader has front-line starter’s stuff but must improve his changeup and control to reach his ceiling. Now that the Brewers have added him to the 40-man roster, he will compete for a big league job in spring training. | |
34. Kyle Lewis, of, Mariners
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 55. Power: 60. Speed: 50. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| In the age of never-ending prospect showcases and 14-year-old class rankings, Lewis was somewhat of a late bloomer. He played varsity all four years at Shiloh High in Snellville, Ga., but never won anything more than regional honors and went undrafted out of high school. No Southeastern Conference school offered him a scholarship—including Georgia less than an hour away—and he ended up at Mercer, which had just two NCAA tournament appearances in its 65-year history when Lewis arrived on c ampus. He split time playing baseball and basketball growing up, but once he began focusing solely on baseball in college, he flourished. With his elite athleticism and intelligence, Lewis adapted quickly and made the Atlantic Sun Conference all-freshman team. He became a middle-of-the-order impact regular as a sophomore, thrived in the Cape Cod League (.300/.344/.500) and emerged as one of the most potent forces in college baseball as a junior, hitting .395/.535/.731 with 20 home runs and winning the Golden Spikes Award and the BA College Player of the Year. The Mariners had him ranked as one of the top three players on their board, and they were shocked and ecstatic when he fell to them at No. 11. He signed for $3,286,700. Lewis got off to a blazing start as a pro before he tore the ACL and medial and lateral meniscus in his right knee in a grisly collision at home plate just 30 games into his pro career at short-season Everett Lewis is an offense-first center fielder with plus power to all fields and a patient approach that allows him to control the strike zone and punish mistakes. He has some swing-and-miss to his game, like most power hitters, but he has enough feel for the barrel and understanding of what to do at the plate that he still is regarded as an solid-average hitter. He is a below-average runner out of the box but ticks up to average underway. His instincts, reflexes and efficient routes make up for whatever he lacks in terms of raw speed in the outfield and make him an above-average defender. His plus arm, combined with average speed, have some evaluators predicting he ends up in right field. However, the Mariners will leave him in center for now. There is concern about how his knee injury will affect his power base and already suspect speed, but Lewis is a hard worker who plays the game with passion and a big smile. There is little doubt among observers Lewis will put in the work to get back to the diamond as quickly and strongly as possible His makeup, aptitude and work ethic draw raves, with his combination of talent and personality making him a potential face-of-the-franchise type player. Lewis draws comparisons with his childhood hero Adam Jones, another former Mariners top prospect. He had surgery on his knee in August and is not expected to begin baseball activities until April. He will continue his rehab at the team complex in Arizona until then, with an eye on reporting to a full-season affiliate by mid-summer. Low Class A Clinton is his likely destination, but high Class A Modesto is a possibility with its drier climate making for a better playing environment post-surgery. If Lewis returns to full health, an accelerated track up the minors and to the majors by 2018 is very much in the cards. | |
35. Josh Bell, 1b, Pirates
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 55. Power: 55. Speed: 40. Fielding: 30. Arm: 60. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Bell gained fame after signing for $5 million, a record for a second-round pick, after originally telling teams not to draft him because he wanted to attend Texas. He broke through to the majors in 2016 after a steady climb. The switch-hitter transitioned from right field to first base in 2015, allowing him to focus on hitting and letting his bat flourish. Bell has an advanced understanding of the strike zone, which allows him to work counts and get his pitch to hit. When he does, he makes hard contact to all fields, especially from the left side. He has the size and strength to be an above-average hitter with above-average power and is improving his approach and swing to be successful at the top level. Defensively, Bell has worked hard to improve his play at first base, but his range is limited and his hands are stiff. He is more comfortable in right field, where his strong arm mitigates a lack of range. He is not much of a threat on the bases. Bell is in line to be the Opening Day first baseman for the Pirates but could eventually wind up back in right field, though Pittsburgh projects to have no vacancies there for years. He has a chance to be a middle-of-the-order regular, especially if he can increase his power output. | |
36. Jeff Hoffman, rhp, Rockies
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 60. Curveball: 60. Slider: 45. Changeup: 45. Control: 50. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The key player among the three prospects the Blue Jays sent to the Rockies for shortstop Troy Tulowitzki in a 2015 deadline deal, Hoffman was Toronto’s first pick—ninth overall—in 2014. He had Tommy John surgery shortly before that draft, delaying his pro debut to 2015. He steadily climbed the minor league ladder and made his big league debut in September 2016. Hoffman showed signs of fatigue when he debuted with the Rockies, and he surpassed 150 innings for the first time. During the season he showed a live fastball with sinking life that sits in the 93-96 mph range and reaches 99. Hoffman has an excellent plus curveball but tends to rely on it too much. His slider is a nice secondary breaking pitch, and his changeup is solid. His strikeout rate jumped significantly in the minors, but to keep that up in the big leagues, he has to take better ownership of the inner part of the plate and use any on his four pitches without hesitation. Hoffman has a chance to earn a rotation spot in Denver for 2017. With his power and pitch mix, Hoffman should grow in a solid mid-rotation starter with an inner confidence that bodes well for his success at Coors Field. | |
37. Kolby Allard, lhp, Braves
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 60. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 55. Control: 55. ETA: 2019. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The Braves selected Allard 14th overall in 2015 after he fell in the draft because of a stress reaction in his back that caused him to miss most of his senior year of high school. He had minor surgery after signing and was held back in extended spring training as a precaution to open 2016. Allard opened at low Class A Rome in June before the Rookie-level Danville season started, then returned to Rome after five starts and got better as the year went on. Allard went 4-0, 1.72 with 37 strikeouts in 31 innings in August before tossing 12 shutout innings in the South Atlantic League playoffs. The lefthander has an excellent feel for pitching and works down in the strike zone. His fastball sits at 90-94 mph and possesses late cutting action. He mixes his heater with a plus hammer curveball with a 1-to-7 drop that may be his best pitch. Allard has made outstanding progress with his changeup that could improve to the point where he winds up with three plus pitches. He throws a lot of strikes and should have above-average command when he matures. Allard has the overall package to be a No. 2 or 3 starter in the big leagues. He should open 2017 at Atlanta’s new Florida State League affiliate but could make the jump to Double-A during the campaign. | |
38. Tyler O’Neill, of, Mariners
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 50. Power: 60. Speed: 45. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The Mariners drafted O’Neill 85th overall in 2013 and signed him for $650,000 because of his powerful build and power projection. The son of former Mr. Canada bodybuilder Terry O’Neill was so square and bulky that he played catcher in high school, but his underrated athleticism has allowed him to transition to the outfield. O’Neill has grown even stronger since his prep days, with muscles that bulge out of his arms, thighs and backside so much he is nicknamed “Wreck-It-Ralph” after the cartoonishly muscular animated character. Combining that muscle-driven power with exceptional bat speed, O’Neill creates double-plus power to all fields and draws raves for hitting jaw-dropping home runs. His power plays in all parks, with tales of his longballs retold in awe. O’Neill adapted to the new Mariners’ dedication to reducing strikeouts and cut his rate from 31 percent in 2015 to 26 percent in 2016. His adjustment propelled him to triple-crown contention in the Double-A Southern League and the league’s MVP award, as well as upgraded him to an average to aboveaverage hitter in scouts’ eyes. He is at times succeptible to fastballs inside and changeups out front, but anything in the strike zone he crushes. O’Neill’s bulky build doesn’t prevent him from tapping into his athleticism and showing average speed, which he uses efficiently on the basepaths to make him doubledigit stolen-base threat. His above-average arm and improving reads have evaluators projecting him as an average defensive right fielder. O’Neill has held his own among the game’s top prospects as one the better performers in the Arizona Fall League two years in a row now, and will begin 2017 at Triple-A Tacoma with a chance to make his major league debut by the end of the season. | |
39. Clint Frazier, of, Yankees
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 50. Power: 60. Speed: 55. Fielding: 55. Arm: 55. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The Indians used the fifth overall selection in the 2013 draft to take Frazier, the BA High School Player of the Year, and they signed him for $3.5 million. Cleveland dealt Frazier to the Yankees in 2016 along with lefthander Justus Sheffield and relievers J.P. Feyereisen and Ben Heller in the deal that sent closer Andrew Miller to the Indians. Frazier’s calling card is his elite bat speed, which is generated by a taut, muscular frame and huge forearms. That bat speed produces well above-average raw power. He has worked to quiet his pre-swing movement to help cut down on his growing strikeout totals. He’s got above-average speed, which has served him well on the bases and in the field. He has worked at all three outfield positions in his career, but his above-average throwing arm would serve him well in a corner spot. His range could be helpful in left field, which evaluators have noted is more challenging than right field at Yankee Stadium. Frazier struggled at both Triple-A stops in 2016 and will return there in 2017. A student of the game, he will continue to work on pitch recognition and cutting down his strikeout rate in the hopes that he can make his debut late in the season. | |
40. Franklin Barreto, ss/2b, Athletics
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 50. Speed: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The Athletics were long enamored of Barreto. They scouted him at age 14 when he starred for Venezuela in the Pan Am Games. They and other teams regarded him as the top international prospect in 2012, and he signed with the Blue Jays for $1.45 million. When the A’s decided to move Josh Donaldson in the winter of 2014, they targeted Barreto as part of the exchange they sought from Toronto. Two years later, the Blue Jays have made consecutive trips to the playoffs with 2015 MVP Donaldson, while Barreto remains the key part of the deal for Oakland. Sean Nolin and Brett Lawrie have moved on, while Kendall Graveman led the big league club in innings and wins in 2016. The second-youngest player in the Texas League on Opening Day, Barreto ranked sixth in the TL in batting (.281) and third and steals (30), then finished the season at Triple-A Nashville, which included an 8-for-19 showing in the Pacific Coast League playoffs. Barreto began the season slowly and turned things around in the second half. Scouts said he felt pressure to move quickly and wanted to get off to a good start, so he swung too often at pitches outside the zone. After expanding the strike zone too much in the first half, Barreto did a better job of controlling the zone and turning on pitches he can drive. A line-drive hitter with a low-maintenance swing, he has no problem catching up to high velocity. He has above-average bat speed, but his power projection might be limited because of his up-the-middle approach. His swing seems more geared for doubles and triples, though he can ride the ball out if he catches it right. Just 20, Barreto has already begun to thicken through his trunk and legs, and while he’s still a plus runner, he was a burner when he signed. He matured quickly, which accounts for some strength gains, though he retains his quick-twitch ability. At shortstop, Barreto is an average defender. His arm grades as average, with some evaluators expressing concern about the firmness and accuracy of his throws from the left side. At second base, he is an above-average defender, with the shorter throw less of a concern. He also played center field in winter ball in the Venezuelan League in 2015, though he played shortstop and second base in the 2016 Arizona Fall League. His baseball instincts receive high marks. The A’s have the luxury of a shortstop surplus. Major leaguer Marcus Semien is just 25 but has faced defensive challenges; Chad Pinder is a better defender than Barreto; Yairo Munoz is toolsy and fits at third base; and 2015 first-rounder Richie Martin has the best glove of the bunch. While center field remains an option, second base is Barreto’s most likely short-term path to Oakland, with injury-prone incumbent Jed Lowrie entering the final season of his contract in 2017. Wherever Barreto ends up defensively, it’s his bat that will do the heavy lifting. He will begin the 2017 season back at Triple-A, but he probably will make his big league debut at some point during the season. | |
41. Jorge Alfaro, c, Phillies
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 45. Power: 60. Speed: 45. Fielding: 50. Arm: 70. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Dealt to the Phillies at the 2015 trade deadline in the seven-player Cole Hamels deal, Alfaro missed most of the second half in 2015 with a broken left ankle that required surgery. In 2016 he returned showing cleaned-up defense at Double-A Reading before debuting in the majors in September. Alfaro is strong, has plus bat speed and double-plus raw power. He stays through the ball well to use the middle of the field and can drive the ball out to any part of the park. Plate discipline remains a weakness, and a more selective approach will be key to tapping into his raw power more in games. He surprises people with average speed, and his athleticism is evident behind the plate. He has top-of-the-scale arm strength and gets rid of the ball quickly and accurately, resulting in elite pop times. He threw out 44 percent of basestealers in Double-A. Alfaro still has room to improve his blocking and receiving but took major steps forward in those areas in 2016. With Cameron Rupp and Andrew Knapp ahead of him, Alfaro will likely head to Triple-A to start 2017. He has the upside to be an above-average regular behind the plate. | |
42. Corey Ray, of, Brewers
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 55. Speed: 60. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The Brewers selected Ray with the No. 5 overall pick in 2016 and signed him for $4.125 million, the largest bonus in club history. He put his combination of power and speed on display at Louisville with 15 home runs and 44 stolen bases. The Brewers aggressively assigned him to high Class A Brevard County, a brutal hitter’s park, and while he hit just .247 in 57 games, he showed above-average power. He joined low Class A Wisconsin late in the year for its playoff run. Ray has tremendous bat speed and makes hard contact consistently, which is why he hit for both average and power at Louisville. He uses the entire field and has shown improved plate discipline and pitch recognition, though he still chases breaking balls off the plate. He has plus speed and uses it well on the bases, stealing with abandon. Ray played mostly right field in college, but the Brewers believe he has center-field tools and played him there in his pro debut. He has average arm strength and at least solid-average range. Ray ended 2016 on a down note by having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee after tearing his meniscus in instructional league. He should be ready to go in spring training and faces a probable return to high Class A and in-season move to Double-A Biloxi. The Brewers view him as an impact outfielder who could be big league ready at some point in 2018. | |
43. Jason Groome, lhp, Red Sox
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 70. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 45. Control: 50. ETA: 2020. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The Red Sox considered Groome the best high school pitching prospect in the 2016 draft. His imposing frame and repeatable delivery, along with an easy lowto mid-90s fastball and nasty breaking ball, screamed future big league impact. Though Groome seemed like a possible No. 1 overall pick, questions related to both his signability and off-field concerns left him on the board for the Red Sox at No. 12 overall. He signed for $3.65 million at the July 15 deadline. Groome shows unusual polish for a prep pitcher, his delivery generating easy power in a fashion that reminds some of Jon Lester or Andy Pettitte. Without ratcheting up his effort level, he comfortably dials his fastball from 91-95 mph with a hammer curveball that seems likely to overwhelm lower-levels competition. He didn’t need his changeup as an amateur but shows feel for the offering. Feedback about his makeup in his seven-inning pro debut was also universally positive. Groome should open 2017 at low Class A Greenville, and the quality of his stuff suggests he could cruise through the lower levels if he remains healthy and keeps his delivery in order. He shows all the elements of a potential front-of-the-rotation starter. | |
44. Hunter Renfroe, of, Padres
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 45. Power: 70. Speed: 50. Fielding: 60. Arm: 70. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Renfroe was a star prep athlete in small-town Mississippi and was drafted by the Red Sox in the 31st round out of high school in 2010. He instead attended Mississippi State, where he anchored the middle of the Bulldogs’ lineup and led them to the College World Series as junior. He was drafted 13th overall after that season in 2013 by the Padres and signed for $2.678 million. Renfroe’s carrying tool has long been his double-plus raw power, but up until 2016 it was largely to his pull side and came with a 25 percent career strikeout rate. He closed his stance and shortened his stroke in 2016 at Triple-A El Paso and had his best season yet, hitting 10 of his Pacific Coast League-leading 30 home runs the opposite way and cutting his strikeout rate to 20 percent as he rolled to the circuit’s MVP award. He continued to mash after his first big league callup in September with four home runs in 11 games—including a titanic blast onto the roof of the Western Metal Supply Co. building, beyond the left-field wall at Petco Park. He was named the National League Player of the Week for the final week of the regular season. Renfroe’s improved feel to hit and massive power comes with a double-plus arm in right field and the athleticism to hold down the position ably. His aggressiveness swinging in early counts will keep his strikeouts high and his walks low, but the swing adjustments he has made give him a better chance to make conisistent contact and annually reach his 30-homer potential. He will be the Padres’ Opening Day right fielder in 2017 and represents the franchise’s best hope to be its first impactful first-round draft selection since Derrek Lee in 1993. | |
45. Blake Rutherford, of, Yankees
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 60. Speed: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 40. ETA: 2020. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Because he was 19 years old and had a big price tag, Rutherford fell to the Yankees with the No. 18 pick. He had the big price tag because he ranked among the best hitters available in the 2016 draft, with a long track record of success in Southern California high school ranks and with USA Baseball’s 18U national team. The Yankees gladly took him and awarded him a $3,282,000 bonus, which ranks as the second-highest figure they’ve given a draftee. Rutherford spent most of his debut at Rookie-level Pulaski, where he dealt with a hamstring injury that cost him time and eventually ended his season on Aug. 24. Rutherford made plenty of hard contact in his pro debut and projects as a four-tool player. He’s athletic and rangy and center field, but his arm is below-average and could push him to left. He also has the potential for plus power, with some scouts putting future 60 grades (on the 20-80 scouting scale) on both his hitting ability and power. Scouts laud his smooth lefthanded swing and ability to cover the plate. He’s an average runner, but jumps and instincts will help him stay in center as long as possible. After his first pro offseason, Rutherford probably will start 2017 at low Class A Charleston. He’ll continue to get reps in both center and left field. | |
46. Riley Pint, rhp, Rockies
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 80. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 60. Control: 45. ETA: 2020. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Pint was rated the top prep pitching prospect in the 2016 draft and went fourth overall to the Rockies, who signed him for $4.8 million to forgo a Louisiana State commitment. Working to streamline his mechanics, the Rockies limited Pint’s workload at Rookie-level Grand Junction, which led to him never working more than five innings. Athleticism and arm speed give Pint an overpowering fastball that has reached 100 mph and often parks at 97. What makes him special is pairing that with two potential plus offspeed pitches. His breaking pitch, a low-80s power curveball, features natural spin and late break. Once Pint can get a consistent release point, it will be a pitch that can set up his arsenal. His changeup also has plus potential with a lot of action, but he still needs to gain consistency. Command issues are being addressed with subtle adjustments to his delivery. Pint showed his ability to adapt quickly during instructional league, when the Rockies worked to improve his balance and direction to the plate. He fits in well with teammates, keeping a low profile and showing an excellent work ethic. Pint has the type of arm to be a legitimate No. 1 starter, but Colorado will be need to be patient with such a high-risk talent. He will start at low Class A Asheville in 2017. | |
47. Leody Taveras, of, Rangers
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 50. Speed: 60. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60. ETA: 2020. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The Rangers have had one of the most productive international pipelines in baseball over the last decade, with one of the most aggressive contingents of scouts in Latin America. They had their sights set on Taveras from an early age, then officially signed him as a 16-year-old for $2.1 million when he became eligible on July 2, 2015. Taveras is a younger cousin of Willy Taveras, the former outfielder who stood out for his speed and defense during his seven-year major league career, including 2008 when he led the majors with 68 stolen bases. Before Taveras made his official pro debut, the Rangers brought him over from the minor league back fields in 2016 and put him in three spring-training games with the major league club, and he went 1-for-4 with a double. He opened the 2016 season back home in the Dominican Summer League but didn’t spend much time there before the Rangers brought him to the U.S. for the Rookie-level Arizona League. He ranked as the league’s No. 1 prospect, got promoted to the short-season Northwest League in August and also ranked as that league’s No. 1 prospect. Taveras is a smooth, well-rounded player with an exciting blend of tools and skills for his age, and he draws comparisons with a young Carlos Beltran. Lean and athletic, Taveras has a short, simple swing from both sides of the plate. He’s a balanced hitter who uses his hands well in connection with his lower half. He’s a high-contact hitter with good feel for the barrel who unleashes a fluid swing with whippy bat speed and a clean path to the ball. He is adept at hitting fastballs, and while he’s still learning to recognize offspeed pitches, he has solid strike-zone awareness and improved his ability to manage the zone since signing, showing the ability to make adjustments within an at-bat. He uses the whole field with a line-drive approach, showing mostly gap power in games with the ability to drive the ball over the fence occasionally during batting practice. With his bat speed, strong hands and room to fill out his projectable frame, Taveras could eventually grow into average power. He makes the game look easy at the plate and in center field. He’s a plus runner with long, gliding strides. He looks natural and instinctive in center field, where he gets sharp reads and jumps off the bat to give him good range. Even when Taveras does take a false step, he has the speed to compensate and cover plenty of ground. He also has a plus arm with good accuracy. Taveras has yet to reach full-season ball, but he has the highest ceiling and most exciting skill set in the Rangers system, with five tools that could all grade out average to plus. Mature beyond his years, he should open 2017 at low Class A Hickory. Between his ability and the Rangers’ track record of hitting the accelerator with their most talented young international prospects, he could move quickly through the farm system. | |
48. Mike Soroka, rhp, Braves
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 55. Curveball: 55. Chanegup: 50. Control: 60. ETA: 2019. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The Braves loved what they saw in Soroka when he pitched on the Canadian Junior National Team and they took the righthander with the 28th overall pick in the 2015 draft. Efficient due to his advanced feel for pitching, Soroka wound up working more innings (143) than any prep first-rounder in his first full season in at least a decade. He served as No. 1 starter in both rounds of the South Atlantic League playoffs for low Class A Rome. Soroka’s intelligence is readily apparent on the mound and helped him adjust after lefthanded hitters pounded him in his pro debut. He switched sides of the pitching rubber to locate better to his glove side and it worked. He limited lefthanders to a .648 OPS in 2016. Soroka mixes three above-average pitches with aplomb and generates lots of groundouts due to his plus control and ability to pound the lower half of the strike zone. His 90-92 mph fastball has excellent sinking action and touches 95 when he guns for a strikeout. His curveball has tight spin, his changeup has solid movement and he reads hitters’ swings to attack their weakness. Strong with a solid presence on the bump, Soroka is a former hockey player and a solid all-around athlete who fields his position well. Soroka was one of the youngest players in his draft class and among the youngest pitchers in the SAL in 2016. While his next step will be high Class A, he projects as a mid-rotation starter in the big leagues. | |
49. Raimel Tapia, of, Rockies
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 40. Speed: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Signed for $175,000 in 2010, Tapia has hit at each level in his development. After taking it one level at a time in his first three pro seasons, he moved from Double-A Hartford to Triple-A Albuquerque to a September callup in 2016 and never slowed down. He hit .328 in the minors in 2016 and owns a career .317 average. Tapia is an offensive threat and run-creator who plays with confidence and backs it up. Don’t get caught up in the way he crouches in two-strike situations. He does not have that typical rise before he swings in that situation, instead staying low and maintaining the ability to drive the ball into gaps despite the unique approach. It helps him become more focused on the strike zone in those situations. Tapia has the speed and range to play center field—he earns average grades—and his above-average arm will play on an outfield corner. He has realized the importance of defense and has become more focused on his outfield work, such as hitting the cutoff man, during batting practice. Despite his above-average speed, Tapia is an inefficient basestealer. He should force his way to the big leagues to stay in 2017. His athleticism gives the Rockies options with where to play him in the outfield. They would like to see him adjust to center field, where he is working to get better breaks. | |
50. Luke Weaver, rhp, Cardinals
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 60. Changeup: 60. Curveball: 45. Control: 55. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| a href=”https://www.baseballamerica.com/statistics/players/cards/98582/” target=”_blank”>PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| There was a time Weaver used his slight frame as a ruse. He would dial back his warmups so his stuff looked as undersized as he did, but there was no hiding his velocity from live hitters. An ace at Florida State and a member of USA Baseball’s 2013 Collegiate National Team, Weaver signed for $1,843,000. He was sidelined in 2016 by a broken wrist but returned in June, emerged as a Texas League dynamo, and zoomed to majors. The elasticity and athleticism of Weaver’s mechanics allow him excellent pound-for-pound velocity. His fastball sits 92-94 mph and touches 96, which he complements with an an above-average changeup. He is fearless with the pitch, throwing it to either side of the plate. In the minors, Weaver relentlessly worked the edges of the strike zone with his sinker or changeup 80 percent of the time with double-plus control. He wasn’t as aggressive in the majors, groping for a precise pitch instead relying on movement. That made him less economical and prone to damage. Earmarked to be the ace of the Triple-A Memphis staff so he can sharpen his approach, a strong spring will cement Weaver as the Cardinals’ next arm up when a starter is needed. | |
51. David Paulino, rhp, Astros
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 60. Curveball: 60. Slider: 45.Changeup: 55. Control: 55. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| As well as Francis Martes has panned out, Paulino has a better frame and equal stuff. The Astros acquired him from the Tigers for reliever Jose Veras in July 2013. Paulino had Tommy John surgery in 2014 and never has pitched 100 innings in a season. Paulino is 6-foot-7 but unlike many young, long-limbed pitchers he has a knack for duplicating his simple, low-effort delivery. He already has above-average control, and he walked two batters or fewer in each 2016 outing. Paulino’s plus fastball sits 91-96 mph with good downhill plane and adequate run and life, though it sometimes takes a while to build velocity. In some starts he’ll pitch at 90-92 mph early, then touch 98 a couple of innings later. He uses both a plus 78-81 mph curveball with 12-to-6 action and depth and a fringe-average slider. His mid-80s changeup flashes plus as well. Paulino missed time in 2016 both for elbow tendinitis and a minor disciplinary issue. He should contend for a big league role—either starting or relieving—at some point in 2017, and he has frontline potential if he can prove his durability. | |
52. Erick Fedde, rhp, Nationals
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Changeup: 50. Control: 50. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| A 24th-round pick by the Padres coming out of Las Vegas High, Fedde stayed close to home and attended Nevada-Las Vegas. After his sophomore season at college, Fedde had a strong showing with USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team and carried that into his junior year back at school, where he went 8-2, 1.76 with 82 strikeouts in 77 innings. He appeared to be on his way to becoming a top-10 pick in the 2014 draft until he had Tommy John surgery that May. Despite the injury, he didn’t fall far on draft day and the Nationals selected him 18th overall. Fedde made his pro debut a year later and reached Double-A Harrisburg in 2016. As more time has passed since Fedde’s surgery, he has gotten stronger and seen his stuff return. His fastball has reached 97 mph, but he more typically pitches in the low 90s. It plays up because of excellent sinking action, and he pounds the strike zone with it. His low-80s slider is a plus offering and generates swings and misses. He made strides with his changeup in 2016, and it could become an average pitch. Fedde throws a lot of strikes but still has room to refine his command to more consistently locate all his pitches. He is an excellent athlete, helping him to both repeat his delivery and field his position well. Now that he’s fully healthy, Fedde could make quick work of the upper minors. He will return to Harrisburg to start 2017 and is closing in on his big league debut. He has a No. 2 starter ceiling with a high floor based on his wide-ranging ability. | |
53. German Marquez, rhp, Rockies
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 60. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 45. Control: 50. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Signed by the Rays in 2011 out of Venezuela for $225,000, Marquez was the prime player the Rockies received after the 2015 season when they traded Corey Dickerson to Tampa Bay. Marquez repaid the Rockies’ confidence with a breakout 2016. He made the jump from Double-A Hartford to Triple-A Albuquerque to the big leagues in 2016, beating the Cardinals with five quality innings to win his first start. Marquez has plus velocity and it comes effortlessly at a consistent 94-96 mph and touches 98. The ball comes out of his hand with velocity and never fades. Marquez’s solid three-pitch assortment includes a curveball that flashes plus and has good spin. His 2016 focus was to tighten it up, which he did. That allows his curveball to play better at the mile-high altitude of Coors Field. His changeup still needs work but has good velocity differential from his fastball. He has shown an ability to pitch inside and use his changeup even when behind in the count. Most impressively, he reduced his walk rate in 2016 by more than a half walk per nine innings. His command improved with growing confidence in his ability. With his assortment and command, Marquez will challenge Jeff Hoffman to claim the open spot in the big league rotation. He has the stuff to be an upper-tier No. 3 starter. | |
54. Franklin Perez, rhp, Astros
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 60. Curveball: 55. Slider: 45. Changeup: 50. Control: 50. ETA: 2019. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Perez was a big, reasonably athletic third baseman in Carlos Guillen’s program in Venezuela, but it was his throwing arm that stood out more than his power, so he wisely moved to the mound and signed for $1 million. He was one of the younger players in the low Class A Midwest League in 2016. The Astros saw Perez as one of the best arms in the 2014 international class (which included Anderson Espinoza), and so far he’s lived up to those expectations. Perez’s present size and stuff give him an excellent chance to develop as a starter. He pitched at 87-91 mph when he signed, but he’s now sitting 92-94 and touching 96 with a plus fastball, and he does it with little effort. Perez’s high-70s curveball has good shape and bite, and his changeup has fade and late sink along with good deception. He also toys with a low-80s slider that has potential as a right-on-right weapon. His control is advanced for his age, and 66 percent of his pitches he threw in Quad Cities were strikes. With a strong 2017, Perez could leap into the top tier of pitching prospects. With his feel and control he’s ready to pitch in high Class A as a 19-year-old. He has a chance to have three plus pitches with at least average control, and he has the frame and ease of delivery that indicates he could be durable. | |
55. Kevin Newman, ss, Pirates
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 40. Speed: 55. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Newman went from going undrafted following his senior year of high school in Poway, Calif., to being the 19th overall pick after three seasons at Arizona. He became the first player to win back-to-back batting titles in the Cape Cod League and followed by hitting .370 during his junior year before being drafted. He shook off a broken orbital bone in May 2016 to finish at Double-A. Newman has an advanced feel for hitting and all the earmarks of a prototype No. 2 hitter, with an ability to work counts, take walks and make consistent contact. He could add more power to his game, but it’s unlikely Newman would ever hit more than 12-15 home runs a season. Regardless, he is a plus hitter who won’t need substantial power to supply offensive value. He also has above-average speed and good instincts on the bases, which he could eventually turn into stolen bases. Newman’s range and arm grade as merely average to slightly above-average at shortstop, but he is able to make plays in the hole and rarely misses the routine ones. Newman likely will split the 2017 season between Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis, putting him in line to make his major league debut in 2018. He is the heir apparent to shortstop Jordy Mercer, who becomes a free agent after the 2018 season. | |
56. Zack Collins, c, White Sox
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 60. Speed: 30. Fielding: 45. Arm: 50. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Collins claimed the BA college Freshman of the Year award at Miami in 2014 after batting .298 with 11 home runs in a down year for offense in college baseball. In his draft year he batted .363/.544/.668 and drew 78 walks, the most of any Division I player since 2011. He focused on improving as a receiver as his junior year approached, encouraging the White Sox enough to make him the 10th overall pick in 2016. While Collins’ calling card will always be his offense, his defensive progress was exceptional his junior year, and he particularly impressed evaluators with his soft hands and framing technique. His footwork is what holds him back from being an average defender. Collins has a thick, muscle-filled lower half and isn’t nimble. Regardless of what kind of defensive player he ends up being, his offense will play. He has a rare combination of strength and bat speed, giving him plus power. In his pro debut, he showed the ability to drive the ball out to left-center field or turn on mistake pitches on the inner half. Collins has a patient approach at the plate, with elite strike-zone awareness and an uncanny idea of which pitches he can do damage with. He will look to continue refining his defense as he progresses to the upper minors. He likely will advance to Double-A Birmingham in 2017, and could be on the fast track to Chicago as the club’s answer at catcher. | |
57. Chance Sisco, c, Orioles
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 45. Speed: 30. Fielding: 50. Arm: 45. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Sisco didn’t become a catcher until his senior year in high school, and the Orioles liked his combination of athletic ability, hitting tools and defensive potential to select him 61st overall in 2013. Since signing for $785,000, Sisco just keeps trending up. The 21-year-old always has shown a solid bat, with a career .402 on-base percentage as a pro, but his defense made strides last year. Sisco led the Double-A Eastern League in on-base percentage (.406), ranked fourth in batting (.320) and homered in the Futures Game during a breakout 2016 season. In September, he earned his first promotion to Triple-A Norfolk, where he hit a grand slam in his first game. Sisco’s hit tool is strong, and he has a long track record of success. That success has afforded him the confidence—if not arrogance—required of big league hitters. It starts with excellent hand-eye coordination and a natural feel for hitting that allows him to make consistent hard contact. He has a controlled, line-drive, all-fields approach and solid plate discipline. Showing a solid eye at the plate, he drew a career-best 61 walks. Sisco lets the ball travel deep and improved his ability to pull the ball this year. Pitchers used to try to pound him inside with fastballs, but he has started to adjust, getting his hands to the hitting zone quicker than in the past. He added some strength and showed an increased ability to backspin the ball. His opposite-field home run at the Futures Game in San Diego’s cavernous Petco Park hints at his power potential, and he has average raw power. Sisco has shown smarts on the bases but is a well below-average runner. That makes his career .323 average even better because he doesn’t get many infield hits. Sisco’s defense took steps forward in 2016. It started in big league spring training—he received his first invitation—where he worked with big leaguers Matt Wieters and Caleb Joseph. Pitchers who threw to him at Double-A Bowie said his pitch calling and game management took nice strides. His pop times on throws to second base remain around 2.0 seconds, which is average, but he was over that more often than under it. His arm strength grades a tick below-average, and he needs to continue to improve his footwork and transfer to help him throw out runners. He caught 24 percent of base stealers in 136 attempts this year. Sisco’s blocking and receiving skills also improved as did his ability to frame pitches. He had just four passed balls in 87 games. When Sisco first got to Double-A in 2015 and began working with older pitchers, he learned from them and grew because of it. It even helped him at the plate because he could understand better how pitchers approach getting hitters out. Sisco could reach the majors in 2017, but given his youth and lack of Triple-A experience, he probably will not make the Opening Day roster. That holds true even if Wieters leaves via free agency. Sisco should be Wieters’ eventual successor, however, and at least a partial season at Norfolk would benefit him. | |
58. Alex Verdugo, of, Dodgers
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 55. Power: 55. Speed: 45. Fielding: 50. Arm: 70. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Other teams preferred Verdugo as a pitcher when he was a two-way player in high school, but the Dodgers’ belief in his hitting ability has proven justified. Verdugo was pushed aggressively to Double-A in 2016, and he responded with a solid season as one of the youngest players in the Texas League. Verdugo has good rhythm and body control in the box, with some unorthodox elements to his swing but good plate coverage thanks to superb hand-eye coordination. He sets up with his hands close to his body and stays inside the ball well, shooting line drives to all fields. Verdugo recognizes offspeed pitches well and doesn’t chase much. He has a strong build and good bat speed, though his swing lacks leverage for big power, and he projects to hit 15-20 home runs. Verdugo’s fringe-average speed isn’t ideal for center field, which is part of why his defense draws mixed reviews. There’s universal praise for Verudgo’s arm, which earns plus-plus grades for its strength and accuracy. Some scouts are concerned with his inconsistent motor, a complaint dating back to his prep days. With similarities to Melky Cabrera, Verdugo could develop into a solid-average regular. His next stop is Triple-A Oklahoma City with a chance to get to the big leagues after the all-star break. | |
59. Anthony Alford, of, Blue Jays
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 50. Speed: 60. Fielding: 55. Arm: 40. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| A two-sport prep star in Mississippi, Alford signed for $750,000 on a contract that allowed him to play college football, first at Southern Mississippi as a quarterback, then at Mississippi as a defensive back. He had 94 pro at-bats in three seasons before giving up football and breaking out in 2015, but injuries slowed him in 2016. He wrenched his right knee on Opening Day, then suffered a concussion in an outfield collision in mid-June. Alford struggled immediately after both injuries. Back to full strength in July and August, he showed the same tools and similar production he had in 2015, with a power-speed combination buoyed by good plate discipline. He lost a step with his knee injury (he was forced to wear a bulky brace), making him merely a plus runner instead of a true burner, and scouts want to see if he gets it back this offseason. He still has athleticism, strength in his swing and improving power as he’s tamed his swing a bit, giving him better bat control. Alford could still add polish in center field but has plenty of range that helps make up for a below-average arm. The Blue Jays were pleased with Alford’s big finish and maturity handling his injuries. He is ready for Double-A in 2017 and could push for a regular role in 2018. | |
60. Nick Gordon, ss, Twins
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 50. Power: 45. Speed: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 60. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The son of righthander Tom Gordon—who pitched parts of 21 seasons in the big leagues—and the younger half-brother of Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon, Nick benefits from significant major league bloodlines. The Twins drafted him fifth overall in 2014 and signed him for $3.581 million, making Gordon the first high school position player selected that year. The top prep shortstop in his class, Gordon could’ve also followed in his father’s footsteps. He showed a low-90s fastball and flashes of a curveball—Tom’s signature pitch—in the summer showcase circuit. Instead, the Twins have groomed Gordon as a shortstop, and he continues to learn the nuances of the position. Gordon built on a solid 2015 season at low Class A Cedar Rapids, during which he batted .277/.336/.360, with a near identical offensive stat line at high Class A Fort Myers in 2016. However, Gordon recorded just a .530 OPS against lefthanders and made 24 errors at shortstop—two areas he’ll look to improve as he moves up the ladder in the Twins organization. Gordon finished 2016 on a strong note with Surprise of the Arizona Fall League, where he made the circuit’s all-star team. Unlike his half-brother Dee, Nick doesn’t boast off-the-charts speed or athleticism; he’s average in both categories. As such, some scouts outside of the organization view him as more of a second baseman. The Twins believe he has the aptitude, instincts and short-area quickness to stick at short, but he’ll need to continue to put in the time to learn hitters, properly position himself and refine his footwork. His success at shortstop will depend on his preparation. By most accounts, he has a strong work ethic. Gordon’s plus arm strength is his greatest asset, though he did have throwing issues at times in 2016, contributing to his error total, which ranked fourth among Florida State League shortstops. Offensively, Gordon shows strength and bat speed in his lefthanded, line-drive swing as well as an ability to hit to all fields. His power is geared for the gaps at present, but he should put more balls over the fence as he develops physically. With good hand-eye coordination and barrel awareness, Gordon is generally a disciplined hitter, but he also gives away at-bats on occasion, and the Twins want him to take care of his plate appearances with a little more focus and concentration. His issues against lefthanded pitchers in 2016 are worth watching, though he’s shown better splits in the past and he could improve against lefties with repetition. Gordon’s game is predicated more on fundamentals than flash, and he’ll need to continue to refine those fundamentals for him to stick at shortstop. Gordon’s instincts and feel for the game are ahead of many players his age—thanks in part to his big league genetics—and that aptitude helps him play above his raw tools. The Twins have had 10 different starters on Opening Day at shortstop since 2005, and they will start Gordon at Double-A Chattanooga in 2017 with the hopes he’ll end their revolving door at shortstop soon. | |
61. Matt Manning, rhp, Tigers
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 70. Curveball: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 50. ETA: 2020. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| For the No. 9 overall pick in the 2016 draft, Manning is still relatively green when it comes to baseball. He was a two-sport star at Sheldon High in Sacramento and has basketball in his blood. His father Rich spent parts of two seasons in the NBA and his brother Ryan plays collegiately with Air Force. Matt averaged 19.4 points during his senior season and was committed to play two sports at Loyola Marymount. The Tigers, however, swayed him from that commitment by handing him a bonus of $3,505,800. That number ranks as the fourth-highest in franchise history behind Jacob Turner, Rick Porcello and Andrew Miller. He was hit a little bit in his first taste of pro ball, but also ranked second in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League with 14.1 strikeouts per nine innings; 46 of his 88 outs came via strikeouts. He ranked as the circuit’s No. 2 prospect, behind only Mickey Moniak, whom the Phillies chose as the No. 1 overall pick. As a basketball standout, Manning comes equipped with long levers and an athletic frame. Those traits help him on the mound, too, where he shows more coordination in his delivery than other pitchers with long arms and legs. His delivery can get a touch across his body at times, but he also creates deception and gets enough extension to the point that one evaluator said it looked like the 6-foot-6 righthander was shaking hands with his catcher. And although the Tigers believe Manning has plenty of projection left in his frame, there are evaluators outside the organization who think his body is nearly maxed out in its present state. Manning’s fastball sat at 96-97 mph during the summer but was clocked at 93-94 with hints of the upper 90s and life through the zone during instructional league. He’s backs up his fastball with a spike curveball and a changeup that both have potential but also need refinement. Tigers coaches have seen rotation and sharpness from Manning’s breaking ball as well as the ability to land it in the zone or bury it for a chase pitch. He will cast his curveball at times and needs to develop overall consistency with it. He had his changeup in high school but, as is the case with a lot of big-time high school arms, didn’t need to use it very often because his fastball and curveball were enough to overpower prep hitters. He throws his changeup with the same arm speed and slot as his fastball, but it can get too firm at times and lose effectiveness. The Tigers believe that once Manning learns to harness his changeup and impart consistent separation from his fastball, it has the potential to be an average to above-average pitch, and Tigers coaches were pleased with its progress toward the end of the instructional league. Team officials also have spoken highly about how teachable Manning is and how well he takes to coaching. Like 2015 first-rounder Beau Burrows, another high-end prep righthander, Manning probably will begin his first full season at low Class A West Michigan. With the Whitecaps, Manning will continue to gain innings and work on overall refinement. He has a ceiling of a No. 2 starter. | |
62. Bradley Zimmer, of, Indians
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 45. Power: 55. Speed: 55. Fielding: 60. Arm: 55. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Two years after the Royals drafted his older brother Kyle fifth overall, Zimmer became the second first-round pick in the family when the Indians selected him 21st overall. It marked the third straight year the Indians used their top pick on a center fielder. Zimmer had a breakout 2015, as he started in the Futures Game, advanced to Double-A Akron and earned a spot on the BA Minor League All-Star team. While his 2016 wasn’t quite on the same level, he reached Triple-A Columbus in late July. Zimmer has the potential to be a five-tool player and is capable of affecting the game in many ways. He has a smooth lefthanded swing and a patient approach at the plate. His strikeout rate spiked in 2016, when he whiffed 30.7 percent of the time, up from 23.8 percent in 2015. At the same time, however, his walk rate also increased, albeit not as dramatically. Zimmer’s swing has natural loft to it, and his strength and bat speed give him above-average power. He also has above-average speed, which is further enhanced by his keen instincts on the basepaths and in the outfield. His power-speed combination gives him a chance to be a 20-20 player, while also providing plus defense in the outfield. He has primarily played center field, where his ability to track down balls and above-average arm strength profiles well. The Indians’ outfield situation is muddled beyond Michael Brantley, leaving the door open for Zimmer to take over a starting spot sometime during 2017. He appears destined for Columbus, however. | |
63. Ian Happ, 2b/of, Cubs
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 55. Power: 55. Speed: 55. Fielding: 45. Arm: 50. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Happ prepped at Pittsburgh’s Mt. Lebanon High, which also produced big leaguers Don Kelly and Josh Wilson. His college career at Cincinnati featured a star turn in the Cape Cod League in 2014 and he won the American Athletic Conference player of the year award in 2015. He signed for $3 million as the ninth overall pick in 2015 and finished his first full season in Double-A. He ended his 2016 with a 4-for-4, two-homer day—one from each side of the plate—in the Arizona Fall League championship game. Happ combines power and speed offensively. He’s an above-average runner and solid basestealer who draws walks and could fit at the top of a lineup. He has present strength and plus bat speed with above-average power from both sides of the plate that plays more with line drives to the gaps for now. Happ goes deep in counts, but doesn’t shorten up with two strikes and has a track record of striking out a lot. The Cubs gave him plenty of reps at second base, where scouts see stiff actions, rigid hands and below-average overall defense. His solid-average arm plays in all three outfield spots, which he also played in 2016. Happ hasn’t mastered a position yet, mostly because he’s not truly average at one. His versatility could help him break into a Cubs roster brimming with young regulars. He should hit enough to earn an everyday lineup spot eventually, just as similarly defensive-challenged players Matt Carpenter and Daniel Murphy did before him. | |
64. Albert Almora, of, Cubs
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 55. Power: 45. Speed: 40. Fielding: 70. Arm: 60. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The sixth overall pick in the 2012 draft, Almora has starred for numerous U.S. national teams as an amateur and professional. He had his best pro season in 2016 when he stayed healthy, playing a career-high 127 games, and he earned his first big league callup in June. Almora made the Cubs postseason roster and, while he went 0-for-10 at the plate, he scored the go-ahead run in Game Seven of the World Series, pinch-running for Kyle Schwarber and alertly tagging up from first base on a Kris Bryant fly ball deep to center field. Scouts long have loved Almora’s baseball instincts, evident on the tag-up play, and his defense. While he is a below-average runner out of the batter’s box, he is a smart baserunner and has exceptional range in center field thanks to his ability to read hitters’ swings, position himself and get tremendous jumps. He’s a potential Gold Glove winner in center and has a plus arm that plays in any spot. Almora had his best offensive season in 2016 because he used the whole field and got away from his pull-oriented approach. His over-aggressiveness at the plate tends to short-circuit his solid-average power and may limit his offensive ceiling. With Dexter Fowler leaving Chicago, center field is up for grabs. Almora figures to contend with free agent import Jon Jay and holdover Jason Heyward for the everyday job in 2017, but should at least earn at-bats as a fourth outfielder. | |
65. Carson Kelly, c, Cardinals
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 40. Power: 50. Speed: 20. Fielding: 70. Arm: 60. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| When Cardinals manager Mike Matheny, a former Gold Glove winner, authored the chapter on catching in ‘The Cardinal Way’ handbook, he listed traits any good receiver must have. Kelly memorized and tried to mimic all of them. A third baseman when the Cardinals drafted him Kelly has morphed into a Cardinals catcher straight out of central casting. He reached the majors in September and doubled off Antonio Bastardo in his first at-bat. After two seasons consumed by learning to catch, the Cardinals felt Kelly’s promotion to Double-A Springfield was a chance to reveal he could hit. He took advantage. Kelly generates reasonable power with his strength and pendulum swing. He’s been more selective at each level and the gap between his bat and his glove shrank. Kelly has made himself into a double-plus backstop with smooth framing, quick transitions, a strong arm and nimbleness. He is ready to be Yadier Molina’s backup if needed in 2017, but the Cardinals would prefer he start every day at Memphis instead of rusting on their bench. | |
66. Ian Anderson, rhp, Braves
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 60. Curveball: 55. Changeup: 60. Control: 55. ETA: 2020. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Anderson attracted attention in the Metropolitan Baseball Classic prior to his junior year and took off when he pitched against fellow New York state prep and 2015 first-round pick Garrett Whitley the following spring. Despite battling pneumonia and a minor injury during his senior year, Anderson ranked high on the Braves’ 2016 draft board, and Atlanta drafted the lanky, projectable righthander third overall and signed him for a below-slot $4 million. He possesses the classic combination of current ability with the potential to become even better with experience and physical development. A cerebral pitcher who was a Vanderbilt commit, he has impressed with his calm, mature approach and ability to dissect the strike zone with his impressive command and ability to work both sides of the plate. He throws all three of his pitches from the same release point, which makes them difficult for hitters to decipher. His fastball sits 92-94 mph and has touched 97. He also throws a late-breaking curveball, with above-average potential and 10-to-4 shape at 79-81 mph and a plus changeup in the mid-80s. After spending his pro debut at Atlanta’s two Rookie-level affiliates, Anderson will open 2017 at low Class A Rome. From there he has the ability to move quickly as he develops into a mid-rotation starter at the big league level. | |
67. Ron Acuna, of, Braves
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 55. Power: 50. Speed: 60. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50. ETA: 2019. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The Braves have been aggressive in challenging Acuna since he signed for a modest $100,000 in 2014. He performed well in his U.S. debut after bypassing the Dominican Summer League in 2015 and proceeded to get off to a fast start at low Class A Rome in 2016 before a broken thumb sidelined him from mid-May to midAugust. Despite the injury, Acuna displayed his electric tools in all phases of the game. He uses his plus speed to cover center field from gap to gap and has the arm strength to play any position in the garden. He reads balls well, takes good angles and shows impressive anticipation along with excellent first-step quickness. Acuna is aggressive at the plate but has above-average discipline for a teenager. While his body is still developing, he has plus raw power and barrels pitches consistently with his above-average bat speed. Those traits should allow him to hit for average at higher levels. He needs work on stealing bases more consistently but has the speed to make an impact on the basepaths. His shortened season at Rome notwithstanding, Acuna should open the 2017 campaign at high Class A Florida after making up for lost time in the winter Australian Baseball League. Though risky, Acuna has as high a ceiling as any Braves position player. | |
68. Triston McKenzie, rhp, Indians
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 60. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 50. Control: 50. ETA: 2019. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The 2015 draft was a strong one for Florida prep pitchers and McKenzie presented scouts with a difficult assignment that spring. He had an excellent amateur track record and impressive present stuff, but he was listed at a rail-thin 6-foot-5, 165 pounds. While some questioned how much weight his frame will ever carry, the Indians drafted McKenzie 42nd overall and signed him for $2,302,500, the second largest bonus for a player drafted after the first round that year. He rewarded them in 2016 by excelling at short-season Mahoning Valley and then low Class A Lake County. McKenzie stands out as much for his pitchability as for his stuff. He earns praise for his makeup and understanding of his craft. That, along with his control, play up even more. His fastball can get up to 95 mph, but he more typically works in the strength would help him maintain his velocity deeper into games. He uses his height to his advantage and pitches down in the zone. He gets good depth on his curveball, which is a swing-and-miss offering. His changeup lags behind his other two pitches but has the potential to be an above-average offering as he gets more comfortable throwing it Improving his changeup and getting stronger so that he can maintain his velocity deeper into games are his two biggest tasks going forward. McKenzie’s combination of upside and advanced pitchability has many excited about his future. He could likely handle starting the 2017 season at high Class A Lynchburg, but he’ll pitch nearly the entire season at age 19, giving the Indians time to can bring him along more slowly with an assignment to Lake County. | |
69. Cody Reed, lhp, Reds
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Changeup: 45. Control: 50. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| One of three lefthanders the Reds acquired in the 2015 deadline deal that sent Johnny Cueto to the Royals, Reed dominated at Double-A Pensacola in 2015 and impressed at Triple-A Louisville in 2016. That did success did not continue in Cincinnati following his mid-June callup. Reed went 0-7, 7.36 in 10 starts and allowed 67 hits—including 12 home runs—in 48 innings. Reed’s big league debut featured many lowlights but also several encouraging signs. He lived in the bottom of the strike zone with a 93-96 mph fastball and a hard 87-89 mph slider that starts on the outer half of the plate and finishes on the hands of righthanded batters. His low three-quarters arm slot gives lefthanded batters a tough look. However, Reed’s fastball steadily backed up in the big leagues, in part because he was trying to guide the ball into the strike zone. His slider became less biting and more sweeping. Falling behind in counts, his fringe-average 85-87 mph changeup was effective as a groundball inducer that carries an element of surprise because he throws it so infrequently. Reed’s control played as fringe-average in the majors, but his command is a bigger concern after he tended to catch too much of the plate in his debut. Reed still could develop into a frontline starter because he has two potentially plus or better pitches. He will compete for a Reds rotation spot in 2017. | |
70. Jake Bauers, of/1b, Rays
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 50. Speed: 50. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Bauers excelled as a Southern California prep hitter in 2013, coming out of the same Marina High program that produced Daric Barton. The Padres drafted Bauers then challenged him with an assignment to the low Class A Midwest League in 2014. He held his own and was one of the headline prospects of the three-team trade that sent Wil Myers to San Diego. Bauers’ plus lefthanded bat is his best asset. He has loose wrists, a knack for making hard contact and he consistently takes competitive at-bats. Bauers has plus bat control and has posted low strikeout rates throughout his career. Despite his routine hard contact, he has yet to show plus over-the-fence power in games. He has a stout, compact build with shorter levers, and his bat path is geared more for line drives. He has plus raw power that must play plus to fit his corner profile. Bauers is an excellent defensive first baseman, but he played right field while he and Casey Gillaspie were teammates in 2016. His sound baseball instincts and solid-average speed play well in the outfield corners. Bauers proved himself as a 20-year-old at Double-A Montgomery, and he should advance to Triple-A Durham in 2017. He will challenge for an everyday corner-outfield spot in Tampa Bay by 2017. | |
71. Dominic Smith, 1b, Mets
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 55. Speed: 40. Fielding: 60. Arm: 55. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The 11th overall pick in the 2013 draft, Smith hit only one home run in his fullseason debut at low Class A Savannah in 2014. He corrected course in 2015 with a Florida State League MVP season at high Class A St. Lucie and then in 2016 with a seamless transition to Double-A Binghamton, where he ranked third in the Eastern League in both hits (146) and RBIs (91). Smith strongly resembles the player he was on draft day in that he is a natural hitter—the best in the system—with strong defensive ability at first base. He hit .300 for a second straight season in 2016 while establishing career-best marks for strikeout rate (13.6 percent), home runs (14) and isolated slugging percentage (.156). Smith hit all but four of his homers in the first half, but his average surged to .345 in the second after he adjusted his swing to keep his front hip closed, his bat path direct and his hands down through the ball. He began to drive the ball consistently in 2016 and shows solid-average power to go with a plus hit tool. He is listed at 250 pounds and doesn’t run well, but is nimble around first base with a quick first step and sure hands to save his infielders errors. His lack of hustle and sloppy physique turn off some evaluators. Smith will head to Triple-A Las Vegas in 2017, and by the time he is big league ready will have no one blocking his path in New York. | |
72. A.J. Reed, 1b, Astros
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 55. Power: 60. Speed: 30. Fielding: 50. Arm: 60. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| One of the best hitters in the minors in 2015 and the BA College Player of the Year in 2014, Reed produced at Triple-A Fresno in 2016, hitting .291/.368/.556 in 70 games. But in 45 games with the big league club, he looked helpless against good breaking balls, showing very little of his trademark power. Reed failed in 2016 for the first time in years. He still showed patience and plus power in the Pacific Coast League, but with Houston he was too pull-happy and must prove he can lay off sliders out of the strike zone. Reed has adequate but not exceptional bat speed, so he has to show he can make adjustments to translate his exceptional minor league performance to the big leagues. For a second straight season, he reported to camp about 20-30 pounds beyond his ideal weight, which did not help his bat speed or his nimbleness at first base. Reed scoops balls well at first and, as a former pitcher, has a plus arm. Slow-footed, slugging first basemen face plenty of skepticism until they hit at the big league level. Because they are aiming to win, the Astros aren’t in a position to give Reed an extended trial, so he’ll have to fight for an opportunity. His ceiling is still that of a plus hitter with plus power, but he now faces healthy skepticism in the industry. | |
73. Lourdes Gurriel, 3b/of, Blue Jays
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 55. Power: 55. Speed: 55. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Gurriel’s father, with the same name, starred for Cuban national teams (winning Olympic gold in 1992) for more than a decade, as did his older brother Yulieski. The brothers came to the U.S. in early 2016, with Yulieski signing with the Astros for a $47.5 million major league deal. Lourdes waited to sign until he turned 23 in October to get out from under the international bonus pools and signed a seven-year, $22 million contract with the Blue Jays in November. Scouts often have compared Gurriel to his father and brother, but he’s a prospect on his own, with a lean, athletic frame. He has a fairly polished offensive approach, knows the strike zone and has the bat speed to catch up to good fastballs, even though his swing has some length. It also features some loft and leverage, giving him above-average power potential. Gurriel has run better in recent years, rating from average to above-average. He played shortstop, third base and left field in Cuba and profiles best at third or in left field. He has a solid-average arm. The Blue Jays are fairly set on the left side of the infield with Troy Tulowitzki and Josh Donaldson, so the outfield looks like Gurriel’s best path to helping Toronto in the short term. He’s expected to open his pro career at Double-A New Hampshire, likely giving third base a try before a move to the outfield. | |
74. Casey Gillaspie, 1b, Rays
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 45. Power: 60. Speed: 30. Fielding: 50. Arm: 40. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The younger brother of Giants third baseman Conor Gillaspie, Casey batted .389 as a Wichita State junior in 2014 while hitting 15 home runs. The Rays selected him 20th overall and signed him for a tick more than $2 million. A midseason hand injury interrupted his first full season, and he struggled after returning. Fully healthy in 2016, Gillaspie hit 18 home runs and drew 80 walks in a season split between Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham. Gillaspie has a chance to impact the game offensively, with a blend of power and plate discipline as a switchhitter with plus power potential. Gillaspie lacks elite bat speed from either side, but he is exceptionally strong and recognizes pitches that he’s able to drive. In spite of his average bat speed, Gillaspie has shown the ability to turn on upper-90s fastballs. Offensively, he projects to have a high onbase and slugging percentages. While he’s a modest athlete, Gillaspie has sound footwork at first base and creates a big target for infielders. He is an inferior runner. The Rays see Gillasie as a long-term solution at first base, with the ability hit in the middle of the lineup. He will have to hit his way out of Durham first. | |
75. Sean Reid-Foley, rhp, Blue Jays
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Curveball: 55. Changeup: 45. Control: 45. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Reid-Foley is close to becoming the second big leaguer ever born in Guam. He would join John Hattig, who got 24 at-bats in 2006 for Toronto. Reid-Foley’s older brother David, a converted catcher, pitched in the Dodgers system and taught his younger brother a curveball last offseason, helping him have a breakout 2016 season. The only flaw was an elbow flare-up in August that prompted the Jays to shut him down. The Jays knew Reid-Foley had power stuff, which he maintained and improved in 2016 with the strides he made with his upper-70s curveball, which now rivals his slider as his best secondary pitch. At times both play as plus, though his mid-80s slider was less consistent than it had been in the past. Sent back to low Class A to start the season, Reid-Foley streamlined his leg kick in his delivery, which improved his direction to the plate, resulting in more command of his 92-94 mph fastball that touches 97. He threw harder in 2015 but has better command now while retaining good angle to the plate and solid life. His changeup, his fourth pitch, shows average potential if he can commit to it. Reid-Foley and Conner Greene should front the rotation at Double-A New Hampshire at some point in 2017. Greene’s stuff is more electric, but Reid-Foley’s strides in commanding his plus stuff gives him the edge as a potential future No. 2 starter. | |
76. Braxton Garrett, lhp, Marlins
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 55. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 55. Control: 55. ETA: 2020. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| For the second time in three years, the Marlins drafted a high school pitcher with their first-round pick. But unlike burly righthanded Texan Tyler Kolek—the No. 2 overall pick in 2014—the Alabama prep lefthander does not light up radar guns. His fastball sits in the low 90s compared with the high 90s where Kolek resides. Garrett has big-game experience, having helped USA Baseball’s 18U team win the gold medal at the 2015 World Cup—which he called his favorite baseball experience—and then throwing a four-hit shutout at USA Baseball’s National High School Invitational in March 2016. At No. 7 overall, Garrett was the highestdrafted Alabama prep player since shortstop Condredge Holloway of Lee High in Huntsville went fourth overall to the Expos in 1971 He was the highest-drafted Alabama prep pitcher since righty Rick James, drafted sixth overall in the first draft in 1965. Garrett, a Vanderbilt commit with a 3.8 grade-point average, was considered a tough sign and cost the Marlins $4,145,900, well above the $3,756,300 slot value. Garrett’s pitch best is his 11-to-5 curveball, which has earned future plus grades for its tight spin and break. He also commands the pitch well by throwing it for strikes and as a chase pitch. He had just 15 walks in 65.1 innings with a 0.53 ERA and 131 strikeouts as a senior at Florence (Ala.) High, which earned him Gatorade player-of-theyear honors for the state of Alabama. Garrett’s father Steve, who coached him in high school, taught him his curveball at age 13. Scouts said his curve was one of the best in the 2016 draft—just behind New Jersey prep lefthander Jason Groome, a Red Sox first-round pick—and rated him as having the best control of any pitcher in the class. Garrett’s fastball sits 91-93 mph with late life. At 6-foot-3, he has the frame to add good weight, which could enable him to add velocity. He has worked the most on improving the arm speed on his changeup, and it shows some fade. He has a balanced, easy delivery that he repeats extremely well, allowing him to fill the zone with quality strikes. Garrett has worked with Marlins coaches on developing a between-starts routine for the more demanding pro throwing schedule. Garrett did not sign until the signing deadline on July 15. His late signing, combined with the Marlins’ cautious approach, prevented the 19-yearold from taking a mound as a pro until instructional league, when he had three abbreviated outings. The Marlins say Garrett was not injured. Rather they were being cautious after his spring workload. He did travel with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League team. Evaluators believe Garrett could have three above-average pitches to go with at above-average command. Given his pitchability and age (he was old for the draft class), the Marlins could skip Garrett to full-season ball in 2017. | |
77. Kevin Maitan, ss, Braves
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 60. Power: 60. Speed: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 60. ETA: 2021. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Maitan began to attract the attention of scouts in Venezuela at age 13. Over the next three years, the power-hitting shortstop emerged as the top international prospect and was considered the best foreign amateur to hit the market since Miguel Sano in 2009. Maneuvering their way to make a big splash on the international market in 2016, the Braves made Maitan their primary target and signed him for $4.25 million. He draws comparisons with Chipper Jones for his ability to hit for power and average from both sides of the plate. He gets more loft from the right side but shows an advanced feel for the strike zone and excellent discipline. Like Jones, Maitan is a physical player with solid athleticism and high baseball intelligence. Given his current size, he may move to third base as his body matures, though his easy actions and footwork and strong arm suggest he could remain up the middle. Either way the Braves envision a middle-of-the-lineup hitter thanks his plus raw power. Were Maitan an American player eligible for the draft, he would have been in the 2018 class. He’s advanced enough to open his pro career at one of the Braves’ Rookie-level affiliates. | |
78. Sean Newcomb, lhp, Braves
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 60. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 50. Control: 40. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The 15th overall pick in the 2014 draft, Newcomb was the centerpiece of the deal that sent Andrelton Simmons to the Angels after the 2015 campaign. A twosport standout in high school prior to pitching at Hartford, he appeared in the Futures Game during his lone season with the Angels before leading the Double-A Southern League with 152 strikeouts and ranking second with a .224 opponent average in 2016. Newcomb is a power pitcher who improved the consistency of his delivery over the course of the 2016 season. His fastball ranges from 90-95 mph but sits at 92-93 and tends to jump out of his hand due to his ability to hide the ball until he releases it. He records many of his strikeouts with a hard, tight curveball that possesses plus spin and sits at 77-78 mph. Newcomb’s mid-80s changeup is at least a solid-average offering but lacks late movement. He tends to lose his rhythm and focus on occasion, helping produce his below-average control, and he needs to get more aggressive with his pitch selection when he’s ahead in the count. Newcomb has the broad-shouldered frame and strength to be a workhorse in a big league rotation—if he throws enough strikes. He is ready for Triple-A Gwinnett in 2017 and should make his major league debut at some point during the season. | |
79. Luis Ortiz, rhp, Brer
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 50. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Ortiz dealt with a forearm injury as a high school senior that forced him down the board to the Rangers at No. 30 overall in the 2014 draft. Texas dealt him along with 2012 first-rounder Lewis Brinson to the Brewers in the Jonathan Lucroy deal at the 2016 trade deadline. Milwaukee assigned Ortiz to Double-A Biloxi, where he recorded a 1.93 ERA in six starts while working on strict pitch counts. With a large, physical frame, Ortiz maintains his mid-90s velocity throughout his outings and also throws an above-average low-80s slider that has tight, late break. He has tried to incorporate his changeup more often, and it is an improving pitch with average potential. Using a smooth, three-quarters delivery that he repeats consistently, Ortiz pounds the bottom of the strike zone and has at least average control. He has shown a feel for working both sides of the plate and keeps the ball in the park. Durability is the obvious concern because of his history of health issues, including a strained flexor muscle that cost him two months in 2015 and a strained groin in 2016 that cost him a couple starts. Ortiz has the stuff and touch to be mid-rotation starter, but he has to commit more to conditioning and stay off the disabled list. He still is young and already has pitched at Double-A, and he could reach Milwaukee later in 2017 with a big year. | |
80. Sixto Sanchez, rhp, Phillies
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 70. Curveball: 55. Slider: 45. Changeup: 55. Control: 50. ETA: 2020. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Phillies special assistant Bart Braun was at a workout in the Dominican Republic to scout a Cuban catcher. The player who caught his eye was Sanchez, the 16-yearold pitcher throwing to him, so the Phillies moved quickly to sign him for $35,000. When Sanchez jumped to U.S. in 2016, his stuff and stock soared as he overmatched hitters while leading the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League with a 0.50 ERA. He finished off his season with seven scoreless innings in the GCL playoffs. Prior to signing with the Phillies, Sanchez worked out for teams as an infielder, but he shows polish on the mound with an easy delivery. His explosive fastball sits at 92-96 mph and can reach 99 with good movement—a combination of sink and armside run that helps him generate weak contact. He’s a good athlete who commands his fastball well for his age to all areas of the strike zone. Between his curveball and changeup, Sanchez has two offspeed pitches that flash plus and with more consistency should allow his strikeout rate to jump. He sells his changeup with good arm speed, and it runs away form lefthanded batters with good sinking action. He fields his position well. Sanchez is advanced enough to jump to low Class A Lakewood in 2017, with a chance to develop into a No. 2 or 3 starter. | |
81. Amir Garrett, lhp, Reds
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 45. Control: 45. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Garrett’s dream of becoming an NBA player met reality at St. John’s where he was solid but never spectacular in two seasons. Because the Reds signed him for $1 million as a 22nd-round pick in 2011 out of high school, however, Garrett always had a fallback option. He has pursued baseball exclusively since 2014, and in that time the 6-foot-5 southpaw reshaped his body by gaining weight and advanced to Triple-A Louisville. Given his two-sport background, Garrett is one of the most athletic pitchers in the minors. That has allowed him to develop at a rapid rate and catch up with more experienced pitchers. At his best Garrett’s plus 90-95 mph fastball and above-average slider keep hitters uncomfortable. His slider is not as consistent as it needs to be, which explains why he had trouble against more advanced hitters in Triple-A. His changeup can be an average pitch when he sells it and locates it, but he has below-average feel for the pitch and below-average command overall. Garrett can be a mid-rotation starter with improved command. Otherwise he could have a lengthy career as a lefthanded reliever relying on his fastball and slider. He heads back to Triple-A in 2017 and is a viable big league callup option at any time. | |
82. Brandon Woodruff, rhp, Brewers
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 50. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Beset by injuries at Mississippi State, Woodruff fell to the Brewers in the 11th round of the 2014 draft, then produced modest results in two pro seasons before breaking out in his third. After earning midseason all-star honors in the Florida State League in 2016, he climbed to Double-A Biloxi and continued to excel, even overcoming the July death of his older brother in an ATV accident back in Mississippi. He went 14-9, 2.68 overall and led the minors with 173 strikeouts to earn the organization’s minor league pitcher of the year award. Woodruff pitched in the low 90s early in his career but cleaned up his mechanics and pitched regularly at 93-94 mph in 2016 with good movement and sink. He benefitted greatly by increasing his tempo and rhythm, which allowed him to repeat his delivery more consistently. Woodruff also features an aboveaverage slider and an average changeup to round out a starter’s repertoire. He had control issues in college but has thrown strikes as a pro. With a bulldog approach and groundball tendencies he has a floor as highleverage reliever. Woodruff has a No. 3 starter ceiling and is ready for Triple-A Colorado Springs, which presents the Brewers with a conundrum. The harsh pitching conditions there have sidetracked prospects such as Josh Hader, Jorge Lopez and Taylor Jungmann, so a return to Biloxi is possible. | |
83. A.J. Puk, lhp, Athletics
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 70. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 45. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Puk ranked No. 85 on the BA 500 out of an Iowa high school, but the Florida commit wasn’t drafted until the 35th round by the Tigers. He ranked second in Division I as a sophomore with 12 strikeouts per nine innings and entered 2016 as the No. 1 prospect for the draft but dropped to the Athletics with the No. 6 pick after an inconsistent spring. Puk’s $4,069,200 bonus is the largest for a draft pick in Oakland history. Puk leverages his size to get great extension on all of his pitches. His fastball touched 98 mph in 2016 with great downhill angle. Puk’s long levers and relative lack of athleticism make it difficult at times for him to keep his torso over his front side consistently, and his inability to repeat his delivery gives him below-average command. A head-whack finish further complicates his delivery. A’s coaches moved him to the first-base side of the rubber to help square him to the plate. Puk threw his changeup more often in his pro debut at short-season Vermont, but his slider lacked the bite and feel of its plus reputation in college. When he throws online to the plate, Puk is difficult to square up and shows a ceiling of a front-end starter, but he must become more efficient with his pitches and more consistent with his command. At worst, he could become a dominating high-leverage reliever. | |
84. Jharel Cotton, rhp, Athletics
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 60. Changeup: 70. Cutter: 50. Slider: 40. Control: 55. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The Virgin Islands native played high school baseball in Virginia, then played at Miami-Dade JC. He spurned the Mets in 2011 as a 28th-rounder before signing as a 20th-rounder with the Dodgers after a year at East Carolina. Oakland acquired him (with righthanders Frankie Montas and Grant Holmes) on Aug. 1 while dealing Rich Hill and Josh Reddick to the Dodgers. Cotton led the Pacific Coast League with 155 strikeouts, a 1.08 WHIP and .214 opponent average. Cotton’s best weapon is his double-plus 77 mph changeup, which has screwball action. His command of his fastball improved in 2016, and the 92-93 mph pitch can touch 96. He also throws two-seamers and cutters that give hitters different looks, and they all come out of the same release point. His delivery is not something pitching coaches would teach, but it works for him, and his athleticism belies his 5-foot-11 frame. Cotton mixes in a slider and curveball. Having succeeded as a September callup, Cotton will open spring training with a tentative spot in the big league rotation. He projects as a back-end starter if not a bit more. | |
85. Jorge Mateo, ss/2b, Yankees
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 50. Power: 40. Speed: 80. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| After signing for $225,000 in 2012, Mateo quickly blazed a path through the lower levels of the minors. Despite playing just 15 games in 2014, Mateo jumped to low Class A Charleston in 2015, and he responded by showing off an all-around tool set and leading the minor leagues with 80 stolen bases. His performance took a step backward in 2016, and his makeup took a hit, too, when the Yankees announced a two-week suspension for insubordination. He reportedly lashed out at team officials over not receiving a promotion to Double-A Trenton. As ever, Mateo is still blessed with 80-grade speed on the 20-80 scouting scale. How the Yankees want to employ it, however, is another question. That level of speed will play in the outfield, and Mateo saw time in instructional league in center field. He plays average defense at shortstop and second base, leading multiple evaluators to project center as his best path to the big leagues. He’s got plenty of bat speed to catch up to good fastballs but still has rough edges to polish at the plate. He showed a vulnerability to breaking balls, though he should be an average hitter with surprising power for his wiry frame. Mateo probably will move to Double-A Trenton in 2017, where he will pair with Gleyber Torres and see time at shortstop, second base and center field. | |
86. Delvin Perez, ss, Cardinals
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 50. Power: 45. Speed: 70. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60. ETA: 2020. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Perez was a top-10 talent entering the 2016 draft and the top shortstop available, before a report surfaced that he tested positive for an undisclosed performanceenhancing drug. Perez tumbled to 23rd overall, where the Cardinals pounced for a $2,222,500 bonus. Perez draws comparisons to fellow Puerto Ricans Carlos Correa and Francisco Lindor with a lithe, quick-twitch lope that comes from highfunctioning athleticism. He has 70 speed on a 20-80 scouting scale and movement in the field that match that quickness. He showed flashes of instincts, true hands, and above-average range, but also committed 17 errors because he had difficulty playing under control. Consistency will come when he syncs his raw skills. A project at the plate, Perez proved aggressive and able to drive fastballs. He was a pull hitter in his pro debut and undone by quality offspeed pitches. Scouts see strong hands and strong forearms that project for gap power, and maybe more. Encouraged by how he responded to why he dropped in the draft and how he gobbled up instruction, the Cardinals believe they may have a blue-chip stock in Perez. He’ll get work in extended spring training before heading to Rookie-level Johnson City, a launch pad for prospects. | |
87. James Kaprielian, rhp, Yankees
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 70. Slider: 55. Curveball: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 50. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The Yankees drafted Kaprielian with the No. 16 overall pick and signed him for $2.65 million in 2015. The team expected big things from him after a strong pro debut, and general manager Brian Cashman hinted Kaprielian had an outside chance of making his big league debut by season’s end. Instead, Kaprielian dealt with a strained right flexor tendon in his elbow and made just three starts. He made it back for instructional league and performed well enough there to warrant an assignment to the Arizona Fall League. After touching 95 mph toward the end of his college career, Kaprielian added 20 pounds of muscle prior to this season and saw his velocity jump again. He touched 97 mph both with Tampa and again in the AFL, and he sat between 94-96. He throws all four pitches, including a slider and curveball that have both been plus at their best, as well as a changeup that could be an average fourth pitch. Evaluators note that his delivery, featuring a plunging arm action, is high-stress and could contribute to further injury issues. Kaprielian has front-of-the-rotation makeup and stuff with a well below-average delivery. After six weeks in the AFL to make up for lost time, Kaprielian could join either high Class A Tampa or Double-A Trenton in 2017. | |
88. Anthony Banda, lhp, Diamondbacks
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 55. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 50. Control: 55. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Not every trade for prospects works out for the team trading away big league talent, but the Diamondbacks certainly benefited from the deal in which they sent veteran outfielder Gerardo Parra to the Brewers in 2014 in exchange for Banda and outfielder Mitch Haniger. The trade was the D-backs’ second attempt to bring Banda into the organization after previously drafting the Texas native in the 33rd round out of high school in 2011. Banda instead played one year at junior college powerhouse San Jacinto, where he went 6-0, 1.95 to help the Gators to a second-place finish at the Division I NJCAA World Series. After his year at San Jacinto, Banda was selected by Milwaukee in the 10th round in 2012 and signed for an over-slot $125,000 bonus. He made it to low Class A with the Brewers by his third season before moving to the D-backs organization. Banda struggled with his command in the early part of his career but started throwing more strikes and increased his velocity not long after joining Arizona. He showed continual improvement in 2015 and 2016. He got a big boost after the 2015 season when he worked with former big league southpaw Mike Gonzalez, a fellow native of the Corpus Christi area and also a one-time San Jacinto pitcher. Shortly after being promoted from Double-A Mobile to Triple-A Reno midway through the 2016 season, Banda was Arizona’s lone representative at the Futures Game. By the end of the year, he ranked as the No. 10 prospect in the Double-A Southern League and No. 20 in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. He led the D-backs system with 152 strikeouts and ranked second with a 2.88 ERA in 150 innings. Banda uses a four-seam fastball with armside run that has continually ticked up during his pro career. His heater sat 86-89 mph in junior college but now sits 92-95 and touches 96 because to added strength and improved mechanics. The jewel of his arsenal is a slow, mid-70s curveball that flashes plus at times, and he complements the breaking ball with an at least average, firm changeup with down movement. He repeats his smooth, easy delivery and effectively sequences his pitches. Banda consistently records high strikeout totals, with a career rate of 8.8 per nine innings. He has walked just 3.2 per nine since joining Arizona. One area for improvement is to better control the running game and other small facets of pitching. Previously cast as a potential No. 5 starter or reliever, Banda is now viewed as a possible midrotation arm with one plus pitch and two other average-or-better weapons and above-average control. He will go to big league spring training in 2017 with a chance to break camp on the 25-man roster. More likely he winds up back at Reno for more seasoning. He should make his big league debut at some point in 2017. | |
89. Tyler Beede, rhp, Giants
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 55. Curveball: 60. Cutter: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 50. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| A two-time first-round pick, Beede turned down the Blue Jays out of high school as the 21st overall pick in 2011. He went to Vanderbilt and dominated as a sophomore, going 14-1, 2.32 and leading Division I in wins. He also ranked inside the top 10 in the nation for hit rate per nine innings (5.7) despite plenty of wildness (5.6 walks per nine, 14 wild pitches). He threw more strikes as a junior, but wasn’t as effective. The Giants selected Beede 14th overall in the 2014 draft and signed him for a shade more than $2.6 million. After letting him go out and pitch like he had at Vanderbilt in his short first pro season, San Francisco reworked his delivery in 2015 by slowing down his tempo and simplifying his windup. Beede said he models his deliver now on that of Zack Greinke. He starts his delivery slowly, but the tempo builds as he gathers on the rubber. The Giants also asked him to focus on throwing more two-seam fastballs and cutters and relying less on his power four-seamer. The approach helped him thrive at high Class A San Jose in 2015, but he hit a wall following a promotion to Double-A Richmond, in part because his stuff backed up. He started throwing more in the high-80s to low-90s instead of showing the mid-90s velocity he’d shown in the past. Back in the Eastern League in 2016, Beede more consistently got to the mid-90s velocity he showed in college, which helped his entire repertoire play better. On his best nights he’d touch 96-97 in his final inning of work. He led the EL in ERA (2.81), finished second in strikeouts (135) and fifth in opponent average (.248). One of the keys to Beede’s big step forward in 2016 was his emphasis on conditioning. In a January camp that included several big leaguers, Beede won the Giants award for the hardest worker. That hard work paid off when his fastball returned to the 92-94 mph range he had showed at Vanderbilt. His heater sat 90-92 mph in 2015. Now he touches 97 mph deep in games when needed. Beede has quickly grown to enjoy manipulating his two-seamer, but the higher-velocity fourseamer is always in his back pocket. As important as his fastball is, he succeeds because he has a varied assortment of pitches. Beede’s curveball is a plus pitch at its best. He still needs to command it better, but if he can land it more consistently, it could be his best secondary pitch. His above-average 87-90 mph cutter is more consistent—though sometimes he throws it too much. It plays well off his sinker with consistent running action. His changeup took a slight step back in 2016, but it has been above-average in the past and was average in 2016. Beede has come a long way from the allpower, all-the-time approach he once used, but he’s no soft-tosser after regaining the power he seemed to lose in 2015 in his first full pro season. He now can pitch—or he can overpower. His body control still wavers enough to make it hard to see him ever having plus control, but he has refined his delivery to the point where average control is possible. Beede could be a future mid-rotation starter with enough stuff and control to thrive in the big leagues. He will head to Triple-A Sacramento in 2017 for further refinement, but the Giants believe he has come far enough that he would be able to handle the big leagues in 2017. | |
90. Aaron Judge, of, Yankees
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 40. Power: 70. Speed: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The Yankees drafted Judge with their second of three first-round selections in 2013 and awarded him a $1.8 million bonus. He found success at every stop before becoming a bit streaky when he reached Triple-A late in 2015. He missed time in July 2016 with a knee injury but made his major league debut on Aug. 13. He and Tyler Austin that day became the first teammates in history to record back-to-back home runs in their first major league at-bats. Judge continued to show the big-time power, but he also struck out in 42 of his 84 at-bats. He easily has the best raw power in the system, and the tool rates as a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale. He won’t completely access that power until he cleans up his approach and lowers his strikeout rate. He cut his strikeout percentage to 23.9 this year at Triple-A—his lowest mark since low Class A—but big league pitchers exploited holes in his swing. He’s a slightly above-average runner underway and plays average defense in right field with a well above-average throwing arm. The right-field job in the Bronx is Judge’s for the taking, but he’ll have to continue to work to cut his strikeouts in order to seize the job in 2017. | |
91. Justus Sheffield, lhp, Yankees
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 50. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Sheffield was set to pitch at Vanderbilt with his brother Jordan before the Indians made him a first-round pick and signed him for $1.6 million. He blitzed the competition in the Rookie-level Arizona League in his debut but was arrested in the offseason for underage drinking and criminal trespass. He pled guilty to those charges. Cleveland traded him to the Yankees at the 2016 trade deadline, along with outfielder Clint Frazier and relievers J.P. Feyereisen and Ben Heller, in the deal that sent closer Andrew Miller to the Indians. A short lefthander, Sheffield owns three plus or potential plus pitches. His fastball, which has sinking action, sits in the 93-95 mph range and can touch 97. He complements it with a short-breaking slider in the lowto mid-80s and a changeup in the same range. His slider is his best secondary pitch, but he has good feel for his changeup, and with more reps it could be as good as the slider. Sheffield, who will open 2017 as a 20-year-old, is probably headed for Double-A Trenton with a future as a mid-rotation starter if he achieves his ceiling. | |
92. Willie Calhoun, 2b/of, Dodgers
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 50. Power: 60. Speed: 30. Fielding: 40. Arm: 45. ETA: 2017. | |
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| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| After a season at Arizona, Calhoun transferred to Yavapai (Ariz.) JC in 2015 and led the nation’s jucos with 31 home runs in 61 games. The Dodgers pushed him to Double-A Tulsa for his first full season and he ranked second in the league in homers (27) with the second-lowest strikeout rate among qualified hitters. Small and stocky, Calhoun is built like a fire hydrant. He has a sweet, balanced lefty stroke that’s quick, compact and stays through the hitting zone for a long time. He has excellent barrel control and good plate coverage, leading to a high contact rate, with a sharp eye at the plate. Calhoun is no small slap hitter. He has above-average power and gets to it frequently because of his contact frequency, making him a threat to hit 25-30 home runs. As gifted as Calhoun is at the plate, he’s a long way from being an adequate defender at second base. He’s a well below-average runner with limited range and first-step quickness and a below-average arm. He also boots too many routine plays with hard hands and awkward defensive actions. Calhoun could be the Dodgers’ second baseman of the future, but his fielding has to take a big step forward to avoid a move to left field. | |
93. Isan Diaz, ss/2b, Brewers
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 55. Power: 40. Speed: 45. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50. ETA: 2019. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The Brewers made Diaz their primary target when they traded Jean Segura to the Diamondbacks after the 2015 season. Diaz was coming off an MVP performance in the Rookie-level Pioneer League in which the 5-foot-10 shortstop led the circuit with a .640 slugging percentage. Milwaukee assigned him to low Class A Wisconsin in 2016 and he mashed 20 home runs to lead the Midwest League as a 20-year-old. The lefthanded-hitting Diaz has plus bat speed and great hand-eye coordination, resulting in lots of hard contact and the ability to drive the ball to all parts of the field. He has an advanced offensive approach (he ranked second in the MWL with 72 walks) but is learning to find a middle ground between discipline and natural aggression (he also ranked second with 148 strikeouts). A fringe-average runner, Diaz has good instincts on the bases and gets good jumps to compensate. With merely average range and arm strength, he began playing second base more frequently in the second half of 2016, and that’s the position where he profiles best. Already one of the Brewers top position prospects, Diaz might be two years away form forming a double-play combination with shortstop Orlando Arcia. First, Diaz must contend with the high Class A Carolina League. | |
94. Matt Chapman, 3b, Athletics
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 40. Power: 55. Speed: 40. Fielding: 60. Arm: 80. ETA: 2017. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| A knee injury and then a wrist injury that eventually necessitated surgery truncated Chapman’s first full season. But fully healthy in 2016, he blasted 36 homers at Double-A Midland and Triple-A Nashville, ranking third overall in the minors. In 2015, Chapman reworked his swing with high Class A Stockton hitting coach Brian McArn to tap into his power, and it has worked, with 59 homers the last two seasons. Chapman was more of a gap-to-gap hitter in college, but he has moved his hands back a little and found a consistent spot to start and trigger his swing. He has above-average raw power and can drive the ball out to all fields. His swing retains some rigidity and length, so he’ll strike out a lot and is a below-average hitter. He has solid average pitch recognition and draws walks. Chapman showcases at least 70 arm strength with carry on the 20-80 scouting scale. He projects to be a plus defender at third base. While the A’s have other third-base options such as Healy and Renato Nunez, Chapman is the best defender of the group. He likely will return to Triple-A Nashville to start 2017, but once ready he should push Healy off the hot corner in Oakland. | |
95. Rowdy Tellez, 1b, Blue Jays
| Tools & Grades | |
| Hit: 50. Power: 60. Speed: 20. Fielding: 40. Arm: 45. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Tellez played with future pros J.D. Davis (Astros), Dom Nunez (Rockies), Derek Hill (Tigers 2014 first-rounder) and Dylan Carlson (Cardinals 2016 first-rounder) at Elk Grove High before signing for $850,000, the largest bonus in the Blue Jays’ 2013 draft class. He had a strong 2016, ranking second in the Double-A Eastern League in on-base percentage (.387) and third in slugging (.530). A slow start (.164 in April) tested Tellez’s confidence, but he turned up his aggressiveness and rallied, hitting .318 the rest of the way. He has improved his body significantly since signing, losing 15 pounds. Scouts laud his makeup for his dedication to his fitness, which also has helped improve his power production. Tellez always has shown feel for hitting and good control for the strike zone, and he’s got plus power to punish mistakes when pitchers miss. He chased plenty of breaking balls early but adjusted and started laying off them, and he has enough bat speed to catch up to good fastballs. Tellez is a fringy defender with good enough footwork to improve to average. Tellez is the most advanced hitter among top Toronto farmhands and could hit his way to the majors in 2017, depending on how the Blue Jays’ offseason shapes up. More likely, he’ll head to Triple-A Buffalo. | |
96. Cal Quantrill, rhp, Padres
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 60. Changeup: 70. Slider: 50. Control: 50. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| The son of former Blue Jays all-star reliever Paul Quantrill starred on Canada’s 18U national team growing up in Port Hope, Ontario, and was drafted by the Yankees in the 26th round out of high school. He instead went to Stanford, where he became the first freshman pitcher to start Opening Day since Mike Mussina in 1988. Quantrill pitched just three games as a sophomore before requiring Tommy John surgery, which kept him out all of his junior season as well. Undeterred, the Padres drafted him eighth overall and signed him for $3,963,045. Quantrill displayed no ill effects from surgery once he got into the Padres system, showing a 92-96 mph fastball and diving 81-84 mph changeup that was considered the best in the 2016 draft class. His slider is his third pitch but showed vast improvement by sitting 83-84 mph with late bite and generating swings and misses to become an above-average offering. Quantrill’s command remains shaky post-surgery, but he was around the strike zone with all of his pitches during his pro debut, which he spent primarily at short-season Tri-City. He possesses the poise and pitchability expected from the son of a former major leaguer, and his competitiveness earns raves. Because Quantrill hasn’t pitched a full season since 2014, the Padres will manage his workload carefully in 2017 at low Class A Fort Wayne. | |
97. Dylan Cease, rhp, Cubs
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 70. Curveball: 50. Changeup: 40. Control: 40. ETA: 2019. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| An Under Armour All-American in 2013, Cease already has pitched in Wrigley Field, where the event is held. He also already has had Tommy John surgery, which he had as a high school senior after hitting 98 mph that spring. The Cubs signed him for $1.5 million and have handled him carefully, but they were eager for his short-season Eugene debut in 2016 and he delivered, ranking fourth in the Northwest League in strikeouts (66) even though he didn’t pitch enough innings to qualify for its ERA title. Cease fires the best fastball in the Cubs system, with reports of him hitting 103 mph in extended spring training while sitting 93-98 in the NWL. His arm is loose and he has quick hands, which also allow him to throw a power curveball that improved. While his fastball earns 70 grades on the 20-80 scouting scale, Cease’s average curve has plus future potential if not better. The Cubs slowly have introduced a changeup to his repertoire, and while it’s a fringy pitch at this time, it’s serviceable. Hitters’ best chance for now is to work walks off Cease, because his fastball command lags behind the pitch’s velocity and life. Cease has the athleticism to tame his wild ways and remain a starter. Many scouts see his raw arm strength and power breaking ball and see a closer in the Craig Kimbrel mold. He’s an impact arm headed to low Class A South Bend in 2017. | |
98. Adrian Morejon, lhp, Padres
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 60. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 55. Control: 55. ETA: 2021. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Morejon jumped on the international radar when he was named MVP of the 15U World Cup in 2014 while pitching for the Cuban national team. His biggest moment came in the gold-medal game, when he threw 124 pitches in a completegame, 6-3 victory against the U.S. with 12 strikeouts and one walk. Morejon became a talent considered on par with any top-10 draft pick, and the Padres signed him for an eye-popping $11 million in July 2016. Morejon throws a 91-93 mph fastball that touches 96 with an athletic, easy delivery that portends more velocity as the teen southpaw’s body matures. His ability to spin a future plus curveball draws the highest praise from scouts, and he throws two different changeups—one a knuckle-change with late diving action and the other a more traditional changeup with sink and run. Both project above-average. Morejon’s above-average command, stuff, arm action and feel for pitching are all advanced for his age and make few opposing evaluators doubt the wisdom of signing him, though some shied away from the price tag. The Padres compare Morejon with the Dodgers’ Julio Urias, while scouts outside the organization compare his delivery and stuff with Padres 2012 first-rounder Max Fried. Morejon is targeted for 100 innings in 2017 and will begin the year in extended spring training. | |
99. Stephen Gonsalves, lhp, Twins
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 50. Changeup: 60. Curveball: 45. Control: 45. ETA: 2018. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Drafted in the fourth round in 2013 and signed to an above-slot $700,000 bonus, Gonsalves has moved steadily up the Twins system. He returned to high Class A Fort Myers in 2016 after making 15 starts there at the end of 2015, and he quickly earned a promotion to Double-A Chattanooga in late June. He went 13-5, 2.06 between both levels, with his ERA ranking seventh in the minors and his .179 opponent average ranking fourth. Gonsalves’ strikeout rate actually went up a tick—from 9.0 to 10.8 per nine—in Double-A. However, his walk rate nearly doubled from 2.7 per nine to 4.5. Athletic with a loose arm and easy delivery, Gonsalves’ 90-91 mph fastball plays up due to his extension and the tough angle created by his low arm slot. He can touch up to 95 mph, but he’s effective as long as he works the corners. The command of his fastball lacks consistency and will need to improve. A plus sinking changeup is Gonsalves’ best secondary offering and gives him a weapon against righthanded hitters. The Twins had him throw more curveballs in 2016, but it’s a pitch Gonsalves still needs to mix in more. While it doesn’t project as a plus pitch, his curveball flashes average and should be a usable third option. Gonsalves is also toying with a slider or cutter, but he has enough of an arsenal at present to put hitters away. Gonsalves will likely pitch at Triple-A Rochester at some point in 2017 and could crack the big league rotation as soon as 2018. He has the look of a midto back-of-the-rotation starter. | |
100. Justin Dunn, rhp, Mets
| Tools & Grades | |
| Fastball: 70. Slider: 60. Curveball: 40. Changeup: 45. Control: 50. ETA: 2019. | |
| Stats & Media | |
| VIDEO — PLAYER CARD | |
| Scouting Report | |
| Dunn worked primarily as a reliever at Boston College—and in the 2015 Cape Cod League—and remained in that role until two months before the 2016 draft. Though he made just eight starts as a junior, he generated first-round buzz based on his impressive arm speed and athletic delivery. The Mets selected Dunn, a Long Island native, 19th overall and signed him for slot value of $2,378,800. No firstround college righthander has moved from the bullpen to the rotation in the midst of his draft-eligible season in recent draft history. Dunn, however, showed the arsenal and results to warrant first-round selection. He already has the best fastball and slider in the Mets system, using his primary weapons to strike out 10.5 per nine innings in his pro debut at short-season Brooklyn. He generates mid-90s velocity and good life on his fastball—which touched 98 mph—with a loose arm and fluid motion. His mid-80s slider already grades as above-average and should mature into a plus pitch with tight spin and late vertical break. He will need to develop his below-average curveball and changeup to give lefthanders different looks. Though Dunn is athletic, he has a lean frame and is not as physical as many starters. With two projected plus pitches, Dunn could be a No. 2 or 3 starter, though some scouts project him to the bullpen. He should spend time at both Class A levels in 2017. | |
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