MiLB Top 10 Prospects Flashback: 1986 American Association
The American Association operated as a Triple-A league from 1946 until its dissolution in 1997, a year ahead of major league expansion to 30 teams. When the AA disbanded, its affiliates were distributed among the International and Pacific Coast leagues, often awkwardly in the case of the latter league.
As a Triple-A league, the eight-team American Association saw its share of future major league stars pass through. Gary Sheffield and Randy Johnson headlined the 1988 list. Larry Walker followed in 1989, and Moises Alou, Juan Gonzalez and Ray Lankford in 1990.
But the American Association class of 1986 has them all beat with Hall of Famers Greg Maddux (No. 6) and Barry Larkin (No. 2) along with several other longtime contributors.
1986 American Association Top 10 Prospects
No
Player
Pos
Team
Org
PA/IP
WAR
1
Ruben Sierra
OF
Oklahoma City
Rangers
8,782
13.9
2
Barry Larkin
SS
Denver
Reds
9,057
67
3
Dave Martinez
OF
Iowa
Cubs
6,480
18.1
4
Daryl Boston
OF
Buffalo
White Sox
2,901
5.1
5
Joe Magrane
LHP
Louisville
Cardinals
1,097
15
6
Greg Maddux
RHP
Iowa
Cubs
5,008
122.7
7
Scott Bankhead
RHP
Omaha
Royals
901
10.6
8
Mike Kingery
OF
Omaha
Royals
2,282
0.3
9
Russ Morman
3B
Buffalo
White Sox
518
0.2
10
Bill Moore
OF
Indianapolis
Expos
12
-0.1
Tooled-up outfielder Ruben Sierra ranked as the league’s No. 1 prospect because he “hit with power from both sides of the plate,” while also earning high grades for his ability to run and throw. Sierra made his big league debut with the Rangers as a 20-year-old in 1986, hitting 16 homers in 113 games.
Maddux made his major league debut as a September callup in 1986 after breezing through the AA with a 10-1 record and 3.02 ERA in 18 starts. His Iowa manager commended him for his fastball and curveball and for “changing speeds well,” also saying “the best thing he’s got going for him is his competitiveness.”
Cincinnati native Larkin was drafted fourth overall out of Michigan in 1985. A year later he was hitting .329 with 10 homers and 19 steals in the AA on his way to a mid-August callup to the Reds. Larkin was noted for his all-around improvement, but there were questions about whether he or Kurt Stillwell, the second overall pick out of high school in 1983, would be the Reds’ shortstop of the future.
Dave Martinez (No. 3) is best known today as the World Series-winning Nationals manager, but he had a 16-year big league career as a fourth outfielder. His scouting report called him a “fetching package of speed, intelligence and fielding ability.” Joe Magrane (No. 5) recorded a 2.06 ERA in 15 starts for Louisville, using a “smooth, effortless motion” and exhibiting “poise” and a “great attitude.”
American Association All-Time BA No. 1 Prospects
Players listed with career major league plate appearances/innings and FanGraphs WAR.
Year
Player
Pos
Team
Org
PA/IP
WAR
1981
David Green
OF
Springfield
Cardinals
1,505
4.1
1982
Gary Redus
OF
Indianapolis
Reds
4,066
16.2
1983
Joel Skinner
C
Denver
White Sox
1,551
0.9
1984
Joe Hesketh
RHP
Indianapolis
Expos
962
9.4
1985
Kal Daniels
OF
Denver
Reds
2,739
16.9
1986
Ruben Sierra
OF
Oklahoma City
Rangers
8,782
13.9
1987
Lance Johnson
OF
Louisville
Cardinals
5,800
26.4
1988
Mike Harkey
RHP
Iowa
Cubs
656
5.8
1989
Todd Zeile
C
Louisville
Cardinals
8,649
21.9
Year
Player
Pos
Team
Org
PA/IP
WAR
1990
Juan Gonzalez
OF
Oklahoma City
Rangers
7,155
35.8
1991
Dean Palmer
3B
Oklahoma City
Rangers
5,513
11.0
1992
Kevin Young
3B
Buffalo
Pirates
4,352
8.0
1993
Brian Jordan
OF
Louisville
Cardinals
5,646
31.7
1994
James Baldwin
RHP
Nashville
White Sox
1,323
9.5
1995
Alan Benes
RHP
Louisville
Cardinals
494
3.3
1996
Dmitri Young
1B
Louisville
Cardinals
5,253
12.5
1997
Kerry Wood
RHP
Iowa
Cubs
1,380
26.3
| No | Player | Pos | Team | Org | PA/IP | WAR |
| 1 | Ruben Sierra | OF | Oklahoma City | Rangers | 8,782 | 13.9 |
| 2 | Barry Larkin | SS | Denver | Reds | 9,057 | 67 |
| 3 | Dave Martinez | OF | Iowa | Cubs | 6,480 | 18.1 |
| 4 | Daryl Boston | OF | Buffalo | White Sox | 2,901 | 5.1 |
| 5 | Joe Magrane | LHP | Louisville | Cardinals | 1,097 | 15 |
| 6 | Greg Maddux | RHP | Iowa | Cubs | 5,008 | 122.7 |
| 7 | Scott Bankhead | RHP | Omaha | Royals | 901 | 10.6 |
| 8 | Mike Kingery | OF | Omaha | Royals | 2,282 | 0.3 |
| 9 | Russ Morman | 3B | Buffalo | White Sox | 518 | 0.2 |
| 10 | Bill Moore | OF | Indianapolis | Expos | 12 | -0.1 |
Tooled-up outfielder Ruben Sierra ranked as the league’s No. 1 prospect because he “hit with power from both sides of the plate,” while also earning high grades for his ability to run and throw. Sierra made his big league debut with the Rangers as a 20-year-old in 1986, hitting 16 homers in 113 games.
Maddux made his major league debut as a September callup in 1986 after breezing through the AA with a 10-1 record and 3.02 ERA in 18 starts. His Iowa manager commended him for his fastball and curveball and for “changing speeds well,” also saying “the best thing he’s got going for him is his competitiveness.”
Cincinnati native Larkin was drafted fourth overall out of Michigan in 1985. A year later he was hitting .329 with 10 homers and 19 steals in the AA on his way to a mid-August callup to the Reds. Larkin was noted for his all-around improvement, but there were questions about whether he or Kurt Stillwell, the second overall pick out of high school in 1983, would be the Reds’ shortstop of the future.
Dave Martinez (No. 3) is best known today as the World Series-winning Nationals manager, but he had a 16-year big league career as a fourth outfielder. His scouting report called him a “fetching package of speed, intelligence and fielding ability.” Joe Magrane (No. 5) recorded a 2.06 ERA in 15 starts for Louisville, using a “smooth, effortless motion” and exhibiting “poise” and a “great attitude.”
American Association All-Time BA No. 1 Prospects
Players listed with career major league plate appearances/innings and FanGraphs WAR.
| Year | Player | Pos | Team | Org | PA/IP | WAR |
| 1981 | David Green | OF | Springfield | Cardinals | 1,505 | 4.1 |
| 1982 | Gary Redus | OF | Indianapolis | Reds | 4,066 | 16.2 |
| 1983 | Joel Skinner | C | Denver | White Sox | 1,551 | 0.9 |
| 1984 | Joe Hesketh | RHP | Indianapolis | Expos | 962 | 9.4 |
| 1985 | Kal Daniels | OF | Denver | Reds | 2,739 | 16.9 |
| 1986 | Ruben Sierra | OF | Oklahoma City | Rangers | 8,782 | 13.9 |
| 1987 | Lance Johnson | OF | Louisville | Cardinals | 5,800 | 26.4 |
| 1988 | Mike Harkey | RHP | Iowa | Cubs | 656 | 5.8 |
| 1989 | Todd Zeile | C | Louisville | Cardinals | 8,649 | 21.9 |
| Year | Player | Pos | Team | Org | PA/IP | WAR |
| 1990 | Juan Gonzalez | OF | Oklahoma City | Rangers | 7,155 | 35.8 |
| 1991 | Dean Palmer | 3B | Oklahoma City | Rangers | 5,513 | 11.0 |
| 1992 | Kevin Young | 3B | Buffalo | Pirates | 4,352 | 8.0 |
| 1993 | Brian Jordan | OF | Louisville | Cardinals | 5,646 | 31.7 |
| 1994 | James Baldwin | RHP | Nashville | White Sox | 1,323 | 9.5 |
| 1995 | Alan Benes | RHP | Louisville | Cardinals | 494 | 3.3 |
| 1996 | Dmitri Young | 1B | Louisville | Cardinals | 5,253 | 12.5 |
| 1997 | Kerry Wood | RHP | Iowa | Cubs | 1,380 | 26.3 |
Comments are closed.