MiLB Top 10 Prospects Flashback: 1987 Northwest League
The short-season Northwest League had a banner season for future talent in 1987, the year the draft was streamlined into one June phase. For the first time, players from high school, college and junior college were draft-eligible at the same time. This created a situation in which prep outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. (No. 1) and juco righthander Kevin Appier (No. 6), the first and ninth overall picks in 1987, could debut together immediately after signing.
1987 Northwest League Top 10 Prospects
| No | Player | Pos | Team | Org | PA/IP | WAR |
| 1 | Ken Griffey Jr. | OF | Bellingham | Mariners | 11,304 | 77.7 |
| 2 | Mike Erb | RHP | Salem | Angels | — | — |
| 3 | Kevin Garner | RHP | Salem | Angels | — | — |
| 4 | John Orton | C | Salem | Angels | 448 | -0.1 |
| 5 | Tom Gordon | RHP | Eugene | Royals | 2,108 | 32.8 |
| 6 | Kevin Appier | RHP | Eugene | Royals | 2,595 | 57.3 |
| 7 | Jose Valentin | SS | Spokane | Padres | 6,317 | 30.3 |
| 8 | Eric Gunderson | LHP | Everett | Giants | 229 | -0.1 |
| 9 | Bobby Moore | OF | Eugene | Royals | 15 | 0 |
| 10 | Lee Tinsley | OF | Medford | Athletics | 979 | 1.4 |
Griffey made a rousing pro debut, hitting .313 with 14 homers and 13 steals in 54 games. “He can do anything he wants,” one manager said of Griffey’s obvious five-tool potential.
Appier recorded a 3.04 ERA in 15 starts, striking out 72 in 77 innings with an “above-average major league arm,” including a “good live fastball, change and slider.”
Five-foot-9 Tom Gordon (No. 5) struck out 91 batters in 72 innings with “incredible arm speed and the makings of an outstanding curveball.” Gordon peaked at 94 mph on the “slow” JUGS radar gun in use at the time; his curve would become one of the deadliest in the majors.
“He’s so smooth and sure-handed it’s hard to believe he’s only 17,” one manager said of Jose Valentin (No. 7). He hit .250 with strong “discipline at the plate” for Spokane. Valentin would later develop big power for a shortstop, swatting 249 big league homers.
No other single Northwest League season can hold a candle to 1987. Future stars to play in the league include Jose Canseco (1983), Mike Hampton (1991), Miguel Tejada (1995), Carlos Beltran (1996), Felix Hernandez (2003), Josh Donaldson (2007) and Kris Bryant (2013).
Northwest League All-Time BA No. 1 Prospects
Players listed with career major league plate appearances/innings and FanGraphs WAR. Stats for active players current through mid August.
| Year | Player | Pos | Team | Org | PA/IP | WAR |
| 1982 | Jimmy Jones | RHP | Walla Walla | Padres | 755 | -0.6 |
| 1983 | Bill Wilkinson | LHP | Bellingham | Mariners | 113 | 1.4 |
| 1984 | Todd Burns | RHP | Medford | Athletics | 490 | 6.6 |
| 1985 | Clint Zavaras | RHP | Bellingham | Mariners | 52 | -0.1 |
| 1986 | Lee Stevens | OF/1B | Salem | Angels | 3,724 | 1.4 |
| 1987 | Ken Griffey Jr. | OF | Bellingham | Mariners | 11,304 | 77.7 |
| 1988 | Stan Royer | 3B | Southern Oregon | Athletics | 169 | -0.3 |
| 1989 | Roger Salkeld | RHP | Bellingham | Mariners | 189 | 0.5 |
| Year | Player | Pos | Team | Org | PA/IP | WAR |
| 1990 | Todd Van Poppel | RHP | Southern Oregon | Athletics | 907 | -0.4 |
| 1991 | Troy Percival | RHP | Boise | Angels | 709 | 18.9 |
| 1992 | Jason Hutchins | RHP | Bend | Rockies | — | — |
| 1993 | Jeff Granger | LHP | Eugene | Royals | 32 | -1.0 |
| 1994 | Ben Grieve | OF | Southern Oregon | Athletics | 3,743 | 6.7 |
| 1995 | Miguel Tejada | SS | Southern Oregon | Athletics | 9,205 | 39.7 |
| 1996 | Mike Caruso | SS | Bellingham | Giants | 1,140 | -1.4 |
| 1997 | Dee Brown | OF | Spokane | Royals | 874 | -4.0 |
| 1998 | Paul Phillips | C | Spokane | Royals | 238 | 0.2 |
| 1999 | Kyle Snyder | RHP | Spokane | Royals | 238 | -0.3 |
| Year | Player | Pos | Team | Org | PA/IP | WAR |
| 2000 | Freddie Bynum | SS | Vancouver | Athletics | 377 | -0.4 |
| 2001 | J.J. Johnson | OF | Boise | Cubs | — | — |
| 2002 | Andy Sisco | LHP | Boise | Cubs | 148 | -0.1 |
| 2003 | Felix Hernandez | RHP | Everett | Mariners | 2,730 | 56.9 |
| 2004 | Javier Herrera | OF | Vancouver | Athletics | — | — |
| 2005 | Shane Lindsay | RHP | Tri-City | Rockies | 6 | -0.2 |
| 2006 | Tyler Colvin | OF | Boise | Cubs | 1,316 | 1.9 |
| 2007 | Mat Latos | RHP | Eugene | Padres | 1,153 | 16.7 |
| 2008 | Josh Vitters | 3B | Boise | Cubs | 109 | -1.4 |
| 2009 | Hak-Ju Lee | SS | Boise | Cubs | — | — |
| Year | Player | Pos | Team | Org | PA/IP | WAR |
| 2010 | Jurickson Profar | SS | Spokane | Rangers | 1,924 | 4.2 |
| 2011 | Justin Nicolino | LHP | Vancouver | Blue Jays | 201 | 0.7 |
| 2012 | Mike Zunino | C | Everett | Mariners | 2,434 | 13.9 |
| 2013 | Kris Bryant | 3B | Boise | Cubs | 3,175 | 27.9 |
| 2014 | Franklin Barreto | SS | Vancouver | Blue Jays | 216 | -0.5 |
| 2015 | Dansby Swanson | SS | Hillsboro | D-backs | 1,879 | 4.6 |
| 2016 | Leody Taveras | OF | Spokane | Rangers | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2017 | Cole Ragans | LHP | Spokane | Rangers | — | — |
| 2018 | Joey Bart | C | Salem-Keizer | Giants | 5 | 0.1 |
| 2019 | Kristian Robinson | OF | Hillsboro | D-Backs | — | — |
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