Category Archives: Prospect Rankings

2011 Boston Red Sox Top 15 Prospects Post Season Report Card

With the 2011 minor league season complete we check in on the progress of each of the Boston Red Sox preseason Top 15 prospects as ranked by our prospect ranker J.P. Schwartz The post season grading report was done by the publisher of Top Prospect Alert, not Mr. Schwartz, and reflects only the 2011 season and not future upside or downside of the individual prospect. Our 2012 preseason rankings will be published in the coming months.

#1 Jose Iglesias GRADE C-
Iglesias hit .235 with 9 Doubles, 1 Home Run, and 31 RBI’s for the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox. He also had 12 stolen bases. Through September 6th Iglesias was 0-4 in the majors with Boston.

#2 Anthony Ranaudo GRADE B
Ranaudo went a combined 9-6 with a 3.97ERA between the High-A Salem Red Sox and the Low-A Greenville Drive. He walked 46 and struck out 117 batters in 127 innings of work. Opposing hitters batted .244 against Ranaudo on the year. Carolina League hitters batted 51 points higher against him than their South Atlantic League counterparts.

#3 Josh Reddick GRADE B+
Reddick has spent the majority of his season in the majors playing 72 games with the Red Sox batting .295 with 15 Doubles, 3 Triples, 7 Home Runs, and 27 RBI’s through September 6th. He’s struck out 40 times in 210 big league at-bats. In 52 games this season at Triple-A Pawtucket, Reddick hit .230, with 9 Doubles, 1 Triple, 14 Home Runs and 36 RBI’s.

#4 Brandon Workman GRADE B
Workman 6-7 with a 3.71ERA in 26 starts for Low-A Greenville. He walked 33 and struck out 115 in 131 innings of work. Opposing hitters batted .260 off of Workman on the season. His ERA was nearly half a run better in the second half of the season and opposing batters hit 60 points less off Workman compare to the first half of the season.

#5 Garin Cecchini GRADE B-
Before a season ending wrist injury, Cecchini was hitting .298 with 12 Doubles, 1 Triple, 3 Home Runs, and 23 RBI’s for the Short-A Lowell Spinners. He had also stolen 12 bases in his 32 games prior to the injury.

#6 Drake Britton GRADE D
Britton was 1-13 with a 6.91ERA for High-A Salem. He walked 55 and struck out 89 in 97.2 innings of work. Opposing batters hit .285 on the year against Britton.

#7 Lars Anderson GRADE C+
Anderson batted .265 with 31 Doubles, 2 Triples, 14 Home Runs and 78 RBI’s in his second season at Triple-A Pawtucket. He walked 80 times and struck out 120 times in 136 games.

#8 Ryan Westmoreland DID NOT PLAY
Westmoreland continues in his recovery from brain surgery. He stepped in against live pitching on August 17th for the first time since his 2010 surgery. He continues to make strides in his comeback attempt.

#9 Oscar Tejeda GRADE C
Tejeda batted .249 with 24 Doubles, 1 Triple, 5 Home Run and 41 RBI’s for the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs. He also stole 13 bases. His batting average and slugging percentage dropped significantly from his 2010 performance in High-A.

#10 Stolmy Pimentel GRADE D
Pimentel was awful in Double-A going 0-9 with a 9.12ERA in 15 starts before being demoted to High-A. He was a bit better after the demotion going 6-4 with a 4.53ERA in 51.2 innings. Combined Pimentel struck out 65 batters while walking 39 in 102 innings of work. Opposing hitters batted .308 against him including a .352 clip by Double-A hitters.

#11 Kolbrin Vitek GRADE B-
Vitek hit .281 with 22 Doubles, 6 Triples, 3 Home Runs and 43 RBI’s for High-A Salem. He also stole 12 bases on the season.

#12 Will Middlebrooks GRADE A-
Middlebrooks batted a combined .285 with 26 Doubles, 1 Triple, 23 Home Runs and 94 RBI’s between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket as well as a four game rehab stint at Short-A Lowell. He also stole 10 bases. Middlebrooks struck out 114 times in 116 games while drawing just 26 walks. He struggled a bit in his 16 games in Pawtucket in August hitting just .161.

#13 Ryan Lavarnway GRADE A+
Lavarnway batted a combined .290 with 23 Doubles, 32 Home Runs, and 93 RBI’s for Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket. Through September 6th, he batted .304 in 23 big league at-bats with Boston. Lavarnway had one of the best offensive seasons of anyone in Minor League Baseball.

#14 Felix Doubront GRADE C+
Doubront was 2-5 with a 4.22ERA in 70.1 innings for Triple-A Pawtucket. He has 26 walks and 74 strikeouts. Opposing batters hit .241 off him. Through September 6th Doubront was 0-0 with a 10.38ERA in 4.1 big league innings with Boston.

#15 Sean Coyle GRADE B
Coyle batted .247 with 27 Doubles, 7 Triples, 14 Home Runs, and 64 RBI’s in 106 games at Low-A Greenville. He also stole 20 bases. Coyle walked 60 times and struck out 110 times in 384 at-bats.

2011 Baltimore Orioles Top 15 Prospects Post Season Report Card

With the 2011 minor league season complete we check in on the progress of each of the Baltimore Orioles preseason Top 15 prospects as ranked by our prospect ranker J.P. Schwartz The post season grading report was done by the publisher of Top Prospect Alert, not Mr. Schwartz, and reflects only the 2011 season and not future upside or downside of the individual prospect. Our 2012 preseason rankings will be published in the coming months.

#1 Manny Machado GRADE: B
Machado batted a combined .257 with 20 Doubles, 5 Triples, 11 Home Runs, 50 RBI’s between the Low-A Delmarva Shorebirds and High-A Ferderick Keys. He also stole 11 bases on the season. Machado struck out just 73 times in 101 games.

#2 Zach Britton GRADE: B
Britton has spent most of 2011 with the Orioles going 9-9 with a 4.22ERA through September 6th. He walked 48 and struck out 83 in 128 big league innings. Britton’s stats are skewed slightly by two starts in July in which he allowed 13 earned runs in what totaled one inning of work. In the minors this year Britton went a combined 0-3 with a 4.32ERA in four starts between the Double-A Bowie Baysox and Triple-A Norfolk Tides.

#3 Mychal Givens GRADE C-
Givens hit a combined .243 with 16 Doubles, 2 Triples, 1 Home Run, and 45 RBI’s between the Short-A Aberdeen IronBirds and Low-A Delmarva. He tallied 20 stolen bases on the season. Givens struggled greatly batting just .195 in 57 games for the Shorebirds before being demoted to Short-A once the NY Penn League started up.

#4 Dan Klein GRADE B-
Up until a shoulder injury sidelined him for the remainder of the 2011 season, Klein went a combined 3-1 with a 1.11ERA in 32.1 innings between High-A Frederick and Double-A Bowie. He walked 6 and struck out 37 batters. Opposing hitters batted just .197 against Klein.

#5 Xavier Avery GRADE C
Avery batted .259 with 31 Doubles, 2 Triples, 4 Home Runs, and 26 RBI’s for Double-A Bowie. He also stole 36 bases on the year. The biggest knock on Avery’s season was his plate discipline. He struck out 156 times in 138 games.

#6 Matt Hobgood GRADE D
Hobgood was a combined 0-6 with a 8.76ERA for the GCL Orioles and Short-A Aberdeen. He walked 26 and struck out 22 in 37 innings of work. Opposing batters hit .331 combined off of Hobgood. Short-A hitters batted .360 off of him.

#7 Wynn Pelzer GRADE C
Pelzer went 5-8 with a 4.00ERA in 87.2 innings between Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk. He walked 54 and struck out 72 batters. Opposing hitters batted .259 off Pelzer on the year.

#8 Ryan Berry GRADE C
Berry lost most of his 2011 season to shoulder tendinitis before coming back in the second half. He went a combined 1-1 with a 3.47ERA in 36.1 innings across the GCL Orioles, Short-A Aberdeen, and High-A Frederick. He walked 15 and struck out 32. Opposing hitters batted .248 off Berry.

#9 Jake Cowan GRADE C+
Cowan was a tough luck combined 0-7 with a 3.92ERA between Short-A Aberdeen and Low-A Delmarva. He walked 39 and struck out 78 in 82.2 innings of work. Opposing batters hit just .234 off of Cowan.

#10 Clay Schrader GRADE A
Schrader went a combined 2-2 with 5 saves and a 1.57ERA between Low-A Delmarva and High-A Frederick. He walked 32 and struck out 73 in 46 innings of work. Opposing batters hit an absurdly low .123 against Schrader this season.

#11 L.J. Hoes GRADE B+
Hoes batted a combined .285 with 24 Doubles, 1 Triple, 9 Home Runs, and 71 RBI’s between High-A Frederick and Double-A Bowie. He also stole 20 bases. He drew 53 walks and struck out just 81 times in 136 games. In 95 games at Bowie, Hoes batted .305.

#12 Brandon Snyder GRADE C-
Snyder hit .261 with 21 Doubles, 1 Triple, 14 Home Runs, and 71 RBI’s for Triple-A Norfolk. It was his third season in Triple-A and his On Base Percentage and Slugging Percentage were both lower than in 2010 at the same level. In six big league games with the Orioles, Snyder batted .231 with a Double and a RBI.

#13 Trent Mummey GRADE C
Mummey hit a combined .292 with 4 Doubles, 4 Triples, 3 Home Runs, and 22 RBI’s between Low-A Delmarva and High-A Frederick in 29 games before a season ending hamstring injury. He had also stolen 19 bases before getting hurt.

#14 Jonathan Schoop GRADE B+
Schoop batted .290 with 24 Doubles, 5 Triples, 13 Home Runs and 72 RBI’s combined between Low-A Delmarva and High-A Frederick. He also stole 12 bases on the season.

#15 Parker Bridwell GRADE C-
Bridwell went a combined 2-8 with a 5.26ERA in 75.1 innings between Short-A Aberdeen and Low-A Delmarva. He walked 35 batters and struck out 70. Opposing hitters batted .271 against Bridwell. He had a 7.06 ERA in five Low-A starts to close out the season following his promotion.

2011 Atlanta Braves Top 15 Prospects Post Season Report Card

With the 2011 minor league season complete we check in on the progress of each of the Atlanta Braves preseason Top 15 prospects as ranked by our prospect ranker J.P. Schwartz The post season grading report was done by the publisher of Top Prospect Alert, not Mr. Schwartz, and reflects only the 2011 season and not future upside or downside of the individual prospect. Our 2012 preseason rankings will be published in the coming months.

#1 Julio Teheran GRADE A-
Teheran went 15-3 with a 2.33ERA for the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves. He walked 48 and struck out 122 in 144.2 innings of work. Opposing hitters batted .232 against him. He also had two spot starts for Atlanta going 0-1 with a 5.19ERA, walking 4 and striking out 2 in 8.2 innings of big league work.

#2 Freddie Freeman GRADE A
Through September 5th, Freeman was batting .291 with 29 Doubles, 18 Home Runs, and 64 RBI’s as the Atlanta Braves every day first baseman. He is a National League Rookie Of The Year Candidate.

#3 Arodys Vizcaino GRADE A
Vizcaino went a combined 5-5 with a 3.06ERA in 97 innings between Triple-A Gwinnett, Double-A Mississipi, and the High-A Lynchburg Hillcats. He walked 28 while striking out 100 batters on the season. Opposing hitters batted .225 off of Vizcaino. In 11 big league appearances through September 5th, Vizcaino was 1-1 with a 6.00ERA walking 8 and strking out 14 in 12 innings of work.

#4 Mike Minor GRADE B
Minor went 4-5 with a 3.13ERA for Triple-A Gwinnett. He walked 27 and struck out 99 in 100.2 innings. Opposing hitters batted .246 against him. In 11 big league starts with Atlanta through September 5th, Minor was 4-2 with a 4.09ERA over 61.2 innings. He has walked 21 and struck out 59. Opposing hitters in the major leagues are batting .287 against him.

#5 Carlos Perez GRADE C-
Perez went 4-10 with a 4.82ERA for the Low-A Rome Braves. In 125 innings he walked 66 and struck out 109. Opposing hitters batted .278 off Perez this season. His ERA was nearly a run and a half lower in the second half of the season.

#6 Randall Delgado GRADE B
Delgado went a combined 7-7 with a 3.88ERA between Triple-A Gwinnett and Double-A Mississippi. In 135 innings of work he walked 57 and struck out 135 batters. Opposing hitters batted .255 against Delgado. In three big league starts through September 5th, Delgado was 0-1 with a 4.20ERA, walking 6 and striking out 10 in 15 innings with Atlanta.

#7 Craig Kimbrel GRADE A+
Kimbrel has been arguably the best closer in the National League in 2011. He recently set the all time single season saves record for a rookie. Through September 5th, Kimbrel is 4-2 with 42 saves and a 1.57ERA. He’s got 113 strikeouts while walking 26 batters in 68.2 innings of work. He is limiting opposing hitters to a .167 batting average. He is a top contender for NL Rookie of the Year.

#8 Matt Lipka GRADE C
Lipka batted .247 with 21 Doubles, 3 Triples, 1 Home Run, and 37 RBI’s for Low-A Rome. He also tallied 28 stolen bases on the season. He struck out just 83 times in 530 at bats.

#9 Brandon Beachy GRADE A
Through September 5th, Beachy is 7-2 with a 3.37ERA in 21 starts for Atlanta. In 120 innings, he has walked 35 while striking out 135. Big league hitters are batting just .233 off of Beachy.

#10 Christian Bethancourt GRADE B-
Bethancourt batted a combined .289 with 16 Doubles, 3 Triples, 5 Home Runs and 53 RBI’s between Low-A Rome and High-A Lynchburg. He also stole nine bases on the year. The .289 batting average is a career high for Bethancourt.

#11 Brett Oberholtzer TRADED TO HOUSTON
Oberholtzer was 9-9 with a 3.74ERA in 127 innings for Double-A Mississippi before the trade. Since joining the Astros he has gone 2-3 with a 5.27 ERA for the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks. Opponents batted a combined .253 against Oberholtzer on the season.

#12 Andrelton Simmons GRADE B
Simmons batted .311 with 35 Doubles, 6 Triples, 1 Home Run, 52 RBI’s and stole 26 bases for High-A Lynchburg. He struckout just 43 times in 517 at bats. He hit .345 with runners in scoring position on the year.

#13 Paul Clemens TRADED TO HOUSTON
Clemens was 6-5 with a 3.73ERA in 108.2 innings for Double-A Mississippi before being traded in July. After joining the Astros organization Clemens went 2-1 with a 2.35ERA for Corpus Christi before a season ending start for the Triple-A Oklahoma City Redhawks in which he allowed eight earned runs in 4.2 innings. Combined Clemens struck out 125 batters in 144 innings and held opposing hitters to a .239 batting average.

#14 David Filak GRADE D
Filak went a combined 3-11 with a 6.14ERA between Rookie League Danville and Low-A Rome. He walked 52 and struck out 79 in 104 combined innings. Batters hit .304 against Filak.

#15 Edward Salcedo GRADE C+
Salcedo batted .248 with 27 Doubles, 6 Triples, 12 Home Runs, 68 RBI’s and stole 23 bases for Low-A Rome. He struck out 105 times in 508 at bats. Salcedo faltered as the season went on hitting just .229 in the second half of the year.

2011 Arizona Diamondbacks Top 15 Prospects Post Season Report Card

With the 2011 minor league season complete we check in on the progress of each of the Arizona Diamondbacks preseason Top 15 prospects as ranked by our prospect ranker J.P. Schwartz The post season grading report was done by the publisher of Top Prospect Alert, not Mr. Schwartz, and reflects only the 2011 season and not future upside or downside of the individual prospect. Our 2012 preseason rankings will be published in the coming months.

#1 Jarrod Parker GRADE B
Parker went 11-8 with a 3.79ERA in 130.2 innings for the Double-A Mobile Bay Bears. He had 55 walks and 112 strikeouts. Opposing hitters batted .236 off of Parker.

#2 Matt Davidson GRADE B
Davidson batted .277 with 39 Doubles, 1 Triple, 20 Home Runs, and 106 RBI’s for High-A Visalia. He had 147 strikeouts in 135 games.

#3 Tyler Skaggs GRADE A
Skaggs went a combined 9-6 with a 2.96ERA between the High-A Visalia Oaks and the Double-A Mobile Bay Bears. He struck out 198 batters while walking 49 in 158.1 innings. Opposing hitters batted .218 off of Skaggs.

#4 Bobby Borchering GRADE B
Borchering hit .267 with 29 Doubles, 3 Triples, 24 Home Runs and 92 RBI’s for High-A Visalia. While the power was great, so were the strikeouts, 162 in 531 at bats.

#5 Chris Owings GRADE C+
Owings batted .246 with 29 Doubles, 6 Triples, 11 Home Runs, 50 RBI and 10 Stolen Bases. He struck out 130 times in 121 games. Owings struggled after the all star break batting just .224 in the second half.

#6 Paul Goldschmidt GRADE A+
Goldschmidt batted .306 with 21 Doubles, 3 Triples, 30 Home Runs, and 94 RBI’s in 103 games at Double-A Mobile. He was promoted to the majors in August where through September 4th he was hitting .247 with 4 Doubles, 6 Home Runs, and 16 RBI’s in 29 Games with the Diamondbacks.

#7 Wagner Mateo GRADE C
Mateo batted .228 with 9 Doubles, 2 Triples, 6 Home Runs and 25 RBI’s for the AZL Diamondbacks. He struck out 88 times in 206 at-bats.

#8 Pat Corbin GRADE B-
Corbin went 9-8 with a 4.21ERA in 160.1 innings for Double-A Mobile. He walked 40 while striking out 142 batters. Opposing hitters batted .275 off of Corbin.

#9 A.J. Pollock GRADE B
Pollock batted .307 with 41 Doubles, 5 Triples, 8 Home Runs and 73 RBI’s for Double-A Mobile. He also stole 36 bases in 133 games for the BayBears.

#10 Ty Linton GRADE C+
Linton batted .254 with 6 Doubles, 4 Triples, 3 Home Runs, and 17 RBI’s in 36 games for the Rookie League Missoula Osprey.

#11 Marc Krauss GRADE C
Krauss batted .242 with 25 Doubles, 6 Triples, 16 Home Runs and 65 RBI’s for Double-A Mobile. He struck out 123 times in 125 games with the BayBears.

#12 David Holmberg GRADE B
Holmberg went a combined 12-9 with a 3.44ERA in 154.1 innings between Low-A South Bend and High-A Visalia. He walked 48 and struck out 157 batters. Opposing batters hit just .236 against Holmberg.

#13 Robbie Rowland GRADE D
Rowland went 2-6 with a 8.00ERA in 63 innings for Rookie League Missoula. He walked 16 and struck out 46. Opposing hitters batted a whopping .335 off of Rowland on the season including .377 with runners in scoring position.

#14 Blake Perry GRADE C
Perry went a combined 2-5 with a 4.86 ERA in 74 innings between the AZL Diamondbacks at the Short Season Yakima Bears. He walked 24 batters while striking out 57. Opposing hitters batted .251 against him this season.

#15 Zach Walters TRADED TO WASHINGTON
Walters was traded to the Washington Nationals in July after hitting .302 with 27 Doubles, 6 Triples, 9 Home Runs, and 56 RBI’s in 97 Games for the Low-A South Bend Silver Hawks. Following the trade he hit .293 in 30 games as a member of the Potomac Nationals.

2011 Top 50 Mid-Season Prospect Rankings

By J.P. Schwartz

Direct your questions & feedback directly to J.P. Schwartz by following him on Twitter @Jaypers413

A player must have fewer than 130 at-bats or fewer than 50 innings pitched at the major league level in order to qualify for the 2011 organizational prospect rankings

#1 Bryce Harper (Nationals)

#2 Mike Trout (Angels)

#3 Julio Teheran (Braves)

#4 Matt Moore (Rays)

#5 Shelby Miller (Cardinals)

#6 Manny Machado (Orioles)

#7 Jameson Taillon (Pirates)

#8 Robbie Erlin (Rangers)

#9 Jesus Montero (Yankees)

#10 Carlos Martinez (Cardinals)

#11 Jurickson Profar (Rangers)

#12 Jacob Turner (Tigers)

#13 Brett Lawrie (Blue Jays)

#14 Brandon Belt (Giants)

#15 Tyler Skaggs (Diamondbacks)

#16 Drew Hutchison (Blue Jays)

#17 Manny Banuelos (Yankees)

#18 Taijuan Walker (Mariners)

#19 Matt Harvey (Mets)

#20 David Holmberg (Diamondbacks)

#21 Anthony Ranaudo (Red Sox)

#22 Brad Peacock (Nationals)

#23 Lonnie Chisenhall (Indians)

#24 Dellin Betances (Yankees)

#25 Neil Ramirez (Rangers)

#26 Paul Goldschmidt (Diamondbacks)

#27 Desmond Jennings (Rays)

#28 Gary Sanchez (Yankees)

#29 Wil Myers (Royals)

#30 Nick Castellanos (Tigers)

#31 Mike Moustakas (Royals)

#32 Leonys Martin (Rangers)

#33 Jarrod Parker (Diamondbacks)

#34 Martin Perez (Rangers)

#35 Zack Wheeler (Giants)

#36 Jake Marisnick (Blue Jays)

#37 Jonathan Singleton (Phillies)

#38 Michael Choice (A’s)

#39 Kyle Gibson (Twins)

#40 Jedd Gyorko (Padres)

#41 Tyler Thornburg (Brewers)

#42 Jarred Cosart (Phillies)

#43 Nick Franklin (Mariners)

#44 Miguel Sano (Twins)

#45 Hak-Ju Lee (Rays)

#46 Nolan Arenado (Rockies)

#47 Trevor May (Phillies)

#48 Tim Wheeler (Rockies)

#49 Devin Mesoraco (Reds)

#50 Tim Beckham (Rays)