BA League Top 20 Lists

Too bad Kukuk didn't play enough . I am confident he would of been on this list for sure.

Interesting article from Edes about what another team's scouts think of our prospects.

espn.go.com/blog/boston/red-sox/post/_/id/23151/scouts-take-of-top-sox-prospects

I don't want to sound like a jerk when I say this, but we've been partners with ESPNBoston.com for three years now. Not sure why he wouldn't. Mike's photo is even listed among the blog's authors.

Interestingly enough, the Edes piece has been removed. I'm guessing the scout didn't intend for that to be public. Anyone archive the list?

I never closed the window. Here's the entire article

BALTIMORE -- Who are the Red Sox prospects that other teams will be asking for this winter? Many of the names are known, of course, but ESPN Boston has obtained an assessment of Boston’s top 20 minor-leaguers by pro scouts for another big-league team.

Pitcher Matt Barnes, the 6-foot-4 right-hander who was the team’s No. 1 pick in the 2011 draft, was rated as the team’s top prospect, one of a group of four prospects listed as players with a chance to star in the big leagues.

Barnes, 22, is in his second year of pro ball, pitching for Class A Salem this season, where he struck out 91 batters and walked 25 in 93 innings, posting a 1.18 WHIP. Soxprospects.com named him the team’s 2012 pitcher of the year and “rookie” of the year.

Here is the list, divided into three groups: top prospects (potential stars), average prospects (which in this case means they have a chance to be everyday players on a championship team), and fringe prospects (players with a chance to be big-leaguers). The scouts’ comments follow:

TOP PROSPECTS

1. Matt Barnes, right-handed starter (RHS): Impact RHS with 93-96-mph fastball, plus curveball, and developing changeup.
2. Jackie Bradley Jr., CF: Denard Span with Gold Glove defense
3. Xander Bogaerts, SS: Likely 3B. Chance to hit for average and power
4. Allen Webster, RHS: Mid-rotation RHS; 91-95-mph fastball and above- average control and command

GOOD PROSPECTS

5. Henry Owens, left-handed starter (LHS): 6-foot-7 LHS with 130 strikouts in 102 innings pitched; age 19 at Low-A
6. Garin Cecchini, 3B: Poor man’s Stephen Drew; good athlete/hitter
7. Deven Marrero, SS: Impact defense at shortstop; college performer has hit
8. Brian Johnson, LHS: Jon Niese type pitcher; advanced control and command
9. Blake Swihart, C: Switch-hitting catcher with all five tools
10. Brandon Jacobs, LF: Poor man’s Kevin Mitchell; ex-football star with tools

FRINGE PROSPECTS

11. Tzu-Wei Lin, SS: Taiwanese version of Hak-Ju Lee; signed for $2 million
12. Cody Kukuk, LHS: Restricted list in ’12 (DUI), but 87-94-mph fastball with a plus curveball
13. Bryce Brentz, RF: Jeff Francouer with more power and more strikeouts
14. Pat Light, RHS: Potential closer touches 98 mph with above-average control and command
15. Jamie Callahan, RHS: Young upside high school arm who throws 89-94 mph, developing off-speed
16. Jose Vinicio, SS: Switch-hitter with speed, arm, fielding but developing hitting and power
17. Keury de la Cruz, LF: Toolsy left-handed hitting CF 20 HRS/20 SBs in low-A at age 20
18. Drake Britton, LHS: Control/command issues but 87-94-mph fastball with sink and off-speed pitch
19. Mookie Betts, 2B: Small, plus-plus athletic right-handed-hitting 2B with plus speed and above-average hitting
20. Michael Olmsted, right-handed reliever: Independent league find, had 92 strikeouts in 59 innings pitched at 2A/A+ Indy level

The scouts predicted that the Red Sox will add Olmsted to their 40-man roster, which will protect him from being selected in this December’s Rule 5 draft.

Worth noting:

-- A name certain to appear on any team's list of top Sox prospects will be pitcher Rubby de la Rosa, who will be coming to the Sox from the Dodgers as the player to be named later in the Adrian Gonzalez/Carl Crawford/Josh Beckett deal.

-- Johnson, Marrero, Light and Callahan were all drafted this year, so they cannot be traded even if the Red Sox were so inclined. One of the more surprising names on the list is Betts, who was not listed in Soxprospects.com’s Top 60. And the presence of so many players drafted in the last two years (Barnes, Bradley, Swihart, Owens and Kukuk were all drafted in 2011) speak to the impressive drafts Amiel Sawdaye has had in his last two years as scouting director.

Odd that the scout has Callahan over Buttrey isn't it? Everything I've read says that Buttrey is the better prospect.

Hard to get a good read on teens before full season ball. But nice to hear Betts get some scouting love.

NEW YORK-PENN LEAGUE
TOP 20 PROSPECTS
1. Taylor Guerrieri, rhp, Hudson Valley (Rays)
2. Luis Heredia, rhp, State College (Pirates)
3. Roman Quinn, ss, Williamsport (Phillies)
4. Richie Shaffer, 3b, Hudson Valley (Rays)
5. Luis Mateo, rhp, Brooklyn (Mets)
...
7. Deven Marrero, ss, Lowell (Red Sox)
17. Pat Light, rhp, Lowell (Red Sox)

www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/league-top-20-prospects/2012/2614118.html

As for the NYPL write-up, scouting report highlights:

Marrero - great D, gap-to-gap at the plate, good approach, needs to correct a hitch in his swing, good runner.

Light - plus life and velo on 95-97 mph sinker. slider could be solid. fringy change.

I think the credit can be spread to Mellen, the other scouts, Mike, Chris, and many others on this site. It takes more than scouting know-how to put together all of this information into a legible format, and many of the posters (not myself really, but lots of you guys) contribute quite a bit. Let's please never confuse Soxprospects with a Forum for one scout or something of that ilk though his opinions have certainly been invaluable.

Callas reported that 14 Red Sox players were on top 20 prospect lists( tied for the most of any team.). I count 17 locks- Iglesias, Lavernway, Webster, Brentz, Bradley, Shaw, Bogaerts, Workman, Barnes, De la Cruz,Cecchini, Swihart, Owens, Marrero, Light, Lin, and Montas. Who are three players not on the lists?,