BA California League Top 20 Prospects...

by louief1 on Oct 2, 2006 1:07 PM EDT Comment 39 comments

Reid Brignac, ss, Visalia (Devil Rays)
Carlos Gonzalez, of, Lancaster (Diamondbacks)
Franklin Morales, lhp, Modesto (Rockies)
Nick Adenhart, rhp, Rancho Cucamonga (Angels)
Eric Hurley, rhp, Bakersfield (Rangers)
Travis Buck, of, Stockton (Athletics)
Jose Arredondo, rhp, Rancho Cucamonga (Angels)
Greg Reynolds, rhp, Modesto (Rockies)
Greg Smith, lhp, Lancaster (Diamondbacks)
Jonathan Herrera, ss, Modesto (Rockies)
Emilio Bonifacio, 2b, Lancaster (Diamondbacks)
Sean Rodriguez, ss, Rancho Cucamonga (Angels)
Mark Reynolds, if, Lancaster (Diamondbacks)
Ben Harrison, of, Bakersfield (Rangers)
Landon Powell, c, Stockton (Athletics)
Yung Chi Chen, 2b, Inland Empire (Mariners)
Fernando Perez, of, Visalia (Devil Rays)
Samuel Deduno, rhp, Modesto (Rockies)
Cesar Ramos, lhp, Lake Elsinore (Rockies)
Chase Headley, 3b, Lake Elsinore (Padres)

Here it is... Thoughts??? C.Gonzalez should have been no.1

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Gonzalez should of been #1?

That's highly debatable.

by killa3312 on Oct 2, 2006 1:09 PM EDT reply actions

Exactly

Power from Shortstop is always better than power from an OF....

Isn't Lancaster the most hittable park in Minor League Baseball? Mark Reynolds had godly stats there, contending for a Triple Crown for most of the year.

Also, did Carlos Gonzalez have a 3-HR game? Nope, case closed.

by The Rocc on Oct 2, 2006 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Haha!

"Also, did Carlos Gonzalez have a 3-HR game? Nope, case closed."

Yeah, we all see where that got Tuffy Rhodes.

by slurve on Oct 2, 2006 5:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Home/Road

FWIW, here are Gonzalez's home/road splits at Lancaster:

Home: .414 OBP/.693 SLG/.361 AVG
Road: .295 OBP/.433 SLG/.239 AVG

Looks like two different players. Of course, Matt Kemp had a similar H/R split at Vero Beach last year and he's done well at higher levels.

by LogicRules on Oct 3, 2006 3:23 AM EDT up reply actions

No Brian Anderson?

What is he too old. I would have thought that a 30+ save and sub 2 era would have put him in the top 20. Damn.

by caintastic on Oct 2, 2006 1:48 PM EDT reply actions

Lincecum

Anderson I understand. He isn't the most dynamic prospect out there. No Tim Lincecum though? That's got to be an oversight.

by StickRat on Oct 2, 2006 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Not enough innings

in the league to qualify.

by jaffmasterj on Oct 2, 2006 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm asking specifically about Anderson

We'll see if Fitt answers my question, and if he does, I'll give a synopsis of his answer...

by Brickhaus on Oct 2, 2006 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions

It seems pretty telling...

that Nick Adenhart is higher on the Cal League chart than the Midwest League chart. The MWL has some pretty impressive prospects.

by papelpower58 on Oct 2, 2006 2:44 PM EDT reply actions

Cal didnt have

much depth. . . and not a whole lotta impact guys either this year.

by SoCalSoxFan on Oct 2, 2006 3:02 PM EDT reply actions

Man, 6-4, 203 is getting pretty big for a SS. I knew he was 6-3 and pretty close to 200, but he just keeps getting bigger. If SS doesn't work out it's too bad that he's in TB with Upton and Longoria. He looks prototype for 3B right now.

by Brett Perryman on Oct 2, 2006 3:27 PM EDT reply actions

Size

shouldn't be that much of a problem. Everything I've read says that he should be able to stay at SS. I've heard he's actually very athletic for his size and surprisingly fast. He doesn't have a great arm, but it's at least average. He should be able to be at least an average SS in the bigs and with his bat, he's special.

by Tyler on Oct 2, 2006 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Brignac's arm

Actually, the scouting report (and BA's take) on Briegnac is that he has a stellar arm (maybe a 70 on the 80 scale), but he isn't the greatest with the hands or the range. Although, there is hope. He's learning to position himself better and his footwork seems to be improving.

At least, that's what I've read.

by Montreal97 on Oct 2, 2006 4:40 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah

I know, all of the recent scouting reports are positive on his defensive ability. I'm just saying that 6-4 and over 200 pounds is getting really big, and that it's pretty amazing that he does have the athleticism at that size to handle it. It takes a really special athlete to do that. If he does make it, will he be the biggest SS? He's a little bigger than Ripken, Tulo, etc, right?

The other thing is, he's 20, and he will surely gain weight and lose mobility over the next several years, so even if he can handle it for awhile, it's probably only a matter of time.

by Brett Perryman on Oct 2, 2006 5:18 PM EDT up reply actions

A-Rod

6'3 225...

by Dfarth on Oct 2, 2006 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Ripken

was listed as 6'4" 225.

by Roger on Oct 2, 2006 5:47 PM EDT up reply actions

So

he'll be about Ripken's size. I'd love to see him make it there. He's on my sim team.

by Brett Perryman on Oct 2, 2006 5:54 PM EDT up reply actions

A-Rod

I read that A-Rod is 6'5". Jeter is like 6'3".

by LCT on Oct 2, 2006 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions

6'3 225

is his listed height/weight on both CBSSportsline.com and Yahoo! Sports...

by Dfarth on Oct 2, 2006 7:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Morales over Adenhart

Is a bit of suprise....especially since Adenhart is often talked about in the 20-30 range overall - whereas Morales is rarely mentioned in the top 50.

by Dfarth on Oct 2, 2006 5:06 PM EDT reply actions

huh

i consider myself reasonably well-read but i've never even heard of jonathan herrera before this. where's the colorado hype machine? pine beetles get that too?

by wily mo on Oct 2, 2006 7:39 PM EDT reply actions

I agree

Seems like Colorado's system is underrated in general. I just rewatched the Cubs/Rocks game from Sunday, and Jimenez looked great. He sat at 96 (for the first few innings) and even hit 99. His secondary pitches looked good too...

FWIW I think Col has one of the top 3 systems overall...they are strong on top but also remarkably deep...

by Dfarth on Oct 2, 2006 7:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Jim Callis

had them recently at #2 behind TB.

by Brett Perryman on Oct 2, 2006 9:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Yep...

last year I sat there thinking, the Rockies have some nice prospects.

You know how badly I'd kill for some of Jimenez, Stewart, Nelson, Ianetta, Lindsey, and so many other guys in the Cubs system...

Not that any would last.

The Cubs suck. :(

by SenorGato88 on Oct 3, 2006 1:57 AM EDT up reply actions

you'd kill for nelson?

let's not go overboard

by wily mo on Oct 3, 2006 4:08 AM EDT up reply actions

I'd kill for...

young talent.

Name a young talented middle infielder in the Cubs system...name 3 position players with the upside of some of the guys the Rockies have.

We have Eric Patterson, whose cieling isn't all that high, and Pie, who I think has MAJOR bust potential.

by SenorGato88 on Oct 3, 2006 7:44 AM EDT up reply actions

well, I can't name three

but Scott Moore looks like a promising replacment for Aramis. Just hope the Hendry--who apparently is going to stick--lets Pierre go.

by Azteca on Oct 3, 2006 10:28 AM EDT up reply actions

ehhhhh

The Cal League top 20 had 4 or 5 guys who don't even profile to hit < 10 homers/yr. I think the lack of pub some of these names have gotten this season is warranted. They aren't underhyped, most of these guys just aren't too exceptional.

Bobby Crosby - a poor man's Adam Everett.

by natsfan2005 on Oct 2, 2006 8:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Good Point too

by Dfarth on Oct 2, 2006 8:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Morales over Adenhart

Somewhat surprising.

by spectfreak on Oct 2, 2006 9:27 PM EDT reply actions

ehh not to me

Adenhart's been overrated IMO.

Morales is a lefty who hits 98 MPH with 2 developing offspeed pitches.

Put simply, there aren't even a handful of lefties in the minors with that package.

There are more than a handful of guys in the minors with Adenhart's stuff, but of course not his "pitchability".

Rays in '08....

by youALREADYknow on Oct 2, 2006 9:34 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't think

that Adenhart is overrated, although I've never seen him pitch live. But I'd trade Morales for him. Morales' potential is huge, but he really has a long ways to go with his control/command. Also, I worry a little about his health, with his leg problems and the concern that they could lead to arm problems if his mechanics are not corrected.

I'd trade Morales for a surprisingly low number of other pitching prospects, but I think that Adenhart is probably one of them.

by Brett Perryman on Oct 2, 2006 9:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Cal League Top 20

How does BA not include Chris Rahl in their list? He led all the minors in hits was 3rd in TB, and tied for 3rd in doubles. He made both all-star teams and plays a nice cf.

In the chat a comment was made about playing in Lancaster. It would seem that this should also apply to Gonzalez, Bonafacio, and Reynolds. If you check the home and away splits for these 4 you'll find that Rahl and Reynolds both were successful on the road while Gonzalez and Bonafacio weren't.

Ba likes who they like regardless of the numbers.

by VaDad on Oct 3, 2006 12:25 AM EDT reply actions

"likes who they like"

i don't think they'd deny it. it's scouting, love it or hate it.

by wily mo on Oct 3, 2006 1:30 AM EDT up reply actions

Im a little surprised that BA doesnt give Rahl

love bc, IIRC, his tools are supposed to be good (nice power AND good/great speed) but its his plate disipline thats the issue

by nms on Oct 3, 2006 4:15 AM EDT up reply actions

Home/Road splits

are overrated

by nms on Oct 3, 2006 4:15 AM EDT up reply actions

A++++++ WOULD BUY FROM THIS POST AGAIN

by limozeen on Oct 3, 2006 11:24 AM EDT up reply actions

Chen

improved a lot this year. he seems like an interesting prospect. nothing too flashy but pretty good contact / walk and speed with adequet power for a 2B, his defense seems a bit shaky right now in terms of concintration and consistency, that should be pretty fixable..

The problem is that the M's have way too much middle infield prospects ... and they'll probalby get too high on the possible ceiling of the other younger guys and overlook him. Jose Lopez been decent but rather undependable..

He might be a good kid to trade for if a team need a decent 2B anytime soon...

by RollingWave on Oct 4, 2006 5:31 AM EDT reply actions

actually...

the Mariners have pretty much no middle infield prospects left.

Lopez and Betancourt are in the majors, Jones is a CF, Tui's a 3B, and Cabrera was traded.

Their best SS prospect right now is Oswaldo Navarro, who doens't have the bat to be a regular. Their best 2B prospect is Luis Valbuena, with Chen a close second. Those are potentially useful players, but they're not impressive names.

The Mariners' system right now is Jones, Clement, Morrow, Feierabend, a bunch of potentially useful relievers, and a bunch of high ceiling teenagers who haven't played beyond short-season.

by jhelfgott on Oct 4, 2006 8:25 PM EDT up reply actions