More from John. He tells me that he is not reading the comments about these lists, and I am enforcing that. He will go back and read them after the book is done but before the final grades are in, so feel free to debate grades. Nothing is final yet.

Milwaukee Brewers Top 20 Prospects for 2008

All grades are EXTREMELY PRELIMINARY and subject to change.

1. Matt LaPorta, OF, Grade B+ (great bat, glove??)
   
2. Manny Parra, LHP, Grade B+ (a really good prospect who needs more attention)
   
3. Mat Gamel, 3B, Grade B
   
4. Jeremy Jeffress, RHP, Grade B (assumes he stops smoking dope)
   
5. Jonathan Lucroy, C, Grade B-
   
6. Taylor Green, 3B, Grade B-
   
7. Cole Gillespie, OF, Grade C+
   
8. Alicides Escobar, SS, Grade C+ (overrated by lots of people IMHO)
   
9. Caleb Gindl, OF, Grade C+ (very promising, want more data)
   
10. Angel Salome, C, Grade C+
    
11. Michael Brantley, OF, Grade C+ (a personal favorite I admit)
    
12. Lorenzo Cain, OF, Grade C+
    
13. Zach Braddock, LHP, Grade C+
    
14. Robert Bryson, RHP, Grade C+
    
15. Hernan Iribarren, 2B, Grade C+
    
16. Brent Brewer, SS, Grade C (yes I know all about his tools. He is so damn raw that I don't believe in him yet.)
    
17. R.J. Seidel, RHP, Grade C
    
18. Zack Jackson, LHP, Grade C
    
19. Cody Scarpetta, RHP, Grade C
    
20. Dan Merklinger, LHP, Grade C

Others Grade Cs who are interchangeable with those above include Chris Cody, Chris Errecart, Eric Farris, Darren Ford, Steve Hammond, Robert Hinton, Brendan Katin, Brad Nelson, Lou Palmisano, Mark Rogers and Vinny Rottino.

Again, don't get all pissy about exact placement on this list. The grades are more important than someone being ranked 15th instead of 13th.

This system has been thinned out by promotions and trades, but I suspect they will recharge quickly.

Of course, full statistics and reports on over 1,000 other players will be in the 2008 Baseball Prospect Book, now available for pre-order. Ships the first Monday in February!