BA- Appy League top 20

by my dixie wrecked on Sep 24, 2007 3:08 PM EDT

TOP 20 PROSPECTS

Cole Rohrbough, lhp, Danville (Braves)
Cody Johnson, of, Danville (Braves)
David Bromberg, rhp, Elizabethton (Twins)
Neftali Feliz, rhp, Danville (Braves)
Jeffrey Locke, lhp, Danville (Braves)
Nick Barnese, rhp, Princeton (Devil Rays)
Pete Kozma, ss, Johnson City (Cardinals)
Brandon Hicks, ss, Danville (Braves)
Steve Evarts, lhp, Danville (Braves)
Mike McCardell, rhp, Elizabethton (Twins)
Michael Fisher, ss, Danville (Braves)
Jose Martinez, of, Bristol (White Sox)
Estarlin De Los Santos, ss, Elizabethton (Twins)
Loek Van Mil, rhp, Elizabethton (Twins)
Deibinson Romero, 3b, Elizabethton (Twins)
Ozzie Lewis, of, Elizabethton (Twins)
Ebert Rosario, 3b, Greeneville (Astros)
Bradley Tippett, rhp, Elizabethton (Twins)
Kraig Binick, of, Bluefield (Orioles)
Kyle Greenwalt, rhp, Greeneville (Astros)

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7 Braves in the top 11? 8-o

Yowza. And I guess it's technically only 6 now that Feliz is a Ranger. Also, two Danville SSs made the list. Weird.

Good to see Cody Johnson get good reviews. I can't wait to see what Rohrbough and Locke do next year. The Braves are going to need some front line starters in the near-future, so hopefully at least one of them will develop.

by mraver on Sep 24, 2007 3:44 PM EDT reply actions

Keep In Mind

Since the Braves and Twins have GCL teams, the players that wind up in Elizabethton and Danville often times have a year of minor league experience under their belts when they get to the Appy League, while other teams in the league who do not have team complex affiliates have rosters with first year minor leaguers.

That having been said, many of the prospects on this list, like Hicks, Evarts, and Fisher are straight from the college ranks but guys like Johnson, Locke, Feliz, etc are playing with a year of experience against guys who often times lack that year of experience.

by tmsnow on Sep 24, 2007 6:42 PM EDT reply actions

Sort of true...

But, most teams do have complex league teams now. There were 16 teams in the GCL this year, and 9 in the AZL out west.

So that doesn't explain much. I know as a Mets fan, for example, they brought back their GCL team a few years ago, and have drafted alot more HS talent in the last few years. With a big ZERO on this list, and one top 20 player on the GCL list, it doesn't look like they're doing such a great job a couple of years into Omar Minaya's plan for rebuilding from the lower levels. And if they're signing good international talent, those guys should often be showing up in this league as well.

I also don't have a great deal of faith in lists at this level. But, I bet alot of people are wondering what's going on when no one from their favorite organization is even making the list. Meanwhile, the usual suspects, the Braves and Twins, are doing a great job drafting and developing HS talent (Though I realize some of these are college guys as well).

by acerimusdux on Sep 25, 2007 7:20 PM EDT up reply actions

wrong level

its not the GCL and AZL he was talking about. the braves and twins don't have teams in the NYPL or the NWL where most teams send their college players, so all of their college picks go to a league that is made up of mostly teenagers.

by fewgoodcards on Sep 26, 2007 8:32 AM EDT up reply actions

hmm

the braves almost never use any of their high picks on college players anyway.

by jpahk on Sep 26, 2007 11:00 AM EDT up reply actions

Exactly

So essentially, the Braves and Twins have appy league rosters that mirror those (at least in times of perceived talent) of Low-A teams for other organizations.

by tmsnow on Sep 26, 2007 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions

royals

Didn't expect anyone to make the list except maybe Bryan Paukovits. They send their HS draftees to the AZL, and their best college draftees to the Pioneer League.

by doublestix on Sep 24, 2007 6:58 PM EDT reply actions

De Los Santos and Leveret

De Los Santos seems a little high... he faded in towards the end.

Also, Rene Leveret didn't make the list? Didn't he lead the league in RBI's this year? Must be because he's 21, because the guy looked like a masher.

The squirrels have become organized...and they're angry!

by maxisagod on Sep 24, 2007 8:43 PM EDT reply actions

This list surprises me

in several ways.

Loek Van Mil is now 22 hasn't pitched above rookie and his biggest feature is that he is 7' 1". He only pitched 24 innings. I was shocked to see his name.

Rosario - looked good at times but awful at others. Led the league in errors may have some up side though.

Leverett should be on the list IMO.

De Los Santos is one of the players I really enjoyed watching this year.

As for the complex league issue: 3 of the six teams in the appy don't have complex teams. Astros, D-Rays, & White Sox. It does make a difference in the competion. Look a the standings, the three teams without complex teams finished 5th, 8th & 9th in the overall standings.

by Duman on Sep 27, 2007 8:45 AM EDT reply actions