BA GCL Top 20

by rdf8585 on Sep 16, 2008 12:44 PM EDT Comment 30 comments

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/league-top-20-prospects/2008/266858.html (list is free, scouting reports req a subscription)

1. Aaron Hicks, of, Twins
2. Kyle Skipworth, c, Marlins
3. Jefry Marte, 3b, Mets
4. Jason Knapp, rhp, Phillies
5. Michael Almanzar, 3b, Red Sox
6. Casey Kelly, ss/rhp, Red Sox
7. Sebastian Valle, c, Phillies
8. Zach Collier, of, Phillies
9. Jack McGeary, lhp, Nationals
10. Abner Abreu, 3b, Indians
11. Arodys Vizcaino, rhp, Yankees
12. Cesar Puello, of, Mets
13. Anthony Hewitt, 3b, Phillies
14. Esmailyn Gonzalez, ss, Nationals
15. L.J. Hoes, 2b, Orioles
16. Isaac Galloway, of, Marlins
17. Zeke Spruill, rhp, Braves
18. Destin Hood, of, Nationals
19. Derrik Gibson, 3b, Red Sox
20. Jarek Cunningham, 3b/ss, Pirates

Hicks surprised me this summer. Based on what I had read on him before the draft, he was a guy high on tools but not so much on refinement. He looked relatively polished, walking 28 times in 45 games (173 AB) and striking out only 32 times. That's probably what surprised me the most - the solid strike zone judgment. It seems like most of these toolsy guys tend to be free swingers and, at least this year, that didn't seem to be the case with Hicks.

Overall, he hit .309 with a line of .409/.491/900. Possibly could begin 2009 with Beloit in the MWL?

BA GCL Top 20 Chat - 3 PM ET on 9/16

Next up is the Appy League

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Comments

Some interesting guys on that list

The first one that jumps out to me is Anthony Hewitt. We all know he is extremely raw but he is a stone cold lock to have maybe the worst debut of all the 08 first rounders. 55 k’s in 33 games? He truley was the ultimate risk/reward so it will be interesting to see his progression.

Knapp i believe was shut down with shoulder soreness towards the end of the season but hes one guy that i think can be a force coming through the Phillies system. Jefry Marte should be a real interesting tag team to watch with Wilmer Flores.

I think McGeary is one of the most intersting guys in all the minors simply because of his contract. His proggresion is going to be very intriguing to watch.

by Kazmir2657 on Sep 16, 2008 1:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

hewitt's too high

he’s 2 years older than the other 2 phillies position players on this list (collier and valle), and 5 slots of difference is nowhere near enough to compensate for the massive difference in polish.

really, both collier and valle have significantly more polished bats, and both are two calender years younger.

ANATOMY OF ERA:
Variables Don't; Constants Aren't

by variablesdont on Sep 16, 2008 2:11 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

agree

i dont see how he can even be on the list. i’d say his career will be the same as cj henry

by ScottAZ on Sep 16, 2008 2:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Um, no

This is the GCL. performance is based very little on performance. Hewitt is right where he should be given his ceiling and draft placement.

Something similar could be said about Kyle Skipworth and it would be equally wrong.

by aCone419 on Sep 17, 2008 7:35 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

so much for the nationals scouts

2 million for a guy who can’t even crack the top 10 list in the GCL.

by Bravesin07 on Sep 16, 2008 2:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

in fairness,

i think they skimmed about 500K off of gonzalez’s bonus.

that is why bowden and rijo are being investigated, right?

ANATOMY OF ERA:
Variables Don't; Constants Aren't

by variablesdont on Sep 16, 2008 3:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Esmailyn Gonzalez

I’m not really sure what the criticism here is. Gonzalez raked this year and showed an incredibly advanced command of the strike zone, as well as good physical tools and solid hitting ability. I’m not sure if he deserves to be top 10 material because he was repeating the league, but he’s still just 18 and has a fairly rare combination of skills and tools.

by limozeen on Sep 16, 2008 6:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Abner Abreu

Good to see him on the list. Lots of potential, but he’s still very raw power.

by JP_Frost on Sep 16, 2008 4:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

didn’t mean to say raw power … just raw.

by JP_Frost on Sep 16, 2008 4:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jefry Marte

Had a monster season as a 16-17 year old.

ProjectProspect.com - Sullivan10x@yahoo.com

by sully10x on Sep 16, 2008 4:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

+1

the list is trash if a) marte is not on it b) hewitt is on it

i feel sorry for the people who paid for this

by robcast23 on Sep 16, 2008 11:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i guess nobody actually paid for the list

but you get my point

by robcast23 on Sep 16, 2008 11:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Please look again

before you fly off the handle… I think youll be pleasantly surprised.

by alskor on Sep 17, 2008 5:29 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

whoops

my bad

by robcast23 on Sep 17, 2008 9:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Can you read?

Rowdy Hardy Fan Club member.

by doublestix on Sep 16, 2008 11:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

wow

you’re funny. go choke on one

by robcast23 on Sep 17, 2008 9:06 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

hilarious

Rowdy Hardy Fan Club member.

by doublestix on Sep 17, 2008 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You go choke on one!

by Lunkwill Fook on Sep 17, 2008 4:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

how many times have you seen either one of those players

play in person?
And even on the 1-in-1,000 chance you have seen ‘em both play plenty, I’d still take the word of the scouts and coaches of the circuit over you.

I’m assuming you’re basing that brilliant remark off – AT BEST – some YouTube clips, meaningless GCL stats and word of mouth.

Whatever.

by nms on Sep 17, 2008 2:00 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

you too

well thats ok because i certainly don’t care what you have to say either.

by robcast23 on Sep 17, 2008 9:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

anyone know why he was shutdown?

didn’t get in a game after august 15

by Wheelhouse on Sep 17, 2008 4:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hoes

As an Orioles fan I’m glad to see Hoes made the list. He had a great year. It’s good to see we may have gotten a legitimate positional prospect in a later round. I’m just wondering why the O’s didn’t try to convert him to SS first. We badly need one and he could always switch to 2B if thinks didn’t work out at higher levels.

by edsachs1 on Sep 16, 2008 5:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Hicks

BA said he compares to grady sizemore who can switch hit not bad.

Twins have made the most out of their last 2 …1st round picks, which haven’t been top 10.

Hicks and Revere.

by hotshotschamp on Sep 16, 2008 7:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Power

I like this comment Matt Blood made about Hicks: “Hicks combines a quick bat and an athletic body that is in-sync at contact, creating his power”. Usually when scouts talk about hitters in the Gulf Coast League, they mention “raw power”, which sounds pretty hit or miss to me. The fact that Aaron already knows how to get the most out of what he has, is a great sign as he grows into his frame.

"I couldn't do that. Could you do that? Why can they do it? Who are those guys?"

by maxisagod on Sep 16, 2008 9:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Martire Garcia

Of course everyone wants more players from their home team to be on the list, but I have to wonder how close a guy like Martire Garcia was!

by SethSpeaks on Sep 16, 2008 9:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Ditto for Manuel Banuelos (lhp Yankees)

At 17, he was one of the youngest players in the league, and put up a 2.57 ERA over 42 innings with 37 strikeouts against 13 walks, and a 1.12 GO/AO ratio.

http://mvn.com/milb-yankees/

by lemonjello on Sep 17, 2008 12:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs