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The prospect lists bring in a lot of new readers, many asking what the grades mean. Here is the rundown.

GRADES AND WHAT THEY MEAN

Grade A prospects are the elite. They have a good chance of becoming stars or superstars. Almost all Grade A prospects develop into major league regulars, if injuries or other problems don't intervene. Note that is a major "if" in some cases.

Grade B prospects have a good chance to enjoy successful careers. Some will develop into stars, some will not. Most end up spending several years in the majors, at the very least in a marginal role.

Grade C prospects are the most common type. These are guys who have something positive going for them, but who may have a question mark or three, or who are just too far away from the majors to get an accurate feel for. A few Grade C guys, especially at the lower levels, do develop into stars. Many end up as role players or bench guys. Some don't make it at all.

A major point to remember is that grades for pitchers do NOT correspond directly to grades for hitters. Many Grade A pitching prospects fail to develop, often due to injuries. Some Grade C pitching prospects turn out much better than expected.

Also note that there is diversity within each category. I'm a tough grader; Grade C+ is actually good praise coming from me, and some C+ prospects turn out very well indeed.

Finally, keep in mind that all grades are shorthand. You have to read the full comment for my full opinion about a player, the letter grade only tells you so much. A Grade C prospect in rookie ball could end up being very impressive, while a Grade C prospect in Triple-A is likely just a future role player.

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Could you explain maybe a little bit more..
about the differences between +'s and -'s are in your system.  Is it just a rating of confidence?  Are you more sure that a B+ will develop into a star and play several years as a major leaguer than a B-.. that seems inherent...  What is the line between a B-/B or a B+/B

by cubsfan2883 on Dec 17, 2007 12:02 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

under this guideline...
I don't see how Lowrie can be an "A". I don't see him as a superstar. A solid MLB regular, yes. Superstar, no

by ScottAZ on Dec 17, 2007 2:39 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Its a question of positional scarcity, really
though he's still close and Im not sold he's an A-...

but lets just say Lowrie could put up his AA line from this year in the majors at some point(by no means a lock and im not claiming he will!).

.297/.410/.501 911OPS

Now, where would that put him among MLB SS? By OPS it would put him 2nd, right below Hanley and above Jimmy Rollins... and he's a more patient hitter than those two.

Now, even if we account for a dropoff in performance... lets drop him 100 points of OPS. He'd still be around 6th in MLB by OPS, above Tejada... If true, that's an A- player, and his ceiling is very tempting.

by alskor on Dec 17, 2007 2:51 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Exactly
Based on the production Lowrie can be reasonably expected to produce in MLB, he's likely a top 10 SS, possibly top 5 at his peak. That's worthy of an A-.
This is me being polite.

by CrimsonLiederhosen on Dec 18, 2007 11:20 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

can't wait until the dodgers
Would Austin Gallagher be a pretty good sleeper for a prospect.  He had a good debut.

by Bravesin07 on Dec 17, 2007 6:51 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Thanks John
Makes a lot of sense to me.

I understand that a B- would be someplace in between an B and a C. But I'm still trying to figure out what the difference between a C+ and a B- would be.

I'm probably totally speaking out of turn here and also raising a suggestion that isn't even close to new, but wouldn't a system that went A, A/B, B, B/C etc. make things a bit easier?

Then again, that probably doesn't provide enough room for differentiation.

There are no prospects on other teams, only players that Jack Zduriencik didn't want.

by Einsteinhood on Dec 17, 2007 9:47 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

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