Tim Battle, OF, Charleston Riverdogs (New York Yankees)
One of the more fascinating players at the A-ball level this year was Charleston outfielder Tim Battle. A third-round pick back in '03, he is an exceptional athlete with both power and speed. He's also quite raw. His numbers this year in the Sally League are intriguing: he hit .256, but with 33 doubles, 11 triples, 16 homers, 50 walks, 40 steals, and 195 strikeouts in 525 at-bats. That's right, 195 strikeouts. Battle has the physical tools to be a superstar, and he's still just 20 years old, so he has lots of time on the clock to develop. His walk rate is adequate, so I don't think his strike zone judgment is a lost cause, but 195 strikeouts just isn't "a lot of strikeouts," that's an extreme result. When not striking out, Battle hit .412 this year.
Chuck Tiffany, LHP, Vero Beach Dodgers (LA Dodgers)
Tiffany came into 2005 as one of the more interesting lefty prospects in the game. He just missed my Top 50 list last year, coming in at #51 with a solid Grade B rating. He should move a few slots higher than that in the '06 book. At age 20, he went 11-7, 3.93 in 21 starts for Vero Beach, with a 134/43 K/BB in 110 innings, allowing just 91 hits. His K/IP ratio was very strong at +43% better than league average. His K/BB and H/IP were also better than league, though not as strong as the K/IP. Tiffany should make the transition to Double-A in '06, and I think he is poised for a breakthrough season.
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