Here is a review of the 2007 Top 50 Hitters list. I review the previous year's list each season in the book, to hold myself accountable.
Top 50 Hitting Prospects for 2007 List in Review
1) Alex Gordon, 3B, Kansas City Royals
Hit .247/.314/.411 with 15 homers and 14 steals for the Royals. I still believe in him and I don't think there is anything wrong with Gordon that more experience won't cure.
2) Delmon Young, OF, Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Hit .288/.316/.408 with 13 homers and 10 steals for the Devil Rays. I still believe in him and I don't think there is anything wrong with Young that more experience won't cure. Traded to Minnesota, as a Twins fan it will be fun to watch him develop.
3) Brandon Wood, SS, Los Angeles Angels
Hit .272/.338/.497 with 23 homers for Triple-A Salt Lake, just .152/.152/.273 in 13 games for the Angels. Wood's stock has slipped a bit, due to problems with excessive strikeouts, but he's still a very good prospect.
4) Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Colorado Rockies
Hit .291/.359/.479 with 24 homers and fine defense, helped lead Colorado to the World Series.
5) Andy LaRoche, 3B, Los Angeles Dodgers
Hit .309/.399/.589 for Triple-A Las Vegas, .226/.365/.312 in 35 games for the Dodgers. Played through injuries and had a fine minor league year. Still a top prospect.
6) Ryan Braun, 3B, Milwaukee Brewers
Hit .324/.370/.634 for in 113 games for the Brewers, winning National League Rookie of the Year.
7) Billy Butler, OF, Kansas City Royals
Promoted to the majors ahead of schedule, hit .292/.347/.447 in 92 games for the Royals. Not much of a fielder but a great bat.
8) Chris Young, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks
Hit .237/.295/.467 with 32 homers, 27 steals for the Diamondbacks. Impressive power/speed combination, batting average should gradually rise.
9) Jay Bruce, OF, Cincinnati Reds
Monster season at three levels, finishing with a .305/.358/.567 mark in 50 games of Triple-A. An outstanding prospect.
10) Justin Upton, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks
Slaughtered Class A and Double-A pitching, but was overmatched in the majors. Given his age (19) this is not a problem. Should be a superstar with maturity.
11) Hunter Pence, OF, Houston Astros
Hit .322/.360/.539 in 108 games for the Astros, setting himself up as the future franchise cornerstone.
12) Andrew McCutchen, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
Very slow start in Double-A, got hot later and finished with .258/.327/.383 mark with 17 steals. Marquis Grissom comparisons still stand given his age.
13) Reid Brignac, SS, Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Hit .260/.328/.433 with 17 homers in Double-A. A bit disappointing, but at age 21 it wasn't a bad year. Also stole 15 bases.
14) Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Hit .307/.403/.528 in Double-A, .269/.398/.490 in Triple-A. Another excellent prospect.
15) Adam Lind, OF, Toronto Blue Jays
Very disappointing season, hit just .238/.278/.400 in Blue Jays action. He will get more chances and I still believe in his long-term ability to be a very good major league hitter.
16) Cameron Maybin, OF, Detroit Tigers
Hit .304/.393/.486 in Double-A with 25 steals in just 83 games at that level. Traded to Florida, where he might be rushed. Still great in the long run.
17) Fernando Martinez, OF, New York Mets
Hit .271/.336/.377 in 60 games in Double-A. Plagued with injuries and was extremely young for the level. Still a great prospect but exact shape of his future is unclear.
18) Jose Tabata, OF, New York Yankees
Hit .307/.371/.392 with 15 steals in 103 games for Class A Tampa. Power hasn't developed yet, but other skills are coming along nicely.
19) James Loney, 1B, Los Angeles Dodgers
Hit .331/.381/.538 in 96 games for the Dodgers. Hard to beat those numbers.
20) Travis Snider, OF, Toronto Blue Jays
Hit .313/.377/.525 for Class A Lansing. Had a great year in the difficult-for-hitters Midwest League.
21) Jacoby Ellsbury, OF, Boston Red Sox
Hit .298/.360/.370 with 33 steals in Triple-A, then .353/.394/.509 with nine steals in 33 games for the Red Sox. Rookie of the Year candidate for '08.
22) Felix Pie, OF, Chicago Cubs
Hit .215/.271/.333 in 87 games for the Cubs, held back by poor plate discipline. Still a good long-term property.
23) Carlos Gonzalez, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks
Hit .286/.330/.476 for Double-A Mobile. Traded to Oakland, still a very fine prospect.
24) Colby Rasmus, OF, St. Louis Cardinals
Heir apparent to Jim Edmonds, hit .275/.381/.551 with 29 homers, 18 steals, 70 walks for Double-A Springfield. Multi-skilled player who does everything except for hit for a high average, and that may come eventually.
25) Chris Iannetta, C, Colorado Rockies
Huge disappointment, hit .218/.330/.350 in 67 games for the Rockies. Will get more chances but I think I overrated him.
26) Ian Stewart, 3B, Colorado Rockies
Hit .304/.379/.478 with 15 homers for Triple-A Colorado Springs. Has settled in as a solid prospect but not a spectacular one.
27) Elvis Andrus, SS, Atlanta Braves
Traded to Texas. Hit .244/.330/.335 before the trade, .300/.369/.373 afterward. Great speed, good glove, offense still developing. Stole 40 bases.
28) Adam Jones, OF, Seattle Mariners
Hit .314/.382/.586 with 25 homers in Triple-A. Still adjusting to the majors, but in the medium and long runs he will have a very good career.
29) Miguel Montero, C, Arizona Diamondbacks
Hit .224/.292/.397 with 10 homers in 84 games for Arizona. Capable of better if healthy.
30) Eric Campbell, 3B-2B, Atlanta Braves
Limited to 81 games by injuries, hit just .221/.312/.406 for Class A Myrtle Beach. Also suspended for insubordination. A lost season but young enough to recover.
31) Bill Rowell, 3B, Baltimore Orioles
Hit .273/.335/.426 in 91 games for Class A Delmarva at age 18, holding his own at a very young age.
32) Brian Barton, OF, Cleveland Indians
Hit .314/.416/.440 with 20 steals in 106 games for Double-A Akron. Power production fell off, and he's an older prospect at age 25, but still intriguing.
33) Travis Buck, OF, Oakland Athletics
Limited by injuries to 82 games for Oakland, but hit .288/.377/.474. Very good major league debut.
34) Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C, Atlanta Braves
Hit .266/.310/.422 in 93 games between the Braves and Rangers, a nice major league debut after a weak 2006 season. Should continue to improve.
35) Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds
Hit .294/.381/.476 in Triple-A, then .321/.360/.548 in 24 games for the Reds. Rookie of the Year candidate.
36) Eric Patterson, 2B, Chicago Cubs
Hit .297/.362/.455 with 24 steals for Triple-A Iowa. Now an outfielder, where the pressure on his bat will increase.
37) Sean Rodriguez, SS-2B, Los Angeles Angels
Hit .254/.345.423 for Double-A Arkansas, with 17 homers and 15 steals. I overrated him, but he is a decent prospect with an intriguing skill mix.
38) Chris Parmelee, OF, Minnesota Twins
Hit .239/.313/.414 with 15 homers for Class A Beloit. Problems with a high strikeout rate reduced his production.
39) Chris Marrero, OF, Washington Nationals
Hit .293/.337/.545 for Class A Hagerstown, then .259/.338/.431 for Class A Potomac, combining for 23 homers. Now a first baseman, but should hit enough for the position.
40) Kevin Kouzmanoff, 3B, San Diego Padres
Hit .275/.329/.457 with 18 homers for the Padres. A solid hitter who should improve further.
41) Carlos Gomez, OF, New York Mets
Hit .232/.288/.304 with 12 steals in 58 games for the Mets, rushed to the majors to cover injuries. Wsa overmatched, but still very young.
42) Elijah Dukes, OF, Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Hit .190/.318/.391 with 10 homers in 52 games for the Devil Rays. He would be a good player, IF he can keep his emotions under control, which is an IF the size of Jupiter.
43) Josh Fields, 3B-OF, Chicago White Sox
Hit .244/.308/.480 with 23 homers for the White Sox. Contact issues will impact his batting average but power will get stronger.
44) Ryan Sweeney, OF, Chicago White Sox
Hit .270/.348/.398 with 10 homers for Triple-A Charlotte. His status is fading in my mind, although he is still young enough to improve I doubt the power is going to develop further.
45) Daric Barton, 1B, Oakland Athletics
Hit .293/.389/.438 for Triple-A Sacramento, then .347 in 18 games for the Athletics. Batting average and OBP are his strengths, home run power is still an issue.
46) Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Boston Red Sox
American League ROY, hit .317/.380/.442. Should just get better.
47) Nolan Reimold, OF, Baltiimore Orioles
Limited to 50 games in Double-A by injuries, hit .306/.365/.565. Needs a full year of health to consolidate progress.
48) Jeff Clement, C, Seattle Mariners
Hit .275/.370/.497 in 125 games for Triple-A Tacoma. Power stands out, also improved his defense.
49) Brad Snyder, OF, Cleveland Indians
Hit .263/.355/.448 in Triple-A, but limited to 86 games by injuries. Getting old for a prospect now, needs to break through in '08.
50) Chin-Lung Hu, SS, Los Angeles Dodgers
Hit 40 doubles and 14 homers between Double-A and Triple-A, batting .325 combined. Adding offense to his excellent glove in a breakthrough season.
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