This list was originally posted January 14, 2008. THIS IS NOT A NEW LIST!!! THIS IS A REVIEW OF THE OLD LIST AND OLD GRADES!!!!!
1) Franklin Morales, LHP, Grade A-
Mechanics and command fell apart this spring. 5.65 ERA with 65/61 K/BB in 86 innings in Triple-A after a disastrous April with the major league team. At this point I have no idea what to expect.
2) Casey Weathers, RHP, Grade B+
3.15 ERA with 48/27 K/BB in 40 innings for Double-A Tulsa, with 30 hits allowed. Strong ground ball tendency with strikeouts. Needs sharper command.
3) Ian Stewart, 3B, Grade B
.280/.372/.607 in Triple-A, .286/.381/.529 in the majors. Strikeout rate is high in the majors but it hasn't hurt him yet. Should have a long and successful career as long as that doesn't eat him up.
4) Hector Gomez, SS, Grade B
Season ended after one game in April. Out with Tommy John.
5) Christopher Nelson, SS, Grade B
.223/.301/.340 for Tulsa, lost time to injury as well. A lost season after a strong 2007.
6) Dexter Fowler, OF, Grade B-
,337/.430/.514 with 20 steals for Tulsa. Making huge progress this year, power developing to go with on-base skills and speed. Now a personal favorite of mine.
7) Greg Reynolds, RHP, Grade B-
4.06 with 25/13 K/BB in 44 innings in Triple-A, 55 hits allowed. 6.71 with 18/24 K/BB in 11 major league starts, 58 innings. Overmatched in the majors, with very poor components. I think he was rushed.
8) Juan Morillo, RHP, Grade B-
5.87 ERA with 48/41 K/BB in 46 innings, 41 hits allowed in Triple-A. Good stuff, poor command.
9) Brandon Hynick, RHP, Grade B-
4.98 ERA with 73/24 K/BB in 145 innings for Tulsa, 164 hits and 27 homers allowed. Retains strong command but stuff looks short.
10) Seth Smith, OF, Grade B-
.323/.426/.524 with 11 steals and 10 homers in Triple-A, .270/.333/.429 in 35 major league games. I think he's a very solid platoon player/fourth outfielder who could help a lot of teams.
11) Eric Young Jr, 2B, Grade B-
.292/.403/.403 with 36 steals for Tulsa. Good plate discipline and on-base ability, very fast, needs to improve his stolen base success ratio but has made progress in most phases this year.
12) Dan Mayora, INF, Grade B-
.290/.366/.415 for Class A Modesto. A decent but unspectacular season. Strikeout rate lower than last year.
13) Brian Rike, OF, Grade B-
.247/.345/.399 with 15 homers, 12 steals for Class A Asheville. Strikeout rate is very high, 139 in 373 at-bats. Power/speed potential but batting average/OBP look problematic at higher levels.
14) Pedro Strop, RHP, Grade C+
2.57 ERA in seven games for Tulsa, went on DL in April. Has a fractured elbow.
15) Chaz Roe, RHP, Grade C+
4.64 ERA with 51/30 K/BB in 76 innings for Tulsa, 74 hits allowed, 12 homers. Unimpressive components. Has a good arm but needs more polish.
16) Joe Koshansky, 1B, Grade C+
.283/.361/.573 with 131 strikeouts in 368 at-bats in Triple-A. K-rate way up this year. He's probably being too aggressive out of an attempt to hit for even MORE power and force his way to the majors.
17) Will Harris, RHP, Grade C+
2.52 ERA with 64/16 K/BB in 54 innings for Modesto. Solid numbers, need to see what carries forward to Double-A next year.
18) Aneury Rodriguez, RHP, Grade C+
3.76 ERA with 113/36 K/BB in 129 innings for Modesto, 126 hits. Not sure this is going to translate well into the Texas League. See the Brandon Hynick experience.
19) Connor Graham, RHP, Grade C+
2.18 ERA with 110/67 K/BB in 124 innings for Class A Asheville, 82 hits allowed. K/BB is not great, but H/IP is excellent and he gets grounders. Needs better command.
20) Jhoulys Chacin, RHP, Grade C+
Huge breakthrough season, 16-2, 1.88 with a 142/39 K/BB in 158 innings, 123 hits combined at both A-ball levels, also a 2.84 GO/AO. Moves from pre-season sleeper to one of the best pitching prospects in the game.
There are a few disappointments here, but the development of Chacin and Fowler into premium prospects are huge positives. I dunno what is going to happen with Morales, I have a bad vibe about that one.
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