BA's Florida State League Rankings- Top 20

by brianthefantasyking on Oct 7, 2025 2:23 PM EDT Comment 43 comments

FLORIDA STATE LEAGUE
TOP 20 PROSPECTS

1. Mike Stanton, of, Jupiter (Marlins)
2. Jesus Montero, c, Tampa (Yankees)
3. Domonic Brown, of, Clearwater (Phillies)
4. Yonder Alonso, 1b, Sarasota (Reds)
5. Kyle Drabek, rhp, Clearwater (Phillies)
6. Starlin Castro, ss, Daytona (Cubs)
7. Jenrry Mejia, rhp, St. Lucie (Mets)
8. Ben Revere, of, Fort Myers (Twins)
9. Ike Davis, 1b, St. Lucie (Mets)
10. Austin Romine, c, Tampa (Yankees)
11. Carlos Gutierrez, rhp, Fort Myers (Twins)
12. Matt Dominguez, 3b, Jupiter (Marlins)
13. Kirk Nieuwenhuis, of, St. Lucie (Mets)
14. Josh Vitters, 3b, Daytona (Cubs)
15. David Bromberg, rhp, Fort Myers (Twins)
16. Caleb Gindl, of, Brevard County (Brewers)
17. Chris Parmelee, 1b, Fort Myers (Twins)
18. Shane Peterson, of, Palm Beach (Cardinals)
19. Freddy Galvis, ss, Clearwater (Phillies)
20. Mark Rogers, rhp, Brevard County (Brewers)

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Read More: Mike Stanton (P - CHC), Jesus Montero (C - NYY)

Comments

Re:

At first glance, top 4 seem fine. But Drabek over Mejia? Castro that high at all? Vitters seems a little low…

by brianthefantasyking on Oct 7, 2025 2:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Vitters

He is loved by many, very young, low k rate, very promising. But that walk rate. That is awfully low. I guess with the low k rate, reports and youth not such a bad sign.

by wobatus on Oct 7, 2025 3:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Castro

BA loves toolsy international prospects who are young for their leagues. I’m betting they have Castro in their Top 40 with him named the Cubs’ top prospect.

Also, Vitters was swallowed whole in the Florida State League. He’s still a very good prospect, but he struggled pretty badly after getting promoted.

by Outshined_One on Oct 7, 2025 3:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

All good points.

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Oct 7, 2025 10:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Castro that high?

Can’t say that I am surprised at all. He’s right where I expected and hoped him to be. He’s a REALLY good prospect.

by mrkupe on Oct 7, 2025 11:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

eh. not thrilled.

He’s got good potential, is young, plays good defense…but I don’t buy the bat. Not yet.

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Oct 8, 2025 12:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Castro high?

Excellent year, awfully young, made a huge jump. Expected to develop some power and be a plus defender. Certainly, he’s untapped potential, but there’s a lot to love.

I was mildly surprised that Vitters was at 14. I thought he might slide a tiny bit.

by toonsterwu on Oct 8, 2025 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Carlos Gutierrez

I have a hard time seeing Gutierrez as a better prospect than Dominguez … or Vitters…or, shoot, the rest of the list maybe?

by casejud on Oct 7, 2025 3:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

+1

I have a hard time with Gutierrez even being a better prospect that David Bromberg.

by NYSOX on Oct 7, 2025 8:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree on Gutierrez, too high

I would have guessed the Twins ’spects would have ranked

1. Revere
2. Bromberg
3. Parmelee
4. Gutierrez or even Ty Robertson

Remember, when Gutierrez was in the FSL (short time in ’09) he dominated there
its when he was promoted to AA where he strugged.

Deolis Guerra = Daniel Cabrera ?
I tend to think so

by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Oct 7, 2025 10:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i'd take ty over carlos

by toonsterwu on Oct 8, 2025 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Havens

I think he has to be a part of this list (I’d put him at 15). I know that he addressed it in the chat, but, even with the position concerns, I think Havens deserves to be there. I’d also shuffle around the middle section a bit:

10. Dominguez
11. Romine
12. Vitters
13. Kirk
14. Gutierrez
15. Havens

by jar75 on Oct 7, 2025 3:35 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Galvis

He must be a damn slick fielder to make this list over Havens. Tejada bounced back after his promotion from an awful season in FSL last year as a hitter. But Tejada was 18. Galvis 19. Havens is a lot older, but much more advanced as a hitter.

by wobatus on Oct 7, 2025 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Rogers

Nice to see he stayed healthy, even though he didnt pitch a ton of innings per start. I had heard he stuff was pretty much back. Anyone have any info on him? what the plan is for him in winter ball and AA next year ?

by NYSOX on Oct 7, 2025 8:52 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Gutierrez, Castro, and Revere are way too high.

Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.

by Frederick0220 on Oct 7, 2025 10:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

again, on castro

a potential plus defensive shortstop who was solid in A+ and AA and is expected to develop power. Why’s that too high? Sure, untapped potential, but he took major steps.

by toonsterwu on Oct 8, 2025 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

but higher than Mejia?

lolwut

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Oct 8, 2025 12:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I can't say I've seen/heard enough on Mejia

to make anything more than cursory comments, but a potential AS shortstop, as many places have indicated, and one of the premier shortstop prospects in the minors isn’t chopped liver. Could I potentially buy Mejia over him based on the cursory background info I know on Mejia? Sure.

by toonsterwu on Oct 8, 2025 1:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I really don't get the complaints

He was VERY young for the league and hit well there. He needs to draw more walks but he doesn’t strike out very much, so it’s more a matter of aggressiveness than carelessness. His defense looks fine other than inconsistency, which really isn’t any more than you’d find in most shortstops his age. He even has projection, as virtually everybody thinks he’s going to add some serious strength.

His ceiling is massive, as true shortstops who have a good chance at contributing with the bat are always at a huge premium. Plate discipline is really the only question mark I have.

by mrkupe on Oct 8, 2025 11:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lets say Ben Revere turns out to be the next Michael Bourn

with a little less pop in the bat….

I don’t see the continued lack of faith in Ben Revere, he is a proven commodity
now days a Revere type holds more meaning …. Jacoby Ellsbury is more valuable to the Boston Red Sox right now than David Ortiz.

Deolis Guerra = Daniel Cabrera ?
I tend to think so

by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Oct 7, 2025 10:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Bourn with LESS pop?

That might not even make a major league hitter, as MLB pitching would just knock the bat out of his hands… Also:

Revere is not a “proven commodity.” He’s an OF with wheels and a sub-.750 OPS in A+ this year. Players in this mold have a much smaller margin for error in the bigs as any diminishment in their skills as they ascend the ranks will essentially relegate them to replacement level.

by aCone419 on Oct 8, 2025 9:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

but

Peak Jacoby Ellsbury is not as valuable as peak David Ortiz. Comparing a player in his physical prime to someone in his mid 30s and already in steep decline isn’t really a fair fight.

by jibs on Oct 8, 2025 10:28 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly.

Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.

by Frederick0220 on Oct 8, 2025 6:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ben Revere? Really?

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Oct 7, 2025 10:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I just don't think the Revere ranking here is all that high

its about where it should be IMO.

Deolis Guerra = Daniel Cabrera ?
I tend to think so

by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Oct 7, 2025 10:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i buy top 10

granted, i’m not thinking too hard on fsl right now, so maybe some names are slipping, but looking at the list, i don’t see a big issue with revere top 10.

by toonsterwu on Oct 8, 2025 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

it should drop at least 3 spots.

Davis, Gutierrez, and Dominguez are all better.

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Oct 8, 2025 1:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I guess Brad Holt didn't throw enough innings before moving up to AA?

Freddy Galvis is really going to have to work on that whole .569-career-OPS thing.

by psiogen on Oct 8, 2025 1:43 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

missed by 1 1/3 IP

They said he would have made it.

by acerimusdux on Oct 8, 2025 11:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I like this list

I saw most of the guys on this list play this year, and in general I think it looks pretty good to me. The only guys in the top 15 I didn’t see were Drabek, Montero, and Romine, and there’s really not much I would dispute in the top 15.

Bromberg I only saw for one inning, but he at least looks the part, as a big physical kid with what looked like a good delivery. Not having seen him as a SP, I can’t really say for sure belongs this high, but can’t really dispute it either.

I very much agree with a high Starlin Castro ranking, he can play SS, he can hit, and he’s a toolsy guy with some nice power upside still there. He belongs in the discussion amongst the better SS prospects in the game.

Ben Revere, I can understand why some question, initial impression is he looks more like a 4th OF type, but watch him play for a week, and dang, the kid is a heck of a good ballplayer. When you are that lacking in the power department, you need to bring plus defense, plus on base skills, and great intangibles to rank that high, and Revere has all three in spades. He’s a very heady, scrappy player who always seems to be the guy who beats you in ways that don’t all show in OPS. He’s not one of the higher ceiling guys there, but plus CF defense, great contact ability, and good makeup make him a safe bet to be a big leaguer. Really a classic top of the order guy.

Of the Twins guys, the one I’m not sold on there is Parmelee. Not bad, and not an awful pick there, but he just didn’t stand out for me. The guy who did stand out for me on the Fort Meyers team, other than Revere, was Joe Benson. I just believe Benson will continue to hit at higher levels.

by acerimusdux on Oct 8, 2025 2:39 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

plus on base skills?

I don’t really see that with Revere, at least in the statistics. His unexceptional walk rates make his OBP pretty much entirely dependent on his batting average/BABIP — the difference in his 2008 and 2009 OBP is almost completely explained by the difference in BABIP.

He either needs to start taking more walks or will have to be an Ichiro-type freak of nature in regards to controlling his ball-in-play profile in order to project having OBPs greater than .350 in the majors. In fact his Davenport peak translation (which I in no way treat as gospel) for his FSL stats has his OBP in the .340s. Playable, but not plus.

by jibs on Oct 8, 2025 10:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly what Jibs said....

There’s a difference between on base skills and contact ability. Right now, Revere has one of those things but not the other. His on base skills are nowhere near plus, while he does make contact at a high rate. At his point, I see much of his value tied to his defensive ability.

ProspectTube.com

You Video. You Scout.

by ProspectTube.com on Oct 8, 2025 1:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

His walk rate isn't bad either

Walks + HBP seem to be steady around 1 per 11 PA. That’s just OK, not plus. But add well above average pure hitting ability and he still ends up a pretty good OBP guy who might play at the top of a lineup. I wasn’t really even suggesting an OBP over .350, though. I’m thinking an Ellsbury or Nyjer Morgan or Michael Bourn type, around .350 OBP, with speed and defense.

And I wasn’t really defending the ranking. I could see him more around 15 there. Just saying he is a pretty impressive guy to see play, which sort of explains why he is there. I think the BA rankings tend to rely heavily on the input of coaches and scouts. That maybe means Revere gets a bit over rated, but if you go just by stats, you’ll under rate him. The truth is somewhere in between.

by acerimusdux on Oct 9, 2025 2:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well said acerimusdux well said

Of course, I say Revere at 15 on this list is too low, though

maybe 10-11.

Deolis Guerra = Daniel Cabrera ?
I tend to think so

by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Oct 14, 2025 2:46 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sorry, but being "scrappy" doesn't make you a great prospect.

His walk rate is bleh, his BABIP is high. Nieuwenhuis is just as good, except a better hitter and a little worse defensively.

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Oct 8, 2025 1:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah I might take Kirk

I think I would maybe take Kirk for his upside over Revere. But, it’s at least close. For arguments sake, their defensive stats this year, per total zone from minorleaguesplits.com:

R R/150g
+9 +22 Ben Revere
-12 -24 Kirk Nieuwenhuis

Now, I don’t think the difference is really as great as that. I was actually impressed by Nieuwenhuis this year defensively, in that he seems to get good reads and jumps and makes plays. But he doesn’t have Revere’s potential defensively in CF. I think Nieuwenhuis could be maybe a -5 run CF or a +5 run RF.

When you consider that 10 runs of defense are worth about 20 points of wOBA, or 40 points of OPS, then if you project Revere as a .750 OPS guy with +10 run CF defense, that might still be as good or better than Nieuwenhuis would be with a .790 OPS.

And Nieuwenhuis isn’t without question marks as well, striking out once every 4.6 PA in A+ ball. The 56 xbh there makes me less concerned about the 118 strikeouts, but for now I still have to doubt some whether he’ll OPS over .800.

I think both of these guys project to roughly league average guys right now. Kirk has more intriguing power upside, but Ben’s speed, defense, and line drive/contact ability make him more of a sure thing.

by acerimusdux on Oct 9, 2025 3:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

All good points.

So I’d say in terms of value, Kirk and Revere are close in value. But Davis is better than Kirk, and he’s ranked below Revere. So it’s not really a stretch to say Revere is ranked abnormally high.

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Oct 16, 2025 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs