and be the A’s best pitching prospect come 2011 and even get some top 50 consideration.

If he can parlay what he did down the stretch in 2010 he will make big impressions IMO

1. Taylor A-: Great hitting tools and production, with some defensive value.
2. Carter B+: Great hitting tools and production, but absolutely no defensive value.
3. Cardenas B+: ARL and doubles rate say this guy has serious helium potential, and he plays high-value defensive positions.
4. Weeks B: Would be a B+, but injuries really worry me.
5. Brown B: Still playing center field, still hittin’ dingers. Strikeouts haven’t eaten him alive yet. Had a great AFL.
6. Leon B: Stuff is only “good,” rather than great, but he’s a pitching prodigy.
7. Doolittle B-: Still liking his power potential, although the injury is a drag. Should be about a net zero defender, because he’s a good glove at a bad position (corner OF or 1B).
8. Donaldson B-: I have no idea what to make of his bat, but reports are that his catching ability is improving. Could also move to 3B, an organizational weakness. Ultimately I expect him to be traded, though.
9. Desme B-: AFL was an eye-opener, of course, but he actually didn’t finish that much better than Brown, and he hasn’t cracked the AA barrier. Ks still a huge issue.
10. Ross B-: Low K rate worries me, but he showed signs of improving later in the season. Stuff is all there, mechanics seem mostly fixed.
11. Ynoa B-: Same grade as last year ‘cause he’s the same prospect as last year.
12. Green B-: I hate giving high grades to players with near-zero pro experience.
13. Kilby B-: Lovin’ the whiffs and low walks combo. Hides the ball so his 89-91 MPH fastball looks like 95-97.
14. Hornbeck B-: Projectable velocity (he was low-80s when drafted, now high-80s, could get better still), coupled with two plus offspeed pitches, earns the B- from me.
15. Capra C+: Shorter and squatter than Hornbeck and lacks the projectability. Good back-rotation SP prospect though.
16. De los Santos C+: TJS victim. Still rounding into shape after slow recovery.
17. Coleman C+: Had him higher, but I do worry about his K rate. Glove should be solid for SS.
18. Simmons C+: Horrible, horrible, horrible 2009 season. It’s giving him a lot of credit for prior years to keep him at C+.
19. Stassi C+: I hate high school catchers.
20. Figueroa C+: Got some praise from BA, although his control is still awfully unpolished for a 23-year-old. Late bloomer?
21. Demel C+: Good relief arm, though hard to see where he fits in behind the deepest bullpen in the majors.
22. Krol C+: Even if he’s only “Brett Anderson pre-velocity jump”, that’s still a good prospect. And the A’s are pretty good at coaxing velocity jumps out of pitchers.
23. Ortiz C+: I love college catchers from big-time programs, though. Nice looking hitter, too. Great plate discipline, good looking swing.
C prospects (24-40) Loosely ordered, but wouldn’t swear to this order
Dixon
Marks
Storey
Solano
Leyja
Souza
Leyland
Peterson
Rodriguez
Christian
Sulentic
Meloan
Petit
Mortensen
Smyth
Parker

Why does everyone rank Leon so much higher than Rodriguez? Yes, Leon is younger at AA than Rodriguez was and Rodriguez has some issues with his command, but he has much better stuff.

that’s a good point. As a starter his k/9 improved while his hr/9 remained the same and his BB/9 dropped. It is a small sample size though…just 32 innings.

Rodriguez has the potential to be an elite closer of he can get some command, where as I see Leon’s ceiling as a number 3. And I like Leon.

1. might be a bit optimistic for leon, but I think if Rodriguez can find some command he could be a shut down closer.

I see Rodriguez as more likely to be an impact player given his stuff, while Leon is more likely to have a good career.

Ultimately I guess I just can’t agree with Leon as the #6 while Rodriguez is in the 30 range.

That ended up very oddly formatted.

Jeremy Barfield. Huge guy, projectability. He was destroying the MWL for several months then got injured and had a terrible 2nd half. Going to the cal league should help.
Kane County infielders- Jason Christian solid all around player. I wouldnt be shocked if he moves up into A’s top 15 prospect territory. I think he could stay at SS, but A’s seem to disagree. Spina and Parker were promoted as polished college bats which they showed briefly last season. Spina known for his power and Parker pure line drive gap hitter.

Not in the top 20 at all?

I think Weeks is a better player than Cardenas and the only question is his health.

But I think he’s faster, more of a base stealing threat, and a better defender.

He might even have a little more power.

I expect DLS to be in the top ten when his arm is fully recovered.

Brown and Desme are about equal in my mind, though I think Brown can stick at CF.

I’m hoping for a big comeback year by Doolittle and envision a team like this in 2011-12:

Suzuki - C
Doolittle - 1B
Weeks - 2B
Green - SS
Cardenas - 3B
Taylor - LF
Brown - CF
Desme - RF
Carter - DH

That’s some power and defense and speed. I think you could get double digit HRs out of that entire lineup.

1) Taylor, A-
2) Carter, B+
3) Cardenas
4) Green, B
5) Ynoa
6) Weeks
7) Stassi, B-
8) Ross
9) Brown
10) Desme
11) Doolittle, C+
12) Donaldson
13) de los Santos
14) Leon
15) Simmons
16) Marks
17) Kilby
18) Capra
19) Krol, C
20) Hornbeck