Sickels Grades so Far: FINAL
by ravensfan3 on Jan 12, 2026 1:18 PM EST
102 comments
There has been a lot of discussion recently like this "does a B+ put you into the top 50?" etc. So I decided to look at all the prospects that John has ranked in his team lists so far and sort them by grade. This will allow us to see which grades fall in what area of top 100s etc.
Note: These are not organized by team and I did not rank the prospects in any way, it is only meant to group the prospects of the same grade together.I decided not to add on C prospects.
I will be updating this list every time John posts a new team list, once all of his team lists are up it will be interesting to see how the list plays out.
I may have added a player twice, messed up a grade etc so let me know if there are any mistakes.
Break down (# of each grade):
A:9
A-: 9
B+:43
B: 58
B-: 117
C+: 238
First thing that caught my eye was that there were more A prospects than A- prospects, obviously the lists are not done yet but just something that caught my eye.
1. Jason Heyward, OF, Grade A
2. Stephen Strasburg, RHP, Grade A
3. Buster Posey, C, Grade A
4. Brian Matusz, LHP, Grade A
5. Pedro Alvarez, 3B, Grade A
6. Jesus Montero, C, Grade A
7. Desmond Jennings, OF, Grade A
8. Neftali Feliz, RHP, Grade A
9. Carlos Santana, C, Grade A
10. Justin Smoak, 1B, Grade A-
11. Madison Bumgarner, LHP, Grade A-
12. Aroldis Chapman, LHP, Grade A-
13. Martin Perez, LHP, Grade A-
14. Jeremy Hellickson, RHP, Grade A-
15. Wade Davis, RHP, Grade A-
16. Dustin Ackley, OF-2B, Grade A-
17. Chris Carter, 1B-OF, Grade A-
18. Mike Stanton, OF, Grade A-
19. Jenrry Mejia, RHP, Grade B+
20. Tanner Scheppers, RHP, Grade B+
21. Fernando Martinez, OF, Grade B+
22. Starlin Castro, SS, Grade B+
23. Michael Taylor, OF, Grade B+
24. Jordan Lyles, RHP, Grade B+
25. Todd Frazier, INF-OF, Grade B+
26. Yonder Alonso, 1B, Grade B+
27. Matt Moore, LHP, Grade B+
28. Jason Castro, C, Grade B+
29. Mike Trout, OF, Grade B+
30. Hank Conger, C, Grade B+
31. Trevor Reckling, LHP, Grade B+
32. Derek Norris, C, Grade B+
33. Drew Storen, RHP, Grade B+
34. Mike Montgomery, LHP, Grade B+
35. Freddie Freeman, 1B, Grade B+
36. Aaron Hicks, OF, Grade B+
37. Domonic Brown, OF, Grade B+
38. Ryan Westmoreland, OF, Grade B+
39. Casey Kelly, RHP, Grade B+
40. Dan Hudson, RHP, Grade B+
41. Donavan Tate, OF, Grade B+
42. Simon Castro, RHP, Grade B+
43. Jake Arrieta, RHP, Grade B+
44. Zach Britton, LHP, Grade B+
45. Dee Gordon, SS, Grade B+
46. Chris Withrow, RHP, Grade B+
47. Grant Green, SS, Grade B+
48. Josh Vitters, 3B, Grade B+
49. Wilmer Flores, SS, Grade B+
50. Logan Morrison, 1B, Grade B+
51. Brett Lawrie, 2B, Grade B+
52. Alcides Escobar, SS, Grade B+
53. Lonnie Chisenhall, 3B, Grade B+
54. Casey Crosby, LHP, Grade B+
55. Jacob Turner, RHP, Grade B+
56. Christian Friedrich, LHP, Grade B+
57. Tyler Matzek, LHP, Grade B+
58. Jhouhyls Chacin, RHP, Grade B+
59. Brett Wallace, 1B-3B, Grade B+
60. Zach Stewart, RHP, Grade B+
61. Kyle Drabek, RHP, Grade B+
62. Austin Jackson, OF, Grade B
63. Alex Avila, C, Grade B
64. Dan Schlereth, LHP, Grade B
65. Mike Leake, RHP, Grade B
66. Chris Heisey, OF, Grade B
67. Scott Sizemore, 2B, Grade B
68. Matt Dominguez, 3B, Grade B
69. Ike Davis, 1B, Grade B
70. Nick Hagadone, LHP, Grade B
71. Chad James, LHP, Grade B
72. Alex White, RHP, Grade B
73. Hector Rondon, RHP, Grade B
74. Ryan Tucker, RHP, Grade B
75. Jon Niese, LHP, Grade B
76. Wilmer Font, RHP, Grade B
77. Michael Main, RHP, Grade B
78. Austin Romine, C, Grade B
79. Eric Arnett, RHP, Grade B
80. Jonathan Lucroy, C, Grade B
81. Brett Jackson, OF, Grade B
82. Jay Jackson, RHP, Grade B
83. Andrew Cashner, RHP, Grade B
84. Hak-Ju Lee, SS, Grade B
85. Grant Desme, OF, Grade B
86. Ethan Martin, RHP, Grade B
87. Aaron Miller, LHP, Grade B
88. Josh Lindblom, RHP, Grade B
89. Travis d'Arnaud, C, Grade B
90. Jose Tabata, OF, Grade B
91. Tony Sanchez, C, Grade B
92. Ryan Kalish, OF, Grade B
93. Josh Reddick, OF, Grade B
94. Michael Bowden, RHP, Grade B
95. Shelby Miller, RHP, Grade B
96. Jared Mitchell, OF, Grade B
97. Tyler Flowers, C, Grade B
98. James Darnell, 3B, Grade B
99. Jaff "Commodore" Decker, OF, Grade B
100. Wynn Pelzer, RHP, Grade B
101. Everett Williams, Grade B
102. Danny Espinosa, SS, Grade B
103. Josh Bell, 3B, Grade B
104. Garrett Richards, RHP, Grade B
105. Jiovanni Mier, SS, Grade B
106. Brandon Erbe, RHP, Grade B
107. Mike Moustakas, 3B, Grade B
108. Aaron Crow, RHP, Grade B
109. Tim Melville, RHP, Grade B
110. Julio Teheran, RHP, Grade B
111. Randall Delgado, RHP, Grade B
112. Arodys Vizcaino, RHP, Grade B
113. Alexander Colome, RHP, Grade B
114. Craig Kimbrel, RHP, Grade B
115. Danny Duffy, LHP, Grade B
116. Wil Myers, C, Grade B
117. Ben Revere, OF, Grade B
118. Thomas Neal, OF, Grade B
119. Zack Wheeler, RHP, Grade B
120. Roger Kieschnick, OF, Grade B-
121. Tommy Joseph, C, Grade B-
122. Dan Runzler, LHP, Grade B-
123. Waldis Joaquin, RHP, Grade B-
124. Jason Stoffel, RHP, Grade B-
125. Francisco Peguero, OF, Grade B-
126. Peter Bourjos, OF, Grade B-
127. Fabio Martinez, RHP, Grade B-
128. Rex Brothers, LHP, Grade B-
129. Esmil Rogers, RHP, Grade B-
130. Juan Nicasio, RHP, Grade B-
131. Wilin Rosario, C, Grade B-
132. Eric Young, JR, Grade B-
133. Tyler Skaggs, LHP, Grade B-
134. Jordan Walden, RHP, Grade B-
135. Jon Bachanov, RHP, Grade B-
136. Chris Pettit, OF, Grade B-
137. Randal Grichuk, OF, Grade B-
138. Chris Marrero, 1B, Grade B-
139. Jeff Kobernus, 2B, Grade B-
140. Michael Burgess, OF, Grade B-
141. Eric Hosmer, 1B, Grade B-
142. Carlos Rosa, RHP, Grade B-
143. David Lough, OF, Grade B-
144. John Lamb, LHP, Grade B-
145. Mike Minor, LHP, Grade B-
146. Christian Bethancourt, C, Grade B-
147. Zeke Spruill, RHP, Grade B-
148. Kyle Gibson, RHP, Grade B-
149. Wilson Ramos, C, Grade B-
150. Adrian Salcedo, RHP, Grade B-
151. Billy Bullock, RHP, Grade B-
152. Jarrod Parker, RHP, Grade B-
153. Bobby Borchering, 3B, Grade B-
154. Brandon Allen, 1B, Grade B-
155. A.J. Pollock, OF, Grade B-
156. Mike Belfiore, LHP, Grade B-
157. Marc Krauss, OF, Grade B-
158. Ryan Wheeler, 1B, Grade B-
159. Reese Havens, SS, Grade B-
160. Michael Brantley, OF, Grade B-
161. Michael Saunders, OF, Grade B-
162. Gabriel Noriega, SS, Grade B-
163. Alex Liddi, 3B, Grade B-
164. Kyle Allen, RHP, Grade B-
165. Mat Gamel, 3B, Grade B-
166. Kentrail Davis, OF, Grade B-.
167. Jake Odorizzi, RHP, Grade B-
168. Wily Peralta, RHP, Grade B-
169. Cody Scarpetta, RHP, Grade B-
170. Kyle Heckathorn, RHP, Grade B-
171. Carlos Triunfel, SS-3B, Grade B-
172. Nick Franklin, SS, Grade B-
173. Michael Pineda, RHP, Grade B-
174. Carlos Carrasco, RHP, Grade B-
175. Nick Weglarz, OF, Grade B-
176. Jason Knapp, RHP, Grade B-
177. Kasey Kiker, LHP, Grade B-
178. Ryan Strieby, 1B-OF, Grade B-
179. Andy Oliver, LHP, Grade B-
180. Robbie Ross, LHP, Grade B-
181. T.J. House, LHP, Grade B-
182. Jeurys Familia, RHP, Grade B-
183. Mitch Moreland, 1B-OF, Grade B-
184. Manny Banuelos, LHP, Grade B-
185. Ryan Flaherty, INF, Grade B-
186. Zach McAllister, RHP, Grade B-
187. Slade Heathcott, OF, Grade B-
188. Mark Melancon, RHP, Grade B-
189. Chris Carpenter, RHP, Grade B-
190. Kyler "Killer" Burke, OF, Grade B-
191. Adrian Cardenas, 2B, Grade B-
192. Jemile Weeks, 2B, Grade B-
193. Tyson Ross, RHP, Grade B-
194. Max Stassi, C, Grade B-
195. Josh Donaldson, C, Grade B-
196. Sammy Gervacio, RHP, Grade B-
197. Chia-Jen Lo, RHP, Grade B-
198. Tanner Bushue, RHP, Grade B-
199. Sean Doolittle, OF-1B, Grade B-
200. Henry Rodriguez, RHP, Grade B-
201. Scott Elbert, LHP, Grade B-
202. Chad Jenkins, RHP, Grade B-
203. David Cooper, 1B, Grade B-
204. Trevor May, RHP, Grade B-
205. Phillipe Aumont, RHP, Grade B-
206. J.C. Ramirez, RHP, Grade B-
207. Zack Von Rosenberg, RHP, Grade B-
208. Tim Alderson, RHP, Grade B-
209. Brad Lincoln, RHP, Grade B-
210. Junichi Tazawa, RHP, Grade B-
211. Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Grade B-
212. Lars Anderson, 1B, Grade B-
213. Reymond Fuentes, OF, Grade B-
214. Stolmy Pimentel, RHP, Grade B-
215. Juan Francisco, 3B, Grade B-
216. Brad Boxberger, RHP, Grade B-
217. Jaime Garcia, LHP, Grade B-
218. Lance Lynn, RHP, Grade B-
219. Robert Stock, C, Grade B-
220. Daryl Jones, OF, Grade B-
221. Eduardo Sanchez, RHP, Grade B-
222. Allen Craig, OF, Grade B-
223. Brent Morel, 3B, Grade B-
224. Logan Forsythe, 3B, Grade B-
225. Edinson Rincon, 3B, Grade B-
226. Brandon Snyder, 1B, Grade B-
227. Reid Brignac, SS, Grade B-
228. Alexander Torres, LHP, Grade B-
229. Tim Beckham, SS, Grade B-
230. Nick Barnese, RHP, Grade B-
231. Wilking Rodriguez, RHP, Grade B-
232. Matt Hobgood, RHP, Grade B-
233. Mychal Givens, SS, Grade B-
234. Andrew Lambo, OF, Grade B-
235. Garrett Gould, RHP, Grade B-
236. Ivan DeJesus, Jr, SS, Grade B-
237. Mario Martinez, 3B, Grade C+
238. Dan Cortes, RHP, Grade C+
239. James Jones, OF, Grade C+
240. Adam Moore, C, Grade C+
241. Ezequiel Carrera, OF, Grade C+
242. Dennis Raben, OF, Grade C+
243. Mauricio Robles, LHP, Grade C+
244. Kanaoke Texeira, RHP, Grade C+
245. Gaby Sanchez, 1B, Grade C+
246. Scott Cousins, OF, Grade C+
247. Bryan Petersen, OF, Grade C+
248. Kyle Skipworth, C, Grade C+
249. Jake Smolinski, 3B-2B, Grade C+
250. Jason Kipnis, 2B-OF, Grade C+
251. Lou Marson, C, Grade C+
252. Zach Putnam, RHP, Grade C+
253. Tony Sipp, LHP, Grade C+
254. Josh Judy, RHP, Grade C+
255. Jess Todd, RHP, Grade C+
256. Mitch Talbot, RHP, Grade C+
257. Scott Barnes, LHP, Grade C+
258. Eric Berger, LHP, Grade C+
259. Jason Donald, SS-2B Grade C+
260. Kelvin De La Cruz, LHP, Grade C+
261. Conor Graham, RHP, Grade C+
262. Jeanmar Gomez, RHP, Grade C+
263. Alex Perez, RHP, Grade C+
264. Brad Holt, RHP, Grade C+
265. Ruben Tejada, INF, Grade C+
266. Kirk Nieuwenhuis, OF, Grade C+
267. Eric Niesen, LHP, Grade C+
268. Jefry Marte, 3B, Grade C+
269. Danny Gutierrez, RHP, Grade C+
270. Engel Beltre, OF, Grade C+
271. Guillermo Moscoso, RHP, Grade C+
272. Max Ramirez, C, Grade C+
273. Miguel Velazquez, OF, Grade C+
274. Omar Poveda, RHP, Grade C+
275. Blake Beavan, RHP, Grade C+
276. Carlos Pimentel, RHP, Grade C+
277. Robbie Erlin, LHP, Grade C+
278. Tommy Mendonca, 3B, Grade C+
279. Zach Braddock, LHP, Grade C+
280. Josh Butler, RHP, Grade C+
281. Lorenzo Cain, OF, Grade C+
282. Angel Salome, C, Grade C+
283. Amaury Rivas, RHP, Grade C+
284. Eric Farris, 2B, Grade C+
285. Caleb Gindl, OF, Grade C+
286. Evan Anundsen, RHP, Grade C+
287. Mark Rogers, RHP, Grade C+
288. Logan Schafer, OF, Grade C+
289. Scooter Gennett, SS, Grade C+
290. Vince DiFazio, C, Grade C+
291. Casper Wells, OF, Grade C+
292. Wilkin Ramirez, OF, Grade C+
293. Daniel Fields, SS, Grade C+
294. Cody Satterwhite, RHP, Grade C+
295. Robbie Weinhardt, RHP, Grade C+
296. Brayan Villareal, RHP, Grade C+
297. Chris Owings, SS, Grade C+
298. Cole Gillespie, OF, Grade C+
299. Collin Cowgill, OF, Grade C+
300. Matt Davidson, 3B, Grade C+
301. Wade Miley, LHP, Grade C+
302. David Nick, 2B, Grade C+
303. Gary Sanchez, C, Grade C+
304. John Murphy, C, Grade C+
305. Kelvin De Leon, OF, Grade C+
306. D.J. Mitchell, RHP, Grade C+
307. Wilkin De La Rosa, LHP, Grade C+
308. David Adams, 2B, Grade C+
309. Corban Joseph, 2B-3B, Grade C+
310. Adam Warren, RHP, Grade C+
311. Neil Medchill, OF, Grade C+
312. David Phelps, RHP, Grade C+
313. D.J. LeMahieu, INF, Grade C+
314. Brooks Raley, LHP, Grade C+
315. Logan Watkins, 2B, Grade C+
316. Esmailin Caridad, RHP, Grade C+
317. Blake Parker, RHP, Grade C+
318. John Gaub, LHP, Grade C+
319. Matt Spencer, OF-1B, Grade C+
320. Dae-Eun Rhee, RHP, Grade C+
321. Casey Coleman, RHP, Grade C+
322. Corey Brown, OF, Grade C+
323. Fautino De Los Santos, RHP, Grade C+
324. Michael Ynoa, RHP, Grade C+
325. Arnold Leon, RHP, Grade C+
326. Pedro Figueroa, LHP, Grade C+
327. Ben Hornbeck, LHP, Grade C+
328. Sam Demel, RHP, Grade C+
329. Anthony Capra, LHP, Grade C+
330. Connor Hoehn, RHP, Grade C+
331. Justin Marks, LHP, Grade C+
332. Mickey Storey, RHP, Grade C+
333. Allen Webster, RHP, Grade C+
334. Trayvon Robinson, OF, Grade C+
335. Kenley Jansen, RHP, Grade C+
336. Nate Eovaldi, RHP, Grade C+
337. Kyle Russell, OF, Grade C+
338. Brett Wallach, RHP, Grade C+
339. Jonathan Garcia, OF, Grade C+
340. Josh Roenicke, RHP, Grade C+
341. Henderson Alvarez, RHP, Grade C+
342. Carlos Perez, C, Grade C+
343. Brad Mills, LHP, Grade C+
344. Jake Marisnick, OF, Grade C+
345. Eric Thames, OF, Grade C+
346. Brad Emaus, 2B, Grade C+
347. Ryan Schimpf, 2B, Grade C+
348. Dan Farquhar, RHP, Grade C+
349. Robert Bell, RHP, Grade C+
350. Anthony Gose, OF, Grade C+
351. Sebastian Valle, C, Grade C+
352. Domingo Santana, OF, Grade C+
353. Tyson Gillies, OF, Grade C+
354. Jarred Cosart, RHP, Grade C+
355. Antonio Bastardo, LHP, Grade C+
356. Jonathan Singleton, 1B, Grade C+
357. Scott Mathieson, RHP, Grade C+
358. Leandro Castro, OF, Grade C+
359. Brody Colvin, RHP, Grade C+
360. B.J. Rosenberg, RHP, Grade C+
361. Chase D'arnaud, INF, Grade C+
362. Starling Marte, OF, Grade C+
363. Rudy Owens, LHP, Grade C+
364. Ronald Uviedo, RHP, Grade C+
365. Victor Black, RHP, Grade C+
366. Daniel McCutchen, RHP, Grade C+
367. Brett Lorin, RHP, Grade C+
368. Robbie Grossman, OF, Grade C+
369. Diego Moreno, RHP, Grade C+
370. Justin Wilson, LHP, Grade C+
371. Colton Cain, LHP, Grade C+
372. Jose Iglesias, SS, Grade C+
373. Derrik Gibson, INF, Grade C+
374. Luis Exposito, C, Grade C+
375. David Renfroe, SS-3B, Grade C+
376. Alex Wilson, RHP, Grade C+
377. Roman Mendez, RHP, Grade C+
378. Pete Hissey, OF, Grade C+
379. Yamaico Navarro, SS, Grade C+
380. Madison Younginer, RHP, Grade C+
381. Stephen Fife, RHP, Grade C+
382. Kyle Weiland, RHP, Grade C+
383. Che-Hsuan Lin, OF, Grade C+
384. David Freese, 3B, Grade C+
385. Jon Jay, OF, Grade C+
386. Joe Kelly, RHP, Grade C+
387. Dan Descalso, 2B, Grade C+
388. Tyler Henley, OF, Grade C+
389. Jordan Danks, OF, Grade C+
390. Dayan Viciedo, 3B, Grade C+
391. David Holmberg, LHP, Grade C+
392. C.J. Retherford, 2B, Grade C+
393. Christian Marrero, 1B-OF, Grade C+
394. Santos Rodriguez, LHP, Grade C+
395. Miguel Gonzalez, C, Grade C+
396. Jhonny Nunez, RHP, Grade C+
397. Josh Phegley, C, Grade C+
398. Cory Luebke, LHP, Grade C+
399. Aaron Poreda, LHP, Grade C+
400. Lance Zawadski, SS, Grade C+
401. Rymer Liriano, OF, Grade C+
402. Sawyer Carroll, OF, Grade C+
403. Drew Cumberland, SS-2B, Grade C+
404. Kellen Kulbacki, OF, Grade C+
405. Adys Portillo, RHP, Grade C+
406. Keyvius Sampson, RHP, Grade C+
407. Jonathan Galvez, SS, Grade C+
408. Jerry Sullivan, RHP, Grade C+
409. Eric Sogard, 2B, Grade C+
410. Jeremy Hefner, RHP, Grade C+
411. Brandon Waring, 3B-1B, Grade C+
412. Kam Mickolio, RHP, Grade C+
413. Luis Lebron, RHP, Grade C+
414. Steve Johnson, RHP, Grade C+
415. Brandon Cooney, RHP, Grade C+
416. Ryan Berry, RHP, Grade C+
417. Ashur Tolliver, LHP, Grade C+
418. Rafael Rodriguez, OF, Grade C+
419. Jose Casilla, RHP, Grade C+
420. Nick Noonan, 2B, Grade C+
421. Aaron King, LHP, Grade C+
422. Henry Sosa, RHP, Grade C+
423. Darren Ford, OF, Grade C+
424. Clayton Tanner, LHP, Grade C+
425. Trevor Bell, RHP, Grade C+
426. Ryan Chaffee, RHP, Grade C+
427. Tyler Chatwood, RHP, Grade C+
428. Jean Segura, 2B, Grade C+
429. Alexia Amarista, 2B, Grade C+
430. Michael Kohn, RHP, Grade C+
431. Carlos Ramirez, C, Grade C+
432. Tyler Kehrer, LHP, Grade C+
433. Will Smith, LHP, Grade C+
434. Pat Corbin, LHP, Grade C+
435. Justin Maxwell, OF, Grade C+
436. Ian Desmond, SS, Grade C+
437. Bradley Meyers, RHP, Grade C+
438. Destin Hood, OF, Grade C+
439. A.J. Morris, RHP, Grade C+
440. Eury Perez, OF, Grade C+
441. Aaron Thompson, LHP, Grade C+
442. Jordan Parraz, OF, Grade C+
443. Jeff Bianchi, SS-2B, Grade C+
444. Chris Dwyer, LHP, Grade C+
445. Kila Ka'aihue, 1B, Grade C+
446. Johnny Giavotella, 2B, Grade C+
447. Louis Coleman, RHP, Grade C+
448. Tyler Sample, RHP, Grade C+
449. Tim Smith, OF, Grade C+
450. Cole White, RHP, Grade C+
451. J.J. Hoover, RHP, Grade C+
452. David Hale, RHP, Grade C+
453. Mycal Jones, SS, Grade C+
454. Brett DeVall, LHP, Grade C+
455. Cody Gearrin, RHP, Grade C+
456. Adam Milligan, OF, Grade C+
457. Michael Dunn, LHP, Grade C+
458. Jose Ortegano, LHP, Grade C+
459. Robinson Lopez, RHP, Grade C+
460. Cody Johnson, OF, Grade C+
461. Luis Valdez, RHP, Grade C+
462. Angel Morales, OF, Grade C+
463. Danny Valencia, 3B, Grade C+
464. Chris Parmalee, OF-1B, Grade C+
465. Miguel Sano, SS, Grade C+
466. Carlos Gutierrez, RHP, Grade C+
467. Joe Benson, OF, Grade C+
468. David Bromberg, RHP, Grade C+
469. B.J. Hermsen, RHP, Grade C+
470. Ben Tootle, RHP, Grade C+
471. Anthony Slama, RHP, Grade C+
472. Matt Bashore, LHP, Grade C+
473. Tom Stuifbergen, RHP, Grade C+
474. T.J. Steele, OF, Grade C+
475. Jay Austin, OF, Grade C+
476. Jon Gaston, OF, Grade C+
477. Ross Seaton, RHP, Grade C+
478. Matt Nevarez, RHP, Grade C+
479. Fernando Abad, LHP, Grade C+
480. Juri Perez, RHP, Grade C+
481. Luke Bailey, C, Grade C+
482. Kyle Lobstein, LHP, Grade C+
483. Aneury Rodriguez, RHP, Grade C+
484. Kyeong Kang, OF, Grade C+
485. Matthew Sweeney, 1B, Grade C+
486. Todd Glaesman, OF, Grade C+
487. Alex Cobb, RHP, Grade C+
488. Jake McGee, LHP, Grade C+
489. David Newmann, LHP, Grade C+
490. Matt Gorgen, RHP, Grade C+
491. Travis Wood, LHP, Grade C+
492. Matt Maloney, LHP, Grade C+
493. Zack Cozart, SS, Grade C+
494. Donnie Joseph, LHP, Grade C+
495. Billy Hamilton, SS, Grade C+
496. Josh Fellhauer, OF, Grade C+
497. Chris Valaika, SS, Grade C+
498. Mike McKenry, C, Grade C+
499. Sam Deduno, RHP, Grade C+
500. Nolan Arenado, 3B, Grade C+:
501. Tim Wheeler, OF, Grade C+
502. Hector Gomez, SS, Grade C+
503. Charles Blackmon, OF, Grade C+
504. Chris Balcom-Miller, RHP, Grade C+
So there it is. A list of all 504 prospects that John ranked. Hopefully this gave you a better understanding of what each grade actually means in terms of their overall ranking.
18 recs |
102 comments
Email
Print
Comments
Reply to this if you see any mistakes
www.oriolesprospects.com | twitter @orioleprospects
by ravensfan3 on Jan 12, 2026 1:25 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Josh Vitters
I’m still having a hard time figuring out how he’s a B+ while Dominguez and Bell are B’s
by jar75 on Jan 12, 2026 1:36 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Same
I really think Bell should be a B+
www.oriolesprospects.com | twitter @orioleprospects
by ravensfan3 on Jan 12, 2026 1:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I can't think of a single argument that would lead to Vitters over Bell...
……..except age, I guess.
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 Jan 12, 2026 6:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
intuition? pedigree? personal preference?
by nivarsity on Jan 14, 2026 1:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, see that Frederick?
You forget about all the B.S. reasons people use when they can’t really justify something by stats or scouting!
by alskor on Jan 14, 2026 2:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
They aren't BS reasons...
John acknowledges he uses intuition on occasion. From a guy who studies prospects, that is not meaningless.
I’m not saying those three reasons are always or often correct. But in this case Vitters’ pedigree as an elite prep hitter may mean something to Sickels.
by nivarsity on Jan 14, 2026 2:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
And when I say "intuition"
I’m meaning something along the lines of what Gladwell describes in Blink, if you’ve ever read that book. I’ll let the author elaborate:
Intuition strikes me as a concept we use to describe emotional reactions, gut feelings—thoughts and impressions that don’t seem entirely rational. But I think that what goes on in that first two seconds is perfectly rational. It’s thinking—its just thinking that moves a little faster and operates a little more mysteriously than the kind of deliberate, conscious decision-making that we usually associate with “thinking.”
In other words if your job, like John’s, is to tout prospects, your background may give you a sense that you can’t always justify, for better or worse.
by nivarsity on Jan 14, 2026 2:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I have no problem with Bell as a B+
but he and Vitters are about equal in my mind, Bell is 3 years older, bad in the field, but has shown much more power so far. Vitters’ power is projectable. Kind of a wash in my mind. Like them both.
by PrincetonCubs on Jan 12, 2026 7:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Bell isnt bad in the field
He is at least average right now
www.oriolesprospects.com | twitter @orioleprospects
by ravensfan3 on Jan 12, 2026 7:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
you probably have seen more of him than I
his #s are obviously pretty bad; I had read that he had a great work ethic and was trying to improve, but hadn’t made much improvement yet.
by PrincetonCubs on Jan 12, 2026 9:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Hes really improved lately
And yes he does have a great work ethic, I did not get to see him in the AFL but all the scouting reports on his defense there were very good
www.oriolesprospects.com | twitter @orioleprospects
by ravensfan3 on Jan 12, 2026 9:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
fair enough
I seem to remember Mayo saying after the AFL that Bell could “ok” at 3rd w/ time; either way, his age and problems w/ lefties put them about even in my mind
by PrincetonCubs on Jan 13, 2026 1:16 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I think Dominguez should be a B+
Vitters should be a B, and Bell should stay where he is…
by alskor on Jan 12, 2026 1:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Completely agree here
Dominguez showed and improved walk rate, maintained good power in a horrible environment, and is an ace defensively. I believe he was a B+ last year, I see nothing that warrants dropping him from that. Vitters I’m not a big fan of, that walk rate is frightening. If Bell can show he’s capable of this kind of production again I can see a B+, but I’m not ready to go that high on him yet.
RIP Nick Adenhart
by gatling on Jan 12, 2026 2:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
That's fine with me
I didn’t necessarily mean Bell should be elevated to a B+ (as I’m still not sold on his defense), I just disagreed that Vitters was the better prospect of the two.
by jar75 on Jan 12, 2026 2:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
And Darnell
"Chicks dig the long ball, although fat chicks will settle for warning track power" - Nick Diamond
by hero66 on Jan 12, 2026 8:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I'd say neither, leave it as is
I don’t think there needs to be a quota on grades. Those B+ guys don’t belong in the A- category of prospect and neither do the A guys. I think the grades should be based on ability, not on rank. In a stronger prospect year, there should be more As and A-s
The 2008 Rogelio Moret League Fantasy Baseball Champions!
by The Congo Hammer on Jan 12, 2026 1:41 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
good info
I recently went thru all of the self-published books to determine on average how many players get each grade. I’ll add the 2003-2009 ave to compare.
A: 8 vs 7
A-: 6 vs 16
B+: 36 vs 54
B: 54 vs 85
B-: 102 vs 92
C+: 207 vs 240
There are 4 teams to go - Hou (thin), TB (loaded), Cinn (meh), Col (meh). I guess that’s average to just below.
Right now A-, B+, and B are all looking low by Sickel’s historical standards. I think there has been speculation that the minors are a little weak right now. By these grades that’s true.
Or could be that Sickels is getting much tougher at those grade levels.
Fwiw, I think in general the B+ grade is too large and the A- grade too small. I’d like to see 5-10 more A- and that many fewer B+.
by philly on Jan 12, 2026 1:43 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
With those 4 left
I’m going to say we see another 10-12 guys with B+ or higher grades(kind of hinges on Houston, I see no one I’d put higher than a B, but I’ve seen people say they’d call the top 3 all B+ grades).
RIP Nick Adenhart
by gatling on Jan 12, 2026 2:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I think it's a little nutty
I liked Mier as much as anybody BEFORE the draft (and before his good performance in rookie ball), thought he would have been a nice signability guy for the Nationals at No. 10 who could justify the draft slot in time . . .and yet I still wouldn’t put him at B+.
I wouldn’t expect John to do so either . . .he did not like Mier’s bat very much at all pre-draft and rookie ball numbers should not change anybody’s mind.
I think it’s Castro B+, the other two guys at Grade B. Top 100 wise I think Castro is towards the end of the B+ pile, Lyles probably somewhere in the 65-80 range, Mier somewhere between 80-100. But I haven’t gotten that far down the list yet.
by mrkupe on Jan 12, 2026 7:33 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
well, i'm betting on the B+
not that it really matters. he’ll just get it next season if not this one. he had one of the best age adjusted offensive seasons in the appy last year, completely ignoring defensive position and defensive quality. baseball america rated his season as #2 behind teheran. now, that kind of year answers a lot of questions someone might have about a high school bat. i think he could end up being a really strong B, but he should be ahead of dee gordon and green looking at it objectively, and they both got B+ grades.
by auclairkeithbc on Jan 12, 2026 8:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
It was a nice season, but no it does not answer all of the questions (just like Tony Sanchez’s SAL season doesn’t answer all of the questions about him). How do you know that BA completely ignored defense and position in their rankings? And the Appy isn’t exactly a deep league. John gave Teheran a B and Wilking Rodriguez is the #3 prospect on that list.
Mier is a good prospect and a top 100 guy, but no I don’t see him as a B+ yet.
by jar75 on Jan 12, 2026 8:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
i'm not saying BA ignored defense.
i’m saying that ignoring defense, mier still had a top age adjusted offensive year. the BA comment was secondary. sure, the appy isn’t tremendously deep, but those are just positive things. the fact that he projects to be an above average defensive shortstop and has a good offensive projection makes him a better prospect than green and gordon. i was a little surprised to see green and gordon get B+ grades honestly. but since mier has a higher floor and decent upside, i think he is a better prospect at this point than either of those B+ SS, so it would be crazy for me to think that Mier is not also deserving of a B+.
by auclairkeithbc on Jan 12, 2026 8:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Oh alright, I thought the “completely…quality” portion was a part of the next sentence.
I just disagree with your assessment of his floor. Gordon was given a B+ because of his tools.
by jar75 on Jan 12, 2026 8:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
yeah
gordon has a higher upside probably. it isn’t tremendously higher though. if they both achieve their offensive ceiling, the only real advantage gordon will have over mier is speed. it will be a big advantage in that dept. though. i guess i just don’t see that speed advantage as outweighing the better bat projection for mier and better defensive floor projection. i do think they are comparable quality prospects though (along with green), just that mier is the best of the group, and no way is he in the group with hak-ju lee and danny espinosa. they both got Bs.
by auclairkeithbc on Jan 12, 2026 8:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
actually
hak-ju lee is pretty interesting. haven’t seen the kind of reports on him that i’ve seen on mier though. maybe because i wasn’t looking. i still think mier is at least in the class of green and gordon. whether hak-ju lee (who got a B) is in that class as well, is a question for someone else. john doesn’t think lee deserves the same grade. hopefully he thinks mier does, but either way, time will tell with all these guys.
by auclairkeithbc on Jan 12, 2026 9:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Mier got a B
A very strong player comment though: Borderline B+, but I’d like to get some full-season data first. Well-balanced offensive and defensive prospect. Chance to be a national top 20 prospect a year from now if all goes well.
I still like him more than Gordon and Green.
by auclairkeithbc on Jan 13, 2026 1:03 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
uhh...
The player comment is from John. The last sentence is all me.
by auclairkeithbc on Jan 13, 2026 1:04 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Lyles
Is definitely a B+ for me. Great stats, good (not great) scouting reports, and certainly a spot in the Top 50 all = B+
by killa on Jan 12, 2026 7:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Ravens
Thanks for your work compiling the above. Good food for thought for our own list.
by MightyMoose on Jan 12, 2026 1:46 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
+1
I was about to say the same thing. It’s nice to have it all in one place.
by rmarx on Jan 12, 2026 1:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
+a bunch
Thanks for taking the time to do this ravensfan3. Very interesting look and I think it really does reinforce that this is a down year overall for prospects, but with a clearly defined(and small) top tier or top two tiers.
RIP Nick Adenhart
by gatling on Jan 12, 2026 2:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah but the Reds list isn't out yet
www.oriolesprospects.com | twitter @orioleprospects
by ravensfan3 on Jan 12, 2026 1:55 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed...just adding another name
by Snake the Jake on Jan 12, 2026 1:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Thanks!
Great post. Everyone should Rec.
by auclairkeithbc on Jan 12, 2026 1:59 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
A few A grade guys should become A- (I didn't choose this)
For people who voted “A few A grade guys should become A-”, I’m curious who you’d move down to an A-
by rmarx on Jan 12, 2026 2:03 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I voted it
I would move Feliz down as long as there are serious concerns about him moving to the bullpen. Also, I moved gasp Montero down. I’d like to see if he sticks at 1B or is relegated to DH. If he is a 1B and compared to guys like Smoak and Morrison his pedestrian plate discipline becomes a bit more obvious (sure, he’ll hit for more power than they will, and that is reflected in my rankings), and if he is a DH then he will REALLY have to hit, which he may, but… it’d be tough for anyone. If Pujols was a DH he would be about a 6 win player at his peak, and its hard for me to see a guy with a 5 win peak in the top 5.
by Navi's_Navy on Jan 12, 2026 2:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
"If Pujols was a DH he would be about a 6 win player at his peak"
BOOM! Navi drops a BOMB on DH-only players! I have never actually looked at what it would take for a DH-only player to be a top player in the league. That is really incredible.
So then the question for players like Montero and Carter comes down to their ability to play 1B/OF. Having seen Carter, I think that he has the athleticism to play LF or RF. It only comes down to whether or not he can gain the instincts. I believe he could also play 1B, but he would really need to work on agility/footwork. Without having seen Montero play, I can’t say anything for certain, but I have heard some say he is a DH-only guy.
by nobodyinparticular on Jan 12, 2026 4:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Pujols at DH > 6 wins
Looking at Fangraphs, Pujols’ best seasons have been 80+ runs above replacement at 1B ignoring defense, which is about 8 wins.
Most measures seem to have about a 5 run difference between 1B and DH replacement level, but that still leaves Pujols as a ~7.5+ win player in his best years.
Montero can miss that by a lot and still be an extremely valuable player…
by ManConley on Jan 14, 2026 6:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Bonds as a DH
For fun Bonds 2001 as a DH:
119 BRAA
20.4 Replacement runs
-12.75 positional value (see above paranthetical)
12.67 wins as a DH
As an a LF:
119 BRAA
20.4 Replacement runs
-7.98 positional runs
7.83 defensive runs (used 3 year average for 2002-2004 and extrapolated to 150 games)
13.2 Wins
WOW!!!!
by rglass44 on Jan 15, 2026 1:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
What?
its hard for me to see a guy with a 5 win peak in the top 5.
Come again? Being worth >5 wins would have made him one of the top 22 position players in baseballs this year.
There is no reason that a 5-6 win ceilin should stop a guy from being a top 5 prospect. You’re way overstating this. 5-6 wins peak is really, really good.
by alskor on Jan 12, 2026 4:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah but that's what Pujols would have been
Is that what we are expecting Montero? I don’t think its fair to project anyone to be Pujols. He’s only been below a .420 wOBA twice in his career. A 5 win peak means one or a few years around 5 WAR, with most somewhere below. I have a hard time projecting Montero to be that as a DH, and even if he is, that’s about his best case scenario.
"All energy flows according to the whims of the great magnet
What a fool I was to defy him"
-HST
by Mark Himmelstein on Jan 12, 2026 4:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I can see an upside of that for Montero's bat.
Miguel Cabrera is a 5 win player. Are we saying we shouldnt consider someone with that upside a top 5 prospect?
I agree completely that positional adjustments are far too often overlooked. My lists often have up the middle guys higher than others. I just think some of the above statements go to far.
Its important to not try to pigeonhole player values too much when we’re discussing prospects, IMHO. That’s a great way to overrate all sorts of mediocre players who play SS, Catcher, etc.. over guys who are actual impact players. Many times Id rather have a guy who I know does something well that I can be sure he will do at the MLB level (Chris Carter, for instance) over a guy who does some things well, but nothing that well and plays good defense at a valuable position (ie. Jason Castro). There are too many unknowns here and too much risk to simply take the surest, safest guys at the up the middle spots. A real MLB team taking this model would end up drafting nothing but medium ceiling college hitters, for instance. You have to find the right mix, and its not easy.
by alskor on Jan 12, 2026 4:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
If both Carter and Montero are DHs, the difference between them isn't that huge in my opinion
not enough to warrant a drop from top 5 to top 25, in my opinion.
Its not like I completley slashed Montero’s rating, he is #9 on my list, and the last of the top tier players.
by Navi's_Navy on Jan 12, 2026 10:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I missed this before, sorry for the late reply
Jesus Montero could very likely hit for roughly .30-.40 points of AVG higher than Carter most years… That’s nothing to sneeze at. That’s a huge shift in value.
by alskor on Jan 15, 2026 2:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Carter Ks twice as much at every level.
by rglass44 on Jan 15, 2026 2:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
that is a perfect case peak for him...
by Navi's_Navy on Jan 12, 2026 10:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
he can just as easily turn into Adam Dunn and be worth 1-2 wins per year
by Navi's_Navy on Jan 12, 2026 10:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Last year
There were only 3 straight A’s: Wieters, Price, Feliz.
It is shaping up to be a much better year for flagship talent, looks like.
by aCone419 on Jan 12, 2026 2:06 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Yes
More high end talent this year, but then it drops off into smaller than average upper mid-range and mid-range groups. I remember saying a few polls back that it seemed like most years you could practically fill your top 100 with B+ or better guys, I came up with right around 60 when I started my list a couple of weeks ago. Looks like John’s grades will come out close to that number too.
RIP Nick Adenhart
by gatling on Jan 12, 2026 2:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
no big issue
but Madison Bumgarner was a straight A too
Adoptive parent of Kyle Nicholson
by gore51 on Jan 12, 2026 4:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Not on the final list.
I just checked the 50/50 email, and he was a A- there. Maybe it was a typo; my book is at home so I can’t check.
by aCone419 on Jan 12, 2026 6:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
oh my bad
I just quickly checked on the online list
Adoptive parent of Kyle Nicholson
by gore51 on Jan 14, 2026 2:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
The grades are what they are...
I don’t think he grades on a curve or that he should.
by auclairkeithbc on Jan 12, 2026 2:09 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
+1
Prospects are what they are, and it really has nothing to do with their relationship to one another
by ajake57 on Jan 12, 2026 3:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
John did say this in another post:
“After all the comments are written and preliminary grades given, I go through and make a list like this and see how is missing, to make sure that everything is balanced correctly. That is how I spot guys who have been under or over-ranked intiially. This list shows that yes, I may in fact be underrating Saunders as a B-, because I do consider him a candidate for the top 50 and to get him on there I might have to bump him to a B.”
www.oriolesprospects.com | twitter @orioleprospects
by ravensfan3 on Jan 12, 2026 3:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
yes i saw that.
i think that comment means that he looks over the players to make sure he didn’t mess up a grade on a particular player. so if he sees the B list and thinks saunders is better than half of them, he will realize that saunders should be a B as well.
the comment does not seem to mean that if he thinks there generally very few B propects, he’ll make an attempt to bump some of the better B- guys up. that is what i mean by grading on a curve. clearly players are graded relative to each other, but that is something different.
by auclairkeithbc on Jan 12, 2026 3:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
yes
Yes, that’s how the process works.
by John Sickels on Jan 12, 2026 6:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I realize that
what I said is not exactly what I meant.
I meant to say that:
A ‘B’ prospect is a ‘B’ prospect
A ‘B’ prospect is not a ‘B’ prospect just because a ‘B+’ prospect is a ‘B+’ prospect.
If that makes any sense.
Obviously if you view player A and player B as having equal value you should grade them as such. But you shouldn’t necessarily say that a player gets a particular grade because the overall talent is greater or weaker.
I don’t know if that makes my point anymore clear, but that’s what I was originally getting at.
by ajake57 on Jan 12, 2026 6:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
your post wasn't the one in question
it was ravensfan’s post that i was referring to.
by auclairkeithbc on Jan 12, 2026 7:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
yeah, i know
but i felt like my comment wasn’t clearly outlined, and i felt like it read like i was directly disagreeing with what John has pointed out in other threads, which was not at all my intent.
by ajake57 on Jan 13, 2026 11:02 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Chase d'Arnaud/Kirk Nieuwenhuis/Ian Desmond
Now that I see the distribution of grades, I find it surprising that these guys, just as an example, are not among the top 200 prospects. But getting them on would require knocking at least 5 guys off. I guess I’ll start with David Cooper.
Of course, Desmond didn’t show much until this year, so you never know. But man that’s a lot of prospects to sort through. Gets tough when you get to fringe B-/C+ guys.
by wobatus on Jan 12, 2026 2:53 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
D'Arnaud (both of the bros) and Desmond
are definitely in my top 100 and are seriously underrated.
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 Jan 12, 2026 6:57 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Chase
Hard not to like a middle infielder that wOBA’d .390-.400 in A and A+ and also stole 44 bases with 10 cs if you include his AFL time. His glove is supposed to be decent; he’d be above average at 2b most likely even if he doesn’t stick at ss. He’ll be 23 this year, so he likely needs to perform well at AA to convince some folks he belongs in a top 100, but to me he is there.
by wobatus on Jan 13, 2026 12:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
What do you think of Travis and Ian Desmond....
Travis’ power/defense combo is enticing.
With Desmond, I see good defense, excellent arm at SS, and the potential to post multiple mid-20 home run seasons in teh bigz.
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 Jan 13, 2026 3:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Travis
I’m a pretty big fan, he’s definitely in my top 100 (probably closer to 75).
by jar75 on Jan 13, 2026 4:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Travis
From what I hear he will be a good fielder, and his bat is pretty good (he had a terrible start but then got hot). Desmond has the tools to be a decent shortstop but has had error issues. His power has come around although he was a litle lucky average wise this past year. He should become an upper half of the league ss.
by wobatus on Jan 19, 2026 10:36 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Cooper
I agree on that. He wasn’t a serious consideration on my list last year, when he had his hype, and is even farther away more.
by killa on Jan 12, 2026 7:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
You should probably separate hitters and pitchers
I believe John has said in the past that the letter grades don’t mean the same thing for hitters and pitchers. A hitter “B+” =/= a pitcher “B+”
Two separate top 50 lists would be better, in other words. Somebody correct me if I’m misinterpreting or misremembering the way John does his grades.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jan 12, 2026 3:51 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Misremembering....hahahah
OK Clemens.
by hrv1978 on Jan 12, 2026 4:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I'm glad someone caught that reference.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jan 12, 2026 9:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
great work
rec’d fer shurr
Adoptive parent of Kyle Nicholson
by gore51 on Jan 12, 2026 4:20 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Mike Trout should be a B, not a B+
that is IMO
also I wish Storen was a B and maybe even Scheppers too (instead of B+)
also kinda surprised Daryl Jones got a B- instead of C+
there are probably about a dozen others like this… but if thats all …obviously John has done a tremendous job.
I'd rather have Nick Punto playing 3B and Felipe Lopez playing 2B
than Punto playing 2B and Kouzy, Crede, DeRosa or Glaus playing 3B.
by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Jan 12, 2026 5:18 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Trout/Scheppers/Jones
I think Trout has outstanding tools, as well as a great start to his career, not to mention makeup. I’m fine with his grade.
As for Scheppers, it really depends how much you ding him for the injury history. I grade more based off of upside, so I’m fine w/ B+. I can see the argument for a B though.
Jones is a tough call. Lots of nice tools, showed nothing prior to ‘08 breakout, and then all but disappeared again last year. I don’t have a problem with B-, but I consider 2010 a make-or-break season for him as a top prospect.
by killa on Jan 12, 2026 7:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Scheppers Downgrade
Gibson got a serious downgrade due to his injury . . . . does John like Scheppers that much that his injury history downgrading him to B+
by gunkdog on Jan 13, 2026 11:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
No changes
I see no need to grade on a curve to fit a presupposed number of each grade.
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
by t ball on Jan 12, 2026 8:45 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I added the Houston guys
once all the lists are done I have some other cool statistics about the lists
www.oriolesprospects.com | twitter @orioleprospects
by ravensfan3 on Jan 13, 2026 6:57 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
"I hate some other cool statistics about the lists"
Oh come on! You’re like a bad tv show going to a commercial. Give us a hint! Give us a hint! :-)
by rmarx on Jan 13, 2026 12:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
that was supposed to say "have"
damn it - i screwed that one up!
by rmarx on Jan 13, 2026 12:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
it would be sweet if we could edit our posts
but it would make the debates a little more annoying.
by auclairkeithbc on Jan 13, 2026 12:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Debates would be great if we could edit the other person's post
“You’re stupid and I hate you.”
“Screw you, jackass! Why, yes, I am stupid. I will go put my head in an oven now.”
I would never lose an argument again (as long as only I had this power).
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jan 13, 2026 1:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Question
Might of been already covered and such, but why isn’t there any such thing as an A+? For me Heyward and Strasburg seem to fit that classification as being head and shoulders the best players… just curious.
by hybrid on Jan 13, 2026 6:57 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Often
thought this myself. Especially for Strasburg who is viewed as a generational type of prospect. A+ grade would seem fitting, imo.
by MightyMoose on Jan 13, 2026 10:11 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
TINSTAAA+?
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
by t ball on Jan 13, 2026 10:29 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Just added in the Rays prospects
www.oriolesprospects.com | twitter @orioleprospects
by ravensfan3 on Jan 14, 2026 7:00 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
It stands out as odd to me that Crow has a lower grade than Storen. Or Scheppers for that matter. John must be a bit down on him.
by aCone419 on Jan 14, 2026 12:25 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Saunders
looks really out of place as a B-.
Also, what about the players involved in the Lee deal. They never got graded as far I saw.
by junglist215 on Jan 15, 2026 11:28 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Im going to update it with the Reds guys in a bit
www.oriolesprospects.com | twitter @orioleprospects
by ravensfan3 on Jan 15, 2026 2:14 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Updated with Reds
www.oriolesprospects.com | twitter @orioleprospects
by ravensfan3 on Jan 15, 2026 4:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Too many As for me right now
A is about as close to the best prospect that you can get, combining relative certainty to reach a perrenial All-Star cieling, polish, and limited minor flaws. I would personally knock down Jennings, Alvarez, and Montero down to A-s. I am not a fan of Strasburg as an A just out of college, but I am not going to touch that one. In brief:
Jennings- I would like higher upside with his bat. A considerable value is tied to his defense and position, which is something that can dissappear quickly and where scouting has proven to be deceptive at times with.
Alvarez- His AA stats are inflated by a .400 BABIP, unsustainable with his Ks. On that length, it would be great if he could cut down on his K rate.
Montero- Positional questions is the number one problem here. I love the bat, but does he profile anywhere as even an average fielder? If you believe he sticks at catcher, he is still not going to play many games there. Also, Montero would be better served health wise to stay as a DH/1B than at C. He could also walk more.
by tdot mariner fan on Jan 15, 2026 4:27 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
The only one there I can agree with is Alvarez,
because there are some certain flaws in his game, including both things you pointed out.
However, Jennings is everything you want from a top of the order bat. Plus plus speed & baserunning skills, great polish, on base skills and plate discipline, oh and not to mention he plays a mean CF).
Montero is arguably the best bat in the minors, so for me it really doesn’t matter where he plays. I think you’re nitpicking with him.
by soxkid on Jan 15, 2026 10:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Not a big deal but I see only 43 B+ guys not 44.
Is there one missing? I didn’t see one.
It's not the results, it's how you look going about those results -- Tim McCarver
by WaddellCanseco on Jan 16, 2026 4:15 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Certain photos copyright © 2010 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
