Fantasy Baseball Advice

I don’t think I saw an organizational ranking all off-season that didn’t have the White Sox dead last.  Not that they deserve to be ranked higher – the Sox simply refuse to spend big money in the draft, and their presence in the Latin markets has been lacking of recent.  The first month of the 2012 baseball season, however, has brought a bit of good news to the Southsiders, as former top prospect Jared Mitchell has reemerged as an elite outfielder in Double-A.  Mitchell, who had a rough go at High-A in 2011 after missing all of 2010 with an ankle injury, has posted a .962 OPS through 28 games with Birmingham.  He’s gathered 13 XBH and 6 SB within 120 PA.  Mitchell’s hot start is greatly encouraging for a system in need of a boost.

Travis D’Arnaud | C, Blue Jays – The Blue Jays’ top prospect has effectively turned things around after an extremely slow start.  He’s riding a 13-game hitting streak at Triple-A, which has brought his AVG up to .279.  A late season arrival still seems in order for D’Arnaud.

Oscar Taveras| OF, Cardinals – I covered Taveras a couple weeks ago in my first Scouting the Unknown of the season.  The 19-year-old has done nothing but mash since then, and he’s now hitting .324/.365/.648 with 7 HR through his first 27 games at Double-A Springfield.

Nick Castellanos| 3B, Tigers – Castellanos leads the minors in AVG at .423 through his first 116 PA.  The future Detroit 3B is having no trouble with High-A pitching and it’ll be interesting to see if the Tigers choose to promote the teenager to Double-A if his impressive start continues.

Alex Castellanos | OF, Dodgers – It’s important to note that a dude by the name Castellanos currently leads every major hitting ratio category in MiLB.  While Nick has AVG covered, Alex leads in OBP and SLG, with a Triple-A line that looks like .366/.477/.746.  LA acquired Castellanos from St. Louis as a PTBNL in the Rafael Furcal swap and they must be pleased so far.

Miguel Sano | 3B, Twins – The Twins top prospect is adjusting nicely to full-season baseball.  Through his first 28 games with Low-A Beloit, Sano has hit .310/.439/.660 along with 8 homers.

Andrew Chafin | LHP, D’Backs – While Trevor Bauer and Tyler Skaggs capture most of the D’Backs prospect chatter, both have been outperformed by Chafin.  He’s perhaps a bit behind developmentally, but Chafin has looked sharp at High-A, posting a 3.03 ERA while whiffing 46 through 32.2 IP.

Dellin Betances | RHP, Yankees – You’ll remember that the Yankees used Betances late last season and had many wondering in the off-season if they’d pitch him at the major league level again in 2012.  Well, they haven’t yet, and barring a major turnaround, it doesn’t look as if they will.  Betances has posted a 6.35 ERA along with a 1.94 WHIP and an ugly .78 K/BB through his first six starts at Triple-A.

Tim Beckham | SS, Rays - The former No. 1 overall pick put up his best numbers as a pro in 2011, and had many wondering if he’d finally tapped into his vast potential.  Seems like a futile pondering now, as Beckham has been suspended by Minor League Baseball for 50 games – the result of a second violation of the MiLB drug policy.  Details of the violation aren’t exactly clear, but it looks as if the drugs in Beckham’s case are of the recreational variety.

We here at Deep League Thoughts love things cheap.  If the 5 finger discount were legal, we’d be doing it hand over Doug Fister.  Over the course of the year, we’re going to keep our eye on the bargain bin FA market, targeting the guys that are less than 5 percent owned and try to sprinkle you with tasty little nuggets of info on these gems.  Alright let’s start…sorry, you still have to read…and you have to start a new paragraph to do it.  I know, demanding.

Ugh, catchers.  Worse, a fairly boring catcher.  Worserer?  A Mariners catcher.  Okay, now that we’ve gotten through the doom and gloom I’m about to rainbow and unicorn the shizz outta Miguel Olivo.  Quick player comparison here:

Player A: 25/82/50/1/.215

Player Zed: 19/62/54/6/.224

Ok, so we all know one of these players is Olivo, but which one.  Quick!  No google cheating!  Ok, you probably already knew.  The numbers truly aren’t as sexy as the other one but can you tell me who the other catcher is without pulling out your smartphone in class, Grady Sizemore?  And could you please stop taking pictures with it while you’re at it?  The answer is J.P. Arencibia who for some reason keeps getting the sexy catcher pick vote due to the home runs and that he’s viewed as a ‘safe’ catcher to draft.  I’m assuming people think the Jays will be content with another .215 average year because their other catcher is Jeff Mathis.  Well, Travis D’Arnaud has plenty to say about that, though we might need a French interpreter to fully understand it.  J.P. isn’t halfway out the door, but he’s surely not the Jays future catcher.

I know what you’re going to say, poorly constructed argument to get my point across reader: But the Mariners have Jesus Montero.  Yes, the Mariners went straight for the savior in trading away Michael Pineda over the summer.  So do you really think they’re going to make a prized hitting prospect don the tools of ignorance much this year?  Montero’s value is in his bat and his ability to turn Gatorade and sunflower seeds into beer and chicken in the clubhouse (which makes me wonder if he visited the Red Sox a few times last year).  If you want to throw Montero into the daiquiri mix, the Mariners will have three catchers this year with backup John Jaso.  To further a pointless analogy that I shouldn’t have started in the first place, Olivo is the rum, Jaso is the lime juice and Jesus is the dallop of delicious sugar syrup.  Why would they risk losing Montero’s bat to injury when they have two capable backstops already on the team (see, I told you the analogy was pointless; didn’t even refer back to it)?  The moral of this whole thing is don’t drink and catch…I think.  No wait, the moral of this is Montero is the team’s DH.  He DH’ed game one of the season and he’ll DH most games from here on out.  That means there will be plenty of at-bats to go between Olivo and Jaso with Miguel landing the lion’s share.  He should be good for a .225 average and 15 HRs.  Not rare air here, but not useless in two catcher leagues either.  In Fleaflicker leagues, he’s at 7% owned, and, even more egregiously, he’s at 0.8% owned in ESPN.  Alright, I’ve almost reached 575 words on a catcher.  That definitely is reaching my quota for the year.  ONC out!

Toronto Blue Jays 2011 Minor League Review

Organizational Talent Rankings via Baseball America:

2012 (5) | 2011 (4) | 2010 (19) | 2009 (19) | 2008 (25) | 2007 (26)

2011 Affiliate Records

MLB: [81-81] AL East

AAA: [71-73] Pacific Coast League – Las Vegas

AA: [77-65] Eastern League – New Hampshire

A+: [79-61] Florida State League – Dundin

A: [77-60] Midwest League – Lansing

A(ss): [39-37] Northwest League – Vancouver

The Run Down

The Toronto system is talented and deep and surely among the best in baseball.  Most of the fantasy payoff is a year or more away from materializing, though.  Huge upside guys like Travis D’Arnaud and Anthony Gose seem primed to arrive in 2013, while Jake Marisnick and a slew of nice arms follow.  Clearly there’s reason for excitement here, but nothing immediate, so avoid these guys outside of deep keepers or dynasty leagues.  Do, however, be jealous of Blue Jays fans, as their prospects are likely much better than yours.  And this is after graduating guys like Lawrie, Drabek and Arencibia.  Jeez.

Arizona Fall League Players – Phoenix Desert Dogs

Evan Crawford (LHP); Aaron Loup (LHP); Yan Gomes (C); Adeiny Hechavarria (SS); Anthony Gose (OF)

Graduated Prospects

Kyle Drabek (RHP); Brett Lawrie (3B); J.P. Arencibia (C); Eric Thames (OF); Henderson Alvarez (RHP)

Players of Interest

Hitters

Travis D’Arnaud | C:

A year from now, D’Arnaud will carry similar hype to that which Jesus Montero or Devin Mesoraco currently holds.  I ranked him as the #5 fantasy prospect for 2013 and you can ready why, here.

Adeiny Hechavarria | SS:

Hechavarria is a defense-first shortstop, but after a strong finish to 2012, Toronto is hopeful that his bat will improve.  Surely, a late season promotion to hitter-friendly Las Vegas helped his line, but the Triple-A stint was encouraging, regardless.  He’ll return to Vegas to begin 2012 and could be up with Toronto this year if quality hitting continues.  Hechavarria’s defense would certainly be an asset in the bigs.  Not to your fantasy team, though.

David Cooper | 1B:

Cooper has a great bat, but the home run power is lacking, and that’s holding him back as a first baseman.  In that regard, he reminds me a little of Billy Butler, although I doubt he’ll ever reach that level.  Still, Cooper’s a guy to monitor in case of injury to Adam Lind.  He’s capable of putting up a decent AVG and OBP if he ever gets an opportunity.

Pitchers

Drew Hutchison | RHP – SP:

Hutchison played at three levels in 2011, posting a 2.53 ERA along with 171 Ks in 149 IP.  With a fastball in the high-80’s, he’s not blowing anyone away.  He uses it well, though, and mixes things up a change and a slider.  This polished approach should allow him to move quickly.  Hutchison profiles as an innings-eating #3 and he seems to be in line for a late-season arrival.

Deck McGuire | RHP – SP:

Like Hutchison, Mcguire is a polished pitcher with mid-rotation stuff.  His numbers don’t stand out quite so much as Hutchison’s, but at 6-6, 220, he seems better suited to take on that innings-eater role.  It’ll be interesting to see which prospect will be called upon should the Blue Jays need help.

Honorable Mention

Hitters

Anthony Gose | OF:

I recently ranked Gose #24 in my Top 25 Prospects for 2013 & Beyond post.  His speed will make him a valuable fantasy piece in any format, and I’m encouraged by his power development.   Still probably a year away at this point.

Jake Marsinick | OF:

Like Gose, Marisnick has above average tools across the board.  After slashing .320/.392/.496 over a full season at Lansing last year, he’s bound for High-A in 2012, perhaps more if the production continues.  A 2014 arrival seems most likely here, but fantasy players should take note now.  This Toronto outfield has a bright future, indeed. 

Pitchers

Noah Syndergaard | RHP – SP:

At 19 years old, Syndergaard is a long ways away, but he’s primed to climb the ladder quickly if his secondary pitches progress.  His combination of size and athleticism has scouts giddy.  A fastball that touches 100 is also quite intriguing.  He’ll start 2012 at Low-A, but a breakout year seems imminent.

I spend most of my time here focusing on prospects who’re nearing their big league debuts.  Today, though, I’m gonna be discussing some guys a little further out.  In these rankings, talent trumps all – although, I broke that rule a few times based on lack of experience (see Bundy, Sano, Starling).  Among all of these names, though, one fact is constant:  each has an enormous ceiling.  All of these guys have the potential to develop into tremendous fantasy assets.  Unless you’re drafting in a dynasty league, however, these are not players you want to be considering on draft day.  For the top 25 fantasy baseball prospects for right now, click that link.

1. Jurickson Profar | SS, Rangers:  Profar has already put up some exciting numbers, and scouts are drooling over his physical development this offseason.  The upside here is preposterously high.  More on Profar in my Rangers post.  ETA:  2013.

2. Manny Machado | SS, Orioles:  The slugging shortstop has drawn comparisons to a young A-Rod.  The arrival of Machado and Profar will certainly aid the shortstop scarcity currently plaguing fantasy baseball.  ETA:  2013.

3. Gerrit Cole | SP, Pirates:  Cole was the #1 overall pick last June and made his pro debut in the Arizona Fall League, where he was clocked as high as 102 MPH.  He’ll start at High-A this year, but should move quickly. ETA:  2013.

4. Jameson Taillon | SP, Pirates:  Although he’s a year ahead of Cole in terms of experience, Taillon is behind his teammate developmentally.  Legitimate ace potential here.  The future is bright for the Pittsburgh rotation. ETA:  2014.

5. Travis D’Arnaud | C, Blue Jays:  Projects better than Arencibia both offensively and defensively, so it’s only a matter of time ’til D’Arnaud takes over as Toronto’s regular behind the plate.  He should be up late this season and ready for full-time in 2013.   ETA:  Late 2012.

6. Anthony Rendon | 3B, Nationals:  Rendon is a polished hitter and he could be ready for the bigs by late-season.  With Ryan Zimmerman at third for the foreseeable future, Rendon might have to arrive as a 2B.  More on Rendon in my Nationals post.  ETA:  2013.

7. Nolan Arenado | 3B, Rockies:  Arenado doesn’t impress scouts quite so much as Rendon, but he’s an impressive all-around talent and the Rockies have no one blocking him at third.  He’ll start 2012 at Double-A and try to push his way through to the big club this year.  More on Arenado, here.  ETA:  Late 2012.

8. Dylan Bundy | SP, Orioles:  An ace in the making, Bundy is looking forward to his first taste of pro ball in 2012.  He should move quickly.  Could rank higher if he backs up the hype with on-field production.  ETA:  2014.

9. Taijuan Walker | SP, Mariners:  Ace potential is even more attractive when you factor the Safeco effect.   ETA: 2014.

10. Mike Montgomery | SP, Royals:  Montgomery has a chance to gain some big league time this year if the Royals’ staff is injured and/or terrible.  More likely, Kansas City remains patient with their prized prospect and he makes his impact in 2013.  ETA:  Late 2012.

11. Miguel Sano | SS, Twins:  Sano will get his first taste of full-season baseball in the Midwest League this year.  That means he’ll make a few visits to Kane County, which isn’t too far from me.  Can’t wait to watch him live.  ETA:  2015.

12. Bubba Starling | OF, Royals:  The fifth overall selection last June, Starling is oozing with talent.  He could be playing full-time at Kane County this year.  OH HELL YEAH – when can I pre-order Beloit at Kane County tix?   ETA:  2015.

13. Carlos Martinez | SP, Cardinals:  Command seems to be the only thing holding Martinez back at this point.  He’ll return to the Florida State League to begin 2012 in order to refine that aspect of his game.  Once he can work that out, he’ll push through quickly.  ETA:  2013.

14. Archie Bradley | SP, Diamondbacks:  Bradley joins Trevor Bauer and Tyler Skaggs as three potential aces in the D’Backs system.  He’ll need quite a bit more time than the other two, however.  ETA:  2015.

15. Wil Myers | OF, Royals:  In terms of pure talent, Myers falls a bit short of Starling.  At this point, though, he’s far closer to the bigs.  Long shot to arrive late this year. ETA:  2013.

16. Manny Banuelos | SP, Yankees:  Banuelos is probably ready now, but the Yankees have nowhere for him.  Based on readiness, he’s a good candidate for a late-seasn arrival.  More on Banuelos, in my Yankees prospect review.  ETA:  Late 2012.

17. Jonathan Singleton | 1B/OF, Astros:  Singleton joined the Houston system by way of Philadelphia in the Hunter Pence swap.  He put up some outstanding post-trade figures in the California League.  A beacon of hope for Astros fans.  More on him, here. ETA:  2013.

18. Christian Yelich | OF, Marlins:  Yelich projects above average in hitting, power and speed.  Defensively, he’s just average, though.  Good thing we don’t care about defense.  ETA:  2013.

19. Mike Olt | 3B, Rangers:  He could very well be ready by the second half of 2012, but the opportunity in Texas won’t exist while Beltre is entrenched at third.  Could be trade-bait.  More on Olt, here.  ETA:  2013.

20. Martin Perez | SP, Rangers:  Three plus offerings has Perez looking like a frontline starter if he can get his command in order.  Read more on him in my Rangers post. ETA:  2013.

21. Zack Wheeler | SP, Mets:  Wheeler profiles best as a #2 starter, but he could develop into an ace if he can transform his curveball into a plus offering – his fastball and changeup are already there.  Wheeler could reach Triple-A this year.  ETA:  2013.

22. Francisco Lindor | SS, Indians:  Yet another huge upside talent who’ll be playing in the Midwest League this year.  The Cleveland system is horrendous, but Lindor provides some reason for hope.  ETA:  2015.

23. Gary Brown | OF, Giants:  Brown will begin 2012 trying to prove he can put up big numbers outside the hitter-friendly California League.  But his speed and defense will play in the bigs, regardless.  Read more on Brown in my Giants post.  ETA:  2013.

24. Anthony Gose | OF, Blue Jays:  Extremely toolsy centerfielder swiped 70 bags at Double-A.  Gose will work on refining his approach at the plate in Triple-A this year.  He could push Colby Rasmus out of center in 2013.  ETA:  2013.

25. Hak-Ju Lee | SS, Rays:  Lee, for now, is a defensive-minded shortstop, but he has all of the tools to develop into an exciting offensive player.  Shortstop is a weakness at the top of the Rays’ organization, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see Lee up at some point next year.  ETA:  2013.

Ten more, in alphabetical order:  Xander Bogaerts (SS, Red Sox); Nick Castellanos (3B, Tigers); Jarred Cosart (SP, Astros); Yasmani Grandal (C, Padres); Billy Hamilton (SS, Reds); Zach Lee (SP, Dodgers); Rymer Liriano (OF, Padres); Wily Peralta (SP, Brewers); Oscar Taveras (OF, Cardinals); Kolten Wong (2B, Cardinals)

The top 50 fantasy baseball prospects list aims to provide a list solely for fantasy baseball purposes. Due to fantasy baseball’s immediacy of statistical production, players are not necessarily ranked based on tools or projections far into the future, but instead, current production. Aspects taken into consideration are fantasy baseball’s positional scarcity, Razzball philosophies, scouting reports and personal biases. Please keep in mind that this is published before the end of the 2011 season. Therefore, it is highly possible that some rookies on this list may lose their rookie eligibility (e.g. Kyle Seager), others who were expected to continue to acquire enough experience by the end of the season who may not (e.g. Brett Lawrie). Revision in the late off-season shall occur. There are highly touted names omitted from the Top 50 list that some might believe warrant a ranking that don’t fall into the prior caveat(s). Before lamenting, please check the Honorable Mention section. The most notable omissions are either blocked, provide more real world baseball value, need to repeat performance because of their pedigree, have GM’s avoiding Super-2 status or are rebounding from injuries. The signings in the upcoming weeks of the offseason and Spring Training could cause many players to rise or fall. Disputes, inquiries and general feedback is welcomed and encouraged. To be included, I used MLB eligibility requirements — less than 130 ABs or 50 IP, though I’ve made a few exceptions where I felt it was warranted. See Top 50 Fantasy Prospects for 2012, Part I for the complete list.

26. Trevor Bauer – RHP (SP) – ARI: Considered MLB-ready outta the gate when drafted in June 2011. Keith Law’s pre-draft scouting report indicates, “[His] fastball-curveball combination is [...] big league-caliber … shown he can get deep into games with regularity despite the lack of prototypical physicality. His heavy college workload — topping 130 pitches in the majority of his starts this spring [2011] … [workload] could impact whether he helps the Arizona Diamondbacks this season or what role in which that would come.” He has a plus-fastball sits between 92 to 95 MPH with good life and a 12-to-6 plus-curveball. His changeup needs work. Control and command is spotty and inconsistent, typically derived from overthrowing. Mechanically the only true concern is him locking his left knee upon delivery of the baseball. There is concern of possible knee injuries in the future. Beyond this quibble, his stuff is not in question, it is his combination of control and command, being overworked in college, and possible mechanically driven medical concern.

27. Martin Perez – LHP (SP) – TEX: Texas is loaded at pitcher, but you can never have enough young arms. Perez followed up a poor 2010 in Double-A with improved numbers across the board at Double-A but a regression in production when promoted to Triple-A. I see a midseason call-up. See Scouting the Unknown article for further details.

28. Garrett Richards – LHP (SP) – ATL: The Angels gave Richards two spot starts in 2011 in which he struggled. Prior to 2011 and before reaching more advanced hitters (read: before Double-A), he was able to produce high strikeout rates. In 2011, at Double-A, Richards strikeout rates plummeted from mid-9 K/9 to 6.5 K/9. Projects as a mid-rotation starter who pitches to contact or a power reliever.

29. Zack Cox – 3B – St.L: David Freese is not the answer for the Cardinals at third base. The 22-year-old Cox had an excellent 2011 season. In 344 Double-A at-bats he slashed .294/.357/.436 with 29 XBH (10 Hr) and a 69:29 K:BB ratio. Is considered a “gifted hitter with strength and strike-zone awareness.” Offensively reminds me of Ryan Zimmerman.

30. Kyle Seager – 2B/3B – SEA: By the end of the season, his rookie eligibility may be void. The Mariners hot-corner hasn’t been the same since Adrian Beltre left. Seager has the flexibility to play multiple positions. Barring an injury, would get the nod over Alex Liddi at this point. Seager has shown to be of average power – gap mostly – produces a decent average and the occasional stolen base.

31. Eric Surkamp – LHP (SP) – SF: Earlier this year, I said, “Surkamp is a soft-tossing lefty … Fastball sits in the upper 80s with heavy sinking action. Changeup and curveball are both plus pitches. Has a three-quarter delivery that creates good deception and he has strong command of all his pitches.”

32. Bryce Harper – RF – WAS: The hype will start early in April and build to a crescendo in June. I don’t think he’ll be up before August at the earliest. I’d expect Mike Trout-type results upon his first call-up. In his prime, I think he’ll be similar to Ryan Braun in his prime. This is all assuming no major setbacks or injuries in 2012.

33. Jake Odorriz – RHP (SP) – KC: The Royals are loaded with pitching prospects. As exemplified by Danny Duffy, Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas Johnny Giavotella, Salvador Perez, Aaron Crow and Tim Collins’ 2011 call-ups, the Royals 2012 roster should see a heavy turnover, especially at pitcher. Will start out of the gate or be a June call up. See Scouting the Unknown article for further details.

34. Joe Benson – OF – MIN: The Twins best power hitting prospect. Injury prone. When healthy has shown strong plate discipline, above-average power (25 to 30 home run ceiling), and ability to steal the occasional base. He’s a Hunter Pence with a slightly lower average and a few less steals, if/when healthy.

35. John Lamb – LHP (SP) – KC: See half-inch above in the Odorizzi blurb. See Scouting the Unknown article for further.

36. Chris Marrero – 1B – WAS: With Mike Morse coming into his own in 2011, the Nationals will not have to rush Marrero into the starting lineup. He’s proven himself at each level. In his prime, projects as a mid-20 home run hitter. Currently, I would expect a Freddie Freeman-type rookie season: .291/.352/.461 and high-teen home runs over a full season. See Scouting the Unknown article for further.

37. Dellin Betances – RHP (SP) – NYY: As the Yankees best pitching prospect, high expectations will be placed on him, especially with the recent back-end rotation woes for the Bronx Bombers. June call-up looks to be in place. See Scouting the Unknown article for further.

38. Liam Hendriks – RHP (SP) – MIN: With Kyle Gibson’s injury concern, Hendriks becomes the next best pitching prospect ready for the show in Minnesota. Not that the Twins will rush him, but their rotation is easily trumped by the Braves Triple-A rotation. See Scouting the Unknown article for further.

39. Mike Montgomery – LHP (SP) – KC: Will need to improve command, limit walks and gain more consistency to be more than an AL-Only add. See Scouting the Unknown article for further.

40. Kirk Nieuwenhuis – RF – NYM: To quote my Scouting article, “possesses good all-around, broad skill-set played at a balls-to-the-wall approach. Meaning, he has all tools ranging from fringe-average to average tools that make him a solid player but unspectacular at any specific skill. Hitting approach is strong, attempting to utilize all fields and working the count. Still projects as a .270 hitter with gap power within his line-drive swing.” Strikeouts will always be a concern. He’s one Angel Pagan injury away from seeing significant playing time in 2012. See Scouting the Unknown article for further.

41. Steve Lombardozzi – 2B/IF – WAS: The Nationals were unwilling to give him up in a trade for Denard Span. Of course they did, they are the same player but at different positions.

42. Robbie Erlin – LHP (SP) – SD: Good strikeout potential, excellent future home ballpark, and amazing control. Yes, please. Listed lower than my praise because I don’t see the Padres rushing him to the majors.

43. Neil Ramirez – RHP (SP) – TEX: Similar to Erlin, I see the Rangers allow him to accumulate more experience at Triple-A. He started the 2011 season at High-A and was promoted to Triple-A and then demoted to Double-A. Needs to improve command. See Scouting the Unknown article for further.

44. Andrew Oliver – LHP (SP) – DET: I think he gets pushed to the bullpen due to inconsistency and command concerns. See Scouting the Unknown article for further.

45. Matt Dominguez – 3B – FLA: A strong NL-only and deep league play. He’ll sustain his major league career through his excellent defensive skills not his average-at-best bat. Projects to be a .260 hitter with average power (15 home runs). So David Freese.

46. Jaff Decker – LF – SD: At some point, his old-player skill-set (power and walks with poor defense) will catch up to his prospect value. Currently, I see him being a similar type of player as Jack Cust. That’s both a compliment and a red flag. May need to traded to an AL team to play DH. See Scouting the Unknown article for further.

47. Casey Kelly – RHP (SP) – SD: Similar predicament to Robbie Erlin, but without strikeout potential – not even close. His home park causes his value to rise. See Scouting the Unknown article for further details.

48. Grant Green – SS – OAK: Cliff Pennington is keeping the spot warm for the future A’s shortstop. Better gap power than home run power (projects as average power), strong average, an occasional steal. Defensively, question marks are raise about his efficiency. Think a .300 hitter with 12 to 15 home runs and 10 steals from shortstop over the course of the season. See Scouting the Unknown article for further details.

49. Nick Franklin – SS – SEA: Injuries slowed his 2011 season down. Projects for a .280, 12 to 15 home run and 10 steal player. He plays good defense, has a smooth swing and average speed. His 2010 season was bolstered by his environment (California League). With Dustin Ackley manning second, Franklin appears to remain at shortstop. See Scouting the Unknown article for further details.

50. Travis d’Arnaud – C – TOR: Won the Eastern League MVP with the following slash line: .311/.371/.542 with 55 XBH (21 Hr) and a 100:33 K:BB ratio. Is blocked by J.P. Arencibia at the major league level. Travis d’Arnaud plays much better defense and makes better contact than Arencibia. The power potential is not the same with d’Arnaud, but he could easily hit between 15 and 20 home runs in his rookie year given a full seasons of at-bats (~400). However, that number of at-bats is highly unlikely, more likely to receive 250 at-bats. In that time frame, he could have 5 to 8 home runs with a digestible average.

Extra
51. Josh Vitters – 3B – CHC: Hitting wise, I consider him similar to Delmon Young: swings early and often, relies on pedigree and natural talent, is inconsistent. Defensively he is superior to Young. Aramis Ramirez has shown to be injury prone two of the last three years. Cub fans may finally see their 2007 first round pick. Keep in mind he is turned only 22 on August 27th. See Scouting the Unknown article for further details.

Late Scratch
Kyle Gibson – RHP (SP) – MIN: He would be a top 15 fantasy prospect if he wasn’t having Tommy John Surgery after injuring his elbow. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported on September 1, 2011, “Gibson will have reconstructive surgery on his elbow after the initial phase of his rehabilitation program did not go well … surgery [was performed 9/7/11] in New York, … surgery done by Mets team physician, Dr. David Altcheck, who also operated on Joe Nathan’s elbow last year.” I don’t think I’ve ever heard a pitcher who’s pitching elbow hurt significantly successfully complete rehab without TJ Surgery. Twins fans hope that the Mets medical staff doesn’t advise on the healing process either. Then again, Joe Mauer had “bi-lateral leg soreness” for a month. Not sure where Dr. James Andrew (a.k.a Dr. Freeze) was in the whole conversation. Gibson was shutdown early August with elbow tenderness. Statistically, it appeared that his injury may have been lingering since early July. Not relevant until 2013. See Scouting the Unknown article for further details.

Honorable Mentions
In no particular order
Nick Weglarz (RF, CLE); Casey Crosby (LHP, DET); Trevor Bauer (RHP, ARI); LJ Hoes (2B, BAL); Jarred Cosart (RHP, HOU); Jedd Gyorko (3B, SD); Carlos Triunfel (SS, SEA); Adeiny Hechavarria (SS, TOR); Anthony Gose (OF, TOR); Yasmani Grandal (C, CIN); Chris Archer (TB) (RHP, TB); Jeff Locke (LHP, PIT); Tony Sanchez (C, PIT); Austin Hyatt(RHP, PHI), Michael Taylor (RF, OAK); Chris Withrow (LHP, LAD); Lars Anderson (1B, BOS); Brandon Guyer (OF, TB); Deck McGuire (RHP, TOR); Simon Castro (RHP, SD); Trevor May (RHP, PHI); Jake McGee (LHP, TB); Jeurys Familia (RHP, NYM); Christian Friedrich (LHP, COL); David Cooper (1B, TOR); Austin Romine (C, NYY); Tom Milone (LHP, WAS); Clint Robinson (1B, KC); David Lough (OF, KC); Tim Wheeler (LF/RF, COL); Alex Liddi (3B, SEA); Adrian Cardenas (2B/MI, OAK); Alex Torres (RHP, TB); Rudy Owens (LHP, PIT); Tanner Scheppers (RHP, TEX); Starling Marte (CF, PIT); Matt Adams (1B, St.L); Jose Iglesias (SS, BOS); Carlos Peguero (LF, SEA); Chris Parmelee (1B, MIN); Caleb Gindl (RF, MIL); Jarred Cosart (RHP, HOU)