| 01 |
JAY
BRUCE |
OF,
REDS |
| 2: Leagues
(IL, FSL) in which he ranked as the No. 1 prospect in 2007, en
route to BA's Minor League Player of the Year award. |
Opening
Day Age: 20 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 02 |
EVAN
LONGORIA |
3B,
RAYS |
| 70: Grade
on the 20-80 scouting scale for both his bat and his power. |
Opening
Day Age: 22 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 03 |
JOBA
CHAMBERLAIN |
RHP,
YANKEES |
| 0.38: His
ERA in 19 big league appearances. |
Opening
Day Age: 22 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 04 |
CLAY
BUCHHOLZ |
RHP,
RED SOX |
| 2: Big
league starts it took him to throw a no-hitter. |
Opening
Day Age: 23 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 05 |
COLBY
RASMUS |
OF,
CARDINALS |
| 29: His
Texas League-leading total of homers in 2007. |
Opening
Day Age: 21 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 06 |
CAMERON
MAYBIN |
OF,
MARLINS |
| 2: Games it
took him to hit his first major league homer (off Roger Clemens,
no less). |
Opening
Day Age: 20 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 07 |
CLAYTON
KERSHAW |
LHP,
DODGERS |
| 12.0, .201:
His K/9 and opponent average in 2007, both the best among
minor league starters. |
Opening
Day Age: 20 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 08 |
FRANKLIN
MORALES |
LHP,
ROCKIES |
| 20:
Consecutive scoreless innings he threw in September, a
Colorado record for starters. |
Opening
Day Age: 22 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 09 |
HOMER
BAILEY |
RHP,
REDS |
| 3: Years
he rated No. 1 on our Reds Top 10 list before Jay Bruce
displaced him. |
Opening
Day Age: 21 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 10 |
DAVID
PRICE |
LHP,
RAYS |
| 16: Years
since the last previous lefty (Brien Taylor) to go No. 1 overall
in the draft before Tampa Bay took Price last June. |
Opening
Day Age: 22 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 11 |
TRAVIS
SNIDER |
OF,
BLUE JAYS |
| 4: Major
categories in which he led the Midwest League in 2007: slugging
percentage (.523), doubles (35), extra-base hits (58) and RBIs
(93). |
Opening
Day Age: 20 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 12 |
MATT
WIETERS |
C,
ORIOLES |
| $6 million:
His bonus, the largest up-front payout in draft history. |
Opening
Day Age: 21 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 13 |
JACOBY
ELLSBURY |
OF,
RED SOX |
| 438: His
team-high batting average in Boston's World Series sweep. |
Opening
Day Age: 24 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 14 |
ANDREW
McCUTCHEN |
OF,
PIRATES |
| 19: Age at
which he reached Double-A for the first time (in 2006). |
Opening
Day Age: 21 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 15 |
JAKE
McGEE |
LHP,
RAYS |
| 346:
Strikeouts the last two years, third in the minors behind Matt
Maloney (357) and Gio Gonzalez (351). |
Opening
Day Age: 21 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 16 |
BRANDON
WOOD |
3B/SS,
ANGELS |
| 92, 415:
Homers and strikeouts over the last three seasons. |
Opening
Day Age: 23 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 17 |
WADE
DAVIS |
RHP,
RAYS |
| 2:
No-hitters (both seven innings) thrown in two years in
full-season ball. |
Opening
Day Age: 22 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 18 |
MIKE
MOUSTAKAS |
SS,
ROYALS |
| 24, 52:
California high school single-season and career records for
homers that he established last spring. |
Opening
Day Age: 19 |
ETA:
2010 |
|
| 19 |
ELVIS
ANDRUS |
SS,
RANGERS |
| .353:
Batting average last year in the Arizona Fall League, where he
was the circuit's youngest player. |
Opening
Day Age: 19 |
ETA:
2010 |
|
| 20 |
FERNANDO
MARTINEZ |
OF,
METS |
| 9:
Dominican Republic products on the Top 100, the most of any
foreign nation; he's the highest ranked. |
Opening
Day Age: 19 |
ETA:
2010 |
|
| 21 |
RICK
PORCELLO |
RHP,
TIGERS |
| $7 million:
Value of his major league contract, matching Josh Beckett for
the highest guarantee ever given to a high schooler. |
Opening
Day Age: 19 |
ETA:
2010 |
|
| 22 |
CARLOS
GONZALEZ |
OF,
ATHLETICS |
| 3: Hitters
who have played in the last two Futures Games; Gonzalez ranks
ahead of Joey Votto and Chin-Lung Hu on this list. |
Opening
Day Age: 22 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 23 |
MATT
LAPORTA |
OF,
BREWERS |
| 3: Years
since he had played the outfield before Milwaukee drafted him
seventh overall and moved him there. |
Opening
Day Age: 23 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 24 |
NICK
ADENHART |
RHP,
ANGELS |
| 412:
Players taken before Adenhart in the 2004 draft, a month after
he had Tommy John surgery. |
Opening
Day Age: 21 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 25 |
JORDAN
SCHAFER |
OF,
BRAVES |
| 176: His
hits in 2007, the highest total in the minors. |
Opening
Day Age: 21 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 26 |
GIO
GONZALEZ |
LHP,
ATHLETICS |
| 185: His
minor league-leading strikeout total last year. |
Opening
Day Age: 22 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 27 |
CHRIS
MARRERO |
1B/OF,
NATIONALS |
| 3:
Monsignor Edward Pace High (Miami) products on the Top 100;
Gio Gonzalez and Adrian Cardenas are the others. |
Opening
Day Age: 19 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 28 |
JASON
HEYWARD |
OF,
BRAVES |
| 14: Picks
he lasted in the 2007 draft, a number we never may be able to
fully explain. |
Opening
Day Age: 18 |
ETA:
2010 |
|
| 29 |
ADAM
MILLER |
RHP,
INDIANS |
| 2:
Seasons out of the last three that have been truncated by
elbow problems, though he hasn't required surgery. |
Opening
Day Age: 23 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 30 |
KOSUKE
FUKUDOME |
OF,
CUBS |
| 30: His
age, making him the oldest player on this list. |
Opening
Day Age: 30 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 31 |
ANDY
LAROCHE |
3B,
DODGERS |
| 39: The
round in which he was drafted, the lowest of any player on the
Top 100. |
Opening
Day Age: 24 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 32 |
CHASE
HEADLEY |
3B/OF,
PADRES |
| .437: His
OBP last year, the second-highest in the minors. |
Opening
Day Age: 23 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 33 |
ANGEL
VILLALONA |
3B/1B,
GIANTS |
| 17: His
age, making him the youngest player on the Top 100. |
Opening
Day Age: 17 |
ETA:
2011 |
|
| 34 |
JOHNNY
CUETO |
RHP,
REDS |
| 3:
Potential plus pitches, showing that size (5-foot-10) isn't
everything. |
Opening
Day Age: 22 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 35 |
DEOLIS
GUERRA |
RHP,
TWINS |
| 2: Years by
which he was the youngest regular starting pitcher in the
Florida State League last season, at age 18. |
Opening
Day Age: 18 |
ETA:
2010 |
|
| 36 |
BRETT
ANDERSON |
LHP,
ATHLETICS |
| 1.6: Walks
per nine innings in his 2007 pro debut, a testament to his
polish. |
Opening
Day Age: 20 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 37 |
JOSE
TABATA |
OF,
YANKEES |
| .307:
Batting average in the Florida State League last year, all the
more impressive considering he was 19 and had an injured wrist. |
Opening
Day Age: 19 |
ETA:
2010 |
|
| 38 |
IAN
STEWART |
3B,
ROCKIES |
| 2: Top 100
Prospects from La Quinta High's (Westminster, Calif.) 2003 club;
Ian Kennedy is the other. |
Opening
Day Age: 24 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 39 |
REID
BRIGNAC |
SS,
RAYS |
| 3:
Significant categories in which he led the Southern League last
year: runs (91), total bases (228) and extra-base hits (52). |
Opening
Day Age: 22 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 40 |
LARS
ANDERSON |
1B,
REDS SOX |
| 10:
Number of his 11 homers in 2007 that went to center or the
opposite field. |
Opening
Day Age: 20 |
ETA:
2010 |
|
| 41 |
AUSTIN
JACKSON |
OF,
YANKEES |
| 49: Overall
national ranking as a basketball recruit when he committed to
Georgia Tech as a point guard in 2004. |
Opening
Day Age: 21 |
ETA:
2010 |
|
| 42 |
JEFF
CLEMENT |
C,
MARINERS |
| 75: Career
high school homers, a national record; Drew Henson and Micah
Owings rank second and third all-time. |
Opening
Day Age: 24 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 43 |
JOSH
VITTERS |
3B,
CUBS |
| 5: Before
Vitters, the number of hitters the Cubs had drafted with a
top-three pick: Terry Hughes, Joe Carter, Shawon Dunston, Corey
Patterson, Luis Montanez. |
Opening
Day Age: 18 |
ETA:
2011 |
|
| 44 |
JOEY
VOTTO |
1B,
REDS |
| .308/.389/.516:
AVG/OBP/SLG the last two years, after the Reds stopped making
him take the first pitch of every at-bat. |
Opening
Day Age: 24 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 45 |
IAN
KENNEDY |
RHP,
YANKEES |
| 4: Times in
25 starts last year that he surrendered more than two runs. |
Opening
Day Age: 23 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 46 |
JARROD
PARKER |
RHP,
DIAMONDBACKS |
| 0: Pitchers
in the 2007 draft who had a more electric fastball than Parker's
93-97 mph heater. |
Opening
Day Age: 19 |
ETA:
2010 |
|
| 47 |
GEOVANY
SOTO |
C,
CUBS |
| .652: His
minor league-leading slugging percentage in 2007. |
Opening
Day Age: 25 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 48 |
DARIC
BARTON |
1B,
ATHLETICS |
| .454/.500/.657:
AVG/OBP/SLG in June, when he got his bat going after a 14-month
slump. |
Opening
Day Age: 22 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 49 |
JAIR
JURRJENS |
RHP,
BRAVES |
| 0: Curacao
natives who pitched in the majors before Jurrjens did so last
August. |
Opening
Day Age: 22 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 50 |
MATT
ANTONELLI |
2B,
PADRES |
| 2: Sports
in which he was Massachusetts state high school player of the
year: football and hockey; he was runner-up in baseball. |
Opening
Day Age: 22 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 51 |
ROSS
DETWILER |
LHP,
NATIONALS |
| 64: Days
between his signing and his big league debut, the quickest of
any 2007 draftee. |
Opening
Day Age: 22 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 52 |
CARLOS
GOMEZ |
OF,
TWINS |
| .718, .750
Career minor league OPS for Gomez and the player he'll be asked
to replace in Minnesota, Torii Hunter. |
Opening
Day Age: 22 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 53 |
J.R.
TOWLES |
C,
ASTROS |
| 5: Tools
that have a chance to be average or better, making him a rarity
among catchers. |
Opening
Day Age: 24 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 54 |
CARLOS
CARRASCO |
RHP,
PHILLIES |
| 1: Pitchers
who have appeared in the last two Futures Games; Carrasco is the
only one. |
Opening
Day Age: 21 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 55 |
CHIN-LUNG
HU |
SS,
DODGERS |
| 211:
Improvement in OPS from 2006 (.660) to 2007 (.871). |
Opening
Day Age: 24 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 56 |
NICK
BLACKBURN |
RHP,
TWINS |
| 6: Years it
took him to reach double digits in wins in a season and to make
the big leagues. |
Opening
Day Age: 26 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 57 |
DANIEL
CORTES |
RHP,
ROYALS |
| 4: Velocity
jump (in mph) he gained after slowing down his delivery last
spring; his curveball also improved. |
Opening
Day Age: 21 |
ETA:
2010 |
|
| 58 |
CHRIS
VOLSTAD |
RHP,
MARLINS |
| 0: High
school pitchers drafted ahead of Volstad in 2005. |
Opening
Day Age: 21 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 59 |
DESMOND
JENNINGS |
OF,
RAYS |
| 6.75:
Average pass receptions per game in the fall of 2005 at Itawamba
(Miss.) CC, which led national junior collegians. |
Opening
Day Age: 21 |
ETA:
2010 |
|
| 60 |
FAUTINO
DE LOS SANTOS |
RHP,
ATHLETICS |
| 0: Career
starts in the United States before he exploded onto the prospect
scene in low Class A last year. |
Opening
Day Age: 22 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 61 |
NEIL
WALKER |
3B,
PIRATES |
| 23: Miles
between his high school (Pine-Richland, Gibsonia, Pa.) and PNC
Park. |
Opening
Day Age: 22 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 62 |
CARLOS
TRIUNFEL |
SS,
MARINERS |
| .296:
Batting average in his U.S. debut, when he was 17 and spent
virtually the entire year in Class A. |
Opening
Day Age: 18 |
ETA:
2011 |
|
| 63 |
LUKE
HOCHEVAR |
RHP,
ROYALS |
| 1: Players
taken No. 1 overall out of independent leagues in draft history;
Hochevar pulled this off in 2006. |
Opening
Day Age: 24 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 64 |
JUSTIN
MASTERSON |
RHP,
RED SOX |
| 8: Homers
he has allowed in 185 pro innings, thanks to his heavy sinker. |
Opening
Day Age: 23 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 65 |
CHRIS
DAVIS |
3B/1B,
RANGERS |
| 36, 118:
Homers and RBIs last year, when he ranked second in the minors
in both categories. |
Opening
Day Age: 22 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 66 |
MAX
SCHERZER |
RHP,
DIAMONDBACKS |
| 98: Peak
velocity (in mph) on his fastball when he worked in relief in
the Arizona Fall League. |
Opening
Day Age: 23 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 67 |
CHRIS
TILLMAN |
RHP,
ORIOLES |
| 2.50, 10.7:
ERA and K/9 in his last seven starts in 2007, a possible
precursor to a breakout this year. |
Opening
Day Age: 19 |
ETA:
2010 |
|
| 68 |
BRETT
SINKBEIL |
RHP,
MARLINS |
| 1.64: ERA
in Hawaii Winter Baseball after he missed the end of the season
with lower-back problems. |
Opening
Day Age: 23 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 69 |
RADHAMES
LIZ |
RHP,
ORIOLES |
| 11.0:
Career K/9 rate in five minor league seasons. |
Opening
Day Age: 24 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 70 |
BRANDON
JONES |
OF,
BRAVES |
| 104: His
RBIs in 2007, 100 at the upper levels of the minors and four
with Atlanta. |
Opening
Day Age: 24 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 71 |
CHUCK
LOFGREN |
LHP,
INDIANS |
| 29: Wins
over the last two seasons, tied for second in the minors behind
the Padres' Josh Geer (30). |
Opening
Day Age: 24 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 72 |
MANNY
PARRA |
LHP,
BREWERS |
| 2 Starts it
took him to throw a perfect game in Triple-A and break his thumb
(while bunting) in the majors. |
Opening
Day Age: 25 |
ETA: |
|
| 73 |
JED
LOWRIE |
SS,
RED SOX |
| .896: His
OPS last year, tops among minor league shortstops. |
Opening
Day Age: 23 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 74 |
DEXTER
FOWLER |
OF,
ROCKIES |
| .277:
Career average in pro ball as a lefty hitter; he batted strictly
righthanded as amateur. |
Opening
Day Age: 22 |
ETA:
2010 |
|
| 75 |
TYLER
COLVIN |
OF,
CUBS |
| 101-15: His
K-BB ratio in 2007, something he must address to get the most
out of his impressive tools. |
Opening
Day Age: 22 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 76 |
ADRIAN
CARDENAS |
2B,
PHILLIES |
| 14: Errors
at second base in 2007, his first season at the position. |
Opening
Day Age: 20 |
ETA:
2010 |
|
| 77 |
ERIC
HURLEY |
RHP,
RANGERS |
| 2:
First-round picks off Wolfson High's (Jacksonville) 2004 club;
the Royals' Billy Butler was the other. |
Opening
Day Age: 22 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 78 |
TROY
PATTON |
LHP,
ORIOLES |
| 5: Players
the Astros traded for Miguel Tejada; Patton was the best
prospect of the bunch. |
Opening
Day Age: 22 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 79 |
HANK
CONGER |
C,
ANGELS |
| 100: Points
by which his .472 slugging percentage last year exceeded the
Midwest League average. |
Opening
Day Age: 20 |
ETA:
2010 |
|
| 80 |
TAYLOR
TEAGARDEN |
C,
RANGERS |
| 66: Games
he has been able to catch in his three years as a pro, which
have been marred by elbow problems. |
Opening
Day Age: 24 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 81 |
JORDAN
WALDEN |
RHP,
ANGELS |
| 100:
Velocity (in mph) that his fastball topped out at in the Pioneer
League title game. |
Opening
Day Age: 20 |
ETA:
2010 |
|
| 82 |
SEAN
GALLAGHER |
RHP,
CUBS |
| 36-15, 2.75:
His career record in four minor league seasons. |
Opening
Day Age: 22 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 83 |
PHILLIPPE
AUMONT |
RHP,
MARINERS |
| 14: Age at
which he began pitching; four years later he went 11th overall
in the draft. |
Opening
Day Age: 19 |
ETA:
2011 |
|
| 84 |
TIM
ALDERSON |
RHP,
GIANTS |
| 123-4: K-BB
ratio between high school and pro ball last year |
Opening
Day Age: 19 |
ETA:
2010 |
|
| 85 |
BRYAN
ANDERSON |
C,
CARDINALS |
| .298:
Batting average last season, which ranked fifth in the Texas
League though he was the circuit's youngest position player. |
Opening
Day Age: 21 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 86 |
COLLIN
BALESTER |
RHP,
NATIONALS |
| 2:
Baseball's ranking on his list of favorite sports before high
school; surfing was his preference. |
Opening
Day Age: 21 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 87 |
BEAU
MILLS |
3B/1B,
INDIANS |
| 38: Homers
hit last spring at Lewis-Clark State (Idaho), an NAIA record. |
Opening
Day Age: 21 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 88 |
SCOTT
ELBERT |
LHP,
DODGERS |
| 3: Starts
he made last year before having scar tissue removed from his
shoulder in June. |
Opening
Day Age: 22 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 89 |
STEVE
PEARCE |
1B/OF,
PIRATES |
| .622, 113:
Slugging percentage (second-highest in the minors) and RBIs
(third-highest) last season. |
Opening
Day Age: 24 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 90 |
JOE
SAVERY |
LHP,
PHILLIES |
| .356, 20:
Batting average and homers in three seasons at Rice, though
he'll concentrate on pitching as a pro. |
Opening
Day Age: 22 |
ETA:
2010 |
|
| 91 |
NOLAN
REIMOLD |
OF,
ORIOLES |
| 19.9:
At-bats per homer for Reimold throughout his pro career, which
projects to 30 HR in 600 AB. |
Opening
Day Age: 24 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 92 |
GORKYS
HERNANDEZ |
OF,
BRAVES |
| 2 Potential
all-star center fielders traded by the Tigers in the offseason;
Hernandez helped land Edgar Renteria, while Cameron Maybin was a
key to the Miguel Cabrera/Dontrelle Willis deal. |
Opening
Day Age: 20 |
ETA:
2010 |
|
| 93 |
NEFTALI
FELIZ |
RHP,
RANGERS
|
| 2: Wins in
three pro seasons; but while he's raw, he can hit 99 mph on the
radar gun. |
Opening
Day Age: 19 |
ETA:
2011 |
|
| 94 |
MICHAEL
BOWDEN |
RHP,
RED SOX |
| 1.37: His
ERA with hitter-friendly Lancaster in 2007; the rest of the
JetHawks combined for a 5.64 ERA. |
Opening
Day Age: 21 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 95 |
HECTOR
GOMEZ |
SS,
ROCKIES |
| 2:
Ranking on our South Atlantic League prospects list last year,
the highest for a shortstop since B.J. Upton (No. 1) in 2003. |
Opening
Day Age: 20 |
ETA:
2010 |
|
| 96 |
RYAN
KALISH |
OF,
RED SOX |
| .368: His
average in 23 New York-Penn League games last year, before an
errant pitch broke his hamate bone |
Opening
Day Age: 19 |
ETA:
2010 |
|
| 97 |
CHRIS
PEREZ |
RHP,
CARDINALS |
| .155:
Opponent batting average against him in two years of pro ball. |
Opening
Day Age: 22 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 98 |
GREG
REYNOLDS |
RHP,
ROCKIES |
| 8: Starts
he made in 2007 before rotator-cuff inflammation necessitated
minor surgery. |
Opening
Day Age: 22 |
ETA:
2009 |
|
| 99 |
JEFF
NIEMANN |
RHP,
RAYS |
| 6-9, 280:
His height and weight, making him the biggest player on the Top
100. |
Opening
Day Age: 25 |
ETA:
2008 |
|
| 100 |
DREW
STUBBS |
OF,
REDS |
| .366:
Batting average after he started choking up on the bat late last
season. |
Opening
Day Age: 23 |
ETA:2010 |
|
