[情報] Texas Rangers Top 20 Prospects for 2009
Texas Rangers Top 20 Prospects for 2009
John Sickels
1) Neftali Feliz, RHP, Grade A:
I don’t give out Grade As lightly,
especially to pitchers. I might go down to A-.
2) Justin Smoak, 1B, Grade A-:
I like him better than Alonso and Hosmer, and
frankly I can’t believe the Rangers got him.
3) Elvis Andrus, SS, Grade A-:
Should I go with B+ here? Athletic, very young
for Double-A, I think the Renteria comparisons
are apt and Andrus could be better.
4) Derek Holland, LHP, Grade B+:
He’s great, but I worry that sometimes a
step backward can follow such a breakout.
Can he maintain late-season velocity?
5) Taylor Teagarden, C, Grade B:
Excellent glove with power, could hit
anywhere from .230 to .280 though.
6) Julio Borbon, OF, Grade B:
I was too hard on him last year, and I buy into
the idea that he can refine his game.
7) Engel Beltre, OF, Grade B:
Read the comment below.
I am plugging away at the Rangers and should have them done
late tonight, but I thought you might enjoy my take on Engel Beltre.
I took some flack for giving Engel Beltre a Grade C last year, but I
don’t really regret the decision. His rookie ball performance was
highly erratic: horrible before the trade that sent him from Boston
to Texas, excellent afterward. He’s got tools galore, but baseball
history is littered with the bloated corpses of many similar players
who could not adjust. After a full season in the Midwest League, we
have more data now, though Beltre is still a tough grade. On the
positive side: he was extremely young for full-season baseball last
year at age 18. He’s got all Five Tools, and has flashed six of
the Seven Skills. He is tapping into his natural power, and made good
progress with his baserunning and fielding last year. Scouts and
coaches like his makeup. His strikeout rate wasn’t awful. On the
downside, he’s still very raw as a hitter, with atrocious strike
zone judgment. That will put a gigantic cap on his production until
and unless he resolves it. Optimists will say that Beltre is so young,
that the complete lack of plate discipline doesn’t matter at this
point, he can still be a star. And they’re right, he could be. But I
can’t go so far as to say the lack of discipline doesn’t matter:
it damn well does. It’s a good thing he has a good work ethic, because
he’s going to need it. To use a meteorological analogy, Beltre is
like a hot Kansas day in late June. The atmosphere is primed to explode.
..hot, humid. . .but there is a layer of warm air at the middle levels
capping off the rising air and preventing all that potential energy
from exploding. If something can break the cap, a gigantic tornadic
thunderstorm will result, but the atmospheric forcing is weak, and the
meteorologists aren’t sure what to predict and the stormchasers aren’t
sure where to go. Late spring severe days have a high bust potential,
but if something breaks the cap, look out. Beltre is exactly like that.
If he can get the strike zone under control, he could be/should be a
star. But that is a huge IF. Grade B, a compromise between Grade A
potential and Grade C refinement.
8) Michael Main, RHP, Grade B:
Impressive Midwest League performance, and if
instructional league reports are accurate he
is primed for a huge breakout.
9) Max Ramirez, C-1B, Grade B:
I love this bat. Glove might not be QUITE as
bad as everyone says, but it isn’t good enough
for him to rank higher.
10) Martin Perez, LHP, Grade B-:
Very young, very high ceiling, will need time.
11) Kasey Kiker, LHP, Grade B-:
Almost reduced to C+ but something is holding
me back. Not sure what, need to think about it.
12) Neil Ramirez, RHP, Grade C+:
Almost a B-. Another young pitcher with
breakthrough potential. Another changable grade.
13) Guillermo Moscoso, RHP, Grade C+:
Nice pickup from the Tigers. Durability
and role are issues.
14) Kennil Gomez, RHP, Grade C+:
Breakthrough candidate if his arm is OK. I
think he is right up there with some of
these other guys who get more press.
15) Blake Beavan, RHP, Grade C+:
Loss of velocity is disturbing, but other
skills got better.
16) Wilfredo Boscan, RHP, Grade C+:
Yet another breakthrough candidate. Low-A
is gonna be loaded in '09.
17) Tim Murphy, LHP, Grade C+:
Nice pick from 2008 draft, could advance
quickly as an inning-eater if his command is there.
18) Wilmer Font, RHP, Grade C+:
Huge upside, could easily rank as high as 12
if you prefer youth. Worried about injury
nexus and command.
19) Tommy Hunter, RHP, Grade C+:
He was rushed, but could still be a nice
strike-throwing inning eater. Could rank
as high as 12th if you want guys close to the Show.
20) Eric Hurley, RHP, Grade C+:
Worried about health here. I held onto him
too long as a higher-ranked prospect,
but could do better with a change of scenery.
21) Robbie Ross, LHP, Grade C+:
Young high school pick with no pro track record yet.
22) Omar Poveda, RHP, Grade C+:
In danger of getting lost in the shuffle, but
still interesting.
23) Joe Wieland, RHP, Grade C+:
Sleeper high school arm from ’08 draft,
breakthrough candidate.
24) Jose Vallejo, 2B, Grade C+:
Speedster added some pop this year, good
glove at second.
Others: Joaquin Arias, INF; Mike Bianucci, OF; Joey Butler, OF; Greg Golson,
OF; Marcus Lemon, SS: Warner Madrigal, RHP; Clark Murphy, 1B; Renny Osuna,
2B; Carlos Pimentel, RHP; Timothy Smith, OF; Pedro Strop, RHP; Matt West, 3B;
Johnny Whittleman, 3B; Corey Young, LHP.
This is a very deep system and some tough decisions had to be made about who
to include. I have room for ONE more player. WHO SHOULD IT BE?? Rangers fans
are extremely knowledgeable, so give me your input.
As usual, don’t sweat so much about where the Grade C+ types rank exactly on
this list. I'm concentrating on the book right now, and don't spend a lot of
time on exact rankings here once I get past the Top 10.
SYSTEM IN BRIEF:
The Rangers have three of the best prospects in baseball, several others
who project as major league regulars, and a whole bevy of Grade C+ type guys,
some of them breakout candidates for higher grades next year. I love the way
they have run this farm system in recent years: they have mixed raw and
polished talent in the draft, and have made a big push in Latin America. The
Rangers are looking at every source of talent: college, high school, other
countries, guys with tools, guys with skills. The result is a system with
both depth and breadth, and the future of this organization is quite bright.
Reports on these guys and over 1,000 others can be found in the 2009 Baseball
Prospect Book. Pre-order for January 31st shipping now!
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12/22 17:03, , 1F
12/22 17:03, 1F
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