TheHurl

I like when the Rule 4 is. We are already very stat scouting heavy...I like that the Rule 4 comes with zero professional experience for a large number of players. Not going to stomp my feet and whine if it moves but I do like it.

Should be an interesting ride. The PA has spent so much time working for those that need it the least (the vets) and have f***ed the minor leaguers completely. The market finally is correcting itself (it's been 19 years since Bill James published a study that concluded that a players best 5 year stretch would be age 25 to 29), and if the PA makes this about the FA period they are going to get wrecked. Start focusing on service time, service time manipulation and earlier arbitration. Oh yeah and dump Tony Clark

Swayze field (Ole Miss) on a Friday, Dudy Noble (Miss St) on a Saturday afternoon and Alex Box (LSU) on Sunday. It's a great trip, and 12 casinos along the way. Just do not stay in Starkville overnight as that is pretty much Alabama. Usually only lines up once a year

Hit 100 on the gun but...

I give you permission to put it on the main board

I'll post streams. ESPN has some games. I will get the Pac10 home games on Dazn through the Pac10 network. J4L or I will post streams tonight

And I can influence THe Bad Guy to take the worst team. Welcome to the Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara Division BTS

It's Friday NCAA always opens on Friday. Four top 25 teams have already started (Michigan has actually finished...8-0 win over Binghamton) Most intriguing stories this NCAA for me are Stinson's (Go Duke) transition to starter (and Friday starter at that). Austin Martin and his ability to play everywhere for Vandy...does the most versatile College player have pro versatility value? Andrew Vaughn can he improve on last year's historical season at Cal? Best matchups this weekend? TCU vs Fullerton, Vandy and Virginia, Florida vs. Long Beach. UC Irvine's (West Coast's?) best pitcher Andre Pallante vs. Washington tomorrow. Potential first rounder Sean Mooney vs. #3 UCLA.

From the article.

Quick to the majors, innings eater, solid number 3

Jon Gray for Jesse Winker. Korg to confirm.

confirmed

Big article The​ photos.​ Rays​ general​ manager​ Erik​ Neander kept​ getting texts​ with​ the photos, accompanied​ by​ a grave warning of​ a potential​​ coup d’etat. Charlie Montoyo would be shown talking with team president Matt Silverman, unaware his friend, foil and fellow Rays coach, Rocco Baldelli, would accuse him of sinister political motives. “Charlie’s trying to work his way up,” Baldelli would relay to Neander, in mock outrage. Undaunted, Montoyo would stage his own mirthful disinformation campaign, referencing Baldelli’s four years in the front office as he sounded the alarm to manager Kevin Cash. “Rocco is backstabbing you,” Montoyo would tell Cash. “He’s tight with ownership. You’re just keeping the seat warm until he is ready and the young talent starts coming.” And so it went last season, each friend trying to out-prank the other. “A picture would be taken, a video would be made, a song would be put to it that somebody was angling for a job,” Rays third base coach Matt Quatraro says. “It literally never stopped.” The ribbing, the scheming, the finger-pointing, the fun — it’s all over now, at least as the Rays knew it the past four seasons with Baldelli and Montoyo as members of their coaching staff. Baldelli, 37, and Montoyo, 53, were the Rays’ version of “The Odd Couple,” men of different ages and different backgrounds and different baseball experiences who forged an unlikely but lasting bond. Neither sought nor expected to become first-time major-league managers in 2019. But little did either of them know, all of their talk about becoming a manager would prove no joke. Baldelli took over the Twins and Montoyo the Blue Jays on the same day — Oct. 25, 2018. Their surprising, simultaneous ascents delighted those in the game who knew them, particularly those with the Rays who relished the rollicking clubhouse environment they helped create. Rival clubs regard the Rays as deep thinkers, fearless innovators who will seek any edge while trying to overcome their plight as one of the game’s lowest-revenue teams. But as the Rays introduce concepts such as “The Opener,” their clubhouse remains perhaps the loosest in baseball, and not simply because most of their players are young. The Rays’ unconventional approach began with Joe Maddon, who managed the team from 2006 to ’14, bringing guest speakers, entertainers and animals into the clubhouse and introducing themed road trips in which staff and players dressed up in unusual fashion. Cash, who succeeded Maddon after serving two seasons as the Indians’ bullpen coach, is like the naughty stepchild of Indians manager Terry Francona, 41 going on 14. “He is developing mentally and emotionally in some ways along the lines of Benjamin Button,” Neander says of Cash, referring to the fictional F. Scott Fitzgerald creation and movie character who aged in reverse. “His sense of humor gets younger and less mature by the year.” Or, as Baldelli puts it, “At times, he likes to act like a kid. And he wants everyone else to do the same … to sink to his level of childish behavior.” The feigned outrage Baldelli and Montoyo showed while accusing each other of hatching managerial plots last season was typical of the staff’s hijinks. At times, the two coaches would make other staff members co-conspirators. At other times, they would make them targets. “The more people they could drag into it, the better it was for them,” Quatraro says. “Then they could point the finger. ‘It wasn’t me. It was somebody else.’” Chris “Chico” Fernandez, the Rays’ video coordinator, compares Baldelli and Montoyo to Statler and Waldorf, the ornery Muppets characters who would heckle and jeer the rest of the cast from the balcony. Quatraro, who was the Indians’ assistant hitting coach from 2014-17 before rejoining the Rays, the team he previously served 17 years as a minor-league coach and manager, could not catch a break. Heaven forbid Quatraro speak with his former bosses — Indians executives Chris Antonetti and Mike Chernoff in Cleveland, or worse, former Indians executives Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins in Toronto, where manager John Gibbons was in the final year of his contract. The photos and texts to Quatraro — You’re going to be next. Gibbons is out — followed in rapid order, as did a Blue Jays media guide strategically placed inside his locker. Baldelli and Montoyo, though, spent most of their time prodding one another, bantering over which managerial jobs might open, dropping real-estate pamphlets on each other if they were in a city where a change was possible. Montoyo even would plead with baseball writers to promote Baldelli as the next hot managerial candidate, knowing it would bother the younger coach. On and on they would go, and not just about managing. From Baldelli’s attire to Montoyo’s frugality, no topic was off limits. “I’ve never heard two people give each other more s— and be such good friends,” Neander says. They come almost from different worlds. Baldelli, a native of Woonsocket, R.I., received a $2.25 million signing bonus when the Rays made him the sixth overall pick of the 2000 draft, then earned nearly $6.5 million in the majors, according to baseball-reference.com. Montoyo, a native of Manati, Puerto Rico, played 10 seasons in the minors, making his only five major-league plate appearances with the Expos in 1993. He then spent 19 years managing in the Rays’ system, earning $28,000 at his first rookie-level job in Princeton, W.Va., and $80,000 in the last of his eight seasons at Triple-A Durham (N.C.). The two first met at Single-A Bakersfield (Calif.) in 2002 at the start of Baldelli’s final minor-league season. Montoyo was a 36-year-old manager, Baldelli a hot 20-year-old prospect. One day, with Bakersfield winning big at Visalia, Baldelli bunted for a hit to lead off an inning. Montoyo, fearing Visalia would retaliate, pulled Baldelli from the game. Another Bakersfield player got plunked instead. Baldelli appreciated the way Montoyo cared for him and his teammates, helping make the most of a difficult situation in Bakersfield, where the attendance was low and the weather hot. Their paths diverged when Baldelli rocketed to the majors, but they reconnected each year in spring training, then reunited briefly at Durham in 2010 when Baldelli attempted one last comeback from mitochondrial disease, a rare muscular disorder that forced him to retire after that season at 29. After that, they grew even closer. Baldelli remained in the Rays’ organization as a special adviser in scouting and player development, visiting Montoyo periodically on his tours of the team’s affiliates. The Rays then united them on Cash’s staff in 2015, naming Baldelli first-base coach and Montoyo third-base coach (Baldelli moved on to major-league field coordinator and Montoyo to bench coach in ’18). The two became running partners at home and on the road, reviewing the previous night’s game, looking ahead to the next one, hitting a variety of other topics. Politics occasionally were part of their discussions — Baldelli and Montoyo are among the rare liberals in baseball — and even as they ran they would jab one another, adhering to only one standard: anything goes. Baldelli never was much of a runner even when he was young, but he generally is limited to 2-2 1/2 miles because of his condition. Montoyo would make him fun of that — yes, even though Baldelli was physically incapable of more. Baldelli, in turn, would make fun of Montoyo for his slow pace. Former major-league pitcher Jeremy Sowers, the Rays’ major-league operations coordinator, became the third wheel on the runs in 2016, ganging up with Montoyo to tease Baldelli or Baldelli to tease Montoyo — and of course, occasionally catching grief himself. One day during a heat wave in Minnesota, Sowers had to stop because he was not fully recovered from an illness, and Montoyo rode him about it for the rest of that season, claiming superior endurance over a colleague 18 years younger. Another time in Miami, while running on the concourse at Marlins Park, Montoyo was getting on Baldelli about one thing or another when suddenly Baldelli took off in a full sprint, reaching a gear Sowers imagined only an Olympian might have. Message sent, without Baldelli saying a word. As the Rays’ video replay monitor, Sowers had access to images from all of the different camera angles in the ballpark. If a coach had his eyes closed on the bench or was in some other compromising position, Sowers would take a photo and circulate it among the staff for fodder. Initially after joining the Rays, Sowers thought the coaches were incredibly mean to one another. He quickly came to learn they simply were comfortable with each other, and perhaps more important, comfortable in their own skins. “You had to be, or you were going to get abused for it,” Sowers says. “That incredible amount of humility on all sides made it a really good environment to basically, for lack of a better way to describe it, rip on people for just any sort of mundane detail.” No detail, in fact, was too small. Cash, upon completing his interview for this story, had only one request: “Whatever you do, make sure you bury Rocco the most.” Baldelli would hear it for the size of his nose, his baldness and of course, for his sin of previously working in the front office. Montoyo and others jokingly would call him a “mole” and react to player moves by saying, “Of course you know already, Rocco. No one knew but you.” Baldelli, however, stood out for other reasons as well. “Rocco is easily picked on because he doesn’t conform to most norms,” Quartraro says. “He doesn’t fit the mold of what a typical person in the industry is.” Baldelli’s tastes range from horse breeding to jam bands such as Phish, fancy coffee to, ahem, natural deodorant. But his biggest offense, in the eyes of Cash, Montoyo and the other coaches, is the way he dresses. As Cash puts it, “he gets on the plane like he just walked out of a Grateful Dead concert.” “I was basically looked at and named the worst-dressed staff member in baseball,” says Baldelli, who has yet to announce a dress code for the Twins. “I guess I’m OK with that.” Is the criticism fair? “They would all agree on it,” Baldelli continues. “So who am I to stand in the way of an entire staff of people and their opinions?” For the past eight or nine years, Baldelli has owned one particular pair of brown shorts that resemble UPS shorts. He would wear those to the field and someone would grab them out of his locker and hang them up for all to see. His Birkenstocks often would be treated with similar scorn, tossed around and displayed. Montoyo, in contrast, is a snazzy dresser, not that Baldelli was impressed. If Montoyo wore an all-gray ensemble, Baldelli would sniff that he looked like the Tin Man. If Montoyo went all-black, Baldelli would hiss, “Johnny Cash.” “Really, dude,” Montoyo would say, “You’re going to make fun of me?” Montoyo, though, had his own particular vulnerability. Fairly or unfairly, considering he spent almost three decades in the minors, Baldelli and the others got on him constantly about being cheap. When the Rays would arrive in a new city, Montoyo often would head straight to a Subway, perfectly content to grab a couple of footlongs rather than order room service or go out for an expensive dinner. He also had a habit of removing Keurig coffee pods from his hotel room and stashing them in his backpack for future consumption. One story, though, tops all. “I caught him one day randomly in the bathroom, mixing two different hair gels together,” Baldelli says. “He was cutting them, like you would cut drugs. One of them was really expensive, and he didn’t want to use too much of it. It was called ‘Style Sexy Hair.’ “So basically what I caught him doing is putting ‘Style Sexy Hair’ in his hand and then going in the bathroom and adding the no-name CVS brand or whatever, the generic brand. I said, ‘What are you doing?’ I said, ‘Are you cutting your hair gel with cheaper hair gel?’ And he goes, ‘Yeah, that s— is expensive!’” Baldelli laughs, knowing his four-year contract and Montoyo’s three-year deal will allow both to enjoy greater financial security. While their salaries are not known, the lowest-paid managers last season, interims Jim Riggleman of the Reds and Mike Shildt of the Cardinals, earned a prorated $700,000, according to USA Today. “I don’t think Charlie is going to be cutting his hair gel anymore,” Baldelli says. Steve Kovich / Tampa Bay Rays Montoyo thought his time had passed. Of the last 16 managers hired, 10 were younger than 50. Teams increasingly want recently retired players in the dugout, strong communicators who relate well to young talent. Baldelli fits that mold. Montoyo, from listening to Baldelli during games, watching how he anticipated certain sequences, believed his friend would be perfect for the job. Baldelli held the same view of Montoyo, marveling at his instincts, his innate feel for the game. For all their joking, the two coaches were content to remain with the Rays rather than pursue managerial openings. But what Montoyo and Baldelli saw in each other, other clubs saw in them, too. Baldelli interviewed with five teams — the Rangers, Angels, Reds, Blue Jays and Twins. Montoyo interviewed with two, the Reds and Blue Jays, but David Bell was Cincinnati’s leading candidate from the start and the Jays did not call until late in the process, after Baldelli informed teams he was advancing discussions with the Twins. Montoyo considered himself an afterthought, never imagining he had a chance. “No. Not at all,” Montoyo recalls. “I was surprised when Cincinnati first called. And I was surprised when Toronto called. I didn’t see it coming, that’s for sure.” The Blue Jays finally called on Montoyo after repeated recommendations from people around the game, including Baldelli. Still, Montoyo did not take Neander seriously when the GM informed him of the Jays’ interest, initially responding in jest, “Really, dude? You don’t want me anymore?” “It took a little convincing to encourage him that this is real, this is not a token interview,” Neander says. Baldelli, at the start of the process, needed an even bigger push. He seemed ambivalent about leaving the Rays, his only organization for 19 years, save for a one-season stint as a player with the Red Sox in 2009. “He was so loyal to the Rays, even when he was getting the interviews, he didn’t really want to do it,” Montoyo says. Tom Foley, a former Rays coach who is now a special assistant for the team in baseball operations, recalls members of the front office trying to prepare Baldelli before he began his interviews. “I’ll just see what they have to say,” Baldelli told them, almost with a shrug. When someone mentioned that the rival executives interviewing him probably would want to pick his brain on the Rays’ analytics, Baldelli replied, “They’re not going to get anything out of me.” Foley, half-alarmed, half-amused, felt compelled to offer Baldelli some advice. “You had better be ready,” he said. “What happens if one of them offers you a job? Don’t think you’re just going to go there, talk to them and come back home. If somebody offers you a job, you’ve got to give them an answer.” Baldelli’s hurried interview tour lasted almost two weeks. He ended up getting the Twins job over the team’s bench coach, Derek Shelton, a former colleague with the Rays. Shelton, after also failing to land the Rangers managing job, agreed to remain on Baldelli’s staff in the same role. Montoyo’s process with the Blue Jays was a whirlwind, taking just five days from the initial contact to the announcement of his hiring. He did one of his first interviews by phone, sitting in his car in a parking lot near his home in Sahuarita, Ariz., talking on Bluetooth as he waited for his wife, Samantha, to complete a doctor’s appointment. For both coaches, it was a classic case of good things happening when they are least expected. “There’s something to that,” Neander says. “I don’t know the best way to describe this, but it’s like when you’re chasing a member of the opposite sex in high school and you’re obsessed. You’re not yourself because you’re so consumed with what it is that you want, as opposed to appreciating whatever is in front of you and going out and enjoying it. “Both of these guys, it was house money — they didn’t have to have these jobs. The grass was greenest right where they stood, not the other side.” The insults continue to flow through the text chain, only now Cash, Baldelli and Montoyo are competitors instead of colleagues. Cash, left behind with the low-revenue Rays, sounded quite jealous over the Twins’ signing of free-agent designated hitter Nelson Cruz and second baseman Jonathan Schoop for a combined $21.8 million. “This f—— guy leaves and he gets Cruz and Schoop,” Cash said, according to Baldelli. The Jays, less aggressive in free agency while rebuilding, possess even greater financial might. When the time comes for them to spend, Cash and Baldelli will not let Montoyo hear the end of it. “Trust me, Charlie will be next,” Baldelli says. “Believe me.” The Rays, forced to reconfigure their coaching staff, named Quatraro to replace Montoyo as bench coach and former major-league catcher Paul Hoover to replace Baldelli as major-league field coordinator. The team also added Jonathan Erlichman and Justin Su’a to coach analytics and mental skills, respectively. Cash says the Rays cannot re-create what they had with Montoyo and Baldelli, but adds, “The new guys are going to get a pretty good sense fairly quickly that this is a loose atmosphere.” The early signs are good: Hitting coach Chad Mottola says the staff already has responded to Cash’s recent purchase of a new boat, labeling him “Captain Kevin Cash.” Sowers, who remains with the club as major-league operations coordinator, believes the no-holds-barred environment actually is perfect for a team that is forever trying new ideas. “You have to appreciate every different vantage point, every different possibility to make the stuff work,” Sowers says. “There is no shame in bringing stuff up. Being critical of anything is accepted.” Montoyo and Baldelli relished the entire experience, starting with Cash — “beyond all the shenanigans, I think Kevin is flat-out one of the best managers in baseball,” Baldelli says. They also left with a deeper understanding of something that will never change in baseball, even in an age of relentless data-crunching: the importance of having fun. “That’s one thing I learned, even though I managed for a long time — making jokes, being loose, even if you’re losing, that relaxes everybody,” Montoyo says. “If we saw Cash getting tense, Rocco or me would drop a joke. He would laugh, and here we go.” The Blue Jays and Twins are hereby forewarned. The sons of Kevin Cash are on the loose. Laugh tracks coming. Antics ahead.

isn't his next one perm ban? If yes, than he doesn't get paid.

I think I only have like 17 keepers. Anyone have any solid holds or saves guys in their throwaways for really s***** MiLB picks or waiver swaps.

Well Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is my all-time fave but 3 Idiots will represent our division so much better.

This is why I brought him in....I'll take The Bad Guy! Do i get Themed Divisional Naming rights too? Bollywood movie title theme sounds great

Meh $25M and it's protected from another PED suspension.

When are cuts due? Sorry I've been in DDL mode for the past week and haven't checked this thread.

Didn't you take Josh Hamilton two picks later....at least Lawrie's coke problems weren't public.

Nate Lowe is an easy top 100 fantasy prospect. His defense and lack of speed hurt his prospect status. He hit lefties pretty good in the minors but probably not big enough that he's going to face a tonne of them in the majors. He's another 1B who probably never makes it through 3 years of Arb before being cut.

And since pitchers don't matter here is a nice list By Kelsie Heneghan / MiLB.com | February 11, 2019 10:00 AM With the 2019 season rapidly approaching, MiLB.com is looking at the state of all 30 farm systems over the next month and ranking them in several different ways. The first installment, broken into three parts, focuses on position players and considers the quality and quantity of top talent in each system. The rankings, 10-1: 10. Washington Nationals While their outfield likely will be without Bryce Harper for the first time in seven years, the Nationals have an exciting option in Victor Robles. MLB.com's No. 4 overall prospect boasts five strong tools with well-above-average speed, arm and fielding. He spent 21 games in the Majors last season and is a prime candidate to fill the gap this year. Carter Kieboom showed he could hit for power and average with Class A Advanced Potomac and was promoted to Double-A Harrisburg before his 21st birthday. The 2016 first-rounder has spent his entire career at short, though his plus defense could allow him to move elsewhere if the Nats want to keep Trea Turner where he is. Luis Garcia was the youngest player in the All-Star Futures Game at 18 last summer and electrified with his above-average speed and ability to make solid contact from both sides of the plate. While those three players give fans plenty to be excited about, the system's relative lack of depth drops it to No. 10. 9. Atlanta Braves Following in the footsteps of Ozzie Albies and Ronald Acuna Jr., Austin Riley and Cristian Pache are turning heads in this pitching-heavy system. Featuring plus-plus run, arm and fielding tools, Pache is one of the Minors' top outfielders. He finished 2018 in the Arizona Fall League before turning 20 in November. Riley doesn't have any 70-grade tools, but he does show potential across the board, especially with power. Ranked as the Minors' No. 3 third baseman, he shook off a knee injury before finishing the season strongly at Triple-A. Switch-hitter Drew Waters could one day join Acuna and Pache in the Atlanta outfield after displaying plus speed and defense in his first full season. Waters' teammate, William Contreras, has shown an ability to make contact and could be a defensive asset behind the plate. Greyson Jenista, a 2018 draftee, is quickly rising through the system, while 2015 signee Derian Cruz possesses 70-grade speed in the lower levels. Still, the Braves' pitching overshadows their position player counterparts. Review Farm system rankings: Position players 30-21 | 20-11 8. Los Angeles Angels A year ago, the Angels boasted baseball's top prospect in Shohei Ohtani. But since the two-way phenom never played an inning in the Minors, Jo Adell has been the system's true top prospect all along. Adell, whom MLB.com ranks No. 14 overall, has a high ceiling with four plus tools. And if the 2017 first-rounder can cut down on strikeouts, he could be an All-Star. Th Angels also have toolsy outfielders Brandon Marsh and Jordyn Adams and are so stacked on the grass that they moved the athletic Jahmai Jones to second base. After a slow start to his career, outfielder Michael Hermosillo got multiple opportunities in Anaheim last summer and could break camp with the big club this spring. In the infield, catcher-turned-first baseman Matt Thaiss has begun to meet the high offensive threshold of his relatively new position. Switch-hitting infielder Luis Rengifo hit and ran his way onto the 40-man roster, and there remains hope that shortstop Kevin Maitan can grow into the impact player expected at his signing. The Angels might have just one prospect in MLB.com's Top 100, but they have a lot of talent in the pipeline. 7. Minnesota Twins First-round picks lead the way in the Twins system. No. 5 overall prospect Royce Lewis showcased a plus hit tool and plus-plus speed as he climbed from Class A to Class A Advanced last year with Alex Kirilloff. After missing the 2017 campaign following Tommy John surgery, Kirilloff was brilliant, batting .348/.392/.578 with a Minors-best 71 extra-base hits. Trevor Larnach, the 2018 first-round pick out of Oregon State, raked at Rookie Advanced and Class A in his pro debut. His 2014 counterpart, Nick Gordon, got off to a great start in his second taste of Double-A but had trouble adjusting to Triple-A in the second half of the season. Meanwhile, 2017 CBA pick Brent Rooker brought the power (and strikeouts) to Double-A. International signee Wander Javier missed all of 2018 after tearing the labrum in his non-throwing arm, but catcher Ryan Jeffers and infielder Yunior Severino showed a lot of promise in Rookie ball. With Lewis and Kirilloff taking the lead, the Twins have a lot of hope down the line. 6. Los Angeles Dodgers The Dodgers have a potential stud at just about every position, including a few guys who can play multiple spots. Outfielder Alex Verdugo lit up the Pacific Coast League before heading to LA for the second straight season. Keibert Ruiz cut down his strikeouts considerably as a switch-hitter, fanning 33 times in 101 games at Double-A. Shortstop/second baseman Gavin Lux broke out with a .394/.399/.514 line, while fellow 2016 picks Will Smith and DJ Peters powered up with career highs of 20 and 29 homers, respectively. Outfielder Jeren Kendall didn't take much advantage of the hitter-friendly California League, but he used his 70-grade speed to steal 37 bases. In December, Los Angeles picked up shortstop/second baseman Jeter Downs in a blockbuster trade with the Reds. While the 20-year-old didn't hit much in his first pro season, he showed the ability to use all fields. Aside from Downs and backstop Diego Cartaya -- who signed in July and did not play -- most of the Dodgers' top position players reside in the upper two levels, placing a lot of talent one call from The Show. 5. Cincinnati Reds Nick Senzel is one of the game's most promising prospects, but injuries took a big toll last season. With five exciting tools, baseball's No. 6 overall prospect could be an All-Star both offensively and defensively. Senzel took reps in the outfield in the instructional league and will be in the running for an Opening Day spot in Cincinnati, potentially in center. Just 10 spots behind Senzel in the Top 100, Taylor Trammell started the year strong and earned All-Star Futures Game MVP honors, but the outfielder lost momentum in the second half. Crashing into a wall and suffering a concussion didn't help. Following their 2018 Draft selections, Jonathan India and Mike Siani got off to hot starts in the Appalachian League. Siani kept raking for Rookie Advanced Greeneville, while India seemed to hit a wall in the Class A Midwest League following a long spring of college ball. Tyler Stephenson, a 2015 first-rounder, hasn't made it past Class A Advanced as he continues to develop at and behind the plate. Outfielders Stuart Fairchild, Jose Siri, TJ Friedl and Michael Beltre along with shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez possess plus speed at the middle levels, with Siri and Friedl earning 70 grades. Center fielder Mariel Bautista continued to show potential but has yet to make his full-season debut in four years. The Reds have a lot of depth, anchored by three big names, but they're not quite as solid as the next four teams. 4. Chicago White Sox For the second year in a row, the White Sox rank in the Top 5, led -- of course -- by No. 3 overall prospect Eloy Jimenez. Jimenez notched his best season in 2018 with a .337/.384/.577 line, 22 homers and 75 RBIs across Double-A and Triple-A, putting himself in position for an early callup this spring. Outfielder Luis Robert could be a five-tool player but has battled injuries. Class A Advanced Winston-Salem showcased much of the club's top talent a year ago, with 2018 fourth-overall pick Nick Madrigal, outfielders Blake Rutherford, Micker Adolfo, Luis Gonzalez, Luis Alexander Basabe and first basemen Gavin Sheets all donning the purple and white at some point. Meanwhile, catcher Zack Collins showed plenty of patience at the plate, outfielder Steele Walker struggled at Class A and 2017 first-rounder Jake Burger missed the entire season with an Achilles injury. The White Sox have enviable depth behind Jimenez, Robert and Madrigal, but it remains to be seen how those lower-ranked prospects will turn out. 3. San Diego Padres The Padres' youth movement has been a long time coming, and it's finally reaching the Majors. No. 2 overall prospect Fernando Tatis Jr. is a shining star with a complete set of tools that grade well-above average. While a thumb injury limited him to 88 games at Double-A last year, the shortstop should be quick to pick up where he left off. Infielder Luis Urias and catcher/outfielder Francisco Mejia already got their first tastes of Petco Park, thanks to potentially special bats. Since being acquired from the Indians in July, the latter's offensive production at Triple-A improved in both power and average. Outfielder/first baseman Josh Naylor, third baseman Hudson Potts and catcher/first baseman Austin Allen all showed power at Double-A, while teammate Buddy Reed (outfield) showcased 70-grade speed with 51 stolen bases. Below that group, the Padres have Tirso Ornelas (OF), Esteury Ruiz (2B/3B), Jeisson Rosario (OF), Gabriel Arias (SS) and Luis Campusano © leading the middle levels, while 2018 picks Xavier Edwards and Owen Miller already have made splashes. The depth, highlighted by Tatis, Urias and Mejia, make this a really exciting time for Padres fans. 2. Toronto Blue Jays Life's good when you have baseball's top prospect. In his third pro season, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. continued to put up monster numbers, and he has the tools -- including a very rare 80-grade hit tool -- to prove it's not a fluke. While his defense remains a question, Guerrero made strides at third base last year but could move to first or DH down the line; his bat still would make him an All-Star. While Bo Bichette was going hit-for-hit with Guerrero in 2017, he came back to earth last year. The shortstop still piled up 61 extra-base hits, 74 RBIs and 32 stolen bases at Double-A. Catcher Danny Jansen collected a career-best 12 homers and 58 RBIs in 88 games en route to his Major League debut, while fellow backstop Reese McGuire, first baseman Rowdy Tellez and outfielders Anthony Alford, Jonathan Davis and Billy McKinney also made it to Rogers Centre. Aside from Guerrero -- who missed six weeks with an injury -- Cavan Biggio was the most electric hitter in the system last year. The left-handed batter led the organization with 26 homers and 99 RBIs and topped the Eastern League with an .887 OPS. In their first full seasons, 2017 picks Kevin Smith and Logan Warmoth climbed to Class A Advanced, though the latter battled injuries. Last year's second-rounders, Jordan Groshans and Griffin Conine, along with 2017 international signee Miguel Hiraldo started off with a bang but were challenged after promotions. Toronto added depth by trading for shortstop Santiago Espinal (from Boston) in June, outfielder Forrest Wall (from Colorado) in July and shortstop Ronny Brito (from the Dodgers) in January, as well as signing shortstop Orelvis Martinez. It's easy to hang your hat on having the top prospect, but the Blue Jays have a great deal more -- and Guerrero really is that good. 1. Tampa Bay Rays No. 1 and No. 2 remain the same for the second straight year, but the Rays have a new leader in the metaphorical (and one day literal) clubhouse. A year after being signed, Wander Franco really made a name for himself (and that says a lot given he has two brothers in the Minors with the same name). The switch-hitter possesses plus tools across the board, electrifying Rookie Advanced with a .351/.418/.587 line in his pro debut. Four years after being signed, outfielder Jesus Sanchez, catcher Ronaldo Hernandez and second baseman Vidal Brujan shined in 2018, with Sanchez reaching Double-A. Second baseman Brandon Lowe improved every part of his game, including a move to the outfield en route to the Majors, while Nathaniel Lowe (no relation) also climbed three levels while clubbing 27 homers and batting .330. Although the Rays have plenty of infield depth, Nick Solak and Lucius Fox provide even more. The former took reps in the outfield to smooth his path to Tropicana and the latter is just plain quick with 70-grade speed. And we haven't mentioned two-way stud Brendan McKay, whom the Rays recently announced will be a designated hitter when he's not pitching. While McKay has found more success on the mound, Tampa Bay has another two-way player on the horizon with 2018 second-round pick Tanner Dodson. The Rays have options upon options at every position to back up their young arms.

BA Org rankings Updated on: 2/13/2019 1 padres-900x635.jpg San Diego Padres Notes: 2018: 3 | 2017: 9 | 2016: 25 | 2015: 14 | 2014: 6 9 Top 100 prospects: SS Fernando Tatis Jr. (2), LHP MacKenzie Gore (28), 2B Luis Urias (31), C Francisco Mejia (32), LHP Adrian Morejon (52), RHP Chris Paddack (66), RHP Luis Patino (67), LHP Logan Allen (92), 1B Josh Naylor (99) Notes: Fernando Tatis Jr. is one of baseball's most prized prospects. Three of the Padres' top four prospects are high-end, near-ready hitters who play in the middle of the diamond, and they boast one of the game's top collections of pitchers. Throw in a wide mix of breakout candidates and you have the best farm system in baseball. 2 rays-900x6351 Tampa Bay Rays Notes: 2018: 5 | 2017: 11 | 2016: 13 | 2015: 17 | 2014: 20 9 Top 100 prospects: SS Wander Franco (4), RHP Brent Honeywell (23), LHP/DH Brendan McKay (47), C Ronaldo Hernandez (56), LHP Matthew Liberatore (58), OF Jesus Sanchez (62), 2B Vidal Brujan (64), 2B Brandon Lowe (93), 1B Nate Lowe (97) Notes: Tampa Bay's system is stacked from top to bottom, with impact bats around the diamond and strong pitching, led by a potential frontline starter in Brent Honeywell. Shortstop Wander Franco is still 17 but projects as a future star who could be the No. 1 prospect in baseball next year. 3 bluejays-900x635 Toronto Blue Jays Notes: 2018: 8 | 2017: 20 | 2016: 24 | 2015: 9 | 2014: 15 7 Top 100 prospects: 3B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1), SS Bo Bichette (8), C Danny Jansen (42), RHP Nate Pearson (70), RHP Eric Pardinho (84), 3B Jordan Groshans (89), SS Kevin Smith (91) Notes: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. alone carries enormous value, but the Blue Jays have serious talent at all levels of the system. Several players took significant steps forward last season, which, along with the 2017 and 2018 amateur additions of players like Eric Pardinho, Nate Pearson and Jordan Groshans, adds both high-end upside and depth. 4 braves-900x635 Atlanta Braves Notes: 2018: 1 | 2017: 1 | 2016: 3 | 2015: 29 | 2014: 26 8 Top 100 prospects: 3B Austin Riley (22), RHP Ian Anderson (24), RHP Mike Soroka (25), RHP Kyle Wright (39), RHP Touki Toussaint (53), RHP Bryse Wilson (80), OF Drew Waters (83), OF Cristian Pache (85) Notes: After graduating Ronald Acuña Jr., the Braves still have high-end talent in the minor league system, led by a stellar group of starting pitchers in the upper levels, many of whom have already tasted the big leagues. From low Class A on down, though, prospects suddenly become scarce. 5 astros-900x635.jpg Houston Astros Notes: 2018: 11 | 2017: 4 | 2016: 2 | 2015: 10 | 2014: 5 5 Top 100 prospects: RHP Forrest Whitley (5), OF Kyle Tucker (12), 1B/OF Yordan Alvarez (34), RHP Josh James (77), RHP Corbin Martin (78) Notes: The Astros have accomplished what every new general manager says is his goal when he takes over: Build a sustainable playoff contender while keeping the farm system fully stocked. Baseball's best pitching prospect, Forrest Whitley, should be in Houston soon, leading a core of near-ready pitching prospects. 6 whitesox-900x635 Chicago White Sox Notes: 2018: 4 | 2017: 5| 2016: 23 | 2015: 20 | 2014: 24 5 Top 100 prospects OF Eloy Jimenez (3), RHP Michael Kopech (21), RHP Dylan Cease (38), 2B Nick Madrigal (43), OF Luis Robert (76) Notes: For a team in rebuild mode, the White Sox's depth is ordinary, but they are rich in high-ceiling prospects, led by potential cornerstone Eloy Jimenez. Nick Madrigal's advanced bat is a good balance to the higher-risk profiles of outfielder Luis Robert and Micker Adolfo, while Michael Kopech and Dylan Cease both have electric arms. 7 twins-900x635 Minnesota Twins Notes: 2018: 12 | 2017: 22 | 2016: 10 | 2015: 2 | 2014: 3 3 Top 100 prospects: SS Royce Lewis (9), OF Alex Kirilloff (15), RHP Brusdar Graterol (55) Notes: With Royce Lewis and Alex Kirilloff, the Twins have two of the most exciting young hitters in the minors. None of Minnesota's top 10 prospects have played a game above Double-A, however, so while the system is good, most of its prospects are still at least a couple of years away from the majors. 8 reds-900x635 Cincinnati Reds Notes: 2018: 10 | 2017: 13 | 2016: 12 | 2015: 16 | 2014: 16 5 Top 100 prospects: 3B/2B Nick Senzel (10), OF Taylor Trammell (33), 3B Jonathan India (51), RHP Hunter Greene (57), RHP Tony Santillan (69) Notes: Selecting top five in the draft for three straight years (and netting Nick Senzel, Hunter Greene and Jonathan India) has helped the Reds, with outfielder Taylor Trammell and righthander Tony Santillan giving Cincinnati one of the best top fives in the game. Trades have diminished the depth, but in exchange for making the 2019 big league club better. The Reds need to get more out of their Latin American program. 9 dodgers-900x635 Los Angeles Dodgers Notes: 2018: 9 | 2017: 2 | 2016: 1 | 2015: 3 | 2014: 14 5 Top 100 prospects: C Keibert Ruiz (20), OF Alex Verdugo (35), SS Gavin Lux (40), RHP Dustin May (82), C Will Smith (95) Notes: The Dodgers are well stocked in catchers between Keibert Ruiz, Will Smith and Diego Cartaya, with Alex Verdugo and Gavin Lux giving them two more high-end position prospects who play up the middle. That's impressive for a team that hasn't picked higher than 20th in the draft since 2013. 10 cardinals-900x635.jpg St. Louis Cardinals Notes: 2018: 13 | 2017: 12 | 2016: 14 | 2015: 15 | 2014: 7 5 Top 100 prospects: RHP Alex Reyes (19), OF Tyler O'Neill (36), RHP Dakota Hudson (74), 3B Nolan Gorman (75), 3B Elehuris Montero (81) Notes: Alex Reyes barely hanging on to prospect eligibility props up an otherwise solid system. Their next two prospects (outfielder Tyler O'Neill and righthander Dakota Hudson) should bolster the big league club in 2019, and the Cardinals are deep in young third basemen with Nolan Gorman, Elehuris Montero and Malcom Nuñez. 11 athletics-900x635 Oakland Athletics Notes: 2018: 18 | 2017: 17 | 2016: 18 | 2015: 19 | 2014: 23 3 Top 100 prospects: LHP Jesus Luzardo (7), LHP A.J. Puk (18), C Sean Murphy (72) Notes: Most of the value in Oakland's system comes from a pair of lefties, Jesus Luzardo and A.J. Puk, both of whom have the attributes to be frontline starters, though the system's depth thins quickly. A large number of the team's top prospects are outfielders, but the loss of Kyler Murray to the NFL does hurt. 12 angels-900x635 Los Angeles Angels Notes: 2018: 14 | 2017: 30 | 2016: 30 | 2015: 27 | 2014: 30 2 Top 100 prospects: OF Jo Adell (6), RHP Griffin Canning (63), Notes: Top prospect Jo Adell quickly catapulted his stock to become one of the game's elite prospects. After years of letting their farm system deteriorate, the Angels' renewed focus on that area is nearing payoff, with seven of their top 10 prospects scheduled to open 2019 at Double-A or Triple-A. 13 marlins-900x635.jpg (1) Miami Marlins Notes: 2018: 24 | 2017: 29 | 2016: 29 | 2015: 25 | 2014: 27 2 Top 100 Prospects: RHP Sixto Sanchez (13), OF Victor Victor Mesa (60) Notes: The Marlins got a jolt in October by signing Cuban outfielder Victor Victor Mesa and then added to that by acquiring righthander Sixto Sanchez in the J.T. Realmuto trade. Miami has had to bring in prospect help from the outside to spark its rebuild as returns on their recent first-round picks have been minimal. 14 mariners-900x635.jpg Seattle Mariners Notes: 2018: 30 | 2017: 21 | 2016: 28 | 2015: 24 | 2014: 25 4 Top 100 Prospects: LHP Justus Sheffield (27), LHP Yusei Kikuchi (45), OF Jarred Kelenic (68), 1B Evan White (100) Notes: The Mariners would have contended for No. 30 on this list until they decided to rebuild after the 2018 season. Now, they are a middle-of-the-pack system. They added four of their top six prospects in December trades of Robinson Cano and Jean Segura, including top two prospects Justus Sheffield and Jarred Kelenic, and then got a further boost by signing lefthander Yusei Kikuchi. 15 tigers-900x635 Detroit Tigers Notes: 2018: 20 | 2017: 25 | 2016: 26 | 2015: 30 | 2014: 28 3 Top 100 Prospects:: RHP Casey Mize (16), RHP Matt Manning (50), SS Isaac Paredes (94) Notes: Long accustomed to using their prospects as trade chips under former general manager Dave Dombrowski, the Tigers are now trying to build from within. Casey Mize, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft, leads the pack in a stockpile of power arms. 16 indians-900x635-2.jpg Cleveland Indians Notes: 2018: 21 | 2017: 18 | 2016: 17 | 2015: 23 | 2014: 17 2 Top 100 prospects: RHP Triston McKenzie (44), 3B Nolan Jones (96) Notes: Beyond Triston McKenzie, the Indians are light at the upper levels following trades and graduations. The lower levels are full of arrow-up players though, and scouts have taken notice of the team's collection of young Latin American prospects—a sign of the organization's recently revamped international program. 17 nationals-900x635 Washington Nationals Notes: 2018: 15 | 2017: 19 | 2016: 5 | 2015: 12 | 2014: 21 3 Top 100 prospects: OF Victor Robles (11), SS Carter Kieboom (41), SS Luis Garcia (61) Notes: The top three prospects in the organization stack up well, led by a premium talent in center fielder Victor Robles and two more middle-of-the-diamond hitters in Carter Kieboom and Luis Garcia. Focusing on arms in the 2017 and 2018 drafts helped their pitching depth. 18 pirates-900x6351.jpg Pittsburgh Pirates Notes: 2018: 16 | 2017: 7 | 2016: 11 | 2015: 7 | 2014: 1 3 Top 100 prospects: RHP Mitch Keller (26), 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes (49), SS Oneil Cruz (79) Notes: It's a top-heavy system, with a core group of players who could be average regulars to stars. Beyond them, the lack of depth in the organization gets revealed quickly. 19 mets-900x6351 New York Mets Notes: 2018: 27 | 2017: 15 | 2016: 15 | 2015: 4 | 2014: 10 3 Top 100 prospects: SS Andres Gimenez (30), 1B Peter Alonso (48), SS Ronny Mauricio (98) Notes: Peter Alonso and Andres Gimenez carry the system and both should help soon in Queens. However, much of the system's position talent is several years away, with high-risk, high-reward players like Ronny Mauricio, Mark Vientos and Shervyen Newton. 20 yankees-900x6351 New York Yankees Notes: 2018: 2 | 2017: 3 | 2016: 16 | 2015: 19 | 2014: 18 0 Top 100 prospects Notes: After graduating Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar the last two years, the system has dropped without an elite, near-ready prospect, but they are deep in young pitching. The organization's Latin American pipeline under international scouting director Donny Rowland continues to flourish, with results in the big leagues (Luis Severino, Sanchez, Andujar) and the lower levels now brimming with exciting upside. 21 diamondbacks-900x635 Arizona Diamondbacks Notes: 2018: 26 | 2017: 28 | 2016: 22 | 2015: 6 | 2014: 13 2 Top 100 prospects: SS Jazz Chisholm (50), RHP Jon Duplantier (86) Notes: Their prospects in the upper minors are solid, though they lack upside to be elite players. The prospects in the lower levels like Jazz Chisholm, Geraldo Perdomo and Kristian Robinson have big upside but also carry big risk. 22 orioles-900x635 Baltimore Orioles Notes: 2018: 17 | 2017: 27 | 2016: 27 | 2015: 28 | 2014: 12 3 Top 100 prospects: OF Yusniel Diaz (37), LHP DL Hall (54), 3B Ryan Mountcastle (90) Notes: The Orioles are generally a disaster, with the team hiring new general manager Mike Elias and quickly gutting the organization's front office and several members of its scouting and player development staff. The farm system is better than it was a year ago after trades, including one to get No. 1 prospect Yusniel Diaz, but being a zero internationally will continue to hurt them for years. 23 phillies-900x635 Philadelphia Phillies Notes: 2018: 7 | 2017: 6 | 2016: 8 | 2015: 22 | 2014: 22 2 Top 100 prospects: 3B Alec Bohm (65), SS Luis Garcia (88) Notes: After graduating a wave of position prospects, the Phillies traded away their top prospect, righthander Sixto Sanchez, to acquire J.T. Realmuto. That took a middle-of-the-pack system and turned into a bottom-third farm system. That will be a fair trade if Realmuto gets the Phillies back to the top of the NL East. Shortstop Luis Garcia has exciting upside, while the Phillies will look for 2018 first-round pick Alec Bohm to make up for recent disappointments at the top of their drafts. 24 rockies-900x6351 Colorado Rockies Notes: 2018: 19 | 2017: 10 | 2016: 6 | 2015: 8 | 2014: 11 2 Top 100 prospects: SS Brendan Rodgers (14), 2B Garrett Hampson (87) Notes: Proximity to the big leagues for their top three prospects (middle infielders Brendan Rodgers and Garrett Hampson and righthander Peter Lambert) is a strength, because all three have Triple-A experience and should help in 2019. After that, the organization has few high-upside, impact players. 25 rangers-900x635.jpg Texas Rangers Notes: 2018: 22 | 2017: 23 | 2016: 7 | 2015: 11 | 2014: 9 1 Top 100 prospect: RHP Hans Crouse (73) Notes: The Rangers have a trio of promising young center fielders and a stockpile of pitching prospects at the lower levels from recent drafts, led by top prospect Hans Crouse and 2018 first-rounder Cole Winn. They don't have any of the game's elite prospects, however, and they lack pure hitters, with a position player group on the thin side with considerable risk attached to even their best ones. 26 brewers-900x635 Milwaukee Brewers Notes: 2018: 6 | 2017: 8 | 2016: 9 | 2015: 21 | 2014: 29 2 Top 100 prospects: 2B Keston Hiura (17), RHP Corbin Burnes (46) Notes: The Brewers had a dynamite year in the major leagues, but their farm system took one of the biggest tumbles from a year ago. Their top two prospects (second baseman Keston Hiura and righthander Corbin Burnes) could factor into their 2019 roster, but the upside dims quickly beyond their top handful of players. 27 royals-900x635 Kansas City Royals Notes: 2018: 29 | 2017: 26 | 2016: 21 | 2015: 13 | 2014: 8 1 Top 100 prospect: RHP Brady Singer (71) Notes: The upper levels of the system lack potential regulars, with few high-end prospects anywhere in the organization. Pitching is the focal point of the system, with the Royals bolstering their stash by drafting college pitchers with their first four picks in 2018. 28 giants-900x635 San Francisco Giants Notes: 2018: 25 | 2017: 24 | 2016: 19 | 2015: 26 | 2014: 19 1 Top 100 prospect: C Joey Bart (29) Notes: Two big amateur acquisitions in 2018—catcher Joey Bart, the No. 2 overall pick, and shortstop Marco Luciano, the No. 2 international prospect—injected the organization with two-high end talents. That's good, because it's rough beyond them, with recent draft classes that haven't netted much. 29 cubs-900x6351 Chicago Cubs Notes: 2018: 28 | 2017: 16 | 2016: 20 | 2015: 1 | 2014: 4 0 Top 100 prospects Notes: Nico Hoerner and Miguel Amaya are both talented prospects who can play premium positions, but the cupboard is nearly bare in the upper minors. Of the Cubs' top 15 prospects, only lefthander Justin Steele has played in Double-A or higher. 30 redsox-900x6351 Boston Red Sox Notes: 2018: 23 | 2017: 14 | 2016: 4 | 2015: 5 | 2014: 2 0 Top 100 prospects Notes: After 108 wins and another World Series trophy, the Red Sox won't be too concerned about having baseball's worst farm system. The Red Sox haven't necessarily done poorly at acquiring talent in the draft or internationally, but they've cashed in their best prospects to bolster the major league club.

BA's mid-season 2011. Damn they always loved pitchers. 1) Bryce Harper, OF, Washington Nationals Like Matt Wieters before him, Bryce Harper has blown away all the expectations about his first season. He tore through the South Atlantic League, hitting at a .318/.423/.554 clip, crushing 14 home runs and racking up 46 RBI. Those numbers were good enough to warrant a promotion, straight past High-A ball to Double-A Harrisburg, where Harper racked up five hits in his first 10 at-bats. The right fielder has shown five tools during his debut season, including great speed (20 steals) and a cannon arm that was introduced to the baseball world at the Futures Game (where he fired a 330-foot rocket from the warning track in left field to home plate on one bounce). 2) Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels The Angels rewarded Trout for a year-and-a-half's worth of stellar play with a promotion to the Majors just before the All-Star break. Whether or not he sticks around Anaheim for the remainder of the big-league season is still up in the air, but without a doubt, Trout assured fans and experts alike that his dream season of 2010 was no fluke. He hit .324 with 12 doubles, 11 triples and nine homers in 290 at-bats for the Angels' Double-A affiliate, swiping 28 bases in the process. 3) Matt Moore, LHP, Tampa Bay Rays Moore has led the Minor Leagues in strikeouts each of the past two seasons. And with 125 more this year, in just 96.2 innings, he's well within striking distance of the top spot once again. This year has been more about pitching to contact for Moore, and he's improved his off-speed stuff dramatically. His stuff is so wicked that he's only allowed 61 hits all season long; his ERA of 2.14 is one of the best anywhere. Moore further showcased his talents at the Futures Game, showing easy 94-98 mph heat and quality breaking stuff. 4) Julio Teheran, RHP, Atlanta Braves Teheran exploded onto the scene last year, jumping from Low-A to Double-A in just 17 starts. He finished the season with a 9-8 record, a 2.59 ERA and 159 strikeouts in 142.2 innings. This year, as hard as it is to believe, he's gotten better. His ERA of 1.79 ranks fourth in all of Minor League Baseball, and his .900 winning percentage (9-1) is the best in the International League. Teheran has produced less strikeouts this season, which has allowed him to go deeper into games. His last two outings of just five innings a piece were his shortest since early May. He also made two big-league outings (the first of his career) earlier in the year, although the results were much worse than his minor league domination. 5) Manny Machado, SS, Baltimore Orioles Machado tore the cover off the ball for Low-A Delmarva, although a rough finish after his return from the DL dropped his average down to a pedestrian .276. He's only hitting .222 with Frederick, but he does have more walks (nine) than strikeouts (eight). He's also coming off of his two best performances since his promotion. On July 7th, he was walked four times after doubling in his only official at-bat. The next night he earned two more walks, but not before hitting a solo home run—his eighth of the season. 6) Martin Perez, LHP, Texas Rangers Despite his mediocre performances over the past two seasons, Perez has maintained his place among the top prospects in the game, thanks to his incredible stuff. This year he's starting to put forth some better results, including a 3.16 ERA and an 83:36 K:BB ratio. Perez was especially strong during May, posting an ERA under 1.50 and striking out a batter an inning. 7) Shelby Miller, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals Miller is frequently mentioned in the discussion for top right-handed pitcher in the Minor Leagues. He not only has the stuff, but the stats to back that assertion up. Ever since taking a month-long sabbatical last summer, Miller has been nonstop awesome. He finished the 2010 campaign on a tear and has carried that momentum over into the 2011 season. He's already jumped from High-A to Double-A and seems to have gotten stronger. In seven Double-A starts, he's 4-1 with a 1.90 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 42.2 innings. He's only surrendered three home runs all season long. For the season, he's 6-4 with a 2.45 ERA and a 124:30 K:BB ratio. 8) Jesus Montero, C, New York Yankees It seems like Montero has been waiting for his chance to break in with the Yankees for years now, but while a little something called "prospect fatigue" seems to have set in with him, he's still an incredibly talented minor leaguer who has little left to prove. He spent the entire season with the Yankees' Triple-A club, where he hit .289 with seven homers and 33 RBI in 70 games. It looks like he's finally starting to heat up, as he hit .357 during the month of July. 9) Jameson Taillon, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates Since he didn't make his debut as early as Bryce Harper or Manny Machado, very little attention has been paid to the No. 2 overall pick from last year's draft. That hasn't stopped Taillon from looking incredibly sharp in his first 13 starts with Low-A West Virginia. He hasn't gone past the fourth inning in many starts, but he's still managed to post a 49:8 K:BB ratio in 51.2 innings, while posting a 3.66 ERA. During four starts in June, Taillon posted a 2.70 ERA, struck out 18 batters and walked none. 10) Brett Lawrie, 3B, Toronto Blue Jays It's hard to envision a world where Lawrie isn't manning third base for the Blue Jays come September. In fact, if it hadn't been for a fracture in his left hand, he might be playing for them right now. Instead, he'll have to settle for working his way back, logging some more at-bats in Triple-A and waiting for his turn. It's clear that he's too advanced a hitter for Triple-A, as he hit .354 with 15 home runs and 49 RBI in 52 PCL contests.

TCA got banned? Edit...he reported this post about Lawrie so that BTS could see it. Mid 20's on a prospect list? I seem to remember him going early 20's overall in a dynasty league startup draft.