Goldstein's Orioles Top 20

[Frobby]

Five-Star Prospects

1. Dylan Bundy, RHP

2. Manny Machado, SS

Four-Star Prospects

3. Jonathan Schoop, INF

Three-Star Prospects

4. Nick Delmonico, 3B

5. Jason Esposito, 3B

6. Robert Bundy, RHP

7. Parker Bridwell, RHP

8. Dan Klein, RHP

9. Ryan Adams, 2B

Two-Star Prospects

10. L.J. Hoes, OF

11. Eduardo Rodriguez, LHP

12. Clayton Schrader, RHP

13. Joe Mahoney

14. Xavier Avery

15. Gabriel Lino

16. Pedro Florimon, SS

17. Glynn Davis, OF

18. Matt Angle, OF

19. Mike Wright, RHP

20. Kyle Hudson, OF

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=15526

I omitted detailed comments on Dyan Bundy and one-liners on nos. 12-20 that are available without subscription if you click on the link. Detailed comments on nos. 2-11 are for subscribers only (and I'm not subscriber so I don't know what he said about Machado et al.).

[Lucky Jim]

2. Manny Machado, SS

DOB: 7/6/92

Height/Weight: 6’3/185

Bats/Throws: R/R

Drafted/Signed: 1st round, 2010, Brito HS (FL)

2011 Stats: .276/.376/.483 at A (38 G), .245/.308/.384 at High A (63 G)

Tools Profile: At least average across the board, and often much more than that.

Year in Review: No. 3 overall pick in 2010 impressed in a full-season debut that was interrupted by a knee injury.

The Good: Machado can hit. He knows how to work the count to his advantage and has plenty of bat speed, outstanding hands, and the strength to project for plus power with 20-25 home runs annually. He has impressive defensive fundamentals for his age and a plus arm with strength and accuracy.

The Bad: Machado has average speed, but he's young and still growing, and many scouts believe he'll likely get to the point where he fits better at third base. He struggled in the Carolina League and at times seemed to let his frustration get the better of him by expanding his strike zone.

Ephemera: Of Machado's 11 home runs on the season, nearly half came during a one-week stretch from April 25 to May 1, when he went 13-for-25 with five home runs in seven games.

Perfect World Projection: All-Star, but just as likely at third base as shortstop, if not more.

Fantasy Impact: Everything except speed.

Path to the Big Leagues: Machado was just 17 when drafted and will not turn 20 until mid-season. He'll begin the season at High-A Frederick but has the talent to determine his own timetable.

ETA: Late 2013

3. Jonathan Schoop, INF

DOB: 10/16/91

Height/Weight: 6’1/187

Bats/Throws: R/R

Drafted/Signed: 2008, Curacao

2011 Stats: .316/.376/.514 at A (51 G), .271/.329/.375 at High A (77 G)

Tools Profile: Almost a low-rent Machado in that he's a tick below him in each tool, which still makes him one hell of a player.

Year in Review: Curacao native built on an impressive showing in the New York-Penn League by performing well at both A-level clubs.

The Good: Schoop is an advanced hitter for his age. He has good plate discipline and a loose swing with gap power and projects to be average down the road. He has excellent defensive skills with good hands and a very strong arm.

The Bad: Like Machado, Schoop just isn't the kind of athlete necessary for shortstop, and while he can play third or second, his bat fits better up the middle due to debates over his ultimate power ceiling. He's an average-at-best runner.

Ephemera: In 96 at-bats as a third baseman, Schoop hit .406.

Perfect World Projection: Above-average everyday player, but his future position could revolve around where Machado ends up.

Fantasy Impact: Not a superstar but should produce in both the average and power categories.

Path to the Big Leagues: Schoop will stick with Machado at High-A Frederick to begin the year, and he'll stay up the middle as long as possible.

ETA: 2014

There you go.

[eb45]

Apart from a couple different placings (Machado over Bundy, switch Bundy/Bridwell with Delmonico/Esposito, move Klein down to 10), Goldstein's top 10 is identical to mine. Huh.

[bobmc]

I love this description of Schoop:

"Almost a low-rent Machado in that he's a tick below him in each tool, which still makes him one hell of a player." Except - that means he's slower than a lead-footed Manny? :scratchchinhmm:

Thanks LJ!

[Sports Guy]

The most disappointing thing here is that Machado is going to have an uphill battle to stay at SS it appears.

Obviously, he can still be an elite player if he goes to third but we would all prefer him to stay at SS.

[Tony-OH]

I love this description of Schoop:

"Almost a low-rent Machado in that he's a tick below him in each tool, which still makes him one hell of a player." Except - that means he's slower than a lead-footed Manny? :scratchchinhmm:

Thanks LJ!

He's not slower than Machado and I'm not so sure he's a tick below in hitting for average. He's probably a tick below in power and arm strength.

[allstar1579]

The most disappointing thing here is that Machado is going to have an uphill battle to stay at SS it appears.

Obviously, he can still be an elite player if he goes to third but we would all prefer him to stay at SS.

I think it's a little more likely he sticks after he played this year. He did a pretty good job. Coming out of the draft it was more of a question, but KG is one of those guys you can't take as gospel, he just talks to people and then reports a summary of what he hears. It's not like he's making these assessments on his own from his own two eyes.

I've been a little more down on him recently because he's gotten this almost arrogance about him, and I've seen him be wrong more than right. He hits on a lot of the major prospects, because they are the ones in the mainstream with more people watching, but you won't see him get any of the diamonds in the rough, or lower round draft picks because I don't think he really knows enough himself personally to tell the difference without someone telling him. I know I would take Nick, Jon, Tony, or a couple other people on this site's assessments before I would trust his.

[NCRaven]

Didn't Goldstein write the article announcing Matt Wieters as the worst draft bust of all time?

[Lucky Jim]

Didn't Goldstein write the article announcing Matt Wieters as the worst draft bust of all time?

No. Steven Goldman did.

[NCRaven]

No. Steven Goldman did.

Ah, thanks.

[srock]

I started a Google Spreadsheet keeping track of how many prospects each team has in each category: 5 Star, 4 Star, 3 Star, etc...

Feel free to update if more come out before I get to it.

I put a Total column in there, its just 1 point for each star. A rudimentary way to compare each teams top prospects. An exponential scale might make more sense if all the teams total scores are very close.

[eb45]

At least we're not the Astros.

[csgordos]

At least we're not the Astros.

But we get to start to play them in 2013. That has to be some extra wins, right?

[eb45]

I started a Google Spreadsheet keeping track of how many prospects each team has in each category: 5 Star, 4 Star, 3 Star, etc...

Feel free to update if more come out before I get to it.

I put a Total column in there, its just 1 point for each star. A rudimentary way to compare each teams top prospects. An exponential scale might make more sense if all the teams total scores are very close.

Went ahead and updated this.

Wow, the White Sox are bad.

[byrdz]

At least we're not the Astros.

No but we are the Astros of the AL.