It's Time to Rank the Top 10 Prospects

[Greg Pappas]

Who are your Top 10 2008 Draft Prospects?

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[allstar1579]

1. T. Beckham

2. P. Alvarez

3. B. Matusz

4. A. Crow

5. J. Smoak

6. E. Hosmer

7. G. Beckham

8. B. Posey

9. K. Skipworth

10. G. Cole

[Greg Pappas]

1. T. Beckham

2. P. Alvarez

3. B. Matusz

4. A. Crow

5. J. Smoak

6. E. Hosmer

7. G. Beckham

8. B. Posey

9. K. Skipworth

10. G. Cole

Gerritt Cole at ten is a cool choice, and has a great deal of merit. The gunslinger tops out at 98 as a 17 year old! As with all young pitchers who throw that hard (few and far between) he must find a modicum of control. If he finds it, look out!

[Greg Pappas]

1. Alvarez

2. Smoak

3. Hosmer

4. T. Beckham

5. G. Beckham

6. Crow

7. Posey

You get tired?

[allstar1579]

Gerritt Cole at ten is a cool choice, and has a great deal of merit. The gunslinger tops out at 98 as a 17 year old! As with all young pitchers who throw that hard (few and far between) he must find a modicum of control. If he finds it, look out!

Thanks, he's my sleeper pick of the first round. Just like you said, if he figures out the control thing, and works on that second "out" pitch, he could be a monster. With a lot of the middle round talent out there bunched together, I figure why not take a gamble with the kid

[Stotle]

1. P. Alvarez (Vanderbilt)

2. B. Matusz (San Diego)

3. T. Beckham (Griffin HS, GA)

4. E. Hosmer (American Heritage HS, FL)

5. A. Crow (Missouri)

6. B. Posey (Florida State)

7. K. Skipworth (Patriot HS, CA)

8. J. Smoak (Sou. Carolina)

9. S. Hunt (Tulane)

10. T. Scheppers (Fresno State)

[Jammer7]

1. Pedro Alvarez 3B* - still the biggest impact bat

2. Tim Beckham SS - the highest ceiling

3. Brian Matusz LHP - the best pitcher and LH

4. Eric Hosmer 1B* - after Pedro, best projectable bat

5. Aaron Crow RHP - slipping just a bit, still has best FB/slider combo

6. Justin Smoak 1B# - has been really good, but not dominant as hoped

7. Buster Posey C - athletic catcher, very solid bat and arm

8. Gordon Beckham SS - very nice bat, can he stay at SS?

9. Tanner Scheppers RHP - nasty with good command of FB

10. Kyle Skipworth C* - gifted hitter, very solid behind dish

[crawdad]

Gerritt Cole at ten is a cool choice, and has a great deal of merit. The gunslinger tops out at 98 as a 17 year old! As with all young pitchers who throw that hard (few and far between) he must find a modicum of control. If he finds it, look out!

My thoughts on high school pitchers may be based on fairy dust and and a moonscape sound stage, but don't high schoolers who throw that hard wind up as a prime concern for arm troubles? I'm not sure that they do, but it just seems with the somewhat common overuse of pitchers at the high school level, a developing body, and the amount of energy transfer needed to generate a 98mph pitch . . . seems a bit risky.

Can someone tell me how wrong I am to think these things?

[Stotle]

My thoughts on high school pitchers may be based on fairy dust and and a moonscape sound stage, but don't high schoolers who throw that hard wind up as a prime concern for arm troubles? I'm not sure that they do, but it just seems with the somewhat common overuse of pitchers at the high school level, a developing body, and the amount of energy transfer needed to generate a 98mph pitch . . . seems a bit risky.

Can someone tell me how wrong I am to think these things?

There is an argument that the HS pitcher is better off, long term, starting his pro career and pitching for an organization concerned with his future health, rather than going to pitch for a top college program concerned with 1) winning and 2) the coaches' job security.

[Greg Pappas]

LOL. Yeah. Kinda lazy too. I'm really not as up on this stuff as I used to be or as I'd like to be. I've mostly been relying on you on the others to keep me informed this year. I'm leaning towards hitting and I think I'm leaning towards college talent, all things being fairly equal. That's pretty much how I put my list together. I don't know much about Posey so maybe that's why I have him lower. The fact that he's a cather also factors into that. How is he considered defensively and is he considered a possibility to switch positions as a pro? Thanks in advance for any help and thanks for all of the updates and info all along.

He is excellent behing the plate, with a rifle of an arm to boot. He used to be a fine SS, but switched to catcher his sophomore season. Could he revert back to SS, 2B or elsewhere? Hard to say, but his value is off the charts as a catcher.

[Greg Pappas]

Who are your Top 10 2008 Draft Prospects?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Good lists all.

Although my website has a top 50 list, many of the choices are not my own personal ones, as I try to configure the order based on the observations of BA, BP and other sites collectively.

Here is my personal Top 10...

Key: *=lefty, #=switch-hitter, LHSP=left handed starting pitcher, RHRP=right handed relief pitcher.

1. *Eric Hosmer, (FL) High School 1B, Age=18, 6' 4 - 220

2. *Pedro Alvarez, College 3B, Vanderbilt, Age=21, 6' 2 - 225

3. *Brian Matusz, College LHSP, San Diego, Age=21, 6' 4 - 195

4. Tim Beckham, (GA) High School SS, Age=18, 6' 2 - 191

5. Buster Posey, College C, Florida State, Age=21, 6' 2 - 200

6. #Justin Smoak, College 1B, South Carolina, Age=21, 6' 3 - 200

7. *Kyle Skipworth, (CA) High School C, Age=18, 6' 3 - 195

8. Gordon Beckham, College SS, Georgia, Age=21, 6' - 190

9. Aaron Crow, College RHSP, Missouri, Age=21, 6' 2 - 215

10. Tanner Scheppers, College RHSP, Fresno State, Age=21, 6' 4 - 200

Ethan Martin, the two-way star high schooler from Georgia is closing in on the top ten, and he's doing it as a right-handed pitcher AND as a 3B'man. It takes a special talent to do both so well. He'll likely be drafted as a pitcher, but will DH some because he hits so well.

[markpolis]

Good lists all.

Although my website has a top 50 list, many of the choices are not my own personal ones, as I try to configure the order based on the observations of BA, BP and other sites collectively.

Here is my personal Top 10...

Key: *=lefty, #=switch-hitter, LHSP=left handed starting pitcher, RHRP=right handed relief pitcher.

1. *Eric Hosmer, (FL) High School 1B, Age=18, 6' 4 - 220

2. *Pedro Alvarez, College 3B, Vanderbilt, Age=21, 6' 2 - 225

3. *Brian Matusz, College LHSP, San Diego, Age=21, 6' 4 - 195

4. Tim Beckham, (GA) High School SS, Age=18, 6' 2 - 191

5. Buster Posey, College C, Florida State, Age=21, 6' 2 - 200

6. #Justin Smoak, College 1B, South Carolina, Age=21, 6' 3 - 200

7. *Kyle Skipworth, (CA) High School C, Age=18, 6' 3 - 195

8. Gordon Beckham, College SS, Georgia, Age=21, 6' - 190

9. Aaron Crow, College RHSP, Missouri, Age=21, 6' 2 - 215

10. Tanner Scheppers, College RHSP, Fresno State, Age=21, 6' 4 - 200

Ethan Martin, the two-way star high schooler from Georgia is closing in on the top ten, and he's doing it as a right-handed pitcher AND as a 3B'man. It takes a special talent to do both so well. He'll likely be drafted as a pitcher, but will DH some because he hits so well.

Greg,

It's highly unlikely a team will let their prized pitcher prospect also DH. Many players are two way stars in high school (Adam Loewen and Nick Markakis to name a few). It's really not that uncommon. These players are generally the best athletes on their team, thusly if they are a position player they also are more than likely of the better pitchers on their team.

Teams make a decision prior to the draft where the player will play and they will stick to it. Unless of course they prove they can't make it as a pro at one position and they switch. (such as Rick Ankiel, which is rare)

Prior to the draft, several teams projected Markakis as a better pitcher than position player. Also, some teams projected Loewen as a better position player.

Go figure....

[Greg Pappas]

[/b]

Greg,

It's highly unlikely a team will let their prized pitcher prospect also DH. Many players are two way stars in high school (Adam Loewen and Nick Markakis to name a few). It's really not that uncommon. These players are generally the best athletes on their team, thusly if they are a position player they also are more than likely of the better pitchers on their team.

Teams make a decision prior to the draft where the player will play and they will stick to it. Unless of course they prove they can't make it as a pro at one position and they switch. (such as Rick Ankiel, which is rare)

Prior to the draft, several teams projected Markakis as a better pitcher than position player. Also, some teams projected Loewen as a better position player.

Go figure....

I'm well aware of your points, as there is proof that time and time again the ML teams will have a player do one or the other but not both. However, in recent years, some teams have allowed two-way players who pitch- to hit occasionally. I should have been more accurate in my wording, by saying 'could' DH some, rather than 'will' DH some.

Martin will likely be a pitcher and not a hitter, unless he goes to a NL team where he'll get to do both.

Regardless, your right in that it's fairly rare. Good post.

[Stotle]

I'm well aware of your points, as there is proof that time and time again the ML teams will have a player do one or the other but not both. However, in recent years, some teams have allowed two-way players who pitch- to hit occasionally. I should have been more accurate in my wording, by saying 'could' DH some, rather than 'will' DH some.

Martin will likely be a pitcher and not a hitter, unless he goes to a NL team where he'll get to do both.

Regardless, your right in that it's fairly rare. Good post.

I think it's fair to make the comparison to someone like Micah Owings, who pinch-hits from time to time.

[markpolis]

I think it's fair to make the comparison to someone like Micah Owings, who pinch-hits from time to time.

I can't wait until Wieters starts closing games at Frederick with that 95MPH heat he displayed as a closer for Georgia Tech. I wonder if he's fast enough to pitch and catch the ball. That would be awesome!!!