MLB.com's Top 50 prospects: Jeffress #44, Gamel #23, Escobar #8; John Sickels' list now online

[ELCABALLO45]

MLB started out releasing 50-40.

44. Jeremy Jeffress

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/mi...sp?t=p_top&pid=502026

[NastyTwig]

That jersey sure looks a lot nicer on him than that Brevard County one... Can't wait for this kid to just go nuts and take over the minors next year.

 

Can we expect anyone else on the list other than Gamel and Escobar? Anyone care to guess as to where they will land?

[yoshii8]

I think Angel Salome might make the 40-30 list. You don't find many 22 year old catchers that have a .974 OPS in the Southern league.

[jjfanec]

Well Escobar was 42nd last year on this list and I doubt he did any thing to lower himself. My guess is Escobar and Gamel will both be the 20-30 range. Salome has a chance but I would have guessed him to be in the 40-50 range, so I would be surprised if he makes it. I wonder where LaPorta will end up?

[YostInfection]

Well Escobar was 42nd last year on this list and I doubt he did any thing to lower himself. My guess is Escobar and Gamel will both be the 20-30 range. Salome has a chance but I would have guessed him to be in the 40-50 range, so I would be surprised if he makes it. I wonder where LaPorta will end up?

Yep, agree with jj here - if Salome made it it would have been in the 40-50 range, as most of the "community" lists and early lists I have seen put Angel somewhere in the 50-75 range. Seems like they're scared off by the defense and "height concerns" (which I feel is a poor excuse, FWIW).

 

My amateur guess is Escobar will be 37 and Gamel will be 26. And if I waged a guess for LaPorta, I think he is still being overrated...let's say 14.

 

**EDIT** well they just released 31-40 and Escobar isn't on that portion of the list. I guess it is entirely probable that he is in that 20-30 range. Good for him.

[jjfanec]

Here is the 31-40 list from milb

Like I said earlier if Escobar was 42 last year I have to assume he will be in the 20's after his offensive production this year dwarfed his seasons in the past.

Salome's defense and lack of a 2nd position of he does not stick at catcher really hurt him. If we get three guys in the top 50 like I think we will, I think that shows the system is doing well. I think Salome, Cain, and Taylor Green are a nice second tier after the three that will be ranked in the top 50.

[trwi7]

Am I the only one who thinks Derek Holland is way too low on that list? I would have him in the 21-30 range. He's right there with Neftali Feliz imo.

[ILuvDaBush]

Agree wholeheartedly about Derek Holland, but then again, with any young pitcher, TINSTAPP, especially such a young one. As for Escobar, I could see him being rated higher than Gamel, if they think his bursitic elbow is a concern. Then again, they could also have Gamel in the 5-10 range if they think his elbow is of no true concern. And as for Angel, if they subtracted points from Jeffress, "Doc Gooden, stuff-wise, would have led the full-season ballers in K/9", then Angel would probably be in the 60-75 range for missing time as well. Wrong or right, our minor league system has the reputation of being drug abusers....and pitcher abusers given the lines put up by our Huntsville squad this year.

[PlayerHader]

I was just going through the 30-39 group and they updated to #20. Gamel comes in at 23. No sign of Escobar or Salome, so one definitely doesn't make the list and one is at least a top 20 prospect.

[splitterpfj]

I cannot reveal my source, but I can tell you Salome did not make this year's list strictly due to concerns over his size. Scouts aren't sold on his ability to hold up at the catcher position.

[homer]

11-20 are up. No Escobar.

 

LaPorta is #14.

[jjfanec]

I am surprised that Escobar is not in the 11-30 range. I really do not see him as a top 10 prospect with the potential shortcomings in his offensive game. That said I cannot fathom why he would fall out of the rankings after the season he just had.

[colbyjack]

I am surprised that Escobar is not in the 11-30 range. I really do not see him as a top 10 prospect with the potential shortcomings in his offensive game. That said I cannot fathom why he would fall out of the rankings after the season he just had.

 

I speaks to the credibility of the list if Escboar was #42 on the same list a year ago and doesn't show up at all in the top 50 this year. While I wouldn't place him among the top 10 overall prospects, it does speak to his overall potential even if we all know that he needs to continue to get better at the plate.

[jjfanec]

Do people have guesses for who is in the top 10?

David Price for sure

Matt Weiters for sure

Carlos Santana from Cleveland - who BA has rated higher than LaPorta

Cameron Maybin

Colby Rasmus - did not have a great year

Travis Snider from Toronto?

Jason Heyward

Rick Porcello - although his K numbers were not that good last year.

 

I do not know a ton of other top guys and I am sure I am missing couple. So for the top ten that I am sure of would be Price, Weiters, Maybin and Heyward.

[TheCrew07]

When I said Escobar was one of the top prospects in all of baseball I was thinking he was a top 20 prospect, not a top 10... I guess there's an outside chance he's not on the list at all, but I highly doubt it. It doesn't mean much in the big picture, but good for him, to be in the top 1% by anyone's measure is quite an accomplishment.

[colbyjack]

A handful of notable absentees so far not mentioned by jjfanec:

 

Neftali Perez

Pedro Alvarez (signing late may be held against him)

Aaron Poreda

Gordon Beckham

Madison Bumgarner

Tim Alderson

 

I'm guessing Poreda and Beckham will miss the top 50, as will Alderson. Alvarez might if him not playing last summer is held against him. Cameron Maybin's status may have taken a big hit this past year.

 

I would think that Price, Wieters, Perez, Bumgarner, Porcello, Heyward, Snider, Rasmus, Santana are locks. Escobar might sneak in. If he does, he's probably ranked a tad too high. If he doesn't, throw out this list because it doesn't mean squat.

[jjfanec]

Thanks for the updates colbyjack. I am not as knowledgeable on prospects as many here (that is one of the reasons I love this sites), so I have a couple questions.

What type of pitcher does Porcello project to be? He is young for high A and his ERA and WHIP were great last year but his K/9 were not. Is he a command pitcher more than a power pitcher?

Why was no one talking about the steal the Indians got for Casey Blake with Carlos Santana (along with Jon Meloan who seems to just had a rough year after a very successful milb career) when the deal went down? What a haul for a good not great 3B. Kudos to the Indians for stocking their system in two trades. A guy who was 14 in LaPorta and a top 10 guy in Santana. Then you add in solid guys like Brantley, Bryson, and a bounce back type guy in Meloan and that is a nice two trades.

[RyDogg66]

Escobar checks in a #8.

[homer]

Didn't Escobar have a ridiculously high BABIP last year? Might have inflated his numbers a bit.

[jjfanec]

I would think that Price, Wieters, Perez, Bumgarner, Porcello, Heyward, Snider, Rasmus, Santana are locks. Escobar might sneak in. If he does, he's probably ranked a tad too high. If he doesn't, throw out this list because it doesn't mean squat.

Pretty much spot for their top ten except Maybin took Santana's spot. I am surprised to see Santana not ranked at all especially with BA ranking him as the #1 prospect for the Indians over LaPorta.

Escobar does seem high to me. Homer mentioned his extremely high BABIP in play, he also does not have much power or walk much. He is young and has consistently improved but I still would have had him right next to Gamel in the low to mid 20's.

[endaround]

Didn't Escobar have a ridiculously high BABIP last year? Might have inflated his numbers a bit.

 

Everyone in Hunstville had ridiculously high BABIP (Escobar .375, Gamel .392, Salome .401) LaPorta was the only one with a normal BABIP of .301. Of course Gamel and Salome have power and some modicum of plate discipline while Escobar has neither.

[logan82]

That's a pretty high ranking for one good offensive year.

[pogokat]

Bare in mind that Escobar was a top 50 prospect when he was only so-so at the plate...after a good year, he's gonna shoot up..

 

best defensive SS in all of the minors? that's incredible...if he's ozzie smith, hitting for league average will make him one of the best shortstops in the league

[yoshii8]

Congrats to Alcides, that is very impressive to be named a top 10 prospect in all of baseball. He must be way better than a lot of people around here think he is.

[homer]

Congrats to Alcides, that is very impressive to be named a top 10 prospect in all of baseball. He must be way better than a lot of people around here think he is.

That's just one ranking though. I bet Baseball America will have him ranked somewhere else.