Power 50 Shakeup -- Latest: New P50 is up!

[madbad2000]

With the blockbuster becoming official, that leaves 4 of the top 5 removed from the Power 50. Who steps up and takes number 1? Top 5? Top 10?!?

 

I would bet that Mark Rogers surfaces as number 1. My top five would probably be

 

Rogers

Braddock ( Still qualifies from the look of it)

Peralta

Kentrail Davis

Heckathorn

 

But looking at the top 15-20 on the Power 50, you can make a case for a lot of helium in the mid range prospects. I'll be following Scarpetta, Gindl, Gennett and Komatsu closer than normal. Also can't wait to see how Thornburg and Nelson do at A ball. Who is everyone watching this year?

[Invader3K]

I would say Michael Fiers is worth keeping an eye on.

[RyDogg66]

Im wondering about Logan Schafer and Eric Farris, as well as Luis Cruz.

[EbbaStClaire]

I believe Micael Fiers will pitch in Milwaukee as a starter next year.

[And That]

Luis Cruz is ineligible due to MLB ABs.

 

Mike Fiers is closer to the top 10 than I'm comfortable with.

 

FWIW, I will have Rogers as #1 on my ballot. Unless he's traded.

[greeg35]

I'm closely watching Morris, Thornberg, Richardson, Nelson as candidates to take big leaps by the end of the year.

[igor67]

I think the shakeup will be interesting, but I'll taking having to "gut" the system by trading for ace pitchers under contract for multiple years and graduating lots of players to the majors as causes of the gutting every time.

[madbad2000]

I'm with you igor. That's the reason we follow these kids. I'm interested to see what Hawn and Dvo do this year as well.

[paul253]

Two guys I'm really going to follow are Gennett and Kentrail Davis. I think they are going to be the cream of the position player crop for the next year, or until we draft some more high ceiling position players. Pitcher wise it's still nice to have a lot of names to follow: Rogers, Peralta, Heckathorn, Scarpetta, and Rivas top my list. Oh and Logan Schaefer too. Hopefully he can rebound from his injuries last season.

[battlekow]

I'm more interested in the bottom of the list. I ran out of guys to vote for, so I just put Joel Pierce at #50.

[gregmag]

This is really interesting, because we must now have the worst system in baseball, or close to it. As Igor said, that's fine; we got there in the best of all possible ways, by graduating some guys and trading some for impact talent. So now we can invert our usual priorities: the big league team should be terrific, and the farm system should go through an interesting rebuilding process. If the system ccan get back to, say, top 20 status a year from now, I'd say that's a huge accomplishment. Probably unrealistic, but something to shoot for.

 

I agree with Paul about Genett and Davis, and I would add something else -- prospects become major league contributors through a combination of talent and opportunity. Talent is a challenge to judge; opportunity just happens. A lot of guys in our system are going to have opportunities now, and I bet at least a few of them will make us think better of their talents in the near future.

[colbyjack]

I just wrapped up my own personal P50, and while the talent level has obviously taken a significant hit, I still see a lot of players that are a good bet to make contributions to the big-league team in the next few years. Even with the acquisitions of Greinke and Marcum, Rivas and Rogers should provide excellent depth at AAA. McClendon and Braddock appear as though they are already part of the big-league bullpen, while Brandon Kintzler, Michael Fiers, Andre Lamontagne and even Tim Dillard provide depth there. Pat Egan and Justin James are wildcards in this conversation.

 

Peralta, Heckathorn and Scarpetta will be one step below Rogers and Rivas at AA.

 

There are some outfielders that could help should Dickerson, Gomez and Brandon Boggs not get the job done in Gindl, Schafer and Komatsu. Taylor Green is a guy I hope gets back on track as a 2B/3B utility type, and then there is Eric Farris, who is scrutinized frequently, but the club clearly likes him quite a bit and he has some valuable tools to a big-league club.

 

In my most recent interview with Bruce Seid, I really like how he pointed out they aren't just drafting the guys with the highest upside, the boom or bust type players, but also potential role players. How the Brewers fill in every single spot on their 25-man roster is crucial, especially since the payroll is clearly going to be an issue moving forward.

[nate82]

Not a single mention of Gennett and Richardson looks to be a toolsy player like Cain.

[igor67]

I could be wrong about this, but I don't think during their extended run the Braves ever had a top 5, and rarely even a top 10 system. It tended to be viewed favorably because they seemed to continually find some major leaguers, but after they got that initial cluster of talent in the early 90's they only averaged finding an impact player every 3 years or so. The rest were decent guys to keep filling in, and using in trades. Even with a depleted system it's not to hard to envision the Brewers finding guys at a similar rate going forward. It just makes a huge difference when you are already really good and have few holes vs. needing to build from the ground up.

[Tedaldtada]

I feel that even with the recent trades, our system is still in better shape then it was 2-3 years ago. Especially the pitching. I am counting on some surprise seasons from the hitters, but the pitching still has high end upside and pretty nice depth.

[colbyjack]

Not a single mention of Gennett and Richardson looks to be a toolsy player like Cain.

 

I'm assuming you're responding to my post since a few people already mentioned Gennett and Richardson, and if so I should point out that I was focusing on players at the AAA and AA levels that are in position to contribute at the big league level in the next 1-2 years. For what it's worth, I have Gennett 7th and Richardson 34th on my own P50, and I recognize that Richardson has the upside to soar up this list if he puts up solid numbers at BC next season.

 

I've been a big fan of both players since their days in high school (Gennett) and college for Richardson at Florida State. Here is a pre-draft writeup I did on Gennett if you're interested:

 

http://www.5tooltalk.com/dandydozen-3-13-09.html

 

And more on Richardson (you'll notice a pair of Brewers farmhands mentioned in my 2009 college sleepers story):

 

http://www.5tooltalk.com/collegenotes3-25-09.html

http://www.5tooltalk.com/...llegeimpactsleepers.html

[JohnBriggs12]

Now that the Brewers are lacking in young SS, anyone else think that they should try Farris at SS this year? He was a SS in college. He's proven to be very solid defensively at 2B.

 

At worst, it would be a way of grooming him to be utility guy in 2012.

[greeg35]

absolutely, yes.

[And That]

If they think his arm is good enough for SS, absolutely. But then, wouldn't they have already tried?

[dadofandrew]

I have Gennett #1. I might well have Gindl #2. My wife is 5-0, so i have no qualms with the vertically challenged.

[TooLiveBrew]

You have Gennett ahead of Rogers? That seems like a big stretch.

[dadofandrew]

Rogers is what, 25? His ceiling is what he did last year.

[Mass Haas]

Rogers is what, 25? His ceiling is what he did last year.

Mark lost two years plus of development to injury. The only place he's 25 will be as of his birth certificate as of this coming January 30th.

 

 

[battlekow]

Of course, you could argue that Rogers' shoulder is 50, or whatever number you want to make the point that he's an above-average injury risk.

[colbyjack]

Rogers is what, 25? His ceiling is what he did last year.

 

The dude throws 101 mph. He hasn't come close to reaching his ceiling. Whether or not he gets there has nothing to do with his age.

 

And my wife isn't from Maine.