Baseball America top 10 Brewer prospect list

[miggs721]

just thought I would post for the benefit of those who cant access, since I received my magazine today:

 

1)Wily Peralta

2)Jungmann

3)Bradley

4)Thornburg

5)Scooter

6)Schafer

7)Scarpetta

8)Green

9)Lopez

10)jimmy nelson

[dadofandrew]

Scooter's closer to where he should be. Is Fiers too old, or just too low ceiling?

[TooLiveBrew]

Maybe both? I certainly don't see how you put Jimmy Nelson in the Top 10 before Fiers.

[miggs721]

Heres some more from the article about best individual tools:

 

Best hitter for avg-Taylor Green

Best Power Hitter-Morris

Best Strike zone discipline-Nick Shaw

Fastest runner-Reggie Keen

Best athlete-D'vontrey richardson

Best Fastball-Santos Manzanillo

curveball-scarpetta

slider-Nelson

Changeup-Dan Meadows

Best control-Fiers

Best def catcher-maldonado

best defensive infielder-Yadiel Rivera

best infield arm-Rivera

best def outfielder-Schafer

Best outfield arm-D'vontrey Richardson

[YoungGeezy]

I think their is no possible argument that every Top Brewer list shouldn't have:

1. Peralta

2. Thornburg

 

I think people still just want to hate on him because of his size. I know everyone is hoping and praying Jungmann and Bradley are saviors but until they really get out there and show it, Thorny shouldn't have to take a back seat to them.

 

Bradley needs to be higher than Jungmann. BA bases rating on projectiability usually and Bradley tops Jungmann in in most projectable areas. I hope Jungmann proves me wrong but what guy are we getting? The guy ranges from 88-97 mph, his secondary stuff is not great, and mechanics are a little worrisome. Bradley sits 91-94, has 4 pitches he can go to in any count, is a south paw, and his mechanics are consistant and clean.

 

I'd put them

4. Bradley

5. Jungmann

 

Usually I'd put Green in at three but Scooters stock is soaring right now so it makes it a tough decison. We will learn a lot about him this season in AA, hopefully he comes out like Lawrie and kills it. One way or another Green and Gennett are at 3 or 6 for me. Green more than showed that last season that he belongs up top.

 

My gut as of today still goes:

3. Green

6. Gennett

 

Schaefer has been outstanding and has plenty of tools to me he slides in at 7

7. Schaefer

 

Scarpetta is extremely fustrating but that mid 90 fastball and that flithy curveball still gives me a lot of hope. Hopefully he finds command eventually

8. Scarpetta

 

Lopez is talented but im not about to start throwing Arizona rookie league guys out there. Once he gets to A ball or is really exceling in Helena then im all in but not just because of a few innings, draft position, and potential he is still a ways from. If we add him lets start adding Yadier Rivera, Orlando Arcia, Michael Reed, Osmel Perez all as top prospects. They are all very raw but project really high.

 

Nelson had a season that was always one inning from being really good. He has tools to work with and you can see why the brewers liked him but he still needs to improve in a bunch of areas. Outside of groundballs, there isn't much to brag about. Heckathorn is another guy who usually gets a bunch of love but that pounding in AA has me a little nervous of how good he will be. Then you have Fiers who has just been lights out as a closer and a starter since the first time he took the mound. He doesn't have the stuff to die for like a Scarpetta but he just knows how to pitch. From what I have heard and seen he hides the ball amazingly (Collmenter like) and could be a solid back end guy.

 

9. Fiers

 

Then last if we want to go off pure talent and potential, Richardson needs to make the top 10. He has continued to get better and show more and more flashes of what he could be. It would be nice if someone in the organization could teach how NOT to be the worse base stealer in the world but that will hopefully improve. It is also to important to remember he has now had 2 years in his who life of focusing just on baseball. This will be his third off-season with no football to worry about and will hopefully taske another huge step forward in 12' like he did in 11'

 

10 Richardson

 

Not to far off what they had but I prefer this much more

1. Peralta

2. Thornburg

3. Green

4. Bradley

5. Jungmann

6. Gennett

7. Schaefer

8. Scarpetta

9. Fiers

10. Richardson

[paul253]

It sure is nice to finally see some new names on this list. Ever since Lawrie, Odorizzi, and Jeffress were traded our prospect lists have been pretty pathetic. There is still a long way to go, but Jungmann, Lopez and Bradley is certainly a good start. Hopefully next year's draft will produce at least two more top 10 prospects.

[DHonks]

kind of interesting, but we need to add a few bats.

 

Still, we need a lot more pitching, but it's good to have some quality arms. Heck, that's not even counting guys like Hall.

[nate82]

Maybe both? I certainly don't see how you put Jimmy Nelson in the Top 10 before Fiers.

Fiers has a nice floor as a #5 his ceiling isn't all that much maybe a #4 pitcher if absolutely everything goes correctly.

[yoshii8]

Caleb Gindl gets no love once again. I guess an .862 OPS in AAA as a 22 year old, is not as promising as a 4.38 ERA in low A ball also as a 22 year old. When does Scooter start getting the too short treatment?

[LouisEly]

Pop quiz - match the walk rate in 2011 below to the following players: Yuni B, Carlos Gomez, Nyjer Morgan, and Scooter Gennett:

 

A) 2.7%

B) 4.4%

C) 4.5%

D) 5.8%

 

Hint - if you had Gennett as "D", you're wrong.

 

For being as short as he is, drawing that few walks is bad. Add in below-average defense, and he has a ways to go before he's in my Top 10.

[chuckcrim]

Anyone else get annoyed that Haudricourt is doing the prospect chat and not one of their national experts? It drives me crazy.

[ramssuperbowl99]

Pop quiz - match the walk rate in 2011 below to the following players: Yuni B, Carlos Gomez, Nyjer Morgan, and Scooter Gennett:

 

A) 2.7%

B) 4.4%

C) 4.5%

D) 5.8%

 

Hint - if you had Gennett as "D", you're wrong.

 

For being as short as he is, drawing that few walks is bad. Add in below-average defense, and he has a ways to go before he's in my Top 10.

This. Scooter is one of those guys overrated by scouts because they see a great hit tool and forget that he isn't that great at getting on base.

[dadofandrew]

Braun did not walk a lot in the minors either, because when you can bat .300 brushing your teeth, it isn't a high priority. Scooter drew walks in the AFL because he was up against better competition.

 

I still wish they'd play him at SS. He can always move back to 2B, but until he proves he can't play SS, that's where he should be.

[TooLiveBrew]

Maybe both? I certainly don't see how you put Jimmy Nelson in the Top 10 before Fiers.

Fiers has a nice floor as a #5 his ceiling isn't all that much maybe a #4 pitcher if absolutely everything goes correctly.

I don't disagree, hence why I questioned Nelson being on ahead of him.

I still wish they'd play him at SS. He can always move back to 2B, but until he proves he can't play SS, that's where he should be.

I guess I take them not playing him there to say that he can't handle SS. I just assume it's an arm strength issue, since he's so small. I certainly am not down up on Gennett, but I think he profiles more like a Taylor Green or Logan Schafer than a starting-caliber player. I don't think he's a guy that we should hope for big things from.

[gregmag]

Braun did not walk a lot in the minors either, because when you can bat .300 brushing your teeth, it isn't a high priority. Scooter drew walks in the AFL because he was up against better competition.

 

I still wish they'd play him at SS. He can always move back to 2B, but until he proves he can't play SS, that's where he should be.

Wait -- what?!? You love walks! Turncoat.

 

I like Scooter, and I know Brevard is a black hole for statistical projection, but he OBPd .332 there. Hitting .299 is a good thing, but not so good that it takes care of your OBP all by itself. Also, the Braun comparison is way off, given that Braun augments his OBP with big-time power and speed. Gennett ISO'd .106 last year (again, FSL caveats apply; .154 the year before), and he killed his team dead on the basepaths.

 

I like Gennett, and I love your idea of trying him at ss (assuming they haven't already ruled that out based on careful observation). But he hasn't shown either a single standout tool or across-the-board ability. He has a lot to prove next year.

[YoungGeezy]

Quick note/question. If you struggle to handle 2nd, how in the world will you handle SS? When Weeks was really bad at 2nd should we have moved him to SS? When Lawrie couldn't handle 2nd so well should we have moved him to SS. Even Gamel or Braun when they struggled at 3rd, should we have moved them to SS? Just because he is small and played SS in high school (which most 2b, 3b, even many OF's played SS in high school because they are the top athlete and fielder on their own team) doesn't mean they can handle playing it at a higher level. Eric Farris is a sick at 2b but is not all that great at SS. Gennett does not have a rocket arm, and he is not loaded with range. If you watched in in Appleton, you weren't sitting there like wow, this kid needs to be a SS. More likely you are sitting there like wow, this kid need a lot of work if he is even going to handle 2nd base. SS is the second hardest spot on the diamond. You can't just throw him there because he is small and "should" be able to play there. If he stood a chance I highly doubt the Brewers wouldn't gave him ever opportunity to fail there. He just is NOT a SS.

 

When it comes to him as a prospect, I do not think he is overrated nor am I worried about his walks unless he was striking out at a high rate along with the low bb's (not the case). He is 21 and can improve his base running, he is a decent athlete. He will never be a guy stealing like crazy or stretching out hits but he can cut out the mistakes a bit. Defense will continue to improve at 2nd base and hopefully get up to Weeks level (not great but not a complete liability out there) Really when you have that great of a hit tool the other stuff will not worry you as much as long as he gets them to average. He is not the complete package but still a good prospect.

[Kelbysdaddy]

i thought it is interesting that they had hunter morris as the projected 2015 first baseman. i am a huge morris fan, but does he project to be better then gamel @ 1b? i like most of this list but i have a problem jimmy nelson over morris( i'm really not sold on nelson, i saw him pitch a couple times last season and he walked WAY too many guys). i really think they should have moved scooter to ss last season.

[YoungGeezy]

Except Scooter can't even play 2nd, how in world he can he play SS? Just because he is small doesn't mean he can play SS. SS is the second hardest position in baseball behind catcher and everyone wants to move a guy who does not have that the great of an arm, not a ton of range, and that great of of fielder there? Trust me, if he had a hope or prayer of being a SS, Melvin, Ash, Nichols and the rest would have given him an opportunity to fail. I think they realize just as much as us that we lack SS depth but they realize Scooter just plain and simple is not a SS.

 

I think Prince will jump back on the scene this season in AA, then we have Rivera who has Escobar type flash in the field (please god let him stop growing!!!) and real power potential once he fills some major holes in his swing. Arcia will most likely be in the states and will keep getting better. We'll see where McFarland plays (2B,SS,3B, or CF).

[TheCrew07]

I get the whole size thing, but isn't players growing out of the SS role in MLB more a conditioning issue rather than a physical truism for lack of a better term? NBA (well used to be NBA) point guards are typically right around 6' 4" and super athletes, are we really suggesting that an athlete of that caliber cannot play MLB SS? Tulo isn't a freak like some have suggested, he's maintained his flexibility and is incredibly fundamentally sound. Put him and Yuni side by side and you get the picture of how a SS should field the ball, bending his knees to get low to the ground, keeping the ball in front, and a rocket arm. Contrasted by a lazy waist bender who never bends anything but his waist, plays everything off to a side, and who gets by on natural on fielding talent enough to some how hold down a MLB starting SS job.

 

This whole notion of "too big" in baseball drives me nuts because it's a stigma going back forever. Like how lifting weights automatically means your body will tighten up so you'll loose flexibility so our young players are better off playing winter ball instead becoming better athletes. While that may be true of power lifting and body building, it certainly isn't true of athletic weight lifting which is as much about flexibility and explosiveness as it is strength. Historically baseball has been way behind the athletic curve, most of that is probably due to the freakishly high number of games and travel schedule. Athleticism is independent of frame, if you have 2 athletes, all things being equal except one is 6 inches taller, the taller athlete is going to cover more ground because of stride length, and thus if we're talking about SS, he'll have more range.

 

As for Gennett playing SS, I don't see how that's a viable option given he's struggling at 2B. Like Geezy said, if you watched him play at all you thought to yourself "he has major work to do at 2B" not "wow he makes 2B look easy".

[colbyjack]

Don't get too wrapped up by BA's future lineup projection. Keep in mind that several years ago they have Richie Sexson and Prince Fielder in the same lineup (with Sexson in LF IIRC). It's just a way to merge who is currently with the team and who is on the way up.

 

As for Gennett, as already noted he's not a SS. It's one thing to try Eric Farris there, who showed a pretty slick glove at the SS position in college, but just doesn't have the arm strength to stick there long term (that said, the same was said of Marcos Scutaro and David Eckstein). Gennett fits into the Brewers system nicely in that he's a bat first everything else next type of player. And by 'nicely' I just mean he follows a trend we've seen with several Brewers past and present including Gamel, Braun, Fielder, Weeks, Hart, etc.

 

That said, I've always like Gennett's bat. I'm not as concerned about the lack of walks, as he's always shown to have a very good idea of what he's doing at the plate even if he does have a propensity to swing the bat. I'm excited to see what kind of numbers he posts at Huntsville, as he's been somewhat fast-tracked, and at the very worse should profile as a strong utility player at the MLB level.

[sheetskout]

i thought it is interesting that they had hunter morris as the projected 2015 first baseman. i am a huge morris fan, but does he project to be better then gamel @ 1b?

This should be the telling year for Hunter Morris. I know some coaches in the Cape Cod League that simply raved about Morris when he went thru there and I think his moderate-to-good 2011 may look better without the Florida State League's handicap. He tore up double-A in his brief stint last season.

He's one of my favorites this season coming out of the FSL and his stock will rise.