BF.net Fan Community Top 25 Prospects - 2015 Pre-Season Edition

[reillymcshane]

#1 - Orlando Arcia, SS, Biloxi (AA), age 20.

589 pts (18 first place votes) - 24 of 24 ballots

Arcia cemented his top prospect status within the Milwaukee system with a solid performance in the Venezuelan League (showing a little pop with 7 HR in 55 games), and multiple appearances in industry 'Top 100' lists. Last season, Arcia improved in just about every way as a hitter, but if he can add some slugging ability as he matures, he could elevate his game even further.

 

#2 - Tyrone Taylor, CF, Biloxi (AA), age 21.

568 pts (3 first place votes) - 24 of 24 ballots

Rank #93 in Baseball America's Top 100 List, Taylor oozes talent but is still somewhat raw. The atleticism, speed and defense are there. As he moves to AA in 2015, Taylor will be looking to be more patient at the plate and continue developing as a hitter in order to become a more complete player.

 

#3 - Clint Coulter, OF, Brevard County (A+), age 21.

543 pts (2 first place votes) - 24 of 24 ballots

No player in the system shows Coulter's combination of power and patience. He was one of the premier sluggers in the Midwest league last season. In 2015, Coulter moves from behind the dish to RF as he looks to repeat last year's breakout campaign at a higher level. Allowing him to settle into a single position will hopefully let Clint's bat progress more quickly through the system.

 

#4 - Monte Harrison, OF, Wisconsin (A-), age 19.

509 pts - 24 of 24 ballots

Harrison is the most exciting prospect to come along in Milwaukee in years. He flashed tremendous speed and outstanding on base skills last season. The three-sport star now gets to focus solely on baseball for the first time in his life. In 2015, Harrison will be refining his still raw tools. Sooner or later, he will likely start displaying more power.

 

#5 - Gilbert Lara, SS, Arizona (Rookie), age 17.

482 pts (1 first place vote) - 24 of 24 ballots

The 17-year old Lara did not play last year after signing for a record $3.1 million when he was the #5 ranked international prospect by Baseball America. Scouts rave about Lara's power. He reportedly has a big swing, but generates tremendous speed. In 2015, it will be all about integrating the youngster into the life as a baseball player. The Brewers are keeping Lara at SS for the time being, but sooner or later he will likely move to a corner IF or OF position.

 

#6 - Kodi Medeiros, LHP, Wisconsin (A-), age 18.

418 pts - 28 of 29 ballots

The Brewers top pick in 2014 touts a plus fastball and a vicious slider. The key for Medeiros in 2015 is to learn to control his offerings as he gains experience.

 

#7 - Taylor Jungmann - RHP, Colorado Springs (AAA), age 25.

405 pts - 29 of 29 ballots

After a mediocre 2013, Jungmann rebounded nicely last season, improving in just about every phase of the game. A good finish at Nashville improved his stock. This spring, he has reportedly added some velocity. Now it's simply about building on his strong finish and being ready when the call comes to go to the big leagues.

 

#8 - Taylor Williams, RHP, Brevard County (A+), age 23.

385 pts - 23 of 24 ballots

Over the last year, no player in the Brewer system improved in the eyes of scouts and and BF.net voters than Williams. He used his big fastball to dominate at Wisconsin last year, and turned some heads in camp this spring (earning some Craig Kimbrel comparisons). This season, it's all about improving against tougher competition.

 

#9 - Devin Williams, RHP, Wisconsin (A-), age 20.

379 pts - 23 of 24 ballots

There's a lot to like about Williams, who possesses one of the best arms in the Brewer system. He's still maturing physically and his 95 mph fastball could get even better. In 2015, keep an eye on Devin's control. He needs to become a pitcher - not just a thrower. Williams was always a bit of a project, so the club and fans will need to be patient with him.

 

#10 - Tyler Wagner, RHP, Biloxi (AA), age 24.

327 pts - 24 of 24 ballots

A 1.86 ERA last season at Brevard County raised eyebrows - and expecations for 2015. Wagner attacks hitters with a nice array of pitches, although he doesn't have any one pitch stands out. A closer in college, Wagner has improved every year as a pro. In 2015, watch for how Wagner's offerings translate against more advanced hitting.

 

#11 - Wei-Chung Wang, LHP, Brevard County (A+), age 22.

323 points - 21 of 24 ballots

After a predicatably rough ride in the majors last season, Rule 5 pick up Wang finished strong in the low minors with a 2.33 ERA over 27 IP (he only walked 4 batters). He then had a nice showing in the Arizona Fall League, walking only 2 batters in 23 innings and posting a 2.74 ERA. The Brewers, and BF.net voters, like the upside that the left hander possesses. Wang doesn't strike out a ton of batters, but he's shown impeccable control in his (brief) minor league career. In 2015, it's about staying healthy and taking the ball on a regular basis.

 

#12 - Corey Knebel, RHP, Colorado Springs (AAA), age 23.

306 points - 21 of 24 ballots

Drafted in the 1st round in 2013, Knebel (acquired in the Gallardo trade with Texas) is a closer in waiting. He sports a big arm, and has dominated minor league hitters since being drafted. For 2015, Knebel will be looking at staying healthy (he was shut down late last year with an elbow injury), and being ready when the big league club needs him.

 

#13 - Jacob Gatewood, SS, Wisconsin (A-), age 19.

301 pts (22 of 24 ballots)

Gatewood possessed some of the best raw power of any player coming out of high school in 2014. He struggled to hit in his debut last year, striking out 71 times in 204 ABs, but the power potential is huge. The tall, lanky SS added 30 pounds in the off season. In 2015, he'll look to control his long swing to cut down on the high strikeout rate and become a more complete player. Like fellow prospect Gilbert Lara, the Brewers are keeping Gatewood at SS for the time being, but expect a position change in the future.

 

#14 - Jorge Lopez, RHP, Biloxi (AA), age 22.

290 pts - 22 of 24 ballots

Lopez's performance dipped at the end of 2014 (perhaps because of his young son's serious illness), driving down his statistics and rankings. But the tall right hander rebounded with an excellent performance in Winter ball (Puerto Rico), producing a 1.73 ERA in six starts. For 2015, consistency is probably the thing that Lopez is looking to achieve as he brings his game to AA.

 

#15 - Marcos Diplan, RHP, Arizona or Helena (rookie), age 18.

177 points - 18 of 24 ballots

Acquired from Texax in the Gallardo trade, Diplan was one of the top international pitching prospects in 2013. Although not a big guy, Diplan reportedly flashes a good fastball and an emerging slider and changeup. With his youth, 2015 is about getting Diplan to refine his offerings and improve his control.

 

#16 - Tyler Cravy, RHP, Colorado Springs (AAA), Age 25

176 pts - 20 of 24 ballots

Cravy was one of the organization's best stories in 2014, dominating AA hitters to the tune of a 1.72 ERA. Injuries however, derailed his second half of his season. 2015 is about staying healthy and translating his success to the next level. Cravy won't blow anyone away, but a successful year could position him for a spot with the big league club in 2016.

 

#17 David Denson, 1B, Wisconsin (A-), Age 20.

171 pts - 19 of 24 ballots

3TO lives. Denson is a prototype big-bodied slugger who sports power, patience and a high strikeout rate. In 2015, the key is health, as Denson spent over half of 2014 on the DL - and never really got into a groove once he returned. He'll also need to work on the 30%+ strikeout rate.

 

#18 - Jason Rogers, 1B/3B, Colorado Springs (AAA), age 27.

167 pts - 18 of 24 ballots

Rogers is one the system's most consistent hitters, producing a .287 BA and an .824 OPS over his career. He doesn't have any skill that makes him stand out, but he does a lot of things well. In 2015, Rogers simply needs to go back to AAA and be ready to contribute once he gets the chance (which will likely arrive at some point). Improving his game at 3B and OF will help his chances of sticking in Milwaukee in a utility role.

 

#19 - Jed Bradley, LHP, Colorado Springs (AAA), age 24.

142 pts - 20 of 24 ballots

In 2014, Bradley floundered in AA after a very good start at Brevard County. This year, watch for how Bradley handles right handed pitching. His inability to get out right handers has bedeviled him, and now that he's in the upper minors, he's going to have to figure them out. If not, he may be destined to be a LOOGY in the majors - but that's not what was expected of him when the Crew picked him in the first round in 2011.

 

Note: The Brewers have moved Bradley to relieving for 2015.

 

#20 - Michael Reed, OF, Biloxi (AA), age 22.

132 pts - 16 of 24 ballots

No player in the system gets on base like Reed (as his 17%+ BB rate attests to). Reed's on base skills and speed make him intriguing. What is lacking is any semblance of power. Reed looked great in 2014 until an injury in May. He returned, but his numbers dropped across the board making one suspect he was never fully healthy. 2015 is about staying on the field, maturing and developing more power. Reed needs to hit more than a handful of HRs to be a regular because he profiles as a corner OF.

 

#21 - Yadiel Rivera, SS, Biloxi (AA), age 22.

116 points - 17 of 24 ballots

Right now, Rivera fits the classic 'backup infielder' profile. He plays good defense, is a marginal hitter, doesn't walk much, and has minimal power. In 2015, he would would benefit by becoming more disciplined at the plate. It's a step he needs to make if he's going to a regular at the big league level as opposed to a utility player.

 

#22 - Kyle Wren, OF, Biloxi (AA), age 23.

103 points - 12 of 24 ballots

Wren was acquired in the off season from Atlanta (who fired his father, GM Frank Wren). Wren showed an advanced hitting approach as he moved quickly through the minors, reaching AA in 2014. He shows a good glove, excellent speed (46 SBs last season), good patience and hits for a high average. However, don't expect any power from the young man as he didn't hit any HRs last year on almost 500 ABs. In 2015, Wren needs to just keep hitting. His lack of pop is likely going limit him to a reserve role, but he has other tools that can translate into a major league career.

 

#23 - Victor Roache, OF, Brevard County (A+), age 23.

96 points - 13 of 24 ballots

The most disappointing player in the system last year still possesses one of the most powerful bats. 2015 may be Roache's make-it-or-break-it year. He'll likely move out of the pitcher-friendly FSL, but he'll need to improve in just about every phase of the game to regain his star. The tantalizing, raw power is there, it's up to Roache to harness it.

 

Note: In a bit of a surprising move, the Brewers sent Roache back Brevard County to start the season.

 

#24 - Brandon Diaz, OF, Wisconsin (A+), age 19.

94 pts - 11 of 24 ballots

A hot first half of the season warmed BF.net readers to Diaz, but a late season slump brought the youngster back to earth. Diaz shows a nice set tools, including speed, patience and a little pop. In 2015, it's about producing consistently for the entire season as he moves to full season ball.

 

#25 - David Goforth, RHP, Colorado Springs (AAA), age 26.

85 pts - 15 of 24 ballots

Goforth is a former starter who converted to relieving full time last season. He responded to his new role with 27 saves at Huntsville. He has great tools and profiles as a power reliever. In 2015, the key for Goforth is refining his command.

 

The Rest

 

Miguel Diaz - 82 pts

Joantgel Segovia - 63 pts

Chris McFarland - 53 pts

Hobbs Johnson - 44 pts

Sthervin Matos - 33 pts

Matt Clark - 26 pts

Nicholas Pierre - 24 pts

Tucker Neuhaus - 20 pts

Micheal Rattertree - 18 pts

Nick Ramirez - 16 pts

Michael Strong - 15 pts

Greg McCall - 13 pts

Dustin Demuth - 10 pts

Gian Rizzo - 10 pts

Jarret Martin - 9 pts

Damien Magnifico - 9 pts

Joan De La Cruz - 9 pts

Mark Williams - 7 pts

Brent Suter - 7 pts

Taylor Smith-Brennan - 7 pts

Johnny Hellweg - 6 pts

D' Vontrey Richardson - 5 pts (released by Milwaukee)

Troy Stokes - 4 pts

Matt Long - 4 pts

Drew Gagnon - 3 pts

Juan Ortiz - 3 pts

Michael Blazek - 3 pts (made big league club out of spring training)

Ariel Pena - 2 pts

Gregory Munoz - 2 pts

Joshua Torres - 2 pts

Adam Weisenberger - 2 pts

Brooks Hall - 2 pts

Cameron Garfield - 1 pts

Hector Gomez - 1 pts (made big league club out of spring training)

Angel Ortega - 1 pts

 

Here's the original voting thread: viewtopic.php?f=64&t=32421

[reillymcshane]

The 2015 Pre-Season BF.net Community Top 25 is complete. Thanks to everyone for participating. We had 24 ballots.

 

Orlando Arcia solidified himself as the top prospect in the system, capturing 20 of the 24 first place votes. What's notable is the influx of newcomers since we did the first Community Top 20 last May. Since then, we've added eight of our top 25 players, while graduating only one player (Nelson) and trading one (Haniger).

 

Newcomers: Kyle Wren, Corey Knebel, Yadier Rivera, Marcos Diplan

Exited the Top 25: Hunter Morris, Chris McFarland, Ariel Pena, Sthervin Matos

Number of ballots: 24

Number of players on ballots: 60

Mr. Irrelevants (1 point): Cameron Garfield, Hector Gomez and Angel Ortega

Biggest Jump: Wang went up nine slots, from #20 to #11. Since we did the first Top 20 list last May, Taylor Williams has had the biggest rise - going from #25 to #8.

Biggest Fall: Hunter Morris went from #25 to not receiving a single vote

Players with the best chance to graduate off the top 25 in 2015: Jungmann, Knebel, Rogers

 

We don't know the official destination for most of the players, but I've made educated guesses for them all. I will update each player's team as he is assigned.

 

If you see any mistakes, please let me know. I will update as needed.

 

We'll plan on doing a new top 25 mid-season.

[bork]

For comparison, here is the top 20 using a weighted average of 13 top prospect lists that I could find online (that were updated for this year):

1 Tyrone Taylor

2 Orlando Arcia

3 Devin Williams

4 Monte Harrison

5 Clint Coulter

6 Kodi Medeiros

7 Gilbert Lara

8 Jorge Lopez

9 Tyler Wagner

10 Taylor Jungmann

11 Taylor Williams

12 Victor Roache

13 Jake Gatewood

14 Wei-Chung Wang

15 Corey Knebel

16 Hunter Morris

17 David Goforth

18 Miguel Diaz

19 Kyle Wren

20 Jason Rogers

[SRB]

Great work, thank you!!

[Outlander]

Thanks Reilly for compiling the information and for the great write ups on each prospect. The one after the draft should be difficult with limited graduates and lots of deserving players.

[reillymcshane]

The one after the draft should be difficult with limited graduates and lots of deserving players.

We could easily have no graduates from the top 25 by mid-season. Jungmann, Knebel and Rogers are the most likely guys to get the call, but if we avoid injuries and players doing poorly, that might not happen for a bit.

[Mass Haas]

Thanks to Brad Krause for pointing out this free Baseball Prospectus article with scouting reports on several Brewer prospects --

 

Notes from the Field

Seven Days and 32 Prospects in the Desert

by Al Skorupa

[reillymcshane]

I will update the club each player is assigned to as it's announced. I'll also make notes as well, such as major injuries or events (such as Jed Bradley getting shifted to relieving).

[reillymcshane]

Thanks to Brad Krause for pointing out this free Baseball Prospectus article with scouting reports on several Brewer prospects --

 

Notes from the Field

Seven Days and 32 Prospects in the Desert

by Al Skorupa

This was a great read - detail that you just don't normally get.

[brewcrewdue80]

Nice read Mass. We got Kodi Medeiros who I'm still thrilled about, I was campaigning for this guy:

Luis Ortiz, RHP, Texas Rangers

One way to get my attention in a minor-league game is to show me plus stuff and velo. Another way is to perform against a big leaguer. Ortiz did both these things two minutes into my first view of him. Ortiz struck out Carl Crawford swinging in a four-pitch at-bat where Crawford looked badly overmatched. Ortiz worked 91-95 with his fastball before falling off a bit later. It’s a plus fastball that misses bats with late run and sinking action. The slider flashed double plus at 83-85 and Ortiz showed tremendous feel for and confidence in the pitch. Ortiz used the slider as a chase, threw it for strikes and dropped it in backdoor. He didn’t go to his changeup much, but it shows promise as a third at-least-average offering. The mechanics are a little clunky with a backstab and a full turn where he shows the batter his numbers. As long as Ortiz stays healthy and on top of his weight the potential is here for an above-average starting pitcher. As an amateur, feels good that I called him a King Felix mold and it's looking right as days go by. Also:

 

In the Comments someone(likely from here) asked about Tyrone Taylor. The reply

In terms of other Brewers guys, our guys liked Gatewood a lot... but the buzz around Spring and with execs I talked to was that Monte Harrison looks like an absolute stud.

 

Kodi+Monte studs and a likeable Gatewood? Did Milw hit a grand slam in the last draft?

[reillymcshane]

 

Kodi+Monte studs and a likeable Gatewood? Did Milw hit a grand slam in the last draft?

You gotta hope we can have some big hits on guys like this. Other than Lucroy, Milwaukee hasn't developed an all-star type player for about a decade. I hope the club continues to be aggressive in the draft (and international arena). We need to keep getting guys with big upside. Sure there's a risk, but the payoff is a franchise player.

[MrTPlush]

Are we going to do a mid season list too?

[reillymcshane]

Are we going to do a mid season list too?

Yep. I was going to post something in the next day or two. I think we'll see a lot of movement in the next edition.

[BrewersAA]

Im ready to do a list! BA just came out with their midseason top 50 and Orlando Arcia was the number 8 prospect in all of baseball!!! thinking its a safe bet he'll be number 1 on this list.

 

"Arcia has hit and everyone loves the glove. He’s the best player in the Southern League as a 20-year-old"

[reillymcshane]

Im ready to do a list! BA just came out with their midseason top 50 and Orlando Arcia was the number 8 prospect in all of baseball!!! thinking its a safe bet he'll be number 1 on this list.

 

"Arcia has hit and everyone loves the glove. He’s the best player in the Southern League as a 20-year-old"

Ask and ye shall receive.

 

I was going to post in a day or two, but figured I'd get things going after a couple of requests.

[Mr Southpaw]

I am ready to go!