This list will be updated on a roughly bi-weekly basis to account for changes based on player performance, injuries, and loss/gain of playing opportunity.
Also, as players on the list lose their rookie eligibility, surpass 130 AB or 50 IP in the majors, they will 'graduate' from the list.
Here's the update for mid-April - all stats are through April 15th:
Top 25 AL Prospects for 2008 and 20091. (-) Evan Longoria, 3B, TB
AAA Durham: 5-for-25 / TB: 4-for-12, 2B(1), HR(1), 4 r, 2 rbi, 4 bb , 3 K
2. (
+2) Daric Barton, 1B, OAK
OAK: .222 BA / .683 OPS - 2B(3), 3B(1), 9 r, 4 rbi, 13 bb, 17 K in 54 AB
3. (
+2) Clay Buchholz, RHP, BOS
BOS: 11 ip, 10 h, 5 r (4 er), 5 bb, 10 K - 3.27 ERA / 1.36 WHIP / .233 BAA
4. (
+2) Joba Chamberlain, RHP, NYY
NYY: 5.1 ip, 3 h, 0 er, 1 bb, 6 K - 0.00 ERA / 0.75 WHIP / .149 BAA
5. (
+2) Jeff Clement, C, SEA
AAA Tacoma: .419 BA / 1.221 OPS - 2B(4), HR(3), 8 r, 11 rbi, 7 bb, 6 K in 43 AB
6. (
+2) Carlos Gonzalez, OF, OAK
AAA Sacramento: .286 BA / .838 OPS - 2B(2), HR(2), 7 r, 4 rbi, 5 bb, 9 K in 42 AB
7. (
+3) Brandon Wood, 3B/SS, LAA
AAA Salt Lake: .255 BA / 1.056 OPS - 2B(2), HR(6), 11 r, 9 rbi, 4 bb, 20 K in 51 AB
The big plus for Wood's value is the fact that he's back to playing SS full-time for Salt Lake, indicating that the Angel's plans to move him to 3B are likely off, at least for the near future. This makes sense given that Chone Figgins has moved to 3B with the signing of Torii Hunter. The biggest concern at this point is Wood's spiking K-Rate, which is a horrid .392. For 2007, his AAA K-Rate was .275, which is bad enough. Still if he keeps hitting homers at a clip of one every 8.5 at-bats, the Angel's brass is likely to overlook the whiffs a bit.
8. (
+4) Gio Gonzalez, LHP, OAK
AAA Sacramento: 8 ip, 5 h, 2 er, 4 bb, 9 K - 2.25 ERA / 1.13 WHIP / .192 BAA
9. (-) Ian Kennedy, RHP, NYY
NYY: 11.1 ip, 14 h, 11 er, 8 bb, 9 k - 8.74 ERA / 1.94 WHIP / .304 BAA
Not a great start to the season for Kennedy, but he was clocked as high as 94 mph in his most recent outing - helping put to rest the rumors of a possible injury. Still, if he doesn't straighten out quickly he's going to find himself pitching in the ballpark close to the Dunder-Mifflin Scranton branch.
10. (
+4) Nick Blackburn, RHP, MIN
MIN: 17.2 ip, 20 h, 7 er, 3 bb, 11 K - 3.57 ERA / 1.302 WHIP
11. (-) David Price, LHP, TB
Extended Spring Training, likely headed to High-A Vero Beach very soon.
Price is recovering from some 'minor elbow discomfort' that occurred on March 20th. The elbow is not thought to be a big concern and the Rays are understandably taking the cautious approach with Price. He's been on a throwing program at extended spring training and should be making his first appearance of the season with High-A Vero Beach within the next week to 10 days.
12. (
+3) Luke Hochevar, RHP, KC
AAA Omaha: 17.1 ip, 11 h, 7 r (5 er), 6 bb, 12 K - 2.60 ERA / 0.98 WHIP
13. (-) Adam Miller, RHP, CLE
Extended Spring Training, likely headed to Triple-A Buffalo shortly.
Miller suffered blister issues at the very start of spring training and has been way behind in his preparation. He's thought to finally be past the problem and should make his first appearance with Triple-A Buffalo before the end of April.
14. (
+5) Matt Wieters, C, BAL
High-A Frederick: .500 BA / 1.545 OPS - 2B(1), HR(3), 8 r, 8 rbi, 10bb, 3 k in 24 AB
If Wieters keeps this up he'll be promoted to Double-A by mid-May.
15. (
+1) Wladimir Balentien, OF, SEA
AAA Tacoma: .289 BA / 1.015 OPS - 2B(4), HR(3), 8 r, 14 rbi, 6 bb, 8 K in 38 AB
16. (
+5) Nick Adenhart, RHP, LAA
AAA Salt Lake: 17 ip, 11 h, 3 er, 9 bb, 9 K - 1.59 ERA / 1.18 WHIP / .190 BAA
17. (
+5) Jake McGee LHP, TB
Double-A Montgomery: 13 ip, 7 h, 5 r (4 er), 7 bb, 16 K - 2.77 ERA / 1.08 WHIP / .156 BAA
18. (
+2) Travis Snider, OF, TOR
High-A Dunedin: .283 BA / .892 OPS - 2B(4), HR(3), 11 r, 5 rbi, 3 b, 18K in 46 AB
The K-Rate (.391) is the biggest concern right now with Snider's development. Until he gets that down at least 100 points he's not going anywhere.
19. (
-2) Radhames Liz, RHP, BAL
Triple-A Norfolk: 9.2 ip, 13 h, 10 r (8 er), 3 bb, 9 K - 7.45 ERA / 1.66 WHIP / .333 BAA
Not a good start, but it's only 9.2 innings. Two more weeks of results like this and he'll drop off the list.
20. (
-2) Reid Brignac, SS, TB
Triple-A Durham: .205 BA / .755 OPS - 2B(3), 3B(1), HR(2), 6 bb, 8 K in 44 AB
21. (
+4) Brett Gardner, OF, NYY
Triple-A Scranton-WB: .333 BA / 1.027 OPS - 2B(1), 3B(4), HR(1), 10 r, 8 rbi, 3 SB, 4 bb, 8 K in 39 AB
22. (
+2) Aaron Laffey, LHP, CLE
Triple-A Buffalo: 18 ip, 20 h, 9 r (8 er), 4 h, 13 K - 4.00 ERA / 1.33 WHIP / .274 BAA
23. (-) Jed Lowrie, SS, BOS
Triple-A Pawtucket: 4-for-25, 2B, 3B, 7 bb, 8 K
BOS: 1-for-4, 3 rbi, 2 K, started at 3B in his big league debut
The short-term promotion to Boston will be good for Lowrie to give him a taste of the bigs, but he needs to get back to Pawtucket quickly to continue his development.
24. (NR) David Purcey, LHP, TOR
Triple-A Syracuse: 19 ip, 12 h, 5 r (4 er), 6 bb, 21 K - 1.89 ERA / 0.95 WHIP / .182 BAA
25. (NR) Chris Davis, 3B, TEX
Double-A Frisco: .333 BA / 1.011 OPS - 2B(4), HR(2), 7 r, 8 rbi, 4 bb, 9 K in 36 AB
GRADUATED FROM THE LIST:Carlos Gomez, OF, MIN (Highest Rank #2)
MIN: .246 BA / .631 OPS - 2B(5), 3B(1), 8 r, 4 rbi, 7-for-8 on steal attempts, 2 bb, 16 K in 61 AB
Jacoby Ellsbury, OF, BOS (Highest Rank #3)
BOS: .280 BA / .824 OPS - HR(1), 8 r, 5 rbi, 2 SB, 7 bb, 3 K in 25 AB
MID-APRIL UPDATE: Top 25 NL Prospects for 2008 and 2009
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