The Player: Kris Bryant (3B/OF, San Diego) – Turned down the Blue Jays as an 18th round pick in 2010, attending San Diego and posting a .365/.482/.599 line with nine home runs as a freshman. Showed well again as a sophomore with a .366/.483/.671 line with 17 doubles and 14 home runs. Mechanical changes and general polish have led to an explosive junior season that currently stands with a .338/.496/.876 line, 12 doubles, 30 home runs, and more walks than strikeouts.

Basis of Report: Compilation – Industry Contacts

Scouting Report
Body (6-5, 220): Muscular, strong frame. Physically imposing. Looks the part of a slugger when he walks off the bus. Physically mature and not much left to do here. Could see some additional strength with a pro workout/conditioning routine, but wouldn’t expect significant changes.
Hit: Hit utility has improved dramatically with altered stance/mechanics. Wider base allows for improved balance and reduced movement with his head. Quick trigger gets the bat started in a hurry and he has the hand-eye coordination to get the barrel of the bat to the ball on time and with the proper plane. Shows good lift in swing without stretching to uppercut. Generates hard line drives to all fields. Swing can get a little long, leading to some miss in the offensive game, but nothing that will prevent him from tapping power and hitting enough to be a high-end player. Approach is solid and shows aptitude for adjusting to improved pitching. Should make adjustments at pro level and continue to hit at an average level with a chance for more than that if it all clicks. Grade – 40/50+
Power: Enormous raw. Can drive the ball out to all fields. Legit plus-plus power to pull side and easy plus power to opposite field. Oppo power continues to grow with more experience and trust of hands/swing mechanics. Good approach at the plate and is willing to wait for pitches. Can light up FB, even high velocity. Struggles at times with driving spin but is making strides. Plus-plus raw should translate to games at highest level. Potential 35+ homer middle-of-the-order masher. Grade (raw power) – 70/70
Arm: Above-average arm at both 3B and in RF. Release is long and delayed as infielder. Natural arm action works better in OF and he may gain a tick with focus on mechanics and release in OF. Easy above-average grades and could see slight uptick after more pro experience. Grade – 50/50+
Fielding: Lacks lateral quickness at 3B. Has decent hands and fields the balls within a step or two cleanly and consistently. Footwork has improved but still grades below-average. Long release on many throws and struggles with throws on the move. Fringy defender that is unlikely to stick on the dirt in pro ball. Shows solid instincts in RF and could stick there. Runs average once underway and has the range for the outfield corners. Arm plays in RF. Potential above-average defender in OF; likely destination as a professional. Grade – 50/50+ (as OF)
Speed: Shows fringe-average times down the line but shows better running ability once underway and speed plays decently in OF. Physically mature and likely to maintain speed through early part of career. Not a significant part of his overall game. Grade – 50/50

Summation: College has been very good for Bryant as he has polished his game significantly and will be able to move very quickly through a professional system. Will have to adjust to higher grade pitching at professional level so hit tool can play, but should get there quickly and all tools should play. Doesn’t get talked about as a five-tool player, but projects for all five tools at average level or above, including one near elite tool with power. Hitting ability projects pretty well to average level with good bat speed, an ability to adjust, a solid approach and a level of intelligence that suggests continued improvements can be made. Power is exceptional and could make him a star-level player. Defensive profile fits best in right field with solid range, good instincts and an above-average arm. A team that tries him at 3B could delay his path through the minor leagues as he polishes the rough edges, and even then he may not show better than fringe-average defense at the hot corner. Potential role 6 player with All-Star potential and middle-of-the-order thump.

Relative Risk: Moderate. Polished player that needs very little development to make an impact in pro ball.

Draft Projection: Top college bat in the draft and arguably the top power bat in the draft, with Clint Frazier as the only other contender. Home run barrage this spring has elevated draft stock and the rarity of his power profile should push him into the top five picks in the draft. Could enter the discussion at 1-2 and 1-3.

The Player: Kohl Stewart (RHP, St. Pius X High School) – One of the elite quarterback recruits in the country, Stewart has committed to play baseball and football at Texas A&M. Through April 22, Stewart had not allowed a run in 22 innings, allowing just seven hits and striking out 28 batters. He is also hitting .380 with ten home runs and 30 RBI.

Basis of Report: Compilation – Industry Contacts

Scouting Report
Body (6-3, 195): Long and lean. Highly athletic. Good strength with room for more. Very projectable. Plus-plus body that is mature but still offers physical projection. Ideal pitcher’s frame.
Delivery/Mechanics: Lacks consistency. Landing foot location varies with every pitch, often coming up a little short and varying from side to side. Lower half gets a little quick when descending from the balance point, forcing arm to catch up. Has electric arm speed and can catch up but would be well served to get things in sync. Needs repetition. Very raw mechanically but athletic enough to improve and gain consistency.
Fastball (FB) Velocity (Wind-up): High – 88, Low – 97, Average 92-93, Grade – 60/60
Fastball (FB) Velocity (Stretch): High – 88, Low 96, Average 92-93, Grade – 60/60
Fastball (FB) Movement: Doesn’t blow you away with movement. Jumps out of his hand and appears to get on hitters quickly. Has some arm-side life at times. No visible sink/cut at this time. Doesn’t get squared up against amateur competition. Average movement. Grade – 50/50
Overall Fastball: Good present velo and can reach plus-plus registers when he needs to or in short bursts. Despite remaining physical projection, not a ton of FB projection in the tank. May get more consistent at 92-93 mph and eliminate 88-89 readings from his arsenal. Not great movement but enough to keep him off the barrel. Some potential for velo spike with baseball focus but I’m not willing to project that at this time. Good quality pitch that should flash a half-tick better than plus at his peak. Grade – 60/60
Slider (SL): Best and most consistent pitch at present. Really snaps it off well, generating tight spin and good deception. Throws it from similar arm slot as FB, aiding disguise. Good bite and tilt to the pitch. Consistent plus grades with more projection than FB because the deception could increase as he gains consistency with his arm slot/release point. Grade – 60/70
Change-up (CH): Poor pitch. Has not needed it in high school and needs considerable work. Shows occasional feel but generally lacks trust and overthrows CH. Well below-average and in need of multiple grade jumps. Average projection is difficult given current crudeness. Grade – 30/40
Control: Much more of a thrower than a pitcher. Struggles to make in-game adjustments, largely due to lack of experience. Mechanics have inconsistencies, resulting in well below-average control. Misses high and to the glove side frequently because of a failure to follow through. Will overcorrect and pull the ball down and to the glove side. Can get back on track throwing strikes by throwing SL at times. Has control projection because of athleticism and general athletic aptitude. Should get there quickly with focus on baseball and while multiple grade jumps are aggressive, reason for optimism is strong. Grade – 30/60
Command: No ability to command FB or secondary pitches at present. Needs considerable work on delivery and overall control before command is even addressed. Has athleticism to project for command down the line. Could take 2-3 years of pro instruction before command begins to enter the picture. Average command is relatively safe projection but truly could go anywhere from here. Grade – 20/50

Summation: Really intriguing arm. Natural athletic gifts evident with multi-sport scholarship opportunities at Texas A&M. Needs baseball focus if he is to approach ceiling. Intense competitor with excellent makeup. Present plus velocity and occasionally shows projection for more velocity. Already has good strength so additional velocity would come from improved mechanical consistency and additional arm strength from a more focused professional throwing program. SL has outstanding potential; bat missing pitch. CH is very crude and needs considerable work as a pro. Has the arm speed to provide deception if he can trust CH and gain feel for the pitch. Thrower that needs to learn how to pitch and control his arsenal. Command projection is way out in the future but athleticism gives hope. Raw ingredients to become a number two or three starter if everything clicks. Huge risk associated with him because he is so raw and there are unknowns with the developmental path once he focuses on baseball. Boom or bust type.

Relative Risk: High. Very raw. Needs considerable innings and focus on baseball for raw tools to begin translating. Could be a slow developmental path.

Draft Projection: Arguably the top prep pitcher in this year’s class. Has quality present stuff and projection both physically and within deficient parts of his game. The minor shoulder injury he suffered during football season may cause some teams to pause as the draft approaches, but he should still go off the board anywhere in the 5-15 range.

The Player: Clint Frazier (OF, Loganville High School) – Hit .424 with 24 home runs, 55 runs scored, 58 RBI, 14 steals and 31 walks as a junior in 2012. Broke Brandon Moss’ single season school record for RBI and home runs and also set the school mark for runs scored. Already owns the career home run mark at Loganville and has almost doubled Moss’ previous school best. As of April 8th, Frazier was hitting .561 with 11 home runs so far this season.

Basis of Report: Compilation – Industry Contacts

Scouting Report
Body (6-1, 190): Nearly physically mature but still has some physical projection remaining. Lean and strong. Well built; ripped. Very athletic. Fast twitch guy. Tremendous body and athleticism.
Hit: Elite bat speed. Exaggerated weight shift onto the back leg as part of trigger. High hands that shift back during load. Exceptional bat speed overcomes quirks in setup and attack. Makes up for minor mistakes early in process. Bat speed allows for late decisions but mind is often made up. Likes to swing early and often. Attacking approach. Needs to develop better concept of the strike zone to find pitches he can attack. Plate coverage is not ideal but crushes what he can get to. Lack of coverage and aggressive approach will lead to plenty of swing and miss but ultimately it won’t hinder his game. Raw hitter that needs to use the opposite field better. Very pull conscious now. Would be exploited by advanced pitchers and better breaking balls right now and may need multi-grade jump to reach average hit projection. I’m light on present ability to hit but optimistic about future potential. Grade – 30/50
Power: Best raw power in the draft. Elite bat speed and impressive natural strength lead to mammoth shots. Shows off in BP and can already translate to games against inferior pitching. 80 raw to pull side. Has strength and bat speed to show similar raw to opposite field but doesn’t trust hands and tries to pull stuff he should drive the other way. Raw plays down slightly as a result right now. Extremely consistent getting to the zone and can barrel pitches in the upper 2/3 of the strike zone. Lacks ability to go down and get it and drive it. Has good leverage at contact, hitting off a staunch front leg. Lift in the second half of the swing helps him drive it out of the park. Huge raw power that could translate to 40+ home runs at peak. Hit tool should be good enough for 80-raw to come out in games down the line. Grade (raw power) – 70/80
Arm: Good raw arm strength from outfield. Uses momentum well to get a little extra on throws. Doesn’t always follow through in OF and some throws can sail on him. When he finishes the throw, they are low and on a line with good velocity and carry. Easy plus arm that will support any outfield position. Grade – 60/60
Fielding: New to OF. Previously played SS and 3B. Not an instinctual OF defender. Reads and initial jump can be slightly delayed. Routes are typically good but he will get caught on hard hit balls to the gap and some hard ones right at him can give him trouble as well. Seems to be learning quickly. May not have the chops for CF long term but it is worth a shot. Fits in RF very well because of arm strength and athleticism. Should be average defender at least. Grade could jump with more repetition and pro instruction. Grade – 40/50
Speed: Shows 70-grade 60-yard times and 65/70 home to first times pretty consistently. High effort runner that gets after it on every play. Physical maturity will lead to some loss of speed but he will still be a plus runner. Should be an asset on the bases once he adjusts to pro game. Grade – 70/60

Summation: Twitchy athlete with good present strength and some physical projection remaining. Exceptional power prospect. Absolutely elite bat speed and top-of-the-scale raw power. Hit tool has to develop, including plate coverage, pitch recognition and approach but has the elite bat speed to cover some weaknesses in the overall hitting approach. Potential average hit that should allow 80 raw to play in games. .270-.280 hitter with 40+ home runs at peak. Athletic enough and runs well enough for CF assignment but instincts are not there yet (new to the position). May not get there and may fit better in RF where plus speed will play just as well. Ultra-aggressive player with high energy and good makeup. Potential star-level player with power as the standout tool.

Relative Risk: High. Aggressive hitting approach has to be developed against more advanced pitching.

Draft Projection: Arguably the top player available in the draft. Easily the top position player for me. Monster power potential will keep him atop draft boards even with questions about how the hit tool develops and whether he stays up the middle. Excellent talent that is too much to pass up in the top two or three picks.

The Player: Jonathan Gray (RHP, University of Oklahoma) – Started his college career at Eastern Oklahoma State College before transferring to Oklahoma as a sophomore. Posted a 3.16 ERA in 18 starts for the Sooners in 2012, including 104 strikeouts in 102.2 innings pitched. Through ten starts this year has posted a spectacular 1.09 ERA and 7-1 record. In 74.1 innings so far, he has allowed only 40 hits and 13 walks while strikeout out 91 batters.

Basis of Report: Compilation – Industry Contacts

Scouting Report
Body (6-4, 240): Big, physical guy. Not well-conditioned but has good strength and plenty of mass to use for momentum. Fringy athlete. Always likely to be a burly guy more than a chiseled physical specimen.
Delivery/Mechanics: Pretty smooth with good arm action and an easy release. Ball jumps out of his hand. Stabs a bit on the back side but it doesn’t hinder the arm stroke or the timing of the rest of the delivery. Gets to his balance point consistently and explodes to the plate from there. Very quick arm. Some effort toward the finish with a hard fall to first base. Won’t field.
Fastball (FB) Velocity (Wind-up): High – 99, Low – 93, Average 94-95, Grade – 70/70
Fastball (FB) Velocity (Stretch): High – 98, Low 94, Average 94-95, Grade – 70/70
Fastball (FB) Movement: Late life. Ball jumps out of the hand and explodes on hitters. Has more movement in lower velo registers. Flattens out at elite velocity. Very difficult to square. Can bore in on RHH consistently. Easy plus movement when he doesn’t overthrow. Grade – 60/60
Overall Fastball: Outstanding pitch. True dominator. Velo sits in plus-plus range every time out, can touch elite range when he needs a little more and could sit in elite range in shorter bursts. Holds velo well thanks to strength. Overwhelming combination of velo and movement at its best. Grade – 70/70
Slider (SL): Shows short, sharp break with depth and minimal horizontal movement. Thrown hard in the 84-87 mph range. Pitch comes out looking like FB and then darts down as it approaches the hitting zone. Can be dominating out pitch when on. Needs consistency with pitch but has tremendous potential. Typically throws it for strikes and needs to learn to throw it out of the zone as a chase pitch. Plus-plus potential with tweaks. Grade – 60/70
Change-up (CH): Will throw occasional CH with some intrigue. Has some arm-side wiggle when he really lets it go and turns it over. Well below-average overall and needs considerable development to be useable against professional hitters. Shows willingness to throw it and work to develop pitch. Could be average long term but needs multiple grade jump to get there. Average future is lofty for me right now; needs to show improved feel as a pro. Grade – 30/40
Control: More of a thrower than pitcher but repeats delivery and arm slot well enough to consistently find the strike zone. FB is consistently thrown for strikes, as is SL. CH can be hit or miss but has improved control of the pitch this spring. Overall average strike thrower with potential for more as he continues polishing his game and gains additional feel. Grade – 50/60
Command: Even with a relatively clean delivery, I don’t see the command profile. Lacks athleticism and if the body gets away from him a bit, the command will regress rather than improve. Below-average at present. Has tendency to miss up with FB and to the arm side with CH. Doesn’t show ability to move FB in and out, up and down at will. With overwhelming stuff, below-average command may suffice for him to remain in a rotation. Benefit of the doubt given dramatic improvements this year and can see hints of average command long term. Grade – 40/50

Summation: Huge ceiling Very physical guy with ability to hold velocity and potential to devour innings at the professional level. FB sits plus-plus and consistently reaches elite range when he reaches back for it. Throws strikes but doesn’t locate FB. Can dominate weaker hitters with FB alone, thanks to velocity and movement. SL could be second plus-plus pitch. Really impressive when he has it working. Can miss bats with darting action down in the zone. FB-SL combo is potentially lethal with refinement. CH is well behind other two pitches but shows some flashes of potential with decent arm speed and some wiggle. Command and control will be a question. Lacks the stereotypical indicators of future command, making confident projection a difficult task. Has all the raw ingredients to become a front-of-the-rotation monster but with a limited track record and some grade jumps required at the bottom of the profile, I’m hesitant to get too aggressive with his projection.

Relative Risk: High. High level success is still relatively new and has not been sustained. Will have to prove that command profile can either develop or play against advanced professional hitters.

Draft Projection: Gray has vaulted himself from intriguing power arm to one of the top prospects in the draft. With continued success over the next six weeks, he could come off the board in the top five picks. Shouldn’t last pas the top ten barring some regression in stuff or performance.

The Player: Austin Meadows (OF, Grayson High School) – One of the country’s elite high school players. Hit .390 with 10 doubles, four home runs and 19 steals as a junior. Heading into the National High School Invitational, Meadows was hitting .571 with three home runs this spring. He is committed to Clemson.

Basis of Report: Compilation – Industry Contacts

Scouting Report
Body (6-3, 215): Very well built. Physically mature at a young age. Added muscle mass in the last year. Has potential to continue growing and adding muscle. Questions about where the body goes from here and whether his build takes on that of a classic slugger rather than a fast-twitch athlete.
Hit: Very balanced from setup through swing completion. Rarely finds himself out front of pitches thanks to good pitch recognition and plate discipline for his age/level. Has potential to continue developing pitch rec and discipline at higher levels. Hands work well. Plus bat speed. Can go the other way but rarely does so at this time. Swing can get a little long but has bat speed to make up for it. Good present leverage with some lift to the swing, allowing for over-the-fence projection. Quality overall hitter with potential for plus grades at peak but will need multiple grade jumps to get there. Grade – 40/60
Power: Easy raw. Ball explodes off his bat, particularly to the pull side. Has strength and bat speed to generate quality raw to the opposite field but lacks trust in hands to drive it that way with authority. Will crank when he turns on it. Has solid hit utility and plate discipline, giving projection for raw power to become game power. Physical maturity could cause grade jump in ultimate power ceiling. Easy plus projection now with reasonable chance to reach that ceiling with hit tool maturity. Grade (raw power) – 50/60
Arm: Average raw arm strength. Throwing motion can get a little deliberate from the outfield. Developmental staff may be able to coax a half tick more out of the arm with work on consistent mechanics and using his momentum to his advantage. Arm is playable in center or left field. Grade – 50/50
Fielding: Good feel for center field. Gets quality jumps and typically makes the correct break on the ball. Routes are good with frequent straight lines and few bad angles on balls in the gaps. Has present speed to handle center field but may slow with additional physical maturity and may be forced to left field long term. Doesn’t look the part of an up-the-middle player. Should be at least average defender long term, maybe a touch better; particularly on a corner. Grade – 50/50
Speed: Shows occasional plus-plus home to first times but not consistent. More of a plus runner in bursts and can show 70-grade speed once underway in the outfield. Already physically mature and likely to continue growing a bit as he reaches his physical peak, hinting at speed loss down the line. More likely an average runner at big league peak. Grade – 60/50

Summation: Massive raw talent. Very impressive physically with a good feel for the game as well. Excellent athlete with some quick-twitch tendencies. Body is already very mature and could move him out of the middle of the diamond long term. Athleticism will still play even if he bulks up more. Solid hitter with a good approach for his age. Good aptitude and a quick learner in the box; should have quality hit tool utility that allows plus raw power to translate to games. Potential .280+ hitter with 25 home runs from the middle of the order. Likely a left fielder long term but should be a solid defensive asset with an average arm. Potential All-Star caliber player if he maximizes the offensive tools.

Relative Risk: High. Likely LF profile puts pressure on the bat right out of the gate, but offensive potential is considerable.

Draft Projection: Easy first round pick with Top 10 aspirations. Has the offensive profile of a legit top of the round player. Not a true 1-1 candidate for me but a potential guy in the 4-8 range. A team that believes in his ability to stay up the middle could be more aggressive.

As I am sure you have all noticed, my writing has been a bit sparse over the last few weeks. With a newborn baby girl in the house, everything has been a little crazy and writing about baseball has fallen down the priority list.

We are starting to come up for water in the Anderson household and that should allow my writing at BPN (and other outlets) to pick back up a bit. That said, I have a lot on my plate right now and as I want to give plenty of time to my efforts at TigsTown and Baseball Prospectus, I am going to be cutting back slightly here. I still plan to publish about three pieces a week at BPN and much of the content over the next few months will be scouting reports. I will again be publish scouting reports on the potential top draft picks and that should start this week.

As always, fire away with questions here on the site, via email or on Twitter and I will be happy to tackle them. If you have requests for specific scouting reports, just let me know.

Thank you for continuing to check out the site and I hope the reduced schedule over the next few months will still provide prospect hounds with plenty of valuable content!

On to the lineup….

Monday – Draft Scouting Report: Austin Meadows (OF)
Wednesday – Scouting Report: Casey Kelly (RHP)
Friday – Draft Scouting Report: Jonathan Gray (RHP

Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter with the handle @ProspectMark for my overall prospect coverage and @TigsTownMark for my Tigers specific prospect coverage. On either feed you may find random notes about bourbon, beer, and other miscellany…

As you peruse the rankings you may notice differences between the Top 150 and the individual team Top 15 lists. I did not remain bound by my Top 15 rankings during this process. If I learned new information since the release of a team Top 15, that information was incorporated in the Top 150 rankings. You will see some players higher, lower, etc., in this list than in previous off-season lists. Also, I have linked to all of the scouting reports I have on file for players in the Top 150 (117 of 150 players have full reports). As you click through to the scouting reports, please note the date of publication. Scouting reports are not static; they change over time as players develop, and that is important to remember if you click through to a scouting report from April of last year.

As always, I hope you enjoy the rankings! I’ll try to pop in and answer as many questions as I can in the comments section!

1. Oscar Taveras, OF (60) – St. Louis Cardinals – Scouting Report
2. Jurickson Profar, SS (6) – Texas Rangers – Scouting Report
3. Gerrit Cole, RHP (8) – Pittsburgh Pirates – Scouting Report
4. Will Myers, OF (13) – Tampa Bay Rays – Scouting Report
5. Dylan Bundy, RHP (14) – Baltimore Orioles – Scouting Report
6. Kevin Gausman, RHP (NR) – Baltimore Orioles – Scouting Report
7. Jameson Taillon, RHP (28) – Pittsburgh Pirates – Scouting Report
8. Zack Wheeler, RHP (15) – New York Mets – Scouting Report
9. Jose Fernandez, RHP (95) – Miami Marlins – Scouting Report
10. Xander Bogaerts, SS (86) – Boston Red Sox – Scouting Report
11. Shelby Miller, RHP (7) – St. Louis Cardinals – Scouting Report
12. Christian Yelich, OF (39) – Miami Marlins – Scouting Report
13. Taijuan Walker, RHP (11) – Seattle Mariners – Scouting Report
14. Lucas Giolito, RHP (NR) – Washington Nationals – Scouting Report
15. Anthony Rendon, 3B (12) – Washington Nationals – Scouting Report
16. Archie Bradley, RHP (33) – Arizona Diamondbacks – Scouting Report
17. Carlos Correa, SS (NR) – Houston Astros – Scouting Report
18. Miguel Sano, 3B (19) – Minnesota Twins – Scouting Report
19. Tyler Skaggs, LHP (37) – Arizona Diamondbacks – Scouting Report
20. Byron Buxton, OF (NR) – Minnesota Twins – Scouting Report
21. Francisco Lindor, SS (40) – Cleveland Indians – Scouting Report
22. Javier Baez, SS (91) – Chicago Cubs – Scouting Report
23. Matt Barnes, RHP (84) – Boston Red Sox – Scouting Report
24. Austin Hedges, C (NR) – San Diego Padres – Scouting Report
25. Max Fried, LHP (NR) – San Diego Padres – Scouting Report
26. Trevor Rosenthal, RHP (NR) – St. Louis Cardinals
27. Jorge Soler, OF (NR) – Chicago Cubs – Scouting Report
28. JR Graham, RHP (NR) – Atlanta Braves – Scouting Report
29. Nick Castellanos, OF (49) – Detroit Tigers – Scouting Report
30. Julio Teheran, RHP (4) – Atlanta Braves – Scouting Report
31. Travis d’Arnaud, C (10) – New York Mets – Scouting Report
32. Mike Olt, 3B (51) – Texas Rangers – Scouting Report
33. Albert Almorra, OF (NR) – Chicago Cubs – Scouting Report
34. Carlos Martinez, RHP (70) – St. Louis Cardinals – Scouting Report
35. Yasiel Puig, OF (NR) – Los Angeles Dodgers – Scouting Report
36. Trevor Bauer, RHP (35) – Cleveland Indians – Scouting Report
37. Mike Zunino, C (NR) – Seattle Mariners – Scouting Report
38. Billy Hamilton, OF (112) – Cincinnati Reds – Scouting Report
39. Noah Syndergaard, RHP (85) – New York Mets – Scouting Report
40. Jonathan Singleton, 1B (55) – Houston Astros – Scouting Report
41. Gary Sanchez, C (100) – New York Yankees – Scouting Report
42. Gregory Polanco, OF (NR) – Pittsburgh Pirates – Scouting Report
43. Kyle Zimmer, RHP (NR) – Kansas City Royals – Scouting Report
44. Kaleb Cowart, 3B (NR) – Los Angeles Angels – Scouting Report
45. Allen Webster, RHP (66) – Boston Red Sox – Scouting Report
46. Aaron Hicks, OF (121) – Minnesota Twins – Scouting Report
47. Taylor Guerrieri, RHP (94) – Tampa Bay Rays – Scouting Report
48. Casey Kelly, RHP (NR) – San Diego Padres
49. Chris Archer, RHP (118) – Tampa Bay Rays – Scouting Report
50. Jake Marisnick, OF (43) – Miami Marlins – Scouting Report
51. Alex Meyer, RHP (68) – Minnesota Twins – Scouting Report
52. Jackie Bradley, OF (NR) – Boston Red Sox – Scouting Report
53. Adalberto Mondesi, SS (NR) – Kansas City Royals
54. Aaron Sanchez, RHP (110) – Toronto Blue Jays – Scouting Report
55. Jorge Alfaro, C (136) – Texas Rangers – Scouting Report
56. David Dahl, OF (NR) – Colorado Rockies – Scouting Report
57. Martin Perez, LHP (16) – Texas Rangers
58. Robert Stephenson, RHP (NR) – Cincinnati Reds – Scouting Report
59. Danny Hultzen, LHP (20) – Seattle Mariners – Scouting Report
60. Mason Williams, OF (41) – New York Yankees – Scouting Report
61. Leonys Martin, OF (67) – Texas Rangers – Scouting Report
62. Nick Franklin, SS (83) – Seattle Mariners – Scouting Report
63. Yordano Ventura, RHP (NR) – Kansas City Royals
64. Rymer Liriano, OF (47) – San Diego Padres – Scouting Report
65. Courtney Hawkins, OF (NR) – Chicago White Sox – Scouting Report
66. Zach Lee, RHP (58) – Los Angeles Dodgers – Scouting Report
67. Delino DeShields, 2B (NR) – Houston Astros – Scouting Report
68. Kyle Crick, RHP (130) – San Francisco Giants – Scouting Report
69. Addison Russell, SS (NR) – Oakland Athletics – Scouting Report
70. Slade Heathcott, OF (NR) – New York Yankees – Scouting Report
71. Dan Straily, RHP (NR) – Oakland Athletics – Scouting Report
72. Jedd Gyorko, 3B/2B (54) – San Diego Padres – Scouting Report
73. Tyler Thornburg, RHP (NR) – Milwaukee Brewers
74. AJ Cole, RHP (103) – Washington Nationals
75. Daniel Corcino, RHP (93) – Cincinnati Reds – Scouting Report
76. Trevor Story, SS (NR) – Colorado Rockies – Scouting Report
77. Luis Heredia, RHP (128) – Pittsburgh Pirates – Scouting Report
78. Kyle Gibson, RHP (NR) – Minnesota Twins
79. Michael Choice, OF (31) – Oakland Athletics – Scouting Report
80. Wily Peralta, RHP (38) – Milwaukee Brewers – Scouting Report
81. Joe Ross, RHP (NR) – San Diego Padres – Scouting Report
82. Trayce Thompson, OF (NR) – Chicago White Sox – Scouting Report
83. Jon Schoop, SS (106) – Baltimore Orioles – Scouting Report
84. Arodys Vizcaino, RHP (21) – Chicago Cubs – Scouting Report
85. Bruce Rondon, RHP (NR) – Detroit Tigers – Scouting Report
86. Lewis Brinson, OF (NR) – Texas Rangers
87. Zeke Spruill, RHP (NR) – Arizona Diamondbacks
88. Bubba Starling, OF (24) – Kansas City Royals – Scouting Report
89. Tyler Matzek, LHP (NR) – Colorado Rockies
90. Brander Maurer, RHP (NR) – Seattle Mariners
91. Chris Stratton, RHP (NR) – San Francisco Giants
92. Gavin Cecchini, SS (NR) – New York Mets – Scouting Report
93. Tony Cingrani, LHP (NR) – Cincinnati Reds – Scouting Report
94. Jarred Cosart, RHP (50) – Houston Astros – Scouting Report
95. Corey Seager, SS (NR) – Los Angeles Dodgers – Scouting Report
96. Andrew Chafin, LHP (NR) – Arizona Diamondbacks – Scouting Report
97. Jesse Biddle, LHP (150) – Philadelphia Phillies – Scouting Report
98. Christian Bethancourt, C (71) – Atlanta Braves
99. Oswaldo Arcia, OF (NR) – Minnesota Twins – Scouting Report
100. Miguel Almonte, RHP (NR) – Kansas City Royals
101. Avisail Garcia, OF (NR) – Detroit Tigers
102. Lucas Sims, RHP (NR) – Atlanta Braves
103. Alen Hanson, SS (NR) – Pittsburgh Pirates – Scouting Report
104. George Springer, OF (101) – Houston Astros – Scouting Report
105. Nolan Arenado, 3B (29) – Colorado Rockies
106. Michael Fulmer, RHP (NR) – New York Mets – Scouting Report
107. Chris Owings, SS (NR) – Arizona Diamondbacks – Scouting Report
108. Gary Brown, OF (32) – San Francisco Giants – Scouting Report
109. Jeurys Familia, RHP (145) – New York Mets
110. Dorssys Paulino, SS (NR) – Cleveland Indians – Scouting Report
111. Justin Nicolino, LHP (89) – Miami Marlins – Scouting Report
112. Tyrell Jenkins, RHP (53) – St. Louis Cardinals – Scouting Report
113. Michael Wacha, RHP (NR) – St. Louis Cardinals – Scouting Report
114. Wilmer Flores, 3B (NR) – New York Mets – Scouting Report
115. John Hellweg, RHP (147) – Milwaukee Brewers
116. Nick Maronde, LHP (NR) – Los Angeles Angels – Scouting Report
117. Brian Goodwin, OF (97) – Washington Nationals
118. Roberto Osuna, RHP (NR) – Toronto Blue Jays
119. Luis Sardinas, SS (NR) – Texas Rangers – Scouting Report
120. Marcel Ozuna, OF (NR) – Miami Marlins – Scouting Report
121. Maikel Franco, 3B (NR) – Philadelphia Phillies – Scouting Report
122. Josh Bell, OF (90) – Pittsburgh Pirates
123. Cheslor Cuthbert, 3B (59) – Kansas City Royals – Scouting Report
124. Adam Eaton, OF (NR) – Arizona Diamondbacks – Scouting Report
125. James Paxton, LHP (64) – Seattle Mariners
126. Eddie Rosario, 2B (62) – Minnesota Twins – Scouting Report
127. DJ Davis, OF (NR) – Toronto Blue Jays – Scouting Report
128. Jorge Bonifacio, OF (NR) – Kansas City Royals – Scouting Report
129. Chris Reed, LHP (NR) – Los Angeles Dodgers – Scouting Report
130. Blake Swihart, C (146) – Boston Red Sox – Scouting Report
131. Patrick Wisdom, 3B (NR) – St. Louis Cardinals
132. Eduardo Rodriguez, LHP (NR) – Baltimore Orioles – Scouting Report
133. Hak-Ju Lee, SS (17) – Tampa Bay Rays – Scouting Report
134. Daniel Norris, LHP (113) – Toronto Blue Jays
135. JO Berrios, RHP (NR) – Minnesota Twins – Scouting Report
136. Matt Davidson, 3B (NR) – Arizona Diamondbacks
137. Kolten Wong, 2B (88) – St. Louis Cardinals – Scouting Report
138. Domingo Tapia, RHP (NR) – New York Mets – Scouting Report
139. Richie Shaffer, 3B (NR) – Tampa Bay Rays – Scouting Report
140. Stryker Trahan, C (NR) – Arizona Diamondbacks – Scouting Report
141. Joc Pederson, OF (NR) – Los Angeles Dodgers
142. Nate Karns, RHP (NR) – Washington Nationals – Scouting Report
143. Garin Cecchini, 3B (78) – Boston Red Sox – Scouting Report
144. Andrew Heaney, LHP (NR) – Miami Marlins – Scouting Report
145. Marcus Stroman, RHP (NR) – Toronto Blue Jays – Scouting Report
146. Jose Iglesias, SS (102) – Boston Red Sox
147. Rob Brantly, C (NR) – Miami Marlins
148. Edward Salcedo, 3B (NR) – Atlanta Braves – Scouting Report
149. Roman Quinn, SS (NR) – Philadelphia Phillies
150. Jake Odorizzi, RHP (79) – Tampa Bay Rays

1. Tyler Skaggs – Arizona Diamondbacks
2. Max Fried – San Diego Padres

This upper tier of southpaws lacks the punch of the upper tier on the list of right-handed pitchers released yesterday, but both Skaggs and Fried are quality prospects with number two upside. Skaggs is nearly big-league ready and should help anchor the Arizona rotation for a long time. Fried is a completely different animal, having barely made his professional debut after being drafted in the first round last summer. Despite that, Fried has been extremely impressive according to the scouts I have spoken with and he could be in line to fly up prospect lists this summer.

3. Martin Perez – Texas Rangers
4. Danny Hultzen – Seattle Mariners

I went back and forth about having Perez and Hultzen in the upper tier but ultimately felt they belonged in their own grouping. Through different paths, both pitchers look like quality mid-rotation arms that should pitch in the big leagues this year. Perez was once considered a potential front of the rotation arm but his stock has fallen a bit as his consistency has never come around. On the other hand, Hultzen carries the weight of being a top five pick despite never projecting as better than a number three or four starter, even coming out of college.

5. Tyler Matzek – Colorado Rockies
6. Tony Cingrani – Cincinnati Reds
7. Andrew Chafin – Arizona Diamondbacks

This middle tier of prospects earned the right to be grouped together as a result of their individual warts. Tyler Matzek’s raw stuff still matches up with anybody on this list, but his highly publicized battle with his control/command leaves scouts scratching their heads about his ultimate projection. He could still end up as an enigmatic but electric mid-rotation arm or he could slide to the bullpen. Cingrani’s lack of a quality breaking ball gets a lot of the attention but his quality fastball/change-up combination shouldn’t be overlooked in the discussion. At worst, he profiles as a high-leverage reliever. Chafin’s stock has fluctuated wildly over the last few years and scouts remain mixed on his future as a rotation or bullpen arm.

8. Jesse Biddle – Philadelphia Phillies
9. Justin Nicolino – Toronto Blue Jays
10. Nick Maronde – Los Angeles Angels

Both Biddle and Nicolino lack the upside of many of the prospects on this list, but they have broad arsenals and at least command projection (Nicolino’s command is very present) that should allow them to slot into the fourth spot in a big league rotation. Maronde raced to the big leagues last year and probably fits best in the bullpen, but he could also carve out a career as a fourth starter if the Angels decide to commit to him in that role.

Just Missed: Andrew Heaney – Miami Marlins, Daniel Norris – Toronto Blue Jays, James Paxton – Seattle Mariners, Chris Reed – Los Angeles Dodgers, Eduardo Rodriguez – Baltimore Orioles

1. Gerrit Cole – Pittsburgh Pirates
2. Dylan Bundy – Baltimore Orioles
3. Kevin Gausman – Baltimore Orioles
4. Jameson Taillon – Pittsburgh Pirates

There seems to be a discussion out there that Dylan Bundy sits alone atop the list of pitching prospects in the minor leagues. I don’t share that belief. In fact, I don’t believe he’s the best pitching prospect in the game. While it is close, give me Gerrit Cole and his potential for three ‘7’ pitches at the front of my rotation. Both Bundy and Cole are exceptional talents that can develop into number one starters. My beef with the conversation of Bundy alone at the top doesn’t end there. I think the Orioles and Pirates both have another prospect that is right there with Bundy and Cole. Kevin Gausman and Jameson Taillon are also exceptional talents that have the potential to front rotations at the big league level. They’re all potential number one starters and they all deserve recognition at the top of this list.

5. Zack Wheeler – New York Mets
6. Jose Fernandez – Miami Marlins
7. Shelby Miller – St. Louis Cardinals
8. Taijuan Walker – Seattle Mariners

Just a half tick behind the first four on this list, the collection of Wheeler, Fernandez, Miller and Walker are almost equally as impressive. I don’t believe these four grade out as potential number one starters down the line, but they could all be really, really good number two starters at their peak. If one player had the potential to vault himself into the upper group, it would be Taijuan Walker, who while still the rawest of the group, could also be the most supremely talented of this four.

9. Lucas Giolito – Washington Nationals
10. Archie Bradley – Arizona Diamondbacks

I broke Lucas Giolito and Archie Bradley into their own tier because they are much further away than any of the other prospects in the Top 10. Giolito will miss much of this season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last year and Bradley struggled enough with his control and command in Low-A, that his path through the minor leagues is expected to be pretty lengthy. Both players are fantastic talents that could be high number two starters and possibly even number one starters down the line.

Just Missed: Matt Barnes – Boston Red Sox, JR Graham – Atlanta Braves, Carlos Martinez – St. Louis Cardinals, Trevor Rosenthal – St. Louis Cardinals, Julio Teheran – Atlanta Braves

1. Oscar Taveras – St. Louis Cardinals
2. Will Myers – Tampa Bay Rays
3. Christian Yelich – Miami Marlins

All three players at the top of this positional list represent exceptional talents with star potential. Oscar Taveras and Christian Yelich are two of the best hitting prospects in the game with the potential to contend for batting crowns in their prime. In addition to his hitting prowess, Taveras offers the potential for 25-30 home runs a year and Yelich should add very good pop as well. Myers is more of a middle-of-the-order bopper with home run power, solid batting lines and what may be a propensity to whiff a fair amount. All three players should impact the middle of their respective big league lineups and all three could begin to make that impact in 2013.

4. Byron Buxton – Minnesota Twins
5. Jorge Soler – Chicago Cubs

Byron Buxton and Jorge Soler have the raw ingredients to rival the top three players on this list but they are held back by the additional development needed in their game. Buxton was one of the best talents available in last year’s draft and he could be a monster player that contributes in every phase of the game in a big way. Soler owns a right field profile and has the offensive potential to thump from the middle f the order.

6. Albert Almora – Chicago Cubs
7. Nick Castellanos – Detroit Tigers
8. Yasiel Puig – Los Angeles Dodgers

I struggled with the ordering of these three players and ultimately settled on Almora’s ability and lower risk profile pushing him ahead of Castellanos and Puig. Almora is a true center fielder with exceptional instincts and the offensive potential to be an impact player. He has a chance to move very quickly through the Cubs system, possibly reaching Chicago faster than Soler. Castellanos’ move to the outfield has not been smooth defensively, but he continues to show exceptional hitting ability and signs that his plus raw power is starting to translate to games. There is a voice in the back of my mind that keeps screaming for Puig to be higher on this list but I just can’t bring myself to do it yet. No matter how many calls I make, he still represents a bit of an unknown for me, and that uncertainty forces me to keep him a little lower in the rankings.

9. Billy Hamilton – Cincinnati Reds
10. Gregory Polanco – Pittsburgh Pirates

The Reds finally moved Hamilton to the outfield last fall and that move could allow him to move to the big leagues quickly. His insane speed plays well out there and will allow him to be a defensive asset even as his instincts for the position continue to develop. Power will never be a part of his game and I still hold some reservations about his ability to impact the ball, but he is going to be a big leaguer and he will probably be a very exciting one at that. Polanco impressed me last fall with his raw physical gifts and if he can continue translating those tools to the field, he could be an exciting player as well.

Just Missed: Jackie Bradley – Boston Red Sox, David Dahl – Colorado Rockies, Aaron Hicks – Minnesota Twins, Jake Marisnick – Miami Marlins