I finally got around to completing my year-end Top 60 Prospects List and it won't take long to see there are a LOT of changes from the last time I did these. We had former Top 20 guys fall completely off the list. We had guys come out of nowhere and vault into the Top 10. We had some graduations, some trades, some acquisitions and of course the 2015 draft class.
What hasn't changed is my number one overall prospect is still Aaron Blair. Blair has done nothing to earn a demotion from the lofty spot and is simply as ready for a major league gig as you can be. I expect him to compete for a rotation spot next spring.
Jumping into the number 2 spot is number one overall draft pick Dansby Swanson. Swanson showed off his talent in helping to lead Hillsboro to a Northwest League title and is probably headed to Visalia next year, where a good performance might earn him a ticket to Mobile before season's end. That would have him knocking on the door of the majors as early as 2017.
Number 3 goes to Braden Shipley who had a so-so first half then really came on in the second half with a string of strong performances. It's not a major stretch to think he could find himself in the rotation sometime in 2016 as well.
Number 4 is a total newcomer to the list in second baseman Jamie Westbrook. He's not a big guy at 5-9, 170, but he's a year younger than Swanson at just 20 and blew the doors off the California League with a combination of power, speed and defense from a middle infield spot.
Another middle infield hotshot jumped up to number 7 in shortstop Isan Diaz who was the Pioneer League MVP at the age of 19. The list contains as many as 25 players who actually have some major league potential including youngsters like Brad Keller, Matt Railey, Marcus Wilson and Austin Byler. The 2015 draft class also landed several pitching prospects to the list who could jump up quickly with strong 2016 campaigns such as Alex Young, Taylor Clarke and Ryan Burr.
Some of the names who fell from grace and didn't even make it into the Top 60 includes Stryker Trahan, Alex Glenn, Michael Perez and Blake Perry. And there are others who had precipitous falls and are in danger of falling off as well including Jimmie Sherfy, Jake Barrett, Matt McPhearson and Will Locante.
The strength of the list is in the number of middle infield prospects who are showing extraordinary talent with four in the Top 10. Eight starting pitching prospects landed in the Top 20 though it's debatable if any of them rate as number one starters. Overall the minor league ranks look very healthy with a nice mix at all the positions without any glaring holes like we might have seen in the past.
Rank | Prospect | Pos | 2015 Level | Age | Comments |
1 | Aaron Blair | RHP | Reno | 23 | Ready and waiting |
2 | Dansby Swanson | SS | Hillsboro | 21 | Should move fast |
3 | Braden Shipley | RHP | Mobile | 23 | Emerged in second half |
4 | Jamie Westbrook | 2B | Visalia | 20 | Exploded onto the scene |
5 | Brandon Drury | 2B/3B | Reno | 22 | Power waned so some concern |
6 | Yoan Lopez | RHP | Mobile | 22 | Didn't exactly flash |
7 | Isan Diaz | SS | Missoula | 19 | League MVP with monster season |
8 | Cody Reed | LHP | Hillsboro | 19 | Ready for next step |
9 | Socrates Brito | OF | Mobile | 23 | Ready for 4th OF job? |
10 | Marcus Wilson | OF | Missoula | 19 | Still figuring things out |
11 | Brad Keller | RHP | Kane County | 20 | Very nice foundation season |
12 | Matt Railey | OF | Missoula | 20 | Needs to stay healthy |
13 | Alex Young | LHP | Hillsboro | 22 | Next year will tell |
14 | Silvino Bracho | RHP | Mobile | 22 | Just keeps performing |
15 | Taylor Clarke | RHP | Hillsboro | 22 | Should move to rotation in '16 |
16 | Austin Byler | OF | Missoula | 22 | Dude can flat out hit |
17 | Oscar Hernandez | C | Dbacks | 21 | Hard to tell with MLB bench time |
18 | Zack Godley | RHP | Mobile | 24 | Flashed potential in short debut |
19 | Daniel Palka | 1B | Visalia | 23 | Good power, so-so contact |
20 | Jose Martinez | RHP | Kane County | 21 | Recovery season in bullpen |
21 | Jose Herrera | C | AZL | 18 | Ready for next step |
22 | Anthony Banda | LHP | Visalia | 22 | Showing some potential |
23 | Ryan Burr | RHP | Kane County | 21 | Plenty good in debut |
24 | Peter O'Brien | C | Reno | 25 | Destined for AL? |
25 | Dawel Lugo | SS | Kane County | 20 | Potential to move up |
26 | Zac Curtis | LHP | Kane County | 23 | Dominant but needs bigger test |
27 | Sergio Alcantara | SS | Missoula | 19 | Bat still trailing glove |
28 | Wei-Chieh Huang | RHP | Kane County | 21 | Fine season, needs more innings |
29 | Jeferson Mejia | RHP | Hillsboro | 21 | Not a great season |
30 | Joey Kriehbiel | RHP | Visalia | 22 | Still something to like here |
31 | Luke Lowery | C | Missoula | 21 | Fine rookie season |
32 | Domingo Leyba | 2B | Visalia | 20 | Not seeing it yet |
33 | Jack Reinheimer | SS | Mobile | 23 | Good glove, okay bat |
34 | Gabby Guerrero | OF | Mobile | 21 | Just not doing enough |
35 | Zach Borenstein | OF | Mobile | 25 | Can hit, but aging out? |
36 | Carlos Hernandez | RHP | Hillsboro | 21 | Very nice season |
37 | Daniel Gibson | LHP | Mobile | 23 | Future loogy can't be written off |
38 | Keith Hessler | LHP | Reno | 25 | Hanging around because he's lefty |
39 | Jake Barrett | RHP | Reno | 24 | Reno took its toll |
40 | Evan Marzilli | OF | Mobile | 24 | Just not enough stick |
41 | Joe Munoz | 3B | Kane County | 21 | Not done yet but close |
42 | Grant Heyman | OF | Kane County | 21 | Time to take a step forward |
43 | Kevin Cron | 1B | Visalia | 22 | Showed off real power |
44 | Brent Jones | RHP | Kane County | 22 | Flattened out |
45 | Matt McPhearson | OF | Missoula | 20 | Can't steal first |
46 | Jason Morozowski | OF | Missoula | 21 | Worth another look |
47 | Chuck Taylor | OF | Visalia | 22 | Still needs a breakout |
48 | Dominic Leone | RHP | Mobile | 23 | Just seems okay |
49 | Jimmie Sherfy | RHP | Mobile | 23 | Seems to have hit his ceiling |
50 | Trevor Mitsui | 1B | Hillsboro | 23 | Needs to do more |
51 | Bo Takahashi | RHP | Missoula | 18 | Okay in tough pitching league |
52 | Colin Bray | OF | Kane County | 22 | Now healthy and showed some skills |
53 | Sean Jamieson | SS | Mobile | 26 | Just keeps producing but aging out |
54 | Breckin Williams | RHP | Hillsboro | 22 | Next year will tell more |
55 | Mitch Haniger | OF | Mobile | 23 | Got squeezed out of Mobile |
56 | Jared Miller | RHP | Kane County | 22 | Room for growth |
57 | Henry Castillo | 2B/3B | Kane County | 20 | Holding his own |
58 | Will Locante | LHP | Mobile | 25 | Chance slipping away |
59 | Ben Eckels | RHP | Hillsboro | 21 | Injury wiped out season |
60 | Mason McCullough | RHP | Visalia | 22 | Big arm needs harnessing |