Saturday, January 25, 2020

Top 100

MLB posted their Top 100 Prospects list. Wander Franco, a SS in the Rays system, is first. He's only 18 but has two years of pro ball and is expected to be in the majors in 2021. The next guy is middle infielder Gavin Lux (in the Dodgers system). He's 22 and will likely play on the big club at some point this season. The third guy is Luis Robert, a White Sox outfielder. He's already signed a six-year, $50M contract but has yet to make his ML debut.

Giants fans will be happy to know that Joey Bart is listed at #14. There is a catcher in front of him, Andy Rutschman in the Baltimore organization, he's fourth, just behind the three already mentioned.

If Bart turns out to be half as good as Buster Posey then he will be a very good player (if he sticks at catcher). Isn't that crazy? We have, I think, enormous expectations about Bart. Most of them are likely unrealistic. I hope Bart gets to show what he can do and not what he can do in comparison to Buster Posey. I'm excited about him and expect to see him this season.

Marco Luciano, our teenage SS from the Dominican Republic, comes in at #35. OF Heliot Ramos (#65) and LHP Seth Corry (#99) are the other Giants on the list. Arizona, LA, and San Diego each have five players on the list as well. Colorado has one.

--M.C.

10 comments:

M.C. O'Connor said...

The Giants have five picks from the first 87 of next year's draft. Two of them (68 and 69) are for Smith and Bumgarner.

Their top pick is #13.

M.C. O'Connor said...

I forgot to include Hunter Bishop (#71) in the post! He makes it five with Bart, Ramos, Luciano, and Corry. Bishop was last year's 1st round pick (tenth overall).

I guess you guys aren't reading too closely--no one called me on my math!

:-)

nomisnala said...

One of the other minor league rating systems only has 3 giants in the top 100, with Luciano rated the best, and Corry and Bishop not in the top 100. Therefore: I like this system better. Although I have no idea which one has been more predictive of actual value.

M.C. O'Connor said...

4 years and $64M for Castellanos. He goes to Cincy.

nomisnala said...

His bat will probably be more productive in cincy. Maybe less meaningful, but more productive.

M.C. O'Connor said...

Giants add Yolmer Sanchez on a minor-league deal. 27-year old good glove 2B, switch-hitter, not much bat, best year in the bigs was 2017. He's played a lot of 3B as well. 646 G in the bigs over six seasons, .638 OPS last year in a full-time role.

M.C. O'Connor said...

Dusty Baker goes to the Astros. When you have to clean up a mess you get an old-school character that everybody likes.

Having just turned 60, I have to commend a 70-year old who can face the grind of a high-profile job. He must be really fit. And he must really like managing.

On the flip side, I'm guessing Baker isn't much for modern ideas in baseball. When you already have a very talented squad, that's OK, as the players will probably get the info they need from other sources. But if you have inexperienced players, they need more concrete direction, and they'll look to the manager for that. Baker would be a bad choice for such a team.

M.C. O'Connor said...

Panda is back. Minor-league deal. He gets a shot to make the club.

nomisnala said...

I doubt he will be ready at the start of the season, but he has to be an extremely high quality utility guy at this stage of his career, assuming that he heals nicely from the surgery.

M.C. O'Connor said...

Yeah, his versatility and pop make him valuable. Plus he's always fun to watch!

Matt Duffy goes to the Rangers.