Brewers' Top 30 Prospects

by roguejim on Nov 23, 2009 9:56 AM CST

Want to see Baseball America's (and Tom H.'s) list of the Brewers' top 30 prospects? Sure you do.

1. SS Alcides Escobar
2. 2B Brett Lawrie
3. 3B Mat Gamel
4. RHP Eric Arnett
5. C Jonathan Lucroy
6. OF Kentrail Davis
7. LHP Zach Braddock
8. OF Lorenzo Cain
9. RHP Jake Odorizzi
10. RHP Kyle Heckathorn
11. RHP Mark Rogers
12. OF Logan Schafer
13. RHP Cody Scarpetta
14. RHP Wily Peralta
15. C Angel Salome
16. RHP Amaury Rivas
17. OF Caleb Gindl
18. OF D’Vontrey Richardson
19. 2B Eric Farris
20. 3B Taylor Green
21. RHP Jeremy Jeffress
22. LHP Del Howell
23. RHP John Axford
24. RHP Josh Butler
25. RHP Alex Periard
26. RHP Evan Anundsen
27. RHP Brooks Hall
28. OF Max Walla
29. RHP Nick Bucci
30. RHP Maverick Lasker

The biggest things that jump out at me are the absence of Cutter Dykstra, the drops of Taylor Green and Jeremy Jeffress, and the ranking of Lawrie over Mat Gamel.

Overall, the impression I get of the Brewers' farm system is that it's pretty strong, but without a Braun or Gallardo that will shoot through the minors quickly. There's also a decent chance that three of the top five picks will be playing in the majors when the 2010 season gets underway.

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Jeez, RJ

Way to blow my crappy fanshot out of the water.

"A D+ Grade? That must have been a Wittardo grade"- @73_MC

by BrewHaHeather on Nov 23, 2009 10:15 AM CST reply actions

That's funny

I almost made it a FanShot, so I could use the List option.

Yeah, I like the offseason. :)

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Nov 23, 2009 10:27 AM CST up reply actions

Ohhhh

Sorry, I just now realized that your FanShot was posted first. I didn’t mean to steal your thunder.

A lot of times, I’ll start a post, and then get called away (or, more likely, get distracted by some shiny object on the internet), and come back to my post later. Even short posts tend to take a while.

Anyway, when I started, I didn’t see your post there - if I had I would have promoted it, and saved myself the trouble. Sorry!

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Nov 24, 2009 7:36 AM CST up reply actions

No worries, I didn't really care anyway

I should have just promoted it myself.

"A D+ Grade? That must have been a Wittardo grade"- @73_MC

by BrewHaHeather on Nov 24, 2009 9:44 AM CST up reply actions

How did you get the top 30?

I heard that the top 10 was posted on JS Online, and the print version just showed up at my office today, but where did you get the 30?

I agree with the Braun/Gallardo statement, but think that the system is trending downward. Sure there have been graduations to thin it out, but what is left (not including Escobar or Gamel) is pretty thin. Apart from Lawrie, there really isnt a big time impact type player in the entire system.

I think there is promise in Arnett, Odirizzi and Heckathorn, but without some growth there is also the potential for busting. All 3 are pretty raw and have a lot of questions. I also like Davis and Richardson, but the rawness is going to be there until proven they are worthy of future stardom expectations.

Lots of bottom of the rotation types of pitchers, relief pitchers and guys whose stock has fallen on that list.

The top 3 are solid though.

by backtocali on Nov 23, 2009 10:29 AM CST reply actions

really?

Check the fanshot, but here’s the link

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/71566517.html

"That's not a weird stat. Rickie is a run-scorer," Yost said. "It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter," Yost told reporters. "See, you guys have no concept. He's a run-scorer. So there's nothing weird about it. That's what he does."

by Hyatt on Nov 23, 2009 10:34 AM CST up reply actions

and I agree with you

I am not a fan of our system as it stands. There aren’t impact guys that you see coming through that will be above average players in the majors. Lawrie is the only potential star you see with the bat, and there is no impact pitching in the higher levels

by Hyatt on Nov 23, 2009 10:37 AM CST up reply actions

Green.

I’m fine with Lawrie over Gamel, but Taylor Green’s ranking is weak. Good news is, it’s just a dumb number. Green had injuries from the AFL last year all throughout the better part of last year, and they were just nagging injuries nothing huge. I think he’ll do well this year.

PensBurgh penalty - Lavender - 2 Minutes for Deking a Duper Deke that made a Duper Duck.

by Lavender on Nov 23, 2009 11:51 AM CST reply actions

These rankings are a joke

Sorry, 6 of the top 10 were drafted in the last two years, and one cannot possibly still consider Alcides Escobar a prospect. Shouldn’t there be a blend of natural talent and consistency displayed? I’m not a scout, nor am I a middling beat reporter who thinks too highly of himself, but I think these rankings are a little bit ridiculous.

Lawrie’s had just over 400 professional ABs, and he’s the best prospect in the system? Jeffress can’t stop taking bong rips and he’s in the top 30?

I don’t have a category for "washed-up guys who may or may not be dominant big-league closers sometime soon."

~Jeff Sackmann

by Charlie Marlow on Nov 23, 2009 11:56 AM CST reply actions

Escobar is considered a prospect

because he doesn’t have enough MLB ABs to disqualify him. Same with Gamel, who was on the big squad for longer than Escobar.

by PagsBrewCrew on Nov 23, 2009 1:42 PM CST up reply actions

You don't have to give me the technicalities

I understand them. But to call a player who will be starting on your team a prospect is idiotic. Do you disagree?

I don’t have a category for "washed-up guys who may or may not be dominant big-league closers sometime soon."

~Jeff Sackmann

by Charlie Marlow on Nov 23, 2009 2:36 PM CST up reply actions

in light of TheJay's post

number 3 (Gamel) has to be taken off the list.

I dunno. I guess I’d still consider Escobar a prospect as he hasn’t proven himself at the big league level, either at the plate or defensively. But then I’d still consider McGehee a prospect by the same standard I guess.

by PagsBrewCrew on Nov 24, 2009 7:29 AM CST up reply actions

BA doesn't care about service time

Just the BBWAA.

by TheJay on Nov 24, 2009 8:58 AM CST up reply actions

Brian Anderson doesn't care about anything other than himself

The selfish jerk.

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Nov 24, 2009 10:12 AM CST up reply actions

Does his hair count as his 'self'?

Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, "That’s all they need is another home run hitter".

by tcyoung on Nov 24, 2009 11:54 AM CST up reply actions

You'll have to ask it

I think his hair has a different agent than he does.

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Nov 24, 2009 11:57 AM CST up reply actions

So does he care about his hair,

Or is his hair just looking out for itself?

Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, "That’s all they need is another home run hitter".

by tcyoung on Nov 24, 2009 12:51 PM CST up reply actions

Jeffress at #21

These lists don’t make a lot of sense to me; Jeffress’ development has obviously been derailed by a couple of years or so, but aside from a rough 30 IP in AA where he struggled with his control (though still had an excellent K/9), how has he lost the potential he had as a top 5 prospect? Factoring in the “threat” of him getting a lifetime ban for drugs seem undully conjectural, and given the rest of the rankings ETA in the majors doesn’t seem to come into play either.

Ryan Braun: He loves it. *Secretly, I am Carlos Gomez*

by SRB on Nov 23, 2009 12:39 PM CST reply actions

all good criticism

But as to Jefress, there’s more to prospect status than upside. It’s at least a little similar to an injury-prone player who’s one injury away from a career-ender. If it makes him untradeable, it makes him less of a prospect. I wouldn’t include him at all on the prospect list. I think the odds of him playing in The Show are lower than the other 29 players on the list.

by balldeagle on Nov 23, 2009 1:16 PM CST up reply actions

How does one determine when a player is one injury away from a career ender?

Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, "That’s all they need is another home run hitter".

by tcyoung on Nov 23, 2009 1:56 PM CST up reply actions

good point

but Dajuan Blair with no ACLs comes to mind. Despite his talent and upside, that certainly diminished his prospect status

by balldeagle on Nov 23, 2009 2:19 PM CST up reply actions

No mug today?

I don’t have a category for "washed-up guys who may or may not be dominant big-league closers sometime soon."

~Jeff Sackmann

by Charlie Marlow on Nov 23, 2009 2:37 PM CST reply actions

KL said in Fridays mug that the Mug will be in the afternoon today.

Same with Tuesday and Wednesday.

by NoahJ on Nov 23, 2009 3:27 PM CST up reply actions

ah missed that

thanks

I don’t have a category for "washed-up guys who may or may not be dominant big-league closers sometime soon."

~Jeff Sackmann

by Charlie Marlow on Nov 23, 2009 3:32 PM CST up reply actions

Top 20 looks right to me

…though I’m a little surprised at the relative rank of LoCai, LoSha, Gindl as I think Caleb is the youngest of the bunch and Cain was apparently given a complete injury-related free pass.

Also a bit surprised how far Salome dropped and to some degree how little respect Anundsen is getting, recognizing he’s not a soft thrower in a pitcher’s park.

But most importantly, the only ranked SP who will begin at AAA or above this season is #24 Butler.

Get dealin’ Dougie

by infield fly on Nov 23, 2009 4:30 PM CST reply actions

Correction

…and to some degree how little respect Anundsen is getting, recognizing he IS a soft thrower in a pitcher’s park.

by infield fly on Nov 23, 2009 4:31 PM CST up reply actions

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