Updated MLB.com Prospect Rankings

[danman31]

WhiteSox.com top 20 prospects

 

I find it hard to agree with the list, but it's good for discussion and reading material.

[JPN366]

WhiteSox.com top 20 prospects

 

I find it hard to agree with the list, but it's good for discussion and reading material.

 

Molina's way too high. Petricka needs some refinement. Saladino needs to work on his fielding.

[NorthSideSox72]

WhiteSox.com top 20 prospects

 

I find it hard to agree with the list, but it's good for discussion and reading material.

Bizarro. Leesman at 3? Him, Snodgress, Petricka, Marinez, K Smith, Saladino and Brennan all way too high (and I'm saying that as a bigger fan of Smith and Brennan than most in here).

 

[QuickJones81]

Not impressed with the new MLB.com prospect rankings. There isn't a single White Sox prospect in the Top 100, and the organization Top 20 has me scratching my head as well.

 

1. Trayce Thompson

2. Courtney Hawkins

3. Charlie Leesman

4. Nestor Molina

5. Keenyn Walker

6. Scott Snodgress

7. Carlos Sanchez

8. Erik Johnson

9. Jared Mitchell

10. Keon Barnum

11. Josh Phegley

12. Jacob Petricka

13. Jhan Marinez

14. Kevan Smith

15. Simon Castro

16. Tyler Saladino

17. Brandon Brennan

18. Andre Rienzo

19. Marcus Semien

20. Chris Beck

 

Other notables from position ranks:

 

Keon Barnum #10 1B

Carlos Sanchez #7 2B

 

[Bruce_Blixton]

That's an absurdly low ranking for Saladino, I know a lot of people have soured on him after this year because he didn't hit for power but he was top 10 in walks, runs and stolen bases in the Southern League. He also hit leadoff for most of the season which I think impacted his entire approach at the plate to be more patient and work the count like a good leadoff hitter is supposed to do.

 

I still have faith in him and hope they actually push him to start in Charlotte next year.

[maggsmaggs]

Leesman at 3 is laughable. Molina with his year at 4 is also just as bad. These rankings are horrible.

[Jake]

Not impressed with the new MLB.com prospect rankings. There isn't a single White Sox prospect in the Top 100, and the organization Top 20 has me scratching my head as well.

 

1. Trayce Thompson

2. Courtney Hawkins

3. Charlie Leesman

4. Nestor Molina

5. Keenyn Walker

6. Scott Snodgress

7. Carlos Sanchez

8. Erik Johnson

9. Jared Mitchell

10. Keon Barnum

11. Josh Phegley

12. Jacob Petricka

13. Jhan Marinez

14. Kevan Smith

15. Simon Castro

16. Tyler Saladino

17. Brandon Brennan

18. Andre Rienzo

19. Marcus Semien

20. Chris Beck

 

Other notables from position ranks:

 

Keon Barnum #10 1B

Carlos Sanchez #7 2B

 

I'm okay with 1,2, 4. Mitchell, Barnum, Sanchez all need to be much higher. Castro should probably be our top pitcher and in the Top 5. Joey DeMichele should be in the Top 20.

[QuickJones81]

I personally have Johnson ahead of Snodgress, whereas they are higher on the latter.

[danman31]

I personally have Johnson ahead of Snodgress, whereas they are higher on the latter.

I think most would agree with that. The mlb.com rankings always stray the furthest from the norm you'll find anywhere else.

[Chicago White Sox]

Bizarro. Leesman at 3? Him, Snodgress, Petricka, Marinez, K Smith, Saladino and Brennan all way too high (and I'm saying that as a bigger fan of Smith and Brennan than most in here).

I disagree about Snodgress. The scouting reports at the time he was draft described great stuff but poor command. A month or so into the season at low A, something clicked and he looked like a completely different pitcher. The numbers at Winston-Salem are extremely impressive and I think him and Johnson are by far our best pitching prospects at the moment.

[Chicago White Sox]

That's an absurdly low ranking for Saladino, I know a lot of people have soured on him after this year because he didn't hit for power but he was top 10 in walks, runs and stolen bases in the Southern League. He also hit leadoff for most of the season which I think impacted his entire approach at the plate to be more patient and work the count like a good leadoff hitter is supposed to do.

 

I still have faith in him and hope they actually push him to start in Charlotte next year.

Saladino actually led the Southern League in walks when he was promoted to AAA.

[oldsox]

Leesman at 3 is laughable. Molina with his year at 4 is also just as bad. These rankings are horrible.

You're way too hard Leesman. H's gone up the org ladder every year and pitched well at each stop. If Sox don't protect him, someone will give him a shot next year.

[danman31]

You're way too hard Leesman. H's gone up the org ladder every year and pitched well at each stop. If Sox don't protect him, someone will give him a shot next year.

There's a big difference between giving him a shot and being the #3 prospect though.

[Jake]

Dan Johnson is my number 1 prospect!

[kitekrazy]

No Brent Morel on that list?

 

Does Josh Phegley give anyone hope of this organization producing a decent catcher

[maggsmaggs]

You're way too hard Leesman. H's gone up the org ladder every year and pitched well at each stop. If Sox don't protect him, someone will give him a shot next year.

His ERA is good, but his peripherals aren't. He's also 25 years old. I mean is he a top 20 guy? Maybe. But top five even in our atrocious system? No. Not even close.

[Balta1701]

No Brent Morel on that list?

 

Does Josh Phegley give anyone hope of this organization producing a decent catcher

I doubt Morel counts any more even if it wasn't for this horrid injury-riddled season. Way too much service time.

[NorthSideSox72]

No Brent Morel on that list?

 

Does Josh Phegley give anyone hope of this organization producing a decent catcher

I'm a bit higher on Josh than most. People forget that he's missed a lot of development time due to his injuries and illnesses, but he played a full season this year at AAA and stayed healthy (he's been basically healthy both the last two seasons now). He also improved as the season went on with the bat, his numbers were quite good in the last month or two. He only had 900 AB before this year, which is really not a lot, especially for a catcher. He skipped rookie ball, and virtually skipped A+. And he's 24, which is pretty age appropriate for AAA, probably even on the young side among catchers. Contact rate is pretty good, he's flashed some power a times. He really needs one more year in AAA though, where hopefully he can work a few more walks and/or increase the power numbers a bit. But I still think he could potentially be a starting catcher somewhere at some point, if he stays healthy.

 

[danman31]

So basically your argument for Phegley is that he hasn't proved he's bad due to other factors, therefore he could be good?

[oldsox]

So basically your argument for Phegley is that he hasn't proved he's bad due to other factors, therefore he could be good?

Danman, are you an attorney in real life?

[danman31]

Danman, are you an attorney in real life?

Ha no. Was what I said that bad?

[NorthSideSox72]

So basically your argument for Phegley is that he hasn't proved he's bad due to other factors, therefore he could be good?

Not sure where you get that idea. I'm saying, for a catcher with his amount of development time, I think he's done pretty well. And he is improving. I don't see how that is not proving he's bad, any more than any other performance from any other player.

 

[maggsmaggs]

Not sure where you get that idea. I'm saying, for a catcher with his amount of development time, I think he's done pretty well. And he is improving. I don't see how that is not proving he's bad, any more than any other performance from any other player.

I don't see where he exactly improved as the season when along. Great April, then sucked until a hot August. He had a sub-.700 OPS in Charlotte's bandbox. Doesn't walk much, little power. I remember his defense was regarded as spotty when he came out of college because he was drafted as a hitting catcher. I honestly don't see what there is to like here.

[NorthSideSox72]

I don't see where he exactly improved as the season when along. Great April, then sucked until a hot August. He had a sub-.700 OPS in Charlotte's bandbox. Doesn't walk much, little power. I remember his defense was regarded as spotty when he came out of college because he was drafted as a hitting catcher. I honestly don't see what there is to like here.

I see a lot to like in a 24 year old catcher in AAA (drafted at 21) who got there skipping a couple stops and managed to hit worth a lick at all. He's got a decent contact rate, had an Iso OBP of 54 points last year, though it was down to 40 this year. The power showed up in August and September. Those are all indications to me he's likely to hit a lot better in 2013 in AAA, to me. Defensively, it was reported earlier this year he'd made a lot of strides at the position. Hard to say how much that means, I haven't seen him play in person.

 

If he is given 2013 to start in AAA, and if he can draw a few more walks, I really think the guy has some value. I realize I'm in the minority, and I admit I know only very little about his supposedly improved defense, but that's what I see.

 

[oldsox]

Defense is sooo important for a catcher, backup or otherwise. I have seen a lot of Willy Rosario of the Rockettes this year. Rookie catcher who is really coming on with the bat, but he is terrible at blocking pitches in the dirt. He leads the Free World in passed balls and no doubt has contributed to many wild pitches, and his staff and Mgr. has to have lost confidence in him. My only point here is that if Sox are contending in 2013, they could not have that poor a defensive catcher on the ML roster, so I hope Phegley is up to it, because he might be on the team next year, if AJ goes away.