FutureSox Mid-season 2012 Top Prospects List

[oldsox]

Everyone ignores Ryan Kussmaul. Three years in the system, moving right up the ladder from Kanny to Dash to Barons. Always solid numbers, low hits per inning, lots of K's. He'll be at Charlotte next year and will prob do well. He gets people out. If Petrika or Johnson or Soptic had his numbers even at lower levels, you would have them ready for HOF indoctrination.

[PolishPrince34]

I believe Leesman has the potential to have a longer career in MLB than Axelrod. I highly doubt it will be as a starting pitcher, but I think he can become a solid lefty in the bullpen. The major thing holding back Leesman is his command of his pitches, but has seen steady improvement the last year and half. Plus he's a lefty. I have seen so many Axelrod's in my lifetime to know that he will be a pitcher that will pitch with 6 to 7 different organization as a back end filier when an injury goes down: Kip Wells, Grilli, Wright, Harrell, Wells. Some of those guys I listed had so much more potential than Axelrod. Axelrod isn't suited for the American League and I believe he's more of a AAAA just like Dan Johnson.

[Buehrle>Wood]

Just from the descriptions, it sounds like Sanchez should be a top three player in our system easily.

[southsider2k5]

I believe Leesman has the potential to have a longer career in MLB than Axelrod. I highly doubt it will be as a starting pitcher, but I think he can become a solid lefty in the bullpen. The major thing holding back Leesman is his command of his pitches, but has seen steady improvement the last year and half. Plus he's a lefty. I have seen so many Axelrod's in my lifetime to know that he will be a pitcher that will pitch with 6 to 7 different organization as a back end filier when an injury goes down: Kip Wells, Grilli, Wright, Harrell, Wells. Some of those guys I listed had so much more potential than Axelrod. Axelrod isn't suited for the American League and I believe he's more of a AAAA just like Dan Johnson.

 

And with the high potential, not refined guys propensity to bust, Axelrod could very well end up out performing someone like Leesman at the major league level.

[Jake]

I forgot about Jordan Danks, he's definitely in my Top 5.

[ILMOU]

Everyone ignores Ryan Kussmaul. Three years in the system, moving right up the ladder from Kanny to Dash to Barons. Always solid numbers, low hits per inning, lots of K's. He'll be at Charlotte next year and will prob do well. He gets people out. If Petrika or Johnson or Soptic had his numbers even at lower levels, you would have them ready for HOF indoctrination.

 

Agree on Kussmaul. His numbers say he's a bullpen prospect, though I know nothing about his stuff. 25 at AA - should be tested at AAA soon.

 

 

 

[caulfield12]

Definitely, go with ceiling/potential. That's why Thompson is off the charts to an extent, or Hawkins, or Barnum. For my list, I'll just stick Petricka at #15.

 

We these things, u have to ask "who could potentially be a major league All-Star caliber player?"

 

That's where Sanchez falls a bit short, lacking both plus speed or power. And, because there aren't any other middle infield prospects in our system, it makes him appear a bit better than he really is, perhaps.

 

Axelrod is pretty much interchangeable with Zach Stewart...and until Molina shows better stuff, any amount of control makes him not so much better than a glorified Matt Guerrier.

 

 

Someone mentioned Wells, Danny Wright...those guys were potentially 1/2 frontline starters. We really don't have any of those types....maybe Castro, maybe Beck, maybe no one at all. It's going to take a huge turnaround for most of us to believe he's (Molina or Axelrod) anything more than a back-end of the rotation guy.

 

I wonder where Doyle would have ranked here? Probably 5-10 for some people, not in the Top 15 or even 20 for most others.

 

It makes for some interesting arguments. Or even where Zach Stewart would have ranked if he was still considered as a starting prospect, not a reliever and he hadn't forfeited his "rookie" status with 50 IP.

Edited July 11, 2012 by caulfield12

[NorthSideSox72]

Everyone ignores Ryan Kussmaul. Three years in the system, moving right up the ladder from Kanny to Dash to Barons. Always solid numbers, low hits per inning, lots of K's. He'll be at Charlotte next year and will prob do well. He gets people out. If Petrika or Johnson or Soptic had his numbers even at lower levels, you would have them ready for HOF indoctrination.

 

 

Agree on Kussmaul. His numbers say he's a bullpen prospect, though I know nothing about his stuff. 25 at AA - should be tested at AAA soon.

 

Kussmaul, Remenowsky and to an extent Kloess are all very similar. They're guys who have a shot at being a reliever, maybe even a good one, but they are also old-for-level and have no blow-batters-away stuff. They get max results with the tools they have. They're all guys who, to me, are in the 25-40 range in the system in terms of ranking, and while worth keeping an eye on, have fairly low ceilings and fairly low rates of likely success in the majors.

 

[NorthSideSox72]

I forgot about Jordan Danks, he's definitely in my Top 5.

 

Top 5? The guy did almost 3 seasons in AAA, and only in his third year did his K rate get below 30%. He's going to be exposed with more at bats, as pitchers adjust, and he isn't likely to have the bat to be a starter. Possible, but unlikely. His defense is his biggest value. You may be overvaluing him based on his very small sample size with the Sox.

 

Definitely, go with ceiling/potential. That's why Thompson is off the charts to an extent, or Hawkins, or Barnum.

 

We these things, u have to ask "who could potentially be a major league All-Star caliber player?"

 

That's where Sanchez falls a bit short, lacking both plus speed or power. And, because there aren't any other middle infield prospects in our system, it makes him appear a bit better than he really is, perhaps.

 

Axelrod is pretty much interchangeable with Zach Stewart...and until Molina shows better stuff, any amount of control makes him not so much better than a glorified Matt Guerrier.

 

 

Someone mentioned Wells, Danny Wright...those guys were potentially 1/2 frontline starters. We really don't have any of those types....maybe Castro, maybe Beck, maybe no one at all. It's going to take a huge turnaround for most of us to believe he's (Molina or Axelrod) anything more than a back-end of the rotation guy.

 

I wonder where Doyle would have ranked here? Probably 5-10 for some people, not in the Top 15 or even 20 for most others.

 

It makes for some interesting arguments. Or even where Zach Stewart would have ranked if he was still considered as a starting prospect, not a reliever and he hadn't forfeited his "rookie" status with 50 IP.

 

I can't speak for everyone, but Doyle would not have cracked the Top 20 for me, probably more in the 25-30 range.

 

And I've never been a fan of Stewart, he'd have been only slightly higher than Doyle for me, maybe.

 

[caulfield12]

Hence, guys like Nathan Jones or Soptic being ranked 25-35th, despite their stuff.

 

And guys like Johnson and Petricka much higher.

 

 

 

By the way, have we seen any results from the kid (pitcher) that Paddy signed out of Venezuela for $250,000?

Mitch Mustain, haha?

Edited July 11, 2012 by caulfield12

[South Side Fireworks Man]

Whatever happened to that kid SS, Silviero or something like that? I think he was 16 when they signed him a few years ago, but it was still under the Wilder regime so he may have been another fraud. Is he still in the organization? If so, is he considered a prospect?

[mataipaepae]

I'd like to see castro get some opportunities in august and september to see what he has. If he succeeds then I would like to see floyd traded for more prospects to line our farm team, then go with a rotation next year like this.

 

Sale

Peavy-back at a lower price

Danks

Quintana

Castro

 

That would actually put 3 lefties in our starting rotation.

[mataipaepae]

I'm also exited about barnum as I think he is the future at first base. I think pauly has three more years left in him to allow this kids to develop his huge power.

[ILMOU]

Whatever happened to that kid SS, Silviero or something like that? I think he was 16 when they signed him a few years ago, but it was still under the Wilder regime so he may have been another fraud. Is he still in the organization? If so, is he considered a prospect?

 

He's at WS http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?p...&pid=534649

 

Bat may play, but apparently can't field a position.

[Chicago White Sox]

1. Jared Mitchell

2. Courtney Hawkins

3. Simon Castro

4. Keon Barnum

5. Nestor Molina

6. Trayce Thompson

7. Carlos Sanchez

8. Keenyn Walker

9. Tyler Saladino

10. Andre Rienzo

[southsider2k5]

Whatever happened to that kid SS, Silviero or something like that? I think he was 16 when they signed him a few years ago, but it was still under the Wilder regime so he may have been another fraud. Is he still in the organization? If so, is he considered a prospect?

 

Hes just not that good.

[scenario]

I think Silverio still has a shot. Depends where he ends up position wise.

Has decent pop for a mid-infielder. Not sure it's enough for 3B.

But he's 21 in high A and has the size to grow into more power.

Sort of in a slump after a nice start to the season.

The next year will be tell-tale for him.

 

Here's a video of Silverio hitting a grand slam a few nights ago.

http://www.milb.com/multimedia/vpp.jsp?content_id=22915057

 

 

Edited July 11, 2012 by scenario

[oldsox]

I'm also exited about barnum as I think he is the future at first base.

You say this after 5 games with Bristol?

[Kyyle23]

. Yes, his good start was against the Yankee's, but Arod, Granderson, and Jeter were getting the day off.

 

While I am no Axelrod fan, this is completely erroneous

 

http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=320628110

 

Every single one of those players played

[witesoxfan]

Is Carlos Sanchez going to have the glove to stick at 2B? I want to be excited about the kid because a 20 year old with those kinds of peripherals - ISO aside - looks like he could be a very valuable member of the lineup, depending on how he fills out. Just based on his height/weight, he sounds a lot like Alexi Casilla.

 

Alexi Casilla - age 21 - A+ - .331/.390/.406/.796 in 359 PAs, with a K% of 10% and a BB% of 8.4%, and much better speed numbers (12 2B, 6 3B, 0 HR, 31/37 in SB). It's eery how similar those seasons really are.

 

So, if Sanchez has the bat to stick at 2B, he could be a nice player. It also depends on how he fills out, because if he can get stronger, a few of those singles can turn into doubles.

 

He is probably the one player in the Sox system I'm the most interested in going forward.

[caulfield12]

But Casilla could run and bunt...does Sanchez have anything more than average speed?

[Chicago White Sox]

Is Carlos Sanchez going to have the glove to stick at 2B? I want to be excited about the kid because a 20 year old with those kinds of peripherals - ISO aside - looks like he could be a very valuable member of the lineup, depending on how he fills out. Just based on his height/weight, he sounds a lot like Alexi Casilla.

 

Alexi Casilla - age 21 - A+ - .331/.390/.406/.796 in 359 PAs, with a K% of 10% and a BB% of 8.4%, and much better speed numbers (12 2B, 6 3B, 0 HR, 31/37 in SB). It's eery how similar those seasons really are.

 

So, if Sanchez has the bat to stick at 2B, he could be a nice player. It also depends on how he fills out, because if he can get stronger, a few of those singles can turn into doubles.

 

He is probably the one player in the Sox system I'm the most interested in going forward.

Sanchez plays a lot of SS, so I'm guessing he can stick at 2B long-term.

[SoxAce]

I don't have Jordan Danks anywhere near the Top 25. He's a 4th Of at best. Also, I have Dylan Axelrod way down in the rankings again at best a 5th starter on average/below average team/long reliever. Shocked how high Danks and Axelrod were.

 

I agree with you, as I am also a ceiling guy when evaluating upside in the system, but I don't have Danks and Axelrod on my personal list cause they are just too old to be considered legitimate prospects in my eyes. Obviously I have bias on guys I've watched or know (Dan Black.. ) but I'm also a realist.

[oldsox]

I don't understand having Chris Beck waaay ahead of Heidenreich. Same age, one a second rounder, the other a fourth, Beck getting pretty much lit up at Great Falls, Heidenreich solid now at High A (combined 101 innings/3.38 ERA/.244 BAA/pitching against older players). Seems like Beck is annoited hhis status.

[Quin]

I don't understand having Chris Beck waaay ahead of Heidenreich. Same age, one a second rounder, the other a fourth, Beck getting pretty much lit up at Great Falls, Heidenreich solid now at High A (combined 101 innings/3.38 ERA/.244 BAA/pitching against older players). Seems like Beck is annoited hhis status.

 

Heidenreich has been in the system a few years. Beck was just drafted.