COMING MONDAY: Midseason Top 30 prospects list

[sgtpepper1972]

Thank you guys for your efforts! Very well written, very interesting and indeed very encouraging especially at this point in time when our team's performance with all the talent we got seem too difficult to understand. Good read this thread is!

[KB21]

Here's my Top 12 w/ Analysis

1. Jose Peraza - SS, He has been nothing short of outstanding so far this season. He puts the bat on the ball and utilizes his speed get on base. The only knock on him is that he doesn't walk much but he doesn't strikeout much either. His defense at 2B is well above average but with the way La Stella's playing the Braves can take their time developing Peraza.

2. Lucas Sims - RHP, He's not having a good season so far. His walks are still up and he's giving up lots of HR. His stuff is fine still sitting 92-94 touching 96 at times but he's not commanding any of his pitches especially his CB. Still very young and has plenty of upside though.

3. Christian Bethancourt - C, If he continues to hit like he's been hitting recently he'll be in the Majors sooner rather than later. It's hard to believe that he's still only 22 and won't be 23 until September. To put that into perspective look at the top college C in this past draft, he's only one year older than those guys crazy.

4. Braxton Davidson - OF, I didn't think the Braves would have a shot at drafting this young man. I absolutely love this guy's swing. His offensive potential is what I really like about this guy his hit/power tools are ridiculous. Hopefully he can play average LF(which I don't see why he can't).

5. Wes Parsons - RHP, Hard to believe this guy was an UDFA but he has been outstanding so far. At 6'5", 190 the guy hhas a very projectable frame. He sits 90-92 now and touched 95 several times he could possibly sit mid 90s in the near future as he fills out. His off speed stuff is actually better than I thought it would be. His slurve was actually a pretty decent pitch and his change was really good. He's really a guy to watch.

6. Jason Hursh - RHP, I don't get this guy. He has a very good FB that sits 92-95 and gets as high as 97 and a really good slider when he throws it for strikes but he pitches to contact and doesn't really try to fool hitter or keep them off balance. He and Graham are very similar imo.

7. J.R. Graham - RHP, See Hursh. They are very similar Graham's velocity may be a tick higher but he has the same pitch to contact mentality as Hursh though which is not a bad thing especially when you get a ton of GB and will have the best shortstop in the world behind you in the ML

8. Mauricio Cabrera - RHP, He could definitely be higher on this list if he were healthy but with the injury he's really hard to rank at this point but his stuff is the absolute best in the system. He sits mid - upper 90s and touches 100 and his Slurve is not a bad pitch but his CU is a potential plus pitch if he can consistently throw it for strikes.

9. Garrett Fulenchek - RHP, A sinker ball machine that sit 90-94 with potential for more. His off speed stuff needs work but when you have one plus pitch to work off that's a huge start.

10. Kyle Kubitza - 3B, This guy is just a good ballplayer. If he could cut down on his strikeouts he'd be ranked higher and possibly already be in the ML. He walks at a very good clip and play above average defense at 3B. So he could possibly be a September call up candidate.

11. Victor Reyes - OF, He started out extremely hot and now he the coldest guy in the system at the plate. I honestly think the guy is hurt but he's playing through it cause when I saw him in Rome earlier he was locked in and stinging everything. He still has a high upside imo.

12. Victor Caratini - C/3B - Has a very good approach at the plate and a nice level swing from both sides very Victor Martinez like. Behind the plate he decent but I don't think he sticks there. Very solid prospect though.

Can't much argue with this list. On Hursh and Graham, I wonder how much of their pitch to contact mentality is post injury. As in, they are not pitching to the radar gun. Your power arms are the ones that have the highest risk of arm injuries due to the effort they use to throw that hard.

I watched Graham pitch in Pearl this past Saturday. He was consistently 90-92 early on with two strike outs at the start of the game.

[Jay212033]

Can't much argue with this list. On Hursh and Graham, I wonder how much of their pitch to contact mentality is post injury. As in, they are not pitching to the radar gun. Your power arms are the ones that have the highest risk of arm injuries due to the effort they use to throw that hard.

I watched Graham pitch in Pearl this past Saturday. He was consistently 90-92 early on with two strike outs at the start of the game.

I'm really thinking that his shoulder isn't completely healthy. I watch a lot of games on MiLB TV and the announcers we saying the same thing.

[KB21]

Also, we talk about some of these young guys and their "frame to develop more power" down the road, but how many of these guys have actually developed that power that we have talked about in the past?

[Jay212033]

Simmons is one.

[thethe]

As KB noted in the 6/14 minor league thread Wren has been really solid this year. He should factor somewhere onto our list past the top 6.

[Jay212033]

As KB noted in the 6/14 minor league thread Wren has been really solid this year. He should factor somewhere onto our list past the top 6.

Wren to me is not even top 15. He's a one trick pony, speed and speed only. He's a slap hitter who's an excellent bunter but against good pitching he looks bad. His defense in CF is average for a guy with his speed and his arm is well below average. He's 23 in High A if he continues this in AA he'd be inside my Top 15 but not now.