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Thread: COUNTDOWN COMPLETED: Atlanta's Top 50 Prospects Listed

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    Director of Minor League Reports rico43's Avatar
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    COUNTDOWN COMPLETED: Atlanta's Top 50 Prospects Listed

    This is my final list, which evolved substantially from the time I began the countdown until Saturday, when Bob Horner finally emerged as the No. 1 Braves prospect of all time.

    A total of 66 bios were written, and the list below now includes links to all of them to save time should you want to give a few a read. Also we welcome your critiques of the list now that it's final.

    Thanks for all who have provided input so far.


    Incomplete (still building on their legend)
    In Alphabetical Order...
    A. Ozzie Albies LINK
    B. Kolby Allard LINK
    C. Ian Anderson LINK
    D. Mauricio Cabrera LINK
    E. Kevin Maitan LINK

    How The Hell Did I Forget About...?
    Brett Butler LINK
    Yunel Escobar LINK

    Top 50 Rankings

    1. Bob Horner LINK
    2. Andruw Jones LINK
    3. Chipper Jones LINK
    4. Jeff Francoeur LINK
    5. Steve Avery LINK
    6. Rafael Furcal LINK
    7. Brad Komminsk LINK
    8. Dale Murphy LINK
    9. Jason Heyward LINK
    10. Freddie Freeman LINK
    11. Brian McCann LINK
    12. Kent Mercker LINK
    13. Ralph Garr LINK
    14. Elvis Andrus LINK
    15. Craig Kimbrel LINK
    15a. Mark Wohlers LINK
    16. Andy Marte LINK
    17. Andrelton Simmons LINK
    18. Tom Glavine LINK
    19. Javier Lopez LINK
    20. Wilson Betemit LINK

    21. Jose Peraza LINK
    22. Mike McQueen LINK
    23. Tommy Hanson LINK
    24. Julio Teheran LINK
    25. Ryan Klesko LINK
    26. Mike Kelly LINK
    27. Dusty Baker LINK
    28. Ron Gant LINK
    29. Bruce Chen LINK
    30. Adam Wainwright LINK
    31. Christian Bethancourt LINK
    32. Marcus Giles LINK
    33. Derek Lilliquist LINK
    34. Jason Schmidt LINK
    35. David Justice LINK
    36. Earl Williams LINK
    37. Rod Gilbreath LINK
    38. Jermaine Dye LINK
    39. Jordan Schafer LINK
    40. George Lombard LINK
    41. Tyler Houston LINK
    42. Glenn Williams LINK
    43. David Nied LINK
    44. Jim Breazeale LINK
    45. Jason Marquis LINK
    46. Neftali Feliz LINK
    47. Preston Hanna LINK
    48. Pat Rockett LINK
    49. Scott Thorman LINK
    50. Jose Capellan LINK
    51. Jarrod Saltalamacchia LINK
    52. Damian Moss LINK
    53. Matt Belisle LINK
    54. Craig McMurtry LINK
    55. Ken Dayley LINK
    56. Taylor Duncan LINK
    57. Alex Wood LINK
    58. Terrell Wade LINK
    Last edited by rico43; 02-21-2017 at 11:51 PM.

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    It's OVER 5,000! cajunrevenge's Avatar
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    There are no wrong answers in a list like this, just differences of opinion. I don't know much of anything about prospects prior to 95 or so.
    "Donald Trump will serve a second term as president of the United States.

    It’s over."


    Little Thethe Nov 19, 2020.

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    Director of Minor League Reports rico43's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by cajunrevenge View Post
    There are no wrong answers in a list like this, just differences of opinion. I don't know much of anything about prospects prior to 95 or so.
    I was learning, and re-learning, about a lot of these guys myself. Hope you give the older guys a read; some amazing stories.

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    It's OVER 5,000! striker42's Avatar
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    Scott Thorman. Man was he a disappointment. I was really high on him. The guy just looked like a slugger. Never could make the transition from AAA to the majors.

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    Director of Minor League Reports rico43's Avatar
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    Moved this for ready reference. All bios wind up on their own sub-heading above.

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    Sabermetric Slut
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    Quote Originally Posted by rico43 View Post
    I was learning, and re-learning, about a lot of these guys myself. Hope you give the older guys a read; some amazing stories.
    Like the majority of posters here, I assume, my knowledge of the Braves comes from the 90's dynasty onward. With that being said I do like reading the stories of the older players especially today's with Rod Gilbreath. Good to know that players like that still stick in the organization and make a career out of baseball.

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    Director of Minor League Reports rico43's Avatar
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    Any major complaints so far?

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    Expects Yuge Games nsacpi's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rico43 View Post
    Any major complaints so far?
    Just curious, but how far back in time are you going in putting together the list.

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    Director of Minor League Reports rico43's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by nsacpi View Post
    Just curious, but how far back in time are you going in putting together the list.
    Onset of draft is basically the same as arrival in Atlanta. So, initial June 1965 draft is as far back as we go.

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    Director of Minor League Reports rico43's Avatar
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    Should I slow down how often I release these. Feel like enough people aren't reading through my brilliant bios.

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    Quote Originally Posted by rico43 View Post
    Should I slow down how often I release these. Feel like enough people aren't reading through my brilliant bios.
    I'm a fan, and don't think you should slow them down. I think it will create more discussion once it's finished.

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    Quote Originally Posted by smootness View Post
    I'm a fan, and don't think you should slow them down. I think it will create more discussion once it's finished.
    I look forward to these every day. Thanks for your studious work!

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    Director of Minor League Reports rico43's Avatar
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    THANKS to the board to point out that I changed the criteria to place Cabrera unduly high in the mix. Putting him among the incompletes is a more accurate placement of him at this stage of his career. It also solves my conundrum as to where to place some of the others. I knew it would work itself out.

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    Don't think that Bethancourt should've been ahead of Tyler Houston and Saltalamacchia either. The two latter were big time prospects, esp. with Houston's draft position. With Bethancourt, it was more message board wishful thinking. Don't get me wrong, nobody would've loved to have seen him develop to projected potential more than me.

    Rico,

    Do appreciate the time and effort put into the project though! If it gets us thinking and talking, then it's served its purpose.

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    Director of Minor League Reports rico43's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Knucksie View Post
    Don't think that Bethancourt should've been ahead of Tyler Houston and Saltalamacchia either. The two latter were big time prospects, esp. with Houston's draft position. With Bethancourt, it was more message board wishful thinking. Don't get me wrong, nobody would've loved to have seen him develop to projected potential more than me.

    Rico,

    Do appreciate the time and effort put into the project though! If it gets us thinking and talking, then it's served its purpose.
    The sheer volume (both auditory and weight) of the Bethancourt hype far surpassed the others. It went on for three whole years. Perhaps only Komminsk was longer and louder.

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    Quote Originally Posted by rico43 View Post
    The sheer volume (both auditory and weight) of the Bethancourt hype far surpassed the others. It went on for three whole years. Perhaps only Komminsk was longer and louder.
    Lilliquist and Houston were very big deals, because of draft positions. Chen was hyped as one of the top at the time for at least 2 years. Lombard arrived to AAA with A LOT of fanfare. Teheran, definitely. Even with Hanson, he had to move through before things reached any kind of fever pitch. Betemit, who hasn't been visited yet...from A ball.

    With Komminsk, it wasn't "perhaps." The ENTIRE organization was arranged around him being Dale Murphy #2, saving grandmothers and pets from burning buildings. Major transactions with him as the primary focus ("we don't need Brett Butler back, we'd rather keep Komminsk!").

    Just thinking that with Bethancourt, it was pinning (unrealistic) hopes on him. Again, would've loved for him to have at least become serviceable, every day catcher with good defense, ability to handle pitching staffs and provide some stick. Just with it being recent, there's no recollection of him being hyped as franchise superstar, outside of message boards. At least some of that can be attributed to the major team being down the toilet during Bethancourt's emergence through the system, but again, there's no recollection of him being proclaimed as some potential savior.

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    Quote Originally Posted by rico43 View Post
    Any major complaints so far?
    I think you have Earl Williams way too low. I hope you have Ralph Garr in there.

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    Director of Minor League Reports rico43's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 50PoundHead View Post
    I think you have Earl Williams way too low. I hope you have Ralph Garr in there.
    Garr is coming. Williams was a polarizing guy. I saw him hit an upper deck homer at Veterans Stadium, but I also heard early on that he was not an enthusiastic catcher. There just seem to be several guys who fit the same description, but I will admit I originally had him higher -- before I began remembering who I'd forgotten.

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    Quote Originally Posted by rico43 View Post
    Garr is coming. Williams was a polarizing guy. I saw him hit an upper deck homer at Veterans Stadium, but I also heard early on that he was not an enthusiastic catcher. There just seem to be several guys who fit the same description, but I will admit I originally had him higher -- before I began remembering who I'd forgotten.
    All that's true. I was just remembering how he established his prospect status as a minor leaguer. He was a beast. I wonder if the Braves ever regretted moving Aaron to 1B in 1972 and then trading Williams during the off-season and then moving Aaron back out to the OF the following season.

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    Director of Minor League Reports rico43's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 50PoundHead View Post
    All that's true. I was just remembering how he established his prospect status as a minor leaguer. He was a beast. I wonder if the Braves ever regretted moving Aaron to 1B in 1972 and then trading Williams during the off-season and then moving Aaron back out to the OF the following season.
    Aaron played exactly where he wanted to play. He was the tail wagging the dog the last several years.

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