OFR's Top 50 Prospects for 2019

[rico43]

Outfield Fly Rule has begun it's list of the Top 50 Braves prospect for 2019. We appreciate the hard work and great photography, and link you to the list
here:

http://outfieldflyrule.com/2018/11/01/atlanta-braves-top-50-prospects-2019-41-50/

TOP 50 BRAVES PROSPECTS (2018 ranking)

20.
21. Alex Jackson, C (13)
22. Ricardo Sanchez, LHP (21)
23. A.J. Graffanino, SS (N/A)
24. Isranel "Izzy" Wilson, OF (26)
25. Jefrey Ramos, OF (46)
26. Corbin Clouse, LHP (33)
27. Thomas Burrows, LHP (38)
28. Riley Delgado, SS (77)
29. Ray-Patrick Didder, SS (42)
30. Trey Riley, RHP (N/A)
31. Victor Vodnik, RHP (N/A)
32. Jasseel de la Cruz, RHP (N/A)
33. Tucker Davidson, LHP (31)
34. Travis Demeritte, 2B (20)
35. Wes Parsons, RHP (48)
36. Drew Lugbauer, C (32)
37. Alan Rangel, RHP (50)
38. Jonathan Morales, C (44)
39. Derian Cruz, 2B (45)
40. Lucas Herbert, C (23)
41. Justin Dean, OF (N/A)
42. Alejandro Salazar, INF (79)
43. Jake Higginbotham, LHP (N/A)
44. Nolan Kingham, RHP (N/A)
45. Jacob Webb, RHP (53)
46. Jeremy Fernandez, OF (n/a)
47. Matt Rowland, RHP (N/A)
48. Greg Cullen, 2B (N/A)
49. Andrew Moritz, OF (N/A)
50. Trey Harris, OF (N/A)

 

[CJ9]

Another list where a random guy with a blog and no scouting background ranks our prospects? No thanks.

 

[cajunrevenge]

Are you saying that about Sickels. He worked for Bill James as a research assistant, wrote a "down on the farm" article for ESPN for 10 years, and supports himself by selling a book with bios on the top 1000 prospects every year. I am pretty sure Sickels lists have been posted here every year going back to scout for 15 years. But yeah, random guy with no background in scouting.

 

[clvclv]

Are you saying that about Sickels. He worked for Bill James as a research assistant, wrote a "down on the farm" article for ESPN for 10 years, and supports himself by selling a book with bios on the top 1000 prospects every year. I am pretty sure Sickels lists have been posted here every year going back to scout for 15 years. But yeah, random guy with no background in scouting.

Don't think CJ9 was referring to Sickels - more to Ben, me, and others who rank prospects on their own and publish their lists for the fun of it.

Way too serious around here at times - what in the *ell else is there to talk about that has to do with baseball on November 2nd???

 

[smootness]

Are you saying that about Sickels. He worked for Bill James as a research assistant, wrote a "down on the farm" article for ESPN for 10 years, and supports himself by selling a book with bios on the top 1000 prospects every year. I am pretty sure Sickels lists have been posted here every year going back to scout for 15 years. But yeah, random guy with no background in scouting.

Why would he have been talking about Sickels?

 

[rico43]

Ranking now include 21-50 Many top 20 prospects of 2017 have dropped like so many rocks.

 

[50PoundHead]

I don't know the methodology, but I'm puzzled as to how Derian Cruz is ranked as high as he is (if one considers #39 to be high). He really hasn't done anything. They obviously like Graffanino. He could really be a sleeper out of the 2018 draft.

 

[clvclv]

I don't know the methodology, but I'm puzzled as to how Derian Cruz is ranked as high as he is (if one considers #39 to be high). He really hasn't done anything. They obviously like Graffanino. He could really be a sleeper out of the 2018 draft.

Like with most systems, my guess is that once you get outside of the actual "talent" (or guys who have a chance of being legitimate contributors at the MLB level), many lists simply juggle the order so their list doesn't look like everybody else's. Since the Braves system is so deep, that juggling doesn't start until you get down to #s 25 or 30 where it's probably a bit higher for most teams. Once you get beyond Trey Riley, those guys are pretty much interchangeable for the most part - an awful lot will need to go right for them to ever have anyone handling their luggage for them at any point. Doesn't mean there might not be a utility guy/middle reliever/3rd Catcher type to come from that group, but they'd likely only be good enough to hang around for a season or two on a rebuilding club that didn't have much of a reason to upgrade their bench or mop-up relievers.

 

[50PoundHead]

Like with most systems, my guess is that once you get outside of the actual "talent" (or guys who have a chance of being legitimate contributors at the MLB level), many lists simply juggle the order so their list doesn't look like everybody else's. Since the Braves system is so deep, that juggling doesn't start until you get down to #s 25 or 30 where it's probably a bit higher for most teams. Once you get beyond Trey Riley, those guys are pretty much interchangeable for the most part - an awful lot will need to go right for them to ever have anyone handling their luggage for them at any point. Doesn't mean there might not be a utility guy/middle reliever/3rd Catcher type to come from that group, but they'd likely only be good enough to hang around for a season or two on a rebuilding club that didn't have much of a reason to upgrade their bench or mop-up relievers.

All very true. My point is Cruz has been absolutely dreadful.

 

[clvclv]

If you look really closely at that list, they're probably as down on Cruz as everybody else is - outside of Herbert (who's been a major disappointment so far as well), just about everyone else listed thus far has been hurt, was an international signing, or was drafted last June.