Sox top 50

[jacksonianmarch]

Originally Posted by example1

Yeah, he was #18 in their prospect handbook. I understand the differences between Scout and BA now. Thanks for the clarification fellas. I think a combination of the two lists probably gives the most accurate view.

Personally, I prefer BA's list if it deals considerably more with ceiling than with level (since level will be dealt with in time by players moving up as they age).

It depends on the person who runs it. Pinstripes plus seems to be a good mix of it (as evidenced by their higher ratings of Gardner as he is close, but the very high rating of Montero without him even playing one DSL game). Diehard certainly looks like they value proximity vs ceiling.

[scaffolds]

Proximity to where? some of those players won't make to the ML and if some do it won't be more for a cup of coffee, with a very low ceiling.

[jacksonianmarch]

Originally Posted by scaffolds

Proximity to where? some of those players won't make to the ML and if some do it won't be more for a cup of coffee, with a very low ceiling.

I read a few of the SR's from diehard and will agree that the Beam pick sounds bad. A loogy with bad stuff and poor control doesnt look like major league material, but who knows.

I have been under the impression that the sox system is not that deep to this point, maybe that is why the top 50 list is so weak from 30-50.

[jacksonianmarch]

50.) Jordan Craft, P
49.) Jose Capellan, P
48.) Kris Negron, IF
47.) Mike Jones, 1B
46.) Josh Papelbon, P
45.) Jon Still, C
44.) Zach Daegas, OF
43.) Dustin Richardson, P
42.) Felix Doubront, P
41.) Tim Cox, P
40.) Yahmed Yema, OF
39.) Mark Wagner, C
38.) Barry Hertzler, P
37.) Jeremy West, 1B/DH
36.) Mike Rozier, P
35.) Randy Beam, P
34.) Jonathan Egan, C
33.) Reid Engel, OF
32.) Christian Lara, SS
31.) Luis Soto, OF
30.) Mike James, P

[scaffolds]

Jackson the Sox system isn't lacking depth, just a bad players rating by scout.com.

[jacksonianmarch]

Originally Posted by scaffolds

Jackson the Sox system isn't lacking depth, just a bad players rating by scout.com.

what is your top 50? I saw sox prospects.com, but that is pretty out of date, IMO.

Just checked. You guys updated this recently, didnt you.

[jacksonianmarch]

So I am checking out sox prospects and here is the list of their top 40 and where they will be starting in the minors this season (projected anyway).

Boston MLB
Pedroia #4

Pawtucket AAA
Kottaras #8
Murphy #10
Martinez #13
Moss #14
Spann #15
Gabbard #27
Pauley #34
Smith #35

Portland AA
Ellsbury #1
Buchholz #2
Jackson #18
Lowrie #21
Natale #32

Lancaster A+
Bowden#3
Cox #5
Masterson#7
Wagner #20
Soto #23
Rozier #28
Jones #31
Turner #37

Greenville A
Bard #6
Place #9
Johnson #11
Egan #19
Kalish #24
Chiang #30
Esposito #33

Lowell A- short season
#22 Clay

GCL Sox Rookie ball
Anderson #12
Beltre #39
Tejeda #40

[jacksonianmarch]

AAA
Of the sox AAA prospects, the only one with any punch is Kottaras. He benefitted from being one of a select few who were actually useful in the minors in SD and came over in the Wells deal. He had a horrible 2006 season in AAA after having an okay start to it in AA. From what I've heard, he projects more as a backup catcher than as a starter, but he has experience with a knuckler and has proven he can handle AA. So we shall see, he very well could continue to develop the hitting skills needed at the next level to become an every day player. This yr will help with his development to see if he can develop the power everyone seems to be expecting. It seems he is ticketed to Boston as a Sept callup this yr and as a Vtek heir apparent in 2008, likely catching the knuckler is Wake is still around.

Martinez is another intriguing guy to keep an eye on. A converted position player, he has a power repertoire that started to fall into place last yr. He is starting to harness his stuff and may make a debut this season. He is still not a very advanced prospect and projects to being useful MR one day. Maybe a MDC with a little less talent.

AA
The two best sox prospects are here. Everyone has heard of Ellsbury. The guy with a Johnny Damon projection. Has very good speed, but hasnt turned it into the kind of SB numbers you'd expect out of someone with world class speed. Not the kind of power projectability you would typically want out of an OFer, but he has the BA and the OBP skills to be a very good OFer and potential leadoff man.

Buchholz, I think they are rushing a bit. If his fantastic repertoire is accurate, then he shouldnt have a problem in AA. But he still needs to perfect the repertoire a bit and having a pitcher essentially skip the FSL is not the way to do it. He is the best rated pitching prospect.

After that in AA, the field is barren. Jackson continues to get hurt and his command went backwards. Lowrie and Natale I have seen be referred to as guys whose MLB hopes are slipping with every passing day.

A+
I like this class of yours better than any other class in the system. Bowden is my favorite sox pitching prospect. Most polished, best arsenal, younger than Buchholz by 2 full yrs. He will be moved slowly as I feel the sox have him pegged as the next home grown star while they may be shopping Buchholz, who knows.

Cox is a power arm with good stuff and has been bandied about in the majors league picture this yr. WIll move rapidly through the system and has high projection in the pen. Still needs some serious seasoning before he hits the bigs though.

Masterson should not be this high in any system. He is a guy whose ultimate destination seems to be changing by the day. He was a starter in college, a reliever in the sox system and now is being converted back to starting. Interesting repertoire which needs a lot of work. As a sinker, slider guy could be a solid reliever, but in relief, his value will drop. Intriguing guy to keep an eye on though.

A
This is where the most promise lies. Bard has the stuff to be a major league CY candidate, but his location and repertoire need some serious work. Place is a young kid with power, which is not easy to find right out of HS. But his K rate and strike zone recognition need a ton of work. Johnson is the sox best lefty pitcher in the minors, but is coming off TJ surgery in 2005, so he should be handled lightly early on. Has a solid arsenal though. Egan is a solid power projection kind of guy, but his arrest on coke charges a yr and a half ago makes you wonder.

[scaffolds]

Originally Posted by jacksonianmarch

what is your top 50? I saw sox prospects.com, but that is pretty out of date, IMO.

Just checked. You guys updated this recently, didnt you.

No, No I don't have nothing to do with Soxprospects.com, but i do have a thread of the Sox top 50 prospects in the minor league section of this page.

[jacksonianmarch]

DIEHARD 2007 TOP 50 PROSPECTS
50.) Jordan Craft, P
49.) Jose Capellan, P
48.) Kris Negron, IF
47.) Mike Jones, 1B
46.) Josh Papelbon, P
45.) Jon Still, C
44.) Zach Daegas, OF
43.) Dustin Richardson, P
42.) Felix Doubront, P
41.) Tim Cox, P
40.) Yahmed Yema, OF
39.) Mark Wagner, C
38.) Barry Hertzler, P
37.) Jeremy West, 1B/DH
36.) Mike Rozier, P
35.) Randy Beam, P
34.) Jonathan Egan, C
33.) Reid Engel, OF
32.) Christian Lara, SS
31.) Luis Soto, OF
30.) Mike James, P
29.) John Otness, C
28.) Nick DeBarr, P
27.) Andrew Pinckney, 3B

hey, when the top 25 come, do you guys want me to C&P the scouting reports? I will do so if I get permission from the mods here.

[CrespoBlows]

Originally Posted by jacksonianmarch

DIEHARD 2007 TOP 50 PROSPECTS
50.) Jordan Craft, P
49.) Jose Capellan, P
48.) Kris Negron, IF
47.) Mike Jones, 1B
46.) Josh Papelbon, P
45.) Jon Still, C
44.) Zach Daegas, OF
43.) Dustin Richardson, P
42.) Felix Doubront, P
41.) Tim Cox, P
40.) Yahmed Yema, OF
39.) Mark Wagner, C
38.) Barry Hertzler, P
37.) Jeremy West, 1B/DH
36.) Mike Rozier, P
35.) Randy Beam, P
34.) Jonathan Egan, C
33.) Reid Engel, OF
32.) Christian Lara, SS
31.) Luis Soto, OF
30.) Mike James, P
29.) John Otness, C
28.) Nick DeBarr, P
27.) Andrew Pinckney, 3B

hey, when the top 25 come, do you guys want me to C&P the scouting reports? I will do so if I get permission from the mods here.

Andrew Pickney?

[jacksonianmarch]

You're gonna for me to do it arent you?

He turns 25 in April.

He had a fantastic 2005 in A ball where he hit .311/.362/.535 but had a down yr last yr with a .255/.313/.420 mark. He will be the starting 3 in AA this yr, which will be his make or break yr.

Andrew Pinckney had perhaps the finest season of any Red Sox minor leaguer in 2005, when he led all Sox prospects in RBI while ranking second in homers and fourth in batting average. It didn’t take long last season for the Sox to figure out the success hadn’t gone to his head.

Pinckney performed solidly if not spectacularly last season at Single-A Wilmington, where he earned All-Star honors in the pitcher-friendly Carolina League and finished second on the Blue Rocks in doubles (31) and homers and third in RBI. He had only four hitless streaks of three games or longer.

In addition, Pinckney showed improvement on defense. He made 22 errors in 104 games at third base after committing 25 errors in 93 games at third in 2005.

“We saw some good things defensively,” Sox director of player personnel Mike Hazen said. “He works hard. It’s a matter of hard work and just refining those skills to make him an everyday third baseman.”

But Pinckney was not satisfied. His season was pockmarked by inconsistency: He hit .189 in April, .333 in May, .213 in June, .281 in July and .242 after Aug. 1. After enjoying a 20-game hitting streak in 2005, his longest hitting streak last year was eight games. In addition, Pinckney walked fewer times and struck out more often in 77 fewer at-bats than in 2005.

“I think, at times, he can be his own worst enemy in terms of being hard on himself,” Hazen said. “He expects perfection all the time.”

Not that the Sox were surprised: After all, as a 34th-round draft pick in 2004 out of Division III Emory University in Georgia—and someone who was pegged to open 2005 in extended spring training before an impressive performance in Ft. Myers earned him a spot at Single-A Greenville—Pinckney takes nothing for granted and plans to play until someone rips the jersey off his back.

“I am going to go until I either make it or I don’t make it,” Pinckney said in 2005. “I’m going to be here as long as I can—until I either do or don’t make it to the [majors]. There’s no more timeframe.”

Nor do the Sox appear in any hurry to get rid of him. Among third base prospects in the chain, Pinckney ranks behind only Chad Spann, and he should get a chance to replace Spann this season at the hot corner for Double-A Portland. While Spann appears the most likely internal option to replace Mike Lowell if the latter leaves as a free agent after the 2007, Pinckney can position himself for a callup in 2008 with an impressive performance this season.

“Overall we’re pretty pleased with what he did,” Hazen said. “He’s definitely going to have to show that same kind of improvement [this year].”

[scaffolds]

Third base its the weakest position in the Red Sox system, Andrew Pinkney isn't just the #2 third base prospect on the system, Manuel Arrambaris who will play in Greenville this years is, Pinkney has some tools like a strong arm and has some pop on his bat, but he isn't a Red Sox top 50 propsect. the same can be said about John Otness, Otness has made some stride as a catcher after being a corner infielder, but his defense as a catcher isn't any better than average at best, as a hitter he can hit for average, but lacks power, he has always been old for the level that he has played. Otness would be playing in Portland this year and we need to see how he performs, but at this time he isn't a top 50 prospect.

[jacksonianmarch]

what is your top 50?

[scaffolds]

Originally Posted by jacksonianmarch

what is your top 50?

You ask for it, here is.

After some adjustments;

50- Kris Negron SS
49- Claudio Arias LF
48- Luis Sumoza RF
47- Jeff Natale 2B
46- Reid Engel CF
45- Matt Goodson RHP
44- Jeff Corsoletti LF
43- Tom Hottovy LHP
42- Ryan Kalish CF
41- Tyler Weeden C
40- Moises Tejada SS
39- Angel Beltre CF
38- Dustin Richardson LHP
37- Chih-Hsien Chiang 2B
36- Mike Jones 1B
35- Chris Jones RHP
34- Luis Exposito C
33- Chis Turner LF
32- Manuel Arrambaris 3B
31- Aaron Bate 1B
30- Yahmed Yema OF
29- Miguel Socolovitch RHP
28- Jon Egan C
27- Michael Rozier LHP
26- Jose Capellan LHP