Rookies


	Rookies, 2001 (2)

	(Some of the prognosticators of the day -- PP&S = Prospects, P and Suspects; FB = Fastball, BA = Baseball America; BBHQ = Shandler's Baseball Headquarters; BBW = Baseball Weekly; IFR - Iowa Farm Report; TSN = The Sporting News; MEMLR = Montreal Expos Minor League Reporter) 04 August, 2001 Jim Callis, Baseball America, on NYA SP prospect Jason Arnold : " ... At 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds, he does project to get stronger. Considering all of the success he has had as a senior and in his pro debut (6-0, 0.58 with 48 strikeouts in 47 innings. NY-P opponents are batting .136 against him) as a starter, I can't imagine that New York will change his role any time soon. He does have two power pitches that would serve him well as a closer, but he also has a three-pitch repetoire and throws strikes, so he should be able to succeed as a starter. He could shoot through the minors, possibly making it to Yankee Stadium sometime in 2003. We won't sort out all the Yankees prospects until the offseason, but Arnold has a good chance to crack their Top 10 when we do the list." Callis answers "where is Wily Mo Pena in four years?" : " ... His strike-zone discipline is so bad right now that despite all his physical tools, I'll say the Atlantic League." 07 August, 2001 From The Mercury News on Joe Borchard CHA : " ... switch-hitting outfielder, is batting .279 with 18 home runs and 66 RBIs for Double-A Birmingham. Borchard's performance earned him appearances in the Southern League all-star game; the 2001 Futures Game, in which the best minor league prospects from the United States meet the world's best; and the Double-A all-star game. ``He's exceeded our expectations,'' White Sox General Manager Ken Williams said. ``And we had high expectations.'' Borchard, who has moved from left field to center field, has some scouts convinced he is ready for the majors." 08 August, 2001 David Paschall, Chattanooga Times Free Press, on Ty Howington CIN : " ... Howington joined the Lookouts on July 26 after posting a 4-0 record and 1.15 earned run average in Single-A Dayton before going 3-2 with a 2.43 ERA for Mudville, also Single-A. In his Double-A debut ... the 6-foot-5, 220-pounder went six innings, recorded seven strikeouts and allowed just one run. He followed that up Saturday night at Birmingham by allowing two runs on three hits over five innings in his first decision, a 2-0 loss to the Barons. "He's got good velocity," Lookouts pitching coach Mack Jenkins said. "He needs work on his secondary pitches, his curve and changeup, and he needs to work on holding runners, but he's had a couple of good outings to start out." "It feels good," Howington said. "I'm using the off-speed a little more. You've got to keep them off-balance the higher you go." ... "I'm starting to spot the ball a lot better. Last year, I didn't have a clue where the ball was going. My changeup has come a long way, and my curveball is better." Howington's fast ball was clocked at 95 mph last season, but off-season surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow has reduced it to 92 ... "He has gone through an adjustment, just like hitters do with the wooden bat," Lookouts manager Phillip Wellman said. "We thought we would have him all season until his surgery. I think he'll get his fastball back up around 95." ... Howington is expected to finish this season in Chattanooga and will enter next season as one of the more likely Lookouts to move on to Triple-A Louisville. He has pitched only11 innings for the Lookouts but has the lowest ERA (2.46) of any active member on the staff." 11 August, 2001 Jim Callis, Baseball America, on Antonio Perez SEA : " ... He's now out for the season. Perez' wrist is back in a cast, and the latest tests have indicated that it's healing on its own and won't require surgery. The Mariners will have Perez examined again at the end of August to double-check that prognosis. There's no timetable on when he'll be back to 100 percent, but Seattle hopes he can play in instructional league and winter ball to get ready for spring training 2002. If he needs screws inserted in the wrist for it to heal properly, he won't see action until next spring. Perez still ranks as one of the best shortstop prospects in the game, but Wilson Betemit and Felipe Lopez have passed him in my mind. Perez hasn't played, as opposed to playing badly, so we pretty much have to judge him on what he did in 2000." 14 August, 2001 Bob Hersom, Oklahoman on Justin Duchscherer TEX : " ... Duchscherer, who was acquired from Boston's Trenton farm club and sent to double-A Tulsa in June, raised his RedHawk record to 1-2 and lowered his earned run average to 1.66. He pitched the RedHawks' first complete-game shutout and third nine-inning complete game of the year. "My goal every time is to go throw nine innings," Duchscherer, 23, said, "but sometimes you get it, like I did tonight, and sometimes you don't. It's not like if you don't get it you're going to be disasterized." Duchscherer, who gave up eight hits and threw 112 pitches Saturday, has allowed only four earned runs in 21 RedHawk innings. Earlier this year, he pitched a nine-inning complete game for both Tulsa and Trenton, in double-A. In his nine-inning game for Trenton he had a no-hitter with one out left in the game at New Haven." Dave Utnik, Potomac News on Victor Martinez CLE & others : " ... Kinston's all-star catcher Victor Martinez was named the Carolina League player of the month for July. Martinez, who is universally regarded as the league's top defensive catcher, batted .429, going 42-for-98 in 26 games. A switch hitter, he drove in 20 runs, giving him 51 for the season. Heading into Friday's game against Lynchburg, Martinez led the league with a .332 average ... Starter Jimmy Journell, who was third in the league with 134 strikeouts and tied for second with 12 victories, is competing for the league's ERA title. Among active leaders, Journell (2.64) had a slight edge over Wilmington's Jimmy Gobble (2.77) ... Frederick's Erik Bedard, who missed nearly two months with shoulder soreness, returned to the Keys rotation last week and threw five scoreless innings against Myrtle Beach ... In his first season of professional baseball, Pelicans starter Trey Hodges has gone 13-6 with a 2.87 ERA. He helped lead LSU to the College World Series championship last summer." 19 August, 2001 Callis on Brad Lidge HOU : " ... The good news is that there were no tears in Lidge's rotator cuff or labrum. He'll begin throwing again this winter and the Astros believe he'll be fully ready for spring training in 2002 ... Since Houston made him a 1998 first-round pick out of Notre Dame, Lidge has been healthy enough to make just 23 starts in four seasons. When he's right, he throws in the mid- to upper 90s and shows an unhittable slider. He has one more victory (four) than surgeries (three) as a pro. Last year he went under the knife twice, in June to repair a broken forearm and in November to clean out his elbow. Lidge never has had major elbow or shoulder damage, so the Astros still believe he can become a frontline starter. Scouting director David Lakey compares Lidge's fastball and slider to that of Robb Nen. As he was ascending through the minors, Nen had even more injury problems than Lidge has. Nen was shut down at times in each year from 1988-93 with elbow, shoulder, forearm and groin woes. To offer him encouragement, Houston farm director Tim Purpura made a copy of Nen's bio in the Giants media guide and gave it to Lidge." 22 August, 2001 The TSN note on Eric Cyr SD : " ... Drafted in the 30th round, Eric Cyr now ranks as a potential No. 1 or No. 2 starter. He's added a foot to his fastball since the club drafted him and now throws 89-95 mph -- and he's lefthanded. Pitching in the high Class A California League, which generally favors hitters, Cyr has posted staggering numbers. He has 104 strikeouts and just 17 walks in 79 2/3 innings to go with a 6-2 record and 1.24 ERA. The Padres have good pitching depth in their farm system and a widely acclaimed pitching prospect in Dennis Tankersley. But Padres GM Kevin Towers, a former pitcher, says Cyr might be as good as any of them." And, on the surprise pick of Luis Terrero as ARZ's franchise prospect : " ... Outfielder Luis Terrero has shot up through the system this year, displaying five-tool talent. After 24 games at Class A South Bend, he went back to short-season Class A Yakima for 11 games. Since then, Terrero has taken off. He was promoted to high-Class A Lancaster, where he hit .451 with four homers in 19 games, and is now at Class AA El Paso (.367 through 15 games). Terrero is an accomplished center field with a good arm and speed (28 stolen bases in 87 games last year). He does not walk much but is a switch hitter and just 21 years old." 24 August, 2001 John Sickels, ESPN, on Corwin Malone CHA : " ... Malone is a well-kept secret. He gets much less attention than other pitching prospects in the system, but he has a great arm and is making huge strides this year. He has a 1.72 ERA in five starts since being promoted to the Carolina League, with a 38/10 K/BB ratio. Malone has a rare combination of stuff and command. A 6-3, 200 pound lefty, he throws 91-94 mph and also has a big-breaking slider. He is throwing strikes much more consistently this year, making quick progress for a '99 ninth-round high school pick. I like him a great deal, and regard him as one of the best southpaw prospects in the minor leagues." 25 August, 2001 Allan Simpson, Baseball America, on Kenny Baugh DET : " ... Baugh's success isn't that much of a surprise because he was a college senior with an advanced feel for pitching. Unfortunately, he had some shoulder soreness after his last start and the Tigers have shut him down for the year. It could be that 141 innings in college and 64 more in the minors had something to do with that, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Baugh in the Tigers rotation some time next year." Josh Goldfine and Kevin Winter, SportsTicker on HOU's dynamic duo at catcher, John Buck and Garett Gentry : " ... Buck played last season for Michigan in the Midwest League, hitting .282 with 10 homers and 71 RBI to establish himself as the organization's top catching prospect. This season, playing for Lexington in the South Atlantic League, Buck is hitting .270. His 20 home runs have doubled his career-high. "He's a very good prospect," said Lexington manager J.J. Cannon of the 6-foot-3, 200-pound Buck. "He's top-of-the-line for catchers, as far as I'm concerned. He's very consistent. Throwing people out, he's second to none. He's very durable, and he has a strong arm." ... Gentry has come out of nowhere as a terrific prospect this season. He hit just .239 in his first experience in pro ball and improved to .286 in short-season Class A ball last summer. Gentry homered just six times in his first 95 games as a professional. The 20-year-old Californian has taken the Midwest League by storm this season to the tune of a .299 average and a league-high 103 RBI, which ranks tied for fourth among all minor leaguers. Gentry, who spent the first half of the season as a teenager, has posted impressive numbers across the board, given both his age and the fact that this is his first full season of pro ball. The stocky Gentry has walked nearly as many times (39) as he has struck out (45) this season, an excellent indication of success at higher levels. "He's a guy that, when we first signed him, we really thought he had a chance," said Astros farm director Tim Purpura of the 13th-rounder from the 1999 draft. "His numbers weren't great in Martinsville in '99, but you could see that it was there. You could see the signs. This year, he has blossomed." Gentry may have put up better numbers than Buck at the plate this season, but he is not as polished behind it. Gentry ranks in the bottom half of the league's receivers in caught stealing at 22% ... Built like a fire hydrant at 5-foot-10 and 210 pounds, Gentry has average arm strength and spent much of the season working on improving his release. The native Californian, who hasn't played since August 14, spent time in Houston this week having his shoulder examined. He may have a minor problem in his labrum, according to Purpura. Purpura dismissed the notion that one of the two backstops would be moved to another position. He did, however, say that Buck's tall and lean build would allow him to be more of a versatile player than Gentry. The Astros, remember, had some success with at least one catcher whom they moved to another position. Craig Biggio moved from behind the plate to second base as a big leaguer and is a seven-time All-Star." 31 August, 2001 John Sickels, ESPN, on Alex Escobar NYN : " ... Escobar has always had trouble controlling the strike zone, but this is the first time it has seriously hindered his production. Major-league pitchers, as well as their Triple-A counterparts, have discovered that you don't have to throw him anything in the strike zone. He does a good job getting himself out on pitches off the plate. Escobar is hitting .256 with just a .321 OBP and a .423 slugging percentage. He does have 18 steals and has been caught just three times, but that doesn't make up for the mediocre production. His walk rate is inadequate, with 32 unintentional passes in 106 games, and his strikeout rate is dreadful: 140 whiffs. Unless he gets the strike zone under control, he won't reach his physical potential. I think the odds are a bit less than 50-50 that he will do consistently well in the major leagues." Sickels on Nick Ungs FLO : " ... I don't care what level you are at, 40 strikeouts and zero walks in 61 innings is beyond superb, especially for someone just starting his career. Ungs was a 12th-round pick this year from the University of Northern Iowa, which has a pretty good baseball program considering the cold spring weather in that part of the country. He was the Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year, but didn't go high in the draft because he is a relatively short right-hander. His fastball is pretty good, in the 90-92 mph range, and his command is obviously outstanding. We need to see what happens to him at higher levels, since lots of guys do well in the NY-P League then fall flat on their faces later on. But so far, Ungs is having a stellar career." 06 September, 2001 Jim Callis, Baseball America on Joe Borchard CHA : " ... Borchard has arguably as much power as anyone in the minors. He headed to Double-A this year with just 27 games of pro experience, and he finished first in the Southern League in RBIs (98), second in homers (27) and runs (98), third in slugging (.505) and fifth in batting (.295). His 158 strikeouts are a bit much, but he did walk 67 times so he's not entirely clueless about plate discipline. I'd rate Dunn a slightly better prospect. Dunn already has hit in Triple-A and the majors, and he has better control of the strike zone ... Borchard has switched to center as a pro and the reports out of the Southern League were positive. Bill Ballew, who's writing our Southern League Top 20 Prospects, says most managers thought Borchard looked good in center. They like his athleticism and thought he had at least an average arm. No one suggested that he shouldn't be playing center field. Chicago will give him a serious look in spring training." Callis on Jose Reyes NYN : " ... Gene Sapakoff, who's writing our South Atlantic League Top 20 Prospects, compares Reyes to Rafael Furcal, who dazzled the Sally League in 1999. Both are precocious Dominican shortstops who play terrific defense, make contact and run well. Unlike a lot of dazzling shortstops who make a ton of errors in the lower minors, Reyes made just 18 errors in 108 games at shortstop." 07 September, 2001 SportsTicker's All-Teen Team ... " ... The 2001 All-Teen team is highlighted by the biggest commodity in today's game: pitching. Two San Francisco Giants first-round right-handers in Class AA Shreveport's Jerome Williams and Class A Hagerstown's Boof Bonser headline this year's list. Williams, a supplemental first-rounder from the 1999 draft who was the Texas League's youngest pitcher this season, battled back from a rough start and posted an ERA under 3.00 over the final two months. Giants farm director Jack Hiatt has compared the hard-throwing 19-year-old to Hall of Famer Juan Marichal, due to Williams' innate ability to control a game from the mound. One classification below is Bonser, San Francisco's next great young prospect. With a mid-90s fastball and improved array of breaking stuff, Bonser ranked among the league leaders in most pitching categories and was recently named the South Atlantic League's Most Outstanding Pitcher. The hardest-throwing pitcher in this year's All-Teen rotation is Padres Class AA right-hander Jake Peavy. Peavy, who began the year in the Class A California League and was promoted to his hometown of Mobile, Ala., earlier this month to pitch for the Class AA BayBears, used a fastball that consistently touches the upper-90s to rank among the California League strikeout leaders all season long. He has been more than impressive in his brief Class AA tenure thus far." Others on the squad ... left-hander Jimmy Gobble KC ... righty Beltran Perez ARZ ... Brayan Pena ATL catcher ... Adrian Gonzalez FLO 1B ... 2B Pedro Liriano SEA ... Wilson Betemit ATL SS ... Tony Blanco BOS 3B ... Chris Snelling SEA OF ...Will Smith FLO OF ... Wily Mo Pena CIN OF. Joe Bush, Chicago Daily Herald on Denny Bautista FLO : " ... Denny Bautista shares more than a sport, a position and a country with Pedro Martinez. He shares a family, and Wednesday at Elfstrom Stadium, he shared Martinez's knack for dominance. The Boston Red Sox ace ... is the cousin of the 18-year-old Kane County Cougars right-hander who tossed a 1-hit complete-game shutout to complete a two-game sweep of Beloit in the first round of the Midwest League playoffs." " ... The 3-0 victory ... featured 92 Bautista pitches in 2 hours and one minute. The 6-foot-5, 170-pounder finished his first pro complete game with his eighth strikeout ... It's a fact that Bautista followed at least three of his cousin's suggestions, flabbergasting the Snappers with a wiggly fastball that can reach 94 mph, a curve and a changeup. Four of his strikeout victims were caught looking. "(Bautista) doesn't talk about it much, but everybody knows," said Cougars pitching coach Rey Mendoza. "You look at him and you look at Ramon, they've got the same body. It's in the blood, and these guys work their butts off. He's learned a lot of stuff from (Pedro)." " Not the least of which was a sharply-tilting breaking ball. "He pitched off his fastball (Wednesday), but the neutralizer was his curveball," Mendoza said. "He had a real good curveball going. He got ahead 1-2, 0-2, he bounced it and (catcher Dominic) Woody would do a good job blocking it. So he got the confidence off Woody that he could throw it in the dirt, and he would use it, and it would get guys out." 08 September, 2001 Chadd Crispe, Salem Statesman Journal on Jesse Foppert SF : " ... Volcanoes starter Jesse Foppert struck out 12 batters in six innings ... The Hawks shouldn’t have to see Foppert again, except in their nightmares. The second-round selection out of the University of San Francisco picked apart the most potent lineup in the Northwest League ... The league’s ERA leader allowed singles in the fourth and fifth, but stranded both runners. He walked a pair in the sixth but struck out Corey Slavik to escape the jam." 15 September, 2001 Kevin Wheeler, The Sporting News, has posted his Class-A All-Prospect Team. (Players from Short-Season and Rookie leagues were excluded). Garret Gentry HOU got the nod at catcher ... Adrian Gonzalez FLO 1B ... Pedro Liriano SEA 2B ... Yurendell De Caster PIT at 3B ... Kelly Johnson ATL SS ... in the OF, Chris Snelling SEA, WilyMo Pena CIN and Nic Jackson CHN ... Xavier Nady SD won a spot as DH ... the SPs were Corwin Malone CHA, Matt Smith NYA, Boof Bonser SF and Craig Anderson SEA. Wheeler said catcher was the most difficult selection : " ... TSN chose Garrett Gentry of the Astros over several other candidates because of the combination of his great numbers and extreme youth. He turned 20 in June and because he’s so young he got the nod over the other potential choices such as J.D. Closser of the Diamondbacks (.291, 21 HR, 87 RBIs), Victor Martinez of the Indians (.329, 10 HR, 57 RBIs) and John Buck of the Astros (.275, 22 HR, 73 RBIs)." 26 September, 2001 BA selected MIL's Mike Jones as the top prospect in the Pioneer loop : " ... emerged as the overwhelming choice as the Pioneer League's top prospect. One manager described him as a smaller version of Andy Benes, while nearly everyone thought he has the potential to develop into a No. 1 or 2 starter ... displayed tremendous poise for a pitcher taken out of high school. Managers liked his arm action, as well as his tall frame and lean body. His fastball explodes on the way to the plate, residing in the 92-95 mph range and reaching as high as 97 ... The key to Jones' long-term success will be the development of his second and third pitches. His curveball looked good at times but remained flat on other occasions. His changeup is no better than average." 27 September, 2001 Mark Bonavita,The Sporting News on some possibilities re: the next Roy Oswalt : " ... Boof Bonser SF ... dominated low Single-A Hagerstown this season. Bonser's fastball hits the mid 90s, and his curveball and changeup are coming along well. He also has good command for a youngster ... His conditioning came along nicely this year, but he needs to make sure his belly doesn't go puff, or his big-league chances could go poof ... Brandon Claussen NYA ... deemed one of the team's few untouchables. He has excellent movement on his fastball, which has been clocked at 94 mph, and is fast developing a name as a strikeout pitcher. A slider and curveball complement Claussen's heater. The Yanks probably will open next season looking for a No. 5 starter, and Claussen has to be considered a top candidate for the job ... Mark Prior CHN ... Dennis Tankersley SD ... Tankersley, 21, reportedly has hit 99 mph -- wowsa! Add to that an unorthodox delivery and an awesome slider, and you get a pitcher with the stuff to dominate major-league hitters. He's likely to start the season at Triple-A after struggling there in three starts this year, but he should be in the bigs for good by June." Baseball America has selected PIT SP/DH John VanBenschoten as the top prospect in the NY-Penn League : " ... Pirates didn't surprise anyone by selecting him with the eighth overall pick, but a lot of heads turned when they announced their intention to try him as a righthanded pitcher. Whether it was on the mound every five days or with a bat in his hands in between starts, VanBenschoten's power potential was unmistakable. "Whatever he does he's going to succeed," Williamsport manager Tony Beasley said. Despite logging just 49 innings as a Kent State junior, VanBenschoten displayed a natural feel for pitching. He’s developing four pitches, including a 94-mph fastball, an average slider, a changeup and a curveball." Gary Reed, About.com on his first look at Joe Mauer MIN : " ... I wish I could say I found a hole in Mauer's game...you know, make this article somewhat interesting...but I couldn't: Joe Mauer looked "as advertised" today. Here's a guy who's so far lived up to his billing--skipping the Gulf Coast League and beginning his pro career as an 18-year-old in the Appy League, and responding by hitting .400. I can't wait to see him play again this fall." 06 October, 2001 John Sickels, ESPN, on Brian Tallet CLE : " ... a second-rounder drafted by the Indians out of LSU in 2000. He was brilliant in the Carolina League this year, posting a terrific 164/38 K/BB ratio in 160 innings, allowing just 134 hits and rating a 3.04 ERA in 27 starts. Tallet doesn't have a blazing fastball, but his velocity is decent and he knows how to pitch. Some scouts believe that he will struggle at higher levels, despite his good performance in college and the lower minors. His slider draws mixed reviews. He'll have to prove himself in Double-A, but there is nothing in his statistical record to warn that he will struggle. It isn't out of the question that he could be pitching for the Indians next September, but keep in mind that there is a bit of disagreement in the scouting community about Tallet." 13 October, 2001 Anup Sinha, TeamOneBaseball on Chris Bootcheck ANA : " ... The Angels challenged him this year by starting him at high Single-A Rancho Cucamonga. After being hampered early with a stiff shoulder, Bootcheck came on strong and ended up with a pretty good season (8-4, 3.93 ERA, 86 Ks, 23 BBs in 87 IP). The 22 year-old earned a late-season promotion to Double-A Arkansas, where he went 3-3, with a 5.45 ERA in 36.1 IP. He could very well be the best pitching prospect in a system that is in a rebuilding mode." " ... Among other things, the Angels badly need an ace to anchor their starting rotation at Edison Field. There may be some who think that Bootcheck could fill that role within a few years. I’m more in the belief that he can become a solid #3 pitcher if he can withstand a lot of innings and perfect his command. I don’t see the knockout stuff to be an ace, though there are certainly ace-caliber pitchers out there (ie. Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, Jamie Moyer, Jon Lieber) who aren’t overpowering, either. But they all have exceptional pitchability and it’s hard to expect anyone to develop that. It’s taken more as a very pleasant surprise when it does happen. Bootcheck should open the 2002 season for Double-A Arkansas. If he has a good first half, I wouldn’t rule out a call-up to Anaheim as a 23 year-old." 19 October, 2001 MLBProspect's Michael Cline has a piece on some low-round draft picks who have surged into prospect status ... one of them TB OF Jonny Gomes : " ... led the league in home runs, RBI and slugging percentage. He was also second in on-base percentage and runs scored and tied for second in extra-base hits. Gomes stole 15 bases without ever getting thrown out and was hit with a pitch 27 times. To go along with all this, he also won the Appalachian League MVP award ... his plate discipline needs work, as evidenced by the fact that he strikes out every 2.8 at-bats, and only took 33 walks ... Even if he doesn't improve dramatically he will still be a promising prospect and one worth keeping an eye on." 28 October, 2001 Mike Mitchell at MLBProspect takes on the BAL system and Mr. (Ed) Rogers is #1 : " ... one of the most hyped prospects in the minors, put together a solid season in High-A Frederick. In 292 ABs, Rogers hit .260 with eight homers and 41 RBIs. His .742 OPS, while unremarkable, is a strong positive for a High-A shortstop who turned 20 in August. What we fail to mention is that Rogers hit a putrid .199 with no homers in 191 ABs at AA Bowie, before he was mercifully sent back to Frederick. A mixed bag overall ... thinks of himself as a slugger, although he'd be better off trying to hit liners and grounders, taking advantage of his good speed. He'll need to change his entire approach at the plate to avoid developing the dreaded "Donnie Sadler syndrome". #2 on the BAL prospect list is SP John Stephens : " ... Stephens had no hype coming into 2001. But it was in 2001 when he became, for 17 starts, one of the best pitchers the Bowie BaySox have ever seen. In 132 IP, he allowed just 95 hits and 21 walks while striking out 130 hitters. Throw in a 1.84 ERA, and it was no surprise when Stephens was promoted to AAA Rochester late in the season. While his overall numbers were nowhere close to his AA output, he still sported less than a hit per inning and more than a strikeout for each inning. In July, he threw a no-hitter for Bowie ... Orioles still have a nice player on their hands, one with slightly better stuff than a similar pitcher already in Baltimore, Josh Towers. What he lacks, or at least lacked in Rochester, is Towers' pinpoint control. In most organizations he'd get at least a month or two in Rochester to adjust, but with the Orioles always in need of a pitcher, he stands a decent chance to make the team out of spring training." 29 October, 2001 MLBProspect has TB on deck and, with some reservations, Josh Hamilton tops the list: " ... has a smooth swing, one that produces plenty of power with relatively few strikeouts for a player his age. He already has the power to hit 15-20 homers in a full season, and that should improve over time. Hamilton's patience is an issue, and he'll need to be more selective to enjoy immediate success at the higher levels ... has plus speed. In the field, he shows great range and can get to balls in center field as well as anyone. His arm is an absolute cannon, perhaps the best center field arm in the minors ... If the effects of this car crash don't linger, he'll soon establish himself as one of the best prospects in baseball again." Carl Crawford ranks at #2 with newcomer Dewon Brazleton at #3 : " ... has a very impressive assortment of pitches for a 21-year old. He can pitch in the mid-90s with his fastball, has a cut fastball with impressive movement, and a well-developed change-up. It's because of these pitches the Devil Rays think he could be very close to the Majors. Brazelton has very good command of all his pitches, although it will be easier to judge once he gets some pro experience ... may be moved faster than Mark Prior, the Cubs right-hander picked ahead of him. The first stop for him will likely be High-A Bakersfield or possibly AA Orlando. September of 2002 may be a reasonable target date. He should arrive no later than early 2003." 31 October, 2001 Anup Sinha, TeamOneBaseball, on Dewon Brazleton TB - majors in 2002? : " ... From what I saw of him this fall, I thought that he was not far from becoming a major league pitcher, but not quite there yet, either. Brazelton is a comfortable 89-94 MPH on his fastball and has a very good change-up. I rated his curveball below major league-average and think that it would at this point require pinpoint command if he were to throw it for more than 10% of his pitches at that level. The potential is there for it to sharpen." Sinha on Kelly Johnson ATL : " ... continues to develop as a hitter. He’s sure to be moved to third base at some point, though. He has workable hands, range, and arm-strength, but is not likely to ever be above-average at shortstop. Johnson could become very solid at third and live up to the hot corner’s offensive demands. His lefthanded swing is well-grooved for producing line-drives, and he already generates major league bat-speed." 03 November, 2001 Will Lingo, Baseball America, on Bobby Jenks ANA : " ... He's always been interesting because there were so many questions about him going into the 2000 draft. We all knew he had an electric arm but no one was quite sure about his makeup. Well, the arm is in fact electric. He's been throwing 94-97 mph this fall, and in a Double-A playoff game at the end of the season his first four pitches hit 99 on the gun. He has the makings of a plus power curve. And questions about his makeup seem to be gone. In other words, the Angels are very excited about him. He still needs innings and to develop consistency with his delivery and secondary pitches, etc., but he could rocket up the prospect charts in the coming months." Jim Callis, Baseball America, on Tony Torcato SF : " ... I like Torcato as a prospect and even think he's a little underrated. But he's not ready for the majors. While he did finish the 2001 season in Triple-A at age 21, a positive sign, he hit a combined .323-5-78 with 38 doubles and a 75-28 strikeout-walk ratio in 138 games at three levels ... going to need to hit more homers and draw more walks to offer enough production to help as a big league corner outfielder. I think he can but don't see him doing so next season. He also projects as a left fielder, and the Giants have a pretty good one (unless he leaves as a free agent)." 05 November, 2001 MLBProspect has CLE, MIN and the WSOX up. Mike Mitchell selects JD Martin as the Indians' #1 : " ... Martin's stuff is about as advanced as it gets for a rookie-ball pitcher. His fastball is 91-93 MPH, and has some of the best sinking action in the minors. He has a slider, curve, and change-up, all of which he can throw for strikes, even though he didn't need them all to get out rookie-ball hitters. Turning 19 over the winter, Martin still has some growing to do, and as he fills in his frame, he should add some extra life on his fastball. His command of all four pitches makes him one of the most feared pitchers on the farm ... A trip to full-season Low-A in 2002 seems probable, and from there he could move fast." Catcher Victor Martinez is #4 : " ... an excellent switch-hitter. He hit well over .300 as both a lefty and a righty, showing a strong, level swing from both sides of the plate ... A converted shortstop, he has excellent hands behind the plate ... He'll open at AA Akron, but if he hits like he did in 2001, Cleveland won't leave him at one level for the full season again. Einar Diaz is not a long-term solution, and it wouldn't surprise anyone to see Martinez as the Opening Day 2003 catcher. In the Majors, he projects to be a .290-20-80 catcher with a .350 OBP and a .450 SLG." On the Twins, Michael Cline selects Michael Cuddyer to top the list. Canadian Justin Morneau checks in at #4 : " ... great power potential, just slightly less than Restovich. He’s a big guy, and still young, so the power will continue to develop. While he didn’t put up huge home run numbers, he did hit a good amount of doubles, also an indicator of power potential. He shows good plate discipline for his age, and will only get better in that department ... Defensive is probably his biggest weakness, so a move to DH would not be a huge surprise ... figures to open at AA New Britain. If he performs well he could be promoted to AAA Edmonton. Look for Morneau to be in Minnesota by mid-2003 and be a permanent fixture by 2004." Ken Urben handled the White Sox and came up with Joe Borchard at the top of the pack. Corwin Malone at #2 : " ... Malone doesn’t have a blazing fastball, but it does sit nicely at around 93 MPH. His curveball has also greatly improved this season, which accounts for the monumental improvement in his K to BB ratio ... Overall, Malone has a good mixture of both power and control and of course being a lefty doesn’t hurt ... with the current White Sox rotation in complete chaos, minus Mark Buehrle, Malone may actually get a shot to make the Sox." 07 November, 2001 John Sickels, ESPN, on Bobby Hill CHN : " ... I haven't heard anything negative about Hill. His numbers were fine this year, and observers I've talked with were sanguine about his chances to succeed in the majors. Hill hit .301 in 57 games for Double-A West Tennessee. He posted a .396 on-base percentage, with 20 steals. These are young Chuck Knoblauch-type numbers. He missed half the season with a groin injury, but there are no holes in his numbers to indicate it was a fluke. His defense at second base is decent, though not spectacular. He'll need some Triple-A time to shake the rust off next year, but I'm confident he'll be the Cubs second-sacker in 2003." Sickels on Freddie Sanchez BOS : " ... He has a short, sharp line-drive stroke and should hit for average as he moves up, but I don't think he'll show much home run power. Sanchez can play any of the infield positions, but will probably end up at second base in the long run. I think he'll be a useful player, but unless he shows more power, I can't project him as a star. He will be 24 next year, so he's not super young either." Mike Mitchell, MLBProspect on Jason Arnold, picked as the #5 Yankee prospect : " ... Arnold has a plus fastball, one that sits in the 94-96 MPH range. He mixes in a hard slider, and both those pitches were enough to blow away the NY-Penn hitters. He also has a rudimentary palm-change ... reminds scouts of Dennis Tankersley, and his season was similar to the one Tankersley put up after being traded to San Diego in 2000 ... Arnold has the highest ceiling of any pitcher in the Yankee farm system, including Claussen." 13 November, 2001 David Srinivasan, The Sporting News on Chris Burke HOU : " ... Burke could start the season at Double-A and make the majors in September. He has enough talent to outhit any middle infielder in the organization, so don't be surprised if he zooms past perpetual prospect Adam Everett and incumbent shortstop Julio Lugo by 2003. Burke has more power than he has shown, and is a driven competitor. Toss in his great speed, fine batting average, plate discipline and pop, and he could be force." Srinivasan, on Gabe Gross TOR : " ... The Jays sent Gross to the Arizona Fall League, and he has flashed brilliant plate discipline. Gross could force Toronto's hand by the middle of 2002. He has tremendous power potential, a smooth lefty stroke, and a gamer's mentality that comes from his football background (he was Auburn's QB his freshman year). I find it hard to underestimate this guy." Srinivasan, on Jesse Foppert SF : " ... The Giants are foaming over this guy ... he's physically mature (6-4, 210), has a smooth delivery and quality pitches in his fastball, slider, splitter and circle-change. He can throw strikes to any part of the plate with any pitch ... He's so advanced, that there's talk he'll start 2002 in Double-A. If that's the case, he could be pitching for San Fran by September, and make the Giants' rotation to stay by mid-2003." 20 November, 2001 Mike Mitchell, MLBProspect, has Ryan Anderson as #1 as he reviews the SEA system : " ... will need some time in AAA to shake the rust off when he returns, which could be as early as April but likely will be later in the first half. With success and a little luck, Anderson could find himself at the back of the Seattle rotation by August. He's better than Randy Johnson was at age 22, that's for sure. Then again, Johnson's development wasn't exactly typical, and the two-time defending Cy Young winner is a lofty standard for Anderson. He should have a strong career on his own terms." Jamal Strong shows up at # 6 : " ... may be the best leadoff prospect in the minor-leagues today, and it's a credit to the Mariners depth that he's only the #6 prospect. Strong struggled down the stretch in 2001, but in his first full season after being drafted out of college in 2000, he was likely just tired. Look for Strong to put up impressive numbers at AA San Antonio in 2002 on his way to a 2003 battle with Snelling. While Snelling is the more complete prospect, Strong is such an intriguing specialist, he may be a more valuable major-leaguer. Stay tuned." Down at #9 is Antonio Perez : " ... a rare talent at shortstop: he has legit power. His .527 slugging percentage and 17 HRs in 2000 surprised even the Mariners. Perez also showed patience ... a sign he's very close to being able to handle major-league pitching ... Let's be frank: Perez ain't 20. We're saying he is because MLB officially says he is, but even the Reds admitted when they traded him to Seattle for Ken Griffey Jr. they couldn't be certain of his age. More likely, Perez is 22 or 23, but that doesn't take away from his status as a prospect. It just makes what he did in 2000 somewhat less impressive. Looking to the future, it will take Perez a full year in the minors to get back from this wrist injury. In 2003, when he's 21 (read: 24), he'll likely get a crack at Seattle." 24 November, 2001 John Sickels, ESPN, on Jerome Williams SF : " ... has a 90-95 mph fastball, depending on the day. His curve, slider, and changeup are all major-league pitches, and he shows good control and solid pitching instincts. His numbers for Double-A Shreveport this year were decent: 9-7, 3.95, 84/34 K/BB in 130 innings. The strikeout rate is low for a guy who throws hard, but he was one of the youngest pitchers in the Texas League. I think Jerome will need a year of Triple-A, but if he stays healthy, he should be a very good pitcher. Scouts like his pitching instincts, confidence, and intellect ... I'd expect to see him in a Giants uniform late next year." Sickels on Bobby Jenks ANA : " ... obviously has a great arm. But it takes more than that to be a great pitcher, or even a good one. You also have to have some measure of intelligence and pitching smarts. Note that his academic problems in school do not mean he isn't intelligent; intelligence is an ephemeral concept, difficult to measure or even define. You have to be smart to be academically successful, but you don't have to be academically successful to be smart. Whether Jenks has enough pitching intellect to succeed in the long run, I do not know." 25 November, 2001 Anup Sinha, TeamOneBaseball, on Jonny Gomes TB, one of the late-round draft surprises : " ... Gomes just mashed after signing. He hit .291-16-44 in 206 at-bats for rookie-level Princeton and continued to hit while in the instructional league. He is an 18th-rounder ... swing is short and strong, and line drives jump off his bat. Gomes adjusts to curveballs like a veteran ... a stumpy 6-0, 205, who doesn’t look like a baseball player, much less a centerfielder ... I think the Devil Rays should be aggressive in challenging him next year. If not high Single-A Bakersfield, then at least low Single-A Charleston. 26 November, 2001 Mike Mitchell, MLBProspect, picks first baseman Casey Kotchman as the best of the ANA prospects : " ... little doubt Kotchman is a special hitter, one that simply doesn't come around very often. He already has home run power to all fields, and a level swing that produces relatively few strikeouts. He's a patient, professional hitter, the type you normally see come out of college. Kotchman is still young, and should become stronger and more powerful in the next couple years ... hand injury is worth watching. While many of them fade without a problem, we all remember Nick Johnson's mysterious hand ailment that cost him the 2000 season and some believe is still affecting his power hitting. If Kotchman is fine, the sky is the limit." 27 November, 2001 ATL is the first up for BA, and the #1 pick is no surprise -- Wilson Betemit : " ... a natural baseball player and a budding five-tool talent who’s still maturing ... hits to all fields with his line-drive stroke. He has outstanding athleticism ... Defensively, he has good range, a strong arm and soft hands. Betemit thrives on challenges and raises his game to the level of the competition ... plate discipline is still rudimentary and may be exploited by pitchers at higher levels." Roch Kubatko, Baltimore Sun, on Matt Riley BAL : " ... Buoyed by his throwing in the fall instructional league, Riley has pronounced himself physically fit after undergoing ligament transplant surgery on his left elbow last year. The velocity has returned to his fastball, the sharp break to his curveball. A year has passed since he appeared in a game that counted. Riley doesn't intend to let his next opportunity get away. "My arm's never been better. It's very strong. I worked hard with all the rehab, and it has all paid off," he said. "I'm looking forward to next season. I want to get back out there. I've been hurt pretty much on and off the last two years. It's time to go out there and put up some numbers." 28 November, 2001 Michael Cline, MLBProspect, on Josh Karp MON : " ... Karp doesn’t jump out at you as a power guy, but he tops out at about 93 mph, with a good off speed arsenal. It was thought he was selected because he would be fairly signable, although he did hold out for a good deal of time. Karp has good upside, though he didn’t truly dominate at the college level. He projects as a middle-to-front of the rotation guy who could help out a lot of teams, possibly in as little as two years." 29 November, 2001 Over at Future Angels, Stephen Smith has his take on the ANA Top 10 with Chris Bootcheck leading the way : " ... 1.63 ERA in July -- incredibly, that month he averaged facing only 3.8 batters an inning! -- earned him a promotion to Double-A, where he struggled early but in the playoffs threw seven innings of shutout ball in his only start. His fastball range has been reported anywhere from high-80s to mid-90s; whatever his velocity might be, more important is location and movement, which is his game ... likely to start 2002 at Triple-A although a setback in spring training might see him back in Double-A; the combination of his talent, poise and professionalism make Bootcheck a definite candidate for the big leagues by the end of 2002." 30 November, 2001 Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News, on your potential ace (in 2009) : " ... THE ROCKIES have created a stir in Taiwan by signing 16-year-old pitcher Chin-Lone Lo to a $1.4 million bonus. Word in Taiwan is the deal is awaiting approval by the commissioner's office. Lo is a junior at Koio Yuan High School. The 6-foot-6 Lo helped pitch Taiwan to the Junior Asian Cup championship. Lo also was being pursued by Atlanta, Los Angeles, Boston, Seattle and the New York Yankees." And, from Ringolsby, a reminder about jumping on the latest, hot prospect : " ... Derrick Gibson and Edgard Clemente, once considered the future of the Rockies outfield, are on the minor league free-agent market -- players with six years of pro experience who weren't protected on major league rosters. Gibson, who went to Florida on a waiver claim in spring 2000, finished last season in the Arizona minor league system after playing in Mexico for a while last summer. Clemente, who was sent to Anaheim for minor league players that same spring, most recently was in the Boston minor league system." 02 December, 2001 Brandon Phillips zooms to the top of the MON prospects in BA's Expo review by Michael Levesque : " ... is a potential five-tool player at a premium position. He has a live, athletic body and rare natural ability. He’s an above-average defender at shortstop with soft hands, solid range, superior lateral movement, excellent first-step quickness and a cannon for an arm ... a line-drive swing and impressive bat speed that projects to produce more power in the future ... still rough around the edges. He made 18 errors in 55 FSL games. Though he cut his errors down to 12 in 67 Double-A contests and was much steadier after his promotion, he still needs to show more consistency with routine plays ... they’ll challenge him with a promotion to Triple-A Ottawa, where he’ll start the 2002 season at age 20. With Orlando Cabrera entrenched in Montreal, Phillips will be given time to develop his skills." Jim Callis, BA, on the best of the ANA prospects : " ... my No. 1 guy, despite his limited pro experience, is Casey Kotchman. I think he'll be an all-star, and he'll be one of the first high school guys from this draft to reach the majors. They stole him with the No. 13 overall pick." 09 December, 2001 Dave Cameron, StrikeThree, on Rafael Soriano #3 on Cameron's chart for SEA : " ... After a nice but not spectacular season at Wisconsin, he struggled early at San Bernadino. Things clicked in May. He turned into a dominating starter with great control. He credits development of his slider giving him an extra pitch. He still possesses the 97 MPH fastball with movement and is working on a developing change. He was very good in his AA performances at just 21 in the Texas League. He needs to work on his change-up, but has really set a high bar for his potential. He’s not polished and won’t see the majors until 2003, but when he gets here, he may be really special." 20 December, 2001 David Cameron at StrikeThree rates Betemit as the best of the shortstop class. MON's Brandon Phillips is #2. " ... had a schizophrenic season between two levels. Starting at Class A Jupiter, he hit for a little power (.428 slugging) but showed great patience (38 BB and 45 K in 194 AB). His success got him promoted to AA Harrisburg, where he drove the ball more (.449 slugging) but stopped walking (12 BB and 42 K in 265 AB). Phillips also hits for a good average and has good speed and instincts on the bases, so he's shown all the skills that make a successful major leaguer, just not at the same time. With a little more seasoning, he should combine all the elements and become a terrific shortstop." JR House gets the call as PIT's leading prospect in John Perrotto's BA review : " ... House struggled to adjust against advanced pitching in 2001 and seemed lost at times. With catcher Jason Kendall staying behind the plate for now, House doesn’t need to be rushed. He seemed to be on the fast track prior to 2001. Now it’s not out of the question that House could go back to Altoona, at least to start the season, to give him a better chance of dominating the competition before moving up to Triple-A Nashville." 21 December, 2001 MON has one of baseball's top prospects sitting atop its chart according to Mike Mitchell at MLBProspect. Brandon Phillips, just 20, looks as if he has all the goods to succeed : " ... one of the elite seasons by any shortstop prospect. At High-A Jupiter, he hit .284 with ... a .414 OBP, while stealing 17 bases in 20 attempts. He was promoted to AA Harrisburg, and although his OBP slipped considerably to .337, he improved his average to .298 and his SLG from .428 to .449. Playing mostly third base, Phillips lit up the Arizona Fall League to the tune of a .344 AVG and .516 SLG ... There's not much about his offensive game that scouts and statistical analsyts alike don't approve of ... will likely go straight to AAA Ottawa. By 2003, he should be ready for the Majors." Josh Karp, the Expos 1st round pick in 2001, begins in the #6 spot : " ... has all the makings of a stud, and most feel he just needs good coaching to establish himself. The Expos will likely start him at Low-A Clinton, but if he has any kind of success, he won't be there long. Karp could reach the Majors after just two pro seasons, and possibly as soon as September of 2003. It's way too early to predict what kind of Major-League pitcher he'll be, but his ceiling supports ace potential." 22 December, 2001 Ken Urben, MLBProspect, sees Chris Burke HOU as a future all-star : " ... : Burke is the real-deal. His great all-around game will lead him to AA this year, where he could put up some monster numbers in the hitting-happy Texas League. Burke is better than middle infield prospects Adam Everett, Keith Ginter and current Astros SS Julio Lugo already. Whether he stays at SS or moves back to 2B, I see Burke as an Opening Day starter for the Astros in 2003 -- he’s that good. If he can improve his OBP and gain a little more power, he could become one of the best second-basemen in the game right off the bat." John Sickels, ESPN.com, on Shin-Soo Choo SEA : " ... has great raw power, and is willing to take a walk. Some people in the Arizona League think he tried to pull the ball too much, but that seems like nitpicking at this point. The important thing is that he played very well in his North American debut. We do need to see what Choo does at higher levels, but he's just 19, and on the right track so far. I don't think we'll see him in the majors until 2004, but if all goes as expected, he'll be a fine player and possibly more than that." 23 December, 2003 David Srinivasan, The Sporting News, on Kelly Johnson ATL : " ... future might be at third base, but who cares? He was superb in full-season ball at age 19 and reminds me of a young Jim Thome with speed. Johnson's .404 OBP is exceptional compared to the Sally League average of .316, and his .513 slugging similarly towers over the league norm (.362). Johnson should spend 2002 in high Single-A, but don't be surprised if he skips a level or two and reaches the majors by late 2003. The Braves' offense is going to be awesome for years." 24 December, 2001 Drew Henson NYA underrated? David Cameron, StrikeThree : " ... Henson probably has as much potential as either Blalock or Burroughs, but ranks behind them because he simply has further to go in his development. Despite focusing on being the starting QB at the University of Michigan, he managed to put up terrific numbers for a 20-year-old in AA in 2000. After giving up football, he struggled mightily in AAA, walking only nine times and posting a .250 on-base percentage. He struggled with a few injuries and clearly was overmatched and rusty. That really doesn't do much to dim Henson's light in my eyes, however. He's got a tremendous uppercut swing that generates a lot of power, and he'll hit 30 home runs a year in the majors without any problem. The big question is whether he'll walk enough to keep his OBP respectable, but he showed great patience in the AFL, drawing 17 walks in 121 at-bats. He's a smart kid and I don't have any problems seeing him improving at the plate and becoming an all-star hitter." 25 December, 2001 Josh Boyd, Baseball America, has the ARZ Top 10 up. A young OF, "reminiscent of Vladimir Guerrero" tops the list -- Luis Terrero : " ... Scouts love players with Terrero’s loose and easy actions, and his frame can handle more muscle as he fills out. His wiry strength and above-average bat speed give him power potential to all fields. He has the wheels to steal 30 bases a year if he doesn’t bulk up too much. Despite his apparent lack of strike-zone judgment, he’s under control and has good balance at the plate. He’s an outstanding center fielder with the range to run down balls in the alleys and a plus arm capable of handling right field ... on schedule to play in Triple-A Tucson in 2002, and he’ll provide insurance for Steve Finley. Terrero made up a lot of ground in a short time, but he needs to shake the injury bug and make key adjustments before comparisons to Guerrero become apt. A healthy year in Triple-A could make him Finley’s successor in 2003." 29 December, 2001 Jim Callis, Baseball American, on the next super shortstops : " ... Right now, I'd rank them in this order: Betemit, Phillips, Berroa, Cabrera. The youngest of the group, Cabrera could be playing in Double-A next year as a 19-year-old. He has the most power potential of this group, but he also has yet to translate it into extra-base hits and there's still some suspicion he may outgrow shortstop. The performances of Betemit, Phillips and Berroa were very similar last season, which all of them began in high Class A before matriculating to Double-A. Betemit is the youngest of that trio and projects as the best hitter. He may wind up at third base with the Braves, but that would be more because of Rafael Furcal's presence than Betemit's lack of ability to play shortstop." Young pitching? David Cameron, Strike Three, suggests you might want to leave the speed gun at home. Nice piece on "Pitchability" : " ... You can watch Matt Anderson and Jamie Moyer stand next to each other and throw and you'll swear Matt Anderson will be the Cy Young candidate and Jamie Moyer the middle reliever who can't hold a job. And you'll be dead-wrong, because pitching is all about intelligence, heart, and the ability to get hitters out. It has nothing to do with radar guns, breaking balls, or pinpoint control. It's mental, and the people who decide whether they will succeed or not are the pitchers themselves. So stop writing off John Stephens, Brandon Duckworth, Craig Anderson, and Bud Smith. They just may make it and it has nothing to do with how hard they throw. Enjoy watching them pitch and stop waiting for them to fail." 30 December, 2001 Bill Ballew has starter Ricardo Rodriguez as #1 on Baseball America's LA prospect list : " ... topped the FSL in strikeouts and ranked among the leaders in wins, ERA and innings. Both the FSL and the Dodgers named him their pitcher of the year, and he was picked for the Futures Game at midseason. Strengths: Rodriguez has all the ingredients to be a solid No. 2 or 3 starter in the big leagues ... Dodgers have shown plenty of patience with Rodriguez and hope he’ll move more rapidly through Double-A and Triple-A. He’s developing into a complete pitcher, and his competitive streak should continue to take him up the ladder." David Srinivasan, The Sporting News, on Angel Berroa KC : " ... Apparently, the take on Berroa has changed. KC is actively shopping Neifi Perez because the Royals would like to get Berroa in the major league lineup ASAP ... If a deal goes down, Berroa's K/BB ratio might drag him down, but he's got power, speed and he's young and a fine defensive player." Srinivasan on Carlos Zambrano CHN : " ... With Dave Weathers and Todd Van Poppel gone, Zambrano will get an opportunity to win a bullpen job this spring ... Time will tell if this guy is a better prospect as a starter or reliever, but he hits close to 100 mph, and his fastball has excellent sink." 31 December, 2001 Baseball Weekly (in reviews by Lisa Winston, Mat Olkin and Paul White) has begun its prospect reviews with the NL East first up. Wilson Betemit was selected as ATL's top hitting prospect with Adam Wainwright as the best on the hill :: " ... The first-round pick in 2000 out of high school led the organization in strikeouts in his first full season. His mark was consistency, as he reached double digits in strikeouts only once in his 28 starts at Macon yet still broke the team record for strikeouts set by Bruce Chen. "Out of our group of young right-handers he leads the list," Balderson (farm director Dick Balderson) said. Wainwright throws a solid fastball in the low 90s and offsets it with a good changeup. No surprises from the FLO system -- Adrian Gonzalez & Josh Beckett as the top choices -- with some interesting youngsters behind them. On the hill there's Denny Bautista : " ... numbers at Kane County for 2001 are deceptive. In two May starts he posted a 14.85 ERA and was sent to Utica. Upon his return in late July he posted a 2.20 ERA in six starts, limiting opposing hitters to a .200 average. He's added 10 mph to his fastball since adding muscle to his frame and also throws a curveball and changeup. "He has a high ceiling, a good young pitcher's body and whippy, quick arm action," Williams (farm director Rick Williams) said. " Beginning to gain notice is shortstop Miguel Cabrera : " ... Signed out of Venezuela at 16, Cabrera's defensive skills are so sharp that he landed on just about every top prospect list this past season despite not having outstanding speed or power. His good eye and a short swing bode well for better offensive numbers in the future." MON has Brandon Phillips as its top hitting prospect with Zach Day as the best of the moundsmen : " ... needs to refine his command. That's a Montreal priority, so it should come now that Day finally settles into an organization ...has above-average stuff and a particularly strong arm. He probably projects as a middle-of-the-rotation pitcher, especially if he continues to improve his breaking pitches." Shortstop Jose Reyes is #1 among the hitting prospects with the Mets : " ... When the 2001 season began Reyes was just 17 ... switch-hitter with speed, the slick-fielding shortstop has great range. Opposing managers in the South Atlantic League said he could play shortstop in the majors right now. Despite not starting his season until April 30 and batting just .180 in May, he finished second in the minors with 15 triples. He hit .430 in July and .303 in August and has been favorably compared to 2000 NL Rookie of the Year Rafael Furcal at the same stage in his career. "It's hard not to glow about this guy," said Jim Duquette, the Mets' assistant general manager. "He does everything well." Top NYN pitcher -- Jae Weong Seo. The expected in PHI -- Marlon Byrd, the hitter, Brett Myers, the pitcher. In the review ... another shortstop for your back burner list -- Anderson Machado : " ... frequently and favorably compared to his Venezuelan countryman Dave Concepcion. A smart and speedy player with tremendous defensive ability and great range, he just needs his bat to catch up to his glove. "He's getting stronger and that will be key to his hitting," Arbuckle said. "He makes things happen on offense and can really play shortstop." And, for future reference, starter Gavin Floyd : " ... dazzled the Phillies in instructional league ... throws in the mid-90s with a hard curve and has a ton of poise. "I've never seen this young a guy with that good a curveball," Ruby said. "He's very coachable, very bright, and though he's still raw you can see he has an unlimited ceiling."