Balls, Bulls, Bears!

Sickels is just about done and his book’s ready to go to press. Today’s feature is an analysis of the Colorado Rockies farm system. The Rockies’ system has some gems in the rough, and Sickels does a dandy job grading them.

It seems like Bowman is all over the Rockies prospects over the past couple of years, but the prices vary wildly. ’s selling for just about the eBay minimum despite his tools and ’s selling as the top prospect of BDP despite being a pitcher in Colorado. There’s little doubt that Matzek’s the better prospect, but the lack of love for Wheeler is astonishing.

1) , LHP, Grade B+
2) , LHP, Grade B+
3) ,, RHP, Grade B+
4) Rex Brothers, LHP, Grade B-
5) , RHP, Grade B-
6) Juan Nicasio, RHP, Grade B-
7) , C, Grade B-
8) Eric Young, JR, Grade B-
9) Mike McKenry, C, Grade C+
10) Sam Deduno, RHP, Grade C+
11) Nolan Arenado, 3B, Grade C+

(Read the rest of this entry…)

John Sickels of MinorLeagueBall.com starts off the Reds’ top-20 prospect list with a bang, a Cuban bang! Aroldis Champman, the great Cuban left hander that impressed everyone, decided to land in Cinci — not BOS, NY or Los Angeles, not even Miami.

Champman’s got all sorts of upside, but a year of fine-tuning in the minors will go a long way to prolonging his dominance. Scouts argue whether or not Chapman’s ready to start the year off in AAA which is a fairly valid argument. Starting the kid off in Double-A seems to be the right choice and Cinci appears on track to do just that.

After Chapman, there’s some very good prospects in Frazier and Alonso. This year’s first rounder, , also is a man on a mission. His athleticism and knowledge of the game should expedite his path to the big-leagues; He’s not quite ace material, but he’s well on his way to becoming a very dependable pitcher.

1) Aroldis Chapman, LHP, Grade A-
2) , INF-OF, Grade B+
3) Yonder Alonso, 1B, Grade B+
4) , RHP, Grade B
5) Chris Heisey, OF, Grade B
6) , 3B, Grade B-
7) , RHP, Grade B-
8) , LHP, Grade C+
9) , LHP, Grade C+
10) , SS, Grade C+

(Read the rest of this entry…)

The Top 20 Tampa Bay Rays’ Prospects, as seen by John Sickels of Minor League Ball.

has developed exactly as scouts anticipated and is now everyone’s favourite soon-to-be lead-off hitter. After Jennings is a handful of terrific pitching prospects, and it’s fair to assume at least 2 of the 3 will have success at the Major League level.

1) , OF, Grade A
2) , RHP, Grade A-
3) Wade Davis, RHP, Grade A-
4) , LHP, Grade B+
5) Alexander Colome, RHP, Grade B
6) Reid Brignac, SS, Grade B-
7) , LHP, Grade B-
8) Tim Beckham, SS, Grade B-
9) Nick Barnese, RHP, Grade B-
10) Wilking Rodriguez, RHP, Grade B-

(Read the rest of this entry…)

John Sickels examines a Houston Astros‘ system that was in disrepair as recent as last year. The system’s slowly picking up steam, but the depth isn’t quite there yet. In the last two years, the Astros have moved out of the prospect-basement.

1) Jason Castro, C, Grade B+
2) Jordan Lyles, RHP, Grade B+
3) , SS, Grade B
4) Sammy Gervacio, RHP, Grade B-
5) Chia-Jen Lo, RHP, Grade B-
6) , RHP, Grade B-
7) , OF, Grade C+
8) , OF, Grade C+
9) Jon Gaston, OF, Grade C+
10) Ross Seaton, RHP, Grade C+

(Read the rest of this entry…)

John Sickels put together the Top-20 Prospects for a Mariners system that’s filled with toolsy guys and underachievers. The M’s first round pick in 2009, , tops the list even if his power isn’t exactly projectable. The biggest surprise is ’s epic fall from grace. It’s hard to look past Halman’s propensity to swing at absolutely everything, but if you do; you see all the tools in the world.

1) , OF-2B, Grade A-
2) Michael Saunders, OF, Grade B-
3) Gabriel Noriega, SS, Grade B-
4) , 3B, Grade B-
5) Carlos Triunfel, SS-3B, Grade B-
6) , SS, Grade B-
7) , RHP, Grade B-
8) , 3B, Grade C+
9) Dan Cortes, RHP, Grade C+
10) , OF, Grade C+

(Read the rest of this entry…)

John Sickels puts together a Cleveland Indians Farm System that’s not nearly as stacked as it should be considering the trades that were made last year.

appears to be a sure-fire catching prospect and after him there’s a lot of questions: injury questions, ability questions, and ceiling questions.

1) , C, Grade A
2) , 3B, Grade B+
3) , LHP, Grade B
4) , RHP, Grade B
5) , RHP, Grade B
6) , OF, Grade B-
7) , RHP, Grade B-
8) , OF, Grade B-
9) , RHP, Grade B-
10) T.J. House, LHP, Grade B-

(Read the rest of this entry…)