The following listing is our ranking of our Top Prospects. It includes some players that are currently
in the major leagues, but with short tenures. Many of those players will probably be purged from
the list as soon as we become more confident that they're not in danger of being sent back down to
the minors. You can sort on our list by rank, by player, by position, or by age. "Rank" is overall MLB rank
for that prospect. For feedback on our
rankings, please contact John Sickels.
With the minor league season now completed, it's time to update the Top 100 list.
I am removing from the list players who have exceeded rookie qualifications (130 at-bats, 50 innings) or who are likely to do so by the end of the season. Players removed from the list this time around: Chris Tillman, Matt LaPorta, Mat Latos, Kyle Blanks, and Bud Norris.
All prospect lists are a blend of short-term, medium-term, and long-term potential. I also try to consider both fantasy and "real life" baseball in mind when doing these lists. As a result, this list looks different than if I was looking solely at pure baseball ability or if I was focused entirely on fantasy value. It is a hybrid. I also try to avoid huge changes from list to list, to avoid overreacting to hot or cold spells.
Players from the 2009 draft who have signed are now included. Placing such players on the list is difficult given that most of them haven't played much as pros yet, and I like to have a track record against pro competition to look at.
Generally speaking, I try to avoid massive changes in rankings from list to list, to avoid overreacting to cold or hot streaks. The list still reflects a balance between short term and long term potential, and exact placement (16 compared to 17 for example) is less important than general trends. As always, you have to adjust rankings depending on the structure and rules of your own league. Only the top 100 are ranked. Those below the top 100 are prospects to watch, but are unranked.
Last update: 9/20/09
* Any player who wouldn't qualify for rookie of the year (ie. too much major league service time) isn't included.
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