Welcome to the Baseball Instinct Top 21′s prospect lists. We’ll be breaking down each organizations Minor League system, looking at who we believe are the top prospects in each system. We’ll highlight the Elite prospects in green and our Sleeper prospects in red.
The Elite of each system are the prospects we believe to have the most current value regardless of age, level of play or past production. These are the guys we think will be able to reach a high level of MLB production in time, whether they are knocking on the door or still a few years off. These are the Gems.
Our Sleeper prospects may or may not be names that you’ve already heard of, but either way, we think that before the 2009 season is over there is a good chance that these are the guys who will be making a move up the charts.
Top 21
1. Jarrod Parker RHP ARI 11/24/1988 6’0″:180 ETA 2010
Probable #2 and a Potential Ace. Mid 90s FB, 3 good to plus secondaries. Hard worker. Parker is on the small side but he’s a gamer and knows how to win.
2. Gerardo Parra OF ARI 5/6/1987 6’1″:185 ETA 2010
Starting RF with Bobby Abreu comparisons, less power in peak. 2B,3B and SBs with high OBP. Lead-off hitter in the making. Excellent instinctual baserunner who doesn’t get himself out and can steal bases even without plus speed.
3. Dan Schlereth LHP ARI 5/9/1986 6’0″:210 ETA 2009
Pro athlete pedigree. Pro football family background. Mid 90s FB with power CB says back of bullpen. Hard recoil but has proven durable since 2004 TJS.
4. Mark Hallberg 2B ARI 12/9/1985 5’11″:170 ETA 2010
Only plus tool is bat. Could be a solid 2B who gets the job done. Textbook skills but no power and fringe arm limits him to the right side of infield. Probable UTL player.
5. Kevin Eichhorn RHP ARI 2/6/1990 6’0″:170 ETA 2014
Low 90s FB and solid secondaries with projection for a young SP. Good control, needs to work command of zone. Needs to repeat arm slot to excel. Should add to FB as he fills out some more.
6. Cesar Valdez RHP ARI 3/17/1985 6’2″:200 ETA 2010
Good size with plus change and low 90s FB. Back end of rotation ceiling but doesn’t beat himself. Keeps ball down and Splitter could be an out pitch. Could see Arizona in 2009 if injuries strike.
7. Trevor Harden RHP ARI 9/1/1987 6’2″:215 ETA 2012
Strong frame. Low 90s FB with sink, plus slider with a CU. JC closer to starter transition seems to be taking. Repeats arm slot on CU but not the arm speed yet. CU will be determining factor to future success.
8. Wade Miley LHP ARI 11/13/1986 6’2″:190 ETA 2012
No. 3 upside. 3 above average pitches, 90 pmh FB limits dominance upside. Needs to work on command of FB. Already advanced in his approach to pitching and is a good bet to reach upside.
9. Rossmel Perez C ARI 8/26/1989 5’10″:180 ETA 2012
Above average bat speed with LD stroke. Switch hitter. Good plate discipline 54/44 career bb/k ratio. Projects average power. Good tools behind plate. 40% CS.
10. Ryne White 1B ARI 10/17/1986 5’11″:205 ETA 2011
Athletic 1B with average power but good bat control. Adam LaRoche type and could move to OF if needed.
11. Dan Stange RHP ARI 12/22/1985 6’3″:185 ETA 2010
2nd year back from TJS. Electric Mid 90s FB and plus slider. Fits at the back of a bullpen. If upper 90s FB returns, he could develop into a Closer.
12. Josh Whitesell 1B ARI 4/14/1982 6’1″:225 ETA 2009
Plus power with alot of K’s. 1B/OF platoon or bat off bench. Already 27 but might be a late bloomer with his discipline. Make or break year.
13. Reynaldo Navarro SS ARI 12/22/1989 5’10″:175 ETA 2012
Switch hitter with above average speed. Light hitting and might need to move to 2B since hands are stiff and arm is fringe. Profiles as UTL infielder.
14. Collin Cowgill OF ARI 5/22/1986 5″9″:195 ETA 2011
Plus bat speed with poor discipline. Might be too old to overcome negatives of fringe range and arm including being undersized for a power hitting OF. Good speed.
15. Cyle Hankerd OF ARI 1/24/1985 6’3″:180 ETA 2010
Stagnated in 08. Found new life in HWL. Above average power. 09 will be a telling season. Breakout or Flameout. Must hit for power and decent average or he’ll be relegated to a bench bat.
16. Bryan Shaw RHP ARI 11/8/1987 6’1″:210 ETA 2012
Good frame, mid 90s FB with potential plus slider and trailing split and change. Projects at back end of rotation or MR. Emotional pitcher who might be best suited as a righty specialist.
17. Wes Roemer RHP ARI 10/7/1986 6’0″:200 ETA 2011
Ugly results. Low 90s FB could become power sinker with a power slider combo. Needs alot of work on CU and cmd. Lack of overpowering pitch limits upside to back end of rotation.
18. Isaias Asencio OF ARI 12/31/1987 6’0″:170 ETA 2012
Wiry strong, squares ball up well. Raw but with a plus arm. Still some growth here since he started pro career so late. Excellent overall growth in 2H last year. Could emerge as Top 10 in system if everything breaks right.
19. Pedro Ciriaco SS ARI 11/27/1985 6’0″:160 ETA 2011
Small and fast MI. Bat coming around late in development. Projects as Utility MI with speed. Shortening up swing could provide additional upside.
20. Evan Frey OF ARI 6/7/1986 6’0″:170 ETA 2011
Mighty mite with no plus tools but a gritty small ball player that projects as an plus OBP fourth OF who can roam CF and steal bases. Drives gaps well but lack of upside limits ability to be everyday player.
21. Leyson Septimo LHP ARI 7/7/1985 6’0″:150 ETA 2011
Converted OF. High 90s FB with slider. Still learning to pitch. Has upside with FB/SL combo but size will limit durability and stamina. He could be a dominant lefty specialist in time.
System Overview
The Diamondbacks have one of, if not the weakest systems in all of major league baseball. Having graduated players such as Carlos Quentin, Conor Jackson, Stephen Drew and Justin Upton in past couple of years and using Brett Anderson and Carlos Gonzalez to aquire Dan Haren last year, you can understand the reason for the lack of depth.
But the Dbacks still have a potential rotation leader in Jarrod Parker and a lineup igniter in Gerardo Parra. So the top side of the system has some elite players along with Dan Schlereth who will step into the set up role as soon as he proves ready.
After the top 3 the system drops off dramatically, but does have some prospects who could make an impact in 2009 and move this system up the board in 2010. Two Starting Pitchers in Eichhorn and Harden could progress quickly with a few adjustments and open up some eyes. Both have excellent upside and just need some additional experience and growth to pick up their game to a new level. Backstop Rossmel Perez is still a few years off in development but could begin to carve himself a name as the future catcher for Arizona. He has a good bat and the tools to be effective behind the dish.
Isaias Asencio is our darkhorse longshot sleeper of the system. He’s already 21 and has never played above Rookie ball but his tools just say that there is more to this guy than we have had the opportunity to see. The fact that he started so late and his second half 2008 production bode well for him have a breakout 2009. It’s a longshot, but one I’m willing to bet on.
