Prospects and Scouting

Double Top-15 Prospect Lists: Yankees, Braves, Blue Jays

By Satchel Price Mar 3, 2011, 3:00pm EST

I'm not sure we need much of an introduction at this point. We decided to leave some of the best systems for last, and we're giving you a double dose of top-15 lists- one each from me, and one each from Dave. We'll be posting lists for Tampa Bay and Kansas City tomorrow, with an eye on posting our personal top-100 lists on Monday. Also, links to the other top-15 lists are included on the bottom of the page.

NEW YORK YANKEES

Satchel's Top-15	Dave's Top-15
1) C Jesus Montero	1) C Jesus Montero
2) LHP Manny Banuelos	2) C Gary Sanchez
3) C Gary Sanchez	3) LHP Manny Banuelos
4) RHP Dellin Betances	4) RHP Dellin Betances
5) RHP Andrew Brackman	5) RHP Andrew Brackman
6) RHP Hector Noesi	6) OF Slade Heathcott
7) C Austin Romine	7) C Austin Romine
8) RHP Graham Stoneburner	8) RHP Hector Noesi
9) OF Slade Heathcott	9) RHP Brett Marshall
10) RHP Adam Warren	10) RHP Ivan Nova
11) RHP Ivan Nova	11) SS Cito Culver
12) RHP Brett Marshall	12) RHP Adam Warren
13) SS Eduardo Nunez	13) SS Angelo Gumbs
14) 3B Brandon Laird	14) RHP David Phelps
15) SS Cito Culver	15) 3B Brandon Laird

Obviously, this is a really strong system. Montero is arguably the best bat in the minors right now, and there are a lot of people who believe that Sanchez can follow in his footsteps. They have two of the best pitchers in the minors in Banuelos and Betances, and a host of interesting arms beyond that- Brackman, Noesi, Stoneburner, Warren, Nova, Marshall, etc. People have soured some on Romine after an underwhelming 2010, but he's still got the tools to be an above-average catcher. I'm not as high on Heathcott as Dave is, the reports I've heard on his tools aren't as strong as you'd expect them to be.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS

Satchel's Top-15	Dave's Top-15
1) RHP Kyle Drabek	1) RHP Kyle Drabek
2) 3B Brett Lawrie	2) 3B Brett Lawrie
3) RHP Zach Stewart	3) RHP Deck McGuire
4) C Travis d'Arnaud	4) RHP Aaron Sanchez
5) SS Adeiny Hechavarria	5) C Travis d'Arnaud
6) RHP Aaron Sanchez	6) OF Anthony Gose
7) C J.P. Arencibia	7) C Carlos Perez
8) OF Anthony Gose	8) RHP Zach Stewart
9) RHP Deck McGuire	9) C J.P. Arencibia
10) RHP Carlos Perez	10) OF Jake Marisnick
11) RHP Asher Wojciechowski	11) SS Adeiny Hechavarria
12) OF Eric Thames	12) RHP Asher Wojciechowski
13) OF Jake Marisnick	13) SS Dickie Joe Thon
14) RHP Henderson Alvarez	14) 1B Michael McDade
15) RHP Adonis Cardona	15) RHP Adonis Cardona

A lot of disagreement between Dave and I with this system, but that's primarily because they have so many quality prospects but only a couple that are clearly elite. It would be tough for someone to not go Drabek-Lawrie with the club's top two prospects, though I obviously buy into Stewart as a starting pitcher more than Dave does. We're both similarly high on d'Arnaud and Sanchez, but I think that he's underrating Hechavarria some given the strong reports on his glove, and I'm not wiling to put McGuire that high when he might not have the potential to be more than a decent No. 3 starter at best.

ATLANTA BRAVES

Satchel's Top-15	Dave's Top-15
1) RHP Julio Teheran	1) RHP Julio Teheran
2) 1B Freddie Freeman	2) 1B Freddie Freeman
3) RHP Arodys Vizcaino	3) RHP Arodys Vizcaino
4) LHP Mike Minor	4) LHP Mike Minor
5) RHP Randall Delgado	5) RHP Randall Delgado
6) SS Matt Lipka	6) LHP Carlos Perez
7) RHP Craig Kimbrel	7) SS Matt Lipka
8) LHP Carlos Perez	8) RHP Craig Kimbrel
9) SS Edward Salcedo	9) RHP Brett Oberholtzer
10) RHP Brandon Beachy	10) RHP Brandon Beachy
11) C Christian Bethancourt	11) C Christian Bethancourt
12) SS Andrelton Simmons	12) SS Edward Salcedo
13) RHP J.J. Hoover	13) SS Mychal Jones
14) SS Mychal Jones	14) SS Andrelton Simmons
15) SS/2B Tyler Pastornicky	15) SS/2B Tyler Pastornicky

There's not too much disagreement here- we have the same prospects in our top-8's, and identical top-5's. Obviously pitching in the strength in this system; their fourth-best pitching prospect would probably be the best pitcher in a lot of systems. They've also got an interesting array of shortstops with Lipka leading the way. Simmons has the best glove of the bunch while Salcedo has the most offensive upside, but Lipka brings the best overall package to the table even if a move to second base or center field might be coming in the future. It's a very, very strong system, and Braves fans should probably be happy that the club extended GM Frank Wren.