Baseball America White Sox Top 10 Prospects

[Fantl916]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prosp...009/267205.html

 

1. Gordon Beckham, ss

2. Aaron Poreda, lhp

3. Clayton Richard, lhp

4. Brandon Allen, 1b

5. Jordan Danks, of

6. Chris Getz, 2b

7. John Shelby, oF

8. John Ely, rhp

9. Cole Armstrong, c

10. Eduardo Escobar, ss

 

Looking at the tools and telent on this list, i really do consider this the best top 10 prospect list we've had in some time, mostly considering that i can actually see 6-8 of these guys having the tools to be solid major leaguers (beckham, poreda, richard, danks, getz, cole) while a few have the ability to break out in a big way (allen, shelby)

 

exciting because most of these guys are close to contributing and shows how quickly KW and his staff are turning the farm around.

[DBAHO]

Things that stick out;

 

Escobar at 10 - Bit of a surprise I would have thought. Highly rated with BA than others perhaps?

 

Ely at 8 - Personally I like other SP's in our system such as Upchurch and Hudson, although you give the latter 2 another season and my guess is they'll definitely be on here.

 

Lack of impact pitchers - Poreda's really the only one you would think ATM that could definitely contribute something good at the major league level. Something that the Sox need to address at the next draft I think (although they have been pitcher heavy over the past 4-5 years, and don't really have much to show for it).

[ChiSox_Sonix]

Doesn't BA release a top 30 eventually or no?

[witesoxfan]

Dan's sleeper pick of Escobar no longer looks like a sleeper pick.

[Fantl916]

Doesn't BA release a top 30 eventually or no?

 

They do, but it's for BA subscriber's only. I would also go as far to guess that 11-15 on that list includes guys like Brent Morel, Steven Upchurch, Dexter Carter, Daniel Hudson which is a testiment to the talent that we also have coming on in the lower minor league levels. I would almost expect those guys to be on the list next year once Getz, Richard, and others lose their prospect status.

 

It's kind of crazy to think about, but i don't remember a time where we actually had some decent depth in the system. i can think of ten guys off the top of my head who are exciting prospects that didnt make the list. Besides guys like Morel, Upchurch, Carter, and Hudson you can also consider guys like Jon Link, Lucas Harrell if he ever puts it together, Nevin Griffith if he ever puts it together, Juan Silveiro, Jose Martinez, Kent Gerst, Tyler Kunz, etc.

 

Sounds weird, but Kenny and Co have done a great job building up talent over the last couple years as we have some serious depth at the lower levels

[Balta1701]

Something tells me BA just published a shopping list for the rest of the league...

 

Anywho...I wonder how high these guys will wind up on the top 100. Beckham's an interesting case, he's maybe a year away from the bigs, but he doesn't have much in the way of minor league numbers. I wonder if he'll break the top 50 without a longer minor league resume.

[danman31]

Things that stick out;

Escobar at 10 - Bit of a surprise I would have thought. Highly rated with BA than others perhaps?

 

Dan's sleeper pick of Escobar no longer looks like a sleeper pick.

BA actually saw that I endorsed him, checked with my track record, and followed my pick.

 

It's good to see he is rated as the best defensive infielder too. His bat won't carry him to the bigs alone.

[ChiSox_Sonix]

They do, but it's for BA subscriber's only. I would also go as far to guess that 11-15 on that list includes guys like Brent Morel, Steven Upchurch, Dexter Carter, Daniel Hudson which is a testiment to the talent that we also have coming on in the lower minor league levels. I would almost expect those guys to be on the list next year once Getz, Richard, and others lose their prospect status.

 

I never do this, but if anyone is a subscriber and wouldnt mind posting 11-30 that'd be awesome.

 

Also, nice to see Escobar crack the top 10, that kid came out of nowhere this year

 

[NorthSideSox72]

There are a half dozen SP's that I'd put above Ely who didn't even make this list, and at least 2 SS's I'd put above Escobar who also didn't make the list. I'd say those two are way overrated on this index.

 

[ThunderBolt]

Something tells me BA just published a shopping list for the rest of the league...

Nah, here's your shopping list

1 Dye

2 Konerko

3 Vasquez

4 Jenks

5. Thome

 

I really like the progress this system is showing, and with the way these guys are moving through this organziation this list is going to see some very rapid turnover. I can't wait to see what direction we go in next years draft.

Edited November 17, 2008 by Thunderbolt

[Jordan4life_2007]

Patience was and will continue to be the key. Kenny and the rest of the organization knew a couple years ago that the farm was, well, TERRIBLE. They admitted it and have taken the necessary steps to correct it. I like what I'm seeing so far.

[DaTank]

I honestly believe we can put a competitive team out there by 2011 via our farm.

[ThunderBolt]

I honestly believe we can put a competitive team out there by 2011 via our farm.

Nonsense, we're looking at 2010 for a few of these kids.

[DaTank]

Nonsense, we're looking at 2010 for a few of these kids.

 

Oh, I know for a fact that some will reach the Majors by 2010. But with the time it takes for some of them to mature and become comfortable out there, I see 2011 as a target year for a competitive team around the whole diamond.

[caulfield12]

Not to mention Marquez and Nunez being added to our depth chart as well...and this new signing (Escobar) could be the next Ed. Sierra, for better or worse, lol.

 

Nix almost counts as a prospect in a way, fwiw.

 

Then there's the possibility of bringing in Viciedo or a Japanese starting pitcher.

 

 

[Chisoxfn]

BA actually saw that I endorsed him, checked with my track record, and followed my pick.

 

It's good to see he is rated as the best defensive infielder too. His bat won't carry him to the bigs alone.

Some top people at BA read these forums on a relatively regular basis. Although Phil Rogers is the one ultimately responsible for the lists, a lot of info still comes from other BA people.

[JPN366]

Doesn't BA release a top 30 eventually or no?

 

 

The 2009 Baseball America Prospect Guide will be in book stores and available online from Amazon, etc. in February. I buy it every year for under $20 and it's usually around 1000 pages. It has the top 30 prospects for every team and other interesting info.

 

Baseball America Prospect Guide

 

Edited November 18, 2008 by JPN366

[moragasoxfan]

 

Although BA doesn't post its Top 30 until January, one can get a pretty good idea of the approximate order of the next 12 prospects, based on the Rogers chat.

 

Brent Morel

Jon Link

Jhonny Nunez

Jeff Marquez

Jose Martinez

Adam Russell

Dexter Carter

Dan Hudson

Jack Egbert - "20 or below"

Lucas Harrell - "20 or below"

Juan Silverio - low 20s

 

You would have to believe that Lance Broadway is rated somewhere in the 11 to 20 range although Rogers never specifically says that he's still in the Top 30. Other prospects mentioned as Top 30: Justin Cassell, Cole Armstong

Edited November 18, 2008 by moragasoxfan

[Rowand44]

I honestly believe we can put a competitive team out there by 2011 via our farm.

We hear this almost every year it seems now. At the end of 07, the immediate future of this club just looked absolutely horrendous. All the sudden we have two of the best building blocks in all of baseball(CQ and Danks) and a few other guys that should contribute for a long time with in this organization. Kenny usually finds a way to put a competitive team out there and I'm sure he'll continue to do so.

[caulfield12]

Although BA doesn't post its Top 30 until January, one can get a pretty good idea of the approximate order of the next 12 prospects, based on the Rogers chat.

 

Brent Morel

Jon Link

Jhonny Nunez

Jeff Marquez

Jose Martinez

Adam Russell

Dexter Carter

Dan Hudson

Jack Egbert - "20 or below"

Lucas Harrell - "20 or below"

Juan Silverio - low 20s

 

You would have to believe that Lance Broadway is rated somewhere in the 11 to 20 range although Rogers never specifically says that he's still in the Top 30. Other prospects mentioned as Top 30: Justin Cassell, Cole Armstong

 

Armstrong is #9. Funny that Kyle McCulloch has fallen so far off the map that a first rounder in our system doesn't even merit a mention anymore. I guess that's a good thing.

[JPN366]

Armstrong is #9. Funny that Kyle McCulloch has fallen so far off the map that a first rounder in our system doesn't even merit a mention anymore. I guess that's a good thing.

 

 

McCulloch blows. I've seen him pitch for the past season and a half, I know.

[scenario]

McCulloch blows. I've seen him pitch for the past season and a half, I know.

 

LOL. You really hate that guy, don't you?

 

Give us the rundown JPN.

 

What have you seen (or not seen) with McCulloch?

 

Is it a stuff issue?

 

I seem to remember you saying something earlier in the year that McCulloch seemed prone to giving up the big inning.

Edited November 18, 2008 by scenario

[moragasoxfan]

Armstrong is #9. Funny that Kyle McCulloch has fallen so far off the map that a first rounder in our system doesn't even merit a mention anymore. I guess that's a good thing.

 

Oops! Forgot that Armstrong was already on the Top 10 list.

 

Rogers comment on McCulloch: "He still has value but more as an organizational guy."

 

[caulfield12]

Oops! Forgot that Armstrong was already on the Top 10 list.

 

Rogers comment on McCulloch: "He still has value but more as an organizational guy."

 

aka Lance Broadway, Charles Haeger, Egbert...someone of that ilk.

 

Very little talk of Egbert around here the last six months. Last year, he was a favorite of many.

[scenario]

Very little talk of Egbert around here the last six months. Last year, he was a favorite of many.

 

After a rough start early in the year while coming back from an injury, Egbert had a decent (not great but decent) year.

 

His record didn't show it... mostly because Charlotte was a bad team... not because he had a bad year.

 

For example: Take a look at the difference between early season (April-May) and the rest of the year (June-August.)

 

April-May

Started 6 games... pitched 31 innings... had a 7.55 ERA.

Struck out 26... walked 21.

 

Then compare June-August

Started 16 games... pitched 98.2 innings... had a 3.76 ERA.

Struck out 91... walked 25.

 

A tale of two seasons.

Edited November 18, 2008 by scenario