Keith Law's new top 25 prospect list

[thxfrthmmrs]

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/insider/col...&id=5338763

 

Keith Law is putting out his updated top 25 prospect list today, and to no one's surprise, no sox prospects were on it. Realistically, I think Hudson is pitching like a top 40 prospect this season, but Law might not even have him as a top 100.

 

Though he didn't include any white sox in the top 25s, he didn't waste the opportunity to bash our new 1st rounder Chris Sale. Here is what he has to say about Sale.

 

Why not Chris Sale? Because he wasn't a top-40 prospect for me in this draft, a low-slot lefty with bad arm action and a below-average breaking ball …

 

Of all new draftees, he has be bash on Sale, not that we even expect him to be on the top 25 (Harper and Taillon wasn't on it either). What a jerk.

 

But what I am really mad about is the number 3 prospect Mike Trout of the Angels. Supposed he was on the Sox radar going into the 2009 draft and many mock drafts have him going to the Sox. But the Sox went ahead with a safer college choice in Jared Mitchell. Trout was regarded as a better prospect going into the draft. What a difference a year makes, Trout is looking like the best player in the minors with .370 BA and over 1.000 OPS as a lead off hitter. He is closing in on 40 SBs and we are not even in July yet! Crazy right, and he is still 18 years old! Mitchell on the other hand has yet to play a game this season and still has a long way to go till he reach the bigs.

 

I guess one of the main reasons the Sox passed on Trout is the fact that he might be a tough sign as a high school player. But it really frustrates me that we are passing on top notch talent to go with safer ones. I think we haven't drafted a high schooler in the first round since Kris Honel in 2001.

Edited June 30, 2010 by thxfrthmmrs

[TomPickle]

I think it's pretty unfair to criticize the Mitchell pick.

[iamshack]

I think it's pretty unfair to criticize the Mitchell pick.

I agree. The guy was looking like a freak this spring until his injury.

[BearSox]

Mitchell wasn't really a safe pick, he was a high risk pick and the org. was and still is hoping he could become our Carl Crawford.

 

I for one would have preferred Trout, but Mitchell was beasting it up in ST before his injury.

[SoxAce]

I think it's pretty unfair to criticize the Mitchell pick.

 

I wasn't even that big of a fan (like fathom for example was, though I didn't mind it at all) of the pick, and wouldn't bash it. It is pretty asinine to do so when the guy has missed the season.

[TomPickle]

Yeah, I guess a better way of putting it is that it's unfair to throw Mitchell under the bus right now. If you weren't a fan of the pick at the time and wanted Trout it's fine with me to toot your own horn, but not by complaining about Mitchell's lack of production.

Edited June 30, 2010 by goblue5699

[Jordan4life_2007]

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/insider/col...&id=5338763

 

Keith Law is putting out his updated top 25 prospect list today, and to no one's surprise, no sox prospects were on it. Realistically, I think Hudson is pitching like a top 40 prospect this season, but Law might not even have him as a top 100.

 

Though he didn't include any white sox in the top 25s, he didn't waste the opportunity to bash our new 1st rounder Chris Sale. Here is what he has to say about Sale.

 

 

 

Of all new draftees, he has be bash on Sale, not that we even expect him to be on the top 25 (Harper and Taillon wasn't on it either). What a jerk.

 

But what I am really mad about is the number 3 prospect Mike Trout of the Angels. Supposed he was on the Sox radar going into the 2009 draft and many mock drafts have him going to the Sox. But the Sox went ahead with a safer college choice in Jared Mitchell. Trout was regarded as a better prospect going into the draft. What a difference a year makes, Trout is looking like the best player in the minors with .370 BA and over 1.000 OPS as a lead off hitter. He is closing in on 40 SBs and we are not even in July yet! Crazy right, and he is still 18 years old! Mitchell on the other hand has yet to play a game this season and still has a long way to go till he reach the bigs.

 

I guess one of the main reasons the Sox passed on Trout is the fact that he might be a tough sign as a high school player. But it really frustrates me that we are passing on top notch talent to go with safer ones. I think we haven't drafted a high schooler in the first round since Kris Honel in 2001.

 

Your criticisms would hold a lot more validity had Mitchell not gotten hurt and was presently underperforming. We simply don't know what we have with Mitchell yet. With that said, Trout is definitely a monster and obviously if you could do it over again you take Trout. I'm much more disgusted with the Phegley pick. Puke!

[NorthSideSox72]

Its Keith Law, you can't really take anything he says about the Sox without a huge pile of salt.

 

By the way, watch for a new FutureSox Top 25 list in the next few weeks, we're starting the mid-season process up now (typically we do lists in late March after ST, July after major draft signings, and November after fall ball.

 

 

[BearSox]

for the white sox top 25, are you just gonna throw all the s*** to the wall and see who sticks where? Our farm system took a step up last year, but has taken a huge step back this year.

[NorthSideSox72]

for the white sox top 25, are you just gonna throw all the s*** to the wall and see who sticks where? Our farm system took a step up last year, but has taken a huge step back this year.

We do a little more research than that. But certainly, after the first few names, there is going to be a LOT of variability, because there is a lack of depth in the system. There have also been some injuries: Mitchell out for the year, Shirek out for an unknown period, Trayce Thompson out for probably the year, Martinez just coming back from injury, Phegley's medical condition, Remenowsky just got hurt... all those guys were in one or more of the recent lists.

 

[thxfrthmmrs]

Yeah, I guess a better way of putting it is that it's unfair to throw Mitchell under the bus right now. If you weren't a fan of the pick at the time and wanted Trout it's fine with me to toot your own horn, but not by complaining about Mitchell's lack of production.

 

 

I wanted the Sox to get Trout before the draft last year, and still does now. I didn't say I don't like Mitchell, nor did I say he was a bad pick, I am just stating the fact that he is hurt now and Trout is teeing off in the minors. I think Mitchell will be a good major league player, but Trout looks like he's going to superstardom. I am not complaining about Mitchell at all, I am just saying I would much rather have Trout than Mitchell if I had a choice, and the Sox did have that choice. I think a lot of people feel the same way here.

[BearSox]

jesus christ, superstardom already?

 

Yeah, Trout has been tearing s*** up, but not a single one of us have seen him play at all, and his season is only half over. His stats are incredible, in fact, too good to sustain.

 

I too would have preferred Trout and think he has the potential to become a really good player, but I'm not giving him credit for anything more than having an insanely good first half.

[thxfrthmmrs]

well if you guys give credit for what Mitchell did in 9 ST ABs, then Trout looks equally if not more impressive in ST.

 

Base on what he did last year, and what he is doing now, what the scouts say prior to the draft, and what the scouts are saying now, doesn't he LOOK LIKE he is going to be a superstar?

 

He is only 18 years old, he already has great plate discipline, if he develops more power, I can see he being a legit .300 30HR 40 SB guy at the very least.

[BearSox]

Yes, the future is bright. But it is silly to pencil Trout in as a future superstar already. Top prospect, and loaded with potential? Definitely... but things could be looking a whole lot different come next year, thats how baseball is.

[Quin]

Trout is tearing up A ball, low A ball at that. While it's impressive, Jeremy Reed and Brandon Allen have been impressive in the minors at higher levels. Lets hold off the superstardom tag. He's probably 2-3 years away minimum.

 

Mitchell looked like he would be with the Sox next year until his injury.

 

Keith Law is a piece of ****, he adored Chris Sale coming into the draft (he had him going 4th overall) and the second the Sox drafted him, he suddenly had horrible mechanics and was a horrible prospect.

[witesoxfan]

Trout is tearing up A ball, low A ball at that. While it's impressive, Jeremy Reed and Brandon Allen have been impressive in the minors at higher levels. Lets hold off the superstardom tag. He's probably 2-3 years away minimum.

 

Mitchell looked like he would be with the Sox next year until his injury.

 

Keith Law is a piece of ****, he adored Chris Sale coming into the draft (he had him going 4th overall) and the second the Sox drafted him, he suddenly had horrible mechanics and was a horrible prospect.

 

From all accounts, Keith Law never liked Chris Sale, but he was making mock drafts, and Chris Sale was a projected top 5 pick. Just because he is trying to portray an accurate mock draft doesn't mean he has to like a guy.

 

Mike Trout is most definitely a legitimate prospect too. The league OPS in the Midwest League is .700...he's absolutely destroying the ball, and he's 3 years younger than the league average. You obviously want to see him do it at a higher level, but he's a monster. If his second half goes anything like his first half, I'd say there's a legitimate chance that he's in AA as a 19 year old, and with another good year there, he could see time in the majors as a 20 year old.

[Ozzie Ball]

This thread certainly doesn't describe things as I remember them. Trout was seen seen as very raw coming out of HS with questions over his contact ability. He was compared to Aaron Rowand a lot because he's a grinder who wasn't thought to have great tools (above average hitter, average power). I can't remember anyone saying they wanted Trout. I certainly didn't want him.

 

Since being drafted Trout has obviously exploded, but there's a reason why he was picked at #25. The Sox went for the higher upside guy in Mitchell (despite what the OP seems to think, Mitchell was thought of as the higher upside guy at the time) and I think you have to just call this great scouting/player development on the side of the Angels.

 

Anyway, not sure why I'm posting in here because I do think this thread is ridiculous.

 

Also I hate all the Keith Law bashing. I respect his opinion perhaps more than anyone else when it comes to prospect evaluating. The White Sox system doesn't get any love from him because it doesn't deserve any and it may be the worst in baseball right now.

[Ozzie Ball]

Keith Law is a piece of ****, he adored Chris Sale coming into the draft (he had him going 4th overall) and the second the Sox drafted him, he suddenly had horrible mechanics and was a horrible prospect.

Wow this is moronic. In a mock draft you try to predict where the players will go, not where you would take them.

[Quin]

Wow this is moronic. In a mock draft you try to predict where the players will go, not where you would take them.

 

For some reason, I always thought he adored Sale, yet couldn't find things after the draft, and I thought he fell to 47 on Klaw's board only once the Sox drafted him.

 

Just found that's not true, so yes, that was moronic.

[thxfrthmmrs]

This thread certainly doesn't describe things as I remember them. Trout was seen seen as very raw coming out of HS with questions over his contact ability. He was compared to Aaron Rowand a lot because he's a grinder who wasn't thought to have great tools (above average hitter, average power). I can't remember anyone saying they wanted Trout. I certainly didn't want him.

 

Since being drafted Trout has obviously exploded, but there's a reason why he was picked at #25. The Sox went for the higher upside guy in Mitchell (despite what the OP seems to think, Mitchell was thought of as the higher upside guy at the time) and I think you have to just call this great scouting/player development on the side of the Angels.

 

Anyway, not sure why I'm posting in here because I do think this thread is ridiculous.

 

Also I hate all the Keith Law bashing. I respect his opinion perhaps more than anyone else when it comes to prospect evaluating. The White Sox system doesn't get any love from him because it doesn't deserve any and it may be the worst in baseball right now.

 

Mitchell's report

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2009/...ontent=mitchell

 

Trout's report

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2009/...p?content=trout

 

both guys have plus speed, trout has developing power, mitchell just has raw power. I believe Mitchell has more issues with his swing and tends to strike out a lot, and Trout also had better plate discipline than Mitchell. Trout was a more well rounded player with above average tools, while Mitchell was a Mike Cameron type of player, good speed and power, but has contact issues.

 

If you respect Keith Law's opinion, I believe he had Trout as a better prospect on his board, I believe he was in the teens to twenties, while mitchell was 35 I think, and he did project Trout to go to the Sox.

Edited June 30, 2010 by thxfrthmmrs

[hitlesswonder]

Base on what he did last year, and what he is doing now, what the scouts say prior to the draft, and what the scouts are saying now, doesn't he LOOK LIKE he is going to be a superstar?

 

He is only 18 years old, he already has great plate discipline, if he develops more power, I can see he being a legit .300 30HR 40 SB guy at the very least.

 

.300, 30HR, 40 SB is his floor? If that were remotely true, he wouldn't have lasted until the Angels pick. If you want to criticize the Sox, rip them for their lack of investment in Latin America and not being willing to sign over slot in some drafts. The Sox were not the only team to pass on Trout. Moreover, the guy they picked instead was a high ceiling athlete with speed, power and plate discipline (who obviously had issues with Ks). Mitchell was not a safe pick. Sure, it seems likely Trout would have been a better pick, but picking Mitchell at the time is very defensible.

[thxfrthmmrs]

For some reason, I always thought he adored Sale, yet couldn't find things after the draft, and I thought he fell to 47 on Klaw's board only once the Sox drafted him.

 

Just found that's not true, so yes, that was moronic.

 

 

I knew Law has Sale as the 43rd prospect on his board all along, base on what he said on the report, Sale could have ranked higher if he can repeat his delivery and sustain his velocity deep into the game, and will be able to reach the majors as a starter. But he doubted it, and that's why Sale was ranked so low.

 

But if you read the Top Prospects article, it seems pretty random how he, of all people, threw Sale's name out there and bash him for his delivery, when we didn't expect any new draftees to be on the list.

[thxfrthmmrs]

.300, 30HR, 40 SB is his floor? If that were remotely true, he wouldn't have lasted until the Angels pick. If you want to criticize the Sox, rip them for their lack of investment in Latin America and not being willing to sign over slot in some drafts. The Sox were not the only team to pass on Trout. Moreover, the guy they picked instead was a high ceiling athlete with speed, power and plate discipline (who obviously had issues with Ks). Mitchell was not a safe pick. Sure, it seems likely Trout would have been a better pick, but picking Mitchell at the time is very defensible.

 

I am not sure about Trout's signability then, but by safe pick, I meant in terms of the team's ability to sign him. I think Mitchell was an easier sign for them considering he is a college bat and Trout is only a high schooler. Isn't that one of the reasons why the Sox went with Broadway and McCulloch?

 

[ChiSox_Sonix]

I am not sure about Trout's signability then, but by safe pick, I meant in terms of the team's ability to sign him. I think Mitchell was an easier sign for them considering he is a college bat and Trout is only a high schooler. Isn't that one of the reasons why the Sox went with Broadway and McCulloch?

 

Those are completely different scenarios.

[Ozzie Ball]

I knew Law has Sale as the 43rd prospect on his board all along, base on what he said on the report, Sale could have ranked higher if he can repeat his delivery and sustain his velocity deep into the game, and will be able to reach the majors as a starter. But he doubted it, and that's why Sale was ranked so low.

 

But if you read the Top Prospects article, it seems pretty random how he, of all people, threw Sale's name out there and bash him for his delivery, when we didn't expect any new draftees to be on the list.

I assumed it was due to all the talk of Sale hitting the bigs in August. And I would have expected Harper on the list. The Minors are quite weak right now and Harper would be top 10 for me.