FutureSox Top 25 Prospects List - Midseason

[royoung]

As suggested, I don't believe Sanchez got himself into the best shape last year either. I'm making assumptions here, but my gut says that he took for granted his success and didn't work as hard heading into last season. Having seen AAA pitching previously and working a bit harder, you see the results you do.

 

I heard that rumor as well, but there is no reason why a kid who just turned 21 should be in AAA after 30 games in AA unless their name is Mike Trout. I understand the Sox believe in rewarding their prospects with promotions, but hot streaks happen that simply aren't sustainable and then pushing them until they fail doesn't make a lot of sense to me personally.

[witesoxfan]

Not sure if anyone else will, but I have no problem posting my top 30 for others to see and rip apart.

 

1. Carlos Rodon

2. Tim Anderson

3. Courtney Hawkins

4. Spencer Adams

5. Micah Johnson

6. Francellis Montas

7. Tyler Danish

8. Cleuluis Rondon

9. Rangel Ravelo

10. Matt Davidson

11. Carlos Sanchez

12. Trey Michalzewski

13. Chris Beck

14. Kevan Smith

15. Jace Fry

16. Jacob May

17. Andy Wilkins

18. Micker Adolfo

19. Adam Engel

20. Brett Austin

21. Trayce Thompson

22. James Dykstra

23. Jordan Guerrero

24. Tyler Saladino

25. Scott Snodgress

26. Jefferson Olacio

27. Andrew Mitchell

28. Jason Coats

29. Keon Barnum

30. Mike Recchia

 

 

[royoung]

Not sure if anyone else will, but I have no problem posting my top 30 for others to see and rip apart.

 

1. Carlos Rodon

2. Tim Anderson

3. Courtney Hawkins

4. Spencer Adams

5. Micah Johnson

6. Francellis Montas

7. Tyler Danish

8. Cleuluis Rondon

9. Rangel Ravelo

10. Matt Davidson

11. Carlos Sanchez

12. Trey Michalzewski

13. Chris Beck

14. Kevan Smith

15. Jace Fry

16. Jacob May

17. Andy Wilkins

18. Micker Adolfo

19. Adam Engel

20. Brett Austin

21. Trayce Thompson

22. James Dykstra

23. Jordan Guerrero

24. Tyler Saladino

25. Scott Snodgress

26. Jefferson Olacio

27. Andrew Mitchell

28. Jason Coats

29. Keon Barnum

30. Mike Recchia

 

Props to you Wite this is a solid list. I just think you are crazy for making Rondon a top ten prospect when his ceiling is Brendan Ryan.

 

[knightni]

Props to you Wite this is a solid list. I just think you are crazy for making Rondon a top ten prospect when his ceiling is Brendan Ryan.

Perhaps that says something about the current state of the Sox minor leagues right now.

[witesoxfan]

Props to you Wite this is a solid list. I just think you are crazy for making Rondon a top ten prospect when his ceiling is Brendan Ryan.

 

I think his ceiling is a lot higher than that. Brendan Ryan might be a projectable player, but Simmons/Escobar/Guillen, those are the kinds of ceilings I think of him having. He's holding his own as a 20 year old in A+ and if that bat keeps holding up, he's a very, very good player.

 

I basically view his floor as a no bat, gold glove capable player, which is a guy that will always find a way to start. If he can find a bat, it sounds like he's a potential all star.

[royoung]

Perhaps that says something about the current state of the Sox minor leagues right now.

 

A couple years ago I would agreed with you. But I think we have our deepest system in years now and Rondon is a long, long way from hitting enough to enough justify even a ULT spot.

 

Please note I am not a Rondon hater, personally I would rank him in the 15-20 range, but I think top ten is a bit much.

[Chisoxfn]

Props to you Wite this is a solid list. I just think you are crazy for making Rondon a top ten prospect when his ceiling is Brendan Ryan.

Keith Law hinted that he has Simmons like skills at shortstop. I'm not saying he said he'd be Simmons just saying this guy has elite defensive skills and at a premium position, that adds value. Ryan also had a few 3 and 4 WAR seasons and has stuck around the league for quite some time.

[Rowand44]

It's still extremely early but that Peavy trade has the potential to be unbelievable for us.

[danman31]

Not sure if anyone else will, but I have no problem posting my top 30 for others to see and rip apart.

Ha, now we're politicians with transparency issues.

 

1. Rodon

2. Anderson

3. Micah Johnson

4. Adams

5. Sanchez

6. Danish

7. Hawkins

8. Davidson

9. Michalczewski

10. Montas

11. Adolfo

12. Ravelo

13. Trayce Thompson

14. Snodgress (although seeing him get rocked in AAA last night makes me regret this)

15. Fry

16. Wilkins

17. Jordan Guerrero

18. Beck

19. Rondon

20. Kevan Smith

21. Dykstra

22. Antonio Rodriguez

23. Recchia

24. Saladino

25. Olacio

26. May

27. Barnum

28. Brett Austin

29. Wendelken

30. Bassitt

[Chisoxfn]

Tear apart.

 

1 Carlos Rodon

2 Tim Anderson

3 Courtney Hawkins

4 Micah Johnson

5 Francellis Montas

6 Spencer Adams

7 Matt Davidson

8 Tyler Danish

9 Cleuluis Rondon

10 Rangel Ravelo

11 Trey Michalczewski

12 Jace Fry

13 Carlos Sanchez

14 Chris Beck

15 Micker Adolfo

16 Keon Barnum

17 Trayce Thompson

18 Jacob May

19 Adam Engel

20 Scott Snodgress

21 Andy Wilkins

22 Brett Austin

23 Kevan Smith

24 Luis Martinez

25 Jake Jarvis

26 Tyler Saladino

27 Jordan Guerrero

28 Chris Bassitt

29 James Dykstra

30 Mike Recchia

[NorthSideSox72]

Johnson has a higher ceiling than Sanchez in my view. More power potential, much more speed, and better gap power now. Keep in mind too, while Sanchez CAN play SS, he is considered average there at best and he's likely a 2B in the future. His defense is better than Micah's, so that makes him close. But you also have to take more than their current AAA lines into consideration. Sanchez does have a higher floor. They aren't dramatically different, but I'll stick with Johnson above Sanchez right now.

 

And since Blake threw down, here is the Top 30 I voted...

 

1 Carlos Rodon

2 Tim Anderson

3 Courtney Hawkins

4 Micah Johnson

5 Matt Davidson

6 Spencer Adams

7 Francellis Montas

8 Carlos Sanchez

9 Trey Michalczewski

10 Tyler Danish

11 Chris Beck

12 Rangel Ravelo

13 Jacob May

14 Jace Fry

15 Trayce Thompson

16 Micker Adolfo

17 Kevan Smith

18 Cleuluis Rondon

19 Keon Barnum

20 Mike Recchia

21 Scott Snodgress

22 Chris Bassitt

23 Jefferson Olacio

24 Jason Coats

25 Tyler Saladino

26 Andy Wilkins

27 Jake Jarvis

28 Taylor Thompson

29 Adam Engel

30 James Dykstra

 

Keep in mind too, in case it matters, these lists were made a couple weeks ago.

 

[witesoxfan]

He's holding his own in 125 PAs with a slash of .252/.320/.360/.680. I think you're a bit premature on this one. Definitely think Rondon is top 20 too.

 

As a 20 year old who the organization has stated is extremely raw offensively.

 

I'm really excited about him. I think the bat will continue to improve, but it's certainly possible that the bat doesn't play to the point where he can be an every day player. I do feel very confident though that he will make it as a starter in the majors, and a quite valuable one at that.

[Rowand44]

Good job per usual, guys. Not sure how you do it, I have enough trouble putting together a top 10 with out arguing with myself.

[NorthSideSox72]

Good job per usual, guys. Not sure how you do it, I have enough trouble putting together a top 10 with out arguing with myself.

Oh, there's some arguing.

 

Not a lot though. On most guys, all six of us were close, like within 3-4 slots or less of each other most of the time.

 

In case people are curious, the players who had the widest differences between voters (standard regression, if you will), and might be the hardest to evaluate:

 

Adams (4 to 11)

Adolfo (11 to 18)

Rondon (8 to 19)

May (10 to 26)

Fry (12 to 25)

Thompson (13 to 24)

Barnum (16 to 29)

 

Not surpisingly, most of those guys are on the raw side. Thompson not so much, but he's just a tough guy to project right now.

[NorthSideSox72]

Actually now that I look at it, Carlos Sanchez also had a wide range. Anywhere from 5th to 13th.

 

 

[Y2Jimmy0]

Props to you Wite this is a solid list. I just think you are crazy for making Rondon a top ten prospect when his ceiling is Brendan Ryan.

 

 

I think his floor is Brendan Ryan.

[danman31]

Oh, there's some arguing.

 

Not a lot though. On most guys, all six of us were close, like within 3-4 slots or less of each other most of the time.

 

In case people are curious, the players who had the widest differences between voters (standard regression, if you will), and might be the hardest to evaluate:

 

Adams (4 to 11)

Adolfo (11 to 18)

Rondon (8 to 19)

May (10 to 26)

Fry (12 to 25)

Thompson (13 to 24)

Barnum (16 to 29)

 

Not surpisingly, most of those guys are on the raw side. Thompson not so much, but he's just a tough guy to project right now.

 

 

Actually now that I look at it, Carlos Sanchez also had a wide range. Anywhere from 5th to 13th.

Yay, I'm a bunch of those end ranges. Adams at 4, Adolfo at 11, Rondon at 19, May at 26, Thompson at 13, Sanchez at 5. That means I'm the weird one in the group.

[Ozzie Ball]

Oh, there's some arguing.

 

Not a lot though. On most guys, all six of us were close, like within 3-4 slots or less of each other most of the time.

 

In case people are curious, the players who had the widest differences between voters (standard regression, if you will), and might be the hardest to evaluate:

 

Adams (4 to 11)

Adolfo (11 to 18)

Rondon (8 to 19)

May (10 to 26)

Fry (12 to 25)

Thompson (13 to 24)

Barnum (16 to 29)

 

Not surpisingly, most of those guys are on the raw side. Thompson not so much, but he's just a tough guy to project right now.

Snodgress also from I think 14 to my un-ranked.

[NorthSideSox72]

Snodgress also from I think 14 to my un-ranked.

Yes you're right, missed that one when I scanned the list. Seems he's a reliever now, which we kind of thought was the eventual course but it happened quicker than anticipated.

 

[oldsox]

Pretty good rankings right down the line -- except for one guy. Davidson. I just don't understand why he is ranked so high after the year he had, like it doesn't count. I can see somewhere in the bottom half of the top 25, but not #7.

[LDF]

Here it is - the full Midseason Top 25 Prospects list by FutureSox.

 

Let's hear your thoughts! And of course, feel free to spread the link around if you see fit.

 

man that is a sweet looking prospect list. I know it is the prospect that the sox have.

 

 

btw...... all my thanks to you and everyone involve for your hard work doing this.

 

 

[GGajewski18]

Pretty good rankings right down the line -- except for one guy. Davidson. I just don't understand why he is ranked so high after the year he had, like it doesn't count. I can see somewhere in the bottom half of the top 25, but not #7.

 

Where did you have Hawkins after the year he had last year? Hawkins has rebounded a little bit this year. This is Davidson's first bad year in 6 minor league seasons and a brief MLB stint.

[Y2Jimmy0]

Pretty good rankings right down the line -- except for one guy. Davidson. I just don't understand why he is ranked so high after the year he had, like it doesn't count. I can see somewhere in the bottom half of the top 25, but not #7.

 

 

I was waiting for the Davidson post by oldsox all day. Never disappoints. Yawn.

[NorthSideSox72]

Pretty good rankings right down the line -- except for one guy. Davidson. I just don't understand why he is ranked so high after the year he had, like it doesn't count. I can see somewhere in the bottom half of the top 25, but not #7.

He's a tough read right now, but just as you can't dismiss his awful season (which is why he fell back), you also can't dismiss the rest of his career. If he tanks next year, you'll see him drop a LOT further.

 

[Chicago White Sox]

I think Micah Johnson may be the most underrated prospect on this site. Not sure if it's because he wasn't a high draft pick or the fact he's never been a top 100 prospect. Both can be explained by an elbow injury in college that cost him half his junior year at Indiana. Had he been healthy, he would have gone much higher than the 9th round and would have likely done better at Great Falls to start his professional career. Despite having legit 80 speed, the kid was a relatively unknown coming into the 2013 season. Since then he's gone from low A to AAA, being very productive at each stop along the way. People used the age excuse last year, ignoring his plus speed and athleticism. Not sure what the excuse is now given how well he's played at AA & AAA in just his second full professional season.

 

Micah Johnson is a way better prospect than Sanchez. I don't care if he ends up average defensively at 2B when he has the potential to be a dynamic leadoff hitter. Not saying he will reach that potential, but I just have to laugh when I see someone call him a max 2 WAR when he's got 80 speed and a decent ability to get on base. To me he's easily the #3 prospect in the system, with Rodon & Anderson the only guys clearly above him. Sanchez is a nice prospect, but does not have the potential to dominate any aspect of the game.