Arizona Fall League 2008 Top Ten Prospects

Taking a break from the organizational Prospect Reports, today I'll go in detail the top ten from the recently completed Arizona Fall League season as compiled by each team's scouting and minor league departments. As a bonus, I'll throw in a word or two on prospects 11-20, and thanks to Baseball America for the rankings and BA Minor League reporter Chris Kline for providing some of the text.

Standing both literally and figuratively at the top of the list is Detroit Tigers outfielder Cameron Maybin. At 6'4" and 215 pounds, Maybin scored higher on the scout's 20-80 rating scale than did Ken Griffey Jr. at the same age. An injury to his left shoulder hampered him most of the season and he was shut down after just two weeks in Arizona but showed enough to rank first, and comfortably, on this list. Possessing legitimate five tool skills with the ability to impact a game with any of them, Maybin projects to hit .300 consistently with 30+ homers with Gold Glove defense in center in the big leagues. Should begin the season in the Tigers starting lineup with Curtis Granderson moving to left field.

The gap between number one and number two is the same between number two and number three, which shows just how special Maybin is. And so is the guy here, Tampa Bay third baseman Evan Longoria. Scottsdale Scorpions interim manager Matt Williams went as far to say Longoria now is just as good defensively as any third baseman he had seen during his own career. Longoria doesn't run well but makes up for his lack of speed with a controlled aggressiveness which makes him appear faster and quicker than he is. Longoria's power reached legendary status with a couple of 470 foot bombs in Arizona and an estimated 520 foot shot while playing with Team USA in the just completed World Cup in China. Longoria will be the everyday third baseman for the Rays in 2008. (More on Longoria here.

The youngest player in the league this season ranks third here, Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Travis Snider. Rated by scouts as the best "pure" hitter in the AFL, Snider, a lefty swinger, ended his first full season hitting .304 against lefthanded pitchers, a remarkable accomplishment for someone as young and inexperienced as he is. Limited to rightfield due to below average speed, Snider projects to at worst average and a switch to first base is possible down the road.

The shock of the 2007 Amateur draft is in at number four. Projected to go anywhere from mid first round to mid second, the Milwaukee Brewers chose collegiate first baseman Matt LaPorta with the seventh pick. The Brewers immediately switched LaPorta to leftfield, and despite his inexperience has a chance to make his ML debut in 2008. A dead pull hitter when he signed, LaPorta spent his time in Arizona learning to drive the ball to the opposite field, so despite his below .250 average, the Brewers scouting department turned in a positive report to the front office. LaPorta will start the season in Double A Huntsville.

The fifth spot belongs to the only pitcher in the top ten, Cleveland Indians righthander Adam Miller. Elbow and finger injuries hampered Miller throughout the season and was a surprise addition to the Fall League and didn't disappoint. While he hasn't regained his mid-nineties fastball as yet, his offspeed stuff actually showed improvement. A late breaking mid to upper 80's slider, an improving change and a two-seamer with splitter like action has Miller only needing to stay healthy before making the trip to Cleveland.

My personal favorite on this list comes in at number six. Just turned 21 years old and already an accompished singer/songwriter who writes poetry and has drawn acclaim as an artist, is the well-rounded Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen. McCutchen is another outfielder with five tools, although some scouts feel he has peaked as a power hitter and will struggle to hit fifteen homers in the majors. Which is OK with the Pirates, who have been lacking a true leadoff hitter for some time. A centerfielder with 70+ plus speed on the scout scale, McCutchen makes routine catches on balls most outfielders won't even get to until it stops rolling. While he could use some at bats in Triple A getting used to major league quality breaking stuff, McCutchen will report to spring training with an outside shot of earning a starting spot, and if Jason Bay is traded as expected, will become a certainty. (More on McCutchen here.

Shortstop Reid Brignac makes Tampa Bay the only team with two players on the top ten list. Brignac was affected towards the end of this season by fatigue and by the time he got to Arizona had trouble driving the ball even in batting practice. One of the better athletes in the AFL, Brignac rates plus across the board defensively. Major League ready now on defense, Brignac showed pop this year in the minors, coming in with 52 extra base hits in 133 games. Despite the acquisition of Jason Bartlett recently from Minnesota and the return of Ben Zobrist from injury, Brignac is unquestionably the shortstop of the future for Tampa, and don't be surprised if at some point in 2008 the Rays have two rookies starting on the left side of the infield.

At number eight is Atlanta Braves outfielder Jordan Schafer. As previously reported here, on the 'Chair, Schafer was the consensus pick among scouts as being the most improved player throughout the minor leagues in 2007. Facing top flight pitching for the first time in Arizona, Schafer not only held his own but showed power he hadn't displayed previously. Schafer is a plus defender in centerfield and finished among the league batting leaders in the AFL, and with the CF job in Atlanta wide open with the departure of the fat dude, Schafer has at least a chance to win the job outright in spring training despite never having played above Class A.

Some players end up in Arizona as the playing part of an injury recuperation, and such is the case of Dexter Fowler of the Colorado Rockies. Missing most of the season as a result of breaking his throwing hand in three places while crashing into the outfield wall, Fowler was still experiencing weakness in the hand in Arizona, and despite the setbacks showed enough skill to place in the top ten.

At the tenth spot is Texas Rangers catcher Taylor Teagarden. A plus defender in college with the arm to match, Teagarden had Tommy John surgery in 2005 and the the tail end of the 2007 season and into the AFL was the first lengthy stint of being pain free for him. Teagarden has the ability to hit to all fields with power and despite the surgery lost nothing defensively.

11) Matt Antonelli, 2B, San Diego Padres. With Geoff Blum in Houston and Marcus Giles released, Antonelli has a shot to win the 2B job in spring training. Solid offensively, Antonelli is still learning the nuances of second base after being moved over from third in 2005.

12) Anthony Swarzak, RHP, Minnesota Twins.

13) Jeff Clement, C, Seattle Mariners. Defense an issue and likely always will be, Mariners have comtemplated a move to third base.

14) Jake Arrieta, RHP, Baltimore Orioles.

15) Eugenio Velez, 2B, San Francisco Giants. Showed an almost overnight improvement defensively at second. So much so the Giants have scrapped their CF experiment with Velez and consider him a legitimate contender for the 2B job in spring training despite the re-signing of Ray Durham.

16) Joe Savery, LHP, Philadelphia Phillies.

17) Max Scherzer, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks. Fastball topped out at 99 mph after a move to the bullpen, might explain the DBacks sudden interest in trading Jose Valverde.