Hoffmann signed with the Dodgers in 2003 as and undrafted free agent after being drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes of the NHL. Last season, Hoffmann flashed an array of tools at AA Jacksonville, hitting .278 with 10 HR 71 RBI 28 SB and 64 runs scored. He has a big, strong frame that has the potential to hit 20 HR per season at the major league level. He is an extremely disciplined hitter at the plate as well. Last season, Hoffmann had a respectable 54 BB/73 K rate and was successful on 28 of his 37 SB attempts. Defensively, Jamie has decent range as a centerfielder, but his arm strength and his body size is more serviceable in right field. His seven errors in right field last season were due in large part to a powerful arm that, at times, can become inaccurate. At 24 years old, Hoffmann is not the youngest prospect at the AA level and he will need to progress quickly through AAA in order to maintain his allure as a low-cost sleeper prospect.
2009 Projection: Hoffmann is back at AA with the Dodgers' new affiliate, Carolina. He is off to an excellent start, hitting .333 with a HR, three RBI, three SB and 14 runs scored in his first 11 games. Additionally, he has walked 14 times versus 9 strikeouts. Expect Hoffmann to jump to AAA at some point this season, though his chances of cracking the Dodgers big league lineup in 2009 are remote, to say the least. One thing that could change this is if he can more effectively tap into his power potential. A 20 HR/20 SB season would do wonders for his resume by either making him a potential late season call up or, more likely, a possible trading chip within the next season.
The Tampa Bay Rays continue to be a tremendous success story, transforming their farm system and major league roster from futility to fortune in just one year's time. Longoria, Price, and Upton, and Garza have become household names, while pitching prospects Wade Davis, Jeremy Hellickson, and Jake McGee loom as potential stars on the imminent horizon. Nicholas Barnese is quite a ways behind them in development but not in talent.
With a lively 91-93 MPH fastball and power slurve, Nicholas Barnese overpowered hitters at short season Low-A Hudson Valley last season going 5-3 with a 2.45 ERA and 24 BB/84 K in 66 innings. Nicholas is a confident and aggressive pitcher with a mean streak on the mound. He goes right after hitters, pounding all quadrants of the strike zone and challenging hitters on the inner half of the plate. A changeup is currently in the works for Barnese and, while hie throws it with a good arm speed, its command and movement lags behind his other two quality offerings. Barnese has some projectibility left in his frame that could build a little more bulk and velocity within the next year or two. If it comes, his overall skill set will closely resemble that of current Ray hurler Matt Garza.
2009 Projection: Barnese will get a taste of full season ball at Low-A Bowling Green. Barnese seemingly came out of nowhere to post his solid numbers last season. Watch to see if he can sustain that success over a full season. His frame is still a bit slender, which could deter from his durability. His changeup is an essential component to his ability to continue progressing as a starter. With so many fine young arms in the Rays organization, Barnese has been able to fly under the radar and exceed expectations. That could come to a close soon. A big 2009 season from Nick should vault him into the same conversation as names like Davis, McGee, and Hellickson.
The native New Englander managed a solid showing after signing with the Red Sox, batting .305 with 9 RBI 14 SB and 15 runs scored in 27 games at Boston's GCL Rookie League Affiliate. He struggled considerably after a brief promotion to Low-A Lowell, going 3-35 with 11 K's. Gibson has an intriguing set of tools that offer considerable upside. He is athletically gifted and can adequately play a variety of infield positions as well as the outfield. Once a top-tier pitcher in high school, Gibson has a strong arm that profiles best at SS or 3B. He has been clocked at 6.4 seconds in the 60 yard dash and he uses his speed well in the field as well as the basepaths (16 for 16 in SB attempts). Gibson has a lively, athletic body that could develop more power potential as he matures and he has already shown a disciplined approach at the plate, earning a respectable 20 BB/29 K ratio in 41 pro games. The Red Sox are flush with talented young middle infield and outfield talents and it is hard to say exactly where Gibson will someday fit in. His versatility and overall athleticism, however, makes him one to watch in the ensuing seasons as a high upside sleeper.
2009 Projection: The Red Sox have no need to rush Derrik's development, which makes it quite likely that he will spend time at extended spring training before heading to Lowell again in June. Expect Gibson to fare better this go around, putting up good speed and plate discipline numbers. The XBH power will be an interesting factor to monitor. There is promise for his frame to build more strength to drive the ball with greater authority, but it is far from being a foregone conclusion. If he can exhibit better power numbers (i.e. 10-12 HR per season) he should be able to ascend quickly on this list and enter himself in the same conversation of other fine SS/3B prospects within Boston's fruitful system.
Michael Saunders, a native of British Columbia, Canada, continued his rapid ascension through the Seattle Mariners' farm system by playing at both AA West Tennessee and AAA Tacoma (.277 11 HR 46 RBI 12 SB 22 doubles). Saunders has 5-tool potential and is widely regarded as one of the M's best organizational athletes. His left-handed swing generates good loft and speed that could develop into 20-25 HR power in the ensuing seasons. He has above average speed that he utilizes well in the outfield, but is still struggling to use effectively on the basepaths. Last season, Saunders took a step back in his plate discipline, earning only 39 BB/96 K. This may be due to the fact that he has been promoted quite aggressively (4 times in 2 years) and has yet to catch up to more advanced pitching. This held true at AAA where Saunders' average dipped to .242 and 30 K's in 24 games. The potential is there for Saunders to be an above average MLB outfielder, but the M's may need to gently apply the brakes to his rapid development.
2009 Projection: Saunders will undoubtedly be headed to AAA to start the season. This year's go around should provide better results for the 22 year old OF. Keep an eye on the plate discipline numbers as well as his power output. The Mariners are a team in transition with LF completely wide open and CF being manned by the unproven Franklin Gutierrez. Aside from Greg Halman, Saunders is the top OF talent in Seattle's farm system. If he can return to his 2007 form, he may get a shot to earn some AB's in Safeco come September.
The Nationals have taken big strides over the last couple of seasons in stocking their once desolate farm system with toolsy, high upside prep athletes. Destin Hood turned down a full scholarship to play wide receiver for the University of Alabama to play baseball for the Nats. Hood was solid in his 25 game stretch at the Nationals' GCL affiliate hitting .256 with 13 RBI 5 SB and 18 runs scored. A gifted athlete, Destin has tremendous raw power that he exhibits in batting practice but has not found a way to replicate in games. Naturally, as a football star, Hood has top notch speed, but he is still unrefined as a baserunner. Defensively, Hood has the ability to play CF, though he has been used as a LF as a pro. Hood is an unpolished gem who is a long way from reaching his ceiling as a professional. How his career takes shape is, indeed a big question that will only be answered over time.
2009 Projection: Hood didn't get much of a taste of short season ball, which makes it a probability that he will work in extended spring training before joining either Washington's GCL team again or rookie league Vermont. There is a high level of uncertainty in evaluating Hood's future. He is strong enough to be a middle of the lineup hitter, but also has the speed to be an above average basestealer. Keep an eye on all of his numbers this year. A high amount of doubles is indicative of power to come. Of course, the other big thing to watch with high-upside, raw athletes is the BB/K ratio. Last season's 8 BB/19 K's was decent, but too small a sample size to get a true bearing on his plate discipline. This season should give a better look at where Hood is at and where he could eventually be.
The San Diego Padres' 1st round pick is a prototypical 1B prospect. His towering frame produces easy power to all fields as evidenced by his 49 career HR at Wake Forest. Dykstra has a smooth left-handed swing and superb plate discipline that he exhibited in his brief stint with High-A Lake Elsinore where he hit .292 with a HR 10 RBI and a 7 BB/7 K ratio in just 24 AB's. A business major at Wake Forest, Allan was an academic All-American whose intelligence and work ethic extends from the classroom to the diamond. There are culpabilities in Dykstra's game as well. Defensively, has subpar range and decent hands which should make him a fringe average 1B. Many scouts felt that Dykstra was a step behind many of the top tier first sackers in the '08 draft class fearing that his long-armed swing would struggle to consistently hit MLB pitching. With the pleasing development of Adrian Gonzalez and the potent bat of Kyle Blanks waiting in the wings, Dykstra will be hard pressed to wedge his way into San Diego's future plans, but given his offensive polish and power potential, the Friars may find it difficult to keep him down for long.
2009 Projection: Dykstra made the jump from college to HIgh-A successfully and it is a good bet that he will be back at Lake Elsinore to begin the '09 season. Some scouts feel that this hulking 1st Basemen has holes in his swing that can be exploited by good pitching. This could lead him to be susceptible to racking up big strikeout numbers. Keep an eye on this as well as his batting average. Dykstra's best bet is to play well enough to become an intriguing trading chip for the Padres down the road as Adrian Gonzalez is the 1B of the present for the Padres and Kyle Blanks is the future.
Gindl continued his hot hitting at Low-A West Virginia, belting .301 with 13 HR 81 RBI 14 SB and 86 runs scored. Built like a fire hydrant, Caleb evokes comparisons to San Diego Padres OF Brian Giles as his sweet left handed swing generates surprising pop to all fields and laces rockets to the gaps. Gindl has a strong arm that plays well in RF and his above average speed allows him to cover a good amount of range. Much like his MLB counterpart, Caleb plays the game with fire and grittiness that appeals to the Brewers' brass. Sometimes this aggressiveness gets Gindl into trouble at the plate, leading to streakiness and high K numbers (144 in '08). Gindl is effective in drawing walks, though, which leads to some optimism that he will be able to mitigate some of these strikeout totals as he develops a better game plan at the plate.
2009 Projection: With the impending graduation of Alcides Escobar, Angel Salome, and Mat Gamel to the Brew Crew's MLB roster, Gindl becomes one of the organization's top young prospects. Expect him to start the season at High-A Brevard County with a promotion to AA Hunstville very possible. Keep watch of the BB/K ratio. If it improves, Gindl could be a perennial .300 hitter in the major leagues. Although he is close to maxed out physically, it seems quite likely that he will increase his HR ouput, as his 38 doubles in '08 is a prime indicator of more power to come.
The Brewers added to their wealth of talented catchers with the selection of this young British Columbia native in the 1st round of the '08 draft. Lawrie's bat is his calling card as his strong hands and powerfully compact frame generates exceptional bat speed and pull power. Lawrie is a good athlete with above average speed and a hard nosed, aggressive approach in all phases of the game. The biggest question marks in Brett's game right now are behind the plate, where he is still quite raw in all phases. His arm is strong, but his footwork and release times need considerable work. Other scouts are concerned about his propensity to pull the ball and the fact that his open stance makes him vulnerable to pitches on the outer half of the plate. It will be important for Lawrie to demonstrate that he can drive balls to the opposite field as he progresses against more advanced pitching.
2009 Projection: Lawrie will be making his professional debut in 2009, likely with short season Low-A Helena in June. The Brewers, with Angel Salome and Jonathan Lucroy in their system, can afford to be patient with Lawrie, which is good because Brett has a lot of questions to answer in order to more accurately gauge his future as an elite prospect. Pay attention to his offensive numbers particularly his extra base hit production and BB/K ratio. Also, keep tabs on his defensive progress, is he able to throw runners out? Is he effectively blocking balls? Given the stiff competition in the Brewers organization, it will be integral for Lawrie to demonstrate that he can stay behind the dish.
AA proved to be no match for the Padres' young behemoth as he batted .325 with 20 HR 107 RBI and 75 runs scored at San Antonio. Despite his size, Blanks is a complete hitter who hits well to all fields, but, to this point, has only displayed power to his pull side. Unlike many young power-hitting prospects, he doesn't strike out too often and consistently makes hard contact. As a 1st baseman, Blanks has demonstrated soft hands and surprising agility which should play well in the future. Blanks has worked dilligently to reduce his weight from over 300 lb. to his current weight of 270, which should help reduce the risk of nagging injuries while increasing his flexibility. The size and strength is there for Kyle to be a 30-40 HR hitter at the MLB level, but he needs to develop more loft to the opposite field and greater hand speed to get around on pitches thrown to the inner half of the plate.
2009 Projection: After a decent but not spectacular performance in the Arizona Fall League, Blanks should get some at bats in spring training before being shuttled to AAA Portland to start the season. Current Padres' 1B Adrian Gonzalez is signed through the 2010 season, though the rebuilding Padres may deem him expendable for the right price, especially if Blanks' power takes a step forward this season. Blanks will likely play most of the 2009 season at AAA, with a MLB call up likely in August or September.
The Cardinals felt blessed to have the Arizona State alum fall to them at the 13th overall pick of the '08 draft. Wallace responded remarkably well to every challenge thrown his way hitting a combined .337 with 8 HR 36 RBI and 41 runs scored in just 54 games. The hot streak continued in the Arizona Fall League as Wallace batted .309 with 6 HR and 24 RBI. A thick build and quick left-handed swing gives Wallace the ability to drive the ball out of any part of the park and his plate discipline should allow for him to hit for a high average and OBP. Despite the many murmurs from baseball scouts who think that he is incapable of playing 3B at the major league level, Wallace impressed many with his soft hands and strong arm at the hot corner. Wallace has a thick and heavy lower body that deters from his athletic potential and should relegate him to 1B at some point in his career. Albert Pujols has 1B locked down for the several seasons to come. It will be of utmost importance for Brett to stick at 3B as long has he can.
2009 Projection: The Cardinals have placed Brett Wallace on the fast track to the major leagues. While his bat is ready, his glove and body needs some work. Expect Wallace to start the '09 season either at AA Springfield or AAA Memphis before earning a spot in St. Louis' lineup at some point later in the season. As of right now, the Cards have the injury-prone Troy Glaus manning the hot corner. If he goes down with an injury, Wallace should get his shot. Once he's here, expect several .300 seasons with 25-30 HR to follow.
The Rays used the 1st overall pick of the '08 draft, along with $6.15 million on the best prep baseball player in the country, Tim Beckham. Signing his contract quickly allowed the Georgia native to play in 46 games at short season Princeton where he hit .243 with 2 HR 14 RBI and 30 runs scored. Beckham is as toolsy and projectible as they come, with a lightning fast swing that causes balls to jump off of his bat. A gifted athlete, his speed translates well to running the basepaths and to covering a good amount of range at SS. Given his great athleticism, Beckham is also quite raw in all aspects of the game and will need a few seasons to put everything together. Fortunately for the Rays, there is no need to rush the development of their newest blue chip prospect. Tim Beckham has a bright future and a cozy spot next to 2008 A.L. Rookie of the Year Evan Longoria waiting for him.
2009 Projection: The Rays may opt to keep Beckham at extended spring training before shipping him to short-season Hudson Valley in June, or they may challenge him a bit and give him his first full dose of full season ball at Low-A Bowling Green. Either way, there are many things to watch with the young Rays shortstop. How does the power progress? Is his plate discipline improved? Will he play well defensively at SS? If these questions are answered affirmatively, his future as a top-flight prospect becomes more compelling.
The M's went out on a limb selecting this young Miami native in the 2nd round of the 2007 draft as many other MLB officials felt that Almonte should have gone in later rounds. The tools are in place for Almonte to be a 20 HR 20 SB threat at the big league level. He has plus plus athleticism and his stronger than many scouts thought he would be on draft day. Last season, Almonte played at Low-A Wisconsin where he hit .249 with 10 HR 51 RBI and 14 SB in 100 games. Almonte is a switch hitter with good power from the left-hand side and a line drive stroke as a right-hander. His speed and arm strength make him a plus defender in RF. The biggest glaring weaknesses in Almonte's game stem from his extreme rawness, as Almonte had a horrible 29 BB/149 K ratio and he was nabbed on 10 of 24 SB attempts.
2009 Projection: Seattle had a history of rushing their prime talents too quickly through their farm system in the Bill Bavasi era. Now with Jack Zdurencik at the helm, one could only hope that Almonte will be given ample time to refine the multitude of rough spots in his game. Expect Almonte to begin the M's new Low-A affiliate Clinton. If he can make strides in his approach at the plate, he may earn a mid-late season promotion to High-A High Desert. Almonte's a long way from being a bonafide prospect and his future as a MLB regular are more a plausibility than probability at this point.
The fourth time proved to be the charm for the TCU closer as the Cubs selected him with the 19th pick of the '08 draft. Cashner had a fine season for the Horned Frogs posting a 9-4 record with a 2.32 ERA 9 saves and 80 K's in 54.2 IP. Armed with an electrifying 98 MPH heater and a nasty 87-88 MPH slider, Cashner is unhittable at times. In addition to his imposing size, scouts have lauded his poise and tenacity on the mound as being ideal for a top notch closer. The big bugaboo about his game right now is his inconsistent command of his pure stuff. Cashner struggled mightily with his control during his '08 minor league stint, issuing 23 BB in just 20 innings, and his inability to work ahead in the count allowed hitters to get better swings on his fastball. Some of this may be attributed to the fact that his velocity experienced a significant jump from 90-92 MPH to 96-98 MPH before last season and he may be still learning to locate hs newfound stuff. Given his high draft position, the Cubs seem to be optimistic that he will.
2009 Projection: His performance this spring will determine whether the Cubs will start Cashner at either Low-A Peoria or High-A Daytona. If he can harness his control and keep his velocity, Cashner could move quickly through the Cubs' farm system as a late inning reliever. If not, Cashner may well join the ranks of Mark Prior, Donald Veal, and Mark Pawelek as recent Chicago Cubs high draft choice pitching busts.
The youngest addition to the Giants baseball family received a $2.55 million gift on his 16th birthday. Rodriguez has immense power potential and 5-tool athleticism drawing several comparisons to fellow Dominican Vladimir Guererro. Giants former manager Felipe Alou was very impressed by his bat speed and hand-eye coordination, mentioning that he didn't see him swing and miss at a pitch against more advanced competition. Amidst all of the positives, there are plenty of questions in Raffy-Rod's game. Some scouts have criticized his long, loopy swing as being strikeout prone and others feel he will develop into a one dimensional hitter. There are some concerns that he may grow too big to maintain his plus speed as he ages. The Giants will likely develop Rodriguez in much the same manner that they are with 1B Angel Villalona.
2009 Projection: Expect Rodriguez to begin the season at the Giants' extended spring training camp before heading to their Arizona League rookie affiliate in June. If he is successful there, it is not out of the question to see him get some late season AB's at short-season Salem-Kaiser. Keep an eye on Rodriguez's K-rate. This seems to be the biggest concern that scouts have with his game right now. Rodriguez is a good four or five years away from being a MLB player, but he is worth watching right now.
Frederickson is a big, strong southpaw who pitched at two levels after being drafted in the 2nd round by the Brewers. He compiled a 0-1 record with a 5.06 ERA and a disappointing 31 BB/34 K's in 32 innings. Frederickson has a lively fastball that sits at 90-92 MPH, but touches 95 MPH occasionally. He also has a potentially wicked slider that has good two plane movement but is inconsistent. Frederickson's stock rose considerably prior to the draft as many scouts were enamored with his strong projectible frame and good southpaw velocity. The biggest knock on Evan is his lack of control on the mound. Much of this can be attributed to the mechanical glitches in his delivery, which a good pitching instructor could work with Frederickson to iron out. The Brewers moved Frederickson to the bullpen last season and it seems prudent to project him staying there as a future power lefty arm.
2009 Projection: Frederickson will likely pitch the majority of his season where he struggled last year, at Low-A West Virginia. The Brewers drafted a bunch of college arms in the first few rounds of last year's draft, affording them the luxury of developing Frederickson more carefully. There's lots to like about his physical attributes, but the command of his pitches is a little bit more difficult to project. Watch this closely next season. Also keep an eye on what role he pitches in with Milwaukee. If he starts finishing games and shows that he can dominate hitters, he could be a sleeper for a closer position down the road. Given his rawness, though, there is just too many uncertainties about his MLB future.
Philadelphia's affinity with young, athletic OF's continued with the selection of Collier in the 1st round of the '08 draft. Collier has wiry strength that is thought to develop above average power in future seasons, though it did not manifest itself in his brief GCL stint. Collier did hit well, though, batting .271 with 19 RBI and 5 SB in 37 games. Collier also demonstrated solid plate disicpline earning a 17 BB/28 K ratio. Collier has average arm strength, but enough speed to play CF, though he mainly played RF in high school and during his first minor league season. The biggest question mark with Collier right now is his rawness. He has intriguing tools and quite a bit of strength, but he is quite unrefined in all aspects of his game at this time.
2009 Projection: The Phillies have the luxury of taking their time in developing Collier given the depth of quality OF in their organization. From a physical standpoint, there is much to like about him, but projectability does not always lend itself to productivity. Expect Collier to begin the '09 season at extended spring training before heading to Mahoning Valley in June. Keep an eye on the development of his power numbers (not only HR, but his doubles and triples as well). If he can develop more power without giving ground to his BB/K ratio, Collier's stock will rise considerably.
Chisenhall lasted until the end of the 1st round and signed quickly for slot money and was sent to short season Low-A Mahoning Valley where he hit .290 with 5 HR 45 RBI and 7 SB in 276 AB. Chisenhall has a sweet swing from the left side that produces line drives to all fields and profiles to be plus power as he develops. He demonstrated good plate discipline as well walking 24 times versus just 32 K's. Chisenhall is a good athlete with average speed and a strong arm, though his limited range should move him over to 3B in the near future. Chisenhall's make up is a little bit of a concern. He was kicked off the South Carolina Gamecocks' team after being arrested for burglary and grand larceny charges. He admitted that it was a stupid mistake and has not have any legal troubles since then.
2009 Projection: Chisenhall will play his first full season of pro ball at Low-A Lake County in '09. Chisenhall demonstrated some decent power potential with his 5 HR and 20 doubles. Let's see if he can continue his solid batting average while adding to his power totals.
Tillman did his part to make the Erik Bedard trade an extremely lopsided one. Tillman, just 20 years old, was dominant at AA Bowie going 11-4 with a 3.18 ERA and 154 K in 138 innings. Tilman finished especially strong in six August starts compiling a 4-1 record with a 1.80 ERA and 51 K in just 35 IP. Tillman has a long projectible frame that effortlessly pumps 92-95 MPH fastballs to all parts of the strike zone. Complimenting his heater is a big breaking 11-5 curveball that Tillman throws with good arm speed. Some baseball experts have questioned Tillman's mental toughness in the past, though his ability to excel at AA shows that he is more aggressive than what was originally indicated. Tillman still walks too many batters (over 4 per 9 IP) and he is primarily a flyball pitcher. It is essential that he develops more depth to his change up and control his curveball if he wants to have success at the major league level. Tillman's future as a #2 or #3 starter seems quite attainable within the next couple seasons.
2009 Projection: Tillman has earned a shot to get an extended look in spring training, though the Orioles are likely to be conservative with their next crop of talented pitchers. The O's have been burned in the past by rushing talented pitchers like Radhames Liz, Garrett Olson, and Adam Loewen in years past. Expect them to be more conservative with their big three Tillman, Jake Arrieta, and Brian Matusz. Tillman will likely pitch the entire year at AAA Rochester with maybe some innings in September. Look for Tillman's upcoming 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft autos to be popular this offseason.
H/W: 6-3 220 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 8/20/84
