Top 50 prospect list (yes, there are Cards alright)

[Bob Reed]

After a thoroughly demoralizing braindead sweep featuring Drew VerHagen at closer and Packy Naughton masquerading as a major league starter, I needed some reason for good cheer. So here’s an update of the overall top 50 position player prospects in all the minors. (Not truly an update, as I made no offseason list. But anyway, here goes.) Sorry I didn’t also list pitchers, but pitchers are harder and I am lazy.

1. Gunnar Henderson
2. Adley Rutschman
3. Ezequiel Tovar
4. Jordan Walker
5. Corbin Carroll
6. Edwin Arroyo
7. Masyn Winn
8. Jordan Lawler
9. Riley Greene
10. Marcelo Mayer
11. Anthony Volpe
12. Gabriel Moreno
13. Liover Peguero
14. Nolan Gorman
15. Luisangel Acuna
16. Marco Luciano
17. Jackson Chourio
18. Zac Veen
19. Francisco Alvarez
20. Evan Carter
21. Noelvi Marte
22. James Wood
23. C.J. Abrams
24. Alek Thomas
25. Ivan Herrera
26. Drew Romo
27. M.J. Melendez
28. Pete Crow-Armstrong
29. Diego Cartaya
30. Oneil Cruz
31. Brennen Davis
32. Robert Hassell 3
33. Henry Davis
34. Vinnie Pasquantino
35. George Valera
36. Tristan Casas
37. Royce Lewis
38. Miguel Vargas
39. Luis Campusano
40. Carson Williams
41. Emmanuel Rodriguez
42. Orelvis Martinez
43. Josh Jung
44. Harry Ford
45. Brett Baty
46. Darell Hernaiz
47. Alec Burleson
48. Ronny Mauricio
49. Nick Yorke
50. Kahlil Watson

I apologize for any misspellings, and will try to respond promptly to any questions or comments. Feel free to criticize, because any list that can’t withstand argumentation isn’t worth its salt.

[bccran]

Thanks, Bob. Nice to see Burly on your list.

[CariocaCardinal]

What was your eligibility criteria? I have Donovan ahead of Burlson though he will.soon lose eligibility.

[Bob Reed]

Thanks for the responses, gents.

I wasn’t sure Burly would make the list, cranny, until I began piecing it together. But Alec makes it because he’s borderline dominating AAA at an age-appropriate level, and especially because he is hitting for excellent power without striking out much (just 13% entering play on Friday) — this makes his long-term offensive potential substantially more robust than if he had a merely average strikeout rate of 20-22%. His baserunning and defense don’t add anything, so I think Burly is likeliest to be a 1.5-to-2 WAR corner outfielder for a few years…but with the possibility of a 3-WAR season or two mixed in.

I see Donovan as more a top 150-200 overall prospect, CC, rather than top 75-80, which is roughly what’s needed to make a top 50 position player list. Brendan Donovan deserves a ton of credit for how he’s acquitted himself for the Redbirds. But he’s a 25 1/2-year-old with no set defensive position (and below average career minor league fielding numbers at the only two public sites, Baseball Prospectus and Clay Davenport), and no meaningful baserunning value. So even if he hits well, good-to-great bench guy would be his future, to me.

But I hasten to add that if he keeps hitting anything like he has so far under the Arch, and also did last year in the upper minors, then I’ve truly underestimated him and he’ll have to start at some position just to keep the bat in the lineup. Sorta like a utility version of Luke Voit. (I rip on Ollie Marmol a lot, for many reasons. However, I have to say he’s generally done a stellar job incorporating the younger players like Brendan into his lineups in situations where they have a good chance to succeed.)

[bccran]

The things that sticks out about Donovan are his position versatility and his tenacity. Valuable guy to have on your team. Feisty and always seems to be in the thick of it.

[so_cal_cards_fan]

Rob Rains article on Donovan

Good quotes from scouts and coaches.

Goldy:

“The results are great, but to see the work that goes into it to get them is what stands out,” Goldschmidt said. “There is a certain way he goes about his business, and that’s usually the way guys do it who have sustained success.

“It’s hard to make big changes in the big leagues. When guys get called up, if they have a hole in their game, it’s going to get exposed. He’s always asking questions. He listens, and he’s trying to find a way to get better.”

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