These Top 100 rankings are generating buzz
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The 2023 Top 100 Prospects listing is out. If you haven’t caught it but, put down this electronic mail for a couple of minutes, and go discover the total group of scouting reviews, grades, video breakdowns, and many others. for this 12 months’s class. It’s an enormous enterprise yearly and one we’re all the time excited to share with the world after many discussions with ourselves and other people throughout the trade.
Readers naturally bounce in with questions on why sure gamers ranked the place they did. Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and I answered a number of of them in a Twitter Q&A on Monday, and in fielding these Q’s, there have been a number of names which have popped up in questions greater than others. Sure, there are the apparent prime three in Gunnar Henderson, Corbin Carroll and Francisco Álvarez, however let’s use this article area to sort out a few of the Top 100 rankings that appear to be drawing probably the most consideration headed into the spring:
Elly De La Cruz, SS/3B, Reds (No. 10): Based on 4 of the 5 instruments, you can make a case for De La Cruz within the prime 5, even the highest three. He’s a switch-hitter with at the very least plus energy. He has plus-plus velocity and the arm for shortstop, third or middle. So what offers? A 30.8 p.c strikeout fee at High-A and Double-A final season. The 21-year-old might properly mash his approach to an honest sufficient common due to his distinctive exit velocities, however historical past tells us hitters who wrestle with contact will discover the going even harder as they climb the ladder, in order that gave us sufficient pause to place De La Cruz on the tenth spot.
James Wood, OF, Nationals (No. 17): In the Q&A, @colefitzpatrick requested for my decide to go “supernova” within the type of Ronald Acuña Jr., Juan Soto and Julio Rodríguez. My decide was Wood — a 6-foot-7 middle fielder with plus velocity and legit plus-plus uncooked energy who additionally occurs to point out a complicated strategy with good swing choices already. That jumped him into the Top 20 for the primary time. The 20-year-old was simply discovering his footing at Single-A final 12 months within the San Diego and Washington methods, so we didn’t get him a lot above that at No. 17, however now that he’s settled, I might see him enjoying at three ranges in 2023 and contending for the No. 1 spot by midseason.
Endy Rodriguez/Henry Davis, C, Pirates (No. 55, 57): Grouping these two Bucs collectively, Rodriguez jumped previous the 2021 No. 1 general decide after a breakout season during which he hit .323 with 25 homers and a .997 OPS throughout the highest three ranges of the Minors. Rodriguez is a superior athlete to Davis — a part of why he’s seen time at second base and the outfield — and appears a greater guess to stay behind the plate. Davis continues to have plus energy, and his pitch recognition ought to assist him hit for common too. Various wrist accidents did him no favors in 2022, however the truth that many nonetheless consider he’ll ultimately transfer out of catcher was sufficient for him to drop at this stage.
Jack Leiter, RHP, Rangers (No. 78): This time final 12 months, there was a hope that Leiter might turn into the sport’s prime pitching prospect with time and expertise. That isn’t what’s occurred. In truth, there was a case that Leiter shouldn’t be on the Top 100 after he tripped up with a 5.54 ERA and 56 walks in 92 2/3 innings at Double-A, partially as a result of he misplaced the command and extra spectacular fastball metrics he’d proven at Vanderbilt. In the top, we determined to maintain Leiter round, giving him credit score for being given an aggressive task out of school and believing there’s an opportunity he might nonetheless discover his ace-level stuff from 2021. Anything near a repeat, nevertheless, and he’ll drop additional.
Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF, Twins (No. 88): The reviews popping out of Rodriguez’s time within the Florida State League had been spectacular. Bat velocity, plate self-discipline, loud contact, sufficient velocity for middle. Unfortunately, a torn meniscus ended his season in June, and the Minnesota prospect heads into his age-20 season with solely 84 video games of Minor League expertise. We’re performing somewhat extra trepidatious till we see the instruments play over a bigger pattern and that the velocity has returned after such a significant knee harm. By comparability, fellow Twin Royce Lewis can also be getting back from a significant knee drawback however had upper-level success and much more velocity than Rodriguez, thus his placement 43 spots greater.
Miguel Bleis, OF, Red Sox (No. 93): As of this week, solely 4 18-year-olds seem on our Top 100. One is Jackson Chourio. Two are 2022 first-round picks (Cam Collier, Termarr Johnson). The ultimate is Bleis, a $1.5 million signing by Boston out of the Dominican Republic in January 2021. He has above-average instruments throughout the board, save for perhaps some questions on how he’ll hit long run due to a pull-heavy strategy, however lacks any full-season expertise or the prospect to point out off throughout showcases like Drafted gamers. Because of these considerations, he didn’t bounce into our Top 90 simply but, however this additionally feels just like the participant we’d been extra hesitant with up to now. Bleis might simply bounce 70 spots with comparable manufacturing in a full season, and his placement on the Top 100 places us ever so barely forward of that curve.
