Top Prospects Thread (Updated recently with mid-season rankings)

[SenorGato]

To expand on Nicolino:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cObO...eature=related

Check out how polished those mechanics are and how well he commands that fastball...There might be one offspeed, maybe two offspeeds in that video (both changeups, one on the very first pitch) as he efficiently gets himself two outs. It's a hell of a package for any pitching prospect, but throw in big and left handed? Yes please. He hits his spot almost every time there, and when he misses it's not a very hittable miss.

OTOH, he is not a teenager. He's 20.

[AI4]

To expand on Nicolino:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cObO...eature=related

Check out how polished those mechanics are and how well he commands that fastball...There might be one offspeed, maybe two offspeeds in that video (both changeups, one on the very first pitch) as he efficiently gets himself two outs. It's a hell of a package for any pitching prospect, but throw in big and left handed? Yes please. He hits his spot almost every time there, and when he misses it's not a very hittable miss.

OTOH, he is not a teenager. He's 20.

He hasn't pitched above A-ball.

[SenorGato]

He hasn't pitched above A-ball.

Breaking news in the prospects thread.

[FWBrodie]

AFL Championship game on MLBN right now.

[Halladay]

To expand on Nicolino:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cObO...eature=related

Check out how polished those mechanics are and how well he commands that fastball...There might be one offspeed, maybe two offspeeds in that video (both changeups, one on the very first pitch) as he efficiently gets himself two outs. It's a hell of a package for any pitching prospect, but throw in big and left handed? Yes please. He hits his spot almost every time there, and when he misses it's not a very hittable miss.

OTOH, he is not a teenager. He's 20.

Nicolino is a great prospect but was also the lesser of the Lansing 3...which is now the Lansing two I guess. He's a very projectable pitcher, he won't blow anyone away but I think a safe bet is he ends up as a real good number 3. The potential to be a 2 is there but a 3 is obviously more realistic. I think we actually have a good comparison on the Jays right now in Ricky Romero. Relies heavily on his changeup much like Nicolino although I strongly doubt he can reach Romero's 95MPH fastball. I'm not sure how the Marlins system is on IP and all that but the Jays go slow and have an innings cap. If the Marlins are aggressive with him he could be in the rotation by 2014.

[SenorGato]

but I think a safe bet is he ends up as a real good number 3.

If you can say that about a pitching prospect then it's hard to see how he's lesser than the other two.

I think his size, athleticism, and the ridiculous amount of polish in his mechanics at such a young age lend to velocity projection. Not much, but a lefty with a 91-94 fastball (which I think he can get to) can do extremely well for themselves. The mechanics and his ability to spot the fastball had me thinking Cliff Lee, which is obviously a high end comp and would require his curveball catching up to his fastball and changeup (which both still have to progress as well).

[Halladay]

If you can say that about a pitching prospect then it's hard to see how he's lesser than the other two.

I think his size, athleticism, and the ridiculous amount of polish in his mechanics at such a young age lend to velocity projection. Not much, but a lefty with a 91-94 fastball (which I think he can get to) can do extremely well for themselves. The mechanics and his ability to spot the fastball had me thinking Cliff Lee, which is obviously a high end comp and would require his curveball catching up to his fastball and changeup (which both still have to progress as well).

The other two are Sanchez and Syndergaard. Take a peak at their stats and reports and you'll see what I'm talking about. I still think Nicolino tops out as a Romer, they're pretty similar. Right now Nicolino has two good pitches, under a third one comes along, I wouldn't put him next to Lee.

[SenorGato]

I knew who they were. I stick to what I said given what you said (safe bet to end up a #3). Anyone you can write that about is probably a pretty special pitcher unless you are comparing him to a Strasburg type (even then...), which neither Noah S. or Aaron S. are.

Of course, this is more towards "you probably shouldn't say that about any pitching prospect" than anything else. I'm extremely high on Nicolino but even I would not bring myself to say that. He could end up being JA Happ, who is a very impressive pitcher from a mechanics standpoint and should age well because of it, for all I know (though he's younger than Happ was to start in the minors).

[Nomar]

A floor of a #3 is ridiculously good. Nicolino doesnt have a floor like that at all though. He has the floor of a late innings reliever.

[SenorGato]

A floor of a #3 is ridiculously good. Nicolino doesnt have a floor like that at all though. He has the floor of a late innings reliever.

All pitchers have the floor of a shoulder injury that ruins everything.

[Halladay]

A floor of a #3 is ridiculously good. Nicolino doesnt have a floor like that at all though. He has the floor of a late innings reliever.

I didn't say that was his floor, I said that's a realistic expectation.

[Teufelshunde4]

All pitchers have the floor of a shoulder injury that ruins everything.

Nicely put!

[Nomar]

[a_roid_3333]

Nicolino has a good shot at being an ace one day, a true #1. Hes by far the best piece of that trade to the Marlins.

[StayOnBoard]

Yeah, I really like Nicolino too. His ceiling is a very high #2, floor, well.... prospects that can mean anything. Could be out of the league in 5 years, who knows.

But I think he'll be a very good rotation piece in a few years, maybe Jon Niese is a better comparison than Ricky Romero. Regardless, IMO the best prospect the Marlins got back on that trade and a guy who SHOULD be a cornerstone for their rotation in the near future. I doubt he's that far away either.... mid-2014 or so.