Baseball Prospectus top 10

[Claymation]

The Top Ten

RHP Zack Wheeler
C Travis d'Arnaud
RHP Noah Syndergaard
RHP Michael Fulmer
3B/1B Wilmer Flores
SS Gavin Cecchini
​RHP Domingo Tapia
RHP Jeurys Familia
OF Brandon Nimmo
RHP Rafael Montero

[Claymation]

1. Zack Wheeler
#1 starter upside, Plus-plus fastball, plus curve, average slider, average changeup; ; impressive command of secondaries

2. Travis d'Arnaud
Could be a future All-Star.

3. Noah Syndergaard
Plus-plus fastball, can touch elite velocity, with heavy sinky; throws strikes; needs improvement on curveball and changeup

4. Michael Fulmer
Top 101 prospect in baseball.

5. Wilmer Flores
Average hit tool, plus power potential to hit .270 with 17-25 HR.

6. Gavin Cecchini
Average or better tools except for power; average defensive SS; most likely excellent overall baseball skills and instincts

7. Domingo Tapia
Explosive fastball, works 94-97 and a tad higher

8. Jeurys Familia
Plus-plus fastball velocity, above average slider. Still needs to refine command.

9. Brandon Nimmo
Average or better across the board with his tools, but lacks the impact tools to be an impact talent if he moves to a corner spot.

10. Rafael Montero
Plus fastball, above average slider with great command; easy delivery and has an excellent feel for pitching.

[YoungStuna]

Nice list. I like that someone finally threw the #1 starter upside on what of our pitching prospects.

I disagree with Flores having an average hit tool. How can it be average when he barely strikes out and hit .300 as a 20 year old between A+/AA?

[YoungStuna]

BTW Sickels said a trusted source told him that Noah's secondaries improved to the point where the A- grade was necessary. He thinks that scouts could be using old reports on his secondaries and feels they may be underrated now.

It's hard to dominate like Syndergaard did across the board without having adequate secondaries.

[GottaBelieve]

The Flores thing is strange considering he has always been considered a good contract type hitter.

I've always thought it was his power that was the concern if he was going to a corner position.

[Claymation]

Jason Parks
Easily a top 15 system.

[YoungStuna]

Jason Parks
Easily a top 15 system.

Obviously. Should be Top 10 though.

[Claymation]

jason Parks
Yep. Big impact in the top guys; quality profiles in the middle-tier; newfound depth at the lowest levels. This is a good system. It's not elite, but they have some dudes.

[Claymation]

Jason Parks
(on Flores)
I never thought his bat was special. He can make a ton of contact, but that doesn't mean he can always make good contact. It's almost Vitters like. The swing is nice and the coordination is excellent, but the decision making doesn't allow the tool to execute at a high level. Making contact on a ball that you can't drive is a waste, and most likely an out.

If he can hit .270 (5 hit tool) with 4 game power (11-17 HR), that will keep him playing everyday. Not sure at what position or with what team, but somebody will find that production appealing.

[YoungStuna]

But he still hit .300 with more power and still a very low K rate at 20 years old... lol

[acerimusdux]

But he still hit .300 with more power and still a very low K rate at 20 years old... lol

And the decision making is maybe the most likely thing to improve for a 20 year-old just getting exposed to upper levels. Really, the increase in power is partly because the decision making has improved.

[YoungStuna]

And the decision making is maybe the most likely thing to improve for a 20 year-old just getting exposed to upper levels. Really, the increase in power is partly because the decision making has improved.

Yup exactly, Parks was never a fan of Flores from what I've read over the years so his bias is at work there.

[acerimusdux]

Yup exactly, Parks was never a fan of Flores from what I've read over the years so his bias is at work there.

Yeah, it sounds like last years report. He did improve some. At this point, only if you think the bat speed is suspect and he won't be able to make similar adjustments to MLB pitching does he end up only a .270 hitter. That's possible. Nick Evans hit .298 in AA, but he was also 22 years old when he got there.