MLB.com ranks Sano #3 third baseman

[gunnarthor]

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/prospects/watch/y2015/#list=3b

 

Behind Bryant (no surprise) and Joey Gallo (a bit more of a surprise).  

 

"Following a 2013 season in which Sano finished fourth in the Minors in home runs while reaching Double-A at age 20, the big Dominican third baseman seemed poised to make a big league impact the following season. Instead, he had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in March 2014, missing the entire season. He was still obviously added to the 40-man roster this offseason and was ready to hit the reset button in 2015.

Sano has nearly as much power as anyone in the Minor Leagues, with the potential for his 2013 output to become an annual occurrence. His strong strike zone knowledge allows him to get pitches to drive regularly, making his raw pop translate consistently in games. With his plus power comes a good amount of strikeouts, but he's shown an ability to hit for decent average. Pre-surgery, Sano's best defensive tool was his cannon of an arm, so that may take some time to come back all the way. Whether he can stay at third long-term remains to be seen, though Sano committed himself to conditioning while he was rehabbing his elbow.

Regardless of his position, Sano's power bat will get to the big leagues soon enough and be a middle-of-the-order presence for a long time to come."

 

 

[nater79a]

Gallo has crazy power, so I'm not surprised he's ranked ahead of Sano. But Sano is definitely right there with him. Doesn't help that he missed all of last year.

[Mike Sixel]

Sounds about right to me.

[nicksaviking]

Sano might strike out too much and he may bust, but there is no way Joey Gallo's ceiling will ever be higher than Pedro Alvarez and I'd find it much more likely that he ends up like Brandon Wood. 

[jimmer]

Sano might strike out too much and he may bust, but there is no way Joey Gallo's ceiling will ever be higher than Pedro Alvarez and I'd find it much more likely that he ends up like Brandon Wood. 

what do you base you opinion of Gallo on, might I ask?

[Seth Stohs]

I think this makes sense for right now. Those two ahead of him have monster power too. Obviously if healthy, Sano would be #1, but at this moment, 3 is probably right. 

[Mike Sixel]

I don't think Sano would be ahead of Bryant even if healthy, Seth. Everyone is in love with Bryant.

[tobi0040]

Kind of interesting, MLB has Bryant 3, Gallo 6, and Sano 7 among all prospects.  Pretty solid high end 3B.

 

I also think Bryant is likely ahead of a healthy Sano.  Bryant, granted a college guy had 43 HR last year in 138 games, but he had a .325 average as well.  Very few think Sano will ever hit for average to go along with that power.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/prospects/watch/y2014/index.jsp?tcid=mm_mlb_players#list=prospects

[gunnarthor]

Kind of interesting, MLB has Bryant 3, Gallo 6, and Sano 7 among all prospects.  Pretty solid high end 3B.

 

I also think Bryant is likely ahead of a healthy Sano.  Bryant, granted a college guy had 43 HR last year in 138 games, but he had a .325 average as well.  Very few think Sano will ever hit for average to go along with that power.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/prospects/watch/y2014/index.jsp?tcid=mm_mlb_players#list=prospects

What you linked to was mlb.com's mid season 2014 update.  They are revealing their top 100 on Friday and have the top 50 show on that night on mlb.tv.  

[Seth Stohs]

I don't think Sano would be ahead of Bryant even if healthy, Seth. Everyone is in love with Bryant.

 

Right now, I agree... But if Sano would have had his 2013 season in 2014, and Bryant would have had his 2014 season in 2014 (which he did, of course)... I think Sano would rank higher.

 

Right now, I would argue for Bryant to be the #1 prospect in baseball... though I might still put Buxton there too.

[tobi0040]

What you linked to was mlb.com's mid season 2014 update.  They are revealing their top 100 on Friday and have the top 50 show on that night on mlb.tv.

 

Got it. Nice catch.

[h2oface]

You can't sit out a whole season (regardless of why) and expect to stay at the top. I totally agree with the rankings. Both Sano and Buxton have a lot to prove now. Hype is over - time to deliver. Bryant even spent half the year in AAA ball and should also replace Buxton at the top of the heap in the top 100.

 

Interesting that with only the outfield and shortstops left to rate for 2015's top 10 at each position, only Sano at #3 and Meyer (at 25 years old, barely, at #10 for RHP, and none of the other 19 top rated pitchers are even 24 yet) have cracked the lists. Only 2 players. Perhaps there will be 3 or 4 total? (Buxton for outfield and perhaps Polanco or Gordon at short... maybe?)

[nater79a]

I think when the top 100 is revealed on Friday we'll see Sano fall into the teens somewhere and Buxton fall to #3 behind Bryant and Carlos Correa. Still not bad for either of them considering their mostly lost seasons last year.

[tobi0040]

I think when the top 100 is revealed on Friday we'll see Sano fall into the teens somewhere and Buxton fall to #3 behind Bryant and Carlos Correa. Still not bad for either of them considering their mostly lost seasons last year.

 

If the scouts are right and Correa moves to 3B, I think he is a tad over-rated in the top 1-3.  As a 19 year old at high A, he hit .325, 6 HR, 20 SB in .926.  He only has 18 HR in 229 games so far.  He is already listed at 6-4 and 205, so while more power may come, seems like he is already pretty big. 

 

He is going to be a really good MLB player, but when you stack him up to say the year Buxton or Sano had in 2013, Bryant last year.  Gallo had 42 HR last year across high A and AA at 20.  He seems like he should be behind those guys. 

 

If he stays at SS, then the ranking is probably more appropriate.

[nicksaviking]

what do you base you opinion of Gallo on, might I ask?

 

It just seems to me that guys who strike out that much and don't really have the hit tool will only at best turn into a three true outcome hitter, and I doubt a guy like that will get pitched around enough at the majors to approach his kind of BB numbers in the minors. 

 

Sano also has a high bust likelyhood, but he looks to be a better hitter so I like his odds better.  At least Sano can get some XBH aside from the HRs too.

[Steve Lein]

Here's the article:  http://m.mlb.com/news/article/107421602/prospect-watch-top-10-third-basemen

 

Bryant definitely is worthy of being above Sano. Even if Miguel had played all of last year I think he would have moved in front of him.

 

Gallo is at #2 only because of the lost season for Sano, I would think.

 

They're all comparable in power, but Bryant is the best "hitter," and has also turned himself into the best defender of the three, so it's not that much of a question to me (They're all really good prospects).

 

I'm just happy I stashed Bryant on my fantasy roster all season last year, haha. Will get to keep him for nothing this season!

[gunnarthor]

 

Interesting that with only the outfield and shortstops left to rate for 2015's top 10 at each position, only Sano at #3 and Meyer (at 25 years old, barely, at #10 for RHP, and none of the other 19 top rated pitchers are even 24 yet) have cracked the lists. Only 2 players. Perhaps there will be 3 or 4 total? (Buxton for outfield and perhaps Polanco or Gordon at short... maybe?)

Top 10 lists at positions aren't as important, generally, as the top 100 overall.  Meyer will probably be ranked around 20-25, and he's #10 on the RHP list.  Avery Romero is #10 on the second base list and probably won't be ranked at all.

 

I expect Buxton and Gordon to be in their respective top 10s, which gives the Twins 4 guys.  And then I expect Stewart and Berrios to be in the top 50 of most lists, giving the team 6 top 60ish prospects.  And a few guys (Thorpe, Burdi, Rosario, May) might crack an occasional top 100 somewhere as well.  It's a very strong system right now.