Byron Buxton Named Top Prospect in Appy League

Seth Stohs · September 27, 2012

A day after being named the top prospect in the GCL, Byron Buxton was also named the top prospect in the Appalachian League. Max Kepler was #7. I can't help but wonder why JO Berrios wasn't named in either the Top 20 of the GCL or Appy League?

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/league-top-20-prospects/2012/2614085.html

Seth Stohs · September 27, 2012

Regarding Berrios, it says in the article that he didn't meet the playing time requirements.

Jeremy Nygaard · September 27, 2012

As for Berrios, he was mentioned in both chats: Badler said he'd fit in the 4-6 range in the GCL rankings and Eddy said he'd rank in the Top 10 in the Appy League ratings.

lightfoot789 · September 27, 2012

Its amazing that the league MVP doesn't make Top 20 List (Pimentel). Elizabethton wins championship and doesn't have more than 2 players on list. Since many on this list aren't on there for stats in Appy, but rather upside and athleticism - I like:

*Nico Goodrum (one of best athletes in Appy)

*Adam Walker (2nd most HRs of any MLB 2012 draftee - 17 HRs w/playoffs + athletic)

*Romy Jiminez (Led Appy in almost every offensive major category before injury)

*Jorge Palanco (one of Top hitters in Appy and only 18 - Next Robinson Cano)

*Not to mention Josh Burris RHP (Dominated League in wins and ERA)

*Tyler Duffy RHP - DOMINATED (enough said!!)

My Etown Misses from Appy Prospect List

When do stats start out weighing projections or at least open minds to potential new projections

Oxtung · September 27, 2012

Interestingly JT Chargois was also mentioned in the article. He apparently didn't get enough support from scouts and managers to qualify but clearly he is seen by the author as someone with plenty of upside or he wouldn't be mentioned. That makes essentially 3 Twins in the top 10 @ Appy with another just outside of 20 looking in. Exciting!

lightfoot789 · September 27, 2012

That is true. That is more than two if players would have qualified. I'm excited about the 2015 product that the Twins will offer . Hope people can stay patient. We could be the next Rays system if we stock up on Pitchers in th Next 2 Drafts.

kab21 · September 27, 2012

I'm really not on the Goodrum train. He was pretty awful in July and August. He is a great athlete but I need to see something outside of a nice month in rookie ball to get excited.

Polanco I'm excited about but where did this Cano comparison come from?

kab21 · September 27, 2012

I'm really not on the Goodrum train. He was pretty awful in July and August. He is a great athlete but I need to see something outside of a nice month in rookie ball to get excited.

Polanco I'm excited about but where did this Cano comparison come from?

lightfoot789 · September 27, 2012

Polanco is a very smooth defender at 2B (very smooth) and showed some potential pop for an 18 year old. Kid is young and was a double machine (15 in 51 games). I just think he has major upside. Twins must think so too, they paid him as a top prospect at a young age.

Thrylos · September 28, 2012

Its amazing that the league MVP doesn't make Top 20 List (Pimentel). Elizabethton wins championship and doesn't have more than 2 players on list. Since many on this list aren't on there for stats in Appy, but rather upside and athleticism - I like:
*Nico Goodrum (one of best athletes in Appy)
*Adam Walker (2nd most HRs of any MLB 2012 draftee - 17 HRs w/playoffs + athletic)
*Romy Jiminez (Led Appy in almost every offensive major category before injury)
*Jorge Polanco (one of Top hitters in Appy and only 18 - Next Robinson Cano)
*Not to mention Josh Burris RHP (Dominated League in wins and ERA)
*Tyler Duffy RHP - DOMINATED (enough said!!)

My Etown Misses from Appy Prospect List
When do stats start out weighing projections or at least open minds to potential new projections

BA is (and has always been) biased towards drafted players and against latin american free agents, unless they are can't miss types... So no wonder Pimental and Polanco are not in their lists... And frankly part of the bias here is because they spend a lot of time scouting the US guys as draft prospects and not so many the other guys as July FA signings... That's why they are biased. Seen them more. Plus they are scout-driven so if they went to 2-3 games for the E-Twins and some of these guys had bad days, they would not make their list.

kab21 · September 28, 2012

Polanco is a very smooth defender at 2B (very smooth) and showed some potential pop for an 18 year old. Kid is young and was a double machine (15 in 51 games). I just think he has major upside. Twins must think so too, they paid him as a top prospect at a young age.

I like him a lot but you've provided no basis for a Cano comparison.

lightfoot789 · September 30, 2012

My point is that he has Cano potential. Cano wasn't always Cano as we see him now. Polanco is a very very good defender and has very smooth actions that will translate to MLB ready some day. He has a nice short swing and even showed some pop this year. Not amazing, but some pop. Here are Cano's numbers as a 18 year old in Rookie League vs Polanco's and Max Keplers.

I Love Kepler, but want you to see how Polanco translates into future Top Prosect based on accomplishments and potential. (18 years old) And he batted 9th in lineup this year - which is no reflection on his potential, because Harrison batted 7th for that matter and he was a 1st rounder. Just saying.................[TABLE=class: dataTableClass]

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M. Kepler OF 59 232 40 69 16 5 10 49 125 27 33 7 0 .387 .539 .297 .925 1

Polanco 2B 51 173 35 55 15 2 5 27 89 20 26 6 3 .388 .514 .318 .903 8

CANO as an 18 year old[TABLE=class: sortable stats_table]

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[TH=class: tooltip sort_default_asc show_partial_when_sorting, align: center]Tm[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip sort_default_asc, align: center]Lg[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip sort_default_asc, align: center]Lev[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip sort_default_asc, align: center]Aff[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]G[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]PA[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]AB[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]R[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]H[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]2B[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]3B[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]HR[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]RBI[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]SB[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]CS[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]BB[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]SO[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip hide_non_quals, align: center]BA[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip hide_non_quals, align: center]OBP[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip hide_non_quals, align: center]SLG[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip hide_non_quals, align: center]OPS[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]TB[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]GDP[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]HBP[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]SH[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]SF[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]IBB[/TH]

[TR=class: hl]

[TD=align: left]2001[/TD]

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[TD=align: left]2 Lgs[/TD]

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[TD=align: left]NYY[/TD]

[TD=align: right]59[/TD]

[TD=align: right]241[/TD]

[TD=align: right]208[/TD]

[TD=align: right]37[/TD]

[TD=align: right]48[/TD]

[TD=align: right]14[/TD]

[TD=align: right]2[/TD]

[TD=align: right]3[/TD]

[TD=align: right]36[/TD]

[TD=align: right]11[/TD]

[TD=align: right]2[/TD]

[TD=align: right]28[/TD]

[TD=align: right]29[/TD]

[TD=align: right].231[/TD]

[TD=align: right].328[/TD]

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[TD=align: right].688[/TD]

[TD=align: right]75[/TD]

[TD=align: right]4[/TD]

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[TD=align: left]Rk[/TD]

[TD=align: left]NYY[/TD]

[TD=align: right]57[/TD]

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[TD=align: right]200[/TD]

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[TD=align: right]14[/TD]

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[TD=align: right]27[/TD]

[TD=align: right].230[/TD]

[TD=align: right].330[/TD]

[TD=align: right].365[/TD]

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[TD=align: right]73[/TD]

[TD=align: right]4[/TD]

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lightfoot789 · September 30, 2012

O yeah and he hits lefty

lightfoot789 · September 30, 2012

Polanco is a young prospect (18) who has comparable stats to Max Kepler who has risen on everyones charts as a Top Prospect. Deservingly so too. He is an excellent defender at 2B and is a left handed hitter. See comparisons and you tell me if potential is there:

PLAYER G - AB - R - H - 2B - 3B - HR - RBI - TB - BB - SO - SB - CS - OBP - SLG - AVG - OPS - E

POLANCO 2B - 51 173 35 55 15 2 5 27 89 20 26 6 3 .388 .514 .318 .903 8

KEPLER OF - 59 232 40 69 16 5 10 49 125 27 33 7 0 .387 .539 .297 .925 1

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=cano--001rob

In Response to my Robinson Cano theory - See comparisons to Cano @ 18 (not now). Minor League stats

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kab21 · September 30, 2012

I think it's pretty pointless to start making comps based on rookie league stats. especially when you're talking about an elite player like Cano.

I'm as much on the Polanco bandwagon as anyone is on the board but I disagree with your analysis. Everything that I've heard is that he's very good to great with the glove (unlike Cano) and that he could be a solid hitter. If I was going to project him it would be as more of a Yunel Escobar type (.285/.353/.390 career).

it will be interesting to read the scouting reports about the ETown guys this offseason. I'm pretty excited about polanco, kepler and Berrios and less excited about goodrum and Harrison than most. Buxton is in a different prospect league.

Monkeypaws · September 30, 2012

Newb question, are Badler & Eddy scouts?

kab21 · October 1, 2012

Newb question, are Badler & Eddy scouts?

They are not professional scouts. they work for BA and BA spends the season talking to scouts and FO types. They also like to do their own scouting when possible but they are limited in how much they can see.

Steve Penz · October 2, 2012

They have me hooked on this now. The Midwest league list is due today and it is not in. Are these folks on Hawaii time? Whats up?

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