Athletic/John Sickels - Updated Top 100 Prospect List

[dbminn]

John Sickels has updated his Top 100 Prospect List at the Athletic (pay site, highly recommended).

 

Top 5: Franco, Gore, Tucker, Mize, Hiura.

 

MacKenzie Gore and Casey Mize are each having fantastic years and Sickels has moved them up accordingly. Keston Hiura makes an appearance and why not? He's raked at every level and now only needs an opportunity with the Brewers.

 

Twins: Lewis (13), Kirilloff (14), Graterol (50), Balazovic (74), Larnach (81). 

 

Graterol - "...would have ranked higher but just went on injured list".

Balazovic - "...should not be undersold".

Larnach - "...power coming around and scouting buzz matches the numbers".

 

Sickels had Lewis and Kirilloff ranked lower than others in his preseason rankings, so the drops are relatively small. They are still highly talented and sought after prospects. I remain optimistic in the long run.

[Vanimal46]

Thanks for sharing! My SCORCHING hawt taek:

 

Balazovic will rank higher than Graterol by most publications at the end of the season.

[jorgenswest]

Lewis and Kirilloff have dropped relative to other prospects.

 

Lewis has been passed by at least 8 prospects given those that graduated in front of him. To maintain his same relative position he would be number 5. I would argue that he dropped further relative to the original group. The are players like Paddack, Soroka, Alonso, Verdugo and Riley that were behind him and now graduated. They might all rank above him now.

 

His ranking relative to the same group of players on the original list would be at best 18 and probably closer to 23.

[bird]

There appears to be consensus about which Twins prospects to watch. BA had the same names, MLB the same but with Balazovic just outside its Top 100.

 

Injuries are naturally going to influence placement. Guys like Kopech and Hunter Greene almost get forgotten as they recover from TJ surgery, for example. Kirilloff suffered the same fate when he was out. These lists have always been fluid things. To me, it's not terribly instructive to note which prospect ranks where on the list. 

 

As far as top-end talent, the Twins are in decent shape, but not necessarily great shape. Having 5 Top 100 prospects is almost by definition above average, and my guess is the Twins have their fair share of prospects lurking just off this list.

[prouster]

I always enjoy Sickels. I think he’s level headed in his assessments and has a good understanding of risk.

 

FWIW, Lewis is currently number two on Fangraphs’ prospect list.

[Otto von Ballpark]

FWIW, Lewis is currently number two on Fangraphs’ prospect list.

Lewis was 6th preseason, but 3 guys ahead of him graduated. The 2 right behind him graduated too. Still holding at 65 FV, though.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Lewis was 6th preseason, but 3 guys ahead of him graduated. The 2 right behind him graduated too. Still holding at 65 FV, though.

 

They've mad updates, but clearly not to ETA. I can't see Lewis here in next year at this rate, not close.

[prouster]

Lewis was 6th preseason, but 3 guys ahead of him graduated. The 2 right behind him graduated too. Still holding at 65 FV, though.

All true, but that’s what happens with prospect lists.

[twinsfanstreif]

I feel slightly vindicated because in the 2017 draft I was all on board with Lewis or Gore while it seemed like the focus was on McKay and Greene.

[John Kelsey]

 

I feel slightly vindicated because in the 2017 draft I was all on board with Lewis or Gore while it seemed like the focus was on McKay and Greene.

 

McKay is arguably looking like a better prospect than Lewis right now. 

[Mike Sixel]

 

I feel slightly vindicated because in the 2017 draft I was all on board with Lewis or Gore while it seemed like the focus was on McKay and Greene.

 

McKay is 11th, and in AAA. Some say if he'd stick only to pitching, he'd be a number 2 or so, and in the majors.......

[twinsfanstreif]

 

McKay is arguably looking like a better prospect than Lewis right now. 

I'm still not buying McKay as a prospect, I like Lewis better and Gore as well. Maybe the vindication was a bit premature