Innholdsfortegnelse for Friday, October 21, 2016 i Baseball America

JUNE 12, 2011 It was merely a high school game, like so many others that highly touted Alonso High pitching prospect Jose Fernandez has dominated the past three years. But rather than pumping 98 mph fastball after fastball, Fernandez showed why he is a likely first-round pick in this year’s draft. Fernandez used every pitch in his arsenal to strike out batters and convince disbelievers that his stuff is major leagueready. “What makes him so effective is that even if he does fall behind, he’s not guaranteed to throw a fastball,” Brandon High coach Matt Stallbaumer noted after Fernandez defeated his team 6-1 in a district playoff game. “He commands the strike zone. He fell behind 3-0 on one of our kids tonight and threw a curveball for a strike,…

DENVER The public mourning of the death of Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez lasted a few days. The memory, however, will linger forever, particularly with his teammates. “When you go through that, it’s a complete shock,” said Jerry Narron, the rookie catcher whom the Yankees put in the lineup the day after Thurman Munson was killed in a plane crash on Aug. 2, 1979. “You don’t want to believe it, but you never get over it. It’s with you the rest of your life.” There is a bond that comes for the men who share a clubhouse. They grow up in different cultures, but they are brought together by baseball. Lyman Bostock was a black man born in Alabama who spent his youth in Gary, Ind., and the Watts neighborhood of…

PAST FIVE WINNERS 2011: Jeremy Hellickson, rhp, Rays 2012: Mike Trout, of, Angels 2013: Jose Fernandez, rhp, Marlins 2014: Jose Abreu, 1b, White Sox 2015: Kris Bryant, 3b, Cubs Full list: BaseballAmerica.com/awards Corey Seager saw all the draft reports out of high school listing him as a third baseman. He read every word questioning if he could stick at shortstop as he made his way up the minors. At first, the questions confused and irritated him. As he got drafted and ascended the Dodgers system, they motivated him. “That’s kind of been something since I was drafted that’s been brought up,” Seager said by phone during the Dodgers penultimate regular-season series in San Diego. “‘I wasn’t gonna play short. I was gonna move to third,’ so that was something that…

Best Drafts 1. Reds 2. Braves 3. Brewers 4. Phillies 5. Red Sox Best Pure Hitter 1. Nick Senzel, 3b, Reds (1) 2. Mickey Moniak, of, Phillies (1) 3. Blake Rutherford, of, Yankees (1) 4. Alex Kirilloff, of, Twins (1) 5. Lucas Erceg, 3b, Brewers (2) Best Power Hitter 1. Kyle Lewis, of, Mariners (1) 2. Bo Bichette, ss, Blue Jays (2) 3. Zack Collins, c, White Sox (1) 4. Bobby Dalbec, 3b, Red Sox (4) 5. Peter Alonso, 1b, Mets (2) Fastest Runner 1. Edel Luaces, of, Yankees (25) 2. DeAires Moses, of, Mariners (19) 3. Zach Davis, of, Cubs (32) 4. Jacob Robson, of, Tigers (8) 5. Daniel Woodrow, of, Tigers (12) Best Defensive Player 1. Mickey Moniak, of, Phillies (1) 2. Will Smith, c, Dodgers (1) 3.…

BEST PURE HITTER: Senior sign Ryan Scott (7) batted.435 at Arkansas-Little Rock in the spring, then held his own at short-season Lowell in the summer. Scott has a smooth swing and works up the middle with gap power. BEST POWER: Bobby Dalbec (4) has plus-plus power potential from the right side, and he tapped into that power consistently during his pro debut after an unspectacular spring. Dalbec repeated his swing better and showed better overall consistency in his pro debut and posted a jawdropping.288 isolated slugging percentage in nearly 150 plate appearances for short-season Lowell. FASTEST RUNNER: Boston didn’t draft any true gamechanging runners, but Santiago Espinal (10) and Chad Hardy (33) are plus runners and C.J. Chatham (2) is an above-average runner who moves particularly well underway. BEST DEFENSIVE…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ BEST PURE HITTER: C Brett Cumberland (2) had lessthan-stellar numbers in his pro debut, but he was the Pac 12 Conference player of the year as a draft-eligible sophomore, thanks largely to his.344 batting average. 1B Ramon Osuna (13) was a prolific junior college hitter and batted.276/.342/.423 in his professional debut for Rookie-level Danville. BEST POWER: Cumberland shows plus raw power in batting practice, and can drive the ball out to the opposite field. FASTEST RUNNER: 2B Matt Gonzalez (6) was a solid senior sign and gets to first base with above-average to plus run times. BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER: SS Marcus Mooney (10) was an inexpensive signing, but has smooth hands and long, rangey actions at shortstop. BEST…

 BEST PURE HITTER: Mickey Moniak (1) has elite pitch recognition and strike zone awareness to go along with a compact swing and plus hands in the box. Going straight from high school to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, Moniak batted.284/.340/.409 in his professional debut. OF Josh Stephen (11) also shows promise with the bat. BEST POWER: 1B Darick Hall (14) has all-fields power; he swatted 20 home runs for Dallas Baptist in the spring, then posted a.236 isolated slugging percentage with nine home runs and 19 doubles in his pro debut at short-season Williamsport. SS Cole Stobbe (3) shows plus raw power and the ball comes off his bat with life even when he doesn’t loft it over the fence. FASTEST RUNNER: Moniak is a plus runner, with the ability…

BEST PURE HITTER: 3B Nolan Jones (2) was considered one of the better pure hitters among high school draftees thanks to consistent contact and easy, line-drive stroke. OF Andrew Calica (11) was the 2015 Cape Cod League batting champion and hit .382 in his pro debut. He lacks any other plus tools, but Calica is a pure hitter. BEST POWER HITTER: OF Will Benson (1) doesn’t always keep his hands and lower half in sync, but when he does he can hit mammoth home runs. His size, strength and hand speed allows him to drive the ball to the opposite field even when he doesn’t properly use his legs in his swing. FASTEST RUNNER: The Indians drafted very few speedsters, but OF Hosea Nelson (9) is a plus runner. Benson…

BEST PURE HITTER: The son of a hitting coach, OF Alex Kirilloff (1) had a batting cage at his house and it shows in his advanced feel for hitting. Kirilloff stays balanced at the plate, uses the entire field and has a bat that stays in the zone for quite a while. SS Jose Miranda (2s) has an advanced approach and good feel for controlling the barrel, although he struggled in the Gulf Coast League. BEST POWER HITTER: Kirilloff hasn’t grown into his strength yet, but with his size (6-foot-2, 195 pounds) and strength the Twins believe he could end up a 20-25 home run hitter in his prime. OF Shane Carrier (8) has plus raw power. FASTEST RUNNER: OF Akil Baddoo (2s) is a plus runner who turns in…

BEST PURE HITTER: 3B Lucas Erceg (2) was seen as an advanced hitter and lived up to those expectations with a .327/.376/.518 debut between Rookie-level Helena and low Class A Wisconsin. OF Corey Ray (1) projects as at least an average hitter, and his short stroke gives him a chance to be more than that depending on how much he focuses on getting to his power. BEST POWER HITTER: Ray has above-average power potential and has shown plus raw power. 1B Ronnie Gideon (23) didn’t get much chance to tap into his plus raw power in college, hitting 13 home runs in three years at Texas A&M, but hit 17 home runs in the Pioneer League given almost as many at-bats at Helena as he had in college. FASTEST RUNNER:…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ BEST PURE HITTER: OF Ronnie Dawson (2) didn’t hit in his pro debut, as he turned in a .225/.351/.373 line for short-season Tri-City, but he hit .331 at Ohio State and projects as a potentially average to above-average hitter thanks to his bat speed, strength and speed. 2B Ryne Birk (13) is a lefthanded hitter who can spray the ball to all fields. BEST POWER HITTER: Dawson has plus raw power with plenty of strength and a thick, muscular frame although he’s yet to fully tap into that power. 1B/LF Spencer  Johnson (16) hit 24 home runs this spring at Missouri State to lead NCAA Division I and added 10 more in his pro debut. He has a…

BEST PURE HITTER: 3B Joe Rizzo (2) has a stocky 5-foot-11, 215-pound frame with present strength and short, strong lefthanded swing. OF Kyle Lewis (1) has a longer, more athletic body but also has shown a potential plus hit tool, including hitting 300 in the Cape Cod League last summer. BEST POWER HITTER: Lewis ranked sixth in the country with 20 homers in the spring en route to College Player of the Year honors. He’s earned 70 grades for his raw power and was showing that power in pro ball before a knee injury ended his season July 19. FASTEST RUNNER: Seattle drafted OF DeAires Moses (19) out of a Nashville high school but only signed him after two junior-college seasons. He’s an 80 runner. BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER: The Mariners…

BEST PURE HITTER: SS Garrett Hampson (3) hit .303 in three seasons at Long Beach State, which plays at Blair Field, a notorious pitcher’s park. He has good hands to go with a solid hitting approach that helped I’m hit .301 in his pro debut. 3B Colton Welker (4) also has good hands and some present strength. BEST POWER HITTER: With a sturdy 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame, OF Willie Abreu has plus raw power and no-doubt right field tools. FASTEST RUNNER: Hampson always had at least plus speed but never stole more than 23 bases in a season at Long Beach State. He stole 36 bags in 40 attempts this summer in his debut and has the speed to play center field if he winds up in a super utility role.…

BEST PURE HITTER: OF Bryan Reynolds (2) is a switchhitter who drives the ball from both sides with gap power. His free-swinging ways could catch up to him eventually, but he was a .329 career hitter in three years at Vanderbilt. He hit with Team USA’s College National Team and in the Cape Cod League and he hit .313 in his pro debut. BEST POWER HITTER: OF Heath Quinn (3) hit 21 home runs for Samford and nine more in his pro debut. He projects to have plus power. OF Gio Brusa (6) has similar raw power, though he gets to it less consistently. He hit 10 home runs for short-season Salem-Keizer and 14 at Pacific this spring. FASTEST RUNNER: OF Nick Hill (26) is an athletic speedster who grades…

BASEBALL AMERICA INDY PLAYER OF THE YEAR Like many players before him, being released left Art Charles shocked. The Phillies let him go during spring training in mid-March after he hit .215/.304/.367 with nine home runs in a part-time role for Double-A Reading in 2015. For a moment, Charles said he wondered what was going to happen next. He wondered if he was done. He wondered if he needed to start looking for a day job. “I didn’t know what was going to happen. It was the weirdest, most awkward feeling,” Charles said. “I decided, I’ll go home and be with the family. But then I started to get calls from indy teams. It made me feel better because someone wants you, someone believes in you.” New Jersey manager Joe…

Ben Badler National Writer Baseball America benbadler @baseballamerica.com For international scouts, criticizing the commissioner’s office is a common occurrence. One of the most frequent and accurate criticisms that scouts direct at Major League Baseball is its creation of rules that are detached from the realities of what’s involved in signing Latin American players. This year, MLB is moving its annual Venezuelan national showcase to Panama, a sign of the widespread safety concerns of traveling in Venezuela, including concerns held by local Venezuelan scouts themselves. The Nov. 16-17 showcase typically features many of the top Venezuelan amateur prospects who are eligible to sign the following year on July 2 and is an important event for scouts and players, some of whom typically reach oral agreements with clubs after the event. Padres…

Marlins ace righthander Jose Fernandez was killed in a boating accident early on the morning of Sept. 25, sending sensations of shock and sadness throughout the country. That day’s scheduled game against Atlanta was canceled. “The Miami Marlins organization is devastated by the tragic loss of Jose Fernandez. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at a very difficult time,” the Marlins said in a statement. In a news conference, an obviously distraught Marlins manager Don Mattingly struggled to talk about Fernandez. “I see such a little boy in the way he played. Just joy in him when he played,” Mattingly said through tears. The U.S. Coast Guard said Fernandez was one of three people killed in the boat crash off Miami Beach, near a section called Government Cut.…

SCOTT MAURER, LOS GATOS, CALIF. Here are a trio candidates who may have failed to live up expectations in 2016 but could do better in 2017. J.P. CRAWFORD, SS, PHILLIES: Crawford hit.244/.328/.318 after his late-May promotion to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He showed almost zero power (four home runs and a.074 isolated power) and had way too many pop fly outs. Crawford’s hitting mechanics got a little out of whack in 2016, as some scouts believed a thumb injury from last fall carried over into 2016. His swing got loopier and he wasn’t using his top hand enough. His power potential may never live up to the expectations thrown on him coming out of high school as he does have an opposite-field first approach, but he was a 21-year-old in Triple-A,…

Draft Report Cards are such a fun feature of the BA editorial calendar, but it had to be less fun when we used to give immediate grades to each class. But with five years of hindsight, I can hand out some grades for the 2011 draft, which was acknowledged at the time to be the strongest class since 2005. They’re presented from Grades A to F, with a team-by-team report at BaseballAmerica.com. Grade A PIRATES: No. 1 overall pick Gerrit Cole was a hit, OF/1B Josh Bell (2) looks worth the trouble of his $5 million bonus, and RHP Tyler Glasnow (5) remains a top prospect. INDIANS: SS Francisco Lindor (1) makes this class by himself, but Cleveland also found RHPs Cody Anderson (14), Shawn Armstrong (16) and Cody Allen…

A year ago, the resurgent Cubs and Mets organizations rode a wave of talented rookies—a group that included Kris Bryant, Addison Russell and Noah Syndergaard—all the way to the National League Championship Series. A number of teams this year go to battle in the postseason with rookies playing key roles, most notably the Dodgers with shortstop Corey Seager, the Baseball America Rookie of the Year, and righthander Kenta Maeda, a 28-year-old Japanese import. The Cubs’ top rookie this year, catcher Willson Contreras, would have made our all-rookie team easily in most seasons, but this year he had to contend with historic performances from Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez and Rockies shortstop Trevor Story. Contreras, an 24-year-old converted third baseman, started 37 games behind the plate and 13 more in left field…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/  BEST PURE HITTER: OF Josh Palacios (4) has natural rhythm, timing at the plate and a track record of hitting. It’s doubtful Toronto would have been able to wait so long to draft him had he not broken his left wrist on April 7 playing for Auburn. SS Bo Bichette (2) has good strike zone awareness and shows the ability to make adjustments with two strikes. BEST POWER HITTER: Bichette has an unorthodox swing but isn’t afraid to let the bat fly, producing plus raw power that played in his pro debut. Toronto will try to keep him at shortstop as long as possible, but he could end up at second or third base. FASTEST RUNNER: OF…

BEST PURE HITTER: OF Blake Rutherford (1) has a loose swing and covers the plate well; he has a knack for hitting line drives from gap-to-gap. Nick Solak (2) was a consistent college performer for three years in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and the Yankees feel that his bat will carry him. BEST POWER: Rutherford’s raw power grades as at least plus, and some in the organization believe it could be better as he gets stronger and fills out his frame. FASTEST RUNNER: OF Edel Luaces (25) has elite speed, with the ability to reach first base in less than four seconds from the right side. Luaces has run the 60-yard dash in less than 6.30 seconds, and at one workout this spring he ran it in 6.15 seconds. OF…

 BEST PURE HITTER: OF Thomas Jones (3) got off to a slow start after a long layoff between his high school season and signing, but he has a loose swing and showed very promising pitch recognition skills and a sound approach in fall instructional league. 3B James Nelson (15) also impressed the Marlins with his simple swing and ability to square balls up. BEST POWER: Jones has plus raw power, with a quick bat and a wide-shouldered frame that gives him the leverage and torque to drive the ball. 1B Colby Lusignan (28) has elite raw power and can send a fastball a mile, though he strikes out at a high rate and may have more difficulty getting to his power than Jones. FASTEST RUNNER: OF Andrew Knapp (8) and…

 BEST PURE HITTER: SS Carter Kieboom (1s) has excellent timing and bat speed. The Nationals believe he could develop a plus hit tool down the line. Kieboom is an aggressive hitter and has some swing and miss to his game as a result, but he knows the strike zone well and understands which pitches he can drive. BEST POWER: 3B Sheldon Neuse (3) has the best raw power of the group, but he doesn’t always get his hips cleared to turn on the ball and use his power. Kieboom’s power showed well in his pro debut and during fall instructional league. Kieboom has the ability to drive the ball more than 400 feet, and he’s shown the ability to hit the ball over the fence to the opposite field. FASTEST…

BEST PURE HITTER: OF Jacob Robson (8) batted .321 at Mississippi State last spring as a redshirt junior after hitting .324 as a sophomore, then hit .288 in his pro debut. He has a contact-oriented approach that gives him a shot to be an above-average hitter. Robson was the first hitter the Tigers drafted. BEST POWER HITTER: In a draft heavy on pitching, the Tigers didn’t draft much power. 1B Niko Buentello (18) hit 11 home runs at Auburn and has above-average raw power, but he hit only five home runs in the Gulf Coast League. C Austin Athmann (14) finished second in the Big 10 with a .621 slugging percentage and has average power. FASTEST RUNNER: Robson is a top-of-the-scale runner, as is OF Daniel Woodrow (12). BEST DEFENSIVE…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ BEST PURE HITTER: The Cubs signed just six position players in a draft class focused on boosting the organization’s pitching. C Michael Cruz (7) had a strong spring at Bethune-Cookman and controlled the strike zone in his debut. He makes a lot of contact. BEST POWER HITTER: Cruz slugged 16 homers in the spring for Bethune-Cookman, which plays in Jackie Robinson Stadium in Daytona, Fla. The former home of a Cubs high Class A affiliate, the Cubs know it’s a tough home run park, especially for lefthanded hitters like Cruz. FASTEST RUNNER: The Cubs tried to load up on speedsters, taking three burners. A part-time player for four years at Texas Tech, OF Zach Davis (32) is…

BEST PURE HITTER: 3B Will Craig (1) hit .379 in his junior year at Wake Forest and has a lengthy track record of hitting in college. His lack of exceptional bat speed and poor speed limit him from projecting as more than an above-average hitter. BEST POWER HITTER: The Pirates drafted only four position players in the top 10 rounds, so they didn’t sign a lot of power. Craig hit 16 home runs at Wake Forest last spring and has at least average power because of plenty of strength in his swing. FASTEST RUNNER: OF Garrett Brown (23) has plus-plus speed and already a feel for how to use it. He stole 34 bases at Western Carolina during the spring and eight in nine attempts as a pro. BEST DEFENSIVE…

BEST PURE HITTER: Angels scouts didn’t have C/1B Matt Thaiss (1) shoved up their boards, but the club’s analytics had him as one of the best hitters available in the draft class. He hit .348 with 20 homers over his final two seasons at Virginia with more walks (72) than strikeouts (42) thanks to pitch recognition, bat speed and strength that are all aboveaverage. 2B Jordan Zimmerman (7) also has above-average hitting potential thanks to a simple, direct righthanded swing and plate discipline. BEST POWER HITTER: Thaiss has above-average power potential. Early pro reports on his power were mixed, but his amateur track record, with wood and metal, speaks to 18-22 home run potential. FASTEST RUNNER: OF Brandon Marsh (2) and SS Nonie Williams (3) both are plus runners, as…

BEST PURE HITTER: After a slow start in the Rookie-level Arizona League, 3B Kole Enright (3) showed why the Rangers believed in him more than much of the industry. He’s a switch-hitter with a short-swing from both sides who already has showed he can make adjustments. BEST POWER HITTER: C Sam Huff (7) showed pop to the gaps in his debut in Arizona, and the Phoenix native has power-hitter size at 6-foot-4 and close to 230 pounds. FASTEST RUNNER: Texas signed OF Kobie Taylor (15) away from Vanderbilt for $350,000. He’s at least a plus runner with instincts and athleticism who has a chance to fit the center field profile. BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER: SS/3B Charles LeBlanc (4) and Huff are both tall for their positions but have requisite arm strength…

BEST PURE HITTER: SS Gavin Lux (1), the Dodgers’ top pick, has a pretty swing from the left side and showed enough speed, barrel awareness and pop to project as an above-average hitter. The Wisconsin prep product have to continue to show he can handle advanced pitching. BEST POWER: OFs D.J. Peters (4) and Cody Thomas (13) both flirt with 70-grade power. Peters’ track record is much longer, as Thomas has played a lot of football as an amateur, and they combined for 29 homers with Rookie-level Ogden this summer. FASTEST RUNNER: Speed was a feature of this draft class, with OF Bryan Morales (15) the fastest of a group of 70 runners that includes SS Kevin Lachance (10) and OFs Saige Jenco (24) and Darien Tubbs (16). BEST DEFENSIVE…

Coming out of the early signing period last November, Mississippi was thrilled with its 2016 recruiting class. But the Rebels couldn’t celebrate yet. First, they, like all college baseball programs, had to get their exciting group of future players through the draft. With seven players in the class included in the BA 500, the predraft ranking of all drafteligible players, Ole Miss had reason to be concerned. “Throughout the spring, there were several guys we were really worried about,” recruiting coordinator Carl Lafferty said. “As it got closer and closer, there was a little more anxiety. You can do as much as you want to prepare, but it’s all about draft day. When the first day ended, we felt a lot better, when the second day ended, that was…

The Baseball America Independent Leagues prospect list has entered its second decade. In its first 10 years, the list saw players like Daniel Nava and David Peralta go from unsigned indy ballers to big leaguers of some note. And as the 2016-2017 offseason begins, what is notable is how much talent now resides in independent ball. The velocity jumps seen around baseball have filtered down to the independent leagues as well. In 2006, it was notable when an indy ball pitcher sat above 90 mph regularly. Nowadays there are whole bullpens filled with pitchers who can touch 95 or better. This list was compiled in conversations with coaches around the independent leagues as well as scouts. Players who have already played in the big leagues are ineligible as are players…

BROOKLYN Five pitchers combined on a four-hitter and were backed by three long home runs as Israel defeated Great Britain 9-1 in the deciding game of the final qualifier for the 2017 World Baseball Classic at MCU Park in Brooklyn. After losing the finale of their 2012 Qualifier to Spain, Israel will make its WBC debut next March when it heads to Seoul, South Korea, to compete against Taiwan, Korea and the Netherlands in WBC pool play. “For me as a manager I’m connected to these guys that played in this thing and helped us get there,” Israel skipper and longtime Rockies coach Jerry Weinstein said. “For me, I’d be very happy to take this team anywhere.” On a perfect evening in the home of the Mets’ short-season affiliate, the…

MIAMI When Scott Boras’ cell phone buzzed at 4:30 a.m. Pacific Time on Sunday, Sept. 25, three decades of professional experience and a sports agent’s intuition told him the news was probably grim. His instincts were validated when the phone flashed the name of Alex Morin, a young Boras Corporation associate who was calling with the news that Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez and two companions had been killed in a boating accident off the South Florida coast. Amid the darkness of the night and a silence so profound he could hear his heart beat, Boras instantly thought of another promising pitcher and client who met with a tragic ending. He thought of Nick Adenhart. At 4:30 a.m. on April 9, 2009, Angels vice president Tim Mead reached Boras with an…

BOSTON The memorial and celebration of the Marathon Bombing was before a Saturday game, with heroes and speeches and videos on the megaboard as the players lined up in the dugout, waiting to file out onto the field to join Fenway’s high mass to its city’s people. I was at the far end of the dugout for NESN, and suddenly, from the other end of the dugout, came David Ortiz. A tribute to eight-year old bombing victim Martin Richard had just finished. Ortiz stopped in front of me, pointed up at the megaboard, his rage frothing, and said, “that child was eight years old, same age as my son D’Angelo. Eight years old. Those (expletive) murdered an eight-year-old boy.” None of the players was scheduled to speak on the field,…

 For the fifth straight season, Angels center fielder Mike Trout is the best player in baseball. Now, for the third time in that span he is the Baseball America Major League Player of the Year. The 25-year-old led the major leagues this season with 123 runs scored, 116 walks, a.441 on-base percentage and 10.6 wins above replacement, according to Baseball-Reference.com. Trout is the first player to lead his league in WAR for five consecutive seasons since Babe Ruth. He generated more career WAR prior to his age-25 season (48.5) than any player in history. He surpassed Ty Cobb (46.7) and Mickey Mantle (40.9) this season. Trout has easily produced the most value in the majors since 2012, his first full big league season.  The scariest thing about Trout’s performance is…

The 2015 rookie class was legendary, but the 2016 class was nothing to sneeze at. Preseason top 10 prospects Corey Seager, Trea Turner and Julio Urias all lived up to the hype in their rookie seasons, while other touted prospects like Byron Buxton and David Dahl turned it up later in the year. What follows are the top 10 graduated prospects from 2016. These players will never again be eligible for the Prospect Handbook because they have surpassed rookie minimums (130 at-bats, 50 innings), but they should have long, productive careers ahead of them based on their pedigree and what they showed in their first year in the big leagues. Players are ranked by their newly updated BA Grade, which mimics the 20-80 scouting scale and includes a risk assessment.…

 BEST PURE HITTER: OF Austin Hays (4) was the first position player the Orioles drafted; he broke out with a strong spring at Jacksonville, then continued to hit when in pro ball, batting.336 for short-season Aberdeen. 1B Preston Palmeiro (7) earns praise for his smooth lefthanded stroke. BEST POWER: Hays has above-average raw power; he posted an isolated slugging percentage over.300 and swatted 16 home runs as a junior at Jacksonville. FASTEST RUNNER: OF Cole Billingsley (19) can reach first base in four seconds flat, and he grades as a 70-grade runner from the left side. Hays is also a plus runner. BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER: Hays is the best defensive player the Orioles selected; he has the speed to play center field and looked natural there during fall instructional league.…

BEST PURE HITTER: The Rays feel that 3B Josh Lowe (1) has a chance to develop into a strong hitter as he matures, given his strike zone awareness and the looseness of his swing, though he will have to make more consistent contact. OF Ryan Boldt (2) has a steady offensive track record, and OF Jake Fraley (3) has shown the ability to make contact despite moving parts in his swing. BEST POWER: Lowe shows plus raw power, with fast hands and long arms that allow him to generate exceptional torque when he makes contact. He has the ability to drive the ball over the fence or hit hard line drives from gap to gap. His older brother, 1B Nathan Lowe (12) is strongbodied and can also show impressive power.…

 BEST PURE HITTER: New York selected pitchers with its two first-round picks. 1B Peter Alonso (2) proved himself offensively at Florida, then hit batted.321 in his debut for short-season Brooklyn. OF Gene Cone (10) excelled in the Southeastern Conference this spring, batting.363 and walking more often than he struck out, though his performance was lighter in pro ball. BEST POWER: Alonso has easy plus raw power, with some evaluators grading the tool as a 70. He can drive the ball out to any part of the ballpark. FASTEST RUNNER: New York didn’t focus on acquiring speed. SS Michael Paez (4) and Cone are both average runners, but don’t project as game-changers on the basepaths. BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER: SS Colby Woodmansee (5) is a steady defender at shortstop, though he isn’t…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ BEST PURE HITTER: The White Sox see C Zack Collins (1) as a potential on-base machine, gifted with elite strike zone awareness and an uncanny ability to recognize pitches he can do damage with. BEST POWER: Collins has plus power potential and can hit the ball out of any part of the ballpark. Chicago believes he will hit a lot of doubles in addition to home runs. FASTEST RUNNER: OF Joel Booker (22) grades as a 70 runner, with the ability to reach first base in 4.1 seconds from the righthanded batter’s box. He swiped 41 bags in 65 games in his professional debut this summer. BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER: SS Mitch Roman (12) has excellent defensive tools…

BEST PURE HITTER: Some teams liked OF Khalil Lee (3) more as a lefthanded pitcher, but he impressed the Royals scouts with his bat speed and feel to hit. SS Nicky Lopez (5) showed excellent ability to put the bat on the ball at Creighton. He doesn’t drive the ball with much authority butrarely strikes out. BEST POWER HITTER: 1B Chris DeVito (8) hit 16 home runs for New Mexico last spring and added nine more for Rookie-level Burlington to lead the B-Royals this summer. He has plus raw power with strength and leverage but faces questions about his bat speed. FASTEST RUNNER: OF Nick Heath (16) is a 70 runner on the 20-to-80 scouting scale. OF Cal Jones (6) is a plus runner. BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER: Lopez was more…

BEST PURE HITTER: 3B Nick Senzel (1) hit .354 in the Southeastern Conference last spring while walking nearly twice as often as he struck out. He is an advanced hitter with excellent plate coverage and rarely gets caught off balance in his swing. Senzel projects as a plus hitter. OF T.J. Freidl (NDFA) hit .401 at Nevada last spring and impressed with USA Baseball this summer with a table-setting approach. BEST POWER HITTER: It will likely take a while for OF Taylor Trammell (1s) to get to his plus raw power, but he has the frame and developing strength to end up as a 20-25 home run hitter. Senzel hits more doubles than home runs right now, but he can be expected to turn some of those doubles to the…

BEST PURE HITTER: OF Dylan Carlson (1) is a switchhitter with a track record of hitting in upper-level showcase events. He has an advanced understanding of what pitchers are trying to do, has a good feel for the game and projects as an above-average hitter. SS Delvin Perez (1) has greater upside as a hitter than Carlson with lots of bat speed and the speed to beat out infield hits. He could end up as a plus hitter but has further to go as far pitch recognition. BEST POWER HITTER: Carlson could develop aboveaverage power as he matures. He showed some of that potential with a strong finish to his pro debut. After hitting only five extra base hits in June and July, Carlson had 14 extra-base hits in August…

BEST PURE HITTER: 2B Nate Mondou (13) has a fairly mature plate approach and present strength that helped him bat .298/.375/.364 at short-season Vermont. BEST POWER HITTER: 2B/3B Javon Shelby (5) struggled with contact in the spring and after signing, but his plus raw power is real. He’s giving center field a try in instructional league as well. FASTEST RUNNER: OF Jeremiah McCray (25) is a true 70 runner; five of his 23 hits in his debut in the Rookie-level Arizona League were triples. BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER: C Sean Murphy (3) has plenty of strength at 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, and was the best defensive catcher in the draft. He’s a potential plus defender with a plus arm, good hands and agility who just needs more polish. SS Eli White (11)…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ BEST PURE HITTER: The Diamondbacks were higher than the industry consensus on C Andy Yerzy (2) due to their belief in his bat. He struggled in his debut, batting .216/.240/.265 with 38 strikeouts in 162 at-bats, but improved defensively behind the plate, where he’s quite raw. BEST POWER HITTER: Yerzy has plus raw power and has shown it with wood in showcases. He’ll have to prove he can adjust to pro pitching, but the Diamondbacks hope he can follow a similar path to past Canadian catchers who hit their way to the majors such as Justin Morneau and Joey Votto. FASTEST RUNNER: The Diamondbacks grade OF Anfernee Grier (1) as a 70 runner, which plays more defensively…

BEST PURE HITTER: SS/2B Hudson Potts (1) wasn’t a consensus first-rounder but the Padres believed in his bat. He has timing, bat-to-ball skills and an ease of operation that gives the club’s scouts conviction in his hitting tool. BEST POWER HITTER: Potts’ average future power stands out in a pitcher-heavy draft class. FASTEST RUNNER: OF Buddy Reed (2) has a high waist, long legs and easy gliding strides that play on the bases. He’s shy of a true 70 runner, mainly because of his big swing at the plate. BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER: Reed’s speed plays better in center field, where he lets his athleticism play and has plus range and has at least an above-average arm. BEST FASTBALL: RHP Cal Quantrill (1), the first of the Padres’ three first-rounders, has…

Jayson Stark Baseball Analyst, Senior Writer ESPN.com PHILADELPHIA Let’s hope that someday, when we think of Jose Fernandez, we can remember the smile, we can remember the charisma, we can remember the special joy he brought to every day he ever spent on a baseball field. But right now, it’s just too hard to get beyond the sadness. How do we even put that sadness into words as we try to process the incomprehensible news of the passing of one of baseball’s shining stars, at the far-too-young age of 24? We will always have Fernandez’s remarkable numbers to remind us of what he had already accomplished in a career that would last a mere 76 trips to a big league mound. But how do we measure what it is we’ve…