Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2023 i Baseball America

As you flip through this November issue of Baseball America, you probably have already noticed that we’ve made a significant change. For the first time ever, we have all 15 National League Top 10 Prospects rankings and reports in one issue. Just weeks after the dust cleared on the 2023 season, you already have full scouting reports on the best prospects from one half of MLB teams. By mid December, Baseball America subscribers will also have every American League Top 10 as well. You will head into 2024 armed with 300 scouting reports. We hope you enjoy getting to read and enjoy having all the Top 10s quicker than ever before. It’s the start of a new print frequency for Baseball America. Instead of 11 issues, we will produce eight…

FORMER BALLPLAYERS REFLECT ON PRO SUCCESS AND FAILURE Richie Shaffer spent much of his pro career searching for that one thing to make it all click. He made swing adjustments, mechanical changes and even a full swing overhaul toward the end of his career, always looking to find the key to unlocking the potential he knew he had in him when drafted by the Rays in the first round out of Clemson in 2012. In retirement, Shaffer has looked back on the aspect of the game he didn’t spend as much time working on—his mental approach. “I think there’s this misconception for a lot of hitters that if they can just perfect their mechanics, that they’re going to be a great hitter,” Shaffer said. “There’s just so much more to…

1 AJ SMITH-SHAWVER RHP Fastball: 65. Curveball: 55. Slider: 60. Changeup: 50. CTL: 55. BA Grade: 60. Risk: High. Born: November 20, 2002. B-T: R-R. HT: 6-3. WT: 205. Drafted: HS—Colleyville, TX, 2021 (7th round). Signed by: Trey McNickle. TRACK RECORD: Smith-Shawver was a two-way player in high school, and he also had Division I offers as a three-star quarterback, but the Braves bought into his athleticism and arm talent on the mound. The team signed him to an over-slot deal of just under $1 million in the seventh round of the 2021 draft. Despite being fairly raw as a pitcher, Smith-Shawver advanced four levels in his second full professional season in 2023 and made his major league debut as a 20-year-old. He struck out three batters in a relief…

1 ANDREW PAINTER RHP Fastball: 70. Curveball: 50. Slider: 60. Changeup: 55. CTL: 70 BA Grade: 70. Risk: Extreme. Born: April 10, 2003. B-T: R-R. HT: 6-7. WT: 215. Drafted: HS—Fort Lauderdale, FL, 2021 (1st round). Signed by: Victor Gomez. TRACK RECORD: In 2021, Painter was a unanimous member of Baseball America’s Preseason High School All-America team, as voted on by amateur scouting directors. Later that summer, the Phillies drafted him 13th overall out of Calvary Christian Academy in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. They signed him for an under-slot bonus of $3.9 million. He pitched six shutout innings in his pro debut, then used his first full season to establish himself as one of the best pitching prospects in the sport. He moved from Low-A to Double-A—a rare feat for a…

1 NOELVI MARTE 3B Hit: 55. Power: 60. Field: 45. Run: 55. Arm: 60. BA Grade: 55 Risk: Medium Born: October 16, 2001. B-T: R-R. HT: 6-0. WT: 216. Signed: Dominican Republic, 2018. Signed by: Eddy Toledo/Tim Kissner (Mariners). TRACK RECORD: A year after the Mariners signed Julio Rodriguez as the star of their 2017 international amateur class, Marte was an equally highly regarded $1.55 million cornerstone of the club’s 2018 international crop. Marte immediately became one of the Seattle’s top prospects, a moniker he held until July 2022, when he was traded with Edwin Arroyo to the Reds in a four-prospect swap for righthander Luis Castillo. Marte continues to be a streaky hitter who mixes stretches of dominance with periods where he looks lost at the plate. But when…

In many ways, I consider myself a baseball traditionalist. Like many fans, I believe that the era of the sport in which I became a fan is the most appealing version of the game. Give me the fastest AstroTurf in the world, a lineup of basestealers, outfield walls that seem unreachable and shortstops bouncing throws off the turf. That’s a style of play I love, even if I know we’ll never see it again because a rug over concrete isn’t exactly a safe playing surface. But over the past few years, I’ve realized I’m not a baseball rules traditionalist. I don’t expect the game to stay static. Baseball is all about finding an edge, and if that leads the game down unproductive paths, it’s the job of those running the…

1 NOBLE MEYER RHP Fastball: 60. Slider: 70. Changeup: 50. Control: 55. BA Grade: 60. Risk: Extreme. Born: January 10, 2005. B-T: R-R. HT: 6-5. WT: 185. Drafted: HS—Beaverton, OR, 2023 (1st round). Signed by: Scott Fairbanks TRACK RECORD: A high school All-American and the Gatorade Player of the Year for Oregon, Meyer excelled at Jesuit High in 2023 and pitched his way to a minuscule 0.33 ERA with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 128-to-19 in 63 innings. Meyer was the first high school pitcher off the board in 2023, selected 10th overall by the Marlins and signed him for $4.5 million. That was 18% under the slot value of $5,480,000 for the pick. Meyer threw 11 innings between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Jupiter in his pro debut. He…

Chourio catapulted toward the top of the overall prospect ranking when he tore through two Class A levels as an 18-year-old in 2022. This season, he became the fourth teenager in modern minor league history to hit at least 20 homers and steal at least 40 bases. Even back in 2021, the year Chourio signed, his scouting reports read as remarkably prescient. “Chourio has a lean, athletic frame with exciting tools now and physical projection for them to get better with strength gains,” we wrote then. “He has a quick-twitch explosion that shows up in his bat speed, helping him drive the ball with surprising carry off his bat for a wiry teenager.” Signed as a shortstop, Chourio has developed into a plus defender in center field, but his offensive…

1 PAUL SKENES RHP Fastball: 70. Slider: 70. Changeup: 60. Control: 60. BA Grade: 65. Risk: High. Born: May 29, 2002. B-T: R-R. HT: 6-6. WT: 235. Drafted: Louisiana State, 2023 (1st round). Signed by: Wayne Mathis. TRACK RECORD: For two seasons at Air Force, Skenes was a talented two-way prospect with upside on the mound and in the batter’s box. He also spent summers in the Cape Cod League and with USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team. He transferred to Louisiana State before the 2023 season, ditched the lumber and entered his draft year as one of the best pitchers in his class. Five months later, he had helped lead LSU to a College World Series championship while cementing himself as the best arm on the board and one of…

1 KYLE HARRISON LHP Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Cutter: 50. Changeup: 40. Control: 45. BA Grade: 60. Risk: High. Born: August 12, 2001. B-T: L-L. HT: 6-2. WT: 200. Drafted: HS—Concord, CA, 2020 (3rd round). Signed by: Keith Snider. TRACK RECORD: Harrison was the Giants’ third-rounder—but their fifth pick—in the five-round 2020 draft, but he earned the second-highest bonus in San Francisco’s class at $2,497,500. The class has been wildly successful, producing three big leaguers already: catcher Patrick Bailey, third baseman Casey Schmitt and Harrison, who made his first start with the Giants on Aug. 22. Before then, Harrison had spent his time in the minor leagues carving hitters with a mix of stuff and deception that led to 295 strikeouts over the last two seasons. That figure includes 186…

55/Medium Risk ■ Brandon Pfaadt, RHP, D-backs ■ Emmet Sheehan, RHP, Dodgers ■ Luis Campusano, C, Padres ■ Ryan Pepiot, RHP, Dodgers 55/High Risk ■ Miguel Vargas, 2B, Dodgers ■ Christian Encarnacion-Strand, 1B, Reds ■ Endy Rodriguez, C, Pirates ■ Henry Davis, RF, Pirates 50/Medium Risk ■ Sal Frelick, CF, Brewers ■ Ezequiel Tovar, SS, Rockies ■ Andrew Abbott, LHP, Reds ■ Brett Baty, 3B, Mets ■ Patrick Bailey, C, Giants ■ Spencer Steer, 3B/OF, Reds ■ James Outman, CF, Dodgers ■ Johan Rojas, CF, Phillies 50/High Risk ■ Luis Matos, CF, Giants ■ Brandon Williamson, LHP, Reds ■ Joey Wiemer, RF, Brewers ■ Matthew Liberatore, LHP, Cardinals 45/Medium Risk ■ Matthew Liberatore, LHP, Cardinals…

Bryce Harper, Stephen Strasburg, Anthony Rendon and Ryan Zimmerman all were drafted by Washington inside the top six overall picks. The Nationals drafted Crews second overall this year, and it won’t be long before he also becomes a D.C. fixture. Crews turned pro after three outstanding seasons at Louisiana State. He hit .426/.567/.713 with 18 home runs in 71 games as a junior in 2023 and then hit his way to Double-A in his pro debut. But Crews was known to scouts and BA readers before he stepped on campus at Baton Rouge. Before he withdrew from the 2020 draft, Crews was lined up as a possible first-round pick out of high school thanks to “above-average hitting ability with plus raw power” and “some of the quickest hands in the…

1 JETT WILLIAMS SS/OF Hit: 60. Power: 50. Speed: 60. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55. BA Grade: 55. Risk: High. Born: November 3, 2003. B-T: R-R. HT: 5-6. WT: 175. Drafted: HS—Heath, Texas, 2022 (1st round). Signed by: Gary Brown. TRACK RECORD: The Mets were linked to Williams throughout the 2022 draft cycle and got their man with the 14th overall pick. Little more than a year later, he was in Double-A helping Binghamton reach the Eastern League finals as a 19-year-old. Williams was a favorite of scouts on the high school showcase circuit because of his swing decisions, speed and aggressive style of play. Those traits were on display in an outstanding first full season in pro ball. Williams hit .263/.425/.451 with 13 home runs and 45 stolen bases in…

1 PETE CROW-ARMSTRONG OF Hit: 55. Power: 45. Speed: 60. Fielding: 80. Arm: 55. BA Grade: 60. Risk: Medium. Born: March 25, 2002. B-T: L-L. HT: 5-11. WT: 184. Drafted: HS—Los Angeles, 2020 (1st round). Signed by: Rusty McNamara (Mets). TRACK RECORD: Crow-Armstrong grew up in the spotlight as the son of actors Matthew Armstrong and Ashley Crow, the latter of whom played the mother of the lead character in the 1994 baseball move “Little Big League.” Instead of following his parents into acting, Crow-Armstrong emerged early as a baseball prodigy and defensive savant in center field. He starred for USA Baseball’s 12U, 15U and 18U national teams and set school records for hits and runs scored at Harvard-Westlake High, the alma mater of all-star pitchers Max Fried, Lucas Giolito…

1 ADAEL AMADOR SS/2B Hit: 70. Power: 50. Speed: 55. Fielding: 50. Arm: 45. BA Grade: 60. Risk: High. Born: April 11, 2003. B-T: B-R. HT: 6-0. WT: 160. Drafted: Dominican Republic, 2019. Signed by: Rolando Fernandez/Martin Cabrera. TRACK RECORD: A well known amateur player in his native Dominican Republic, Amador competed for his nation’s U15 team before signing with the Rockies for $1.5 million in 2019. Amador debuted in the Arizona Complex League in 2021, hitting .299/.394/.445 while showing some of the most advanced skills in the league that season. He made his full-season debut the following spring with Low-A Fresno, playing in 115 games and hitting .292/.415/.445 with 15 home runs and 26 stolen bases. He was selected a California League all-star after leading the league in runs.…

Mayo Learns To Adapt To Advanced Pitchers Even in an Orioles system that has become a pipeline of young hitting talent, Coby Mayo’s season stood out. The 21-year-old third baseman led the organization with 29 home runs while driving in 99 runs between Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk. More importantly, he quickly adjusted to upper-level pitching at Norfolk without losing a sense of who he was as a hitter. “He’s a guy who can make very rapid adjustments, oftentimes in the middle of a game, which is really, really neat,” Norfolk hitting coach Brink Ambler said. “It’s been great to see him come to this level and, even though he’s a lot younger than a lot of these guys, he’s become a definite leader on the team.” During Mayo’s time…