BA Mid-season Top 50

[mth123]

Haven't seen this posted, so sorry if this is a duplicate.

Robert Stephenson 27th
Billy Hamilton 36th

Cingrani not eligible.

In a related article, Jesse Winker named one of 10 breakthrough propsects for 2013 and is a good candidate for next year's top 100.

[mth123]

Here is the link.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minor...-50-prospects/

[mdccclxix]

36 Billy Hamilton of Reds
Move to outfield has gone well, has best speed in baseball, but his lefthanded swing still needs work.

I don't understand this if his lefthanded swing is producing far more than his right handed swing, which has produced a .588 OPS. Others have said his right handed swing is his natural, but it's been so far behind this year I think it deserves reconsideration.

[mdccclxix]

27 Robert Stephenson rhp Reds
Not many starting pitchers can touch 100 mph consistently, especially with potential plus secondary stuff.

I honestly think he should be ahead of some of the players like Castellanos at 16, the injured Bundy, Wacha and others, but maybe it's not quite time to feature him in the top 15. I feel like his injury just derailed his momentum in time.

[mdccclxix]

To me, it seems like this top 50 is pretty weak. Maybe it's because BA listed a lot of the limitations for these players.

[Tom Servo]

from the comments section

Robert Stephenson is too low -- Wacha is too high.

Dude knows what's up.

[757690]

Dumbest comment of the lot:

12 Michael Wacha rhp Cardinals
In a thinner organization, he’d have made more than three big league starts this year.

Cards used John Gast, and Tyler Lyons and before they used Wacha, and are now using Joe Kelly instead of Wacha.

Wacha isn't up because the Cards don't think he's ready, not because he's being blocked.

[klw]

From the chat:

http://www.baseballamerica.com/chat/?1373293151

Grant (NYC): Prior to his injury, Robert Stephenson was dominating the MWL, so I was expecting to see him higher than where you had him ranked. Your thoughts? Could he skip over the CAL once healthy and play for Pensacola?

J.J. Cooper: In an initial list, Stephenson was higher, but a number of scouts and front office player personnel people we talked to thought he was too high on the initial list because he's still a long ways from the big leagues. As they saw it, guys with similar stuff and more track record at higher levels should rank ahead of Stephenson so we made an adjustment. I think it's more likely that Stephenson could move quickly through Bakersfield rather than skip it altogether, but if he remains in Dayton all year, I do think he could start next year in Pensacola, a la Daniel Corcino.

[Benihana]

Wacha as a top 15 prospect is absurd. He may be big league ready, but he is a #3 starter at best. Even before jumping straight to the big leagues, Leake never would have ranked that high, and Wacha is arguably a poor man's Leake.

[Superdude]

As they saw it, guys with similar stuff and more track record at higher levels should rank ahead of Stephenson so we made an adjustment.

Lotta guys consistently touching 100MPH and dominating the upper minor leagues these days?