Post-Draft Top Ten???

[Superdude]

Grandal is an advanced, polished college performer, Mes is very much a work in progress.

How is Grandal not a work in progress? He's hardly a can't miss prospect and has yet to step into a professional batter's box.

Remember all the reports that the Reds had blown the pick. BA ranked him 30th among Reds prospects this year.

What reports? Mesoraco was unanimously a mid first round talent. And it shouldn't have been a shock that a high school catcher from Pennsylvania didn't dominate the minors right out of the gate, especially with the nagging injuries the past few years.

[Benihana]

From BA chat today:

Billy (Brandywine, MD): All four Reds minor league teams are currently in last place. Mesoraco hasn't exactly shined since his promotion to AA, and other than a few fringe prospects (Sappelt and Valaika come to mind) none of the hitters have shown much this season. The pitching prospects have been better, but there doesn't appear to be a much talent at the lower levels. Should the Reds be "betting the farm" that this is their year? Is the future as bleak as it appears, or are there good prospects having bad years?


J.J. Cooper: The Reds' farm system talent takes a significant drop once you get below Triple-A. But there is a reasonable explanation for that. Last year's No. 1 pick, Mike Leake, is starring in the big leagues—it won't help their farm system ranking, but it's helping them win games. Their 2008 third-rounder Zach Stewart, was traded away to get Scott Rolen (they didn't have a second-round pick that year).Two of their top three picks in the 2007 draft are in Triple-A. So if you look at the top talents in the Reds' system from the past three drafts, most of them are either in the big leagues, have been traded away or are in Triple-A. The big league club now has young home-grown players at C, 1B, RF, CF and LF (at times) as well as three-fifths of the rotation, so while there isn't much help at Class A or Double-A, there also aren't a whole lot of upcoming needs. The Reds have no reason not to dangle Yonder Alonso/Juan Francisco/Todd Frazier if they can swing a deal to help their playoff chances this year, especially because the majority of players on the big league club will be back next year already, which means those guys are likely blocked anyway.

Very interesting and I am in complete agreement. Now is the best possible time to be trading away the farm for big league help. Other than Chapman, there is no one in the organization that I would be distraught over trading provided there was value coming back.

As far as the talent drop off after AAA, it is very true. Although way too early, in the spirit of this thread, take a look at the (arguably) top ten prospects below AAA:

1. Yorman Rodriguez
2. Yasmani Grandal
3. Devin Mesoraco
4. Brad Boxberger
5. Donnie Joseph
6. Ryan LaMarre
7. Billy Hamilton
8. Juan Duran
9. David Sappelt
10. Neftali Soto