Who is Redszone's #9 prospect? 2013

[Red Daddy]

I like Wright better than YRod or Lutz. Also like Chad Rogers and Gelalich better too.

[Ohayou]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

Soto isn't exactly young. Neither is Lutz. They aren't old, but they aren't young. Soto and Lutz shouldn't sniff this top 10. Corner players who at age 23 have multiple questions about their bats?

Seriously? He'll be 24 next month. I'm sure the median age for AAA players is a lot higher than that...

...and while Soto and Lutz may have questionable bats, Rodriguez is just on an entirely different level of suckage ATM.

[americanoutlaw1]

I don't get the love for Lutz. If we're going to elect someone based off power and no defensive value, Soto should be the first one off the board I would think

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by Ohayou

Seriously? He'll be 24 next month. I'm sure the median age for AAA players is a lot higher than that...

...and while Soto and Lutz may have questionable bats, Rodriguez is just on an entirely different level of suckage ATM.

Sure. Player. But not prospect. Most long term Major Leaguers are in the Majors by age 24.

Yorman needs to be more selective. But he also isn't a guy who is defensively limited to the extreme right side of the spectrum. Right now, he can still play center field. He may eventually grow out of it and find himself limited to right, which dings his damage. But Soto is absolutely limited to first base. Lutz has a chance to play left, though he has plenty of work to do out there still before he can stick. If he can't do that, he has to play first. That makes him a bench player because his bat isn't good enough to start at first base.

Yorman has more work to do, but he is 4 years younger and has a lot more wiggle room in his development.

[americanoutlaw1]

As an 18 and 19 year old with almost a combined full season of games in Dayton, Yorman has hit over 260 with 13 homers and 27 steals... Yes he struggled in Bakersfield, and yes he isn't Bryce Harper and yes those numbers aren't off the charts... But that is not a whole different level of "suckage". He held his own in low A as a teenager for 2 years, and now he is going to get to go back to the hitters haven that is the Cali league as a 20 year old... I think he gets a bad rap cuz of the high expectations that accompany him that he isn't living up to yet. It could get brutal as he flares helplessly at sliders in the dirt and chin high heaters- I'll grant you that... But it could just as easily get epic. His tools are all there, and he is about the only one on the list who could crack top prospect status in the game by the time it's all over. I'm still taking him here

[RedsManRick]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

Also going with Yorman here. Unmatched tools. Just 20. Needs to figure out how to hone in the strikezone though.

BP did an informal survey a while back (think it was Kevin Goldstein) which basically tried to find a guy who had a ton of tools but who was just really raw and who then turned in to a very good player. To many people's surprise, they couldn't find anybody.

Anyways, I prefer somebody who's shown more tools, even at 20. He not only has strikezone issues but contact issues. There's a long history of guys who could run, throw and hit for power but never turned into very good baseball players.

[Ohayou]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

Sure. Player. But not prospect. Most long term Major Leaguers are in the Majors by age 24.

Yorman needs to be more selective. But he also isn't a guy who is defensively limited to the extreme right side of the spectrum. Right now, he can still play center field. He may eventually grow out of it and find himself limited to right, which dings his damage. But Soto is absolutely limited to first base. Lutz has a chance to play left, though he has plenty of work to do out there still before he can stick. If he can't do that, he has to play first. That makes him a bench player because his bat isn't good enough to start at first base.

Yorman has more work to do, but he is 4 years younger and has a lot more wiggle room in his development.

Hanigan, Cozart, Frazier, Heisey - that's most of our team. Lol...age isn't as important to me as it is to you, obviously. But don't worry, I hate Soto as a prospect almost as much as Rodriguez. Lutz I think can put it together, whether it's with the Reds or some other club.

[Steve4192]

Originally Posted by americanoutlaw1

I don't get the love for Lutz. If we're going to elect someone based off power and no defensive value, Soto should be the first one off the board I would think

Agreed.

Soto is the same age, closer to the majors, and had a monster year as a 22 year old in AA back in 2011. Lutz has a had a couple of solid years as an old guy playing in single-A, but hasn't put together anything like Soto's 2011 breakout season. Lutz will be 24 years old on opening day and has yet to do anything of note in the high minors.

[Steve4192]

Originally Posted by americanoutlaw1

As an 18 and 19 year old with almost a combined full season of games in Dayton, Yorman has hit over 260 with 13 homers and 27 steals... Yes he struggled in Bakersfield, and yes he isn't Bryce Harper and yes those numbers aren't off the charts... But that is not a whole different level of "suckage". He held his own in low A as a teenager for 2 years, and now he is going to get to go back to the hitters haven that is the Cali league as a 20 year old.

A low 700s OPS isn't exactly getting it done, and this was his second year at that level without any marked improvement. In fact, his plate discipline appeared to get worse, and was flat-out terrible after his promotion (3 BB, 39K in 94 PA at Bakersfield). I wouldn't be surprised if they sent him back to Dayton again after that egg he laid in the California league.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by RedsManRick

BP did an informal survey a while back (think it was Kevin Goldstein) which basically tried to find a guy who had a ton of tools but who was just really raw and who then turned in to a very good player. To many people's surprise, they couldn't find anybody.

Anyways, I prefer somebody who's shown more tools, even at 20. He not only has strikezone issues but contact issues. There's a long history of guys who could run, throw and hit for power but never turned into very good baseball players.

At some point, everyone is raw. One problem with guys like Yorman is that because of their ability to sign at such a young age, they aren't really put on the same plan as others. Most guys his age were drafted just last year. How would his "rawness" look if he was in the Arizona League last year and Billings this past season? It is a tough thing and I often wonder if the aggressive promotion of guys like him, who have tools but not always the best eye at the plate, isn't extremely detrimental to them.

As for the "raw" to something category, the first two guys who jumped to mind were Sammy Sosa and Randy Johnson. More recently: Jose Bautista (I know, clearly different problems than Yorman has, but he went from a guy who had some tools he couldn't use to one of the best hitters in the league).

[mth123]

Originally Posted by Steve4192

Agreed.

Soto is the same age, closer to the majors, and had a monster year as a 22 year old in AA back in 2011. Lutz has a had a couple of solid years as an old guy playing in single-A, but hasn't put together anything like Soto's 2011 breakout season. Lutz will be 24 years old on opening day and has yet to do anything of note in the high minors.

That's true, but being from Germany may give Lutz more room to develop IMO. His baseball age is a lot lower than Soto's. Soto has probably already developped as much as he will. Lutz seems to have the experience of a typical high school kid.

Still, they and everyone outside of the top 4 or 5 are suspects. Honestly, if we had more info, we should probably be debating between Cisco, Langfield and Romano here, but I can't vote for guys without some more info. I hope that's true anyway or the cupboard may be bare (or only 2 or 3 deep) by next year at this time.

[Kc61]

I've read that Yorman is likely to wind up as a corner outfielder but has potential to be a very good one defensively. He apparently has an excellent throwing arm.

I voted for Yorman given his age and potential.

[RedsManRick]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

At some point, everyone is raw. One problem with guys like Yorman is that because of their ability to sign at such a young age, they aren't really put on the same plan as others. Most guys his age were drafted just last year. How would his "rawness" look if he was in the Arizona League last year and Billings this past season? It is a tough thing and I often wonder if the aggressive promotion of guys like him, who have tools but not always the best eye at the plate, isn't extremely detrimental to them.

As for the "raw" to something category, the first two guys who jumped to mind were Sammy Sosa and Randy Johnson. More recently: Jose Bautista (I know, clearly different problems than Yorman has, but he went from a guy who had some tools he couldn't use to one of the best hitters in the league).

Notably, if he were to follow their path, Rodriguez is 7 or 8 years and an organization or two off from the breakthrough those guys had.

[mace]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

Your information sounds like it was from 2010 rather than 2012.

I did read that Yorman had improved his attitude this year, and if he has gotten on track in those areas it's indeed a very good sign. But his turnaround has been reported in softer terms than his original attitude issues. I guess I need to be a little more convinced that he has acquired the makeup to succeed.

[marcshoe]

I went with Soto, but this is getting tough. I like Lotzkar's strikeouts but not his walks. Cisco might be a good bet. I want to vote for Yorman, but I'm growing increasingly skeptical.

In the end, I'll go with Soto's power, but I'd love to see Rahier or Yorman put together a really good season.