Who is Redszone's #5 prospect?

[*BaseClogger*]

First off, nothing is guaranteed with a player at the Pioneer League level. Nothing.

Second, guys with power do tend to strike out more. It's easier to avoid strikeouts when you are a 2 homer player than a 17 homer player.

Again, I wouldn't rank Cozart this high either. And it's fun to hope great athletes become great ballplayers.

But let's give some credit for achievement at the high minors levels. We'll see how the Pioneer League people do when they get there.

Cozart OPS'd .726. What's the big accomplishment?

[*BaseClogger*]

107 strikeouts in 610 plate appearances scares you?

It's contributing to that low BA, which is the thing that really scares me...

[*BaseClogger*]

I forgot how lively and smarmy I can be! I missed this place!

[dougdirt]

It's contributing to that low BA, which is the thing that really scares me...

Except that isn't really the issue with the low BA.

[*BaseClogger*]

Except that isn't really the issue with the low BA.

So he doesn't square the ball enough, eh?

[dougdirt]

So he doesn't square the ball enough, eh?

Yes. He has his share of flyballs/infield pop ups.

[New Fever]

Billy Hamilton. Not too close IMO. Switch hitter who showed skills from both sides of the plate. Plus plus speed. Plus plus defense. The main concern is a lack of power at this point. I will take that concern for a middle infielder with the rest of his game and not think twice about it.

Yasmani Grandal has to be pretty close to Hamilton. Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus, and John Sickels have all stated that Grandal is a lock for their Top 100 list. Sickels even said that he would take Grandal over Devin Mesoraco. I think Grandal is being underrated here.

[JaxRed]

I'm a ceiling guy not a proximity guy. So I'm going with Hamilton, who made a jump in levels yet still took his game to a way higher level. Top Prospect in Pioneer League says something.

[*BaseClogger*]

Yes. He has his share of flyballs/infield pop ups.

Thanks for the info.

While not as alarming as strikeouts, major league pitchers know how to exploit weaknesses like those too. Especially if he has warning-track power. How much do you buy into his power? Those doubles he has accumulated are nice...

[*BaseClogger*]

Yasmani Grandal has to be pretty close to Hamilton. Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus, and John Sickels have all stated that Grandal is a lock for their Top 100 list. Sickels even said that he would take Grandal over Devin Mesoraco. I think Grandal is being underrated here.

He's my #6, FWIW...

[dougdirt]

Yasmani Grandal has to be pretty close to Hamilton. Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus, and John Sickels have all stated that Grandal is a lock for their Top 100 list. Sickels even said that he would take Grandal over Devin Mesoraco. I think Grandal is being underrated here.

John has flipped a few times on Mesoraco/Grandal, but from what I have read from John, he is much more pro Grandal defensively than I am.

With me, Grandal's upside is essentially to be what Mesoraco is right now but who happens to switch hit. That is why I can't take Grandal over Mesoraco at this point and don't feel its all that close between the two guys.

FTR, I don't see any way that Hamilton isn't a Top 100 prospect when lists start rolling out.

[dougdirt]

Thanks for the info.

While not as alarming as strikeouts, major league pitchers know how to exploit weaknesses like those too. Especially if he has warning-track power. How much do you buy into his power? Those doubles he has accumulated are nice...

I believe in the power. He is a 15-20 HR, 35 double guy.

[*BaseClogger*]

I believe in the power. He is a 15-20 HR, 35 double guy.

So you see him upping his power in the bigs?

I just can't see him developing far beyond where he's at now. He is 25 years old and a nearly finished product, IMO...

[dougdirt]

So you see him upping his power in the bigs?

I expect him to get more at bats, for starters. The minor league seasons go 140-144 games. Major League seasons go a little longer. Plus, he is likely to get a little stronger moving forward.

[New Fever]

John has flipped a few times on Mesoraco/Grandal, but from what I have read from John, he is much more pro Grandal defensively than I am.

With me, Grandal's upside is essentially to be what Mesoraco is right now but who happens to switch hit. That is why I can't take Grandal over Mesoraco at this point and don't feel its all that close between the two guys.

FTR, I don't see any way that Hamilton isn't a Top 100 prospect when lists start rolling out.

I agree, but was speaking more on the fact that Grandal is an industry lock to be a Top 100 prospect, and he has one vote. Grandal and Hamilton will be ranked fairly close to each other when list come out this winter.