This list will be changing a lot as the new year approaches, and much more again once the spring season gets going. It’s difficult to project just which prep players will make a jump forward at this point, as some will undoubtedly develop more by spring 2012, and some will fall off a bit. The guys ranking higher on this list are either those who have already shown a lot in showcase events the past few years, or those who clearly have really loud, no-doubt tools. Ideally I will have a clear list of 200 names by the spring, hopefully more. While there are a few excellent college righties out there, prep pitching, prep middle infield talent, and college/prep catchers have gotten a lot of my attention early on. As the draft gets closer, I’ll look to separate the differences between some of these groups:
- The Appel/Gausman/Beck/Zimmer/Wacha/Sanburn tier. I look at them (and probably a few others) as the top tier of right-handed college pitching. Appel and Gausman (maybe Beck) will be in their own tier most likely at some point, but we will keep them like this for now. I’m very interested to see what Sanburn does going forward, hopefully offering up a bigger sample of innings this spring.
- The Cecchini/Correa/Valentin/Rahier/(Bregman..?) tier of prep shortstops. All have their own unique upside at the moment. Correa has the lead with the biggest tools right now. I personally think Cecchini is the most reliable option right now.
- College Catchers: Zunino/Elander/Murphy/Freeman/Phillips/Escobar. Zunino is the obvious first rounder, with Elander emerging this summer. Tom Murphy has shown off a big bat for a guy who will very likely stick at catcher as a pro. Dane Phillips may not play this year as the NCAA has yet to grant him a waiver to avoid being red shirted after his transfer to Arkansas.
- Beyond that, getting some separation between the many, many high school pitchers out there will be one of the biggest projects.
The Top 140 is after the break…
- Mark Appel, RHP (Stanford)
- Luc Giolito, RHP (California HS)
- Kevin Gausman, RHP (LSU)
- Byron Buxton, OF (Georgia HS)
- Deven Marrero, SS (Arizona State)
- Mike Zunino, C (Florida)
- Carlos Correa, SS (Puerto Rico Academy)
- Gavin Cecchini, SS (Louisiana HS)
- Jesmuel Valentin, SS (Puerto Rico Academy)
- Hunter Virant, LHP (California HS)
- Max Fried, LHP (California HS)
- David Dahl, OF (Alabama HS)
- Chris Beck, RHP (Georgia Southern)
- Taylore Cherry, RHP (Ohio HS)
- Walker Weikel, RHP (Florida HS)
- Lance McCullers, RHP (California HS)
- Freddy Avis, RHP (California HS)
- Kenny Diekroeger, SS (Stanford)
- Victor Roache, OF (Georgia Southern)
- Alex Bregman, C/INF (New Mexico HS)
- Lucas Sims, RHP (Georgia HS)
- Matt Smoral, LHP (Ohio HS)
- Kyle Zimmer, RHP (San Fransisco)
- Lewis Brinson, OF (Florida HS)
- Trey Williams, 3rd (California HS)
- Brandon Thomas, OF (Georgia Tech)
- Michael Wacha, RHP (Texas A&M)
- Travis Jankowski, OF (Stony Brook)
- Josh Elander, C (Texas Christian)
- Richie Shaffer, 1st/3rd (Clemson)
- Tom Murphy, C (Buffalo)
- Stryker Trahan, C (Louisiana HS)
- Ty Hensley, RHP (Mississippi HS)
- Ronnie Freeman, C (Kennesaw State)
- Stephen Piscotty, 3rd/OF (Stanford)
- Brian Johnson LHP (Florida)
- Jake Barrett, RHP (Arizona State)
- Duane Underwood, RHP (Georgia HS)
- Cody Poteet, RHP (California HS)
- Tyler Naquin, OF (Texas A&M)
- Jameis Winston, OF/P (Alabama HS)
- Lex Rutledge, RHP (Samford)
- Tanner Rahier, SS (California HS)
- Marcus Stroman, RHP (Duke)
- David Thompson, OF/3rd (Florida HS)
- Nolan Sanburn, RHP (Arkansas)
- Addison Russell, 3rd (Florida HS)
- Nick Williams, OF (Texas HS)
- Brady Rodgers, RHP (Arizona State)
- D.J. Baxendale, RHP (Arkansas)
- Dylan Floro, RHP (Cal State Fullerton)
- James Ramsey, OF (Florida State)
- Josh Conway, RHP (Coastal Carolina)
- Buck Farmer, RHP (Georgia Tech)
- Albert Almora, OF (Florida HS)
- Rhett Wiseman, OF (Massachusetts HS)
- Jesse Winker, OF/1st (Florida HS)
- Kurt Heyer, RHP (Arizona)
- Kyle Hansen, RHP (St. John’s)
- Hoby Milner, LHP (Texas)
- Hudson Randall, RHP (Florida)
- Carson Kelly, 3rd/RHP (Portland HS)
- Justin Jones, LHP (Cal)
- Christian Jones, LHP (Oregon)
- Andrew Haney, LHP (Oklahoma State)
- Dane Phillips, C (Arkansas)
- Rio Ruiz, RHP/3rd (California HS)
- Wyatt Mathisen, C (Texas HS)
- Clint Coulter, C (Washington HS)
- Corey Seager, SS (North Carolina HS)
- Branden Kline, RHP (Virginia)
- Adam Walker, OF (Jacksonville)
- Jeremy Baltz, OF (St. John’s)
- Mitch Haniger, OF (Cal Poly)
- J.T. Chargois, RHP (Rice)
- Cameron Perkins, 3rd (Purdue)
- Carlos Escobar, C (Nevada)
- Jason Goldstein, C (Illinois HS)
- Joey Gallo, 3rd/RHP (Nevada HS)
- Austin Maddox, 1st/C/RHP (Florida)
- Luke Maile, C (Kentucky)
- Jackson Campana, C (North Carolina HS)
- Nolan Fontana, INF (Florida)
- Zach Eflin, RHP (Florida HS)
- Jeremy Kivel, RHP (Texas HS)
- Zachary Jemiola, RHP (California HS)
- Keon Barnum, 1st (Florida HS)
- Patrick Wisdom, 3rd (St. Mary’s)
- Sam Selman, LHP (Vanderbilt)
- Clate Schmidt, RHP (Georgia HS)
- Nathan Mikolas, OF (Wisconsin HS)
- Cameron Dishon, OF (Texas HS)
- Shaun Cooper, OF (Utah)
- Brian Trieglaff, RHP (Texas HS)
- Fernelys Sanchez, OF (New York HS)
- Robert Whalen, RHP (Florida HS)
- Mitchell Traver, RHP (Texas HS)
- Ryan McNeil, RHP (California HS)
- Anthony Alford, OF (Mississippi HS)
- Mac Williamson, OF (Wake Forest)
- Courtney Hawkins, OF (Texas HS)
- Josh Henderson, OF (Virginia HS)
- Stephen Bruno, SS (Virginia)
- Hayden Hurst, RHP (Florida HS)
- Christopher Chinea, C (Florida HS)
- Nathan Kirby, LHP (Virginia HS)
- Dylan LaVelle, SS (Washington HS)
- Avery Romero, SS (Florida HS)
- Nick Travieso, RHP (Florida HS)
- Ryan Burr, RHP (Colorado HS)
- Carlos Lopez, 1st (Cal State Fullerton)
- Damian Magnifico, RHP (Oklahoma)
- Ted Blackman, OF (Coastal Carolina)
- Robbie Zinzmeister, 2nd/OF (Indiana U of Penn.)
- Matt Reynolds, 3rd (Arkansas)
- Chris Jenkins, RHP (Stanford)
- Anthony Bazzani, RHP (Eastern Kentucky)
- Brandon Kuter, RHP (George Mason)
- Jeramy Matos, OF (Central Florida)
- Luke Esquerra, OF (Cal Baptist)
- Ben Mcquown, OF (Campbell)
- Shae Simmons, RHP (Southeast Missouri)
- Koby Kraemer, INF (Indiana State)
- Tanner Leighton, OF (The Master’s)
- Ty Forney, SS (New Mexico State)
- A.J. Simcox, SS (Tennessee HS)
- Mike Yastrzemski, OF (Vanderbilt)
- Michael Ratterree, OF (Rice)
- Brett Mooneyham, LHP (Stanford)
- Jason Jester, RHP (Texas A&M)
- Chase Mullins, LHP (Kentucky HS)
- Conor Baits, RHP (California HS)
- Kolby Copeland, OF (Louisiana HS)
- Tejay Antone, RHP (Texas HS)
- Austin Dean, 1st/INF (Texas HS)
- Andy Martinez, LHP (Florida HS)
- Alex Lavandero, RHP (Florida HS)
- Eric Neitzel, 3rd (Florida HS)
- Leon Byrd, SS/OF (Texas)
-
Richi Martin, INF (Florida HS)
Thanks a ton for this. I’m quite well versed in MiLB prospects, but haven’t read much about the 2012 draft. This’ll be a good reference point.
I’ll be doing some more position-specific reports once we finish up our top 20 series. Once those different posts are done, I’ll be moving back to this list, ideally expanding it.
Was there a reason that Nick Williams of Ball HS in Galveston, TX was omitted.
IMO, top 10 2012 prospect
Nick definitely has a ton of talent, and has some of the best tools in this draft, but it’s sounding like he’s still plenty raw/a step behind some of the other top guys, developmentally speaking.
Either way, it’s still incredibly early, and he could easily push his way into the first round considering his ceiling.
*Connor Baits goes to Point Loma High in San Diego. Not Texas HS
Jack Bernacchi goes to Elkhart Central HS in Indiana. Not in Georgia.
Keep an eye on Chase Mullins,6’9 256 lb. lefty from Bourbon Co. Kentucky. This kid busted his butt this off season and has picked up velocity. If this kid puts it all together he will sky rocket up the charts.