The explanations here may well end up being a lot of "belief" over "reason" but it might be fun to get it on record. I'm excluding several names here, as they are already often talked about as being on people's "untouchable" lists. So no Mookie Betts, Blake Swihart or Henry Owens. I also shied away from guys who were on the verge of breaking into the majors for the most part, so no Webster or DLR. You could argue that Ranaudo should be scratched too, but he doesn't get mentioned as an "untouchable" much (if at all) and isn't likely to get many major league innings this year without a trade or injury. Players currently on the 25 man who are likely there for good were excluded as well, so no Bogaerts, Bradley or Vazquez.
So with all that laid out, I'm picking Devers, Anderson Espinoza and Michael Kopech. Devers was described as having an incredibly advanced hit tool last year at the time of his signing. All he's done since then is prove that to be true. He murdered the ball in the DSL (yeah, it's the DSL...) and has followed that up by hitting even better in the GCL since his call up. It looks like the hype may well have been accurate on him.
Kopech is interesting because of how incredibly nasty his stuff looks. If he can harness it and stay healthy, I can see him climbing the ladder the way Owens has. His stuff is as good, except it's his fastball and curve that are his best pitches and he's already throwing as hard as Owens while being almost 4 years younger than him (3 years 9 months difference).
There's an element of optical illusion going on here, but look at these pitches...
http://youtu.be/IU6coqQBgNI
Admittedly, Espinoza is based nearly 100% on feeling, but this write up from BA has me giddy about his potential.
Yes, this is going to be a thread of prospect humping to the extreme, and no it's not going to lead to a ton of well reasoned, grounded, posting. It's meant to be fun and think big. It's been a shitty dark season at the major league level. The farm has been a strong source of comfort for many, so let's do something to liven the place up a little more.
So with all that laid out, I'm picking Devers, Anderson Espinoza and Michael Kopech. Devers was described as having an incredibly advanced hit tool last year at the time of his signing. All he's done since then is prove that to be true. He murdered the ball in the DSL (yeah, it's the DSL...) and has followed that up by hitting even better in the GCL since his call up. It looks like the hype may well have been accurate on him.
Kopech is interesting because of how incredibly nasty his stuff looks. If he can harness it and stay healthy, I can see him climbing the ladder the way Owens has. His stuff is as good, except it's his fastball and curve that are his best pitches and he's already throwing as hard as Owens while being almost 4 years younger than him (3 years 9 months difference).
There's an element of optical illusion going on here, but look at these pitches...
http://youtu.be/IU6coqQBgNI
Admittedly, Espinoza is based nearly 100% on feeling, but this write up from BA has me giddy about his potential.
Francisco Rodriguez set the Venezuelan bonus record in 1998 when he signed with the Angels for $900,000. That’s how long it’s been since veteran scouts say that have seen a Venezuelan righthander with Espinoza’s size and talent. At (maybe) 6 feet, Espinoza has a Yordano Venturaframe that’s undersized by conventional scouting standards but has the best arm in the class. His fastball has steadily picked up speed over the last year, sitting in the low-90s and touching 94. With his outstanding arm speed, loose arm action and easy delivery, Espinoza has projection to throw even harder despite his smaller stature.
Beyond lighting up the radar gun, Espinoza separates himself from the class with his pitchability and secondary stuff. He throws slightly across his body at times but it’s a clean, repeatable delivery that helps him fill up the strike zone. His curveball has tight spin and sharp bite, a swing-and-miss offering that projects as a future plus pitch. The changeup is Espinoza’s third pitch, and while he hasn’t needed to use it much yet, he shows feel to throw it with good arm speed. He has pitched in several national and international tournaments, so his ability to set up hitters is advanced for his age. Espinoza is better—especially in terms of his delivery and ability to throw strikes—than Rangers 6-foot Dominican righthander Marcos Diplan, the top Latin American pitcher for July 2 last year. With the Red Sox believed to have heavy interest in Espinoza, who trains with Felix Luzon, that could push his price tag close to $2 million.
Yes, this is going to be a thread of prospect humping to the extreme, and no it's not going to lead to a ton of well reasoned, grounded, posting. It's meant to be fun and think big. It's been a shitty dark season at the major league level. The farm has been a strong source of comfort for many, so let's do something to liven the place up a little more.