2014 BA Prospect Handbook - Top 30 Red Sox Prospects

mabrowndog

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The Top 10 were announced earlier this winter, and covered in this thread. As a reminder, with longtime BA editor Jim Callis having departed to join MLB.com, this year's list was tabulated by the inimitable Alex Speier (who, by the way, also wrote the Red Sox preview chapter for the 2014 Baseball Prospectus).
 
My copy just came today and I've only just begun perusing the 511 pages of total awesomeness. As usual it's the single most important resource a baseball fan can have when it comes to getting an in-depth handle on the player development systems for all 30 teams. Order it from Amazon (not sure what happened to the SoSH link) or direct from Baseball America. The direct option, while pricier, includes a bonus supplement featuring reports on the 31st-ranked prospect for each MLB club. Seriously, buy this book.
 
Anyway, here's how the rest of the system rates with positions, age as of 7/1/2014, last year's highest level played, and last winter's BA Top 30 ranking in parentheses (blue = rose, red = fell)
 
1. Xander Bogaerts, SS/3B, 21, MLB (1)
2. Henry Owens, LHSP, 21, AA (5)
3. Jackie Bradley Jr., OF, 24, MLB (2)
4. Allen Webster, RHSP, 24, MLB (4)
5. Blake Swihart, C, 22, A+ (6)
6. Garin Cecchini, 3B, 23, AA (7)
7. Mookie Betts, 2B, 21, A+ (NR)
8. Brandon Workman, RHSP/RP, 25, MLB (12)
9. Matt Barnes, RHSP, 24, AAA (3)
10. Trey Ball, LHSP, 20, R (NR)
11. Anthony Ranaudo, RHSP, 24, AAA (14)
12. Christian Vazquez, C, 23, AAA (19)
13. Manuel Margot, OF, 19, SS-A (20)
14. Brian Johnson, LHSP, 23, A+ (15)
15. Deven Marrero, SS, 23, AA (10)
16. Bryce Brentz, OF, 25, AAA (8)
17. Drake Britton, LHSP/RP, 24, MLB (11)
18. Wendell Rijo, 2B, 18, SS-A (NR)
19. Teddy Stankiewicz, RHSP, 20, SS-A (NR)
20. Rafael Devers, 3B, 17, n/a (NR)
21. Cody Kukuk, LHSP, 21, A- (27)
22. Jamie Callahan, RHSP, 19, SS-A (NR)
23. Daniel McGrath, LHSP, 19, SS-A (NR)
24. Simon Mercedes, RHSP, 22, SS-A (28)
25. Dan Butler, C, 27, AAA (NR)
26. Travis Shaw, 1B, 24, AA (23)
27. Javier Guerra, SS, 18, R (NR)
28. Tzu-Wei Lin, SS, 20, SS-A (16)
29. Alex Wilson, RHRP, 27, MLB (18)
30. Sean Coyle, 2B, 22, A+ (24)
 
Others from last year's Top 30:
 
8. Jose Iglesias, SS (DET)
13. Brandon Jacobs, OF (CWS) 
17. Jose Vinicio, SS (Dropped Out)
21. Pat Light, RHSP (Dropped Out)
22. Francelis Montas, RHSP (CWS) 
25. Keury de la Cruz, OF (Dropped Out)
26. Ty Buttrey, RHSP (Dropped Out)
29. Stolmy Pimentel, RHSP (PIT)
30. Miguel Pena, LHSP (Dropped Out)
 
BA also has a separate list for each club rating the Top 15 Players Under Age 25 regardless of rookie status. For the Red Sox, it's #1 thru #13 above with Will Middlebrooks slotted 6th (between Swihart & Cecchini) and Rubby De La Rosa 8th (between Betts & Workman).
 
So to recap: 
 
* 9 fresh faces, including two debuting in the Top 10.
* 10 repeat members who've climbed the rankings.
* 2 held their spots from last year (though one of them had nowhere else to go but down).
* 9 placed lower this year (but let's face it, JBJ dropping from 2 to 3 doesn't even count).
* 5 players still in the system dropped out (though all are still young enough to get back on track).
 
Biggest Climbers:
 
+7 Vazquez, Margot
+6 Kukuk
+4 Workman, Mercedes
+3 Ranaudo, Owens
 
Biggest Fallers:
 
-12 Lin
-11 Wilson
-08 Brentz
-06 Barnes, Britton, Coyle
-05 Marrero
 
By primary position (14 pitchers, 16 hitters):
 
C - 3
1B - 1
2B - 3
SS - 4
3B - 2
OF - 3
RHSP - 7
LHSP - 6
RHRP - 1
 
By age (as of June 1, 2014):
 
17 - 1
18 - 2
19 - 3
20 - 3
21 - 4
22 - 3
23 - 4
24 - 6
25 - 2
26 - 0
27 - 2
 
By top level in 2013:
 
6 - MLB
5 - AAA
4 - AA
4 - High A
1 - Low A
7 - SS-A
2 - Rookie
1 - No Pro Ball
 

The Gray Eagle

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Our 17th best prospect already has a World Series ring. Our 29th best prospect does too.
 
Life is grand.
 
In most years, if our top 5 prospects were say, Raunado, Vazquez, Marrero, Brentz and Margot, we'd have a lot to be excited about. That would be a very decent top 5. Now, not one of them can crack our top 10.
 
I don't see Rubby on the list either, nice to have a guy like that to just chuck into the mix as well.
 

mabrowndog

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The Gray Eagle said:
I don't see Rubby on the list either, nice to have a guy like that to just chuck into the mix as well.
 
He's not in the Top 30 because he's no longer rookie-eligible, and hence not a "prospect". But he's mentioned (both in the BA chapter and the opening post) as part of their Top 15 Sox Under Age 25, which also includes WMB.
 

TheGoldenGreek33

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mabrowndog said:
Anyway, here's how the rest of the system rates with positions, age as of 7/1/2014, last year's highest level played, and last winter's BA Top 30 ranking in parentheses (blue = rose, red = fell)
 
1. Xander Bogaerts, SS/3B, 21, MLB (1)
2. Henry Owens, LHSP, 21, AA (5)
3. Jackie Bradley Jr., OF, 24, MLB (2)
4. Allen Webster, RHSP, 24, MLB (4)
5. Blake Swihart, C, 22, A+ (6)
6. Garin Cecchini, 3B, 23, AA (7)
7. Mookie Betts, 2B, 21, A+ (NR)
8. Brandon Workman, RHSP/RP, 25, MLB (12)
9. Matt Barnes, RHSP, 24, AAA (3)
10. Trey Ball, LHSP, 20, R (NR)
11. Anthony Ranaudo, RHSP, 24, AAA (14)
12. Christian Vazquez, C, 23, AAA (19)
13. Manuel Margot, OF, 19, SS-A (20)
14. Brian Johnson, LHSP, 23, A+ (15)
15. Deven Marrero, SS, 23, AA (10)
16. Bryce Brentz, OF, 25, AAA (8)
17. Drake Britton, LHSP/RP, 24, MLB (11)
18. Wendell Rijo, 2B, 18, SS-A (NR)
19. Teddy Stankiewicz, RHSP, 20, SS-A (NR)
20. Rafael Devers, 3B, 17, n/a (NR)
21. Cody Kukuk, LHSP, 21, A- (27)
22. Jamie Callahan, RHSP, 19, SS-A (NR)
23. Daniel McGrath, LHSP, 19, SS-A (NR)
24. Simon Mercedes, RHSP, 22, SS-A (28)
25. Dan Butler, C, 27, AAA (NR)
26. Travis Shaw, 1B, 24, AA (23)
27. Javier Guerra, SS, 18, R (NR)
28. Tzu-Wei Lin, SS, 20, SS-A (16)
29. Alex Wilson, RHRP, 27, MLB (18)
30. Sean Coyle, 2B, 22, A+ (24)
 
Biggest Climbers:
 
+7 Vazquez, Margot
+6 Kukuk
+4 Workman, Mercedes
+3 Ranaudo, Owens
 
Biggest Fallers:
 
-12 Lin
-11 Wilson
-08 Brentz
-06 Barnes, Britton, Coyle
-05 Marrero
 
Thanks for the breakdown. It would be interesting from a scouting / player development standpoint to look back at previous BA Handbooks' and see when the last time this system endured such a wide-scale breakout year. Maybe after the '06 season? Whenever, this staff is getting it done from all aspects--draft, international, via trade.
 
Top 15 Under 25:
 
1. Xander Bogaerts -- International (2009)
2. Henry Owens -- Draft (2011)
3. Jackie Bradley Jr. -- Draft (2011)
4. Allen Webster -- Trade (2012)
5. Blake Swihart -- Draft (2011)
6. Will Middlebrooks -- Draft (2007)
7. Garin Cecchini -- Draft (2010)
8. Rubby De La Rosa -- Trade (2012)
9. Mookie Betts -- Draft (2011)
10. Brandon Workman -- Draft (2010)
11. Matt Barnes -- Draft (2011)
12. Trey Ball -- Draft (2013)
13. Anthony Ranaudo -- Draft (2010)
14. Christian Vazquez -- Draft (2008)
15. Manuel Margot -- International (2011)
 
Five of the top 11 were from the 2011 draft. Just imagine if they hadn't signed Crawford that year. Could've had someone like Robert Stephenson.
 

tbrown_01923

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Arguably the biggest climber was betts who went from unlisted to #7 - at least a gain of +23 possibly more.  But who really cares I am excited. Game On!