Since the minor league season ended, I've received dozens of requests for a new prospect list.

Normally I wouldn't do the next list until my book is finished in January. I don't mean to sound like Dayton Moore, but I have a very specific Process developed over the last 15 years to make sure every list is as comprehensive as possible.

For example, integrating 2012 draftees/signees who have small performance records (Buxton, Correa, etc.) is problematic. With my normal Process, I have months to gather and analyze information to get the placement for those guys right. As I write the book, I do an individual analysis for each player (and about 1000 others) to get a letter grade, then do the list and make adjustments once the grades are done.

I haven't even started the grading for 2013 yet, but people want a list now, so here it is. The next version of the list will be finished when the 2013 Baseball Prospect Book goes to press in January. I'm confident in the names here, but the exact rankings, particularly outside the top ten, may look quite different in January compared to what you see here. This list should be understood as a working document.



Top 50 Hitting Prospects

1) Jurickson Profar, SS, Texas Rangers

2) Oscar Taveras, OF, St. Louis Cardinals

3) Wil Myers, OF, Kansas City Royals

4) Xander Bogaerts, SS, Boston Red Sox

5) Javier Baez, SS, Chicago Cubs

6) Miguel Sano, 3B, Minnesota Twins

7) Billy Hamilton, SS, Cincinnati Reds

8) Mike Zunino, C, Seattle Mariners

9) Travis D'Arnaud, C, Toronto Blue Jays

10) Francisco Lindor, SS, Cleveland Indians

11) Christian Yelich, OF, Miami Marlins

12) Nick Castellanos, 3B, Detroit Tigers

13) Mike Olt, 3B, Texas Rangers

14) Trevor Story, SS, Colorado Rockies

15) Jonathan Singleton, 1B, Houston Astros

16) Nick Franklin, SS, Seattle Mariners

17) Jedd Gyorko, 3B, San Diego Padres

18) Carlos Correa, SS, Houston Astros

19) Byron Buxton, OF, Minnesota Twins

20) Oswaldo Arcia, OF, Minnesota Twins

21) Nolan Arenado, 3B, Colorado Rockies

22) Eddie Rosario, 2B-OF, Minnesota Twins

23) Gary Sanchez, C, New York Yankees

24) Jackie Bradley, OF, Boston Red Sox

25) Brad Miller, SS, Seattle Mariners

26) Kolten Wong, 2B, St. Louis Cardinals

27) Tyler Austin, OF, New York Yankees

28) Wilmer Flores, 3B, New York Mets

29) Gregory Polanco, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates

30) Alen Hanson, 2B, Pittsburgh Pirates

31) Kaleb Cowart, 3B, Los Angeles Angels

32) Addison Russell, SS, Oakland Athletics

33) David Dahl, OF, Colorado Rockies

34) Yasiel Puig, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers

35) Alberto Almora, OF, Chicago Cubs

36) Jorge Soler, OF, Chicago Cubs

37) George Springer, OF, Houston Astros

38) Rymer Liriano, OF, San Diego Padres

39) Joc Pederson, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers

40) Mason Williams, OF, New York Yankees

41) Miles Head, 1B, Oakland Athletics

42) Michael Choice, Of, Oakland Athletics

43) Austin Hedges, C, San Diego Padres

44) Anthony Rendon, 3B, Washington Nationals

45) Delino DeShields, 2B, Houston Astros

46) Brian Goodwin, OF, Washington Nationals

47) Leonys Martin, OF, Texas Rangers

48) Bubba Starling, OF, Kansas City Royals

49) Kyle Parker, OF, Colorado Rockies

50) Dan Vogelbach, 1B, Chicago Cubs



Additional caveat: I've got serious back problems right now and the muscle relaxers zone me out a bit. Oddities may result.