A prospect list built from prospect lists

By Evan Woodbery | ewoodber@mlive.com

The winter and early spring is the time for top-prospect rankings.

Rather than create yet another list of the Detroit Tigers’ best prospects, we decided to use a composite of other opinions.

We sampled Baseball Prospectus, ESPN (Keith Law), MLB.com Pipeline, Baseball America, FanGraphs and Prospects 361 and assigned points to each player based on their ranking in each list.

The result was a surprising amount of consensus.

Right-handed pitcher Matt Manning was No. 1 in every list. Outfielder Christin Stewart and pitcher Beau Burrows were either No. 2 or No. 3. Even further down the list, there were few dramatic disagreements.

The nature of being a baseball prospect is a sink-or-swim affair. If Manning takes a step back, he won’t No. 1 in 2018 (and he might be replaced by the new No. 1 draft pick in the subsequent rankings).

Likewise, older prospects like Stewart or fellow outfielder Michael Gerber must continue to take steps forward to maintain their place on the list.

Any player you would rate higher or lower? Leave your comments by clicking on the button above.

Photo by Mike Mulholland | MLive

Don't Edit

15. C Arvicent Perez

Age: 23

Highest level: Class A West Michigan

How acquired: Signed out of Venezuela in 2011.

Prospect path: He hit for average during his early years in the system, but his forte has always been his defense. With no home runs in 454 at-bats above rookie-league level, he'll look to add power as he moves up the organizational ladder.

Don't Edit

14. RHP Spencer Turnbull

Age: 24

Highest level: Class A (Advanced) Lakeland

How acquired: Drafted by the Tigers in the 2nd round out of Alabama in 2014

Prospect path: After logging his first full season in West Michigan in 2015, he missed much of last year with a right shoulder impingement. After rest and rehab, he was able to throw six promising starts for the Flying Tigers late last summer.

Don't Edit

13. RHP Sandy Baez

Age: 23

Highest level: Class A West Michigan

How acquired: Signed by the Tigers out of the Dominican Republic in 2011.

Prospect path: Baez was not a bonus-baby, mega-prospect as a teenager. He achieved his prospect status the old-fashioned way: Consistently putting up good numbers. He's opened some eyes this spring, too, despite being much younger than most of his teammates in the Major League camp. His excellent control makes him stand out among other hard-throwing young pitchers.

Photo by Mike Mulholland | MLive

Don't Edit

12. SS Dixon Machado

Age: 25

Highest level: MLB with the Tigers

How acquired: Signed by the Tigers out of Venezuela in 2009

Prospect path: Machado has always had the glove to play in the big leagues. The only question is whether his bat would catch up. After putting together three decent seasons offensively in the minor leagues, the Tigers think he's answered that question affirmatively. But with MLB shortstops increasingly hitting with more power, can Machado find a starting job -- with the Tigers or someone else?

Photo by Mike Mulholland | MLive

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

11. RHP Adam Ravenelle

Age: 24

Highest level: Class AA Erie

How acquired: Drafted by the Tigers in the 4th round out of Vanderbilt in 2014.

Prospect path: The hard-throwing reliever has moved swiftly through the Tigers' minor-league system. He hit his first small speed bump last year in Erie, where his strikeout rate dropped noticeably. He had an injury scare this spring, but seems to be OK.

Photo by Mike Mulholland | MLive

Don't Edit

10. OF Jose Azocar

Age: 20

Highest level: Class A West Michigan

How acquired: Signed by the Tigers out of Venezuela in 2012.

Prospect path: His prospect ranking is based solely on tools rather than numbers or production, which is normal for a player who has been younger than most of his teammates since being brought stateside in 2015. He's made some highlight-reel catches in the outfielder. He didn't homer in 501 at-bats last year, but he has plenty of time to grow.

Don't Edit

9. OF Michael Gerber

Age: 24

Highest level: Class AA Erie

How acquired: Drafted by the Tigers in the 15th round out of Creighton in 2014.

Prospect path: Unlike Azocar (above), Gerber has surged from organizational fodder to prospect territory by pounding the ball at every stop so far in the Tigers system. The Tigers could have one or two openings at the corner outfield spots in 2018 (and could also be in the midst of a rebuilding), so this year will be critical for Gerber to establish that he deserves a chance at competing for a vacancy.

Photo by Mike Mulholland | MLive

Don't Edit

8. OF JaCoby Jones

Age: 24

Highest level: MLB with Tigers

How acquired: Drafted by the Pirates in the 3rd round out of LSU in 2013. Acquired by the Tigers in exchange for Joakim Soria on July 30, 2015.

Prospect path: Jones has a credible shot at winning a roster spot this spring. If he doesn't, he'll be a Plan B waiting in Toledo and the Tigers might not wait long before making a switch. His numbers above Double-A have so far been very ordinary, but the Tigers have plenty of mashers. Jones' speed and athleticism make him a potential defensive asset in center, which the Tigers urgently need.

Photo by Mike Mulholland | MLive

Don't Edit

7. RHP Kyle Funkhouser

Age: 22

Highest level: Class A (short season) Connecticut

How acquired: Drafted by the Tigers in the 2nd round out of Louisville in 2016.

Prospect path: His 13 starts in Connecticut last summer did nothing to dampen enthusiasm for the second-rounder, one of several college pitchers that Tigers have drafted in the early rounds recently. He was once considered a potential No. 1 overall pick in the draft. But he returned to Louisville for his senior year after sliding to 35th overall and failing to reach a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

6. RHP Joe Jimenez

Age: 22

Highest level: Class AAA Toledo

How acquired: Signed by the Tigers as a minor-league free agent in 2013.

Prospect path: Jimenez was undrafted out of Puerto Rico but he began proving doubters wrong immediately. He's struck out 204 batters in 140 innings and posted a 1.59 ERA over six levels in the Tigers system. The debate over Jimenez as a prospect is somewhat philosophical. Are these lists meant to establish the likelihood that a player will become a serviceable big-leaguer or the likelihood that he'll be a star? The fact Jimenez is, at the moment, basically a two-pitch reliever is probably held against him by some. After all, there are dozens (hundreds?) of two-pitch relievers with a blazing fastball. But Jimenez's poise, control and ability to dominate hitters much older than him at every level shouldn't be ignored.

Photo by Mike Mulholland | MLive

Don't Edit

5. OF Derek Hill

Age: 21

Highest level: Class A West Michigan

How acquired: Drafted by the Tigers in 1st round in 2014.

Prospect path: There's no doubt that Hill has been a disappointment so far. But he's only 21 and he's battled injuries throughout his short career. He's on the shelf until this summer, so a full judgement on his future might not come until 2018. The fact that he's still rated this highly indicates that the pundits haven't given up on him quite yet.

Don't Edit

4. LHP Tyler Alexander

Age: 22

Highest level: Class AA Erie

How acquired: Drafted by the Tigers in the 2nd round out of TCU in 2015.

Prospect path: A very polished college southpaw, Alexander's command has given him the ability to immediately get outs against older competition in the minor leagues. But does he have the stuff to continue his mastery in the big leagues?

Don't Edit

3. RHP Beau Burrows

Age: 20

Highest level: Class A West Michigan

How acquired: Drafted by the Tigers in the 1st round in 2015.

Prospect path: Burrows throws in the mid-90s and can approach 100, and he put up good numbers in his first full season in the Tigers organization (although the dip in his strikeout rate was a bit worrisome.)

Don't Edit

2. OF Christin Stewart

Age: 23

Highest level: Class AA Erie

How acquired: Drafted by the Tigers in the 1st round out of Tennessee in 2015.

Prospect path: Stewart clubbed 30 homes runs between Lakeland and Erie last year, and he did so with an OBP of nearly .400. He'll get to make his case this year to being the Tigers' left- or right fielder of the future.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

1. RHP Matt Manning

Age: 19

Highest level: Rookie league

How acquired: Drafted by the Tigers in the 1st round in 2016

Prospect path: After an impressive debut in the Gulf Coast League, Manning is preparing to embark on his first full season of professional baseball. "He gets high marks for his makeup and that, along with his stuff and projectability, give him the ceiling of a frontline starter," MLB.com's Jim Callis wrote in declaring Manning the Tigers' top prospect -- and the 74th-best overall.