Ranking Top 80 Padres Prospects

My Top Prospect methodology was simple — I think. Try not to follow the hype too much and rumors from the various sites as much as possible — as teams’ valuation measurement vary, and while the rumors of helium prospect rise and fall throughout the industry appear to change daily, that’s not always the case for the teams coveting such prospects. There’s many many factors.

I note players throughout the year (much like I attempt to do for the MLB Draft), I believe would raise their value (or fall) — based on performances, tools, rank, competition, along with guys I just really liked. In addition, to always research as much video on each player (if possible). Platforms like Baseball America, Ben Badler, Perfect Game, Prospects Live, Baseball Cencus, and MLB.com have incredible coverage.

The aforementioned sites help as some provide a top 100-200 potential draft picks, or prospect rankings, individual continuous updated report cards to track. Thus, after I believe I have a decent grasp on a ‘ballpark’ placement for a player, those sites also help after making your separate selections. Did I rank this guy way too high (that can be said for tracking the draft too)? Has this kid fallen off from production or injury?

In addition to those platforms and accessible sources being invaluable, I’ve found over the years to follow your own evaluation over the hype of the rumor mill, or bullish opinions from others; as often the bandwagon perception of players will often be counterproductive if you have a decent feel for the game.

For example, oh, Keith Law didn’t like your guy, or John Manual loves a talent you see being a potential bullpen piece and not a starter — so let’s change your order? That’s when you lose any real feel for where the said prospects will often climb or fall in the prospect rankings.

Follow who you like and track their production, health, competition, and try and project their ceiling with their tools, body type and athleticism (or lack there of) and where you think they’d fit. Moreover, I believe it’s important to evaluate each player individually, without trying to draw a comparison to other prospects. Another key in my opinion attempting to be objective, but also avoiding some of the hype. Every player is different; tools, mechanics, athleticism, mentality, baseball acumen, ceiling, floor, competition, etc.

Attempting to remain open and objective to the myriad of outlets and information ad nauseam is difficult. If you love a player, rank him high on your evaluation of where you believe he should be. Base your slotting on some of the aforementioned reasoning; not because another prospect with a very different situation has similar appearing tools, projection or production in their respective leagues.

I try to stear clear of the excellent authoritative evaluation sites, such as, BaseballAmerica.com (even though I have a subscription now), or respected evaluators. However, with social media and the blogosphere instant news updates and reguritated information, it’s next to impossible not to retain some of that information in the process. On a side note, the guys from MLB.com, such as, Jonathan Mayo and Jim Callis, an up-and-coming (to some of you) prospect rat, Emily Waldon, from The Athletic (among others) — do a great job year round of covering these talented kids, and their information seems endless.

I would give all the guys at Baseball America, Prospects Live, Baseball Census, and individual evaluators a follow. They all have something to offer, and also seem like really good people. Rare in a business full of strong opinionated egos and God complexes.

I will spare background here on the players, statistics — as most of you have heard about so many of these players at length. But I’d recommend the other sites for a more extensive look at their former schools, programs, levels, attributes, tools, ceiling and floors, full scouting reports, and current backgrounds and statistical analysis.

Prospects like Eric Lauer, Joey Luchessi, Miguel Diaz, Jose Castillo, Franchy Cordero, Franmil Reyes, Luis Torrens, among others were not considered here, as many have graduated from their prospect status (in my eyes, albeit others to a smaller sample size).

comments