Previous Rankings: 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007

As I was putting this list (exclusive to Baseball Prospectus 2012) together, two thoughts came over me that I thought were worth explaining before presenting the list.

1) Quite often, I go back and look at rankings from previous years. I look at what I was right about and, more importantly, what I was wrong about. "Wrong," however, is a very charged word when it comes to rankings. When I rank a player, whether it be in his club's farm system or as a Top 101 prospect, I approach it as if I were a major league club. What I'm sharing with you is what is known in the industry as a "pref list." That is, if I were an MLB club trading for one these players, this is the order i which I would try to acquire them. Every team maintains such a list for all 30 clubs; this is mine.

While it might look foolish in retrospect to have Franklin Morales ranked number 13 and Jordan Schafer at number 17 on my 2008 list (both ahead of Joey Votto and Andrew McCutchen, among others), their rankings are only half wrong. They are wrong in the sense that Votto and McCutchen turned into stars, and that's upsetting to me. I do try to figure out why I put one ahead of the other, but at the same time, when that list was published, the majority of teams would have had a pref list closer to mine than to what actually happened. Rankings can look faulty as time passes, and it's important to always learn from them and try to improve, but they are also snapshots in time as much as predictive tools. That's not an excuse—I wish I had Votto and McCutchen higher that year—but more of an attempt to explain the thinking that goes into these.

2) Based on my emails and Twitter feed, I'm guessing that the comments thread and today's chat could quickly turn into hundreds of people asking the same question about three Cuban players, so let's cut that out off at the pass.

Q: Where would Yoenis Cespedes rank?

A: Number 20, ahead of Nolan Arenado.

Q: Where would Jorge Soler rank?

A: Number 38 (or number 39 if Cespedes was also getting ranked), ahead of Yasmani Grandal.

Q: Where would Gerardo Concepcion rank?

A: Concepcion has signed with the Cubs, so he is eligible for this list, but he's not a Top 101 prospect for me.

As always, I look forward to the comment thread below, and this afternoon's chat to discuss the list. That said, here is the 2012 Top 101 Prospects List:

2012 Top 101 Prospects

1. Matt Moore, LHP, Rays

2. Bryce Harper, OF, Nationals

3. Mike Trout, OF, Angels

4. Jurickson Profar, SS, Rangers

5. Julio Teheran, RHP, Braves

6. Dylan Bundy, RHP, Orioles

7. Jesus Montero, C, Mariners

8. Manny Machado, SS, Orioles

9. Gerrit Cole, RHP, Pirates

10. Shelby Miller, RHP, Cardinals

11. Trevor Bauer, RHP, Diamondbacks

12. Miguel Sano, 3B, Twins

13. Jameson Taillon, RHP, Pirates

14. Taijuan Walker, RHP, Mariners

15. Jacob Turner, RHP, Tigers

16. Travis D'Arnaud, C, Blue Jays

17. Francisco Lindor, SS, Indians

18. Gary Brown, OF, Giants

19. Wil Myers, OF, Royals

20. Nolan Arenado, 3B, Rockies

21. Tyler Skaggs, LHP, Diamondbacks

22. Billy Hamilton, SS, Reds

23. Oscar Taveras, OF, Cardinals

24. Devin Mesoraco, C, Reds

25. Matt Harvey, RHP, Mets

26. Anthony Rendon, 3B, Nationals

27. Bubba Starling, OF, Royals

28. Jake Marisnick, OF, Blue Jays

29. Manny Banuelos, LHP, Yankees

30. Zack Wheeler, RHP, Mets

31. Carlos Martinez, RHP, Cardinals

32. Xander Bogaerts, SS, Red Sox

33. Christian Yelich, OF, Marlins

34. Drew Pomeranz, LHP, Rockies

35. Danny Hultzen, LHP, Mariners

36. Martin Perez, LHP, Rangers

37. Archie Bradley, RHP, Diamondbacks

38. Yasmani Grandal, C, Padres

39. Michael Choice, OF, Athletics

40. Gary Sanchez, C, Yankees

41. Randall Delgado, RHP, Braves

42. Luis Heredia, RHP, Pirates

43. Josh Bell, OF, Pirates

44. Brett Jackson, OF, Cubs

45. Mike Olt, 3B, Rangers

46. Brandon Jacobs, OF, Red Sox

47. Jake Odorizzi, RHP, Royals

48. Jarred Cosart, RHP, Astros

49. George Springer, OF, Astros

50. Jarrod Parker, RHP, Athletics

51. Trevor May, RHP, Phillies

52. Rymer Liriano, OF, Padres

53. Robbie Erlin, LHP, Padres

54. Daniel Norris, LHP, Blue Jays

55. Will Middlebrooks, 3B, Red Sox

56. Starling Marte, OF, Pirates

57. Jedd Gyorko, 3B, Padres

58. Cory Spangenberg, 2B, Padres

59. James Paxton, LHP, Mariners

60. A.J. Cole, RHP, Athletics

61. Wilin Rosario, C, Rockies

62. Arodys Vizcaino, RHP, Braves

63. Dellin Betances, RHP, Yankees

64. Brad Peacock, RHP, Athletics

65. Hak-Ju Lee, SS, Rays

66. Javier Baez, SS, Cubs

67. Jean Segura, SS, Angels

68. Anthony Gose, OF, Blue Jays

69. Matt Adams, 1B, Cardinals

70. Zach Lee, RHP, Dodgers

71. Nick Castellanos, 3B, Tigers

72. Sonny Gray, RHP, Athletics

73. Jonathan Singleton, 1B, Astros

74. Joe Wieland, RHP, Padres

75. Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Cubs

76. Robbie Grossman, OF, Pirates

77. Neil Ramirez, RHP, Rangers

78. Casey Kelly, RHP, Padres

79. Chad Bettis, RHP, Rockies

80. Jose Fernandez, RHP, Marlins

81. Addison Reed, RHP, White Sox

82. John Lamb, LHP, Royals

83. Cheslor Cuthbert, 3B, Royals

84. Jessie Biddle, LHP, Phillies

85. Jonathan Schoop, INF, Orioles

86. Yonder Alonso, 1B, Padres

87. Eddie Rosario, OF/2B, Twins

88. Kolten Wong, 2B, Cardinals

89. Jeurys Familia, RHP, Mets

90. Joe Benson, OF, Twins

91. Matt Purke, LHP, Nationals

92. Wily Peralta, RHP, Brewers

93. Noah Syndergaard, RHP, Blue Jays

94. Austin Hedges, C, Padres

95. Joe Ross, RHP, Padres

96. Derek Norris, C, Athletics

97. Tim Wheeler, OF, Rockies

98. Ryan Lavarnway, C, Red Sox

99. Mason Williams, OF, Yankees

100. Grant Green, OF, Athletics

101. Jorge Alfaro, C, Rangers