From all of us at MLB Pipeline to all of you in prospect fan land, Happy Holidays!
We’ve got a smattering of questions that hopefully add to the holiday spirit, wherever and however you are taking them in. Enjoy!
Happy New Year to everyone! As we enter a new decade, MLB Pipeline readers have questions about the future . . .
In the same vein as MLB.com's all-2010s teams, who makes your projected all-decade squads for the 2020s?
-- Grayson C., Denver
None of our all-2010s first-teamers were 30 by the time the decade started, so I used that as a general guideline. I thought I'd have some fun and include several prospects, but that proved next to impossible because there are so many good young players already tearing it up in the big leagues.
Mike Trout is one of the best players ever and he's still only 28. I have to include Ronald Acuña (22), Cody Bellinger (24) and Juan Soto (22), so there's my first-team outfield and DH -- with no room for Christian Yelich, Mookie Betts, Eloy Jimenez, let alone White Sox prospect Luis Robert (No. 3 on the soon-to-be-revamped MLB Pipeline Top 100). The game's top prospect, Wander Franco of the Rays, can't dislodge Fernando Tatis Jr. or Francisco Lindor from shortstop or Alex Bregman or Rafael Devers from third base.
Here are my all-2020s teams, including five current prospects:
First Team
C: Adley Rutschman, Orioles
1B: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays
2B: Gavin Lux, Dodgers
3B: Alex Bregman, Astros
SS: Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres
OF: Ronald Acuña, Braves
OF: Cody Bellinger, Dodgers
OF: Mike Trout, Angels
DH: Juan Soto, Nationals
two-way: Shohei Ohtani, Angels
SP: Walker Buehler, Dodgers
SP: Gerrit Cole, Yankees
SP: Jack Flaherty, Cardinals
SP: MacKenzie Gore, Padres
SP: Mike Soroka, Braves
RP: Josh Hader, Brewers
Second Team
C: Joey Bart, Giants
1B: Pete Alonso, Mets
2B: Bo Bichette, Blue Jays
3B: Rafael Devers, Red Sox
SS: Francisco Lindor, Indians
OF: Mookie Betts, Red Sox
OF: Eloy Jiménez, White Sox
OF: Christian Yelich, Brewers
DH: Yordan Alvarez, Astros
two-way: Brendan McKay, Rays
SP: Shane Bieber, Indians
SP: Luis Castillo, Reds
SP: Lucas Giolito, White Sox
SP: Casey Mize, Tigers
SP: Blake Snell, Rays
RP: Raisel Iglesias, Reds
Who are some of your favorite under-the-radar prospects to make a big splash in the new year?
-- Kyle C., Portland, Ore.
We're working on updating the MLB Pipeline Top 100 Prospects list, which will be revealed toward the end of the month with our usual one-hour show on MLB Network. I started my process by lining up my personal Top 125, and these were my three highest-ranked players not on our current list:
Francisco Alvarez, C, Mets: He hinted at his considerable offensive upside by batting .312/.407/.510 in his U.S. debut at age 17 and he has the tools to become at least a solid defender.
Brennen Davis, OF, Cubs: Finger injuries limited him to 50 games in low Class A last year, but he flashed 30-30 potential while batting .305/.381/.525 in the pitcher-friendly Midwest League, and he could stick in center field.
Geraldo Perdomo, SS/2B, Diamondbacks: One of the breakout performers in the Arizona Fall League, he helped make Jazz Chisholm expendable in the Zac Gallen trade and could have solid tools across the board once fully developed.
TWITTER QUESTION LINK: https://twitter.com/JohnnyGords/status/1212455058786308097
The Giants do have a much improved farm system, as Mike Rosenbaum noted in a story earlier this week. I expect they'll crack our ranking of the top 15 systems when we update those in the spring.
San Francisco presently has on our Top 100 Prospects list from last summer: catcher Joey Bart (No. 19), outfielder Heliot Ramos (No. 50), shortstop Marco Luciano (No. 61) and outfielder Hunter Bishop (No. 65). I included left-hander Seth Corry on my personal list for the next Top 100 after he dominated in 2019, ranking second in the minors in ERA (1.76), third in opponent average (.171) and fifth in strikeout per nine innings (12.6) and strikeout rate (33.9 percent). Corry's best weapons are a downer curveball and a lively 92-96 mph fastball
Next up is outfielder Alexander Canario, a $60,000 steal from the Dominican Republic in 2016. He has the best bat speed in the system and hit .318/377/.623 with 16 homers in 59 games between Rookie and short-season ball last year. He also has a chance to remain in center field and will fit the right-field profile well if he can't.
Also keep an eye on another outfielder, Luis Matos. Signed for $725,000 out of Venezuela in 2018, he topped the Dominican Summer League in doubles (24), extra-base hits (33) and total bases (134) during his pro debut and batted .367/.438/.566 between two Rookie-level stops. He's a hit-over-power guy with plenty of both commodities, and he also is a possible center fielder.
Jim Callis is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow @jimcallisMLB on Twitter. Listen to him on the weekly Pipeline Podcast.
The Giants do have a much improved farm system, as Mike Rosenbaum noted in a story earlier this week. I expect they'll crack our ranking of the top 15 systems when we update those in the spring.
San Francisco presently has on our Top 100 Prospects list from last summer: catcher Joey Bart (No. 19), outfielder Heliot Ramos (No. 50), shortstop Marco Luciano (No. 61) and outfielder Hunter Bishop (No. 65). I included left-hander Seth Corry on my personal list for the next Top 100 after he dominated in 2019, ranking second in the minors in ERA (1.76), third in opponent average (.171) and fifth in strikeout per nine innings (12.6) and strikeout rate (33.9 percent). Corry's best weapons are a downer curveball and a lively 92-96 mph fastball
Next up is outfielder Alexander Canario, a $60,000 steal from the Dominican Republic in 2016. He has the best bat speed in the system and hit .318/377/.623 with 16 homers in 59 games between Rookie and short-season ball last year. He also has a chance to remain in center field and will fit the right-field profile well if he can't.
Also keep an eye on another outfielder, Luis Matos. Signed for $725,000 out of Venezuela in 2018, he topped the Dominican Summer League in doubles (24), extra-base hits (33) and total bases (134) during his pro debut and batted .367/.438/.566 between two Rookie-level stops. He's a hit-over-power guy with plenty of both commodities, and he also is a possible center fielder.