Five Braves Prospects Rank In The Top-50 At Mid-Season

by gondeee on Jul 9, 2010 11:47 AM EDT in Braves Prospect Reviews

What happens when you graduate your best prospect to the Majors? If you're the Braves, other prospects just take his place. Jason Heyward may no longer be a prospect, but a bunch of other prospects from the Braves system are beginning to fill the ranks of baseball's "top prospects." The Braves have five prospects that are ranked in Baseball America's top-50 mid-season prospect list -- a tenth of all the top-50 prospects in baseball. That may be an embarrassment of riches, but I'm not embarrassed.

The top prospect in the Braves system, 19-year-old right-handed pitcher Julio Teheran, ranks sixth in all of baseball. Here is what they say about our young pitching phenom:

Teheran has the highest upside of any pitcher in the minors currently, with a clean, power arm that produces consistent mid-90s heat, and he throws a lot of strikes. Teheran already has exceeded his career high in innings, so his second half may not be as impressive as his first.

First baseman Freddie Freeman is ranked a very impressive 20th. Here is their writeup on him:

The youngest player in the International League had a hot June (.923 OPS), allaying fears he couldn't make adjustments against advanced pitching. He's not far from being ready to join roommate Jason Heyward in the Braves' lineup.

RHP Randall Delgado, LHP Mike Minor, and RHP Arodys Vizcaino are also listed among the 26-to-50 range, though BA does not rank them after number-25.

Very impressive for our system to be that well stocked, especially with pitching. We here at Talking Chop will be presenting out top-30 Braves prospects starting on Monday, with an opportunity for you to submit your own top-30 list on Wednesday. So start thinking about prospects.

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Here’s the organizational stock report on the braves, who are listed in the “stock up” category.

• Atlanta Braves: Braves’ position player farmhands still haven’t torn it up, but the story is very different on the mound. Arodys Vizcaino and Julio Teheran have emerged as elite arms, though Vizcaino’s elbow injury—the second straight year injury has cut his season short—is cause of concern. J.J. Hoover and Randall Delgado complement them as additional power arms, and 2009 first-rounder Mike Minor is quieting doubters with increased velocity (up to 96 mph) and crisper sliders and changeups now that he’s dropped a curveball from his repertoire.

by telemakhos on Jul 9, 2010 12:03 PM EDT reply actions

… Braves, who are listed in the "stock up" category.

What does that mean? It couldn’t possibly mean what it implies to me, which is that we need to stock up??? Surely it must mean “their stock is up?”

by blwfish on Jul 9, 2010 1:16 PM EDT up reply actions

like stock market type of thing

They had a “stock up” and “stock down” section. The braves were one of 4 teams whose organizational stock was up.

by telemakhos on Jul 9, 2010 1:34 PM EDT up reply actions

FWIW

In the top 50, I count 3 Phillies prospects, 0 Mets prospects, 1 Marlins prospect, and 0 Nationals prospects. At five, the Braves have more prospects in BA’s top 50 than their NL East rivals combined. With three of the Braves prospects playing no higher than High A ball, I think that says a lot about the Braves’ future potential for dominance.

"It wasn’t that it was slippery or anything like that. It was just, dadgum, my hands and the balls were so wet..." - Tim Hudson

by KoKo the Monkey (T-Bone) on Jul 9, 2010 12:06 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

All very reasonable rankings.

I’ve been saying all along that those 5 guys deserved to be in the top 50, so it’s nice to see that BA agrees. Let’s hope the Arodys comes back from his injury OK and that the others continue to tear up the minors.

"Yeah, and I have an enchanted jock strap." -- Karl Karlson

by Jacob Peterson on Jul 9, 2010 12:22 PM EDT reply actions

This is great to see, but I have serious doubts about 3 of the guys ahead of Teheran. I don’t think Trout, Jennings, or Montero are as good as folks make them out to be, especially not Montero. (I will say I’ve never seen Trout play, so I’m not 100% qualified to talk about him.) But still, 6th is pretty great, and in a few years when he’s the best Major Leaguer of the bunch it won’t matter.

One guy who’s going to be great is Seattle’s Michael Pineda. He’s enormous and throws hard as hell. His teammates and coaches were all raving about him, without even being asked, when I saw him with AA.

One guy who’s gonna flop is Cleveland’s Lonnie Chisenhall. He’s too small and doesn’t have enough pop for 3B and he’s not athletic enough for 2B. And he’s got a terrible attitude; his teammates can’t stand him.

All in all, a lot of really talented guys on there, and a lot I’ve been fortunate enough to see play. Heck, this weekend I get to Jennings, Hellickson, and Britton (though I don’t know if the pitcher’s turns will come up or not).

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by cbwilk on Jul 9, 2010 12:38 PM EDT reply actions

I feel like Teheran shouldn't have been lower than fourth

But then again, I don’t really follow other teams’ prospects, so I’m not very qualified to venture that opinion. I really do question Jesus Montero’s presence in the top 5, where he’s not impressing on offense or demonstrating that he can stick at catcher.

by Bronn on Jul 9, 2010 12:59 PM EDT up reply actions

I thought Montero was younger than Freeman...

yet they call Freddie the youngest in the IL?

by Mr. Sanchez on Jul 9, 2010 1:29 PM EDT up reply actions

you're right

Montero: 11/28/89
Freeman: 9/12/89

by telemakhos on Jul 9, 2010 1:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Much of Trout’s acclaim has come from the fact that he hasn’t really struggled yet. Sure, he’s got all 5 tools and people talk about how he plays games the “right way”, but it’s more of a “I have to think he can do this until he shows otherwise”… and I tend to agree.

Why do you think otherwise?

by theatlfan on Jul 9, 2010 3:01 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m not trying to knock the kid in any way, again, I’ve never seen him play, and I’m sure he’s really, really good. But I just don’t understand how he’s suddenly so amazing. How many guys go from being 25th overall to the number 2 prospect in baseball in a year? I don’t have the numbers in front of me, but I’m guessing none. If he was so outstanding, why wasn’t he a higher pick? It’s not like he was a tough sign, he signed quickly and played 44 games last year. I guess judging a guy based on when he was drafted may seem a little flawed, but I can’t understand how 19 different organizations would be sleeping on a guy if he was really this good. He’s having an amazing year, and he had an amazing year last year, and he’s only 18, which makes it even more impressive, but I can’t help but keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. The whole thing just seems suspicious to me.
But really, good luck to him, cause until I hear otherwise I’m going to assume he’s a good kid and a hard worker.

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by cbwilk on Jul 9, 2010 4:55 PM EDT up reply actions

When you say suspicious, do you mean it like he’s done something wrong, or just surprised at him zooming past everyone? About him being a low pick, can say sort of the same about JHey. When the Braves picked him & I read all the great things some had to say, I was shocked he was still there. I was surprised Trout was there as well.

by FitzFan on Jul 9, 2010 10:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Surprised at him zooming past everyone. It just seems odd.

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by cbwilk on Jul 10, 2010 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions

How is Domonic Brown #1?

The only time the Mets win is in the offseason.

by GouldisGold on Jul 9, 2010 12:55 PM EDT reply actions

Dude is an animal.

"Sharks have a week dedicated to Jason Heyward."
METS: My Entire Team Sucks.
Phillies Baseball: Established - 2008

by Scott Coleman on Jul 9, 2010 1:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Tools are off the charts, and so are the numbers.

Advance apologies if the contents of this sports-based post offended you. I'm just aiming to educate the masses. My law professor says they're asses.

Panthers '010: Save the Richardson family coffers! We'll take the winning if we stumble into it.

by MichaelProcton on Jul 9, 2010 3:01 PM EDT up reply actions

There are also 5 Royals' prospects

hmmm.

by Bronn on Jul 9, 2010 1:04 PM EDT reply actions

When you’re always drafting in the top 5 you probably should have top 25 prospects. Hosmer is crazy good, but I wonder if he’s really that much better than Freeman. He’s the same age playing at High A. I think he’s got better power potential, but Freddie is a better fundamental hitter and a much better fielder.

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www.dropoutproductions.com

by cbwilk on Jul 9, 2010 1:13 PM EDT up reply actions