With the minor league season completed, it's time to begin revealing the Purple Row Prospects (PuRPs) list for Fall 2010. Whereas last spring I revealed the whole thing at once, I thought this time that we would go through these prospects five at a time to give people who aren't in the know a little bit more of information on them. I'll reveal the list a little bit more each day over the next week, with the top five coming out on Tuesday next week.
Twenty-seven ballots were cast in this edition of the PuRPs poll, with 30 points being granted for a first place vote, 29 for second, etc. Until a player was named on ten ballots, his vote totals were modified on a sliding scale to avoid an individual ballot having too much say over the community forecast -- but none of the above players had that problem, as all thirty players on the PuRPs list were named on at least thirteen ballots.
All prospects who retained their Rookie of the Year eligibility (less than 130 ABs or 50 IP) were eligible for selection on this list. Among last spring's list, Jhoulys Chacin (#2), Esmil Rogers (#4), and Eric Young Jr. (#10) were removed from consideration.
More discussion on the voting will be included in the final installment of this series, but here are the five players who came closest to inclusion on the Fall 2010 PuRPs List:
35. Jared Clark (19.8 points, 6 ballots), 2009 12th round, 1B at Asheville (24 years old)
34. Josh Rutledge (22.2 points, 6 ballots), 2010 3rd round, SS at Tri-City (21)
33. Cory Riordan (42 points, 10 ballots), 2007 6th round, SP at Tulsa (24)
32. Rosell Herrera (44.1 points, 9 ballots), 2009 Amateur FA (DR), IF at DSL (17)
31. Parker Frazier (45 points, 12 ballots), 2007 8th round, SP at Modesto (21)
For each player, I've included a link to their stats (via Baseball-Reference), their relevant "tool scores" on a 1-100 scouting scale (which is explained here) per the wonderful Baseball Cube, their contract status (via Project Libra), their probable MLB ETA (assuming they do make the Show), and a note on their 2010 season.
Remember that neither the tool scores nor the statistics pages are the end-all be-all when evaluating these players. Context is hugely important (such as the player's age relative to the league's average or the league average offensive numbers), as is the fact that injuries to prospects can affect both their tools and their stats.
30. Delta Cleary, Jr. (81 points, 14 ballots) -- Stats -- Spring Ranking: 20
Cleary, a 21 year old lefty outfielder who played for Asheville this year, obviously has great tools but his production has yet to match his potential. He repeated low A ball this year but seemed to regress when healthy (played 75 games and OPSed .644). He's still young, but he needs to show positive progress soon. If he does, he will shoot up this list very quickly. Here's Scouting the Sally on Cleary.
Hit tools
|
Power: |
48 |
Batting: |
52 |
Speed: |
78 |
Contact: |
64 |
Patience: |
28 |
Contract Status: 2008 draft 37th round, Not Rule 5 Eligible, three options remaining
MLB ETA: 2014
29. Ethan Hollingsworth (100 points, 13 ballots) -- Stats -- Spring Ranking: 25
Hollingsworth, a 23 year old RH starting pitcher, had a strong 2010, posting a 12-8 record (3.54 ERA, 3.31 FIP) with High A Modesto this season. Perhaps the most impressive stat was his 4.26 K/BB ratio. Hollingsworth projects as a fringe starter now, but if he sustains that ratio at AA, he could really improve his standing on this list.
Pitch tools
|
Control: |
81 |
K-Rating: |
66 |
Efficiency: |
68 |
vsPower: |
59 |
Contract Status: 2008 draft 37th round, Not Rule 5 Eligible, three options remaining
MLB ETA: 2014
28. Samuel Deduno (135 points, 16 ballots) -- Stats -- Spring Ranking: 9
Deduno, a 27 year-old RH reliever currently on the Rockies' September roster, had a steep fall from this spring's rankings for two reasons. One is that he has converted to the bullpen, limiting his production ceiling, and the other is that he is in his prime now (there is little growth to be projected for him). His first extended AAA exposure this year saw him post a 4.83 FIP and a 1.61 K/BB ratio as a starter, but whatever future he has with the organization is in the bullpen, as he has strikeout stuff.
Pitch tools
|
Control: |
31 |
K-Rating: |
93 |
Efficiency: |
58 |
vsPower: |
75 |
Contract Status: 2003 Amateur Free Agent, 40 Man Roster, one option remaining
MLB ETA: Will be considered for bullpen slot next spring
27. Bruce Billings (147 points, 19 ballots) -- Stats -- Spring Ranking: NR
Billings, a RH relief prospect that will turn 25 in November, shows all-around polish and above-average tools across the board. In 2010 Billings split time as a starter and reliever in Tulsa, posting a 3.44 FIP over 109.2 IP, including a scoreless innings streak of 38 frames. He posted a 2.30 K/BB ratio (8.29 K/9) and possesses an excellent fastball, but his lack of off-speed stuff forced him to the bullpen route.
Pitch tools
|
Control: |
66 |
K-Rating: |
81 |
Efficiency: |
78 |
vsPower: |
65 |
Contract Status: 2007 Draft 30th round, Rule 5 Eligible, three options remaining
MLB ETA: Late 2011
26. Eliezer Mesa (159 points, 18 ballots) -- Stats-- Spring Ranking: 24
Mesa, an outfielder that will turn 22 in November, had a fantastic 2010 in Asheville (especially the first half), hitting .301/.356/.419 as a leadoff man for the Tourists. His potential appears limited by his sub-standard hit tools (apart from his blazing speed and decent contact), but his defensive utility should provide him with enough value to move through the system and maybe hit the majors as a 4th/5th outfielder.
Hit tools
|
Power: |
25 |
Batting: |
49 |
Speed: |
80 |
Contact: |
58 |
Patience: |
8 |
Contract Status: 2008 Amateur Free Agent, Not Rule 5 Eligible, three options remaining
MLB ETA: 2014
PuRPs 25-21 will be posted tomorrow.