Our “Futures” Roster

Over the all star break, a few of the best prospects from around the minor leagues will participate in the futures game. The US team, comprised of US born prospects, will face the world team, comprised of internationally born prospects. We decided we would come up with a “super team” of prospects from all around the minor leagues, regardless of birth place or ethnicity. We won’t be putting non-prospects like Jake Fox on the roster, but we will reward players for their 2009 season. So, here we go:

C – Buster Posey - Posey, a first round pick in the 2008 draft, in killing A+ pitching, hitting .321/.425/.533 with 12 homers, 6 steals, and a .431 wOBA. He should be in AA soon, and could be the Giants starting catcher on opening day of 2010.

1B – Justin Smoak - It was considered a steal when the Rangers pulled off Justin Smoak with the 11th pick in the 2008 draft. The massive power hitter with soft hands at first base has delivered so far this year. In AA he hit .328 with a 17.6% BB rate leading to a near .450 OBP, and a .481 SLG. His wOBA was .429. He was promoted to AAA, and could be in the big leagues just over a year after he was drafted.

2B – Jemile Weeks – The younger Weeks was also taken in the 2008 draft, and has exceeded expectations so far this year earning a spot on this team. So far at A+, he has hit .323/.396/.565, and shown outstanding power with 7 homers in only 30 games. While he was injured to start off the year, he has dominated since coming back, making him the Joe Mauer of our team.

3B – Josh Vitters – The first A-ball player on our roster, Vitters is only 19, but should be in the Major Leagues shortly. His impressive A ball line of .316/.351/.535 included decent contact skills and 15 homeruns. Vitters needs to learn to take a walk as his BB rate has been bellow 10% at ever level of his career, however his combination of contact and power make him a dangerous hitter.

SS – Alcides Escobar – Not taking anything away from his spot on the team, but Escobar makes it here by default, as all the other top SS prospects are either having mediocre years (Tim Beckham, Wilmer Flores) or are already in the big leagues (Gordon Beckham, Elvis Andrus). Escobar has put together a solid offensive season, hitting .299 with a solid .354 wOBA and 29 stolen bases, but it’s really his defense that makes him such a good prospect.

LF – Mike Stanton - Not the old man reliever Mike Stanton, the super prospect Mike Stanton. Stanton is one of the best prospects in baseball, and has  been since he hit 39 homeruns last year, and is living up to expectations so far. In A+ he hit .294, dropped his K rate, upped his BB rate, and hit 12 homers with a .431 wOBA before being promoted to AA at the age of 19 and 6 homers so far in 29 games, although that does come with a 30% k rate and a .221 batting average.

CF – Desmond Jennings – Jennings has to be the come back player of the year for the minor leagues. After injuries destroyed his 2008 season, Jennings has come back strong, hitting .315/.389/.468 with a .412 wOBA, 7 homers, and 32 steals. He is now the top prospect in the Tampa Bay system, ahead of the likes of Wade Davis and Tim Beckham.

RF – Jason Heyward – Heyward is possibly the top prospect in all of baseball and cannot be left off of this team. He started the year in advanced A ball, hitting .296 with 10 homers and a .401 wOBA, and has been on fire since a promotion to AA at the age of 19, hitting .333/.478/.667 with a .499 wOBA in his first 5 games. He has the contact ability, plate approach, and power to be a great big league hitter, and the arm to be a very good right fielder.

DH - Jesus Montero – Only 19 years old, Montero tore up advanced A-ball (.356/.406/.583 with 8 homers in 48 games) before being promoted to AA, where he proceeded to hit 5 homers in 4 games. He shows an advanced approach at the plate, good contact skills, and massive raw power. Whether he sticks behind the plate is still in question, but wherever he plays, his bat makes him one of the top prospects in baseball. (Note: He would be the #1 catcher but we can DH him so we will.)

Starting Rotation:

SP1 – Brian Matusz – Matusz may not be the top pitching prospect in all of baseball, but he’s pitching better than any of them. In A+ to start the year Matusz had a 2.16 ERA and 2.91 FIP. He has been even better since a move up to AA, giving up just 1 ER in 26 1/3 innings, with a 5.33 K/BB rate, no homers, and a 1.57 FIP.

SP2 – Madison Bumgarner – With Price and Hanson in the big leagues Bumgarner is by far the best pitcher in the minor leagues, and he’s showing it. At the age of just 19, he is in AA and dominating with a 1.74 ERA and a 2.97 FIP. He was even better starting the year in A+ with his 5.75 K/BB rate, 1.48 ERA, and 2.05 FIP.

SP3 – Chris Tillman - Tillman is the most MLB ready pitcher on this list, and is dominating AAA like few others can. He has 88 Ks to only 22 BBs in 86 1/3 innings, a 2.50 ERA, and a 2.60 FIP. Tillman will be in the big leagues at some point this season, probably pretty soon.

SP4 – Kyle Drabek – Drabeks numbers in A+ where pretty insane. He had a 74/19 K/BB rate in 61 2/3 innings, as well as a 2.48 ERA and a 1.82 FIP. He did not allow a homerun. He hasn’t been quite that dominating since a promotion to AA, but his 2.70 ERA and 3.31 FIP are both very good.

SP5 – Casey Kelly – Kelly will be moved to SS in the second half, as he was a two way player coming out of the draft and would like to explore his options, however his dominance on the mound will be hard to match. In A ball he dominated with a sub 2 ERA and a K/BB rate over 4, taking that to A+ putting up a 3.09 ERA and a 5 K/BB rate. Kelly will eventually be a full time pitcher, and one of the top prospects in the minor leagues.