by Kevin Goldstein
Five-Star Prospects
1. Dustin Ackley, OF/2B
Four-Star Prospects
2. Michael Saunders, OF
3. Gabriel Noriega , SS
Three-Star Prospects
4. Adam Moore, C
5. Alex Liddi, 3B
6. Nick Franklin, SS
7. Johermyn Chavez, OF
8. Guillermo Pimentel, OF
9. Carlos Triunfel, SS
Two-Star Prospects
10. Greg Halman, OF
11. Maikel Cleto, RHP
Four More:
12. Mario Martinez, 3B: Martinez is a corner infielder who shows a potent
bat, but he needs to tap into that power and improve his approach.
13. Dan Cortes, RHP: His stuff continues to impress, but Cortes’ command and
control issues continue to lead to sub-par results.
14. Ezequiel Carrera, OF: He’s a tiny, speedy outfielder who led the
Double-A Southern League in batting and on-base percentage, but he has less
power than my cat.
15. Matt Tuiasosopo, 3B: Never bad but rarely great, Tuiasosopo could be a
solid bench player, and soon.
1. Dustin Ackley, OF/2B
DOB: 2/26/88
Height/Weight: 6-1/185
Bats/Throws: L/R
Drafted/Signed: 1st round, 2009, North Carolina
2009 Stats: Did not play
Last Year’s Ranking: Did not qualify
Year in Review: Having a .417/.512/.763 line for the season as a Tar Heel
cemented Ackley as one of the better college hitters in the last few years,
earning him a $6 million bonus as part of a big-league deal that could reach
close to $10 million.
The Good: Scouts are universal in seeing Ackley as a player who could compete
for both batting and on-base percentage titles. His approach at the plate is
already above-average by major-league standards, and his combination of bat
speed and control leads to consistent hard contact to all fields, and his 22
home runs as a junior were five more than his freshman and sophomore seasons
combined. Unlike most college hitters, he's a lean, wiry, toolsy athlete with
plus-plus speed, and he earns high praise for his makeup and baseball
intelligence.
The Bad: There is debate about Ackley's power translating as a pro, and
Ackely did little to alleviate those concerns with just one home run over 73
at-bats in the Arizona Fall League. Arm problems, including a Tommy John
surgery, limited him to first base in college, so while he has the
athleticism to play center, his arm will always be well below average. The
Mariners are hoping to alleviate that by having him learn second base during
the offseason, as while he's never played the position, he certainly has the
tools to succeed there.
Ephemera: Ackely used a small portion of his bonus money to buy a matte black
Camaro with blacked out windows, earning a joking nickname of "The Punisher"
from his Arizona Fall League teammates.
Perfect World Projection: With his skills, Ackley could have a .300+ batting
average, .400+ on-base percentage, 20+ stolen bases and, depending on who you
talk to, between 12 and 25 home runs annually.
Path to the Big Leagues: For now, he's expected to begin his career as a
second baseman, but the outfield is always a backup plan, so he has multiple
routes to the big leagues.
Timetable: Ackley's bat should allow for a very quick progression through the
minors. He could begin the year as high as Double-A, and will likely get his
first taste of the big leagues by September.
2. Michael Saunders, OF
DOB: 11/19/86
Height/Weight: 6-4/210
Bats/Throws: L/R
Drafted/Signed: 11th round, 2004, Lambrick Park SS (BC)
2009 Stats: .310/.378/.544 at Triple-A (64 G); .221/.258/.279 at MLB (46 G)
Last Year’s Ranking: 3
http://is.gd/5OCvi
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Five-Star Prospects
1. Dustin Ackley, OF/2B
Four-Star Prospects
2. Michael Saunders, OF
3. Gabriel Noriega , SS
Three-Star Prospects
4. Adam Moore, C
5. Alex Liddi, 3B
6. Nick Franklin, SS
7. Johermyn Chavez, OF
8. Guillermo Pimentel, OF
9. Carlos Triunfel, SS
Two-Star Prospects
10. Greg Halman, OF
11. Maikel Cleto, RHP
Four More:
12. Mario Martinez, 3B: Martinez is a corner infielder who shows a potent
bat, but he needs to tap into that power and improve his approach.
13. Dan Cortes, RHP: His stuff continues to impress, but Cortes’ command and
control issues continue to lead to sub-par results.
14. Ezequiel Carrera, OF: He’s a tiny, speedy outfielder who led the
Double-A Southern League in batting and on-base percentage, but he has less
power than my cat.
15. Matt Tuiasosopo, 3B: Never bad but rarely great, Tuiasosopo could be a
solid bench player, and soon.
1. Dustin Ackley, OF/2B
DOB: 2/26/88
Height/Weight: 6-1/185
Bats/Throws: L/R
Drafted/Signed: 1st round, 2009, North Carolina
2009 Stats: Did not play
Last Year’s Ranking: Did not qualify
Year in Review: Having a .417/.512/.763 line for the season as a Tar Heel
cemented Ackley as one of the better college hitters in the last few years,
earning him a $6 million bonus as part of a big-league deal that could reach
close to $10 million.
The Good: Scouts are universal in seeing Ackley as a player who could compete
for both batting and on-base percentage titles. His approach at the plate is
already above-average by major-league standards, and his combination of bat
speed and control leads to consistent hard contact to all fields, and his 22
home runs as a junior were five more than his freshman and sophomore seasons
combined. Unlike most college hitters, he's a lean, wiry, toolsy athlete with
plus-plus speed, and he earns high praise for his makeup and baseball
intelligence.
The Bad: There is debate about Ackley's power translating as a pro, and
Ackely did little to alleviate those concerns with just one home run over 73
at-bats in the Arizona Fall League. Arm problems, including a Tommy John
surgery, limited him to first base in college, so while he has the
athleticism to play center, his arm will always be well below average. The
Mariners are hoping to alleviate that by having him learn second base during
the offseason, as while he's never played the position, he certainly has the
tools to succeed there.
Ephemera: Ackely used a small portion of his bonus money to buy a matte black
Camaro with blacked out windows, earning a joking nickname of "The Punisher"
from his Arizona Fall League teammates.
Perfect World Projection: With his skills, Ackley could have a .300+ batting
average, .400+ on-base percentage, 20+ stolen bases and, depending on who you
talk to, between 12 and 25 home runs annually.
Path to the Big Leagues: For now, he's expected to begin his career as a
second baseman, but the outfield is always a backup plan, so he has multiple
routes to the big leagues.
Timetable: Ackley's bat should allow for a very quick progression through the
minors. He could begin the year as high as Double-A, and will likely get his
first taste of the big leagues by September.
2. Michael Saunders, OF
DOB: 11/19/86
Height/Weight: 6-4/210
Bats/Throws: L/R
Drafted/Signed: 11th round, 2004, Lambrick Park SS (BC)
2009 Stats: .310/.378/.544 at Triple-A (64 G); .221/.258/.279 at MLB (46 G)
Last Year’s Ranking: 3
http://is.gd/5OCvi
--
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