myworldofbaseball

Myworld takes a look at the NL Central to see how they have done selecting with the 25th round pick or later. We start with 1998 when drafts were established at 50 picks, further reduced to 40 a few years later. Also, we did not include any player signed in the 25th round or later who did not sign but made the major leagues after a later draft. Myworld did not look at draft years 2015 or later since any late round picks making the major league roster in four years or less would be slim to none.

Chicago Cubs

Randy Wells C (2002/38th round) - 28-32, 4.08 in 98 games, 86 starts
Dallas Beeler RHP (2010/41st round) - 0-3, 6.05 in five games, all of them starts

Russ Canzler 3B (2004/30th round) - .269, 3, 11 in 26 games
Justin Bour 1B (2009/25th round) - .253, 92, 303 in 559 games

Cincinnati Reds

Todd Coffey RHP (1998/41st round) - 25-18, 4.10 in 46 games of relief - more than a cup of coffee
Mike Neu RHP (1998/29th round) - 0-0, 3.72 in 33 games of relief
Curtis Patch RHP (2007/26th round) - 1-1, 5.52 in 22 games of relief

Milwaukee Brewers

Manny Parra LHP (2001/26th round) - 29-41, 4.90 in 322 games, 74 starts
Craig Breslow LHP (2002/26th round) - 23-30, 3.45 in 516 games, two starts
Tim Dillard C (2002/34th round) - 1-4, 4.70 in 73 games of relief
Brent Sutter LHP (2012/31st round) - 65 games, 34 of them starts
Tyler Alexander LHP (2013/27th round) - 1-4, 4.86 in 13 games, 8 starts

Taylor Green 2B (2005/25th round) - .207, 3, 15 in 78 games of relief
Jason Rogers 1B (2010/32nd round) - .258, 4, 18 in 117 games

Pittsburgh Pirates

Ian Snell RHP (2000/26th round) - 152 games, 136 starts
Shane Youman LHP (2001/43rd round) - 3-7, 5.13, 21 games, 11 starts
Todd Redmond C (2004/39th round) - 5-8, 4.25 in 67 games, 16 starts
Casey Sadler RHP (2010/25th round) - 5-1, 3.55 in 42 games, two of them starts

Nate McLouth 2B (2000/25th round) - .247, 101, 333 in 1,045 games
Chris Shelton C (2001/33rd round) - .273, 37, 124 in 299 games
Rajai Davis 2B (2001/38th round) - .262, 62, 387, 415 stolen bases in 1,448 games
Nyjer Morgan OF (2002/33rd round) - .282, 12, 136, 120 stolen bases in 598 games

St. Louis Cardinals

Tyler Johnson 1B (2000/34th round) - 3-5, 4.32 in 116 games of relief
Blake Hawksworth RHP (2001/26th round) - 10-13, 4.07 in 124 games, 8 starts
Kyler McClellan RHP (2002/25th round) - 19-24, 3.79 in 268 games, 17 starts
Luke Gregerson RHP (2006/28th round) - 35-36, 3.15 in 646 games of relief
Michael Blazek RHP (2007/35th round) - 8-6, 4.50 in 113 games, only one start
Sam Freeman LHP (2008/32nd round) - 8-7, 3.62 in 264 games of relief
Kevin Siegrist LHP (2008/41st round) - 18-10, 3.04 in 276 games of relief

Bo Hart ss/2B (1999/33rd round) - .272, 4, 30 in 88 games
Mike McCoy 2B (2002/34th round) - .190, 3, 20 in 170 games
Tony Cruz 3B (2007/26th round) - .216, 6, 61 in 272 games
Adron Chambers OF (2007/38th round) - .216, 0, 9 in 84 games

Baseball America ranked the All Stars from each of the classifications. The NL West had the strongest representation of all the divisions. The NC Central will have the least represented, until we do the NL East tomorrow and then they will have the least. Chicago and Cincinnati became the second and third teams without any All Star representative.

Chicago Cubs

None

Cincinnati Reds

None

Milwaukee Brewers

Keston Hiura 2B/AAA - The inability of Travis Shaw to hit gave Keston an opportunity to get an early start to his major league career. The 2017 first round pick hit .329 with 19 homeruns in just 57 AAA games, then got called up to the majors and hit another 19 homeruns in 84 game with a .303 average to cement his status as a major leaguer. Next year he should be an All Star performer.

Max Lazar SP/Low A - The 11th round 2017 pick does not rely on velocity to retire hitters. Eventually it may come from the maturity of his 6′3″ frame but currently it straddles the low 90s or below. The reliance on command gave him a 2.33 ERA and .224 average with 119 whiffs in 85 innings. The 20 year old could end up filling the back end of a rotation.

Trent Grisham OF/AAA - The 2015 first round pick of the Brewers is more noted for his error in the playoff game that gave the Nationals an opportunity to advance in the wild card game and win the World Series. When the season ended the Brewers dealt Grisham to the Padres in the Eric Lauer trade. He hit .384 with 13 homeruns in just 34 AAA games and had an additional 13 homeruns in AA. The callup to the majors was not as dominating (.236 average) but six additional homeruns gave him 32 for the year. His defense is not as bad as his error in the wild card game would seem to indicate, an error he will leave as a memory permanently etched in the minds of Brewer and Nationals fans.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Mitch Keller SP/AAA - The Pirates do not like to spend money, so they have kept their 2014 second round pick down in the minors forever. In AAA his numbers were not dominating (7-5, 3.56). Once promoted to the major leagues his performances turned awful (1-5, 7.13 ERA). His upper level mid-90s fastball says he should be in the Pirates rotation in 2020, but he needs to perform.

Mason Martin 1B/Low A - The power hitting firstbaseman slugged 35 homeruns last year, very good for a player the Pirates waited for until the 17th round of the 2017 draft. The whiffs are just as prevalent (168). His defense is not stellar and his lack of speed prevents a move to the outfield. He will have to hit if he wants a major league career.

St. Louis Cardinals

Randy Arozarena OF/AAA - He doesn’t have the tools of some of the other prospects in the Cardinals minor league system. The Cuban hit .358 with 12 homeruns in AAA. That led to a major league promotion and success (.300) in limited action. The bat does not carry big time power but the speed and defense will allow him to stay in centerfield.

Dylan Carlson OF/AA - The 2016 first round pick is possibly the Cardinals top prospect. He has five tools that are all just above average. Last year in AA he hit 21 homeruns. He outdid himself when promoted to AAA, hitting .361 with five additional homeruns. He should find himself patrolling the Cardinals outfield next year.

Ivan Herrera C/Low A - At some point in his career Yadier Molina will have to yield his catching position. This Panamanian who signed for $200,000 is next on the list. He is more noted for his defense but his bat showed promise with a .289 average and eight homeruns.

Jhon Torres OF/Rookie - The Indians signed this Colombian for $150,000 in 2016. They traded him to the Cardinals for Oscar Mercado. Torres hit six homeruns with a .242 average. His defense is good enough for centerfield but a powerful arm makes him a better fit in right.

Below are myworld’s top third base prospects. Interesting the list lacks any internationals players. Perhaps some of those shortstops will move to third base, crowding out some of the players below.

1. Alec Bohm (Phillies) - The 2018 first round pick of the Phillies has some height (6′5″) which creates some massive power to his game. He kind of reminds me of Troy Glaus without the swing and miss. The concern is his defensive game is below par based on his lack of first step quickness. Last year his power was absent with zero homeruns in 139 at bats. This year he has hit 21 homeruns, climbing all the way to AA. For a power hitter he makes good contact, which could result in a high average. This year his average sits at .305, though a .367 average in Low A pads those stats. If his agility does not improve and a move to first is a necessity it would drop his value to the team.

2. Nolan Gorman (Cardinals) - Gorman was also a first round pick in 2018. The Cardinals have a glut of third baseman in the minor leagues, but Gorman is ahead of them all at this point. His defense is solid and his power is exceptional. In his first year after being drafted he slugged 17 homeruns in just 68 games. The big issue in his game is his inability to make contact and his struggle to hit lefthanded pitching. This year his splits are not as pronounced as they were last year but his 152 whiffs in just 125 games has dropped his average to .248. His slugging average has also dropped below .500.

3. Josh Jung (Rangers) - Josh was a first round pick of the Rangers in 2019. Josh dominated in college for Texas Tech, even showing the ability to play shortstop. That won’t happen in the major leagues, but it shows his ability to play a solid defense at the hot corner. His bat should show enough power to play the position and he makes enough contact to hit for a decent average. After tearing up Rookie level pitching (.588) he earned a promotion to full season ball. In Low A his power is a little short with just one homerun, but after a full college season he could be a bit fatigued. Bohm did not hit any homers his first year.

4. Jonathan India (Reds) - The Reds drafted India in the first round in the 2018 draft. He showed some power last year for the Florida Gators. With the Reds he may have to switch positions like Nick Senzel with Eugenio Suarez hitting 40 plus homeruns for the Reds. India is still low enough in the minors that the Reds can show some patience with him but as a college drafted position player you can’t show too much patience. India has already hit his way to AA with 11 homeruns, though his slugging average in AA is a disappointing .378. Defensively he has the glove to stay at third. His speed is also decent enough that a move to a corner outfield would not be without possibility.

5. Ke’Bryan Hayes (Pirates) - The first round 2015 pick is known more for his glove than his bat. He is the son of Charlie Hayes, who played quite a bit of third base in the major leagues. Power will not be part of his game, but he makes good contact where he could hit for average. Last year he hit .293, splitting the gap for 31 doubles. This year has been a bit more swing and miss in AAA, dropping his average to .265, though his homerun numbers have increased to 10. Next year he should battle for the third base job with the Pirates.

6. Brett Baty (Mets) - Bret was the Mets 2019 first round pick. Brett led all high school players with 19 homeruns. He has had some challenges making contact in his first year and his lack of agility may make a move away from third base a possibility. His speed is not impressive so a move to the outfield would still be a defensive liability and with Pete Alonso at first he is blocked there. The Mets will keep him at third and hope he improves with the glove. His first year in professional ball has been a bit of a challenge with a .234 average playing at three different levels.

7. Sheldon Neuse (Athletics) - The Nationals drafted Sheldon in the second round of the 2016 draft then traded him to the Athletics in the Sean Doolittle trade. With Jesus Luzardo and Blake Treinen also a part of that trade to the Athletics it could be a trade the Nationals regret. Neuse did not show a lot of big time power with the Nationals to justify using him at third base. Entering into the 2018 season he had a career slugging average of .415. This year he has blasted 27 homeruns in the hitter friendly AAA with a .317 average and 102 RBIs. That has led to a promotion to the A’s where his playing time is spotty. He is stuck behind Matt Chapman, and while his glove is solid it falls short of Chapman. If he continues to show power the Athletics could trade him for some pitching help. At 24 years of age his time is now.

8. Nolan Jones (Indians) - Myworld is always confusing him with Nolan Gorman. Jones was a second round pick of the Indians in 2016. He has big time over the fence power that also comes with a lot of swings and misses. Despite his struggles to make contact he has hit for a good average, coming into the 2019 season with a .289 average. His glove should allow him to play third, but he has the speed to move to a corner outfield if the need should arise. Nolan has worked his way to AA where his 15 homeruns is just short of his career high last year of 19. Nolan has also shown some patience at the plate with 96 walks.

9. Rece Hinds (Reds) - The Reds second round 2019 pick has some impressive power for the position. At 6′4″ the agility could be lacking to stay at third base. The speed is a tick slow so a move to a corner outfield would be a defensive liability at a different position. What makes him attractive is his size gives him the ability to hit 30 plus homeruns per year once he shows he can handle the major leagues. Myworld was impressed with some of his batting practice shots in the homerun derby with Bobby Witt Jr last year at the All Star Break. There is some concern about his ability to make contact.

10. Mark Vientos (Mets) - As a second round pick in the 2017 draft Mark is ahead of Brett Baty on the Mets third base depth chart. He doesn’t have the power of Baty and his 22/110 walk to whiff ratio makes one wonder if he can continue to hit for average as he rises up the minor league ladder. At 6′4″ he has some size that limits his agility, but with Alonso at first he will need to play third to stay with the Mets. This is his first season in full season after two years in rookie ball. His batting average and slugging percentage has struggled with that. The arm is strong so a move to first would negate that strength.

Juiced baseballs can result in long ball games. The Nationals scored 16 runs in the fifth and sixth innings to defeat the Cincinnati Reds 17-7. Stephen Strasburg got a ten run fifth started with an RBI single and Adam Eaton kept the train rolling with a three run homer. The game lasted just over three hours.

It started out as a pitchers duel between Trevor Bauer and Stephen Strasburg. The Nationals scored first using Victor Robles legs. He led off the third with a single, stole second, advanced to third on a bunt by Strasburg and scored on a Trea Turner sacrifice fly to left. In the fourth the Reds scored a run when Kurt Suzuki could not prevent the ball from hitting the back stop. The inning started with a one hop single to Turner, who failed to handle the ball cleanly. Suarez advanced to second on a wild pitch and eventually scored on a swing and miss strike three wild pitch that went to the back stop.

The Nationals blew the game open in the fifth. Bauer had only given up one hit entering the inning. It started innocently when Asdrubal Cabrera beat the shift by hitting a single by Freddy Galvis, who was in short right field. Victor Robles lined a double into right center. With the infield in and runners on second and third, Strasburg poked a single into right field. Trea Turner followed with a seeing eye hit up the middle that Bauer failed to back hand and the middle infielders fell short of reaching the ball. Adam Eaton took a 3-2 pitch into right center for a three run homer. Anthony Rendon followed by hitting a pitch just to the left of the Eaton shot in right center.

Bauer lasted two more batters, giving up a single to Juan Soto and walking Matt Adams. Dal Romano came in to pitch and could not contain the damage. Cabrera got another single and Kurt Suzuki blasted one into the left field bleachers to complete the 10 run inning. All nine Nationals players scored in the inning with Suzuki plated twice.

Stephen Strasburg struggled a bit in the top of the sixth, slated to a 11-1 lead. He gave up an RBI double to Jose Iglesias and a two run homer to Tucker Barnhardt. After getting a second out Davey Martinez went out to the mound. Strasburg tried to wave him back with the glove but Davey continued his trek to the mound. After a discussion he decided to leave Strasburg in. Strasburg walked Jesse Winker on four pitches and he was gone.

In the sixth the first eight hitters in the lineup for the Nats got on base. It could have been back to back double digit innings, but Davey Martinez let Matt Grace hit even though he was not going to pitch in the seventh. Grace struck out. Trea Turner grounded into a double play to end the inning. The Nationals only plated six runs.

Javy Guerra pitched the last three innings for the Nationals. He gave up a solo shot to Aristedes Aquino in the seventh, his ninth homerun in 14 games, the fastest player to nine homeruns in major league history. Freddy Galvis took him deep in the ninth for a two run homer.

Nats Notes: Matt Adams hit a ball foul down the first base line that went out of the stadium. That is the first time myworld has seen a ball hit out of the stadium…The Giants came to town with playoff hopes and were swept by the Nationals. The Reds had the same hope and the sweep hurts their chances of making the playoffs…The ten runs in one inning are the most the Nationals have scored this season in an inning and the 17 runs in a game are also a season high…Myworld was surprised Gerrado Parra did not come in for Juan Soto late in the game. Martinez rested Rendon, moving Cabrera to third but Soto and his bad ankle stayed in the game…Suarez made a couple of border line baserunning errors in the fourth. When he was on second he failed to advance to third on a bloop single that fell in front of Soto. He did eventually get to third but went to far off the bag on a line drive to left field and was late getting back to the bag to tag up. He eventually scored on a strikeout/wild pitch.

When you are up 7-2 going into the eighth inning odds are good the victory is yours. Not with the Nationals bullpen. The Nationals survived a two run homerun in the eighth and two more runs in the ninth, and with the go ahead run standing on first, the Nationals closer was able to get a pop up to third for the final out in a 7-6 victory. Not the way you want to plan it.

Erick Fedde pitched well despite allowing his first pitch to Jessie Winker to be deposited into the left field bleachers. He was also helped by the Reds third base coach who sent Joey Votto home on a single to center. Joey does not have the fastest legs and he was thrown out by Victor Robles by five feet. Not much you can do when the catcher has the ball and you have not gotten far enough to home to start your slide.

The Nationals came roaring back in the bottom half. Adam Eaton started the rally with a walk. With two outs Matt Adams sent one deep into centerfield that hopped off the top edge of the fence and bounced back onto the field. The umpires reviewed the hit and it was confirmed to be a homerun. Asdrubal Cabrera continued his hot hitting since being acquired by the Nationals with a double to right center. Nick Senzel dove for the ball but it hit off his glove and rolled to the wall. Gerrado Parra lined a single into right center to score Cabrera to give the Nationals and Erick Fedde a 3-1 lead.

Fedde continued his early struggles giving up a one out hit to Tucker Barnhart. Jose Iglesias blasted a ball deep to right center for a double, scoring Barnhart. After that hit Fedde settled down facing the minimum number of hitters into the sixth. In the sixth he put two runners on with one out and got out of the jam with a whiff and a ground out. It would be his last inning of work.

Trea Turner provided Fedde with tremendous support in the fourth with a 3-run homer. Turner also delivered on an RBI single in the seventh to give the Nationals a 7-2 lead. But in the eighth with the bases loaded and two outs he grounded to short, meaning Sean Doolittle had to come on in the ninth for the save rather than Fernando Rodney.

The Reds started their comeback with a 2-run homer by Aristedes Aquino off Tanner Rainey. For Aquino that was his eighth homerun in 12 games, a major league record. Rainey started the inning by walking the first hitter he faced Joey Votto. Walks continue to be a big problem for Rainey.

Doolittle came on in the ninth. Phillip Ervin pinch hit for Barnhart and took Doolittle’s first pitch into the left field bleachers. Jose Igesias lined a single into right field. It appeared to be the Mets all over again with a three run lead looking thin. Doolittle was able to retire the next two hitters but Joey Votto hit one deep to left field. Parra made it an adventure trying to catch the ball, turning the wrong way and the ball hit against the fence, Iglesias scoring and Votto stopping at second. The Nationals chose to walk Eugenio Suarez intentionally to put the winning run on first but have Doolittle face the lefty hitting Josh Vanmeter. Josh swung at the first pitch and popped it up foul along the third base side. Rendon squeezed the ball to get the win and the fans all breathed a sigh of relief. Another win despite another bullpen meltdown.

Game Notes: Anthony DeSclafani surprised me with his fastball that hit 95-96. That was a surprise. he only lasted four innings, giving up six runs, one of his worst outings of the year…For Doolittle he finished his 48th game. That is more than any relief pitcher in baseball. Unfortunately his ERA is creeping closer to 4 as he gives up runs in the ninth inning. He has appeared in five of the last seven Nationals games and his ERA in those games sits at 11.57…Aquino hit his homerun off Tanner Rainey. Last year the two played for each other in AA Pensacola. Eight of Aquino’s 15 hits have left the park. They don’t call him the “Punisher” for nothing…Aquino has also driven in a run in seven consecutive games. That is three away from the Reds record of ten set by Joe Morgan in 1976…The Reds needed this win to keep their scant playoff hopes alive. The loss now drops them six games behind the Nationals for the first wild card spot…Kevin Guasman pitched two innings in relief. His career has taken a big down slide since he was a first round pick of the Orioles. Throwing strikes has always been an issue. His fastball was only 93, which is four miles slower than it was in his prime with the Orioles. He did pitch well in his two innings, giving up just one hit and striking out two…The throw home from Victor Robles to retire Joey Votto was measured at 99.5 miles per hour by Statcast, the fourth fastest throw to get an outfield assist…The sprained ankle from Soto has gotten much better. He should be back in the lineup in a couple days.

Soccer players are the top three salaried athletes on the Forbes Top 100 Highest Paid Athletes list. The process was to figure out a player’s salary or winnings and endorsements, add them up and come up with their 2019 earnings. The one difficulty with that is the endorsements were based on publicly identified endorsements or word of mouth by talking with representatives about the worth of those endorsements. So the list may not be totally accurate.

Soccer takes the first three, a boxer is number four, tennis at five, football takes 6-7, basketball dominates 8-10 and golf is at 11. You have to go to the 17th spot to find your baseball player. Only one woman makes this list and she plays tennis. Myworld will force you to go the Forbes list to get the names of the above listed athletes associated with their sport.

For baseball, endorsement money was a small portion of their value. I’ll list the endorsement money for the top three, but after that it was under $1 million.

17. Mike Trout (Angels) - $56 million ($3 million in endorsements)
23. Bryce Harper (Phillies) - $44.5 million ($6.5 million in endorsements)
30. Manny Machado (Padres) - $34.8 million
50. David Price (Red Sox) - $31.7 million
54. Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers) - $30 million
61. Justin Verlander (Astros) - $29.5 million
62. Yoennis Cespedes (Mets) - $29.4 million
63. Miguel Cabrera (Tigers) - $29.2 million
68. Jake Arrieta (Phillies) - $28.8 million
73. Albert Pujols (Angels) - $28 million
77. Giancarlo Stanton (Yankees) - $27.4 million ($2 million in endorsements)
84. Felix Hernandez (Mariners) - $26.6 million
94. J.D. Martinez (Red Sox) - $25.6 million
96. Joey Votto (Reds) - $25.4 million

The list from last year had a player traded to the American League (Yusniel Diaz) and three drop from the list. No player from the list from last year graduated to the major leagues. We expect that to change after this year with Yoan Lopez providing the Diamondbacks with good bullpen work.

1. Adrian Morejon LHP (Padres) - Since pitching for the 15 and under gold medal team and winning the MVP, Adrian has added some meat on his bones. That has upped his velocity to a steady diet of 93-95 mile per hour fastballs with an occasional helping of 97-98. His curve ball is also a high quality pitch. The Padres signed him for $11 million as a 17 year old. The pitches are all there, the command of those pitches can be a little spotty. This year he is pitching at AA as a 20 year old. He is struggling a bit with 11 walks in 20.2 innings, resulting in a 5.66 ERA. Unless he improves his command he will probably pitch all season in AA and will not see the major leagues until late next year. One of the strengths of the Padres is their depth in starting pitching.

2. Victor Victor Mesa OF (Marlins) - The Marlins season is not going well and the attendance is lagging. They did pull a coup signing one of the top international prospects and his brother in 2018. The father, Victor Mesa was a star of many international tournaments and played with Lourdes Gurriel, whose youngest son Lourdes Jr. appeared on this list last year. The big tool for Mesa is his speed, which will allow him to cover a lot of ground in center field with a strong arm. There is some question whether his bat will be one that will have an impact. Victor Victor signed for $5.25 million with his younger brother Victor signing for $1 million. The older brother had some up and down seasons in the Nacional Series, but felt the pressure of being the son of a legend. He is not making much of an impact in the Florida State League, hitting just .224 with a .274 OBA and a .260 slugging. All the defense in the world will not support that offense.

3. Michel Baez RHP (Padres) - The Padres signed Baez for $3 million, the same year they signed Morejon (2016). He is an imposing figure at 6′8″ 220 pounds. His fastball splits the plate in the mid-90s. His secondary pitches are promising but with his long limbs a consistent delivery is difficult resulting in poor command. If he fails to make it as a starter he has the velocity and intimidating presence to make it as a closer. He got a late start to the season but in AA he has made four relief appearances, striking out 13 in 8.2 innings, but giving up 10 hits. If he can show dominance in the bullpen he could see some time with the Padres as a September callup.

4. Malcom Nunez 3B (Cardinals) - The Cardinals signed Malcom in 2018 for just $300,000, the maximum salary they could sign international players because of penalties. They stuck him in the Dominican Summer League where he crashed the party, hitting .415 with 13 homeruns. The bat carries some big time power, with the potential to hit for 30 plus homeruns once he reaches the major leagues. He led Cuba to the gold medal in the 15 and under World Cup in Japan in 2016. His defense needs improvement, otherwise a move to first may be necessary, chipping away at his value. He is finding the Midwest League a little tougher than the Dominican Summer League, hitting just .183 in 21 games. Currently only one of his 13 hits has gone for extra bases, resulting in a paltry .197 slugging average.

5. Yadier Alvarez RHP (Dodgers) - The Dodgers spent a rich $16 million in 2015 to sign Yadier. His high 90s fastball convinced the Dodgers to give him his suitcase full of cash. His breaking ball pitches show promise but his change needs more work. His control is poor and he will need to improve on that if he hopes to stay in the rotation. This is his fourth year of pitching in the minors and the results have been mixed. Last year he walked 43 hitters in just 48 innings in AA, leading to a inflated 4.66 ERA. This year has not looked any better with a 14.73 ERA in two starts. Yadier needs to harness his command to get an opportunity to pitch for the Dodgers sometime in 2020.

6. Yoan Lopez RHP (Diamondbacks) - Yoan signed for $8 million in 2015. His indoctrination to United States baseball was rough as he quit his minor league teams his first two seasons in baseball. After his first year the D-Backs moved Yoan from the rotation to the bullpen. There his fastball hits in the high 90s. His persistence has paid off with his major league debut being made last year. This year he has been one of the better bullpen arms for the D-Backs major league team with a 1.52 ERA. The swings and misses are not prevalent but the opposition average is just .223.

7. Adolis Garcia OF (Cardinals) - The Cardinals paid him $2.5 million to leave Cuba. In the Nacional Series back in 2016 he was voted the MVP. Adonis is his older brother, who played briefly with the Braves before leaving for Korea to play in the KBO. Adolis is bigger than his brother and carries a bit more power. Last year he slugged 22 homeruns, leading to a promotion to the major leagues where he could only muster a .118 average. This year he has slugged 12 homeruns but is only hitting .224 in AAA. Strikeouts have been a big problem with 74 in 56 games.

8. Vladimir Gutierrez RHP (Reds) - At 6′0″ and throwing right handed, Vladimir is not a big presence. The Reds still shelled out $4.7 million to sign him in 2016. He does not throw hard, with his fastball sitting in the low 90s, but he can dial it up to the high 90s. His big swing and miss pitch is a quality curveball. His first two seasons Vladimir has been kind of vanilla, with ERAs above 4 and strikeouts to innings pitched just a shade under 9 per 9 innings pitched. This year he is struggling even more with a 7.64 ERA in 11 starts in AAA. He has been a victim of the new AAA balls, where 9 have left the park in just 74 innings. Vladimir needs to turn his 2019 season around if he hopes to reach the Reds this year.

9. Jose Israel Garcia SS (Reds) - The Reds paid $5 million to sign Jose to a contract in 2017. He is a defensive oriented player with a questionable bat. Last year the Reds placed him in Low A where he hit .245 with a .290 OBA. His walk to whiff ratio was 19/112. This year the Reds promoted Garcia to the Florida State League where he shows more of the same (.252, 9/31 walk to whiff). He is still a few years away from impacting the Reds.

10. Miguel Vargas 3B (Dodgers) - Miguel is the son of another Cuban legend, two time gold medalist Lazaro Vargas. Miguel starred on the Cuban youth teams before leaving with his father for the States. The Dodgers signed Miguel for $300,000 in 2017. Defensively he may lack the tools to play third so he will have to develop the power to fit at first. His slow foot speed rules out the outfield. Last year he dominated at the rookie levels, hitting .400. He struggled a little at Low A, hitting just .213 in 75 at bats. Another year in the Midwest League and he is hitting .316. The power is lacking but a 29/30 walk to whiff is evidence that he could hit for average.

We have not done a top prospect from the Bahamas list because there were not enough prospects to make the list. That has changed with the number of recent signings. There have been six major leaguers from the Bahamas. The first to sign was Andre Rodgers in 1954. The most recent was Antoan Richardson. The ten players below hope to be the seventh major leaguer from the Bahamas. Because many of them are in rookie ball or recently signed myworld has not seen many of these players.

1. Jazz Chisholm SS (Diamondbacks) - Lucius Fox was who everyone was looking at. During that showcase the Diamondbacks liked Jazz. They signed him for just $200,000, much less than what Lucius was asking. Now Jazz appears to be the better prospect. The defensive tools are there to stick at shortstop. The bat could be impactful, with above average power for the position. Last year he slugged 25 homeruns between Low A and High A. This year he has hit 9 homeruns. An inability to make contact could impact his ability to hit for a high average. Last year he struck out 149 times in just 112 games. This year he has struck out 44 times in just 29 games, dropping his average to .184 in AA. If he can get that average up Jazz could see some time in the major leagues. Jazz is one of three players on this list who played for Great Britain in the World Baseball Classic qualifiers, starting at shortstop.

2. Kristian Robinson OF (Diamondbacks) - Two years later the Diamondbacks sign Kristian, but they had to shell out $2.5 million to sign him. He has the five tools to become an impact player. The speed is there to play centerfield while the arm is strong enough to fit in right. The bat has big time power. At 6′3″ he has the frame that could fill out and move him to a corner. Like Chisholm there is a tendency to swing and miss. Last year he struck out 67 times in 57 games but still hit .279 in rookie ball. He has yet to make an appearance in 2019. At 18 years of age he is probably in extended spring training and will see a second year of rookie ball.

3. D’Shawn Knowles OF (Angels) - Imagine finding a prospect and learning he has a twin. The Angels signed D’Shawn in 2017. The Yankees took a flyer on his brother D’Vaughn in 2019. Speed is the big tool for D’Shawn. This could allow him to be a premium centerfielder. His power is limited to the gap, but last year the stroke was solid enough to hit .311 in rookie ball. At 18 years of age Knowles has yet to make an appearance in 2019, showcasing his skills in extended spring until the short season leagues begin in July.

4. Lucius Fox SS (Rays) - He signed with the Giants for $6 million. The Rays traded Matt Moore to acquire him. The biggest impact Lucius can make is with his speed and defense. His bat has been a little slow to progress, especially in the power department where he is lacking. Defensively he needs to gain some consistency in the field. Last year he committed 15 errors in 105 games at shortstop between High A and AA. He also struggled with a .221 average and .298 slugging percentage at AA. No surprise he is repeating at that level this year, where his average is still disappointing (.188) but his OBA has improved (.341). With Wander Franco ahead of him on the depth chart Fox may have to play shortstop for another team if he wants to contribute in the major leagues.

5. Tahnaj Thomas RHP (Pirates) - The first pitcher on this list. The Indians first signed him, paying him a $200,000 bonus and then converted him from a shortstop to a pitcher. The Pirates acquired him last year for Jordan Luplow and Max Moroff. At 6′4″ Thomas has the look of a pitcher, with a fastball that can reach the plate consistently in the low 90s. The pitch that improved his game was the development of his slider, which raised his whiffs per nine innings from 8 to 12.4. He still needs to improve on his change as his third pitch and find the plate more often. It appears he will have a third year in rookie ball. At 19 years of age he needs to make the jump to full season Low A before the year is out.

6. Trent Deveaux OF (Angels) - The Angels signed Trent in 2017 for $1.2 million. It would be an accomplishment that in five years Knowles and Deveaux share the same outfield with Trout. Trent lacks the overall tools of Knowles. His bat has a ways to go, hitting only .199 last year with 68 whiffs in 48 games. He was a sprinter in the Bahamas, so the speed is there to play center. If the bat can develop his game breaking speed could make him a pest in the lineup. He has yet to play this year.

7. Keithron Moss 2B (Rangers) - Moss played in the Dominican Summer League last year, where he hit just .196. The Rangers signed him for $800,000, part of the money they had accumulated for Shohei Ohtani. He is a line drive hitter who preys on the gaps and uses his speed to take the extra base. He is not a big guy, standing 5′11 and 165 so he could mature as he gets older. This should be his first season state side where he will start at one of the rookie level clubs.

8. Chavez Young OF (Blue Jays) - Chavez was born and raised in the Bahamas but went to high school in Florida and Georgia. The Blue Jays drafted him in the 39th round in 2016 and then used $200,000 to entice him to sign. Chavez has the speed to play centerfield and last year used that speed to steal 44 bases at Low A. He hits more line drives into the gaps and is not expected to hit for a lot of pop, though last year he slugged 8 dingers to accumulate a .445 slugging average. This year he finds himself at High A struggling with a .207 average with only four of his 18 hits (.287 slugging) going for extra bases. He will make a greater impact if he can stick in centerfield. Chavez played for Great Britain in the World Baseball Classic qualifiers.

9. D’Vaughn Knowles (Yankees) - The twin brother of D’Shawn. The Yankees signed D’Vaughn in 2019 for $300,000. Like his brother his speed is suited for centerfield. His arm could also fit well in right. He has yet to make his minor league debut. Just look at his brother above and you will find the same tools, maybe just not as developed.

10 Reshard Munroe OF (Reds) - Shard is one of those players signed way back in 2014. While he is not expected to hit for power he did slug .455 in his last season of Rookie ball, before being promoted to Low A. This year he has already slugged two homeruns and is slugging, so the power could be developing. The Reds have used him primarily as a corner. If he hopes to reach the major leagues that power will need to develop. He played for Great Britain in the World Baseball Classic qualifiers, backing up fellow Bahamian Antoan Richardson in left field.

Finally complete. Lots of good bloodlines in the top ten. The Blue Jays and Astros were able to squeeze two players each in the top ten.

10. Bo Bichette SS (Blue Jays) - The son of Dante has a potent bat. It’s a mixture of power and batting average. The power is mainly in the gaps, with 42 doubles, but as he matures the balls will carry over the fence. His defense should be adequate for short. It would be better at third or even second but Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Cavan Biggio, two other sons of Hall of Famers have those positions covered. So the Blue Jays will take his adequate defense at short. He also has the speed and instincts to steal 32 bases last year. He will not be as fast as Trea Turner, but he could make just as big of an impact. The second round pick of 2016 will start the season in AAA and could be with the Blue Jays by mid-season, joining Vladimir.

9. Kyle Tucker OF (Astros) - His older brother Preston was also drafted by the Astros. Kyle has a lot more talent. Preston could make it as a fourth outfielder. Kyle should be an All Star. The Astros outfield is currently crowded but many think Kyle will earn a starting spot by mid-season. Josh Reddick has the most to fear. Last year Kyle hit .332 with 24 homeruns, evidence of his ability to hit for power and average. He stumbled in his promotion to the majors last year, hitting just .141. His fringe speed will limit him to a corner with his best fit in left field. AAA is where Kyle will spend his time until the Astros feel he is ready.

8. Nick Senzel OF/3B/2B (Reds) - The Reds are trying to find a position for him. His original position is third base, but Eugenio Suarez has that position covered. He could find himself at second base after the Scooter Gennett injury. The Reds insist he will be in AAA to learn to play centerfield. If he can stay healthy it will not take him long before he reaches the Reds. Vertigo last year limited him to 44 games. The bat has big time power and his career minor league average is .314. That is incentive enough to get his bat to the major leagues after the Reds drafted him in the first round in 2016.

7. Forest Whitley RHP (Astros) - The only pitcher in the top ten. The Astros 2016 first round pick has a plethora of pitches, including a mid-90s fastball that can touch triple digits. He also works with the technology to improve the spin rates on his breaking balls (curve and slider) to make them quality pitches and his change up is a swing and miss pitch. Injuries limited him to just eight starts last year where the opposition only hit .160 against him in AA. He did some extra credit work in the Arizona Fall League (AFL) to eat up innings and should be ready for AAA to start the 2019 season. Expect him to be called up by mid-season.

6. Wander Franco SS (Rays) - It may be too early in his career to anoint him the next Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the minor leagues. The Rays signed him in 2017 for $2.8 million. His first year in rookie ball he hit .351 with 11 homeruns. The bat hits for power and average. His defense will not be Gold Glove caliber for shortstop, but the bat will play at third where he would be an above average defensive player. The only tool that is not above average is his speed. Wander will see his first season at Low A in 2019 as an 18 year old. He should rise through the minor league system quickly, something the Rays are not normally prone to do.

5. Royce Lewis SS (Twins) - The first player selected in the 2017 draft has the tools to be a premium shortstop. The bat should be something special, hitting for both power and average. His speed should also play havoc on the bases, making him a threat to be a 30/30 player if his power develops more than expected. Lewis struggled a bit in the Florida State league last year (.255) so the Twins may start him there to begin the 2019 season with a quick promotion to AA if he finds success. A five tool infielder once he is ready.

4. Victor Robles CF (Nationals) - With Bryce Harper leaving for Philly, the center field job was given to Victor. Currently his speed is the best part of his game. It will allow him to be a Gold Glover on defense in centerfield and a pest on the bases. His bat should hit for average, but it won’t be as potent as teammate Juan Soto. The concern for some is his average exit velocity for the ball off his bat is just 82-84. He needs to get over 86 to reach the average exit velocity of major leaguers. The Nationals will be patient with him and allow the speed to create havoc as they wait for the power to arrive.

3. Eloy Jimeniz OF (White Sox) - The White Sox rewarded him with a major league spot on opening day after he signed a big contract extension that gave them one year after free agency. The bat will be special. The defense in left field will not. He could spend most of his time at the DH spot. Once the Dominican develops he could vie for batting titles with 40 plus homerun power. Don’t be surprised to see him win a Triple Crown before his career is complete. Eloy will start his season with the White Sox in left field.

2. Fernando Tatis Jr SS (Padres) - The son of Fernando Sr., he did not sign a long term extension as Eloy, but he had newly signed free agent Manny Machado recommending Padre management forget keeping him in the minors for a couple weeks to get an extra year. The Padres agreed. Fernando is ready now. His defense at short should be passable, better than what Manny could provide at short, which is a reason why Manny is playing third. The bat will generate big time power and hit for a decent average. He will battle with Victor Robles for the National League Rookie of the Year award.

1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr 3B (Blue Jays) - The son of Vladimir Sr. was going to be sent to the minor leagues to give the Blue Jays another year of service time despite the fact he is ready for the major leagues now. An early season injury will give them an opportunity to have him spend some time in rehab and then get promoted. His defense is average and his body could get too bulky for third. So a move to first could be in his future. His bat will be special with a .330 career minor league average and a slugging average of .529. Unlike his dad Vladimir is not afraid to take a walk. Expect him to be called up by May and win the American League rookie of the year award.

20. Carter Kieboom 2B (Nationals) - Two homeruns in spring training off Justin Verlander this year is pretty impressive. The 2016 first round pick will follow in the footsteps of Juan Soto and Victor Robles to vie for rookie of the year in 2020. Shortstop is his main position and he has the tools to play it. With Trea Turner cemented at short for the Nationals Carter will need to move to second or third. The power is there to hit 20 plus homeruns which would also make him a good fit for third base. If the Nationals do not sign Rendon to an extension that position will be open in 2020. The Nationals will promote Kieboom sometime late this year to get him ready for the 2020 season.

19. Sixto Sanchez RHP (Marlins) - The Phillies included Sixto in a trade as one of the players to send to the Marlins for J.T. Realmuto. Sixto has a good fastball, sitting in the mid-90s and hitting the high 90s. He also has quality secondary pitches (slider and change) and the command to carve the plate. The 6′1″ height brings out questions of durability. Last year injuries limited him to just 8 minor league starts. The Marlins are rebuilding and will be in no rush to promote Sanchez to the major leagues. They could start his year in High A and promote him to AA once he achieves success.

18. Brent Honeywell RHP (Rays) - Brent missed the 2018 season after Tommy John surgery. The 2014 second round supplemental pick has a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and reaches high 90s. He also has a quality screwball that can enhance his repertoire. How those pitches survive after Tommy John is open to question. After the success he was having in AAA and during spring training the Rays were ready to promote him to they Rays to take the same flight path to the majors as Blake Snell. The Tommy John surgery delayed that major league arrival by a year. Expect him to be in their rotation by 2020.

17. Mackenzie Gore LHP (Padres) - Blisters interrupted his 2018 season after dominating in Rookie ball in 2017. The first round 2017 pick may have the best stuff of any pitcher in the minors. His fastball sits in the mid-90s with a curve, slider and change as quality pitches. Last year the blisters limited him to 16 starts and impacted the quality of his pitchers. Hitters hit .260 off him after barely making contact the previous year (.180). If healthy he should start the 2019 season in High A.

16. Alex Kiriloff RF (Twins) - One of the top outfielders did not play in 2017 because of Tommy John. The 2016 first round pick bounced back last year hitting .348 between Low A and High A, with 20 homeruns and 101 runs driven in. Myworld also saw him at the Future’s Game and despite his surgery he seemed to have a very strong arm. He lacks the speed to play center leaving the corners where his power will fit well. Expect him to begin the 2019 season in AA with a September promotion a possibility. The 2020 season he will join Byron Buxton to form an impressive outfield group.

15. Taylor Trammell OF (Reds) - Another Future game player, he won the MVP award with a homeruns and triple. The 2016 supplemental first round pick is one of those five tool players, minus the arm. The speed is there to play center and steal bases. The arm is fringe which limits him to left field if he is moved from center. His bat will produce power and if he can contain his whiff rate hit for average. Don’t be surprised if his bat breaks out for power when he starts the season in AA in 2019. A promotion to the major leagues is just around the corner.

14. Jesus Luzardo LHP (Athletics) - The Nationals 2016 third round pick will see his season delayed because of arm issues. The Nationals traded him to the Athletics along with Blake Treinen for Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson. He missed much of his senior year of high school after Tommy John surgery, which dropped him to the third round. Jesus has excellent control of a fastball that sits in the low 90s but can reach north of 95. His best pitch may be his change which produces a lot of his swings and misses. Once he returns from his injury he will have to start his season at the lower levels of the minor leagues for rehab before being assigned to AAA, where he struggled last year in his four starts.

13. Brendan Rodgers SS/2B (Rockies) - The 2015 first round pick is ready for the major leagues if the Rockies can find a position for him. Nolan Arenado was just signed to an extension, Trevor Story is cemented at short, so second base will be his best option. He will battle Ryan McMahon for at bats there. Last year he hit 17 homeruns. The tools are there to play short and those tools should easily transfer to second. He will eventually win the second base job over Ryan McMahon because of his superior defense.

12. Keston Hiura 2B (Brewers) - Perhaps the best pure hitter in the 2017 draft. Tommy John surgery limited him to DH duties his senior year in college. The Brewers drafted him in the first round despite not seeing him play defense at second. Last year his bat was good enough to play AA. In the majors it could be could be good enough to win batting titles. He won’t be a gold glover at second but he will not hurt you on defense. At some point the Brewers will want his bat in the lineup to make a playoff run for the 2019 season.

11. Jo Adell OF (Angels) - It won’t be long before the Angels have another super star outfielder to join Mike Trout. The 2017 first round pick is a legitimate five tool player. He will hit for power and average and have the speed to play center. The biggest question for the Angels when Adell is ready for the majors is who plays centerfield, Mike Trout or Adell. Fortunately for the Angels they will not need to make that decision until 2020.