Here's the new Top 100 Prospects list
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In an atypical year, MLB Pipeline presents an atypical update to our prospects lists.
Since we posted our initial Top 100 Prospects and organizational Top 30 rankings for 2020, the coronavirus has limited baseball action to three weeks of Spring Training games, glimpses of Summer Camp action and a couple of weeks of big league contests. We didn't believe it made any sense to make wholesale changes to our rankings based on those small sample sizes.
What we have done is added 2020 Draft picks to our lists, 13 to the Top 100 and a total of 103 to the team Top 30s. Throughout the season, we'll continue to make changes as players graduate from rookie/prospect status (Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller is the lone Top 100 Prospect to do so thus far) or change organizations.
Our updated Top 10 includes the No. 1 overall picks from the last four Drafts in Twins shortstop Royce Lewis (2017), Tigers right-hander Casey Mize (2018), Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (2019) and Tigers corner infielder Spencer Torkelson (2020). It also features the top international amateur prospects from 2016 and 2017 in White Sox outfielder Luis Robert and Rays shortstop Wander Franco.
The Top 10:
1) Wander Franco, SS, Rays
2) Gavin Lux, SS/2B, Dodgers
3) Luis Robert, OF, White Sox
4) Adley Rutschman, C, Orioles
5) MacKenzie Gore, LHP, Padres
6) Jo Adell, OF, Angels
7) Spencer Torkelson, 3B/1B, Tigers
8) Casey Mize, RHP, Tigers
9) Nate Pearson, RHP, Blue Jays
10) Royce Lewis, SS, Twins
Complete list ?
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Demographics
Outfielders led the way by claiming 25 spots on the Top 100, followed by 23 right-handed pitchers, 18 shortstops, 12 left-handed pitchers, nine catchers, six third basemen, four second basemen and three first basemen.
Seventy-nine players entered pro ball via the Draft (including 60 first-rounders) and 21 were signed on the international market. The list includes 77 Americans, 13 Dominicans, four Venezuelans, two Bahamians and one player each from Canada, Colombia, Cuba and Puerto Rico.
Thirteen Top 100 Prospects already have experienced a trade during their pro careers, the highest ranked of whom is Mariners outfielder Jarred Kelenic (No. 12).
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Feeling the Draft
Including Torkelson, 13 first-round selections from the 2020 Draft made their Top 100 debuts:
Spencer Torkelson, 3B/1B, Tigers (No. 7 on Top 100, first overall choice)
Austin Martin, SS/OF, Blue Jays (No. 20, fifth overall)
Asa Lacy, LHP, Royals (No. 34, fourth overall)
Emerson Hancock, RHP, Mariners (No. 39, sixth overall)
Nick Gonzales, SS/2B, Pirates (No. 41, seventh overall)
Max Meyer, RHP, Marlins (No. 42, third overall)
Zac Veen, OF, Rockies (No. 60, ninth overall)
Heston Kjerstad, OF, Orioles (No. 68, second overall)
Garrett Mitchell, OF, Brewers (No. 69, 20th overall)
Robert Hassell, OF, Padres (No. 88, eighth overall)
Reid Detmers, LHP, Angels (No. 89, 10th overall)
Austin Hendrick, OF, Reds (No. 92, 12th overall)
Mick Abel, RHP, Phillies (No. 100, 15th overall)
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Farm reports
Two quick ways to gauge the strength of farm systems related to the Top 100 are to tally the number of players they have on the list and to calculate what we call Prospect Points (100 for the No. 1 prospect, 99 for No. 2 and so on through one for No. 100).
The Marlins and Padres lead all organizations with six Top 100 Prospects each, followed by the Braves, Dodgers, Mariners and Tigers with five each. Detroit has the most Prospect Points with 380, 41 more than any other system.
The Top 10 organizations in terms of Prospect Points, with their top prospect in parentheses:
Tigers, 380 (Spencer Torkelson, 3B/1B, No. 7)
Padres, 339 (MacKenzie Gore, LHP, No. 5)
Mariners, 329 (Jarred Kelenic, OF, No. 12)
White Sox, 317 (Luis Robert, OF, No. 3)
Braves, 285 (Cristian Pache, OF, No. 14)
Rays, 257 (Wander Franco, SS, No. 1)
Marlins, 250 (Sixto Sanchez, RHP, No. 24)
Dodgers, 228 (Gavin Lux, SS/2B, No. 2)
Royals, 227 (Bobby Witt Jr., SS, No. 11)
Orioles, 215 (Adley Rutschman, C, No. 4)
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Best tools
We rate each of the players in a variety of tools on the 20-to-80 scouting scale, where 50 represents big league average. These are the best of the best:
Hit (80): Wander Franco, SS, Rays (No. 1)
Power (65): Luis Robert, OF, White Sox (No. 3); Jo Adell, OF, Angels (No. 6); Spencer Torkelson, 3B/1B, Tigers (No. 7)
Run (80): C.J. Abrams, SS, Padres (No. 27)
Arm (70): Cristian Pache, OF, Braves (No. 14); Sean Murphy, C, Athletics (No. 36); Oneil Cruz, SS, Pirates (No. 72); Shea Langeliers, C, Braves (No. 78)
Field (70): Cristian Pache, OF, Braves (No. 14); Evan White, 1B, Mariners (No. 62)
Fastball (80): Nate Pearson, RHP, Blue Jays (No. 9); Michael Kopech, RHP, White Sox (No. 22); Hunter Greene, RHP, Reds (No. 58); Brailyn Marquez, LHP, Cubs (No. 76); Brusdar Graterol, RHP, Dodgers (No. 94)
Curveball (60): MacKenzie Gore, LHP, Padres (No. 5); Forrest Whitley, RHP, Astros (No. 21); Matt Manning, RHP, Tigers (No. 26); Matthew Liberatore, LHP, Cardinals (No. 64); Reid Detmers, LHP, Angels (No. 89)
Slider (70): Max Meyer, RHP, Marlins (No. 42)
Changeup (65): Jesus Luzardo, LHP, Athletics (No. 13)
Other (70): Casey Mize, RHP, Tigers (No. 8, splitter)
Control (60): MacKenzie Gore, LHP, Padres (No. 5); Casey Mize, RHP, Tigers (No. 8); Jesus Luzardo, LHP, Athletics (No. 13); Brendan McKay, LHP/DH, Rays (No. 16); Sixto Sanchez, RHP, Marlins (No. 24); Dustin May, RHP, Dodgers (No. 25); Nick Lodolo, LHP, Reds (No. 53)