Baseball America’s “Just-Missed Top 10 Prospect All-Stars”
Baseball America has completed its review of the top-10 prospects for each of the 14 teams in the American League and has now released a list of the 10 best players that just missed the cut. However, it isn’t just a list of the 11th player for each team (regardless of position) but an actual, around-the-diamond look at the best 11 players* left off their team’s respective top-10 lists.
Of the 11 players on this list, eight came from the ultra-competitive AL East. Here is the list, including the blurb for the lone Yankee selection, RHP Brett Marshall:
Luke Bailey, C, Tampa Bay Rays
Lars Anderson, 1B, Boston Red Sox
Oscar Tejada, 2B, Boston Red Sox
Chelsor Cuthbert, 3B, Kansas City Royals
Adeiny Hechavarria, SS, Toronto Blue Jays
Eric Thames, OF, Toronto Blue Jays
Eddie Rosario, CF, Minnesota Twins
Kolbrin Vitek, OF, Boston Red Sox
Enny Romero, LHP, Tampa Bay Rays
Brett Marshall, RHP, New York Yankees
Tim Collins, RP, Kansas City Royals
Brett Marshall, rhp, Yankees: Marshall blew out his elbow in his first full pro season in 2009, but Tommy John surgery has restored his fastball. He has a very lively 89-94 mph two-seamer and a four-seamer that reaches 97. His slider and changeup are coming along nicely.
I have a bit of an issue with this list, considering, for example, that Kolbrin Vitek played all 68 of his minor league games at 3B last year. It’s hard for me to see how Vitek is considered one of the best OF prospects in an AL organizaton when he’s never even played there.
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