ESPN's Keith Law published his Top 100 prospects on Thursday and chatted about the list. Here are some excerpts:
Loren (Salt Lake)
With Michael Taylor third on your A's prospect list, does it mean you still believe in him somewhat despite his awful 2010 or is the rest of the A's system just that bad?
Klaw
(1:11 PM)I wouldn't just walk away from the tools and athleticism. It's hard to rank a guy like that, who had a long track record of success and then just flat-out lost his swing. I could have put him 8th in that org just as easily and defended it, because right now Taylor's range of expected outcomes is about as wide as it gets.
You have to hope he works things out, but, in the same breath, you have to give Phillies GM Ruben Amaro props for trading him instead of Domonic Brown. At this point, Brown appears to be the better prospect.
Cameron (Portland, OR)
Ackley over Belt? Is that a tool ranking, position scarcity, or is he just, as the kids say, more better?
Klaw
(1:13 PM)Position value was huge there. If you're talking strictly offensive value, without respect to position, then Belt is better.
Yep, I couldn't agree more. Belt will probably be the 2nd pick in the UBA minor league draft this year, behind Harper.
More after the jump:
Joe (New York)
Why is Gary Sanchez so low? What impressed you the most about Banuelos? What is a fair comparison to him?
Klaw
(1:21 PM)Sanchez is low? He was 17 in complex ball and has to prove he'll stay behind the plate (I think he will). Banuelos's command/feel really impressed me, and it's now stuff - the Yanks might not consider it but I think he'd appear in the majors in 2011 if he was in most other organizations.
Oh, I can see the "Manny Rules" headline if he is called up this year, and another talented pitching prospect misused by the Yankees.
Dan Broderick (Greenwich, CT)
Keith, this list seems weaker than last years? Agree?
Klaw
(1:24 PM)The minors are down right now. We'll get a big influx from the 2011 draft.
It would have been much stronger if Jerry Sands was on the list, dammit!!
Jonathan (Tampa, FL)
What are the chances Carlos Matias could jump into the top 10 next year?
Klaw
(1:32 PM)25%. I didn't talk to a lot of guys who saw him, but the universal response is "wow." The Cardinals seem to want to hold down the expectations, which is usually a good sign.
I have never heard of this guy but here is a snippet from Law's writeup:
Matias will sit in the mid-90s, touching 98, with an out-pitch curveball, a slider and a changeup that projects as plus. His arm action is simple and easy, and his command is outstanding for his age. I've got Shelby Miller in the top 10 on this list, but Matias has better raw stuff, and he could leapfrog Miller if his full-season debut in 2011 lives up to expectations.
Wow.
More on Sunday.