Prospects Chat: Excerpts from Baseball America Top 100 Chat

Just a reminder, that John Sickels will be publishing his first ever Top 100 Prospect Rankings tomorrow morning over at Minor League Ball. Make sure you head on over to Minor League Ball and check out his list.

Baseball America published their Top 100 Prospects List on Tuesday and Jason wrote up a quick reaction to their rankings here. BA also held a lengthy chat to discuss their Top 100 Rankings and here are some excerpts:

Ben (Miamisburg, OH): With most projecting Mesoraco with just average defense and an average arm, will he have to move off C in the future or is he good enough to stay there if he has a 10+ year career (barring injury naturally)? Could his bat be good enough to play 1B down the line?

Jim Callis: I think he'll stay at catcher. If he has average receiving and arm strength to go with a strong bat for the position, that's an all-star catcher.

As a Mesoraco owner, I just want to know how soon he becomes the Reds full time catcher. I guess it will be toward the end of May.

Marcus (Kentucky): How come Miguel Sano ranks so high in comparison to players that seem very similar and are more proven than him such as Nolan Arenado, Xander Bogaerts, or Cheslor Cuthbert?

Jim Callis: His power upside puts him ahead of those guys. He has well above-average power, maybe as much as any prospect besides Bryce Harper.

Sano had a solid showing as an 18 year old in rookie ball in 2011, hitting .292-.352-.637 with 20 HRs, 45 extra base hits, and 59 RBI in 267 at bats. He will move up to Low A ball this season and doesn't turn 19 till May 11th.

More excerpts after the jump:

Kelly (Toronto, ON): Only # 46 for Marisnick? Every article I've read say he's a legit 5-tooler and I believe you could make a case for him to occupy the same range of your top 100 as Starling, Myers and Arenado. Explain?

Jim Callis: He's actually No. 67, but that's lower than I would like. I ranked him 44th on my personal list and prefer him to fellow Jays outfield prospect Anthony Gose. As for the three guys you've mentioned, Marisnick has great tools but Starling's are better, and Myers and Arenado have proven themselves at higher levels. I'll digress here, but there are no right and wrong answers on this stuff.

Marisnick is one of my favorite prospects and am not surprised at all to see him like him over Gose actually. Marisnick has the better hit tool and is the better all around player than Gose.

Lloyd (Lakewood): Dylan Bundy with an ETA of 2013? Is he THAT good?

Jim Callis: He's that good. I bet he's up before the end of 2013.

Uh, Bundy is only 19 years old, right? He just turned 19 in November, so if Jim is right, he will make it to the big leagues as a 20 year old. That is some lofty expectations, but I hear nothing but good things about the kid.

Joel (KCK): I've heard of one scout saying that next to Matt Moore, Taijuan Walker has the highest ceiling of any pitching prospect in the country. Is that a careless statement, or is the upside really that high? Thanks?

Jim Callis: Not a careless statement, you can definitely make that argument. He's extremely athletic, has an electric arm, and he showed more polish more quickly than expected last year.

Interesting. With 5 first round picks in my AL-Only minor league draft, I will have to consider Walker with one of my picks.....especially after reading this.....

Ben (Miamisburg, OH): Is Jurickson Profar the early favorite for the 2013 #1 Prospect ranking?

John Manuel: That's a good way to put it. I'd throw Anthony Rendon (if he can show his shoulder is healthy), Taijuan Walker and Miguel Sano in that mix as well.

Glad I own Sano, but he is still very young and 2012 will be his first full season of pro ball. Has anyone heard that he will start the season any higher than Low A?