Stock Up, Stock Down on MLB's Top 10 Prospects After Week 5
Now that we have over a month of data under our belts, it's an appropriate time to take a look at the performances of some of baseball's top young prospects.
Over the next few slides, we'll analyze MLB's top 10 prospects and decide how you should feel about your team's next big star. We'll leave off names that have already been called up, such as Kris Bryant, Addison Russell and Noah Syndergaard, and players who haven't played yet this season, such as Yoan Moncada.
Players such as Carlos Correa, Corey Seager and Tyler Glasnow continue to impress at the minor league level, while youngsters such as Jon Gray have started slow out of the gates in 2015.
Make sure to keep the conversation going in the comments section below. Let's get started with Colorado's top overall prospect.
Jon Gray, RHP, Colorado Rockies
1 of 10
The Skinny
Through his first four starts in Triple-A Albuquerque, Colorado right-hander Jon Gray has a 9.13 ERA in 22.2 innings. Gray's strikeout percentage is at a career low, and he's allowing more than two baserunners per inning. Gray has yet to pitch past the fifth inning and has allowed 10 hits in two different starts.
They Said It
"I thought Gray pitched very well during spring training. His fastball was lively, and his breaking stuff very sharp. What he lacks right now is consistency and confidence.
"
—Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post
The Verdict: Stock Down
Gray failed to make the Colorado rotation out of spring training, and his numbers may be suffering from that disappointment. Gray's strikeouts have decreased as his walks have gone up, which has seen his ERA balloon to begin 2015.
Colorado once again has the worst team ERA in all of MLB, so Gray's slow start to the season is disappointing. There's no doubt that the No. 3 overall pick in the 2013 draft would be in the big leagues by now if he was producing at Triple-A.
Tyler Glasnow, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates
2 of 10
The Skinny
Tyler Glasnow has dominated Double-A hitters so far this season.
The right-hander boasts a 1.40 ERA in 25.2 innings. Glasnow has duplicated the impressive strikeout totals he produced last year in High-A, while also cutting his walk percentage from 11.6 to 6.3 percent.
They Said It
"He's controlling his effort really well right now. He's not giving unnecessary effort or trying too hard in certain spots. He's picking the times when he can pump it up, and even tonight, we didn't see a whole lot of that. He's just trying to locate the fastball, and one our of main goals is to keep that attacking mind-set from pitch one to the last pitch. We saw that tonight.
"
—Altoona pitching coach Justin Meccage, per MiLB.com's Sam Dykstra
The Verdict: Stock Up
It was always going to be difficult for Glasnow to top his 2014 numbers, but he's headed in that direction through the season's first month.
The 21-year-old already has a deadly fastball-curveball combination, so don't be surprised to see the Pirates promote him to the bullpen if they are in the playoff hunt down the stretch.
Miguel Sano, 3B, Minnesota Twins
3 of 10
The Skinny
Miguel Sano missed all of 2014 due to injury, making 2015 a crucial year in his development.
So far, the third baseman has reminded the baseball world exactly what he's capable of. Sano's .198 average is alarming, but the slugger has gone deep six times and driven in 13 runs in 26 games. Ten of Sano's 18 hits have gone for extra bases.
They Said It
"Things have been trending in the right direction since the calendar turned to May and the Lookouts returned home. Signed by the Twins as a non-drafted free agent in 2009, Sano has hits in six of nine games on the current homestand and has reached base in every contest.
Two of his three multi-hit efforts have come in the past three days against Jackson, including a 3-for-4 performance on Thursday.
"
The Verdict: Stock Up
Sano may have as much raw power as anybody in the minors. The 21-year-old mashed 35 homers in 2013 and has shown that his pop hasn't disappeared after being out of action for a year.
His average isn't ideal, but he's still posting a wRC+ of 123 even with a mark under the Mendoza Line. His elite power is his calling card, and it's what the Minnesota Twins want to see.
.png?w=256)
Joey Gallo, 3B, Texas Rangers
4 of 10
The Skinny
The beginning of Joey Gallo's 2015 campaign was hindered by a foot injury, but the slugger has settled in nicely since returning to the field.
Gallo is slashing .333/.429/.604 with two homers and eight RBI in 14 games. The 21-year-old has struck out nearly 34 percent of the time against Double-A pitchers, but half of his hits have gone for extra bases.
They Said It
"Joey continues to refine the offensive side of his game each season. Big credit to Joey each year he improves different areas such as plate discipline, approach, utilizing the entire field, and consistency of his at-bats as he continues towards his goal of becoming a multi-dimensional hitter at the plate.
"
—Rangers senior director of player development Mike Daly, per Anthony Andro of Fox Sports Southwest.
The Verdict: Stock Up
Gallo is an offensive force, proving his elite pop is capable of overcoming his whopping strikeout totals. His K's are actually down nearly 7 percent from last season, while he continues to walk over 14 percent of the time.
His .519 average on balls in play is unsustainable, but it shows just how hard Gallo is hitting the ball. By crushing everything he's putting in play, Gallo's strengths greatly outweigh his tendency to whiff.
Julio Urias, LHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
5 of 10
The Skinny
Despite being just 18, Julio Urias may be the most major league ready pitcher on this list.
The southpaw has a 2.48 ERA in 32.2 innings of work. Urias has always possessed swing-and-miss stuff, but a 4.1 walk percentage proves he has impeccable control as well. Urias has gone six innings in each of his last three starts, allowing just four earned runs and striking out 23 hitters.
They Said It
"Urias now sits in the low to mid-90’s and touches 97 mph with three plus pitches and advanced command, and he’s still just 18. He’ll start 2015 in Double-A and when he’s called up is simply a function of when the Dodgers want to start his arbitration clock, because we haven’t seen him fail yet, so we don’t even fully know his ceiling.
"
The Verdict: Stock Up
With the uncertainty at the back end of the Dodgers rotation, could Urias be called up by season's end?
It's becoming more and more possible, as the lefty has dazzled at every level in the minor leagues. His 28.1 strikeout to walk percentage in Double-A proves he's ready for a new challenge. That could eventually be an opportunity in the majors as early as this season.
Corey Seager, SS, Los Angeles Dodgers
6 of 10
The Skinny
Corey Seager began 2015 at Double-A, but after slashing .375/.407/.675 in 20 games, the Dodgers decided to promote their top prospect to Triple-A Oklahoma City at the beginning of May.
The 21-year-old hasn't seen that same success so far at Triple-A, but he has only played in eight games since his promotion.
They Said It
"He's not moving up in the rankings, but Corey Seager's hit tool and estimated time of arrival in the bigs have both ticked up. After watching him smash line drives consistently in Tulsa, I'm pretty confident in giving his hit tool a 70 grade.
By raking in AA and earning a promotion, Seager is on the major league doorstep with only Jimmy Rollins and his offensive struggles in his path.
"
—David Hood of True Blue LA, an SB Nation affiliate
The Verdict: Stock Up
As Seager continues to rake, the Dodgers may be headed for a tough decision in the second half. Can a 22-year-old handle the pressure of playing shortstop in L.A. during a pennant race? If Jimmy Rollins continues to struggle, we may get an answer to that question.
Regardless, Seager remains one of the best prospects in the game due to his ability to hit for both average and power.
Lucas Giolito, RHP, Washington Nationals
7 of 10
The Skinny
Washington right-hander Lucas Giolito made his 2015 debut last week after spending the season's first month in extended spring training.
The 20-year-old went just 4.1 innings and allowed five earned runs and eight hits in a loss. Giolito did strike out five hitters in his first outing of the year.
They Said It
"We had our farm director Mark Scialabba there. He said it was very good. He got a little tired in the third inning and elevated some pitches. But we've got some things to worry about in this organization, and Lucas Giolito isn't one of them.
"
—Washington general manager Mike Rizzo to Chase Hughes of CSNWashington.com regarding Giolito's debut
The Verdict: Same Stock
It would be foolish to judge Giolito on just one outing. Washington is adamant about keeping its prized young hurler on an innings count, and delaying his debut by a month was a clever way to accomplish that.
The Nats have no need to rush Giolito to the majors with such an electric staff already in place. If Giolito can earn a promotion to Double-A at some point this season, then 2015 should be considered a success.
Francisco Lindor, SS, Cleveland Indians
8 of 10
The Skinny
Francisco Lindor was the eighth overall pick in the 2011 draft, but he has been pretty mediocre at Triple-A in 2015.
Lindor is slashing .250/.342/.346 with one homer, 10 RBI and six steals in 28 games. Before this weekend, Lindor was in the midst of a 6-for-58 slump in his last 10 games.
They Said It
"This is another problem the Tribe never saw coming—both young players floundering at the same time. There have been some discussions about promoting Lindor, but how would that work with him struggling in the minors?
"
—Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer regarding the Indians' shortstop situation
The Verdict: Stock Down
This isn't to say that Lindor won't develop into the player so many expect him to be, but his struggles in 2015 have delayed his much-anticipated debut.
His defense and speed are major league-ready, but the Tribe are in desperate need of an offensive spark. That doesn't seem like something Lindor is ready to provide at the moment.
Carlos Correa, SS, Houston Astros
9 of 10
The Skinny
No minor league hitter has been as hot as Houston's Carlos Correa to begin 2015.
The shortstop is slashing .389/.465/.726 with seven homers and 32 RBI in 28 games. Yes, you read that correctly. Correa has also swiped 15 bags and walked over 11 percent of the time.
They Said It
"Here's where we pause and suggest you reread those numbers, because: Wow. To put them in context, Correa is leading the Texas League in—deep breath—batting average, slugging percentage, on-base-plus slugging percentage, runs scored, hits and doubles.
"
—Bleacher Report's own Jason Catania on Correa's monster start
The Verdict: Stock Up
Correa's assault on Double-A pitchers has significantly enhanced his value. The 20-year-old's numbers prove he's a special talent with an elite skill set.
With Jed Lowrie expected to miss extended time, the AL West-leading Astros could turn to Correa much sooner than anticipated.
Byron Buxton, OF, Minnesota Twins
10 of 10
The Skinny
After a disappointing 2014 season marred by injuries, Byron Buxton has looked more like the overall No. 1 prospect so far this season.
Buxton is slashing .262/.319/.486 with three homers and 19 RBI in 27 games. The 21-year-old has also returned to running, as he's stolen seven bases in eight attempts.
They Said It
"He did this his first year. All he did is do all those things that these numbers indicate. He can run, throw, field, range, steal a bag; he's got surprising strength in his bat; he'll hit for average just because he can run so well. He's driving the ball down there it sounds like from everything I'm getting.
"
—Minnesota general manager Terry Ryan told Derek Wetmore of 1500ESPN.com
The Verdict: Stock Up
2015 was an important year for Buxton. After playing in just 43 games last season, the former No. 2 overall pick in the 2012 draft needed a bounce-back campaign.
Buxton has been at the top of most prospect lists since being drafted, but he's still just 21. Seeing him showcase every aspect of his five-tool profile could end up being the biggest development of Minnesota's season.
Advanced stats courtesy of FanGraphs.
Stats accurate as of May 11.
.png?w=480)
