MLB Power Rankings: Buster Posey and the 10 Most Prized NL West Youngsters
The National League West is blessed with several outstanding young players. Many of these youngsters have had a taste of stardom already, and others are poised for it.
I have compiled a list of the top 10 most prized youngsters in the division. Our list is mixed with offensive stars and young pitchers with great arms.
In order to qualify for this list, the player must be 25 years old or less at the start of the 2011 season or have played in the major leagues for less than two full seasons.
Although there are several current minor league players who could qualify for our list, such as Brandon Belt, Jerry Sands and Casey Kelly, our focus for this piece is on current major league players.
Let's take a look at the top 10 of these prized youngsters currently in the NL West.
10) Cameron Maybin, San Diego Padres
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Cameron Maybin is only 23 years old but will be joining the third team of his career. Maybin came up in 2007 with the Detroit Tigers and then was traded to the Florida Marlins, where he played from 2008 to 2010.
Maybin joins the San Diego Padres for the 2011 season. He's slated to start in the outfield for San Diego. Maybin has a world of talent but has not yet lived up to his enormous potential. Still, he is only 23, so the Padres are hoping for him to begin to emerge as a star.
Cameron Maybin had 291 at-bats for the Marlins in 2010. He hit only .234 with eight home runs, 28 RBI and nine stolen bases.
His 92 strikeouts are alarmingly high for the number of at-bats he had. His strikeout rate was nearly one in every three at-bats. Maybin needs to put the ball in play much more often. He has very good speed and should be able to get infield hits and more stolen bases if he can consistently get on base.
If Maybin can put it all together, his upside is tremendous.
9) Dexter Fowler, Colorado Rockies
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Dexter Fowler is one of the fastest players in the major leagues. He utilizes his great speed by running down fly balls all over the outfield. Fowler will be 25 years old when the 2011 season gets under way.
Fowler's defense is a huge asset for the Colorado pitching staff as he patrols the spacious outfield at Coors Field. Although not possessing a real strong arm, Fowler can easily cover more ground than any outfielder in the division.
Offensively, Fowler has room for improvement. He hit only .260 last season with six home runs and 35 RBI. Fowler also stole 13 bases, which is low for a player with his speed. In the 2009 season Fowler had 27 stolen bases, which is closer to what he needs to accomplish to be a force offensively.
Fowler has scored 73 runs in each of the past two seasons. Normally he bats leadoff, so that number needs to increase.
Dexter Fowler's career on-base percentage is .351. If he can find a way to raise that closer to .400 and increase his stolen bases, he will be the type of player that can wreak havoc on the opposition.
8) Pablo Sandoval, San Francisco Giants
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Pablo Sandoval burst onto the scene in San Francisco in the latter part of 2008 and also had a great season in 2009. Sandoval hit .345 in 2008 and .330 in 2009 with 25 home runs and 90 RBI.
Sandoval was given the nickname of "Kung Fu Panda" by Barry Zito because of his happy-go-lucky attitude and portly physique. Sandoval was loved by the fans because of his infectious smile and charismatic style. Young and old alike donned panda hats all over AT&T Park.
Following the 2009 season, Pablo Sandoval had some personal family problems in the offseason that caused him to lose focus. He also allowed his weight to get out of control.
Sandoval had a poor season in 2010, as he hit only .268 with 13 home runs and 63 RBI. As Sandoval's weight ballooned up, his defense also suffered mightily. Sandoval lost confidence and seemed lost at the plate and in the field. So bad was Sandoval that manager Bruce Bochy was forced to bench him for the majority of the postseason.
General manager Brian Sabean gave Sandoval an ultimatum heading into this offseason: Sandoval had to lose weight and get into decent shape, or he would find himself at Fresno, the Giants' Triple-A affiliate.
Pablo Sandoval has been working out regularly, put himself on a healthy diet and has lost probably 20 to 30 pounds. The question now is whether Sandoval can keep the weight off throughout the season.
The reduced weight has made Sandoval feel stronger and quicker with the bat. It should also help his defense and range at third base.
Sandoval has also been working with Barry Bonds on pitch selection and plate discipline. Opposing pitchers were easily able to get Sandoval out, as he would frequently swing at pitches in the dirt or over his head.
Plate discipline is the key for Pablo Sandoval—plate discipline in terms of mealtime and also in the batter's box. I am expecting Sandoval, who is still only 24 years old, to have a bounce-back year for the Giants and hit over .300 with somewhere around 20 home runs.
The Giants are hoping for this kind of production, but they do have other alternatives available if Sandoval fails. Veteran Mark DeRosa, who missed most of last year with a bad wrist, should be back and able to play third base if Sandoval falters.
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7) Daniel Hudson, Arizona Diamondbacks
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Daniel Hudson will be 24 years old at the start of the 2011 season. The fireballing right-hander was acquired in a midseason trade with the Chicago White Sox for Edwin Jackson in 2010.
Hudson made 11 starts for Arizona after his acquisition. He displayed electric stuff and also good poise for a young pitcher. If he can come anywhere near the performance he had in the latter part of 2010, the Diamondbacks will be thrilled.
This could be easier said than done, however, as Hudson had the advantage of coming to a new league, where most of the hitters had not seen him before. The 2011 season will be a telling campaign as hitters adjust, and Hudson will need to establish that he can consistently get people out.
Daniel Hudson's 2010 numbers with the Diamondbacks were off the charts. In his 11 starts for Arizona, he went 7-1 with a 1.69 ERA. His WHIP ratio was an unbelievable 0.841, meaning he allowed less than one baserunner per inning pitched.
Hudson threw 79.2 innings for Arizona and struck out 70 with only 17 walks. His control was excellent, and while I do not expect a sub-1.00 WHIP in 2011, anything below 1.25 is outstanding.
Daniel Hudson is a bright young budding star in the NL West. He has the arm and the mental focus to develop into the ace of the Arizona pitching staff.
6) Jhoulys Chacin, Colorado Rockies
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The Colorado Rockies are building a quality young pitching staff with Ubaldo Jimenez, Jorge De La Rosa. and Jhoulys Chacin. These three could form the nucleus of a power pitching rotation for years to come.
In 2010, Chacin pitched in 28 games, 21 of them starts. He threw 137.1 innings and only allowed 114 hits. Anything below a 1-to-1 ratio is good, so this was outstanding. Chacin also struck out 138 batters.
Chacin was 9-11 with an ERA of 3.28, which is fantastic considering he pitches half his games at Coors Field. The only area of concern was Chacin's high base on balls total. He walked 61 hitters, an average of over four per nine innings.
Jhoulys Chacin was very strong in the second half of 2010. Colorado made a run for the playoffs late in the season, and Chacin was one of the main reasons for it.
Like Daniel Hudson, Jhoulys Chacin will need to establish the consistency to be one of the top pitchers in the NL West. Chacin, who will be 23 years old when the season begins, has the physical tools to be a top-notch pitcher in the league for years to come.
5) Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants
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At just 21 years of age, Madison Bumgarner appears to be the next of the great young pitching stars for the San Francisco Giants.
Bumgarner had a tough spring training, as his velocity was down and he was getting hit hard. The Giants were hoping he would make the Opening Day roster, but he didn't. In Triple-A, Bumgarner regained his arm strength, and his velocity and command improved.
Bumgarner rejoined the Giants in the middle of the 2010 season. He made 18 starts for San Francisco and finished the year with a record of 7-6 and an ERA of 3.00. Bumgarner struck out 86 batters and walked only 28 in 111 innings of work.
The Giants were impressed with Bumgarner, as he pitched well down the stretch and showed a poise and mental toughness that belied his age. He beat out veteran Barry Zito for the fourth spot in the Giants' postseason pitching rotation.
Bumgarner pitched in four postseason games, starting three of them. He threw 20.2 innings, giving up only 18 hits, while striking out 18 batters. Bumgarner went 2-0 with a 2.18 ERA. He did not shy away from the spotlight and actually thrived on it.
Madison Bumgarner is a big, strong kid who showed his ultra competitiveness down the stretch and in the postseason. The Giants are hoping for continued development from this youngster as he enters his first full season in the majors.
4) Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
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It seems like Clayton Kershaw has been around a long time, but he will still be only 23 years old when the 2011 season begins. He began his major league career with the Dodgers in 2008 and has made steady improvement.
Kershaw has emerged as the ace of the Dodger pitching staff. In 2010, Kershaw threw a career-high 204.1 innings. He finished the year with a record of 13-10 and an ERA of 2.91. In reality, Kershaw should have had an even better record if not for the Dodgers' anemic offense.
Kershaw's 212 strikeouts led the team, and his WHIP ratio of 1.179 was outstanding. New manager Don Mattingly will be counting on Kershaw to lead his staff and continue to improve.
Clayton Kershaw is arguably the best left-handed starting pitcher in the NL West. At age 23, the Dodgers are hoping that Kershaw will give them several more years of top-notch performance.
3) Mat Latos, San Diego Padres
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Mat Latos will be entering just his second full season in the majors. In his first full season in San Diego, Latos emerged as the ace of the Padres pitching staff.
In 2010, Latos started 31 games and finished the year having thrown a career-high 184.2 innings. He compiled a record of 14-10 with a 2.92 ERA and a WHIP ratio of 1.083. Latos also struck out 189 batters, better than one per inning.
San Diego manager Bud Black was careful not to overwork Latos. However, Latos did seem to wear down a bit towards the end of the 2010 season. The Padres are hoping that the experience gained from last year will enable Latos to remain strong throughout the 2011 campaign.
At 6'6" and 225 pounds, Mat Latos is a big, strong, physical presence on the mound. I expect him to build on last season and continue to improve as the leader of the San Diego pitching staff.
2) Justin Upton, Arizona Diamondbacks
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At age 23, Justin Upton is already a grizzled veteran of the big leagues. He will be entering his fifth season with the Diamondbacks and is looking to put together an immense year in Arizona.
Upton has enormous potential and is a rare five-tool player. He had a strong 2009 season where he was named an All-Star. He had a batting average of .300 with 26 home runs, 86 RBI and 20 stolen bases.
His production fell off significantly in 2010. Last year, Upton batted just .273. His power numbers were also down, as he hit 17 home runs and had 69 RBI. Upton added 17 stolen bases, but that number should also be higher given his excellent speed.
Arizona finished the 2010 season with a record of 65-97 and in last place in the NL West. If they hope to improve on this, Upton will need to rebound from his lackluster performance.
Justin Upton has virtually unlimited potential, and the Diamondbacks are hoping he can put it all together and become the superstar they need.
1B) Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado Rockies
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2010 was a breakout season for the 25-year-old Carlos Gonzalez. A true five-tool player, Gonzalez became one of the most feared hitters in the National League.
Last year, Gonzalez hit .336 with 34 home runs and 117 RBI. He also stole 26 bases for Colorado. He is entering the prime of his career, and the Rockies are hoping that he can duplicate his 2010 season.
Gonzalez earned Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Awards in 2010. He was also third in the MVP voting in the National League.
Gonzalez' numbers were significantly better at Coors Field than they were on the road. The Rockies will be looking for more consistency from their young star this coming year.
Carlos Gonzalez is a budding superstar, and he and Troy Tulowitzki form the toughest No. 3 and No. 4 hitter combination in the NL West.
1A) Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants
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I could not decide between Carlos Gonzalez or Buster Posey for No. 1, so I went with 1B and 1A.
Buster Posey joined the Giants in May and played some catcher and some first base. By late June, the Giants decided the time was right to trade veteran catcher Bengie Molina and install Posey as their regular catcher. The rest, as they say, is history.
Posey had an outstanding season, hitting for a .305 average with 18 home runs and 67 RBI. All of this was accomplished in only 405 at-bats. The Giants are hoping for even better numbers since Posey will get the full season in 2011.
Posey also handled the rigorous defensive job of the catcher position. He has an excellent throwing arm and utilized it to slow opposing teams down on the bases. Posey learned the art of calling a game quickly, and Giants pitchers learned to trust him. He also improved his ball-blocking technique through a lot of hard work and repetition.
It was the combination of outstanding offense with strong defense that earned Buster Posey the NL Rookie of the Year award in 2010.
Posey was also impressive with his no-nonsense approach to the game. He carries a businesslike attitude and a poise far beyond his chronological age. Posey will be 24 when the regular season begins, and if he plays anywhere near what he did last year, he will be an All-Star.
Buster Posey is already a budding superstar and someone the Giants will be counting on for the next decade or more.
The NL West Has Some of the Best Young Talent in Baseball
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The National League West has some of the top young talent in the game. My list of 10—actually 11—top youngsters in the NL West shows just how talented this division is. I believe there is no other division that can boast of such a wealth of young talent.
The San Francisco Giants rode their young pitching staff to the World Series title. They sprinkled in some veterans on the field along with some youngsters and won their first championship in San Francisco.
2011 will be exciting, as we will see the continued growth of some of this great young talent in the NL West.
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