The Hardball Times Top 10 Yankee Prospects

Written by Greg Fertel | 29 October 2009

Matt Hagen gives us his list, along with Boston's top ten prospects:

1. Jesus Montero: His bat has all the makings of a perennial All-Star. The only question is what position he eventually ends up playing.
2. Manuel Banuelos: As an 18-year-old, he has an attacking approach beyond his years. With some refinement and added velocity he could be an ace in the making.
3. Jairo Heredia: After battling an injury for most of 2009, he posted some respectable numbers in a short period of time. His 2010 Double-A excursion will be the first true test for his mid-90s fastball.
4. Austin Romine: The Yankees are developing him with a one-level-at-a-time approach, to fine success. A solid all-around catcher could be in the works.
5. Kelvin De Leon: The five-star potential is very real, and the Gulf Coast League got a taste of it in 2009. Patience is the key with this terrific young man.
6. Slade Heathcott: This first-round pick has a full toolbox to work with, and he has the ability to be a .300 hitter with a good power/speed combination. But he has a long way to go.
7. Arodys Vizcaino: His fastball touches the mid-90s, and his change-up/curveball secondary combination has Yankee fans excited. Keep an eye on this kid.
8. D.J. Mitchell: While there isn't much upside left in his right arm, he sports strong command, a good groundball ratio and an eye-popping low home run rate.
9. Austin Jackson: His power and plate discipline may be his downfall, but there is still time for development. His speed could be a weapon at the next level.
10. Zach McAllister: His best asset is the consistency that he brings to the mound. His low-90s fastball and heavy sinking action have all the makings of a back-of-the-rotation starter at the very least.

Well, this is an interesting list. Obviously anyone making a rankings list is entitled to their own opinions, because that's all these lists are. I would love to chat with Hagen about his rankings, because I don't really understand this list.

You all know I'm not the biggest Austin Jackson fan, but the guy looks like he will be a league average player and is very close to being major league ready. I'll take a guy who is a good bet to be a 2 WAR player very soon over someone who is so far away and has such a little chance of panning out like Kelvin DeLeon.

Some people disagreed with me because I had Jairo Heredia in the top 10. I'm not sure how he can be ranked #3 at all. It says that he has a mid-90s fastball, I am under the impression he's more 89-91. His performance wasn't great this year also, I think Arodys Vizcaino is the clear choice between these two guys.

I do like DJ Mitchell, but it's definitely a stretch to have him above McAllister considering McAllister's level of success. Mitchell put up strong numbers but really struggled against left handers as they hit .290 off him in Tampa and his K/9 vs. Lefties was 4.96. He'll have to fix this problem to jump into my top 10.

Anyway, what do you guys think? You can take a look at other lists for reference, if you'd like.