
Minnesota Twins minor league CF Byron Buxton, the top prospect in MLB as ranked by 13 of 15 lists, including Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus and Keith Law. August 5, 2013; Photographer: Mark LoMoglio/Icon SMI
One of my favorite tasks prepping for the upcoming fantasy baseball season is compiling my consensus top prospects list, a ranking of the next best players in baseball. This is the fifth year publishing the list. Feel free to go back and check the top prospects from 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013, and you’ll quickly see what a major impact these players have on the fantasy baseball landscape today. The top of this list are the guys you want to build your deep keeper and dynasty league fantasy baseball teams around for years to come.
This year I used 15 publicly available “top 100” prospect lists to form the basis of my list, although there were changes to the lists included in the consensus from last year. Players had to be named on at least eight of the lists to make the final cut, with two notable exceptions. The older professional players (Masahiro Tanaka and Jose Abreu), who never played in a team’s minor league system, were included in this analysis despite appearing on less than eight lists.
Players were given 100 points for a 1st place listing, 99 points for second, 98 for third and on and on down to 1 point for a selection as number 100.
Each list that formed the consensus is identified in the key below. Each player’s rank for that list is indicated and their average score is listed last. Scores are based on the number of lists they appear. I realize this simple system has the potential to skew the results of those picked on fewer lists, but overall it provides a good snapshot of the guys you should target for your rosters.
Top 100 Prospects Lists | |||
BA | Baseball America | MLB | MLB.com |
BP | Baseball Prospectus | PG | MLB Prospect Guide |
DI | MLB Draft Insider | 361 | Prospect 361° |
DL | Deep Leagues | RA | Roto Analysis |
FA | Fantasy Assembly | SC | Scout.com |
FG | FanGraphs | TPA | Top Prospect Alert |
FS | Fantasy Squads | TBH | The Baseball Haven |
KL | Keith Law |
Player
|
BA | BP | DI | DL | FA | FG | FS | KL | MLB | PG | 361 | RA | SC | TPA | TBH | SCORE |
1. OF Byron Buxton, MIN
|
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 99.8 |
2. SS Xander Bogaerts, BOS
|
2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 7 | – | 2 | 2 | 98.6 |
3. OF Oscar Taveras, STL
|
3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 97.5 |
4. RHP Masahiro Tanaka, NYY
|
4 | – | 3 | 10 | – | – | – | – | 4 | – | – | 7 | – | 95.4 | ||
5. RHP Archie Bradley, AZ
|
9 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 94.2 |
6. SS Javier Baez, CHC
|
5 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 13 | 11 | 8 | 93.8 |
7. SS Carlos Correa, HOU
|
7 | 5 | 3 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 16 | 3 | 12 | 7 | 93.6 |
8. 3B Miguel Sano, MIN
|
6 | 14 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 4 | 14 | 18 | 4 | 92.7 |
9. RHP Taijuan Walker, SEA
|
11 | 8 | 17 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 16 | 6 | 15 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 92.6 |
10. SS Addison Russell, OAK
|
14 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 3 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 92.5 |
11. SS Francisco Lindor, CLE
|
13 | 6 | 5 | 22 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 19 | 5 | 15 | 10 | 89.6 |
12. 3B Kris Bryant, CHC
|
8 | 17 | 12 | 18 | 16 | 6 | 16 | 15 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 14 | 25 | 88.3 |
13. OF Gregory Polanco, PIT
|
10 | 24 | 14 | 20 | 13 | 17 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 18 | 10 | 26 | 6 | 5 | 15 | 86.5 |
14. RHP Noah Syndergaard, NYM
|
16 | 11 | 20 | 23 | 15 | 18 | 15 | 24 | 11 | 26 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 9 | 12 | 84.6 |
15. RHP Jonathan Gray, COL
|
12 | 16 | 8 | 26 | 29 | 16 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 25 | 14 | 22 | 10 | 19 | 83.9 |
16. RHP Robert Stephenson, CIN
|
19 | 22 | 28 | 17 | 17 | 11 | 9 | 29 | 19 | 14 | 20 | 12 | 29 | 22 | 13 | 82.3 |
17. OF George Springer, HOU
|
18 | 20 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 19 | 21 | 44 | 22 | 15 | 20 | 16 | 18 | 82.1 |
18. RHP Kevin Gausman, BAL
|
20 | 10 | 27 | 28 | 19 | 25 | 17 | 23 | 31 | 17 | 18 | 10 | 15 | 30 | 11 | 80.9 |
19. RHP Lucas Giolito, WAS
|
21 | 13 | 13 | 36 | 14 | 13 | 18 | 21 | 44 | 10 | 28 | 20 | 17 | 13 | 22 | 80.8 |
20. RHP Dylan Bundy, BAL
|
15 | 15 | 16 | 24 | 28 | 19 | 38 | 31 | 20 | 16 | 15 | 8 | 18 | 19 | 23 | 80.7 |
21. RHP Jameson Taillon, PIT
|
22 | 19 | 30 | 14 | 22 | 20 | 8 | 27 | 16 | 48 | 12 | 17 | 32 | 17 | 14 | 79.8 |
22. 3B Nick Castellanos, DET
|
25 | 37 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 37 | 25 | 32 | 15 | 24 | 16 | 18 | – | 24 | 17 | 78.0 |
23. RHP Mark Appel, HOU
|
39 | 21 | 15 | 25 | 33 | 26 | 30 | 11 | 17 | 34 | 13 | 29 | 12 | 20 | 34 | 77.1 |
24. RHP Kyle Zimmer, KC
|
23 | 34 | 10 | 12 | 32 | 24 | 19 | 10 | 25 | 70 | 21 | 27 | 11 | 26 | 24 | 76.5 |
25. OF Albert Almora, CHC
|
36 | 25 | 38 | 27 | 31 | 21 | 26 | 28 | 18 | 12 | 27 | 21 | 8 | 38 | 16 | 76.2 |
26. C Travis d’Arnaud, NYM
|
38 | 48 | 33 | 21 | 23 | 39 | 27 | 36 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 23 | – | 21 | 31 | 72.4 |
27. RHP Carlos Martinez, STL
|
31 | – | 30 | 21 | – | 23 | – | – | 22 | 31 | 66 | – | 31 | 20 | 70.4 | |
28. RHP Eddie Butler, COL
|
24 | 26 | 23 | 43 | 51 | 15 | 53 | 17 | 41 | 25 | 34 | 32 | 28 | 32 | 44 | 68.5 |
29. RHP Yordano Ventura, KC
|
26 | 12 | 62 | 19 | 37 | 33 | 43 | 50 | 35 | 23 | 29 | 30 | 23 | 37 | 29 | 68.5 |
30. C Austin Hedges, SD
|
27 | 18 | 32 | 39 | 57 | 34 | 49 | 33 | 24 | 27 | 23 | 42 | 37 | 41 | 32 | 66.7 |
31. OF Jorge Soler, CHC
|
41 | 45 | 22 | 32 | 25 | 49 | 31 | 26 | 49 | 41 | 24 | 25 | 53 | 46 | 26 | 65.3 |
32. SS Billy Hamilton, CIN
|
43 | 49 | 43 | 6 | 20 | 60 | 22 | 52 | 37 | 32 | – | – | 33 | 33 | 65.2 | |
33. RHP Aaron Sanchez, TOR
|
32 | 31 | 36 | 34 | 45 | 22 | 28 | 30 | 23 | 97 | 43 | 24 | 45 | 28 | 21 | 65.1 |
34. SS Corey Seager, LAD
|
37 | 44 | 26 | 29 | 36 | 28 | 36 | 18 | 34 | 67 | 33 | 51 | 25 | 67 | 30 | 63.6 |
35. OF Clint Frazier, CLE
|
48 | 36 | 51 | 59 | 24 | 45 | 29 | 45 | 48 | 19 | 40 | 22 | 38 | 27 | 38 | 63.1 |
36. LHP Andrew Heaney, MIA
|
30 | 30 | 35 | 44 | 40 | 31 | 50 | 34 | 29 | 59 | 36 | 38 | 42 | 45 | 43 | 61.9 |
37. RHP Alex Meyer, MIN
|
45 | 32 | 60 | 35 | 43 | 23 | 33 | 62 | 28 | 35 | 46 | 34 | 40 | 34 | 36 | 61.9 |
38. RHP Tyler Glasnow, PIT
|
46 | 42 | 21 | 63 | 53 | 43 | 37 | 20 | 27 | 51 | 52 | 45 | 19 | 23 | 52 | 61.4 |
39. SS Raul Mondesi, KC
|
47 | 29 | 25 | 46 | 27 | 46 | 60 | 22 | 38 | 43 | 44 | 46 | 26 | 55 | 55 | 60.4 |
40. 1B Jose Dariel Abreu, CWS
|
29 | – | 4 | 26 | – | 62 | – | – | 66 | – | – | 66 | – | 58.8 | ||
41. OF Jackie Bradley, BOS
|
50 | 23 | 42 | 38 | 89 | 35 | 56 | 51 | 33 | 42 | 26 | 52 | – | 43 | 47 | 56.2 |
42. 3B Maikel Franco, PHI
|
17 | 52 | 55 | 31 | 52 | 27 | 47 | 63 | 26 | 56 | 49 | 56 | 24 | 35 | 89 | 55.7 |
43. LHP Max Fried, SD
|
53 | 55 | 40 | 62 | 47 | 61 | 45 | 48 | 43 | 21 | 38 | 43 | 27 | 63 | 41 | 55.2 |
44. SS Rougned Odor , TEX
|
42 | 39 | 40 | 46 | 30 | 52 | 64 | 59 | 37 | 55 | 33 | 59 | 59 | 40 | 54.2 | |
45. OF Austin Meadows, PIT
|
49 | 89 | 29 | 53 | 58 | 48 | 24 | 35 | 45 | 66 | 64 | 48 | 52 | 25 | 27 | 53.5 |
46. RHP Marcus Stroman, TOR
|
55 | 27 | 50 | – | 42 | 56 | 55 | 58 | 55 | 28 | 61 | 39 | 31 | 58 | 50 | 53.5 |
47. LHP Julio Urias, LAD
|
51 | 35 | 24 | 55 | 34 | 73 | 57 | 14 | 64 | 38 | 58 | 28 | 41 | 75 | 66 | 53.5 |
48. OF Joc Pederson, LAD
|
34 | 50 | 75 | 41 | 81 | 58 | 21 | 41 | 36 | 63 | 62 | 36 | 35 | 44 | 37 | 53.4 |
49. LHP Henry Owens, BOS
|
40 | 69 | 58 | 54 | 54 | 72 | 44 | 42 | 30 | 33 | – | 61 | 21 | 29 | 60 | 53.4 |
50. RHP Kyle Crick, SF
|
33 | 38 | 67 | 33 | 35 | 29 | 35 | 69 | 32 | 100 | 48 | 57 | 33 | 69 | 42 | 53.0 |
51. RHP Matt Wisler, SD
|
44 | 47 | 45 | 57 | 63 | 41 | 41 | 39 | 78 | 31 | 54 | 40 | 49 | 53 | 39 | 52.9 |
52. RHP Kohl Stewart, MIN
|
52 | 54 | 71 | 51 | 38 | 32 | 61 | 76 | 40 | 61 | 42 | 37 | 39 | 40 | 49 | 51.5 |
53. C Jorge Alfaro, TEX
|
54 | 41 | 41 | 65 | 48 | 54 | 42 | 44 | 39 | 32 | 47 | 60 | 69 | 68 | 56 | 50.3 |
54. RHP Lucas Sims, ATL
|
57 | 40 | 39 | 72 | 56 | 53 | 51 | 40 | 60 | 47 | 50 | 63 | 30 | 70 | – | 49.0 |
55. 3B Garin Cecchini, BOS
|
74 | 51 | 63 | 47 | 41 | 51 | 34 | 53 | 57 | 53 | 39 | 31 | 58 | 84 | 45 | 48.9 |
56. OF Jonathan Singleton, HOU
|
82 | 57 | 84 | 42 | 30 | 55 | 39 | 78 | 50 | 49 | 30 | 47 | 71 | 90 | 35 | 45.1 |
57. 3B Colin Moran, MIA
|
61 | 74 | 47 | 48 | 82 | 65 | 40 | 55 | 51 | 74 | – | 54 | 46 | 51 | 46 | 44.3 |
58. C Gary Sanchez, NYY
|
35 | 85 | 49 | 49 | 50 | 44 | 46 | 68 | 47 | 69 | 57 | 62 | 83 | – | 59 | 43.6 |
59. LHP Eduardo Rodriguez, BAL
|
65 | 61 | 52 | 67 | – | 36 | – | 43 | 68 | 64 | 86 | – | 36 | 60 | 51 | 43.6 |
60. 2B Kolten Wong, STL
|
58 | 33 | 87 | 37 | 55 | 80 | 54 | 91 | 58 | 65 | 51 | 35 | – | 50 | 54 | 43.3 |
61. RHP C.J. Edwards, CHC
|
28 | 81 | 53 | 79 | 71 | 78 | 59 | 67 | 42 | 60 | – | 53 | 44 | 36 | 65 | 42.7 |
62. RHP Hunter Harvey, BAL
|
– | 58 | 31 | 90 | 69 | 82 | 48 | 38 | 96 | 55 | 59 | 71 | 43 | 74 | 28 | 40.9 |
63. RHP Michael Foltynewicz, HOU
|
59 | 43 | 81 | 50 | 83 | 57 | 75 | 70 | 54 | 52 | 56 | 87 | 47 | 48 | 48 | 40.3 |
64. RHP A.J. Cole, WAS
|
– | 53 | 74 | 100 | 73 | 47 | 72 | 65 | 69 | 29 | 73 | 41 | 93 | 76 | 74 | 38.4 |
65. OF David Dahl, COL
|
94 | 100 | 54 | 87 | 44 | 38 | 73 | 47 | 71 | 30 | 85 | 49 | 51 | – | 85 | 36.1 |
66. SS J.P. Crawford, PHI
|
78 | – | 34 | 74 | 76 | 50 | 70 | 46 | – | 81 | 100 | 57 | 57 | 69 | 35.0 | |
67. SS Alen Hanson, PIT
|
76 | – | 80 | 52 | 65 | 74 | 64 | 74 | 67 | 41 | 55 | 77 | 62 | 75 | 34.7 | |
68. OF Eddie Rosario, MIN
|
– | 60 | 64 | 81 | – | 76 | 69 | 49 | – | 53 | 77 | 63 | – | 78 | 34.0 | |
69. 1B Dominic Smith, NYM
|
92 | – | 44 | – | 61 | 79 | 97 | 37 | – | 36 | 71 | 90 | 74 | 56 | – | 34.0 |
70. RHP Braden Shipley, AZ
|
62 | 62 | 37 | 97 | 93 | 42 | 85 | 25 | – | 89 | 97 | – | 54 | – | 33.5 | |
71. SS Chris Owings, AZ
|
66 | 28 | 69 | 86 | 60 | 64 | 81 | 72 | 77 | 39 | 63 | 93 | 65 | – | 92 | 32.8 |
72. 3B D.J. Peterson, SEA
|
85 | 65 | 64 | 59 | 70 | 32 | – | 88 | 92 | 94 | 83 | 67 | 42 | 57 | 31.9 | |
73. RHP Nick Kingham, PIT
|
64 | 80 | 66 | – | – | 75 | – | 73 | – | 88 | – | 72 | 39 | – | 31.4 | |
74. LHP James Paxton, SEA
|
99 | 68 | 95 | 39 | – | 88 | – | – | 37 | 56 | 95 | 53 | 31.0 | |||
75. RHP Jake Odorizzi, TB
|
67 | 92 | 70 | – | 84 | 58 | – | 56 | 73 | – | 72 | – | 65 | 71 | 30.2 | |
76. RHP Lance McCullers, HOU
|
77 | – | 56 | 77 | – | 79 | – | 52 | 86 | 91 | 65 | 62 | 61 | 77 | 29.8 | |
77. LHP Jesse Biddle, PHI
|
71 | 94 | 85 | 88 | 40 | 78 | 77 | 53 | 75 | 60 | 70 | 96 | 47 | – | 29.2 | |
78. C Blake Swihart, BOS
|
73 | 73 | 46 | – | 99 | 66 | – | 56 | 61 | 58 | 92 | 85 | 84 | 71 | 72 | 29.0 |
79. RHP Taylor Guerrieri, TB
|
– | – | 48 | – | 66 | 89 | 76 | 66 | 94 | 76 | 59 | 55 | 94 | – | 28.7 | |
80. OF Phillip Ervin, CIN
|
– | 63 | 71 | 100 | 81 | 63 | – | – | – | 58 | 79 | 79 | 58 | 28.6 | ||
81. RHP Miguel Almonte, KC
|
– | 46 | 88 | 77 | 62 | 95 | 74 | 81 | – | 67 | – | 48 | 82 | 81 | 28.2 | |
82. 2B Mookie Betts, BOS
|
75 | – | 89 | 82 | 67 | 59 | – | 61 | 62 | 79 | 80 | 61 | 87 | – | 28.1 | |
83. RHP Erik Johnson, CWS
|
63 | 67 | 83 | 84 | – | 99 | 67 | 59 | 70 | 72 | 68 | – | – | 73 | 27.8 | |
84. RHP Rafael Montero, NYM
|
68 | – | 69 | 78 | 94 | 66 | 60 | 85 | 65 | 86 | 78 | 52 | 79 | 27.7 | ||
85. 3B Stephen Piscotty, STL
|
70 | 66 | 59 | – | 98 | 87 | – | 57 | 98 | 70 | 78 | 60 | 73 | – | 26.8 | |
86. SS Hak-Ju Lee, TB
|
– | – | 70 | – | 68 | 92 | – | 79 | 84 | 54 | – | 70 | 85 | – | 25.8 | |
87. 2B Arismendy Alcantara, CHC
|
100 | 83 | 58 | 72 | 52 | 71 | 71 | 89 | 93 | 79 | – | – | 63 | 25.5 | ||
88. RHP Zach Lee, LAD
|
95 | 84 | 57 | 76 | – | 71 | 90 | 75 | 63 | – | 75 | 76 | – | 80 | 24.5 | |
89. RHP Allen Webster, BOS
|
88 | – | 98 | – | 97 | – | 68 | – | 46 | 93 | 69 | 94 | 54 | 64 | – | 23.9 |
90. RHP Matt Barnes, BOS
|
– | 64 | 68 | 78 | – | 98 | 95 | 89 | 86 | 50 | – | 64 | – | – | 84 | 23.4 |
91. OF Jake Marisnick, MIA
|
79 | – | 99 | 91 | 85 | 69 | 80 | 84 | 65 | 71 | 45 | 67 | – | 91 | 88 | 23.0 |
92. C Reese McGuire, PIT
|
81 | 59 | 99 | 92 | 90 | 82 | – | – | 62 | – | – | 50 | 92 | 86 | 21.7 | |
93. OF Brian Goodwin, WAS
|
– | 86 | 78 | – | 70 | 96 | 93 | 83 | – | 78 | 44 | – | – | 87 | 21.6 | |
94. 3B Matt Davidson, CWS
|
72 | 93 | 93 | 88 | – | 62 | – | 88 | 80 | 77 | 77 | – | – | – | – | 19.9 |
95. C Christian Bethancourt, ATL
|
69 | 87 | 95 | 80 | – | 85 | – | 90 | 82 | 83 | – | 66 | 77 | – | 19.6 | |
96. 2B Jonathan Schoop, BAL
|
– | 82 | 94 | 61 | 95 | 68 | 83 | 86 | – | 98 | 74 | – | 87 | – | 68 | 19.5 |
97. OF Josh Bell, PIT
|
– | 77 | 92 | 60 | 84 | – | 99 | 97 | 74 | – | 76 | 86 | 88 | – | 17.7 | |
98. OF Jorge Bonifacio, KC
|
90 | 99 | – | – | 83 | 84 | – | 91 | – | – | 92 | 72 | 94 | 12.9 |