RANK PLAYER POS. ORGANIZATION #AGE 76 Josh Donaldson C Chicago Cubs TOP '07 LEVEL: A (Boise) 22 Donaldson's huge pro debut may be setting unrealistic expectations, but he could end up a steal at the 48th overall pick. Primarily a third baseman in college, he's playable already behind the plate with soft hands, good footwork and a solid-average arm. He centers balls well and has above-average raw power, but he tends to lunge for the ball too often instead of staying back. 77 Chris Nelson SS Colorado Rockies TOP '07 LEVEL: A (Modesto) 22 Nelson's career had been a disappointment before 2007 due to injuries and poor performance, but he re-established some value with a big year in the hitter-friendly California League. He does several things well but lacks a single outstanding tool; he should hit for some average and some power; he's an above-average runner but not a burner; he's adequate at short but not a Gold Glover. This doesn't affect his rating, but he is also hopelessly blocked in Colorado behind Troy Tulowitzki. 78 John Jaso C Tampa Bay Rays TOP '07 LEVEL: AA (Montgomery) 24 If it was a certainty that Jaso could catch, he'd be in the top 40. He's a pull-oriented hitter with good power and a quick bat, although his swing gets long and he can hook balls slightly. He's fringy behind the plate in all aspects, including a below-average arm. 79 Jordan Walden RHP Los Angeles Angels TOP '07 LEVEL: Rookie (Orem) 20 Walden was one of the last-ever draft-and-follows before the process was eliminated, receiving a seven-figure bonus in May of 2007. He has a plus fastball, pitching at 94-96 and running it up to 99 on occasion, with a slider that projects as an out pitch and excellent control. He'll be in big-league camp for the Angels in March. 80 Deolis Guerra RHP Minnesota Twins TOP '07 LEVEL: A (St. Lucie) 18 Guerra is almost all projection, but there's a lot on which a scout can dream. His velocity is fringe-average, but he'll flash low 90s out of nowhere, and his curveball is inconsistent at best. He has a plus changeup with good fading action. But the appeal here is that he turns 19 in April and is very projectable, with the broad-shouldered frame we look for when forecasting velocity increases and durability. His probability is low, but there's a chance he'll be up in the top 20-30 in a year or two. 81 Max Scherzer RHP Arizona Diamondbacks TOP '07 LEVEL: AAA (Fort Worth) 23 Scherzer has a high-effort delivery with a fair amount of violence to it, and isn't going to have the command or the durability to work as a starter in the majors, so his future is as a two-pitch reliever. His fastball velocity varies, but he'll typically sit 90-92 mph with good sink and run, and his slider has a tight two-plane break and should be an out pitch when he's only going once through the order. 82 Gerardo Parra CF Arizona Diamondbacks TOP '07 LEVEL: A (Visalia) 20 Parra is still raw, but has the bat speed to survive in full-season ball as he learns other aspects of his game. He's very willing to take balls the other way, but doesn't project to have much pull power. He may not be able to stay in center, and his power and OBP don't profile in a corner. 83 Jordan Zimmerman RHP Washington Nationals TOP '07 LEVEL: College (Wisconsin-Stevens Point) 21 Zimmerman has a chance for four solid-average pitches and excellent control, projecting as a No. 3 starter if his command improves. He's very athletic and has a loose, fluid arm action, and wasn't worked as hard as most college pitchers due to a broken jaw in his final spring in school. 84 Casey Weathers RHP Colorado Rockies TOP '07 LEVEL: A (Modesto) 22 Weathers should move very quickly through the Rockies' system and could be setting up for Manny Corpas by the end of the year if the Rox decide to trade Brian Fuentes. Weathers goes right after hitters, working heavily off his 93-96 mph four-seamer, finishing off lefties with a straight change and righties with a late-breaking slider, throwing strikes with all three pitches. 85 Jaime Garcia LHP St. Louis Cardinals TOP '07 LEVEL: AA (Springfield) 21 When healthy, Garcia has a low-90s fastball with good sink and a near-12-to-6 curveball that could be an out pitch. However, he missed most of 2007 with a sprained ligament in his elbow, and while it hasn't required surgery yet, elbow injuries often end up with the pitcher on the operating table. 86 Chris Withrow RHP Los Angeles Dodgers TOP '07 LEVEL: Rookie (GCL Dodgers) 19 Keep an eye on this one. Withrow pitched all spring with an average fastball (88-91 mph) and a fringe-average curve with good depth but an early break, but his velocity rose after his move to pro ball. He has some projection left and has a great delivery with a quick, explosive move toward the plate. And after the success of Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw to date, the Dodgers get a little extra credit on first-round arms. 87 Hank Conger C Los Angeles Angels TOP '07 LEVEL: A (Cedar Rapids) 20 Conger has big power potential from both sides of the plate, uncoiling his body as he makes contact and getting good extension. His swing can get long and he'll need to show he can shorten up with two strikes. He has the tools to be a good receiver but will have to keep his body in shape, and has had both of his pro seasons marred by injuries. 88 Chris Volstad RHP Florida Marlins TOP '07 LEVEL: AA (Carolina) 21 Volstad looks the part, with an effortless delivery and great pitchers' frame, and he has an average fastball and a sharp-breaking curve. So why doesn't he strike more hitters out? There's so much potential here if he can find a way to finish hitters off. 89 Neil Walker 3B Pittsburgh Pirates TOP '07 LEVEL: AAA (Indianapolis) 22 Walker's plate discipline took a 180 for the better this year, to the point where he's now clearly going to play in the big leagues. He wears down every season even now that he's no longer a catcher, and his defense at third remains unacceptable, so he may end up a 'tweener who doesn't hit enough to play first and can't handle any tougher position on defense. 90 Josh Smoker LHP Washington Nationals TOP '07 LEVEL: A (Vermont) 19 Smoker is an aggressive lefty with solid-average velocity, projecting to plus, and outstanding sink. His curve has very tight rotation and a sharp two-plane break. He'll have to show he can command his stuff and hold his velocity deep into games. 91 Tyler Robertson LHP Minnesota Twins TOP '07 LEVEL: A (Beloit) 20 Robertson is 6-foot-5 and gets good downhill plane on his average fastball, with a slider that should be plus by the time he reaches the majors. He'll need to add some muscle to hold his velocity deeper into games, and his changeup is well below-average. 92 Cole Rohrbough LHP Atlanta Braves TOP '07 LEVEL: A (Rome) 20 Another 2006 draft-and-follow signed in May, Rohrbough is a big lefty with an above-average fastball and a hard curveball that's death on left-handed hitters, so at worst, Atlanta knows it has a future left-handed reliever here. He'll need to improve his changeup and fastball command. 93 Matt Antonelli 2B/CF San Diego Padres TOP '07 LEVEL: AA (San Antonio) 22 Antonelli is a patient hitter with good hand-eye coordination and plus speed. He has struggled to find a position, playing second base in 2006 after moving off shortstop; a switch to center field is his best route to an everyday major league role. 94 Trevor Cahill RHP Oakland A's TOP '07 LEVEL: A (Kane County) 20 Cahill gets good sink on a solid-average fastball and flashes a plus curveball with very good depth. His arm is quick, but he needs to work on keeping his front shoulder closed, and his control is still below-average. 95 Wladimir Balentien RF Seattle Mariners TOP '07 LEVEL: Majors 23 Balentien's swing is long and he doesn't take a consistent path to the ball, but he's strong and hasn't had trouble making contact. He plays a solid right field with an above-average arm. 96 Chorye Spoone RHP Baltimore Orioles TOP '07 LEVEL: A (Frederick) 22 Spoone has the potential for three plus pitches, with an explosive fastball with good bore that generates a lot of groundballs. Definite sleeper. 97 Brad Lincoln RHP Pittsburgh Pirates TOP '07 LEVEL: A (Hickory) 22 Lincoln missed 2007 after Tommy John surgery, but is expected to be ready to go in March. He has an above-average fastball and power curve with some feel for a changeup and is a good athlete who can swing the bat a little bit. It remains to be seen whether his stuff still measures up after the operation. 98 Engel Beltre RF Texas Rangers TOP '07 LEVEL: A (Spokane) 18 Beltre was the key guy going back to Texas in the Eric Gagne trade. He has a clean swing with some loft in it, a plus arm, and should be an above-average glove in right. Beltre hit nine home runs in just over 200 at-bats in rookie ball, despite the fact that he played the whole season at age 17. 99 Gorkys Hernandez CF Atlanta Braves TOP '07 LEVEL: A (West Michigan) 20 Hernandez is extremely fast and covers a ton of ground in center, showing an above-average arm as well. At the plate, however, he's a slap hitter who makes contact but doesn't hit for any power or show good on-base skills, and he'll have to improve in one of those areas to be more than a fringe regular. 100 Andrew Brackman RHP New York Yankees TOP '07 LEVEL: College (N.C. State) 22 Brackman is out for 2008 after elbow surgery, but he was one of the best amateur prospects in the country heading into last spring. He gets great downhill plane on a 91-97 mph fastball and shows signs of a plus breaking ball, with clean mechanics for someone so tall. His major league contract works against him.
