Detroit Tigers: Top 10 Prospects

At the close of spring training, many in the industry believed the Tigers would be an improved team in 2006. And they were right.

Few, however, could have forecast what came next. Guided by manager Jim Leyland, Detroit had the best record in baseball for a significant portion of the season, finished with the franchise's first winning mark since 1993 and reached the postseason for the first time in nearly two decades.

The Tigers' 95 wins concluded the greatest three-year improvement (52 games) for a 100-loss team in the modern era. On its own, that would have been enough to label the season a success. Then Detroit scored a surprise American League Division Series upset against the Yankees and swept Oakland in the AL Championship Series to earn its first pennant since 1984. A five-game loss to the Cardinals in the World Series couldn't put much of a damper on the year.

The explanation for the runaway success was the same cause for the springtime optimism: power pitching.

The Tigers' top prospects on this list a year ago, righthanders Justin Verlander and Joel Zumaya, were two of the best rookies in baseball. Verlander won 17 games and Baseball America's Rookie of the Year award a year after leading the minors in ERA. Zumaya became something of a Detroit rock star, routinely hitting 101 mph on the Comerica Park radar gun and topping all AL setup men with 97 strikeouts-in his first year as a reliever.

The list of the organization's promising young arms, though, does not end with Verlander and Zumaya. Jeremy Bonderman is a four-year veteran but still just 23, and he won 14 games and lowered his ERA for a third consecutive year. Zach Miner, who wasn't even invited to big league camp, joined the rotation when Mike Maroth (elbow surgery) went on the disabled list and won seven of his first nine decisions.

Jordan Tata opened the season in the big league bullpen and was effective as a starter at Triple-A Toledo. Humberto Sanchez and Jair Jurrjens had stellar minor league seasons before each ended the year on the disabled list.

The Tigers were elated to add Andrew Miller with the sixth pick in last June's draft. A power lefthander, Miller was the draft's consensus top talent but fell because of signability concerns. He signed with Detroit by early August, joined the big league bullpen later that month and finished the regular season in the majors. He'll return to the minors to begin 2007 and could progress almost as quickly as Verlander.

All of that pitching depth helped Tigers affiliates combine for a 365-315 (.537) winning percentage in the minor leagues, capturing championships in the Triple-A International and low Class A Midwest leagues. It also allowed Detroit to add more sock to its lineup. The Tigers got Gary Sheffield from the Yankees in exchange for three righthanders who didn't work a single inning in the majors in 2006: Sanchez and promising relievers Kevin Whelan and Anthony Claggett.

But the long-term forecast for the system's position players appears somewhat less certain-except, of course, for outfielder Cameron Maybin. He's among the best prospects in all of baseball and could be Detroit's regular center fielder by 2008.

However, three key Tigers-shortstop Carlos Guillen, third baseman Brandon Inge and catcher Ivan Rodriguez-could be free agents at the end of 2007, and there are no obvious in-house successors. Detroit's top three farm clubs led their respective hitting leagues in strikeouts, and like the big league roster, their position prospects lack patience and power, especially from the left side.

TOP TEN PROSPECTS

1. Cameron Maybin, of
2. Andrew Miller, lhp
3. Brent Clevlen, of
4. Jair Jurrjens, rhp
5. Jordan Tata, rhp
6. Eulogio de la Cruz, rhp
7. Gorkys Hernandez, of
8. Dallas Trahern, rhp
9. Jeff Larish, 1b
10. Scott Sizemore, ss/2b

BEST TOOLS

Best Hitter for Average Cameron Maybin
Best Power Hitter Jeff Larish
Best Strike-Zone Discipline Jeff Larish
Fastest Baserunner Cameron Maybin
Best Athlete Cameron Maybin
Best Fastball Eulogio de la Cruz
Best Curveball Eulogio de la Cruz
Best Slider Andrew Miller
Best Changeup Preston Larrison
Best Control Jair Jurrjens
Best Defensive Catcher Jeff Kunkel
Best Defensive Infielder Tony Girratano
Best Infield Arm Kody Kirkland
Best Defensive Outfielder Cameron Maybin
Best Outfield Arm Brent Clevlen

PROJECTED 2010 LINEUP

Catcher Brandon Inge
First Base Jeff Larish
Second Base Placido Polanco
Third Base Kody Kirkland
Shortstop Carlos Guillen
Left Field Curtis Granderson
Center Field Cameron Maybin
Right Field Brent Clevlen
Designated Hitter Magglio Ordonez
No. 1 Starter Justin Verlander
No. 2 Starter Andrew Miller
No. 3 Starter Jeremy Bonderman
No. 4 Starter Nate Robertson
No. 5 Starter Jair Jurrjens
Closer Joel Zumaya

TOP PROSPECTS OF THE DECADE

Year Player, Position 2006
1997 Mike Drumright, rhp Out of baseball
1998 Juan Encarnacion, of Cardinals
1999 Gabe Kapler, of Red Sox
2000 Eric Munson, 1b/c Astros
2001 Brandon Inge, c Tigers
2002 Nate Cornejo, rhp White Sox
2003 Jeremy Bonderman, rhp Tigers
2004 Kyle Sleeth, rhp Tigers
2005 Curtis Granderson, of Tigers
2006 Justin Verlander, rhp Tigers

TOP DRAFT PICKS OF THE DECADE

Year Player, Position 2006
1997 Matt Anderson, rhp Giants
1998 Jeff Weaver, rhp Cardinals
1999 Eric Munson, 1b/c Astros
2000 Matt Wheatland, rhp Padres
2001 Kenny Baugh, rhp Padres
2002 Scott Moore, ss Cubs
2003 Kyle Sleeth, rhp Tigers
2004 Justin Verlander, rhp Tigers
2005 Cameron Maybin, of Tigers
2006 Andrew Miller, lhp Tigers

LARGEST BONUSES IN CLUB HISTORY

Andrew Miller, 2006 $3,550,000
Eric Munson, 1999 $3,500,000
Kyle Sleeth, 2003 $3,350,000
Justin Verlander, 2004 $3,120,000
Cameron Maybin, 2005 $2,650,000

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/features/262899.html

Tigers should stalk playoff jungle again
Detroit's system deep enough to handle trading prospects for stars

Detroit went to the World Series this season after surprising everyone with a dominating run that began early in the year. While the presence of Jim Leyland on the bench and veterans in the clubhouse helped make that run possible, the contributions of youngsters meant just as much to what the Tigers did as anything else.

But if Detroit fans are thinking their club dipped into the well and pulled out all the available players, they're mistaken. The Tigers should be near the top of their division again in 2007, and there is plenty of young talent still available to lend a helping hand -- even after three pitchers departed in the deal to acquire Gary Sheffield.

Here's a closer look at some of the players Leyland may be calling in 2007 and beyond.

Five Faves

At the start of the season, MLB.com identified five prospects to keep an eye on. Here's how they fared in 2006:

Brent Clevlen, OF
Clevlen followed up his MVP season in the Class A Advanced Florida State League by reaching the Major Leagues this year, appearing in 31 games for the Tigers and hitting .282 with three homers and six RBIs in 39 at-bats. When not with the Tigers, he spent his time at Double-A Erie, where he hit .230 in 109 games, collecting 11 homers and 45 RBIs, a far cry from the 102 RBIs he totaled in Lakeland in 2005. Still, the fact that he was in Detroit and experienced life on a first-place club can only benefit him in 2007.

Jordan Tata, RHP
Tata also followed up a big 2005 season by reaching the Major Leagues in 2006, posting a 6.14 ERA in 14 2/3 innings with the Tigers. He spent the bulk of the season in Toledo, going 10-6 with a 3.84 ERA in 21 starts for the International League champion Mud Hens. He's not a big strikeout guy, despite his size (6-foot-6), but his low-90s fastball does have a great deal of movement. He figures to contribute to a Detroit staff that is already stocked with young talent.

Wilkin Ramirez, 3B
Ramirez struggled when he did play this season, hitting .225 in 66 games through June 26 before a leg injury sidelined him for virtually the rest of the summer. He came back for one at-bat on July 19 and didn't play again after that. He committed 22 errors and began taking fly balls in instructional league this fall.

Michael Hollimon, SS
The Oral Roberts product had a solid season in the Midwest League, hitting .278 with 15 homers and 54 RBIs. Fifty-seven of his 125 hits went for extra bases. He also stole 19 bases and put up an impressive .386 on-base percentage for West Michigan. His 28 errors, though, were tied for second among Midwest League shortstops.

Jeff Frazier, OF
The former Rutgers star took a step up in competition and a step back in terms of production. Although he hit one more homer than in 2005 at Class A, he drove in eight fewer runs and saw his batting average dip by 59 points to .228. He also had a .279 on-base percentage.

Cinderella Story

Burke Badenhop, RHP
When the Tigers drafted Badenhop in the 19th round (570 overall) in 2005 out of Bowling Green, there wasn't much attention paid to the pick. Players drafted that low usually don't generate much buzz, but people are beginning to talk about Badenhop. The right-hander completed his second outstanding season for the Tigers, going 14-3 with a 2.84 ERA in 27 starts at West Michigan. He fanned 124 in 171 innings and walked an average of 1.6 batters per nine innings. He's 20-7 with a 2.87 ERA in two seasons as a pro.

Breakout Year

Some players were pegged as breakout candidates before the season began. Did they live up to expectations?

Eulogio De La Cruz, RHP
The hard-throwing native of the Dominican Republic had bopped around the lower levels of Detroit's system for three seasons, showing flashes of brilliance. What has intrigued the Tigers most is his power -- he consistently hits 100 mph on the gun -- and the dominating ability he has with his fastball. This season, he began to incorporate his secondary pitches into his repertoire and made a successful leap to the Double-A level, where he went 5-6 with a 3.43 ERA as a starter/reliever for Erie. He still needs to work on his control, but the Tigers thought enough of him to bump him up to Toledo, where he got a pair of starts in the International League playoffs, fanning 15 and walking one in 11 innings.

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/8913/minorsreviewcb7.jpg


2006 Draft Recap

1. Andrew Miller, LHP
The southpaw helped pitch North Carolina to the final game of the College World Series. After taking some time off to rest and negotiate, he signed with the Tigers for a $3.55 million bonus. The 6-foot-6 Miller saw action in three games with Lakeland, pitching five scoreless innings, before getting called up to Detroit. He appeared in eight games for the Tigers and got roughed up, allowing eight hits and 10 walks over 10 1/3 innings. Still, he figures to be a staple in the Detroit rotation for years to come.

2. Ronnie Bourquin, 3B
The Ohio State product had a respectable pro debut for Oneonta of the Class A short-season New York-Penn League, hitting .266 with a pair of homers and 24 RBIs in 252 at-bats. He was the Big Ten Conference Player of the Year, so expectations are high. He went a little higher than some front-office types expected him to, but he seemed to adjust well to wooden bats and better pitching. He also had a .391 on-base percentage, drawing 46 walks while striking out 46 times.

3. Brennan Boesch, OF
Boesch seemed to find NY-Penn League pitching a little easier to handle than Bourquin, hitting .291 with five homers and 54 RBIs in 292 at-bats for Oneonta. He finished up strong, batting .317 over his final 10 games. The University of California product is touted as a good athlete who will be a solid run-producer in years to come.

4. Ryan Strieby, 1B
The least productive of the four top picks Detroit sent to Oneonta, Strieby hit .241 with four homers and 25 RBIs. He struck out more than twice as many times as he walked and his on-base percentage was .319.

5. Scott Sizemore, 2B
The Virginia Commonwealth product demonstrated early on that he was an accomplished hitter and kept up a solid pace throughout the season with Oneonta. He finished second in the league, batting .327 (tied for tops in the organization) and led the circuit with 96 hits, outdistancing Boesch, who finished second with 85 hits. He also led the league in runs scored (49) and was fifth in on-base percentage (.394).

2005 Draft Recap

1. Cameron Maybin, OF
Maybin proved to be one of the more dynamic players in the Midwest League this season, easily confirming during his maiden season in the pros that he was worthy of being a first-round pick. He hit .304 (fifth in the Midwest League) as a 19-year-old with nine homers and 69 RBIs, despite being hampered by a finger injury. He stole 27 bases and had a .387 on-base percentage, yet his youth was obvious in his impatience. He fanned 116 times and drew only 50 walks.

2. Chris Robinson, C
Robinson spent the entire season in the Florida State League, the majority of it with Lakeland. He was traded to the Cubs late in the year in the Neifi Perez deal and seemed a bit more energized after the trade, connecting for two of his three homers in only 12 games with Daytona. Overall, he hit .294 with 59 RBIs.

3. Kevin Whelan, RHP
The youngster continued to develop well, posting a 4-1 mark with a 2.67 ERA and 27 saves in the Florida State League. Alas for Tigers' fans, he'll continue his progress in the Yankees' system after being dealt to New York as part of the Gary Sheffield trade.
http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/app/news/article.jsp?ymd=20061113&content_id=144021&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp

It's interesting that De La Cruz gets love for the best fastball and the best curveball - and the other article talks about a breakout year from him (he's already been at Double-A) and yet he's not projected to be a part of the starting lineup 4 years from now. Are they thinking he'll drop off, get traded, or be middle relief/set-up?

Given how much BA loves tools, it's no suprise that they rate DLC that high (same goes for Clevlen). But DLC is not a starter. He is a middle reliever all the way through, with an upside somewhere in between Zumaya and Rodney.

www.minorleagueball.com


2007 Detroit Tigers Prospects
By John Sickels (http://minorleagueball.com/user/John%20Sickels)
Posted on Wed Dec 13, 2006 at 04:32:57 PM CST
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http://images.minorleagueball.com/images/admin/tigermom.JPG
2007 Detroit Tigers Prospects
<LI value=1>Cameron Maybin, OF, Grade A- (outstanding overall prospect, just needs to cut strikeouts)
<LI value=2>Andrew Miller, LHP, Grade A- (throws hard, usually throws strikes, extreme ground ball pitcher)
<LI value=3>Eulogio De La Cruz, RHP, B- (can hit 100 MPH but still learning how to pitch)
<LI value=4>Jair Jurrjens, RHP, B- (Good arm but will need additional time)
<LI value=5>Gorkys Hernandez, OF, B- (very toolsy, young, strong GCL numbers)
<LI value=6>Jeff Larish, 1B, B- (plenty of power and patience, but is his swing too long?)
<LI value=7>Scott Sizemore, 2B, B- (should hit for average at all levels)
<LI value=8>Brent Clevlen, OF, C+ (which is the real Clevlen? I don't know)
<LI value=9>Jordan Tata, RHP, C+ (Should be an average pitcher in any role)
<LI value=10>Dallas Trahern, RHP, C+ (Good power sinker, low strikeout rate a concern)
<LI value=11>Jonah Nickerson, RHP, C+ (polished college star lacks plus stuff)
<LI value=12>Mike Holliman, SS, C+ (outstanding secondary skills but was old for the level)
<LI value=13>Brennan Boesch, OF, C+ (promising college hitter from '06 draft)
<LI value=14>Ronnie Bourquin, 3B, C+ (promising college hitter from '06 draft)
<LI value=15>Tony Giarratano, SS, C (looks like he'll be a utility guy, health an issue)
<LI value=16>Brett Jensen, RHP, C (throws strikes, projects as middle man)
<LI value=17>Brendan Wise, RHP, C (another ground ball pitcher, a possible sleeper)
<LI value=18>Matt Joyce, OF, C (A-ball performance was disappointing)
<LI value=19>Chris Cody, LHP, C (doesn't throw hard, good command)
Virgil Vasquez, RHP, C (doesn't throw hard, good command)
Others of Note: Burke Badenhop, RHP; Nate Bumstead, RHP; Chris Carlson, 1B; Jose Fragoso, RHP; Andy Kown, RHP; Ryan Raburn, OF; Wilkin Ramirez, 3B; Ryan Strieby, 1B; Clete Thomas, OF; Sendy Vasquez, RHP; Brandon Watson, OF.
The Tigers in One Sentence: This system has two outstanding prospects at the top, but it falls apart quickly after that, depleted by the graduations of Verlander, Zumaya, and Granderson over the last two years.
Not much depth here at all. Tigers hitting prospects have a tendency to strike out a lot. They also have a lot of ground ball pitchers. There are some interesting guys in the '06 draft class, but we need a year to see how they pan out. Once again, the Grade C guys are all interchangeable, so don't get upset if your favorite one is in the "Others of Note" section rather than in the top 20. There is not much difference between the Grade C guys.
ALL GRADES ARE PRELIMINARY. If you hate a grade, feel free to make a case for me to change it, though remember that cases phrased respectfully using logic and facts are more likely to be viewed positively than those featuring insults and invective.
There is a lot of slack in the B-/C+/C range and players may move up and down depending on how my thinking progresses. Feel free to make comments, point out sleepers I may have missed, etc. Note that there is only a limited amount of space in the book, and the max I can do is 35-36 players per team. And, as always, there is the helpful reminder to Buy My Book (http://www.johnsickels.com/), which will lay out reports for all these guys (and more) in detail.

Discussion of the above, centering on Maybin:

http://minorleagueball.com/story/2006/12/13/183257/25#commenttop

BABIP?

"Batting Average on Balls In Play." Generally speaking, if one's BABIP is significantly higher than the league norm, it can be considered somewhat due to "luck" (balls dropping in or squeaking through holes more than they should) and their regular BA can then be expected to regress to the mean as the luck returns to normal. Conversely, if one's BABIP is low, they are considered "unlucky", and their BA can be expected to rise.

Like all stats, it doesn't explain things like the fact that Polanco has a knack for pushing the ball through the holes he's given or Neifi has a knack for hitting soft ground balls right to the second baseman.

In Maybin's case, it implies that some of his good looking batting average probably comes from his outstanding speed, with him legging out more ground balls than most.

Baseball is incredible. Thanks again for another explanation Vinny.

He also hits the ball hella hard. I'm not a big believer in that stat unless you're a scout who can take other variables into play after watching. Not that anyone would pay for the opinion of a guy who didn't make varsity, but Maybin has it. He may not be a superstar, but he'll be a force in a lineup.

Detroit Tigers Top Ten Prospects

1. Cameron Maybin, cf
2. Andrew Miller, lhp
Very Good Prospects
3. Gorkys Hernandez, cf
Good Prospects
4. Jair Jurrjens, rhp
Average Prospects
5. Jordan Tata, rhp
6. Ronnie Bourquin, 3b
7. Scott Sizemore, 2b
8. Brent Clevlen, of
9. Eulogio De La Cruz, rhp
10. Ed Campusano, lhp


1. Cameron Maybin, cf
DOB: 4/4/87
Height/Weight: 6-3/200
Bats/Throws: R/R
Drafted: 1st round, 2005, North Carolina HS
What he did in 2006: .304/.387/.457 at Low A (445 PA)
The Good: On sheer athleticism and tools, Maybin is the total package, with a brutal home park hurting his nonetheless impressive numbers, as evidenced by road line of .333/.416/.517. Excellent hand-eye coordination and big time raw power that should begin to show up more in games as he improves his pitch recognition. Plus-plus runner who almost effortlessly covers the outfield from gap to gap and has a strong arm.
The Bad: Maybin has trouble with breaking balls, and is prone to chasing pitches, which led to a lofty strikeout total. He needs to improve the accuracy of his throws.
The Irrelevant: In 11 at-bats with the bases loaded, Maybin had three singles, a double, two grand slams and 16 RBI.
In A Perfect World, He Becomes: A healthy Eric Davis.
Gap Between What He Is Now, And What He Can Be: High. Maybin will likely start the year in the Florida State League, which means the power surge might have to wait another year.

2. Andrew Miller, lhp
DOB: 5/21/85
Height/Weight: 6-6/195
Bats/Throws: L/L
Drafted: 1st round, 2006, University of North Carolina
What he did in 2006: 0.00 ERA at High A (5-2-1-9); 6.10 ERA at MLB (10.1-8-10-6)
The Good: Considered by many to be the best talent in the 2006 draft. 92-96 mph fastball has touched 98, while height and angular delivery add downward plane and strong deception. Hard slider features depth and tilt, with late, quick break out of the zone.
The Bad: While Miller's stuff is there in every outing, his control is not, and he clearly had problems finding his rhythm while coming out of the bullpen during his big league debut. His changeup needs work.
The Irrelevant: A third-round pick by the Devil Rays in 2003, Miller was the highest unsigned pick from that year's draft.
In A Perfect World, He Becomes: An All-Star lefthander.
Gap Between What He Is Now, And What He Can Be: Average. Miller will likely be on the Justin Verlander plan, beginning the year in the Florida State League and quickly moving up to Double-A once things warm up in the Eastern League cities.

3. Gorkys Hernandez, cf
DOB: 9/7/87
Height/Weight: 6-0/175
Bats/Throws: R/R
Signed: Venezuela, 2005
What he did in 2006: .327/.356/.463 at Rookie level (217 PA)
The Good: Five-tool Venezuelan teenager had impressive stateside debut, showing the holy trinity of bat speed, raw power and the ability to make consistent contact. Plus runner who should develop into an above-average center fielder.
The Bad: Despite his production, Hernandez is still raw in many phases of the game. His swing-at-everything approach will hurt him against more advanced pitching. He needs to improve his jumps and routes in the outfield.
The Irrelevant: In 59 GCL at-bats against lefthanders, Hernandez was the anti-Three True Outcomes hero with one home run, one walk, and three strikeouts.
In A Perfect World, He Becomes: Hernandez has star potential, but it's too early to say in what role.
Gap Between What He Is Now, And What He Can Be: Very High. Hernandez will make his full season debut at Low-A West Michigan, not the easiest place to have a breakthrough season.

4. Jair Jurrjens, rhp
DOB: 1/29/86
Height/Weight: 6-1/160
Bats/Throws: R/R
Signed: Curacao, 2003
What he did in 2006: 2.08 ERA at High A (73.2-53-10-59); 3.36 ERA at AA (67-71-21-53)
The Good: Top righthander in the system has been moved aggressively, holding his own at Double-A before his 21st birthday. Has lived up to his projections by adding velocity on his fastball over the past 24 months, now sitting at 90-93 mph and touching 95. Strike-throwing machine who mixes in his curveball and changeup at any point in the count.
The Bad: Jurrjens can be accused of throwing too many strikes and needs to work more on setting up hitters and using his breaking ball as a chase pitch. Scouts wonder if any of his pitches projects as a big league out pitch.
The Irrelevant: Likes the home cooking: In seven home starts for Double-A Erie, Jurrjens had a 1.76 ERA. In five away starts, his ERA ballooned to 5.88.
In A Perfect World, He Becomes: A middle-of-the-rotation starter.
Gap Between What He Is Now, And What He Can Be: Average. Jurrjens has been a pleasant surprise to the Tigers, but with pitching being a strength in the majors and minors for the organization, there's no need to push him any further. He'll likely begin the season by returning to Double-A.
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=5815

I don't know how Bourquin and Campusano made it into the Top 10 and Larish didn't. But that's BP.

Also from BP:


Young Talent Redux: The Tigers

In a previous unfiltered post related to the Cleveland Top 10, I polled a number of people in the prospect ranking game (writers, scouts, front office types) to valuate the futures of a quartet of young Indians. The Tigers presented a similar quandary. Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller are both elite-level prospects, but how does one rank them when the trio of young pitchers — Jeremy Bonderman, Justin Verlander, and Joel Zumaya – enter the picture?

Here are the results:

PLAYER 1 2 3 4 5 TOT
------------------------------
Verlander 6 2 4 1 0 52
Bonderman 4 2 3 2 2 43
Maybin 1 5 4 2 1 42
Miller 1 3 1 5 3 33
Zumaya 1 1 1 3 7 25

I didn’t ask anyone to validate or explain their rankings, but some did and the basic assumptions were present in many ballots. For the most part, people see a pitcher in Verlander who is good now and only going to get better, while there is almost equal optimism about Bonderman based on what he’s been able to do this far in the majors at such a young age. People are understandably more comfortable taking the known quantity over the risky prospect, though Maybin got more support than Miller. Zumaya finishes a fairly distant fifth, but that seems to be more a result of correctly valuing him as a reliever as opposed to his talent.
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/unfiltered/?p=158

From SI's 2007 Top prospects list.

8. Cameron Maybin, 20, CF, Detroit Tigers
2006 Stats (A-): .304/.387/.457, 27 SB in 385 AB

Maybin lived up to all the hype in his first pro season. He might not be the second coming of Ken Griffey Jr., but Maybin has a generational five-tool set. Many have pointed to Maybin's .408 BABIP (Batting Average on Balls In Play) and called his season overrated, but I don't believe this is true. Maybin has the same kind combination of speed and line-drive ability that allows Ichiro to post high BABIPs every season, albeit not quite as high as .408. While his numbers could come down a bit with worse luck in 2007, it also could be pointed out his numbers took a hit by an early return from a thumb injury. Maybin struggled horribly in his first 15 games coming off the DL, hitting just 12-for-56 without much power. With a healthy season, I think Maybin could improve on his 2006 numbers in the Florida State League; the speedy center fielder has greater power than he showed in the tough Midwest League.

12. Andrew Miller, 22, LHP, Detroit Tigers
2006 Stats (A+): 0.00 ERA, 2H/5IP, 9K/1BB

The first player from the 2006 draft to reach the majors, Miller was also the best the draft had to offer. Since opting for North Carolina instead of the Devil Rays out of high school, Miller had long been marked as the player-to-top in his class. Miller won Baseball America's College Player of the Year award with a marvelous junior season. Extremely projectable at a lanky 6-foot-6, Miller's four-seam fastball is already 94-97 mph. As a starter, his bread and butter is a sinking two-seam fastball and a slider that few left-handed hitters can touch. A September call-up showed the Tigers how dominant Miller profiles to be, but also how raw his delivery and command still are; he struck out six batters and walked 10 in 10 1/3 innings with Detroit. Miller will likely begin in Double-A Erie next season and could be pushing for a major-league roster spot again late in the season.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/baseball/mlb/01/23/prospects.partv/index.html

Top 10 Prospects - AL Central
Detroit Tigers

1. Cameron Maybin - OF - DOB: 04/04/87 - ETA: 2009
.304/.387/.457, 9 HR, 69 RBI, 116/50 K/BB, 27 SB in 385 AB for low Single-A West Michigan

Ideally, he'd have a couple of hundred more at-bats by now. However, Maybin has already established himself as one of the game's top outfield prospects. Maybin signed too late to play in 2005 after being drafted 10th overall by the Tigers and then missed about a month in 2006 after with a ligament injury in his right index finger. His worst stretch of the season came following his return in June. The only fault to be found with his overall numbers was his strikeout total. Maybin is a fantastic athlete, and it's only a matter of time until he pushes Curtis Granderson to a corner. On offense, he has 30-homer potential, though I'm skeptical he'll possess the on-base skills to develop into a superstar. He'll have to cut down on the strikeouts to remain a .300 hitter at the highest levels.

2. Andrew Miller - LHP - DOB: 05/21/85 - ETA: Aug. 2007
0-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 H, 9/1 K/BB in 5 IP for Single-A Lakeland
0-1, 6.10 ERA, 8 H, 6/10 K/BB in 10 1/3 IP for Detroit

Miller likely would have been the No. 1 pick in the 2006 draft on talent alone, but his asking price threatened to send him to the Yankees or Red Sox in the latter portion of round one. Instead, the Tigers stepped in with the sixth pick and provided him with a major league contract worth about $5.5 million. A late-August callup followed, and Miller might have had a spot on the postseason roster as a reliever if he could have stayed away from the walks. Rather than try him as a reliever again, the Tigers will send Miller back to the minors -- probably to Double-A Erie -- and have him start games this year. With his mid-90s fastball and top-notch slider, he projects as a No. 2 starter.

3. Brent Clevlen - RHP - DOB: 10/27/83 - ETA: July 2008
.230/.313/.357, 11 HR, 45 RBI, 138/47 K/BB, 6 SB in 395 AB for Double-A Erie
.282/.317/.641, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 15/2 K/BB, 0 SB in 39 AB for Detroit
.250/.384/.326, 2 HR, 20 RBI, 35/18 K/BB, 2 SB in 92 AB for Phoenix (AFL)

Clevlen was in the midst of miserable first year in Double-A until the Tigers' surprising move to haul him to the majors at the end of July. He went on to hit two homers in his second major league game and go 11-for-29 in his first month with the club. A second callup in September didn't go as well, as his willingness to chase pitches was exposed. Clevlen has put up strong minor league numbers in the past, hitting .302 with 18 homers in the Florida State League in 2005. He should possess legitimate 25-homer power in time, and he's a fine defensive right fielder capable of handling center if necessary. OBP likely will always be a problem because of all of the strikeouts, but he may develop into an average regular anyway.

4. Dallas Trahern - RHP - DOB: 11/29/85 - ETA: July 2008
6-11, 3.30 ERA, 129 H, 86/41 K/BB in 144 2/3 IP for Single-A Lakeland

Trahern was interesting when he got nearly 2 1/2 outs on the ground for everyone through the air in the Midwest League in 2005. Last season, it was just about 3 1/2, making him a fine prospect despite the subpar strikeout rate. Trahern, a 2004 34th-round pick, gets his sinker into the low-90s and mixes in a slider. His changeup isn't very far along, so he doesn't have anything he can use to get left-handers to swing and miss. Still, there's plenty of time left for him to learn. If his changeup improves, he could avoid a trip to the pen and emerge as a middle-of-the-rotation starter.

5. Eulogio De La Cruz - RHP - DOB: 03/12/84 - ETA: April 2008
5-6, 2 Sv, 3.43 ERA, 103 H, 87/45 K/BB in 105 IP for Double-A Erie
0-0, 0 Sv, 11.57 ERA, 4 H, 3/2 K/BB in 2 1/3 IP for Triple-A Toledo

De La Cruz made the first 10 starts of his pro career in 2005 and then started 13 more games last year, but he's seen as a long-term reliever. With a fastball that reaches the high-90s and a quality curve, he has the stuff to dominate. Still, it's discouraging that he hasn't posted great strikeout rates, even while working out of the pen. If his command keeps coming along, he could form an outstanding tandem with Joel Zumaya at the end of games in a year or two. In the meantime, the Tigers could keep using him as a starter to give him more of an opportunity to work on his curve and changeup.

6. Gorkys Hernandez - OF - DOB: 09/07/87 - ETA: 2011
.327/.356/.463, 5 HR, 23 RBI, 27/10 K/BB, 20 SB in 205 AB for Rookie GCL Tigers

Hernandez has plenty of tools and was a pleasant surprise when it came to performance after arriving in the Gulf Coast League last year. Along with the ability to hit for average, the native of Venezuela showed the kind of bat speed that promises ample power down the line. Also, he's a true center fielder, though not quite up to the level of Maybin. He seems ready to move up to full-season ball this year. There's enough upside here that it's not too early to begin thinking of him as a fantasy prospect.

7. Jordan Tata - RHP - DOB: 09/20/81 - ETA: April 2007
10-6, 3.84 ERA, 117 H, 86/49 K/BB in 133 IP for Triple-A Toledo
0-0, 6.14 ERA, 14 H, 6/7 K/BB in 14 2/3 IP for Detroit
1-2, 2.63 ERA, 24 H, 12/7 K/BB in 24 IP for Phoenix (AFL)

Tata made the jump from Single-A Lakeland to the majors to begin last year, making the Tigers as a middle reliever after Todd Jones got hurt at the end of the spring. He stuck around for five weeks even though there was little for him to do, but he retained his rookie eligibility because he wasn't recalled again until Sept. 1. Tata doesn't overwhelm with velocity, but he has enough movement on his fastball to maybe make it as a fourth or fifth starter in the majors. The Tigers will likely turn to him if they need an additional starter in the first half of 2007. After that, they could bypass him in favor of Andrew Miller.

8. Jeff Larish - 1B - DOB: 10/11/82 - ETA: 2008
.258/.379/.460, 18 HR, 65 RBI, 101/81 K/BB, 9 SB in 457 AB for Single-A Lakeland

Larish, one of the nation's top sluggers while at Arizona State, has done a fair job since making the switch to wood bats, displaying promising power and an excellent walk rate while not striking out an obscene amount. Larish should be a 25- or 30-homer guy by the time he's ready for the majors. However, in order to get much of a chance, he'll have to show he can hit for average. He doesn't set himself apart with the glove, and since he hasn't showed as much power against left-handed pitching, he may need to be platooned even if he does prove capable of playing in the majors. Because he's 24 already, he can't afford any missteps.

9. Jair Jurrjens - RHP - DOB: 01/29/86 - ETA: June 2008
5-0, 2.08 ERA, 53 H, 59/10 K/BB in 73 2/3 IP for Single-A Lakeland
4-3, 3.36 ERA, 71 H, 53/21 K/BB in 67 IP for Double-A Erie

Jurrjens, who was signed out of Curacao in 2003, slightly improved his strikeout rate while continuing to show very good command last year. Since he doesn't have a big weapon to go along with his low-90s fastball, his ceiling isn't very high. However, his changeup helps him neutralize lefties and he gets more grounders than most. In another system, he might be a threat to arrive in the majors this year. With the Tigers, he's potential trade bait.

10. Michael Hollimon - SS - DOB: 06/14/82 - ETA: Aug. 2008
.278/.386/.501, 15 HR, 54 RBI, 124/77 K/BB, 19 SB in 449 AB for Single-A West Michigan

Still possessing some faith in Single-A Lakeland's shortstop, Brent Dlugach, the Tigers left Holliman in the Midwest League throughout last season, even after he smacked nine homers in July. What made it especially annoying is that the Tigers had little intention of keeping Hollimon at shortstop anyway. The Oral Roberts product ended up with 15 homers, 13 triples and 29 doubles, helping him amass the third best OPS in the league. Hollimon, a 16th-round pick in 2005, was going to prove to be too error-prone to make it as a major league shortstop. However, his ability to hit right-handers should make him a quality bench player or maybe a platoon second baseman. He deserves a crack at Double-A pitching this year.

Next five: RHP Virgil Vasquez, 3B Ronnie Bourquin, RHP Kyle Sleeth, RHP Jonah Nickerson, 2B/SS Scott Sizemore

2006 top 15: Justin Verlander, Joel Zumaya, Cameron Maybin, Kevin Whelan, Brent Clevlen, Kyle Sleeth, Humberto Sanchez, Tony Giarratano, Jeff Larish, Wilkin Ramirez, Jordan Tata, Chris Robinson, David Espinosa, Kody Kirkland, Jeff Frazier

2005 top 10: Kyle Sleeth, Curtis Granderson, Joel Zumaya, Justin Verlander, Tony Giarratano, Ryan Raburn, Humberto Sanchez, Eric Beattie, Brent Clevlen, Jeff Frazier

2004 top 10: Kyle Sleeth, Joel Zumaya, Brent Clevlen, Rob Henkel, Kenny Baugh, Kody Kirkland, Cody Ross, Tony Giarratano, Jon Connolly, Preston Larrison

2003 top 10: Jeremy Bonderman, Franklyn German, Kenny Baugh, Omar Infante, Eric Munson, Scott Moore, Cody Ross, Travis Chapman, Preston Larrison, Brent Clevlen
http://www.rotoworld.com/content/features/column.aspx?sport=MLB&columnid=2&articleid=27715

LOL@Kyle Sleeth being on that list for 4 years now.

I know that dude's been injured, but he's got to start thinking about retirement soon.

That said, Clevelen was on there a year before Sleeth was.

A look at the Tigers' top five prospects:

•Cameron Maybin, outfielder: Maybin, who turns 20 in April, was perhaps the best outfield prospect in the low-A Midwest League in 2006.

He hit .304 with six triples, 20 doubles, nine home runs and 27 steals at West Michigan. He also hit .343 in nine postseason games.

The Tigers say they expect Maybin to turn into a power threat as he matures. They like his ability to adjust as well as his speed and instincts.

He also has a strong arm and will likely play in center or right field when he makes the Tigers' roster, which should be in the next couple of years.

Maybin can hit at the top or the middle of the order, and the only negative is that he had too many strikeouts (116 in 385 at-bats). The Tigers figure that when Maybin is ready, either he or Curtis Granderson will have to move to a corner.

Maybin will likely start in high Class A.

•Andrew Miller, left-handed pitcher: Miller, 21, was the Tigers' first-round draft pick in June, and given that he's 6-foot-6 and 210 pounds, he is an unusual athlete with incredible potential. His fastball is in the 94-98 mph range, and his slider is considered big-league ready.

The Tigers say that his biggest need is working on an offspeed pitch. Last season, he pitched for North Carolina in the College World Series and, after pitching five innings (nine strikeouts) at high-A Lakeland, he made his big-league debut for the Tigers in New York.

The Tigers considered him for their postseason roster as a reliever. He'll likely start at Double-A.

•Jair Jurrjens, right-handed pitcher: Jurrjens, 21, made a huge impression at Lakeland in 2006 with 59 strikeouts and 10 walks in 74 innings, earning a promotion to Double-A Erie where he had a 53-to-21 strikeouts-to-walks ratio. His ERA in Lakeland was 2.08 and 3.36 in Erie.

Jurrjens could be ready quickly for the majors, but he needs to improve beyond his fastball, which is in the 95-97 mph range.

The Tigers like his control and say that his other pitches — curve and changeup — are getting better.

•Brent Clevlen, outfielder: Clevlen, 23, a second-round draft pick in 2002, hit .230 with 138 strikeouts at Erie in 2006, but the Tigers like his overall ability and power.

He hit .282 with two triples and three home runs in 39 at-bats for the Tigers. In 2005, he was the MVP of the high-A Florida State League.

The Tigers see Clevlen's future as a right fielder, and when he played with the Tigers, manager Jim Leyland praised his defensive ability and strong arm.

He's not going to advance until he swings at better pitches and cuts down on his strikeouts (138 in 395 at-bats last season).

•Eulogio De La Cruz, right-handed pitcher: De la Cruz, 22, is known for his power fastball that reminds them of those of Justin Verlander and Joel Zumaya. De la Cruz throws a fastball that can hit 100 mph. He also throws a curveball.

The Tigers need him to work on his control and improve his changeup, and he'll likely play at Erie in 2007.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/al/tigers/2007-01-31-organizational-report_x.htm

thanks h1man, nice read. Funny how sleeth has been in the top 10 for 5 years and hes still no where near the majors.

In his defense, didn't he have Tommy John surgery or something else major on his shoulder?

Yeah, he's been dealing with injuries/surgeries the past few years. I don't think he's going to make it.

Outifield rankings...

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/hotstove06/columns/story?columnist=rogers_phil&id=2758754

Here is an update on Sleeth:


Sleeth update: Likewise, former first-round pick Kyle Sleeth is proceeding as if it was a normal Spring Training, even though he has spent much of the last two years bouncing back from Tommy John elbow surgery. He has found an effective release point and repeated it, throwing all the way into November and then starting it back up in January to get comfortable with his motion.

"I've been healthy since the middle part of last year," he said, "but it took me forever to find confidence in my release point, and I didn't do that until the end of the year. I had no confidence in what I was throwing after the surgery. It's been all new from the beginning. I learned how to throw, and I finally got to the point one day where it just clicked during [instructional league]. It became a natural motion."

Though he's in Major League camp, he's not fighting for a big-league spot so much as he's trying to prepare for a healthy season. Yet, he nonetheless feels like he has a point to prove to the organization that drafted him with the third overall pick in 2003, only to see him fall off the growing list of Tigers pitching prospects.

"I want to show something," he said. "I feel like I've been here for three years and I haven't shown what I can do in any of them. I want to bring back the confidence in every pitch."
http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070215&content_id=1803196&vkey=spt2007news&fext=.jsp&c_id=det