Pro Scouting Director Poll: Who Is The Best Top Prospect Defender at Every Position on The Diamond?
By MiLB.com
I am more than halfway through with our Defensive Gems series on MiLB.com. In case you are unfamiliar with it, here is the stock copy we print at the beginning of every edition:
As documentarian Ken Burns noted, baseball is the one game in which the defense — not the offense — possesses the ball. With this in mind, MiLB.com continues its “Defensive Gems” series. Over the next nine weeks, we will feature a top prospect at each position who also happens to be an elite defender. In deciding which players to focus on, six scouting directors were polled and extensive research was conducted…
Here are the five stories of the nine total that are completed: Click on the player’s name to be taken to the story:
POSSubjects with story linksCAustin Hedges (SD: A pupil of Brad Ausmus)P???1B???2BCarlos Sanchez (CWS: A good defender at three positions)3BMike Olt (TEX: A slow-roller expert with soft hands)SSFrancisco Lindor (CLE: A natural ballplayer that is “Cano-ish”)LF???CFMason Williams (NYY: A gifted athlete making acrobatic plays)RF???
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And below are the votes cast by the six pro scouting directors alluded to above.
Their opinions were taken into account when my editor and I decided which player to feature. Before I reveal their votes, let me say that I am keeping their names anonymous (as is the case when interviewing scouts and some front office folks). This was the prompt I gave them:
In the nine weeks leading up to Opening Day 2013, we plan on producing a weekly feature story on a top Minor League prospect who is an exceptional defender. I am writing to you now because we would appreciate your input on which defensively-gifted players we should highlight. Based on your experience watching, observing, talking Minor League ball in 2012, could you name a non-[your organization] prospect at each position and tell us why he was impressive to you?
POSAmerican League SD 1CChristian Bethancourt/Austin HedgesP_____________1BBrandon Belt2BNick Franklin3BMatt DominguezSSJose IglesiasLF_____________CFBubba Starling/Engel Beltre/Jorge BonifacioRFMatt Den Dekker
POSAmerican League SD 2CTravis d’ArnaudPTyler Anderson/Julio Teheran1BHarold Riggins2BRonny Rodriguez/Gioskar Amaya3BChristian VillanuevaSSFrancisco Lindor, Didi GregoriusLF_____________CFJames Baldwin, Adam EatonRFTrayce Thompson
POSAmerican League SD 4CAustin HedgesP_____________1BNate Freiman2BEddie Rosario3BTyler GoeddelSSFrancisco LindorLF_____________CFMason Williams/Jackie BradleyRFDrew Vettleson
POSAmerican League SD 5CTravid d’ArnaudPJay Jackson1BAJ Kirby-Jones2BLevi Michael3BMatt DominguezSSJiovanni MierLF_____________CFJake Marisnick/Engel Beltre/Ender InciarteRF_____________
POSNational League SD 1CChristian BethancourtP_____________1BJonathan Singleton2BLeury Garcia3BMike OltSSDidi GregoriusLF_____________CFAnthony Gose/George SpringerRFOscar Taveras
POSAmerican League SD 5CTucker BarnhartPJake Odorizzi1BEfren Navarro2BRougned Odor3BDavid VidalSSDidi GregoriousLF_____________CFEngel Beltre/Anthony GoseRFBlake Smith
So that may give you a hint of who might be featured in the final four editions of Defensive Gems. Are there players you think deserve to be on the list? What do you think? Let me know in the comment section.
