Ask BA

[Rioss]

Can you think of an organization in recent history (or ever) with a collection of talented offensive prospects comparable to the ones the Diamondbacks currently possess?

When we unveiled our latest Top 100 Prospects list, Arizona had an astounding six players (all hitters) in the first 32 slots: shortstops Justin Upton (No. 2) and Stephen Drew (No. 5), first baseman Conor Jackson (No. 17) and outfielders Carlos Quentin (No. 20), Chris Young (No. 23) and Carlos Gonzales (No. 32).

That's unprecedented since we began doing overall Top 100 lists in 1990. Only one other team had five position players in the Top 50. The 1993 Braves had Chipper Jones (No. 1), Javy Lopez (No. 20), Ryan Klesko (No. 26), Mike Kelly (No. 34) and Melvin Nieves (No. 39).

We've been doing organization Top 10 lists since 1983, so I scanned them from 1983-89. I couldn't find a group of hitters that would have been as highly regarded as the Diamondbacks are now. The deepest crop belonged to the 1986 Reds, whose Top 10 included Kurt Stillwell (No. 1), Kal Daniels (No. 2), Joe Oliver (No. 3), Paul O'Neill (No. 4), Tracy Jones (No. 7), Barry Larkin (No. 8) and Lenny Harris (No. 10), all of whom had significant careers. http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/columnists/askba.html

 

[FinleyLover]

We are indeed truly blessed with this. Give the kids a year or two together, and they are gonna stomp some booty!!

 

[Dback Jon]

We are indeed truly blessed with this. Give the kids a year or two together, and they are gonna stomp some booty!!

I know - just keep them together!

 

[Kolo]

From yesterday's Ask BA:

Each season, there are good prospects who elevate themselves into elite status. Rockies third baseman Ian Stewart (No. 57 on the Top 100 Prospects list in 2004, No. 4 in 2005) and Angels shortstop Brandon Wood (No. 83 in 2005, No. 3 in 2006) are two recent examples. What prospects are going to make a similar jump this year?

Mike Parnell
Boston
Great question, Mike. Most of the prospects who make that leap are young guys without much of a track record rather than older players who suddenly break out in the upper minors. When I combed through the current Top 100 list looking for candidates, I found eight guys who piqued my interest—none of whom played above Class A in 2005.

It won't be a huge jump, but I think Diamondbacks outfielder Carlos Gonzales (No. 32 on this year's list) will be in the top 10 next year. He's going to be a .300-hitting, 30-homer right fielder with a strong arm, and he's going to put up monster numbers in the high Class A California League in 2006.

Gonzalez hit a two run homer in a split squad game yesterday, the first pitch he saw.

 

[AZZenny]

Our farm system has been more and more thrilling every year. Mike Rizzo is a remarkable judge of young talent -- now we just need to get the actual training and preparation aspects of the system upgraded from where they were, and refrain from dealing any of our many promising young studs too cheaply.

I was actually thinking, watching the WBC, we ought to hire a Korean fielding/defensive coordinator for the farm system, and a Japanese hitting coach.

 

[Ryanwb]

I hope the D'backs start developing some pitching.... that's all I have to say about that