Looking Back: Marlins Top Prospects of 2010 Review

With the season winding down, I thought it would be appropriate to look back at my 2010 top prospect lists and see how I did in my projections and how each team’s farm system held up over the course of the season.

This needs to be emphasized: the list below reflects each prospect’s status prior to the 2010 season. This is not a new list. Please keep that in mind.

The next team up is the Florida Marlins:

Prospects 1 – 5 »

Prospects 6 -15 »

1. Mike Stanton | OF | Age – 20 | Grade – A-

Rated him as the 6th best prospect in baseball heading into the year and perhaps I was selling him short. He’s developed much more quickly than I expected him too and is adjusting rather well at the big league level.

2. Logan Morrison | 1b | Age – 22 | Grade – B

I had him as baseball’s 50th best prospect. Continues to get on base at a very high clip and his power should develop over time. Probably underrated him heading into the year.

3. Chad James | LHP | Age – 19 | Grade – B

Rated as the 70th best prospect in baseball heading into the year, he’s held his own, but compared to a year ago, I’m a little down on him.

4. Matt Dominguez | 3b | Age – 20 | Grade – B-

Defense continues to get rave reviews, but offensively he continues to put up underwhelming numbers. Still very young, however.

5. Gaby Sanchez | 3b/1b | Age – 26 | Grade – B-

Bat might be a little light for first base, but he’s a quality Major League hitter.

6. Ryan Tucker | RHP | Age – 23 | Grade – B-/C+

It’s simply been just a lost season for Tucker.

7. Brad Hand | LHP | Age – 20 | Grade – C+

A solid season for somebody I felt was underrated by many heading into the year.

8. Scott Cousins | CF | Age – 25 | Grade – C+

Turned season around with tremendous months of July and August

9. Kyle Skipworth | C | Age – 20 | Grade – C+/C

He’s shown some signs of life this season, but plenty of red flags remain.

10. Bryan Petersen | OF | Age – 24 | Grade – C+/C

Generated some buzz with a strong performance in the Arizona Summer League, but the momentum didn’t carry over to the regular season.

11. Bryan Berglund | RHP | Age – 19 | Grade – C

Hasn’t pitched this year because of labrum surgery.

12. Isaac Galloway | CF | Age – 20 | Grade – C

Taken a big step back this year.

13. Marcell Ozuna | RF | Age – 19 | Grade – C

Showing lots of power in Jamestown, but peripherals are a big red flag.

14. Jhan Marinez | RHP | Age – 21 | Grade – C

Can be dominant at times, but walks need to come down. He’s made a lot of progress this season.

15. Jose Ceda | RHP | Age – 23 | Grade – C

Like Marinez, he can be dominant, but the walks need to come down. You have to like the way he’s bounced from shoulder surgery.

HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order) – Dan Jennings (LHP) | Jai Miller (OF) | Kyle Jennings (OF) | Garrett Parcell (RHP) | Josh Hodges (RHP) | Chris Leroux (RHP) | Curtis Peterson (RHP) | Arquimedes Caminero (RHP) | Jake Smolinski (2b) | Ramon Benjamin (LHP) | Jay Voss (LHP) | Steve Cishek (RHP) | Pete Andrelczyk (RHP) | Jay Buente (RHP) | Rodolfo Encarnacion (RHP) | Edgar Olmos (LHP) | Alejandro Ramos (RHP) | Brent Keys (OF)

Not too many breakouts in the Honorable Mentions section. However, there are a couple of guys who did not appear anywhere on last year’s list that have emerged. Osvaldo Martinez, a true shortstop in Double-A with good plate discipline, left hander Jose Alvarez, who the club received from the Red Sox in exchange for Jeremy Hermida, and keep an eye on Jobduan Morales, a young catcher with advanced plate discipline for his age.

The Bottom Line

Mike Stanton, Logan Morrison, and Gaby Sanchez alone make this a successful year for Florida’s farm system. That said, the overall depth in the system is sorely lacking and that will be evident in next year’s list.