Baseball America's Top 30 Jays Prospects For 2013

Saturday, February 09 2013 @ 01:12 AM EST

Contributed by: #2JBrumfield

My copy of the bible arrived in the mailbox Ч the Baseball America 2013 Prospect Handbook! Texas prospect Jurickson Profar is on the cover.

2012 first round pick D.J. Davis is the highest rated position player in the Jays farm system according to Baseball America.

Baseball America gives each prospect a numerical grade based on the traditional 20-80 scouting scale:

75-80 Franchise players/number one starters.
65-70 Perennial All-Stars/number two starters.
55-60 First division regular/number three starters/closers.
45-50 Second division regulars/number four starters/eighth inning relievers.
35-40 Number five starters/utility players/backup catchers/relievers.

BA also rates prospects from a risk factor standpoint:

Safe - player is ready to contribute in the bigs and has shown a realistic ceiling.
Low - player is likely to reach his ceiling and become a big leaguer.
Medium - player still has some tools to sharpen.
High - player is a first year draft pick.
Extreme - teenager in rookie ball or a player with significant history of injuries.

No.#	Player	Position	Grade	ааааRisk	2012 Rank
1	Travis d'Arnaud*	C	60	Medium	1
2	Noah Syndergaard*	RHP	60	High	7
3	Aaron Sanchez	RHP	60	High	6
4	Roberto Osuna	RHP	55	High	30
5	Marcus Stroman	RHP	55	High	NR
6	D.J. Davis	OF	60	Extreme	NR
7	John Stilson	RHP	50	Medium	26
8	Daniel Norris	LHP	60	Extreme	4
9	Matt Smoral	LHP	60	Extreme	NR
10	Anthony Alford	OF	60	Extreme	NR
11	A.J. Jimenez	C	50	High	12
12	Tyler Gonzales	RHP	50	High	NR
13	Franklin Barreto	SS/OF	55	Extreme	NR
14	Santiago Nessy	C	50	High	NR
15	Alberto Tirado	RHP	50	High	NR
16	Dwight Smith Jr.	OF	50	High	16
17	Matt Dean	3B	50	High	11
18	Chad Jenkins	RHP	45	Medium	28
19	Sean Nolin	LHP	45	Medium	NR
20	Deck McGuire	RHP	45	Medium	8
21	Kevin Pillar	OF	45	Medium	NR
22	Chase DeJong	RHP	50	High	NR
23	Christian Lopes	2B/SS	50	High	29
24	Mitch Nay	3B	50	High	NR
25	Wuilmer Becerra*	OF	50	Extreme	NR
26	Dawel Lugo	SS	50	Extreme	6
27	Dickie Joe Thon	SS	50	Extreme	27
28	Jairo Labourt	LHP	50	Extreme	6
29	Yeyfrey Del Rosario	RHP	45	High	NR
30	Chris Hawkins	OF	45	High	25

* - No longer with organization. Traded to New York Mets for RHP R.A. Dickey.

The 31st rated prospect for the Jays is lefty Tyler Ybarra, who is also being picked as the team's sleeper prospect for 2013 by BA's Nathan Rode. Outfielder Dwight Smith Jr. is Rode's pick to have a breakout season while since departed catcher Travis d'Arnaud is being tabbed as the team's Rookie of the Year. In the team rankings, Baseball America rates the Blue Jays 12th out of 30 teams Ч a drop of seven spots from 2012.

Dwight Smith Jr. maintained his number 16 ranking in the Jays system and is being pegged by Baseball America to have a breakout season in 2013.

In their respective Top 50 prospects lists, Jim Callis has d'Arnaud sixth and righties Noah Syndergaard and Aaron Sanchez 48th and 49th. J.J. Cooper listed d'Arnaud as his 22nd best prospect while Will Lingo and John Manuel had d'Arnaud rated at 29 and 24 respectively.

From last year's Top 30 with rankings in parentheses Ч Anthony Gose (2), Drew Hutchison (9), Adeiny Hechavarria (13), Moises Sierra (15) and David Cooper (22) all saw time with the big league club. Jake Marisnick (3), Justin Nicolino (5), Asher Wojociechowski (10), Hechavarria, Carlos Perez (14), Kevin Comer (17) and Joe Musgrove (20) Ч along with d'Arnaud, Syndergaard and Wuilmer Becerra Ч are no longer with the organization. Adonys Cardona (18), Kellen Sweeney (19), Jacob Anderson (21), Michael Crouse (23) and Marcus Knecht (24) all dropped out of this year's Top 30 list.

The winds of change certainly swept through the farm system as the big league club goes for it in 2013. It'll be interesting to see how quickly the club replenishes its depth moving forward.

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