2013 Seedlings to Stars Top Prospects: #61-70

Yesterday we started to unveil this year’s top prospect rankings here at Seedlings to Stars, publishing four posts that took a look at segments of our list. I knew there’d be a strong feeling here or there about one of my rankings, though the two that I heard most vocally were the thinking that I had ranked Seattle shortstop Nick Franklin (#94) and Milwaukee right-hander Wily Peralta (#101) lower than most might have.

Don’t forget, there’s a certain level of subjectivity to these lists which is why no two are every completely the same. There’s no perfect science to coming up with them. There will be some decisions within this list that you will not fully agree with. Discussion is encouraged. If you want some more insight into the process behind them, be sure to read through our introductory post.

To make it easy for your to look back, here are the rankings we’ve already gone through:

• #101 through #115 (because I couldn’t settle on just 100 names)
• #91 through #100
• #81 through #90
• #71 through #80

Next up: #61 through #70.

#70 – Julio Teheran, right-handed pitcher, Atlanta Braves

Height/Weight: 6’2”, 175

Born: January 27, 1991 (age 21)

2012 Stats (with Triple-A Gwinnett): 7-9, 5.08 ERA, 26 GS, 131.0 IP, 43 BB (3.0 BB/9), 97 K (6.7 K/9), 1.443 WHIP

MLB Career: 1-1, 5.19 ERA, 7 G (4 GS), 26.0 IP, 9 BB (3.1 BB/9), 15 K (5.2 K/9), 1.346 WHIP

Bold Prediction: Teheran spends most of 2013 in Atlanta, though I’m not convinced it will all come while working out of the starting rotation.

#69 – Yasiel Puig, outfielder, Los Angeles Dodgers

Height/Weight: 6’3”, 215

Born: December 7, 1990 (age 22)

2012 Stats (combined between two levels): .354/.442/.634, 5 HR, 15 RBI, 8 SB, 12 BB, 15 SO, 23 G (95 PA)

The Cuban defector brought along a lot of hype and wound up with a much larger payday from the Dodgers than most expected him to see on the open market. He still falls well behind in terms of potential compared to some of his more recent countrymen to make the same move to the US (Jorge Soler, Yoenis Cespedes).

Bold Prediction: Puig will slow down with a promotion next season, struggling at the plate against tougher opposition. He might have some raw talent but he won’t measure up to the same levels as his predecessors.

got some work out of the Cardinals bullpen, but his future could still be from the starting rotation. (Image Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports)

#68 – Trevor Rosenthal, right-handed pitcher, St. Louis Cardinals

Height/Weight: 6’2”, 190

Born: May 29, 1990 (age 22)

2012 Stats (combined between Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis): 8-6, 2.97 ERA, 20 GS, 109.0 IP, 42 BB (3.5 BB/9), 104 K (8.6 K/9), 1.101 WHIP

MLB Career: 0-2, 2.78 ERA, 19 G, 22.2 IP, 7 BB (2.8 BB/9), 25 K (9.9 K/9), 0.926 WHIP

Rosenthal could compete for a spot in the Cardinals rotation this Spring, but there’s a segment of the team’s fan base that seems to want to see him used as a reliever thanks to his hard-throwing right arm. Rosenthal flourished working out of the pen for the Cards this past season and given the makeup of the team’s rotation options, he might be pushed out simply because of a numbers game.

Bold Prediction: Indecision about his role keeps Rosenthal in the minor leagues for the better part of the 2013 season. He pitches well but doesn’t produce enough to sway the organization one way or another.

#67 – Casey Kelly, right-handed pitcher, San Diego Padres

Height/Weight: 6’3”, 195

Born: October 4, 1989 (age 23)

2012 Stats (combined across three levels): 0-2, 3.35 ERA, 8 GS, 37.2 IP, 3 BB (0.7 BB/9), 39 K (9.3 K/9), 0.956 WHIP

MLB Career: 2-3, 6.21 ERA, 6 GS, 29.0 IP, 10 BB (3.1 BB/9), 26 K (8.1 K/9), 1.690 WHIP

Bold Prediction: Kelly will compete for one of the last spots in the Padres rotation, but he seems destined to spend the better part of the 2013 season back at Triple-A.

#66 – Kolten Wong, second baseman, St. Louis Cardinals

Height/Weight: 5’9”, 190

Born: October 10, 1990 (age 22)

2012 Stats (with Double-A Springfield): .287/.348/.405, 9 HR, 52 RBI, 21 SB, 44 BB, 74 SO, 126 G (579 PA)

Bold Prediction: There’s some limited belief in St. Louis that Wong could make his debut in a Cardinal uniform before the end of the 2013 season. Barring a major injury that changes the team’s plans, I think it’s more likely that Wong spends the full season at Triple-A finishing up his development and then assumes a starting role the next season.

#65 – Alen Hanson, shortstop, Pittsburgh Pirates

Height/Weight: 5’11”, 152

Born: October 22, 1992 (age 20)

2012 Stats (with Class-A West Virginia): .309/.381/.528, 16 HR, 62 RBI, 35 SB, 55 BB, 105 SO, 124 G (558 PA)

Shortstop has been a gaping hole in Pittsburgh for quite some time but there’s hope that Hanson can help fill that void in time. He’s solid defensively, has shown some power on the bases, and enough at the plate to think that he could be a long term solution up the middle. The Pirates likely aren’t worried much about him continuing to develop the power production, as the other aspects of his offensive game should be more than enough if he can develop some consistency.

Bold Prediction: He cruises along early in the season, resulting in a promotion to Double-A and an early aggressive invitation to Spring Training next year.

#64 – Kyle Gibson, right-handed pitcher, Minnesota Twins

Height/Weight: 6’6”, 210

Born: October 23, 1987 (age 25)

2012 Stats (combined across three levels): 0-2, 4.13 ERA, 13 G (11 GS), 28.1 IP, 6 BB (1.9 BB/9), 33 K (10.5 K/9), 1.129 WHIP

Gibson underwent Tommy John surgery late in the 2011 season, causing him to miss most of this past year as well. Minnesota will watch his innings heading into 2013, as there is already speculation that they’ll keep him on a limit similar to that which the Nationals held Stephen Strasburg to last season.

Bold Prediction: Gibson will impress once he works his way into the Twins’ rotation, but it won’t make a big difference in the team’s lack of success on the season.

#63 – Tony Cingrani, left-handed pitcher, Cincinnati Reds

Height/Weight: 6’4”, 200

Born: July 5, 1989 (age 23)

2012 Stats (combined between High-A Bakersfield and Double-A Pensacola): 10-4, 1.73 ERA, 26 G (25 GS), 146.0 IP, 52 BB (3.2 BB/9), 172 K (10.6 K/9), 1.027 WHIP

MLB Career: 0-0, 1.80 ERA, 3 G, 5.0 IP, 2 BB (3.6 BB/9), 9 K (16.2 K/9), 1.200 WHIP

Bold Prediction: Cingrani will spend most of the season at Triple-A, but could make his way into the Reds rotation at some point in 2013.

Checking in at #62,

could inadvertently become the best outfielder the Phillies have developed in a number of years. (Image Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports)

#62 – Darin Ruf, first baseman/outfielder, Philadelphia Phillies

Height/Weight: 6’3”, 220

Born: July 28, 1986 (age 26)

2012 Stats (with Double-A Reading): .317/.408/.620, 38 HR, 104 RBI, 2 SB, 65 BB, 102 SO, 139 G (584 PA)

MLB Career: .333/.351/.727, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 0 SB, 2 BB, 12 SO, 12 G (37 PA)

Ruf has primarily been a first baseman throughout his minor league career, but that position is filled in Philadelphia and there’s no reason to expect Ryan Howard to step aside anytime soon. The Phillies have started to experiment with Ruf in a corner outfield spot with the hopes of working him into the lineup more consistently.

Bold Prediction: Ruf turns out to be a more reliable outfield option than Domonic Brown has been to date in his career.

#61 – Christian Bethancourt, catcher, Atlanta Braves

Height/Weight: 6’2”, 219

Born: September 2, 1991 (age 21)

2012 Stats (with Double-A Mississippi): .243/.275/.291, 2 HR, 26 RBI, 8 SB, 11 BB, 45 SO, 71 G (288 PA)

Bold Prediction: Bethancourt’s stat line doesn’t look highly impressive, but the defensively sound catcher should improve with regular at bats and a full time role. He may not start the year out at Triple-A, but should reach the level before season’s end. If he can show some added offensive development then the Braves could have a tough call on their hands a year from now, as Brian McCann will likely hit the free agent market.