Minor League Preview: Top position players for 2016

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With the minor league season officially starting a couple days ago, many of the game’s top minor league hitters will be out to prove their high ranking is justified. Even though many of the elite prospects in the game come on the pitching side, there is still a good amount of depth when it comes to quality minor league position players in the game. Here’s a breakdown of who the top hitting prospects are right now.

If you want to see the rankings for the top ten minor league pitchers, click here.

Next: Honorable Mentions

Honorable Mentions

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SS Trea Turner (Washington Nationals)

His best tool is his speed. This guy has some serious wheels that could be a major weapon for the Nationals when he gets to the majors. His bat has been improving as well, but his complete lack of power keeps him out of the top ten.

3B Rafael Devers (Boston Red Sox)

Unlike Turner, Devers’ power is his main calling card. His approach at the late has been improving, which has allowed him to start to fully realize his power potential. He’s questionable in the field however.

OF Bradley Zimmer (Cleveland Indians)

Zimmer has a smooth swing that can spray the ball all over the field. He’s got a good feel at the plate and was also able to hit 16 home runs last season. Doesn’t have elite power or speed, but he should turn into an above average hitter at the major league level.

OF Brett Phillips (Milwaukee Brewers)

Acquired in the Carlos Gomez trade with the Astros, Phillips has seen his stock rise over the past few seasons. He has a knack for getting hits and his numbers back that up. With a short swing and an ability to hit pitches all over the plate, Phillips should be in for a good major league career.

OF Aaron Judge (New York Yankees)

Judge may have the best power in all of the minor leagues. We’re talking a potential for 35-38 home runs at the next level. Granted, he is not a complete hitter. There is still work that needs to be done if he hopes to hit for a high average, but the potential is there.

Next: 10-6

10-6

10. 1B Joey Gallo (Texas Rangers)

This ranking may not be as high on this list as some others. Gallo is rated as the 7th overall prospect by MLB Pipeline. He certainly has legit power that could yield 30 or more homers a year, and that is rare when it comes to prospects. However, he is also prone to striking out at a high clip because his long swing. He didn’t play well when he was in the majors last year, but his power stroke should play at the next level.

9. OF Clint Frazier (Cleveland Indians)

The other of the Indians’ prized outfielders, Frazier has one of the quickest swings in all of the minor leagues. Coming out of high school, many people compared his swing to that of Mike Trout. While Frazier will certainly not be the player that Trout is, his swing will allow him to hit for power and average. He has had high strikeout numbers in past seasons, but just getting more experience should help to decrease that.

8. OF Andrew Benintendi (Boston Red Sox)

This former Arkansas Razorback was the 2015 Collegiate National Player of the year and was later drafted 7th in the 2015 Amateur Draft by the Red Sox. The lefty has a stroke that can play for both power and average. He continued to produce in the minors after he signed last summer. Benintendi is a good all-around hitter and should continue to impress as he climbs up the Red Sox farm system.

7. OF Nomar Mazara (Texas Rangers)

Another power hitter from the Rangers farm system, Mazara possesses a smooth left-handed stroke that can reach pitches all over the plate. This has led to Mazara hitting for good power at the minor league level. He was just promoted by Texas and homered in his first game, which is a positive sign. He doesn’t have an elite overall hitting skill set, but he has the ability to hit for a fairly high average and solid power in the future.

6. SS Orlando Arcia (Milwaukee Brewers)

Arcia is part of a great group of elite level shortstop prospects in the game today. The 21-year-old has elite fielding skills that should yield a couple Gold Gloves in the majors. He also has the hitting chops to be a quality table setter for the hitters in the middle of the order as he can spray balls all over the field. Arcia has wheels that will make him a quality base stealer as well.

Next: 5. SS Dansby Swanson

5. SS Dansby Swanson (Atlanta Braves)

Strengths:

Overall solid hitter that has an advanced approach at the plate
Doesn’t have a lot of extra motion in his swing
Has been a “winner” throughout his career
Possesses quick hands at the plate
Has power potential

Weaknesses:

Isn’t an elite level fielder
Doesn’t have a “wow” factor to his game
Not much room left for growth

Verdict:

Swanson was picked number-one overall for a reason. No, he isn’t a generational talent, but you know what you’re getting with him. He has the ability to be a very good all-around hitter in this league and should find his way onto some All-Star teams in the process.

Next: 4. OF Lewis Brinson

4. OF Lewis Brinson (Texas Rangers)

Strengths:

Athletic and strong build
Has the ability to impact every aspect of the game
Possesses what could be 25-30 home run power
Has the speed to make an impact on the bases
Has a smooth stroke at the plate

Weaknesses:

Production hasn’t always been there for him
Needs to fine tune his approach
There is a lot of projection in his game

Verdict:

Brinson may be a little higher than he is ranked on other prospect lists, but he has as much potential as any hitter in the minor leagues. His combination of speed and power is something that you don’t see every day accompanying a smooth swing and improving pitch recognition. There is a lot of projection to the type of player that he could be, but don’t be surprised if Brinson becomes an elite outfielder in the years to come.

Next: 3. SS Brendan Rodgers

3. SS Brendan Rodgers (Colorado Rockies)

Strengths:

Has above average power at the shortstop position
Has a lot of room to grow was a player
Excellent bat speed
Solid hitting approach at such a young age

Weaknesses:

Production was inconsistent last year
Might not have the skills to stay at shortstop
Suffered a leg injury last year
More of a projection than other players on this list

Verdict:

Many people had Rodgers ranked as the top player in last year’s draft, including myself, because of his potential. He has power that many shortstops don’t and has a pretty advanced approach at the plate for a young hitter. He certainly has the potential to be one of the top players in the game at his position because of the raw talent that he possesses.

Next: 2. SS J.P. Crawford

2. SS J.P. Crawford (Philadelphia Phillies)

Strengths:

Outstanding defender
Great approach at the plate
Walked more than he struck out last season
Consistent production throughout his minor league career
Has the ability to hit for power and average

Weaknesses:

Limited to 15-20 home run power
Tore his UCL in his left thumb in the Arizona Fall League
See him more as a top-of-the-order player than middle-of-the-order guy

Verdict:

J.P Crawford may be the most major league ready position player on this list and there is good reason for that. While not only producing excellent numbers throughout his career so far, Crawford has all the skills you would want in a major league shortstop. There is a cap on his potential because of the lack of power and strength, but Crawford is without a doubt one of the most complete prospects out there, possibly the most.

Next: 1. 2B Yoan Moncada

1. 2B Yoan Moncada (Boston Red Sox)

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Strengths:

Has a tremendous amount of offensive potential
He has superior athleticism
Has strength, speed and fluidity to be able to do things that many hitters can’t
Makes great contact and power when he hits the ball
Can have above-average power for his position
Improved his numbers as the season went on last year

Weaknesses:

Doesn’t have great power numbers at this time because of a more contact-driven swing
Doesn’t have a set defensive position at this time
Started slowly when he made his debut last season

Verdict:

Moncada signed for a a hefty $31.5 million in 2015 because of the rare type of athlete that he is. But the 20-year-old is not only a great talent, he has many elite baseball skills. Moncada has a quick swing that produces hard-hit balls and does have the strength to hit for above-average power as a middle infielder even though he’s not quite there yet. The reason why he tops the list over J.P Crawford is because he has greater talent and a higher ceiling. The Cuban prospect is the type of player that could be a multi-time All-Star and his time in the major leagues may come sooner than people think if Moncada continues to develop.

Next: Top Minor League Pitchers for 2016

What do you think about the hitting prospects in the minors this year? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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