After exploring both the team top 10 lists, overall top 150, and system rankings in our MLB Top Prospects series, we finish with a look at positional rankings. Today, we look at the top 10 left-handed pitching prospects for 2018.
Our MLB Top Prospect series at Call to the Pen is spearheaded by Benjamin Chase. Today, he gives us the top ten left-handed pitching prospects for 2018.
We will explore each position with a top 10 list, and then after we get to #1, don’t leave as we will also highlight one player who is “on the rise” and could factor into the positional rankings after the 2018 season if they hold their current trajectory.
Each of these MLB Top Prospect rankings have come through the hundreds of games each summer Ben watches as well as speaking with multiple people throughout the game and gauging their opinions as well on players he has not had a good look at. This is a personal opinion, and a ranking position higher or lower than industry standard does not indicate “liking” or “hating” a certain player more or less – by just showing up on this list, there is a degree of appreciation of the talent a player brings!
We will start each position list with an overall look at the position itself within the game and the strength of the position.
Position overview
While the right-handed class is deep in all aspects – top-end of the list, high ceiling guys, high floor guys, and depth of quality arms, the left-handed class this year is significantly top-heavy. There’s plenty of depth in high-ceiling players, but not a lot of guys who are high-ceiling that have achieved upper-level success.
While the bar for a lefty is typically lower for success due to batters having a more difficult time picking up the ball from a left-handed pitcher, the flame-out rate of the top arms is significantly high. The recent success of Andrew Miller and the success thus far of Josh Hader will likely put more interest in putting more top lefties into a bullpen role as well, which could make valuing top lefty arms more and more difficult for evaluators.
Let’s take a look at the left-handers….
Next: #9 and #10