01/31: Keith Law's Top 100 Prospects
Posted by: James
ESPN, in free Insider preview mode right now, has put up Keith Law's (Scouts Inc.) Top 100 Prospects in baseball. There are 5 Yankees on the list:
#3 Joba Chamberlain
#21 Jose Tabata
#24 Austin Jackson
#45 Ian Kennedy (I included his write-up below, hit up the link for the rest)
#100 Andrew Brackman
Three guys in the top 25, huh? Not too shabby.
Hat tip to Mike A. for the link.
#3 Joba Chamberlain
#21 Jose Tabata
#24 Austin Jackson
#45 Ian Kennedy (I included his write-up below, hit up the link for the rest)
#100 Andrew Brackman
Kennedy's stuff alone would put him in the lower reaches of this list. He is here because he has superb command of average or fringe-average stuff, so superb that he is going to succeed in the majors where many guys with superior stuff will fail. He works with a fringe-average fastball that touches 90 mph on occasion but mostly falls in the 87-88 mph range, and he commands it to all four edges of the zone. His best secondary pitch is his changeup, slightly above average with some tailing action, but it works extremely well because he keeps his arm speed consistent. His curve is solidly average as well. Kennedy repeats his delivery as well as any prospect on this list, commands all of his pitches and has a great feel for pitching. With plus stuff, he would be in the top 10 overall, but with his stuff, he will have to settle for an upside as a borderline No. 3 starter or a great No. 4 starter.
Three guys in the top 25, huh? Not too shabby.
Hat tip to Mike A. for the link.