MLB.com's Jim Callis (formerly of BaseballAmerica) and Jonathan Mayo each released their All-Prospect Team lists today. Unlike BA where the player still has to be under the rookie cut off, MLB.com's lists could consist of any player that entered the year as a prospect. The lists consist of the 8 positions (no DH) and 2 pitchers ( a lefty and eighty). They also give their position player of the year, pitcher of the year, biggest riser and faller, and prospect with the most to prove.

 

Callis and Mayo agreed on 7 of the 10 positions, with Mayo making a surprise pick for 3B which won't make Twins fans happy. They do end up both agreeing with BaseballAmerica that Buxton was the best position player of the year even though under their rules they could have selected possible RotY candidate Puig. Who made the list, who didn't, and what did they have to say about them? Here are the links to both articles:

 

Callis:

Jim Callis' 2013 All-Prospect team | MLB.com: News

 

Mayo:

Jonathan Mayo's 2013 All-Prospect team | MLB.com: News

Franco had a great year and I can see how a case can be made for him. He strikes out less but he's a year older and Sano's OPS is much superior and he has a much longer track record of exceptionalism. Franco has little history of sustained success until this year.

Franco had a great year and I can see how a case can be made for him. He strikes out less but he's a year older and Sano's OPS is much superior and he has a much longer track record of exceptionalism. Franco has little history of sustained success until this year.

 

While Franco had a fine year he just doesn't match the rest of the names. Outside of SS I figured most of these were easy picks. One thing of note is how Mayo mentioned how close the 2B group was, specifically our own Rosario.

So less than 2 months ago, Mayo had Sano as the #3 prospect in all of baseball (and #1 at 3B) and now he doesn't even have him as the best 3B...yet the guy he had as the #6 3B is now the top 3B...

 

I guess that OPS over 1.000 in August really hurt him

Edited September 16, 201313 yr by ThePuck

Franco over Sano is ridiculous by all means.

Never particularly liked Mayo compared to the others guys in the business. A number of the amatuer scouts have said they didn't like Franco's swing mechanics when they saw him.

Here is Mayo's response to my post (#4 of this thread.)

 

'I like to mix things up, what can I say? Sano's still the better prospect overall.'

 

 

 

I wouldn't worry about it too much. At this point these guys just like to stir the pot rather than regurgitate the same names they've been hyping all season. The prospect lists at the end of the year or beginning of next year will have guys where they actually feel they belong.

So less than 2 months ago, Mayo had Sano as the #3 prospect in all of baseball (and #1 at 3B) and now he doesn't even have him as the best 3B...yet the guy he had as the #6 3B is now the top 3B...

 

I guess that OPS over 1.000 in August really hurt him

 

I think everyone needs to make less out of this Franco vs Sano issue. The players were chosen by best performance (not best prospect) out of legit MiLB prospects. Sano is absolutely the best prospect but Franco's season was also great. And most likely Mayo and Callis decided that making a controversial choice would cause more people to read their articles.

 

It's too bad Callis left BA because MLB.com has always had terrible prospect info organization.

I think everyone needs to make less out of this Franco vs Sano issue. The players were chosen by best performance (not best prospect) out of legit MiLB prospects. Sano is absolutely the best prospect but Franco's season was also great. And most likely Mayo and Callis decided that making a controversial choice would cause more people to read their articles.

 

 

Which is why I posted his response in post #7.

 

...and Callis didn't pick Franco, he chose Sano

It's too bad Callis left BA because MLB.com has always had terrible prospect info organization.

 

I actually really like the way mlb.com organizes their prospect information. Much better than BA, IMO.

Which is why I posted his response in post #7.

 

...and Callis didn't pick Franco, he chose Sano

 

Callis and Mayo had to show somewhat controversial disagreement since it has generated complaints. One (Callis) chose Sano and the other (Mayo) chose Franco.

I actually really like the way mlb.com organizes their prospect information. Much better than BA, IMO.

 

Maybe it's Mayo's part then because I always find undated rankings and analysis. The biggest thing for me is that the 2nd half of the Twins team top 20 has always had guys like Angel Morales that hadn't been prospect relevant for a couple of seasons but it's like Mayo didn't have anyone else to put on the list. Their draft profiles are always great.

 

Additionally what makes BA really good is the stuff other than the rankings. Ask BA, scheduled team chat every year that are easy to find, and stuff like this. BA of course only has most of the good stuff available to subscribers.

Maybe it's Mayo's part then because I always find undated rankings and analysis. The biggest thing for me is that the 2nd half of the Twins team top 20 has always had guys like Angel Morales that hadn't been prospect relevant for a couple of seasons but it's like Mayo didn't have anyone else to put on the list. Their draft profiles are always great.

 

Additionally what makes BA really good is the stuff other than the rankings. Ask BA, scheduled team chat every year that are easy to find, and stuff like this. BA of course only has most of the good stuff available to subscribers.

 

You seem to be talking about content rather than organization, which I don't have an opinion on. I was saying I really like the fact that I can find every teams top 20 lists, the overall top 100 list and top 10 per position all from the same web page. In addition I really appreciate that the updated stats are right there. When I'm searching out prospects it makes searching so much easier.

 

Mayo updated his list the same as BA this season. Grades + a write up at the beginning of the season. Then after the halfway point of the season he updated the order of his list, but not the grades/write-ups (except for the new draftees of course). The one difference I can see is that he removes players when they are no longer considered prospects because of time spent in the majors.

Those SS prospects are killer. Baez slugged .580!!!!

And two other great ones are not even mentioned: Correa & Bogarts

 

In the next few years we are due to see some truly special SS prospects hit the bigs - most of whom should be able to stay at SS.

 

Also a poster at Sickels site outlined the best player performance by position:

Best of MiLB by Position - Minor League Ball

He has:

Pinto & Sano as the best of their position but has Springer beating out Buxton - Not a prospect list but a MilB production list

 

Its very well done check it out

Those SS prospects are killer. Baez slugged .580!!!!

And two other great ones are not even mentioned: Correa & Bogarts

 

Interesting that Baez, Lindor, and Correa were all born in Puerto Rico (although only Correa stuck around for HS-level ball there, the other two moved to Florida).

 

Bogaerts, of course, is Sidney Ponson's countryman in Aruba.

Those SS prospects are killer. Baez slugged .580!!!!

And two other great ones are not even mentioned: Correa & Bogarts

 

In the next few years we are due to see some truly special SS prospects hit the bigs - most of whom should be able to stay at SS.

 

Also a poster at Sickels site outlined the best player performance by position:

Best of MiLB by Position - Minor League Ball

He has:

Pinto & Sano as the best of their position but has Springer beating out Buxton - Not a prospect list but a MilB production list

 

Its very well done check it out

 

A's also have Russell who is a heck of a SS prospect. There could possibly be 5 SS prospects in the top 10.

I think Mayo is probably the least credible of the major prospect writers so I have some bias here but I also think his picks in the past seem to be skewed by fantasy baseball in that he appears to choose higher floor players who are more ready to make an impact in the next season over players with higher ceilings. Franco could be an opening day starter for the Phillies but Sano probably won't be up until late in the season, for example.

I think Mayo is probably the least credible of the major prospect writers so I have some bias here but I also think his picks in the past seem to be skewed by fantasy baseball in that he appears to choose higher floor players who are more ready to make an impact in the next season over players with higher ceilings. Franco could be an opening day starter for the Phillies but Sano probably won't be up until late in the season, for example.

 

As somebody already stated, this was a production list, not a prospect list. Mayo explicitly stated Sano is the better prospect but Franco had the better stats this season.

As somebody already stated, this was a production list, not a prospect list. Mayo explicitly stated Sano is the better prospect but Franco had the better stats this season.

 

Nope. It is all-PROSPECT (not production) team. Were it all-PRODUCTION, Colabello should be a shoo-in for the 1B position.

Nope. It is all-PROSPECT (not production) team. Were it all-PRODUCTION, Colabello should be a shoo-in for the 1B position.

 

It was explicitly stated that it was a combination of prospect status and production. Basically you had to be a prospect (top 100ish) to be considered and after that it was based on production.