It’s not hard to find a list of any MLB team’s top prospects, but will any of those prospects be ready to contribute in 2012? We’re here to help you prepare for the unexpected by ranking each team’s top five minor league prospects from a fantasy perspective. While they may not be the team’s brightest stars (though many of them will be) they’re the names you’ll need to know when the unexpected happens. Make sure to check out our other top minor league prospects posts for each of the 30 teams.
Potential roster vacancies: 3B, SS, SP
With Chipper Jones at third base, it’s a question of “when” and not “if” they’ll need a replacement at some point during the season. Eric Hinske is on the bench and could play third in a pinch, but he’s only appeared at third base 32 times over the last four seasons despite being a regular at the position early in his career. Brandon Hicks will likely be the team’s other infielder on the bench to start the season, so I’ll omit him from the rankings below. He’s a defense-first prospect with some pop but a tendency to strike out a lot — 33.7 percent of the time at Triple-A last season!
Hicks will also be the first backup for Tyler Pastornicky, the Braves probable opening day shortstop. Pastornicky has never stepped into the box as a major leaguer so absolutely nothing about his 2012 season is certain. He’s a speed-first type of player who’s small stature (5-foot-11, 170 pounds) precludes him from becoming any sort of power threat, but the Braves have seemingly committed to him. His starter status would be more set in stone if his defensive talents resembled those of Rey Ordonez. Since they likely won’t, Pastornicky will likely need to hit a little to stick with the team. Either way, the left side of the Braves infield is a prime for the minor leaguers picking. Unfortunately, Pastornicky aside, the system isn’t exactly replete with talented infielders.
In the rotation the Braves are blessed with a bevy of arms (Tim Hudson, Tommy Hanson, Jair Jurrjens, Brandon Beachy, Mike Minor) but Hanson and Jurrjens are perennial injury concerns (I fully expect Beachy and Minor to remain in the rotation). As long as Craig Kimbrel and Jonny Venters remain dominant in the bullpen, there won’t be any chance for a youngster to make a perceivable fantasy impact as a reliever.
Atlanta Braves Top 5 Fantasy Minor League Prospects
1. Julio Teheran, SP
Whether you’re talking about 2012, 2013 or 2016, Teheran is the top prospect in the Atlanta organization and maybe the top prospect in baseball depending on who you ask. He’ll start the year in Triple-A due to the Braves depth but he’ll get a chance at some point. Teheran is young, just 21 years of age, but that hasn’t stopped uber-prospects over the last few years. Let me be completely honest here for a minute, though. I do not particularly like Teheran’s fantasy potenial. He has good control (2.99 BB/9 in Triple-A last season), a good-not-great 8.6 K/9 in his minor league career with the bulk of that coming in Single-A ball and is generally a fly ball pitcher. Project Prospect has a scouting report for Teheran. Here’s the most relevant part to me:
His stuff is good enough that he’s been able to more than get away with being a thrower in the minors. Jesus Montero was in control of both his at-bats against Teheran, though. I think MLB hitters are going to respond similarly. They just need to work themselves into counts where he’s forced to come after them with a fastball. More of a fly ball than a ground ball pitcher, Teheran will leave some up in the zone and hitters will take advantage.
Right now I think he’s the second starter that gets a chance behind…
2. Randall Delgado, SP
Teheran only made one start for the Braves last season while Delgado made seven. In September, when the team was busy packing their golf bags instead of playing out their remaining schedule, Delgado was the only one whose stats indicated he cared. In the season’s final month Delgado pitched 25 innings with a 2.52 ERA, however it should be noted that his 5.07 FIP didn’t quite measure up. Delgado will likely get the first crack at a rotation spot in the (probable) event of injury, but his 4.63 K/9 and 3.60 BB/9 don’t inspire much hope for his chances at a repeat season.
3. Arodys Vizcaino, SP
While Delgado was succeeding in the rotation, Vizcaino was toiling in the bullpen. He finished 2011 in the Braves bullpen and performed rather well (one outing of five earned runs in 0.1 inning notwithstanding) and will start 2012 in the same role. Talking Chop, a great Braves blog, writes that Vizcaino’s “stuff plays much better in the bullpen, where the shorter appearances allow him to let loose and push his fastball into the high 90s.” With assessments like that and the plethora of pitching prospects to choose from, I wonder if Vizcaino will ever get a shot in the rotation.
4. J.J. Hoover, RP
I’m listing five players for each team but I don’t see anyone else in the organization beyond the three starting pitchers listed above who can provide fantasy help in 2012. Hoover will probably end up in the Braves bullpen at the end of the season so, if Kimbrel gets hurt and Venters needs a day off or vice versa, maybe Hoover can luck into a save. He’s a big pitcher with a career 9.5 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in the minors, both of which project well for a nice reliever. In holds leagues Hoover could actually have value, but in standard leagues he’s not someone you need to worry about.
5. Sean Gilmartin, SP
Gilmartin was drafted in 2011 and has average stuff. He currently projects as a middle-of-the-rotation starter at best and won’t be in the bigs for a few years, but he did post a 57-to-10 strikeout-to-walk ratio in just 52.1 minor league innings last season. Plus, he’s a left-hander. That always gives pitchers and edge.
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