MLB’s Top 100 Prospects – 2013

Last year, I blogged about the guys on the MLB Top 100 Prospects list that I got to see in 2011, and although I didn’t catch quite as many games in 2012, I thought it’d be fun to look at the 2013 list that was just released. If you’re curious about that list, you can see it here.

On my 2011 travels, I saw a bunch of the top guys in the minors, including Bryce Harper, Jacob Turner and Travis D’Arnaud.

After seeing four guys in the top 25 last year, it took a little longer last season to see my first guy on the 2013 list. How long? Yikes.

44. Taylor Guerrieri – Hudson Valley Renegades

I saw Guerrieri pitch for the Renegades during the outstanding Futures at Fenway doubleheader in August. The second-best prospect in Tampa Bay’s system behind only Wil Myers, Guerrieri gave up one earned run and four hits in his three innings of work. (Both teams were rotating pitchers pretty quickly, I’m guessing to give guys a chance to play at Fenway.) As for a photo? I was sitting up in the Budweiser deck for much of this game, so I snapped a shot of the right-hander when he was on the video board:

96. Jose Iglesias – Pawtucket Red Sox

I was fortunate to see Iglesias on back-to-back days in August. On Aug. 18, he had a hit and a walk during his team’s Futures at Fenway game against the Buffalo Bisons, and a day later, went 3-for-3 with a sacrifice bunt against the Bisons. As for that sac bunt? I was in the right place at the right time to capture it:

98. Aaron Hicks – New Britain Rock Cats

On Aug. 16, I watched the Rock Cats host the Richmond Flying Squirrels and Hicks led off for New Britain. He had a nice game, too, with a double, a walk and his 28th stolen base of the year. He also scored a run and was caught stealing. Hicks is so speedy that he eluded my camera.

100. Gary Brown – Richmond Flying Squirrels

In the same game that I saw Hicks lead off for New Britain, Brown led off for Richmond. He was better at the plate than Hicks but not quite as good on the basepaths; Brown went 3-for-4 and scored a run but was caught stealing. He gets the last laugh over Hicks, though. Brown ended up with 33 steals on the season, which is one more than Hicks. I didn’t get a close-up shot of Brown, but here he is in center field from far away; I’m posting this amateur hour picture just for fun:

So, four guys in the top 100. Not very good, right? The funny thing is that while I saw a lot of great prospects back in 2011, a bunch of the guys I saw that year also made the 2013 list. Below, you’ll see the guys I saw in 2011 along with their 2012 team and, in brackets, the team I saw them with in 2011:

6. Travis d’Arnaud – Las Vegas 51s (New Hampshire Fisher Cats)
13. Christian Yelich – Jupiter Hammerheads (Greensboro Grasshoppers)
21. Nick Castellanos – Lakeland Flying Tigers (West Michigan Whitecaps)
41. Mason Williams – Tampa Yankees (Staten Island Yankees)
55. Rymer Liriano – San Antonio Missions (Fort Wayne TinCaps)
91. A.J. Cole – Burlington Bees (Hagerstown Suns)