The Blue Board

It's early for any kind of major update to the offseason top 100 prospects ranking, but with all the promotions we've had so far -- not to mention a few unfortunate injuries -- the top 25 names have changed quite a bit since February. I've made a few adjustments to the order, based more on early scouting reports than performances to date, since we're still in small-sample territory.

Any player currently in the majors is ineligible for the list, which removed four of the preseason top 10 as well as two other likely candidates for the new top 25. I've removed three pitchers, Manny Banuelos, Casey Kelly and Carlos Martinez, who are currently on the disabled list with arm injuries, as well as Arodys Vizcaino (out for the year after Tommy John) and Anthony Rendon (also on the shelf with yet another ankle injury). Joe Ross might have appeared on the honorable mention list, but is also on the shelf.

1. Dylan Bundy, RHP, Baltimore Orioles (age 19)
Current level: High Class A (Frederick)
Preseason ranking: 11

The Orioles' bizarre, ultraconservative handling of Bundy aside, he didn't just dominate inferior competition in low Class A, he did it with the stuff and polish that could, in another organization, have had him in the big leagues this year or at the start of 2013. (The club finally promoted him to Frederick on Wednesday after he threw 30 scoreless innings for Delmarva to open the year, with 40 strikeouts and just five hits allowed.)

I don't think it's a stretch to say that a redraft of 2011's tremendous class would have Bundy on top, which would have made him the first prep right-hander to go first overall.

2. Jurickson Profar, SS, Texas Rangers (age 19)
Current level: Double-A (Frisco)
Preseason ranking: 7

It's hard to rank a guy much lower than this when he has front-line tools and has failed to reach base in just two games this year, the last one on April 7. His combination of OBP, speed and defense will push Elvis Andrus out of the way -- talk of moving Profar to accommodate Andrus underestimates just how good Profar is going to be.

3. Manny Machado, SS, Baltimore Orioles (age 19)
Current level: Double-A (Bowie)
Preseason ranking: 4

He still has more offensive upside than Profar given his power potential, but it's not a lock that Machado stays at short (I like his chances to do so), whereas Profar is a no-doubt shortstop. And Machado has been gradually heating up as the season has gone on, if we slice the small sample into tiny ones.

4. Travis d'Arnaud, C, Toronto Blue Jays (age 23)
Current level: Triple-A (Las Vegas)
Preseason ranking: 6

Yes, it's Las Vegas, which is a notorious hitters' park, but he's on a tear right now, hitting .341 with five homers in his last 10 games. The combination of plus defense, power and enough OBP makes him a potential All-Star.

5. Wil Myers, RF/CF/3B, Kansas City Royals (age 21)
Current level: Triple-A (Omaha)
Preseason ranking: 13

I doubt Myers ends up at third base for the Royals, but there's nothing wrong with maintaining his flexibility and possible trade value. He'll hit enough to be an impact guy at any position.

6. Taijuan Walker, RHP, Seattle Mariners (age 19)
Current level: Double-A (Jackson)
Preseason ranking: 24

Still just 19 and holding his own in Double-A (2.06 ERA), although he's not quite as polished as Bundy or Miller. Seattle did the right thing in jumping him past hitter-friendly High Desert in the high Class A California League.

7. Gerrit Cole, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates (age 21)
Current level: High Class A (Bradenton)
Preseason ranking: 10

Working primarily off his fastball, Cole is handling high-A hitters without too much trouble, but we won't learn much about how close he is to the majors until he's properly challenged in Double-A.

8. Trevor Bauer, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks (age 21)
Current level: Triple-A (Reno)
Preseason ranking: 21

#FreeTrevorBauer.

9. Shelby Miller, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals (age 21)
Current level: Triple-A (Memphis)
Preseason ranking: 5

One comment I've heard on Miller this season is that he might just be bored; he's been solid (outside of a bad outing Monday night in Tucson, another great hitters' park), but not spectacular, and his fastball is down about a full grade, sitting 90-93 mph.

10. Jameson Taillon, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates (age 20)
Current level: High Class A (Bradenton)
Preseason ranking: 15

He's gradually stretching out, flashing the plus breaking ball but not showing it consistently yet; he's got the size and velocity to be a top-10 starter in the majors but looks like he's a good three to four years away from approaching his peak.

11. Miguel Sano, 3B, Minnesota Twins (age 19)
Current level: Low Class A (Beloit)
Preseason ranking: 28

He's cooled off since the scorching early start, and striking out a lot more than you'd like, but he has enormous raw power (.551 slugging this year) and enough ability to hit to see him as a middle-of-the-order bat down the road with a .260-.280 average but 30-40 jacks.

12. Archie Bradley, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks (age 19)
Current level: Low Class A (South Bend)
Preseason ranking: 19

Doing everything you'd expect of him given his age and experience, but not on the fast track of Bundy, his former Oklahoma prep rival.

13. Tyler Skaggs, LHP, Arizona Diamondbacks (age 20)
Current level: Double-A (Mobile)
Preseason ranking: 25

Skaggs is closer to the majors than Bradley but has a touch less upside; you can't go wrong choosing either arm. I would have to think Skaggs is next in line for a call after Bauer, and his command and control are actually ahead of Bauer's right now.

14. Bubba Starling, CF, Kansas City Royals (age 19)
Current level: Extended spring training
Preseason ranking: 15

He was the hardest guy to rank on the list, as he still has huge tools but hasn't played yet this spring. It wasn't necessarily a bad decision by the Royals to take him fifth overall last June, but since he's nearly 20 I'd like to see him in games sometime soon.

15. Christian Yelich, OF, Miami Marlins (age 20)
Current level: High Class A (Jupiter)
Preseason ranking: 48

The power so far this year has been a surprise (.551 slugging), but he can really hit -- as in, one of the best pure hit tools in the minors right now. Playing center now but virtually no chance to play there in the majors because of his poor arm.

16. Zack Wheeler, RHP, New York Mets (age 21)
Current level: Double-A (Binghamton)
Preseason ranking: 27

The only thing between him and potential No. 1-starterdom is just throwing more strikes. The raw stuff is there.

17. Francisco Lindor, SS, Cleveland Indians (age 18)
Current level: Low Class A (Kane County)
Preseason ranking: 35

He's rising fast and could be top 10 by the end of the year. Very advanced for his age, more than holding his own in low-A even though he's 15 months younger than Starling.

18. Nick Castellanos, 3B, Detroit Tigers (20)
Current level: High Class A (Lakeland)
Preseason ranking: 37

He's destroying the Florida State League (.411 BA) and getting better as the season goes along; the defense is adequate, slightly awkward at times but good enough that he should stay there long-term. No power yet, but that will come with age and once he gets out of the power-dampening FSL.

19. Julio Teheran, RHP, Atlanta Braves (age 21)
Current level: Triple-A (Gwinnett)
Preseason ranking: 18

His breaking ball still isn't where it needs to be, and he needs it to improve so hitters can't just try to time the hard but flat fastball -- but he is just 21 in Triple-A with good control, and the velocity is about as easy as it gets.

20. Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Chicago Cubs (age 22)
Current level: Triple-A (Iowa)
Preseason ranking: 36

Rizzo is shorter to the ball now and even hitting lefties (.327 BA/.377 OBP/.592 SLG in just 53 PA with 12 strikeouts), as well as providing plus defense at first.

21. Oscar Taveras, RF, St. Louis Cardinals (age 19)
Current level: Double-A (Springfield)
Preseason ranking: 53

His swing is unorthodox -- you might even call it ugly -- but it works, well enough to see the bat profiling in an outfield corner, with an average high enough that the OBP is strong even if he draws only 40-50 walks a year.

22. Danny Hultzen, LHP, Seattle Mariners (age 22)
Current level: Double-A (Jackson)
Preseason ranking: 30

Hultzen is nothing spectacular, but he's very close to major league ready, with a changeup as his best shot for an out pitch and above-average command of all of his pitches.

23. Nolan Arenado, 3B, Colorado Rockies (age 21)
Current level: Double-A (Tulsa)
Preseason ranking: 26

Now that the preseason hysteria that had some folks calling for Arenado to get the starting third-base job in Denver has died down, he looks more like the prospect he always was: a high-contact hitter who should hit 20-25 homers at sea level with adequate defense at third.

24. Mason Williams, CF, New York Yankees (age 20)
Current level: Low Class A (Charleston)
Preseason ranking: 34

He's not walking, but he's also making a ton of contact, and he's barely begun to fill out physically. There's a lot of projection involved in this ranking but he's a favorite of many scouts (and of me) because of the substantial upside here.

25. Billy Hamilton, SS, Cincinnati Reds (age 21)
Current level: High Class A (Bakersfield)
Preseason ranking: 64

There's a lot of skepticism out there about where Hamilton's ultimate ceiling lies; he's an 80 runner on the 20-80 scale with 42 steals already this season, and can use his speed to create extra opportunities to reach base, but he lacks power and there's a fair chance he moves either to second or center field. He's an absurd prospect for fantasy players but doesn't look like the kind of player who'll generate four or five wins a year at his peak unless he becomes a plus defender (perhaps in center) and shows he can get strong enough to consistently drive major league pitching.

Here are a handful of prospects to watch for before my midseason update: Jackie Bradley, Jr., CF, Red Sox; Matt Barnes, RHP, Red Sox; Jonathan Singleton, 1B, Astros; Zach Lee, RHP, Dodgers; Aaron Sanchez, RHP, Blue Jays; Austin Hedges, C, Padres; Matt Davidson, 3B, Diamondbacks.

The kid who pitches for Mobile is pretty good. Watched him a few weeks ago.

I played with Sano and against Taveras and Walker last season. Those kids will be all be All-Stars. Insane potential.

Sano just needs to lay off of breaking stuff in the dirt, and clean up his glove.

Nick Castellanos may be one of the top prospects in all of baseball now.