Top 30 Prospects: #14 Glenn Gibson/#13 John Jaso

The top 30 continues today with two players who have a good chance at bursting onto the national prospect scene in 2008. John Jaso and Glenn Gibson are profiled after the jump.

#14 - Glenn Gibson, LHP

As with the Delmon deal, I didn't like it when we traded away Elijah Dukes at first. But I've warmed to it as the offseason went on, and a major reason is Glenn Gibson.

The son of former MLB pitcher Paul Gibson, Glenn was taken in the 4th round in 2006 by Washington. The Nats sent him to Vermont in the NYP League, a rarity for a high school draftee. Even though he pitched just six innings that year, he already showed good control and polish, allowing just 2 hits and striking out 7 in that span.

He reported back to Vermont for the 2007 season, and was absolutely magnificent in June and July: 37.2 innings, 24 hits 3 ER, 42:7 strikeout:walk ratio. He pitched six shutout innings on August 3rd before he got sick(mononucleosis) and tried to pitch through it, but clearly labored. He allowed six runs two seperate times and four another. His final stat line was still pretty impressive: 4-3, 3.10 ERA, 58:15 strikeout:walk, 1.09 WHIP.

Gibson certainly won't be mistaken for Scott Kazmir or Jake McGee. His fastball sits in the 87-91 range, though it has good late life and Gibson's 6'4" frame has good projection to it. You can already see his fastball if you believe the scouting reports: Pre-2006 draft, BA said he pitched in the 86-88 range, touching 90. This offseason, when he was named the Nats' 7th best prospect, the report had him working in the upper-90s and touching 91. It's not far-fetched to imagine him sitting in the 90-93 consistently someday.

Gibson makes up for the lack of velocity with above-average secondary offerings and a great work ethic. He has a lot of confidence in his changeup and can spot it very well. He also features a 12-6 curveball that looks good most of the time, but still needs some refinement. Gibson is an exceptionally smart pitcher for his age, poring over scouting reports and charts to exploit hitter's weaknesses. He pitches smart, too, mixing up speeds and locations effectively.

Assuming the Rays are confident his bout with mono is over, he'll get his first taste of full-season ball with Columbus in 2008. Barring an unexpected jump in velocity, Gibson projects as a #3 starter at best, but his polish and makeup make him a good bet to reach that ceiling.

#13 - John Jaso, C

The only thing keeping Jaso from being recognized as one of baseball's top catching prospects is actually being able to catch.

Injuries, mostly to his throwing shoulder, have hampered Jaso for much of his career, forcing him to split time between C and DH. He was behind the plate more and more as the 2007 went on and stayed healthy, so he may be ready for a full season of catching duty next year. When he is behind the plate, Jaso's arm is still considered decent, though his release times are slow. That can be chalked up to lack of time behind the plate, as there is certainly room to improve.

The one thing Jaso can do for sure is hit. He's posted an OPS over .800 each of the last four seasons, advancing one level at a time. As a 23-year old in AA Montgomery, Jaso, who bats lefty, posted arguably his best line: .316/.408/.484. He hit 24 doubles, slugged 12 home runs, drove in 71, and walked 59 times, compared to only 49 strikeouts. He also posted career highs in games played(109) and at-bats(380). He hit just .194 in the post-season for the Biscuits, but had a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League, putting up an .882 OPS.

Tools-wise at the plate, Jaso makes consistent contact, evidenced by his low strikeout totals. His discerning eye might be his best asset at the plate. He should hit for a good average, and there is still some raw power left to be tapped into. A line of .280-.360-.470 as a major-league regular someday wouldn't surprise me.

The key for Jaso is to stay healthy and behind the plate. His bat is good, but he probably doesn't have enough power to be a regular at 1B. He'll go to Durham for 2008 and needs to continue making strides defensively. Depending on how his year goes, he could be a September call-up this year, and will likely get a shot to battle Dioner Navarro for playing time in 2009.

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#13 - John Jaso
#14 - Glenn Gibson
#15 - Will Kline, RHP
#16 - Nick Barnese, RHP
#17 - Josh Butler, RHP
#18 - Justin Ruggiano, OF
#19 - Heath Rollins, RHP
#20 - Mike McCormick, C
#21 - Matt Walker, RHP
#22 - Sergio Pedroza, OF
#23 - Reid Fronk, OF
#24 - Alex Cobb, RHP
#25 - Elliot Johnson, 2B
#26 - Nevin Ashley, C
#27 - Rhyne Hughes, 1B
#28 - Jon Barratt, LHP
#29 - Chris Nowak, 1B
#30 - Wade Townsend, RHP