From "Minorleagueball"
2007 Tampa Bay Devil Rays Prospects
- Delmon Young, OF, Grade A (Seven Skill player)
- Reid Brignac, SS, Grade A- (Breakthrough season with the bat)
- Evan Longoria, 3B, A- (plate discipline an issue?)
- Jacob McGee, LHP, B+ (breakthrough lefty increased velocity)
- Jeff Niemann, RHP, B+ (can he stay healthy?)
- Wade Davis, RHP, B+ (I still love him)
- Elijah Dukes, OF, B (Grade A if not for attitude)
- Jeremy Hellickson, RHP, B (breakthrough for 2007)
- Mitch Talbot, RHP, B (nice find from Astros)
- Joel Guzman, INF-OF, B (status has slipped but still very young)
- Matt Walker, RHP, B- (great arm but mixed results)
- Juan Salas, RHP, B- (hasn't received much attention but looks solid)
- Justin Ruggiano, OF, B- (sleeper outfield prospect)
- Josh Butler, RHP, B- (nice arm from `06 draft)
- Andrew Sonnanstine, RHP, C+ (promising control artist)
- Jason Hammel, RHP, C+ (should be decent starter eventually)
- James Houser, LHP, C+ (intriguing southpaw from Cal League)
- Shawn Riggans, C, C+ (decent catcher if he stays healthy)
- Sergio Pedroza, OF, C+ (power and patience)
- Elliot Johnson, 2B, C+ (I don't have a great feel for him but a lot of people like him.
My notes:
- Interesting that 4 prospect that we traded for landed in the Top 20, true testament to the NDRO's scouting department.
- One question I posted on the thread is whether or not the proposed move to catcher by Pedroza will increase Sergio's grade in the future.
- Josh Butler getting some press, maybe our 2006 draft wasn't as bad as Rays fans are making it to be.
- James Houser finally getting some attention, hopefully he continues to pitch well in the pitcher-friendly Southern League.
[editor's note, by Jacob Larsen] Sickels has updated Sonnanstine's grade and has increased his grade from a C+ to a B-. Now it means that out of our 20 prospects listed, only 5 of them are of a B- or worse grade and all 5 are of the C+ calibur.