Now that the minor league season is over, this the first of a three part series looking at the Dbacks minor league prospects. Below is a list of the hitters that were considered the top hitters in the Dbacks farm system before the season started by Baseball America and Keith Law. The first number in parenthesis is the Baseball America ranking, the second number is the Keith Law ranking.
Bobby Borchering (#2, #4) - age 19, 3B, low A; .270/.341/.423; .347 wOBA; 588 plate appearances
- Borchering, the Dbacks first round pick from 2009, spent all of 2010 at low A with mixed results. His .347 wOBA is solid, yet unspectacular, especially considering the comparisons to Chipper Jones when he was drafted. Borchering does draw a fair amount of walks, but his strike out totals are staggering (128 K's, translating into strike out almost 25% of his plate appearances). I am hopeful that Borchering develops more power and cuts down on his strike outs next year in high A. Nothing in his numbers so far has suggested that Borchering is more than a one level per year player and I expect he will spend all of 2011 in high A.
- Future projection - starting 3B, possible all-star
A.J. Pollock (#3, #2) - age 22, CF, high A; DNP (injury)
- Even though Pollock was considered a late first round/sandwich round prospect, the Dbacks drafted him one pick after Borchering (#17 overall) due to most scouts viewing him as a high probability, quick to the majors player. He missed all of the 2010 season with a fractured growth plate in his right elbow. The initial thought was that Pollock would only miss two months, but his rehab was a slow process and he is just now back to 100%. Pollock will be playing in the Arizona Fall League for the Scottsdale Scorpions, which begins play October 12th. I would expect Pollock to begin 2011 in high A, where he was originally supposed to begin 2010. It is difficult to project at the moment if Pollock will spend all of next season in high A or if he will be able to play his way into AA in 2011.
- Future projection - starting CF
Brandon Allen (#4, #6) - age 24, 1B/LF majors; .261/.346/.478; .360 wOBA; 26 plate appearances
AAA; .261/.405/.528; .407 wOBA; 469 plate appearances
- Allen struggled last year in his short time in the majors and spent most of this year at AAA. He was called up when major league rosters expanded September 1st and has played reasonably well. Allen is expected to either be the starting 1st basemen or left fielder for the major league club in 2011.
- Future projection - starting 1B
Chris Owings (#6, #7) - age 18, SS, low A; .294/.320/.443; .338 wOBA; 271 plate appearances
- Owings was a compensatory round pick in 2009 and has met expectations so far in his young career. he does strike out quite a bit for a player that is considered a contact hitter, but there is hope that he can improve as he is still very young. Owings had his season cut short back in early June with plantar fasciitis, but I can still see him begin 2011 in high A.
- Future projection - starting SS
Marc Krauss (#8, #8) - age 22, LF, high A; .302/.371/.509; .384 wOBA; 596 plate appearances
- Krauss is a player that strikes out a lot, but when he connects, the ball rockets off his bat (remind anybody of another Dback?). After being drafted in the 2nd round of the 2009 draft, Krauss has hit for a lot of power in both low and high A, but with a high strike out rate (26.6% K rate this year). Krauss will be playing in the AFL this year, and is expected to begin 2011 in AA. If Krauss continues to hit well while improving his strike out rate in the AFL and in AA, I can see Krauss being called up to AAA or even the majors in the 2nd half of 2011.
- Future projection - starting LF, possible all-star
Ryan Wheeler (#9, #9) - age 21, 3B, AA; .254/.315/.433; .341 wOBA; 73 plate appearances
high A; .284/.340/.404; .335 wOBA; 506 plate appearances
- Wheeler was a 5th round pick in the 2009 draft that surprised many Dbacks fans with an impressive beginning to his professional career in short season and low A in 2009. However, his performance has come back to earth, yet is still impressive for a 5th round pick. I expect Wheeler to spend all of 2011 in AA, hopefully improving his walk and strike out rates. Due to his limited upside and projection as a major leaguer, I do not expect Wheeler to appear in any Dbacks top 10 prospects lists for 2011.
- Future projection - bench player/pinch hitter
Collin Cowgill (#10, NR) - age 24, OF, AA; .285/.360/.464; .375 wOBA; 577 plate appearances
- Cowgill had a success 2010 campaign with solid all around numbers. He also improved on his strike out rate by quite a bit from 2009 (down to 14.5% from 22.3%) and looks to begin 2011 in AAA. Like Wheeler, due to his limited upside, he will not appear in any Dbacks top 10 prospects lists for 2011.
- Future projection - 4th OF
Matt Davidson (NR, #3) - age 19, 3B, High A; .169/.298/.268; .269 wOBA; 84 plate appearances
Low A; .289/.371/.504; .390 wOBA; 475 plate appearances
- I find it odd that Baseball America did not rank Matt Davidson in the Dbacks top ten while Keith Law ranked him #3. Looking at the players in the Dbacks system, I would have thought Davidson would have been at the least ahead of Wheeler considering his age his draft position (#35 overall), and his initial play in short season A last year. Davidson has met expectations so far of a compensatory round pick, even with his initial struggles in limited playing time in high A. Davidson should spend all of 2011 in high A, possibly playing 1st base while Borchering mans 3rd.
- Future projection - starting 1B, possible all-star
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