Prospect Pipeline

Headed into the 2012 season, nobody expected the Phillies to be anything less than a playoff contender, let alone struggle mightily as they did.

By the all-star break, the team’s postseason aspirations had faded, and a few weeks later they began clearing house by moving both Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino at the trade deadline.

Had it not been for a pair blockbuster trades with the Miami Marlins and New York Mets this offseason, the Blue Jays could have possessed five consensus top-100 prospects in Travis d’Arnaud, Aaron Sanchez, Jake Marisnick, Noah Syndergaard and Justin Nicolino.

Due to both the volume and caliber of players confirmed to participate in the 2013 World Baseball Classic, teams are in a unique position to offer their top prospects additional playing time over the course of the spring. However, despite the additional opportunities, it’s still extremely doubtful that any of baseball’s top prospects will make an Opening Day roster. 

At this time last year, Adam Dunn was the center of attention in the White Sox’ camp for all the wrong reasons. After signing a four-year, $56 million contract as a free agent prior to the 2011 season, Dunn had an uncharacteristically bad inaugural campaign for the South Siders.

At this time last year, the presence of Bryce Harper and Mike Trout in big league camp dominated the spring training headlines. Fans from all over flocked to both Cactus and Grapefruit League games with the hope of catching a glimpse of either future All-Star.

Some of the top tools and pitches in the minor leagues will be on display this spring, as many of the game’s top prospects have been invited to participate in big league spring training. Whether it’s Billy Hamilton’s speed, Wil Myers’ power or Gerrit Cole’s fastball, the future of baseball will undoubtedly be on display over the next month.

Many of the game’s top prospects have been invited to big league camp this spring, which indicates that they’re within a few years of reaching the majors. This year’s group of top-ranked prospects is highlighted by a core group of promising sluggers, including Wil Myers, Mike Olt and Xander Bogaerts.

The Seattle Mariners’ farm system is one of the best in the game, with a majority of their top prospects stashed at Double-A or above.

Even though spring training is only a few days old, there are numerous highly regarded prospects that have already generated a favorable buzz. Granted, it has come in the form of a batting practice session or light bullpen—but hey, it counts.

With pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training in a matter of days, I’ve spent the past week breaking down each team’s list of non-roster invitees—more specifically, the top prospects that have been invited to big league camp.