The latest Top Prospects Compilation file has been posted. Head over to link below to pick up the new spreadsheet

The Excel workbook contains several tabs at the bottom representing each of the league’s divisions as well as a tab for top 100 lists and the top 20 lists from Baseball America.

Every time I update the file, I will change the topic heading to show the date of the revisions. If you are aware of any current prospects sites that I may be missing, please drop me a line.

I will place a permanent link to the blog entry on the home page (under the Minors/College section) just in case you lose the bookmark.

Link: 2008-2009 Top Prospect List Compilation

Just like we did last year, I have uploaded and attached the new Top Prospects Compilation file to this blog posting. It will remain here and be updated as new lists appear across the web. Prospect rankings from Baseball America, BP’s Kevin Goldstein, and MiLB.com are just some of those that you’ll find in the file.

The Excel workbook contains several tabs at the bottom representing each of the league’s divisions as well as a tab for top 100 lists and the top 20 lists from Baseball America.

Every time I update the file, I will change the topic heading to show the date of the revisions. I know there are a few lists that I’ve yet to add to this spreadsheet. They will be uploaded later this week. If you are aware of any current prospects sites that I may be missing, please drop me a line.

I will place a permanent link to the blog entry on the home page (under the Minors/College section) just in case you lose the bookmark.

File
2008-2009 Top Prospect List Compilation.xls

Uber prospect Travis Snider will join the Blue Jays roster for this weekend’s series against after the Jays traded Matt “Mr Canada” Stairs to the Philadelphia Phillies for a PTBNL.

JP Riccardi and the Toronto Blue Jays have been extremely aggressive with Travis Snider this season. Travis started the season in high A and has advanced all the way to the Majors in just his second full season of professional ball.

A week or so ago, I had heard that the Jays might consider calling Snider up once the minor league season ends. They wouldn’t play him everyday, but would give him some hacks at big league pitching and to learn from the veterans, stuff he could take with him to the winter leagues in preparation for the 2009 season.

Snider should remain eligible to be a rookie in 2009 but this definitely will have an affect on Snider’s long term free agent status. This may come as no worry for the Jays who traditionally lock up their youngsters before they hit free agency-sometimes to a fault.

I love the post deadline deadline!

Oh boy, this looks like it might get ugly! I can’t explain the situation any better than the Pirates, so here’s the statement from President Frank Coonelly…

“At the Pirates’ request, the Office of the Commissioner today placed Pedro Alvarez on Major League Baseball’s Restricted List.  The Pirates were forced to request that Pedro be placed on the Restricted List because we were informed by his agent, Scott Boras, that Pedro will not sign the contract to which he agreed on August 15.  Boras further informed us that Pedro will not report to the Club unless we renegotiate his contract and agree to pay him more than the $6 million signing bonus to which he agreed.

“The Major League Rules provide that a player who refuses to sign a Uniform Player Contract to which he has agreed and report to the signing Club shall, upon a report of the signing Club, be placed on the Restricted List until he signs a contract reflecting the terms to which he has agreed.  Such a player may not sign a contract with or play for any other Club.  While demanding that we renegotiate his contract and pay Pedro more than the $6 million signing bonus to which Pedro agreed, Mr. Boras has contended that the contract we reached with Pedro was consummated after the August 15 deadline.  This claim was not raised on the evening of the 15th when we informed Mr. Boras that Major League Baseball had confirmed that the contract was submitted in a timely fashion.  Mr. Boras asserted this claim several days later, after all of the draft signings had become publicized.

“The Pirates are confident that the contract reached with Pedro Alvarez was agreed to and submitted to Major League Baseball in a timely fashion and properly accepted by Major League Baseball.  In fact, the contract between the Kansas City Royals and Eric Hosmer, another Boras client, was submitted to the Office of the Commissioner after our contract with Pedro was submitted.  Mr. Boras is apparently satisfied with the $6 million bonus that he secured for Mr. Hosmer and has not challenged the validity of that contract.  Mr. Boras has been informed that if he pursues a claim that our contract with Pedro was not timely he puts Eric Hosmer’s contract with Kansas City in jeopardy.

“The Pirates made several attempts to commence negotiations immediately following the draft and were willing and ready to agree to pay Pedro a $6 million signing bonus from the very outset.  Predictably, however, Mr. Boras refused to engage in any negotiations at all until shortly before the August 15 deadline and even then an agreement was reached only after Pedro took control of the negotiations.

“Regrettably, we are not surprised that Mr. Boras would attempt to raise a meritless legal claim in an effort to compel us to renegotiate Pedro’s contract to one more to his liking.  We are, however, disappointed that Pedro would allow his agent to pursue this claim on his behalf.  Pedro showed tremendous fortitude and independent thinking when he agreed to his contract on August 15.

“The Office of the Commissioner has assured us that we have a valid contract with Pedro and that it will vigorously defend any claim to the contrary.  Despite our disappointment, we continue to believe in Pedro Alvarez the person and the baseball player and remain excited to add Pedro to our system.  We will sit down with Pedro and his family as soon as Mr. Boras’ claim is rejected to chart a new and much more productive start to Pedro’s career with the Pittsburgh Pirates.”  

Ok, so they’re not quite MY Royals, but if you read my “Off the Cuff” article last week, you know that I have a personal interest in the organization now.

Anyway, the Kansas City Royals have announced they’ve reached an agreement with Eric Hosmer, the club’s first-round draft pick this season. Hosmer was the No. 3 overall pick in the First-Year Player Draft on June 5. The bonus is said to be in the neighborhood of $6 million.

In his senior season at American Heritage High School in Plantation, Fla., Hosmer batted .470 with 11 home runs, 27 RBIs, 49 runs and 14 stolen bases. He played this summer for the Midland Redskins, a team based in Cincinnati that finished second in the Connie Mack World Series.

“We are delighted to come to terms with Eric Hosmer. We felt that he was the best high school position player in the draft,” said Dayton Moore, Royals’ Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager. “I also have to recognize the support of David and Dan Glass, and the great work of our scouting staff, for helping to get Eric into our organization.”

“(Hosmer’s) an impact bat,” said Moore. “He potentially could play a Gold Glove defense at first base and potentially could be a middle-of-the-order production bat.”

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced they have agreed to terms with third baseman Pedro Alvarez, the club’s firstround selection (second overall) in the 2008 June draft. The announcement was made by Neal Huntington, Pirates Senior Vice President and General Manager.

Reports have the signing bonus pegged at $6 million. It is not a major league contract. Good for the Pirates!

Alvarez, 21, is considered the top prospect in this year’s draft by many industry publications. Baseball America ranked Alvarez as the top prospect in its 2008 Draft Preview Edition’s Top 200 List. It also ranked the left-handed hitting third baseman
as the “Best Power Hitter” among college players.

“Pedro Alvarez is an accomplished college hitter with the potential to be a middle of the order bat at the major league level for us. Equally important, he is a quality young man who comes from a very strong family. We appreciate their trust in the Pirates organization,” said Huntington. “Pedro is a high-end talent. We are excited to add him to our system and about the potential impact he can have.”

Mayo has an update on the Nationals negotiations with their top pick, Aaron Crow. According to Mayo, Crow did NOT signs with the Nats. Wow!

Our good friend Jim Callis has the news at BA. Allan Dykstra gets $1.15 million.

Jonathan Mayo has the scoop. First Alonso signs with the Reds, then Justin Smoak hooks up with Texas, and now Buster Posey in San Francisco.

Jim Callis says the deal with Smoak is for $3.5 million, but is not a major league contract.

Callis also has the contract info on Posey. “Buster Posey got $6.2 million from the Giants, the largest up-front bonus in draft history. Straight bonus, no major league deal.”

The Cincinnati Enquier is reporting that first round pick Yonder Alonso has signed a major league deal with the Reds.

Update: John Manuel at BA breaks it down. “The Reds did get Yonder Alonso done, and it’s a major league contract as reported earlier. Terms: $2 million bonus, $4.55 million guarantee on the MLB contract.”

“Both sides are happy we could come to an agreement,” said Reds Senior Director of Scouting Chris Buckley. “Yonder is a polished college player and an advanced hitter who performed at the highest level. He’s one of the top players ever to come out of Miami, which has produced a lot of baseball talent.”

Buckley added, “We did our homework when we drafted him. Some of our baseball people were very close to his family. We believe we made the right choice when we selected him, and we hope he has a long career as a Cincinnati Red.”

During the regular season Alonso hit .373 with 15 HR, 51 RBI and 8 stolen bases for the Hurricanes and was ranked by Baseball America as one of the best prospects in the country.

As a freshman at UM he led the club into the College World Series with a team-best 69 RBI. The next season he hit .376 and led the Atlantic Coast Conference with 18 HR while recording 74 RBI and 57 runs scored. That sophomore year he also ranked second in the ACC with a .519 on-base percentage an .705 slugging percentage.