The Top 10 were announced earlier this winter, and covered in this thread. As a reminder, with longtime BA editor Jim Callis having departed to join MLB.com, this year's list was tabulated by the inimitable Alex Speier (who, by the way, also wrote the Red Sox preview chapter for the 2014 Baseball Prospectus).
My copy just came today and I've only just begun perusing the 511 pages of total awesomeness. As usual it's the single most important resource a baseball fan can have when it comes to getting an in-depth handle on the player development systems for all 30 teams. Order it from Amazon (not sure what happened to the SoSH link) or direct from Baseball America. The direct option, while pricier, includes a bonus supplement featuring reports on the 31st-ranked prospect for each MLB club. Seriously, buy this book.
Anyway, here's how the rest of the system rates with positions, age as of 7/1/2014, last year's highest level played, and last winter's BA Top 30 ranking in parentheses (blue = rose, red = fell)
1. Xander Bogaerts, SS/3B, 21, MLB (1)
2. Henry Owens, LHSP, 21, AA (5)
3. Jackie Bradley Jr., OF, 24, MLB (2)
4. Allen Webster, RHSP, 24, MLB (4)
5. Blake Swihart, C, 22, A+ (6)
6. Garin Cecchini, 3B, 23, AA (7)
7. Mookie Betts, 2B, 21, A+ (NR)
8. Brandon Workman, RHSP/RP, 25, MLB (12)
9. Matt Barnes, RHSP, 24, AAA (3)
10. Trey Ball, LHSP, 20, R (NR)
11. Anthony Ranaudo, RHSP, 24, AAA (14)
12. Christian Vazquez, C, 23, AAA (19)
13. Manuel Margot, OF, 19, SS-A (20)
14. Brian Johnson, LHSP, 23, A+ (15)
15. Deven Marrero, SS, 23, AA (10)
16. Bryce Brentz, OF, 25, AAA (8)
17. Drake Britton, LHSP/RP, 24, MLB (11)
18. Wendell Rijo, 2B, 18, SS-A (NR)
19. Teddy Stankiewicz, RHSP, 20, SS-A (NR)
20. Rafael Devers, 3B, 17, n/a (NR)
21. Cody Kukuk, LHSP, 21, A- (27)
22. Jamie Callahan, RHSP, 19, SS-A (NR)
23. Daniel McGrath, LHSP, 19, SS-A (NR)
24. Simon Mercedes, RHSP, 22, SS-A (28)
25. Dan Butler, C, 27, AAA (NR)
26. Travis Shaw, 1B, 24, AA (23)
27. Javier Guerra, SS, 18, R (NR)
28. Tzu-Wei Lin, SS, 20, SS-A (16)
29. Alex Wilson, RHRP, 27, MLB (18)
30. Sean Coyle, 2B, 22, A+ (24)
Others from last year's Top 30:
8. Jose Iglesias, SS (DET)
13. Brandon Jacobs, OF (CWS)
17. Jose Vinicio, SS (Dropped Out)
21. Pat Light, RHSP (Dropped Out)
22. Francelis Montas, RHSP (CWS)
25. Keury de la Cruz, OF (Dropped Out)
26. Ty Buttrey, RHSP (Dropped Out)
29. Stolmy Pimentel, RHSP (PIT)
30. Miguel Pena, LHSP (Dropped Out)
BA also has a separate list for each club rating the Top 15 Players Under Age 25 regardless of rookie status. For the Red Sox, it's #1 thru #13 above with Will Middlebrooks slotted 6th (between Swihart & Cecchini) and Rubby De La Rosa 8th (between Betts & Workman).
So to recap:
* 9 fresh faces, including two debuting in the Top 10.
* 10 repeat members who've climbed the rankings.
* 2 held their spots from last year (though one of them had nowhere else to go but down).
* 9 placed lower this year (but let's face it, JBJ dropping from 2 to 3 doesn't even count).
* 5 players still in the system dropped out (though all are still young enough to get back on track).
Biggest Climbers:
+7 Vazquez, Margot
+6 Kukuk
+4 Workman, Mercedes
+3 Ranaudo, Owens
Biggest Fallers:
-12 Lin
-11 Wilson
-08 Brentz
-06 Barnes, Britton, Coyle
-05 Marrero
By primary position (14 pitchers, 16 hitters):
C - 3
1B - 1
2B - 3
SS - 4
3B - 2
OF - 3
RHSP - 7
LHSP - 6
RHRP - 1
By age (as of June 1, 2014):
17 - 1
18 - 2
19 - 3
20 - 3
21 - 4
22 - 3
23 - 4
24 - 6
25 - 2
26 - 0
27 - 2
By top level in 2013:
6 - MLB
5 - AAA
4 - AA
4 - High A
1 - Low A
7 - SS-A
2 - Rookie
1 - No Pro Ball
My copy just came today and I've only just begun perusing the 511 pages of total awesomeness. As usual it's the single most important resource a baseball fan can have when it comes to getting an in-depth handle on the player development systems for all 30 teams. Order it from Amazon (not sure what happened to the SoSH link) or direct from Baseball America. The direct option, while pricier, includes a bonus supplement featuring reports on the 31st-ranked prospect for each MLB club. Seriously, buy this book.
Anyway, here's how the rest of the system rates with positions, age as of 7/1/2014, last year's highest level played, and last winter's BA Top 30 ranking in parentheses (blue = rose, red = fell)
1. Xander Bogaerts, SS/3B, 21, MLB (1)
2. Henry Owens, LHSP, 21, AA (5)
3. Jackie Bradley Jr., OF, 24, MLB (2)
4. Allen Webster, RHSP, 24, MLB (4)
5. Blake Swihart, C, 22, A+ (6)
6. Garin Cecchini, 3B, 23, AA (7)
7. Mookie Betts, 2B, 21, A+ (NR)
8. Brandon Workman, RHSP/RP, 25, MLB (12)
9. Matt Barnes, RHSP, 24, AAA (3)
10. Trey Ball, LHSP, 20, R (NR)
11. Anthony Ranaudo, RHSP, 24, AAA (14)
12. Christian Vazquez, C, 23, AAA (19)
13. Manuel Margot, OF, 19, SS-A (20)
14. Brian Johnson, LHSP, 23, A+ (15)
15. Deven Marrero, SS, 23, AA (10)
16. Bryce Brentz, OF, 25, AAA (8)
17. Drake Britton, LHSP/RP, 24, MLB (11)
18. Wendell Rijo, 2B, 18, SS-A (NR)
19. Teddy Stankiewicz, RHSP, 20, SS-A (NR)
20. Rafael Devers, 3B, 17, n/a (NR)
21. Cody Kukuk, LHSP, 21, A- (27)
22. Jamie Callahan, RHSP, 19, SS-A (NR)
23. Daniel McGrath, LHSP, 19, SS-A (NR)
24. Simon Mercedes, RHSP, 22, SS-A (28)
25. Dan Butler, C, 27, AAA (NR)
26. Travis Shaw, 1B, 24, AA (23)
27. Javier Guerra, SS, 18, R (NR)
28. Tzu-Wei Lin, SS, 20, SS-A (16)
29. Alex Wilson, RHRP, 27, MLB (18)
30. Sean Coyle, 2B, 22, A+ (24)
Others from last year's Top 30:
8. Jose Iglesias, SS (DET)
13. Brandon Jacobs, OF (CWS)
17. Jose Vinicio, SS (Dropped Out)
21. Pat Light, RHSP (Dropped Out)
22. Francelis Montas, RHSP (CWS)
25. Keury de la Cruz, OF (Dropped Out)
26. Ty Buttrey, RHSP (Dropped Out)
29. Stolmy Pimentel, RHSP (PIT)
30. Miguel Pena, LHSP (Dropped Out)
BA also has a separate list for each club rating the Top 15 Players Under Age 25 regardless of rookie status. For the Red Sox, it's #1 thru #13 above with Will Middlebrooks slotted 6th (between Swihart & Cecchini) and Rubby De La Rosa 8th (between Betts & Workman).
So to recap:
* 9 fresh faces, including two debuting in the Top 10.
* 10 repeat members who've climbed the rankings.
* 2 held their spots from last year (though one of them had nowhere else to go but down).
* 9 placed lower this year (but let's face it, JBJ dropping from 2 to 3 doesn't even count).
* 5 players still in the system dropped out (though all are still young enough to get back on track).
Biggest Climbers:
+7 Vazquez, Margot
+6 Kukuk
+4 Workman, Mercedes
+3 Ranaudo, Owens
Biggest Fallers:
-12 Lin
-11 Wilson
-08 Brentz
-06 Barnes, Britton, Coyle
-05 Marrero
By primary position (14 pitchers, 16 hitters):
C - 3
1B - 1
2B - 3
SS - 4
3B - 2
OF - 3
RHSP - 7
LHSP - 6
RHRP - 1
By age (as of June 1, 2014):
17 - 1
18 - 2
19 - 3
20 - 3
21 - 4
22 - 3
23 - 4
24 - 6
25 - 2
26 - 0
27 - 2
By top level in 2013:
6 - MLB
5 - AAA
4 - AA
4 - High A
1 - Low A
7 - SS-A
2 - Rookie
1 - No Pro Ball