Soren wrote:

The Good: Cosart certainly looks the part of a pitcher. He's a pure power arm with a good frame that features projection. The righty already sits in the mid-90s, and consistently touches 97-99 in each start. Both his curveball and changeup flash as plus; if you see him on the right night, they can flash more. Cosart approaches the game with the kind of confidence arrogance that scouts like to see in a hard thrower.

The Bad: Cosart's numbers are nowhere close to what they should be based on his stuff. His mechanics can quickly get sloppy and violent, which costs him both command and movement on his secondary pitches. He can focus too much on overpowering hitters and forgetting about his secondary pitches or sequencing. “My projection changes on him every time I see him,” said one scout. “And in my history, a lot of pitchers like that end up closing.”

The Good: Singleton combines a quick, live bat with plenty of muscle, leaving many to project above-average batting averages and well above-average power from him. He draws plenty of walks thanks to good plate discipline and pitchers being careful around him.

The Bad: Singleton has been merely good, not great since a stunning six weeks to begin his career in 2010. His power shows up far more in batting practice than games so far, although youth is on his side. Left-handers have found success busting him inside. He's a well below-average runner and defender who is limited to first base, so the bat has to develop perfectly.

The Good: There are top-100 prospects who don't have Villar's upside, but he's very far from it. He's a 60-65 runner, good for 30-plus stolen bases, plus range at shortstop, and a very strong arm. He added a power element to his game in 2011 with 14 home runs, and has at least average raw power.

The Bad: Villar's game might be best described as “out of control.” His newfound power led to plenty of bad habits at the plate; he became pull-conscious, adding to a strikeout rate that was already a considerable concern. He also has a history of making weak contact. As capable as he is of spectacular plays at shortstop, he's just as likely to boot a routine play, and scouts question his concentration on both sides of the ball.

The Good: Santana is a big man with massive raw power; he’s capable of tape-measure shots when he gets his arms extended. His outfield play has improved year to year, and he has more than enough arm strength for right field.

The Bad: Santana's approach could be his undoing, as he's an overly aggressive hitter who looks dead red early and rarely cuts down on his swing. While Santana moves well for his size, he'll likely slow down as he ages, and could end up a bat-only player with well below-average speed and athleticism.

swishnicholson wrote:

Soren wrote:

I find this amusing, Mr. Soren.

Maikel Franco, third base, Phillies (Double-A Reading)
I didn’t write a glowing report on Franco after a four-game look earlier this summer, and he rewarded my pessimism by continuing to punish baseballs like they personally wronged his family. I’m still quite hesitant to accept his Double-A performance as a preview of his future major-league success, but there is no denying that Franco’s eruption in 2013 was more explosive and more consistent than anybody could have predicted. He just showed a natural feel for driving the baseball and making hard contact, and that is evident in his 70 extra-base hits across two levels. I think his load and trigger are not only noisy but add length to the swing, which gives him coverage issues and opens him up to secondary exploitation. But his hand-eye coordination is so good that he can recover from bad guesses, and his bat speed is so good that he can catch up to the ball despite the early extension and length. His body isn’t very impressive and his defensive profile at third is fringe at best, but the bat will carry him to the majors and has the potential to make him an offensive weapon once he gets there. –Jason Parks

Trevor May, RHP, Twins (Double-A New Britain)
Earlier this summer I was able to sit on a May start, and at the time I wasn’t overly impressed despite a positive on-the-field outcome. May is a big, strong horse of a pitcher, with a well-rounded arsenal that includes a meaty fastball and multiple secondary offerings that flash above-average, but his delivery minimizes the natural advantage of height, and as a result of his drop-and-drive approach his plus velocity often arrives flat-planed and edible. The command comes and goes, but when he’s on and staying over his offerings, May looks the part of a no. 4 starter, one capable of logging innings and keeping his team in the game. He’ll be pitching for the Glendale Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League and will get to wear the same uniform as Byron Buxton, so I expect May to take a step forward this fall and carry it into his 2014 campaign, where the big righty will likely have the opportunity to pitch at the highest level. –Jason Parks

Are we merely waiting for Carlos Tocci to put on muscle or are there a ton of other concerns?

Jason Cole: It's a little more than just that. The muscle is the biggest thing. Does he and can he get stronger? The game itself is pretty mature – the approach at the plate, his defense in the outfield. But I do wonder what type of upside we're looking at here. Is it a role 5 ceiling if it all pans out? Hits for an okay average, plays a good D, steals some bases, and shows little power. It's a potential big-league profile if it all pans out but it's not a crazy high ceiling. I did like him overall though and, as I wrote a couple weeks ago, I'm not freaking out about his poor numbers this season.