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As you can see, Bryce Harper has fine-tuned his swing since making his professional debut in the Arizona Fall League in 2010.  Gone is the last minute, inward-foot-turn load.  Now, Harper has a more traditional stride and load that I would assume allows him to drive more off-speed and outer-half offerings.  But just because he’s made adjustments doesn’t mean he’s sacrificed any of his robust power.  From what I can see, and from what his Minor League and Arizona Fall League stats indicate, his power is just as ridiculous, if not more ridiculous – if that’s even possible.  All I know is that I can’t wait for Spring Training to roll around so that the “is Bryce Harper ready for the Major Leagues?” debate once again consumes the baseball world.

#40 Hak-Ju Lee

Tampa Bay Rays

DOB: 11/4/1990

Previous Rank: N/R

ETA: 2013

Lee was signed as an 18-year-old out of South Korea and was sent to Tampa from the Cubs in the Matt Garza deal.  He likely will prove to be the most valuable chip that was traded in that deal except for maybe Garza himself.  Lee is an exceptional fielder, arguably the best shortstop in the Minors today in terms of what he is capable of in the field.  He has phenomenal range and a plus arm with outstanding instincts and feel for the position.  His bat is behind and he will never provide the thump to be the consistent all-star that some other shortstop prospects likely will.

Lee is going to approach a .300 average in at least a season or two.  In 2011 across two stops including 100 at-bats in the Southern League with Montgomery, Lee posted a .292/.365/.416 slash line with 33 swipes and 37 XBH’s.  He will probably never approach a 20-bomb Major League season, but he runs well and can stretch for a handful of extra bags each year beyond a replacement level guy.

We expect Lee to begin 2012 as a 21-year-old shortstop in Double-A with a chance to reach the Show later in the season or open the 2013 season as the starter at Tropicana.  If we’ve learned anything, though, it’s that Tampa is more than willing to be aggressive with promotions especially in years in which they are in contention.  We expect Tampa to be very competitive in 2012 too.

#41 Zack Wheeler

New York Mets

DOB: 5/30/1990

Previous Rank: N/R

ETA: 2014

Wheeler was traded straight up for Carlos Beltran in July and was sent immediately to High Class A St. Lucie where he posted a 2.00 ERA with a 31:5 K:BB ratio in 27 innings.  Those numbers were considerably better than those from the 88 innings he threw in the California League before the trade.  Nevertheless, Wheeler immediately became the top prospect in the Mets organization, and at just 21 years of age, he should be in the rotation at Citi by 2014.

Wheeler features a fastball that sits consistently around 94-95 mph with the ability to reach back for 97 mph.  His best secondary pitch is a true 60 curveball with good 12-6 shape and about 15 mph off of the heater.  His third pitch is a changeup that is far behind the other two pitches at this point due primarily to an inability to maintain arm speed or slot.  The pitch has arm side life with sink, though, and has a chance to be a useable pitch with just minor improvement.

His 6-foot-4 frame is lanky and projectable and might still allow him to pick up a tick on the fastball.  Wheeler should begin the year in Double-A and might push that ETA up a bit, but the Mets are the worst team in the East and have no business rushing either Wheeler or Harvey in our opinion.  The good news for fans in Queens is that the Mets appear to finally have real pitching prospects with real top-of-the-rotation upside.

#42 Yasmani Grandal

Cincinnati Reds

DOB: 11/8/1988

Previous Rank: N/R

ETA: 2013

Grandal, a product of the Miami Hurricanes program, had a monstrous year behind the dish across three stops, culminating with four games in the International League to close the season out.  He even has collected 12 at-bats in the Arizona Fall League.  Grandal, a switch hitter, was selected 12^th overall in 2010, and in his first full professional season in 2011 slashed .305/.401/.500 as a 22-year old.  He should start the year in the high Minors with a chance to break in at some point during 2012.  The more realistic scenario likely has him cracking the lineup in Cincinnati in 2013 or somewhere else via a trade since Grandal is behind Devin Mesoraco on the depth chart, a consensus top-20 prospect.

Still, Grandal’s glove typically receives better grades as does his arm than Mesoraco’s.  Scouts prefer Grandal’s ability from the left side of the dish a little better than from the right, but he’s plus from both sides.  With a full season behind the dish in the Show, Grandal could amass 20 bombs and approach a .300 average with good on-base skills and above average defense.  That sounds a lot like Victor Martinez to me, especially when considering that he hits from both sides.  Grandal is the kind of big-upside backstop that every club would like to see in the high Minors.