#1 Matt Moore

Tampa Bay Rays

DOB: 6/18/1989

Previous Rank: 31

ETA: 2011

It’s almost impossible to earn a ranking ahead of Bryce Harper, but philosophically we consider a pitcher with present ace stuff and Major League opportunity to be more valuable than even a likely Hall of Fame hitter.  Moore made considerable steps forward in 2011 in the command department and catapulted himself forward into becoming the top pitching prospect in the game.  He then went on to make three appearances during Tampa’s stretch into the postseason before tossing seven innings of two-hit baseball to open the Division Series in Arlington.  Pretty impressive for a 22-year-old.

Moore is 6-foot-2 with extremely clean and effortless mechanics.  His body projects, but honestly, what do we need to project here?  Moore is the easiest 70 fastball guy in baseball.  His secondary stuff and command are top shelf, and his makeup is championship caliber.  His fastball reaches 97 mph.  His breaker is a deadly downer that consistently receives double-plus grades.  His changeup is an easy plus pitch with double-plus potential.  His slider is new and rarely used, but it is also plus.  Stephen Strasburg didn’t even have four plus pitches as a 22-year-old, and he isn’t a lefty.

Matt Moore will challenge for a Cy Young as soon as he is given slack on the leash to grab 100 pitches per start and 32 or so starts per season.  There is not a pitcher in the game today I would rather have signed long-term than Matt Moore.  Not Gerrit Cole.  Not Tim Lincecum.  Not Strasburg.  Not Justin Verlander.  Not Clayton Kershaw.  Matt Moore will be the American League’s best pitcher sooner rather than later.

Tampa Bay Rays:

Matt Moore 1-0, 9.1 IP, 14.46 K/9, 2.89 ERA, 2.17 FIP, 1.85 xFIP, 0.4 fWAR

Sean Rodriguez, SS

B.J. Upton, CF

Evan Longoria, 3B

Ben Zobrist, 2B

Johnny Damon, DH

Kelly Shoppach, C

Casey Kotchman, 1B

Desmond Jennings, LF

Matt Joyce, RF

Texas Rangers:

C.J. Wilson: 16-7, 223.1 IP, 8.30 K/9, 3.60 ERA, 3.68 FIP, 3.79 xFIP, 5.9 fWAR

Ian Kinsler, 2B

Elvis Andrus, SS

Josh Hamilton, CF

Michael Young, 1B

Adrian Beltre, 3B

Mike Napoli, C

Nelson Cruz, RF

Yorvit Torrealba, DH

Craig Gentry, LF

2011 has been a monumental year for MLB prospects.  This season we have seen an inordinate amount of top-ranked prospects make their Major League Debuts, most of which have been celebrated here at the Sombrero.

On June 10 we celebrated Mike Moustakas Day; June 17: Dustin Ackley Day; July 8: Mike Trout Day; July 22: Jason Kipnis Day; August 5: Brett Lawrie Day; and most recently, Matt Moore Day on September 12.

Today we celebrate the debut of The Golden Sombrero’s No. 8 prospect, RHP Jarrod Parker.

Drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in first round (9^th overall) of the 2007 draft, Parker validated his draft position by going 12-5 with a 3.44 ERA and 117/33 K/BB ratio over 118 inning for South Bend in 2008.  He began the following season with High-A Visalia before earning a quick promotion to Double-A Mobile where he recorded a 0.95 ERA over four starts.

However, the 6-foot-1 right-hander was plagued by elbow problems and Tommy John surgery prematurely ended his season, while the subsequent rehabilitation forced him to miss the entire 2010 season.

With a brand new elbow, the 22-year-old has stayed healthy this season, and his numbers reflect such: 11-8 with a 3.79 ERA and 112/55 K/BB in 131 innings.

Parker’s fastball sits in the low- to mid-90s, and he has touched 96-97 mph on occasion.  His slider, which was graded a plus pitch and served as his out pitch prior to surgery, remains a plus despite the fact that he’s thrown it considerably less.  In it’s place, the Indiana native has shown an improved changeup – many consider it to be a plus now, too – and he also flashed a solid curveball.

With four above average pitches and mechanics that make pitching coaches uncontrollably drool, Parker figures to become a front-end starter (likely a two or three) for the Diamondbacks within the next couple years.

Parker’s debut tonight against the Los Angeles Dodgers will be fans first taste of the highly regarded prospect, as he hopefully makes his case to be part of the D-backs’ 2012 starting rotation.

Bottom 2: Jorge Posada called out on strikes against Matt Moore

Bottom 4: struck out swinging against Moore

Bottom 6: singled to right against Dane De La Rosa

Bottom 7: struck out swinging against Alexander Torres

Bottom 8: struck out swinging against Jake McGee

Final Line: 1-for-5, 4 K

Notes: Posada collected his first golden sombrero of the year on Thursday night against the Rays.  It’s important to note that each of his strikeouts came against left-handers, as he was forced to hit from the right side – his single came against De La Rosa, a right-hander.  Appearing in only 110 games this season due to his deteriorated skillset behind the plate and the offseason acquisition of Russell Martin, Posada is currently sporting a career-low slash line of .238/.315/.398.  It’ll be interesting to see how much (or how little) playing time Posada receives this postseason.

Total 2011 Sombreros: 122