#15 Jarrod Parker

Oakland Athletics

DOB: 11/24/1988

Previous Rank: 8

ETA: 2011

Parker missed 2010 due to Tommy John, and it took him several months of 2011 to really begin to look like he did before the surgery.  Still, his second-half and track record prior to TJ were enough to sway Billy Beane to pull the trigger on the deal that recently sent All-Star Trevor Cahill to Phoenix.

On the year, Parker posted a 3.79 ERA with 112 strikeouts to 55 walks in 131 innings pitched.  Obviously we’d like to see him striking out more hitters than that, but he still received the call to the D-Backs in September and had a very impressive six-inning start and even earned a spot on the NLDS roster.

Parker has a classic mix of fastball, breaker, and changeup, all of which grade as at least solid-average offerings.  His fastball has neared triple-digits before, but he typically works in the 93-96 mph range with his 4-seamer.  He throws a heavy sinker about two mphs off of the 4-seamer, but it digs well and even gets some swings-and-misses.  Parker’s bender is a slider in the mid-80s with tight break and good shape as well as solid command.  His change is behind, but it’s going to be an above-average offering for him and is definitely a pitch that will play in Oakland to both sides of the plate.

Parker is an ace and immediately jumps to the top of the A’s prospect rankings list.  Brett Anderson, Parker, Sonny Gray, and Dallas Braden should make a very young and formidable rotation in 2013 and beyond.

#20 Archie Bradley

Arizona Diamondbacks

DOB: 8/10/1992

Previous Rank: N/A

ETA: 2014

Archie Bradley went seventh overall in the 2011 draft, but he would be the consensus No. 1 in this year’s class and in many other years.  He has reached 101 mph with his fastball and his curveball was arguably the top pitch in the entire class, and it honestly gives him a chance at two pitches that could flash 80s on any given night.  Make no mistake; Bradley is as frontline as they come with excellent projection and athleticism.

He likely will bully his way through the low Minors because no one will even come close to being able to handle him until he reaches Double-A.  He operates well on a downhill plane but still manages to sink his fastball even beyond what he naturally creates with his delivery.  Because he lost some of every year up until now to football, the length he can get out of each start probably has a way to go before he can reach 100 pitches consistently without a loss in stuff or command.

Nevertheless, this is just nitpicking.  Bradley is phenomenal, and as soon as he develops a quality third pitch he will be one of the very top prospects in baseball.  Imagine this possible rotation: Trevor Bauer, Daniel Hudson, Trevor Cahill, Ian Kennedy, Tyler Skaggs, and Bradley.  That could happen by the playoffs in 2013, something we are very confident Arizona will be a part of.

Bottom 2: J.D. Drew grounded out to second base against Trevor Cahill

Bottom 5: Drew singled to right against Cahill

Bottom 7: Drew struck out swinging against Cahill

Bottom 9: Drew struck out swinging against Brian Fuentes

Bottom 11: Drew struck out swinging against Andrew Bailey

Bottom 13: Drew called out on strikes against Michael Wuertz

Bottom 14: Drew singled to center and drove in game-winning run against Guillermo Moscoso

Final Line: 2-for-7, 2 RBI, 4 K

Notes: I somehow overlooked this one even though it happened in the same game as Landon Powell’s, which I recapped earlier in the week.  Anyway, after putting the bat on the ball in his first two at-bats, Drew notched a sombrero in his next four at-bats.  However, the former 30/30 collegiate standout was just saving his old-man-strength for the 14^th inning, when he came through with a walk-off single.

Total 2011 Sombreros: 38

Ryan Langerhans records golden sombrero against Oakland (4/1/2011)

Top 2: Langerhans grounds out to second baseman Mark Ellis

Top 4: Langerhans strikes out swinging against Trevor Cahill

Top 5: Langerhans strikes out swinging against Jeremy Blevins

Top 7: Langerhans called out on strikes against Craig Breslow

Top 9: Langerhans strikes out swinging against Michael Wuertz

Walter Johnson Award (Cy Young)

National League:
First Place Vote – Roy Halladay (Philadelphia)
Second Place Vote – Ubaldo Jimenez (Colorado)
Third Place Vote – Adam Wainwright (St. Louis)
Fourth Place Vote – Josh Johnson (Florida)
Fifth Place Vote – Tim Hudson (Atlanta)

American League:
First Place Vote – Felix Hernandez (Seattle)
Second Place Vote – David Price (Tampa Bay)
Third Place Vote – CC Sabathia (New York)
Fourth Place Vote – Trevor Cahill (Oakland)
Fifth Place Vote – Jered Weaver (Anaheim)