The Golden Sombrero presents MLB Look-alikes: Ryan Spilborghs and Jason Lee

One of these two is not a Scientologist

#23 Martin Perez

Texas Rangers

DOB: 4/4/1991

Previous Rank: 28

ETA: 2012

Perez finally threw up the stats to back up his enormous potential…and then plummeted back to earth after a promotion to Triple-A.  As one of the top pitchers in the Texas League and quite likely the top lefty, Perez posted a 3.16 ERA in 88.1 innings with 83 strikeouts compared to 36 walks.  While that is far too many walks, those numbers were still way better than any we’d seen thus far from Perez.   He then proceeded to put up a 6.83 ERA with – who really cares what the rest of his numbers were like after giving up that many runs?

Perez has pretty rocky fastball command for a prospect getting this kind of ranking, but his stuff is just too good to rank him any lower.  His fastball reaches the mid-90s, and he has arguably the finest breaking pitch in the Minors in the form of a heavy downer curveball.  It can flash double and triple-plus when it is on and in the zone, and we, like many, are very reluctant to slap an 80 on anything that isn’t a 100 mph heater or a 3.8 sec. to first.  He has a solid to plus changeup as well that shows quality fade and should be plenty to handle righties effectively.

Perez has elite stuff, and with more than a full season in the high Minors under his belt at just 20-years of age, could be a top of the rotation arm.  Reaching that level will require improved fastball command and a more consistent delivery, although the latter is greatly improved relative to what it was as a teenager.  We see a lot of Gio Gonzalez in Perez, and like Gio, Perez could be both an All-Star in the Show and excellent trade bait.

#24 Josh Bell

Pittsburgh Pirates

DOB: 8/14/1992

Previous Rank: N/A

ETA: 2014

How is it that no one in the first round went after this guy?  It’s no secret for readers of The Sombrero that we were all in on Bell for whatever the cost.  It must have killed the Red Sox and any other team without a budget to see Pittsburgh get this kid signed.

Without a doubt Bell was the premier prep bat in the 2011 draft class, and the assumption was that Bell was unsignable regardless of the size of the bonus.  Wrong.  The Pirates got it done for $5 million, and as we learned last week what dramatic effects the new CBA will bring to the draft, that number is looking pretty damn tame.  Bell likely would be one of the first guys off of the board if not the first in three years, and the slot recommendation for the top pick is around $7.5 million and likely climbing.

Bell is a 60 hitter from both sides with a 60 future power grading.  His defense in the outfield is better than people gave him credit for prior to the draft, and it should improve as he matures to the point that he is at least average in left if not a 55.  We expect the Pirates to start Bell out in Easy A and to be patient with him, but bats like his are rare.  Look for the Bucs to push Bell through as fast as they can to ensure that he reaches PNC before Pedro Alvarez and Andrew McCutchen begin to decline and as Jameson Taillon and Gerrit Cole are reaching their primes.

The Pirates system is not making quite as much noise as Washington’s due in large part to the fact that Bryce Harper is in the latter, but they are just about as stellar at the top and might even be deeper.  Bell is without a doubt the top bat in the Pirates organization and could challenge for a top 10 ranking in 2012.

Banuelos debuts at No. 26 on our list

Just as we did prior to the start of the 2011 season, The Golden Sombrero is currently unveiling our Top 50 Post-2011 Prospects, and we are now halfway through out list.  Due to the promotion of many of baseball’s finest prospects over the course of last season, our new list features a slew of new names thanks to strong performances across various minor league levels.  Only time will tell whether this new crop of prospects will match the hype and success of last season’s, but one thing is certain – they are the future of baseball.

Here is a quick recap of the players we’ve highlighted thus far, and where they were ranked headed into the 2011 season:

50. Francisco Lindor, SS, Cleveland Indians – Pre-2011 Rank: N/R

49. Christian Yelich, OF, Miami Marlins – Pre-2011 Rank: N/R

48.  Joseph Wieland, RHP, San Diego Padres – Pre-2011 Rank: N/R

47. Jarred Cosart, RHP, Houston Astros – Pre-2011 Rank: N/R

46. Michael Choice, OF, Oakland Athletics – Pre-2011 Rank: N/R

45. Matt Harvey, RHP, New York Mets – Pre-2011 Rank: N/R

44. Sonny Gray, RHP, Oakland Athletics – Pre-2011 Rank: N/R

43. Zack Cox, 3B, St. Louis Cardinals, — Pre-2011 Rank: N/R

42. Yasmani Grandal, C, Cincinnati Reds – Pre-2011 Rank: N/R

41. Zack Wheeler, RHP, New York Mets – Pre-2011 Rank: N/R

40. Hak-Ju Lee, SS, Tampa Bay Rays – Pre-2011 Rank: N/R

39. Taijuan Walker, RHP, Seattle Mariners – Pre-2011 Rank: N/R

38. Wil Myers, OF, Kansas City Royals – Pre-2011 Rank: 15

37. Will Middlebrooks, 3B, Boston Red Sox – Pre-2011 Rank: N/R

36. Brett Jackson, OF, Chicago Cubs – Pre-2011 Ranks: 43

35. Carlos Martinez, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals – Pre-2011 Rank: N/R

34. Gary Brown, OF, San Francisco Giants – Pre-2011 Rank: N/R

33. Randall Delgado, RHP, Atlanta Braves – Pre-2011 Rank: N/R

32. Starling Marte, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates – Pre-2011 Rank: N/R

31. Robbie Erlin, LHP, San Diego Padres – Pre-2011 Rank: N/R

30. Arodys Vizcaino, RHP, Atlanta Braves – Pre-2011 Rank: N/R

29. Jonathan Singleton, 1B/OF, Houston Astros – Pre-2011 Rank: 37

28. Jake Odorizzi, RHP, Kansas City Royals – Pre-2011 Rank: 35

27. Travis d’Arnaud, C, Toronto Blue Jays – Pre-2011 Rank: N/R

26. Manny Banuelos, LHP, New York Yankees – Pre-2011 Rank: N/R

25. Miguel Sano, 3B, Minnesota Twins – Pre-2011 Rank: N/R

#25 Miguel Sano

Minnesota Twins

DOB: 5/11/1993

Previous Rank: N/R

ETA: 2014

Sano was the top international free agent in 2009, and he absolutely torched the Appalachian League in 2011 posting a .292/.352/.637 slash line with 20 jacks.  He was the consensus top player in the league and one of the top players in the low Minors nationwide.  Sano can go out to all fields but demonstrates a great deal of rawness at the plate and in the field.

He gets down late and cannot hold back on breaking stuff out of the zone as a result, but that can be a quick fix for an athlete as strong and agile as Sano.  His arm has plenty of juice for any spot on the field, suggesting that he can stay at the hot corner.  Nevertheless, defense is way more than arm strength, and Sano is flat out rough in terms of footwork and glovework.

That said, with his bat and age on his side, Sano should be able to make a jump into the high Minors some time in 2012.  He has a long way to go, and is likely to lose a step as he matures, but if he can convince enough people that he belongs at third and develop some discipline in the box, he can be one of the game’s elite infielders.  Third base has been a revolving door in Minneapolis, but with Sano, the Twins firmly believe, as do many across the game, that those days may be behind the organization.