Life On The Farm: Milwaukee Brewers (# 10)

And so begins the pre-season Top 10...

Graduated To Majors: Mat Gamel (3B, # 2), Alcides Escobar (SS, # 1), Hernan Iribarren (2B, UR), Carlos Corporan (C, UR), Mark DiFelice (RP, UR), Josh Butler (RP, UR), Tim Dillard (RP, # 30), Mitch Stetter (RP, UR)

The Rest Of The Top 10 (with quick commentary)
Hitters: BA-OBP-SLG, AB, HR-RBI, BB-K, SB-CS
Pitchers: G-GS, W-L, ERA, IP-H-HR-BB-K

3 - Brett Lawrie - 2B
Lo A: .274-.348-.454, 372, 13-65, 41-70, 19-11
AA: .269-.283-.308, 52, 0-0, 0-14, 0-2
Quick Take: Big-time late season promotion to AA and wasn't quite ready and conversion to 2B from C weakens his status a little bit.

4 - Jeremy Jeffress - RHP
AA: 8-8, 1-3, 7.57, 27.1-26-1-33-34
Hi A: 6-5, 2-1, 2.18, 33-16-2-22-36
Quick Take: Suspended after testing positive for another drug of abuse, one more is a lifetime suspension...

5 - Angel Salome - C
AAA: .286-.334-.413, 283, 6-44, 22-55, 0-0
Quick Take: Probably deserved a September call-up, but no real power and his size (5-7) will always cause scouts to wonder if he can catch a full-season.

6 - Lorenzo Cain - CF
R: .444-.455-.556, 9, 0-1, 1-0, 0-0
Lo A: .192-.311-.269, 52, 0-3, 9-15, 0-0
AA: .214-.277-.338, 145, 4-15, 10-35, 3-3
Quick Take: Lost season after missing most of it after hurting his knee.

7 - Cutter Dykstra - 2B
Lo A: .212-.310-.303, 99, 1-7, 12-27, 4-2
R: .244-.332-.349, 209, 5-26, 27-50, 14-4
Quick Take: Will get another shot at Low A next season after converting from OF to 2B.

8 - Taylor Green - 3B
Lo A: .400-.538-.600, 20, 1-5, 4-4, 0-0
AA: .258-.330-.356, 306, 5-43, 33-37, 0-2
Quick Take: For a guy whose bat has to carry him, this was a setback season.

9 - Cole Gillespie - LF
Hi A: .349-.431-.605, 43, 1-9, 7-11, 4-0
AAA (Brewers): .242-.332-.424, 236, 7-27, 31-56, 6-5
AAA (D'Backs): .304-.418-.514, 138, 5-27, 27-31, 8-0
Quick Take: Appeared to be reinvigorated by being traded to Arizona as part of the return for Felipe Lopez.

10 - Jonathan Lucroy - C
AA: .267-.380-.418, 419, 9-66, 78-66, 1-1
Quick Take: Showed great on base skills in his first crack at AA and may have passed Salome on the organizational depth chart.

AAA: Nashville Sounds (PCL)
Breakout Hitter: Jason Bourgeois (UL): .316-.354-.401, 424, 2-41, 22-40, 36-7
Disappointing Hitter: Brendan Katin (UR): .244-.305-.499, 459, 24-92, 35-164, 2-0
Breakout Pitcher: Chris Smith (UL): 28-0, 2-0, 1.27, 42.2-31-3-6-49
Disappointing Pitcher: Lindsay Gulin (UR): 27-24, 7-10, 4.78, 139.1-127-9-77-97
Quick Take: Bourgeois got a look in the big leagues after a very strong season. Smith made himself into an important cog of the Brewer bullpen. Katin showed power and an extremely high tendency to swing and miss without the walks. Gulin, if he showed any command, would have had a chance to prove himself this year after all the troubles the Brewers had in the rotation.

AA: Huntsville Stars (SL)
Breakout Hitter: Drew Anderson (UL): .301-.376-.452, 389, 10-57, 45-77, 9-5
Disappointing Hitter: Freddy Parejo (UR): .229-.274-.310, 258, 2-23, 16-49, 3-2
Breakout Pitcher: Chris Cody (UR): 10-10, 5-1, 2.30, 58.2-42-5-10-48
Disappointing Pitcher: Jeremy Jeffress (# 4): Line above.
Quick Take: Anderson, a 27 year old outfielder, was the best of a weak group of prospects at AA offensively. Cody got a midseason promotioin to AAA, where he was league average. Parejo struggled badly while Jeffress was suspended all year.

Hi A: Brevard County Manatees (FSL)
Breakout Hitter: Logan Schafer (# 29): .313-.369-.446, 457, 6-58, 38-53, 16-8
Disappointing Hitter: Brent Brewer (# 17): .222-.288-.287, 356, 1-29, 33-109, 19-7
Breakout Pitcher: Amaury Rivas (# 26): 26-23, 13-7, 2.98, 133-109, 11-43-123
Disappointing Pitcher: Alexandre Periard (# 13): 9-9, 3-2, 5.23, 31-37-1-13-22
Quick Take: Schafer had a strong season with this being an aggressive placement for his full-season debut. Rivas barely ranked ahead of Evan Anundsen (UR) for this honor. Brewer had an all around bad season and will likely be repeating. Periard started the season late due to a shoulder injury and never got in the groove.

Lo A: Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (ML)
Breakout Hitter: Brett Lawrie (# 3): Line above.
Disappointing Hitter: Michael Marseco (UR): .189-.241-.248, 322, 0-26, 22-54, 9-5
Breakout Pitcher: Cody Scarpetta (# 15): 26-18, 4-11, 3.43, 105-83-5-55-116
Disappointing Pitcher: Cody Adams (# 28): 16-12, 3-6, 5.93, 57.2-74-3-33-37
Quick Take: Lawrie got a brief look at AA and likely starts next year at High A. Scarpetta's record sucked, but his hits allowed and strikeout numbers were above average. Marseco will get a 2nd chance at his full-season debut next year while Adams battled all year.

TK's Early 2010 Top 10 Prospects:
1) Zach Braddock: LHP
Didn't start his year due to injury, but in splitting time between Hi A and AA, struck out 62 in 40.1 IP with 7 walks and 28 hits allowed.
2) Brett Lawrie: 2B
Will start season at High A with a chance to move quickly.
3) Eric Arnett: RHP
26th overall pick had some command issues in R ball (34.2 IP, 21 BB, 35 K)
4) Jonathan Lucroy: C
Has a chance to make major league debut next year.
5) Jeremy Jeffress: RHP
Stuff is big league stuff. Head is juvenile hall or prison.
6) Lorenzo Cain: CF
Can he bounce back from the knee injury to get back on track?
7) Amaury Rivas: RHP
Big year, can he continue to replicate the success?
8) Caleb Gindl: LF
Showed a 5-tool game at Hi A (.277-.363-.459, 394, 17-71, 57-92, 18-4)
9) Evan Anundsen: RHP
Breakout year at Hi A and will now try to pass the AA test.
10) Kentrail Davis: CF
Supplemental 1st rounder will make pro debut next year.

Dropped From Top 10: Salome (# 5), Dykstra (# 7), Green (# 8)

Final Overview: This system has taken a big step back. Braddock is by far the weakest # 1 I have chosen and Lowrie isn't too much stronger as a # 2. There is more depth in this system then quite a few of the other recent ones, but these guys are so far away that some are bound to fail due to attrition. Salome was hard to leave off the Top 10, but the lack of a September call-up with an aging catcher has to say something on how they value him. The loss of Jack Z is a big loss to any team, as he was the best scouting director in the majors. A mid to late teens system that is in desparate need of some breakout seasons next year.