[illeracula]

Top 100 Prospects List Published:
The season is about to start, so it's time to publish the annual Top 100 Prospects list. This year 22-year-old LHP Armando Santos of the Ellicott City Express is the #1 prospect overall.

Here is the top 10:
1) LHP Armando Santos, 22, Ellicott City Express
2) LF Maxmillion Wallstreet, 23, Wilmington Iron Pigs
3) RHP Juan Monjardim, 21, Ellicott City Express
4) RHP Tony Ruíz, 21, Lewes Braves
5) RHP Shawn Bell, 24, Chesapeake Blue Crabs
6) RF Kiyomasu Kono, 20, Harrington Ponies
7) RHP Ramón Jiménez, 20, Martinsburg Mountaineers
8) LF Emílio Esquivel, 20, Ellicott City Express
9) SS Jim Shelton, 23, Christiana Blue Hens
10) C Miguel Cortesini, 21, Chadds Ford Cannons

The #1 prospect last year was the same one this year in Armando Santos. Santos pitched in 11 games for the Express last season, going 3-2 5.60, and this year he is slated in as the #5 starter for the Express. His ratings look fantastic, but he could still use some development with his control.
Stuff: 12/19, Movement: 15/15, Control: 8/13 with four pitches (fastball, cutter, curveball, and change-up) all over 10 rating. The Cannons scout Felix Elias says this about Santors "A player you could build a franchise around, with superstar potential"

History of the Top Prospects
Here is a look at the past top prospects, with some very quality names on the list including some Hall-of-Famers and Hall-of-Famers to be.
2013: OF Peter Peters, New Castle Colonials
2014: SP Pedro Rivera, Ocean City Tourists
2015: C Andy Kohl, Dover Generals
2016: SP Brad Jones, Newark Millers
2017: C Will Riley, Ellicott City Express
2018: C Antonio 'Buzz' Castaneda, Chesapeake Blue Crabs
2019: SP Pablo García, Salisbury Ports
2020: SS Anthony Lucarelli, Seaford Blue Jays
2021: SS Anthony Lucarelli, Seaford Blue Jays
2022: SP Ricardo González, Wilmington Iron Pigs
2023: MR Júlio Rocha, Milton Brewers
2024: SP Gonzalo Bustamante, Georgetown Sixteens
2025: LF Jorge Arredondo, Virginia Beach Surf Dawgs
2026: SS António Hernández, Ellicott City Express
2027: RF Jorge Arredondo, Virginia Beach Surf Dawgs
2028: SP Juan Durango, New Castle Colonials
2029: C Héctor Pagán, Richmond Cardinals
2030: C Héctor Pagán, Richmond Cardinals
2031: SS Brian Battle, Martinsburg Mountaineers
2032: SS Brian Battle, Martinsburg Mountaineers
2033: CF Salvador Espinoza, Washington Senators
2034: SP Kevin Schultz, King George Royals
2035: CF Tyrone Jackson, Martinsburg Mountaineers
2036: LF Lorenzo Montoya, Christiana Blue Hens
2037: SP Armando Santos, Ellicott City Express
2038: SP Armando Santos, Ellicott City Express

2038 Top Minor League Systems
Last season the Ellicott City Express held down the fort as the #1 minor league system with 4 players in the top 25, and a total of 170 points. This year, they increased that to 3 players in the top 10, including 2 of the top 3 prospects in the game, and a whopping 199 system points. Both their top prospects Armando Santos and Juan Monjardim are on the opening day roster. So next year we might see a different "top" team.

The Chesapeake Blue Crabs jumped from number 16 to number 2, thanks in part to huge jumps by their top 2 prospects. Shawn Bell jumped from #98 to #5! That is a nice boost.

These are good signs for growing teams, unlike the Harpers Ferry Raiders, who have 0 system points and no players in the top 100. They have a long road ahead.

Chadds Ford Cannons
Catcher Miguel Cortesini dropped from #9 to #10 and he still has a bright future ahead of him. Last year in AAA he hit .287-13-73 while missing some time to an injury. Out scout sees him as a big-league player who will be an above average player and play for many years to come.

Last year our system was #2 this year we are #3, which I am plenty happy with. We still have a nice handful of players in the top 100, with Cortesini leading the way and SS Jose Ayala behind him. He was going to be the starting SS this season, but after his spring injury I pulled off that big deal and might have put him out of a job this season. One thing it looks like I need to focus on is some pitching prospects, as only one of our our top 5 prospects 1 is a pitcher. With 2 #1 picks (I think) this coming draft we may be able to target a starter and build from there.

We do have 2 pitchers in the top 100, Jose Santana and Jose Santos and both will be starting off in AAA this season. Makes me feel pretty good about our future. I like building from with in, it makes me feel good to have built this minor league system up to one of the tops in the game.

With our top prospects just about ready for the show it might be time to start looking to rebuild our system once again... maybe I should stop trading draft picks for a while.