Top 10 Tigers Prospects for 2010

Detroit Tigers

1. Jacob Turner: Sporting the most electric fastball of any high school pitcher in the 2009 draft class, Turner is a pure but exciting project. His curveball has the best chance of developing into his out pitch, but it has a long way to go. He is one of the more raw but talented players in minor league baseball.

2. Scott Sizemore: Perhaps the best second base prospect in baseball, Sizemore has the kind of power/speed combination that could make him an All-Star. The only downside to his stock is that he will be 25 years old by the start of the 2010 season.

3. Casey Crosby: Crosby came back beautifully from Tommy John surgery to post stellar Single-A stats. I'm holding back a bit on his stock until I see his mechanics stabilize and his powerful left arm perform against better competition, but he might be one of the game's best pitching prospects by this time next year.

4. Alex Avila: Avila rose from relative obscurity to post a solid Eastern League season. He was then promoted to the majors for a brief but head-turning stint that firmly placed him on the prospect map. I don't think he has All-Star ability, but we may be looking at Detroit's long-term answer at catcher.

5. Ryan Strieby: Strieby continues to clobber the ball at every minor league stop he makes. Detroit has played it safe and moved him up one steady level at a time, but the fact is that it's difficult to project his bat moving into the big leagues. I don't think he will hit for much of a batting average, but he could settle in as a legit 30-homer threat. Or he could become another in a long line of Quadruple-A first basemen. All you can do is invest cautiously and cross your fingers.

6. Andrew Oliver: Despite coming out of the bullpen in the Arizona Fall League, Oliver will get every opportunity to become a starter. On the downside, he is very raw for a player his age, and every bit of his game needs refinement. On the upside, he has a lively fastball and the makings of a plus slider.

7. Cody Satterwhite: While his command still needs refinement and his slider and change-up are still developing, Satterwhite has the superior fastball required to be a future closer.

8. Wilkin Ramirez: The tools are still there, but time is beginning to run out. Ramirez has the potential for plus power, and he has some deceptive, workable speed, but he has gaping holes in his swing. And his overly aggressive plate approach isn't doing him any favors. His defense is a liability as well. The odds are stacked against him at this point, but I'm not giving up yet.

9. Cale Iorg: Iorg's defense has Detroit excited, but his bat has been downright dreadful since he was drafted in 2007. It makes me wonder what I still see in this kid. Well, if he can eventually improve his patience and consistency at the plate, his bat has some pop in it—a rare commodity from a shortstop.

10. Casper Wells: Wells doesn't have much power projection left in his bat, he strikes out too much for his average pop, and his patience at the plate is still lacking. Yet, his prowess on defense will make sure that he gets a shot in the majors soon—as a fourth outfielder at least.