Top 10 RHP prospects
# PLAYER ORG
1. Jeremy Hellickson TB
2. Julio Teheran ATL
3. Kyle Drabek TOR
4. Michael Pineda SEA
5. Jacob Turner DET
6. Jameson Taillon PIT
7. Shelby Miller STL
8. Casey Kelly SD
9. Jarrod Parker ARI
10. Jordan Lyles HOU
Prospect Watch: Top 10 right-handed pitchers
Hellickson, Teheran, Drabek head list of potential future aces
By Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com | 01/21/11 11:00 AM EST
The 2011 version of MLB.com's Top 50 Prospects list will be unveiled on
Tuesday, Jan. 25, on MLB.com as well as on a one-hour show on MLB Network,
airing at 9 p.m. ET. Leading up to that, MLB.com takes a look at baseball's
top 10 prospects at each position.
The adage about never having enough pitching has some truth to it, and there
appears to be plenty of pitching coming up through Minor League systems. If
this list is any indication, a rush of high-end talent is on the way, with no
one on this Top 10 list projecting to be anything less than a high-quality
No.3 starter.
1. Jeremy Hellickson, Rays: The Matt Garza trade has opened the door for the
next of what seems like a steady stream of Rays pitching prospects.
Hellickson has outstanding stuff, with a fastball, changeup and curve, which
look even better because of his outstanding command. He goes right after
hitters and won't hurt himself with walks. Now the No. 5 guy in the rotation,
his ceiling is much higher than that.
2. Julio Teheran, Braves: Teheran jumped on the fast track in 2010, pitching
across three levels. He's got a terrific three-pitch mix (fastball, changeup,
curve), all of which are at least above-average. Just 20, his command on the
mound belies his years and that, combined with his stuff, points to a future
at the top of a rotation. Atlanta already has Tommy Hanson and Mike Minor. It
may not take too long for Teheran to join them.
3. Kyle Drabek, Blue Jays: Doug's kid had a pretty good first season in
Toronto's organization after coming over from Philadelphia in the Roy
Halladay deal. He was the Eastern League's Pitcher of the Year and made his
big league debut in September. With one of the best breaking pitches in the
Minors, Drabek also throws a lively fastball and a changeup that's improved
considerably. A strong competitor, he's ready to take on the AL East as part
of the Jays rotation.
4. Michael Pineda, Mariners: Just 22, Pineda should be getting more attention
from prospect fans. His 2009 season was injury-hampered, but he came back
strong last year and looked like a front-line starter. The 6-foot-5
right-hander has three pitches