OTM Top 20 Prospects In Review: #6-10.

...finally getting back to this, sorry.

16-20.

11-15.

10. Will Middlebrooks, IF

2008 Numbers: A, 59 G 226 PA .254/.298/.368 17 2B 2 3B 1 HR 10 SB

Middlebrooks made all his defensive appearances at 3b, but he's not necessarily locked-down to that position for the future. SS is probably out as an option, but need could still move him to the other IF corner or an OF corner given his offensive ceiling. That being said, at 19, in short-season A-ball, more probably could have been expected of Middlebrooks. The 10 SB in 10 tries is impressive for a 3b given the amount of playing time. The Sox knew Middlebrooks was a high-ceiling semi-project when they drafted him, and there's nothing to dissuade either part of that notion right now.

9. Brandon Moss, OF

Moss is gone, of course. I'm sure we're all rooting for him to succeed as a starting OF in Pittsburgh.

8. Nick Hagadone, LHP

2008 Numbers: A, 3 G (3 GS) 1.10 WHIP 10 IP 12 K 0.00 ERA

Hagadone had to have TJ surgery in June, cutting short his 2008 season. He's a tall lefty, who may end up as a SP or a RP if he makes the majors. Don't look too closely at his numbers next year until at least the middle/end of the season. The few professional innings he's thrown in his career (also 2007) lend credence to the idea that he has some promise as a pitching prospect. Temper expectations untll 2010, kids.

7. Ryan Kalish, OF

2008 Numbers: A, 96 G 420 PA .281/.376/.356 16 2B 1 3B 3 HR 18 SB (4 CS)

                            A+, 18 G 82 PA .233/.305/.397 6 2B 2 HR 1 SB

Some soured on Kalish a bit this year, and I think that we just might be thinking about him the wrong way. This guy has the potential to be a top defensive player in the outfield, still, runs pretty well and takes walks at a pretty good rate throughout his pro career. We all want to see Nick Markakis, because really, that's what Soxprospects.com lists as his MLB comp, and Soxprospects.com is an excellent site as a resource for all prospects in the system. He's going to be just 21 this season coming, and he can definitely grow into some more power, so it's not necessarily, wrong, though Markakis has proven himself to be a pretty special player.

I've rambled. The point is this. Just because Kalish hasn't hit double-digit home runs yet doesn't mean he won't, and his pro career to this point hasn't exactly been discouraging. He could turn out to be a potentially good leadoff hitter and CF, or he may end up showing enough power that moving him to a corner seems smart. Either way, let's not sell on him just yet. 

6. Lars Anderson, 1B

2008 Numbers: A+, 77 G 358 PA .317/.408/.513 19 2B 1 3B 13 HR

                            AA, 41 G 163 PA .316/.436/.526 13 2B 5 HR 1 SB

If Anderson was trying to keep Red Sox Nation's expectations down, he did a pretty poor job. At the age of 20, he OPS'd over 900 at two different MiL levels, and has reportedly worked to become a pretty good defensive first baseman. Most likely, the Sox will be a little less excitable than we are, and most probably he'll spend all of next year at AA unless his own performance (and by this I mean OPS'ing at like 1.100 through the end of July) or injury demand that he move up. 

That being said, there's no reason beyond trade to not see Lars Anderson as potentially a huge part of the Sox's future at 1B or DH, and even an OF corner if they decide he'll only make it that way. He's still got time to add more muscle and power, and still hit 32 2Bs and 18 HRs in 118 MiL games last season.

Summary:

5 more. One gone. One working back from TJ surgery, he'll be potentially more of a factor in 2010. Two who have done good or okay, but remain more of potential at this point. And one, Lars Anderson, who may be our  #1 prospect at this point. Other than Lars, the others may drop some, but still should all be good enough to crack the top 20 next time we make those tough decisions.

Thanks to Soxprospects.com and B-R as always.