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Baseball America's Top Red Sox Prospects

Baseball America released their top Boston Red Sox prospects list a few days ago on their website. Here's how their top ten list breaks down:

  1. Andy Marte, 3b
  2. Jon Lester, lhp
  3. Jonathan Papelbon, rhp
  4. Craig Hansen, rhp
  5. Dustin Pedroia, 2b/ss
  6. Jacoby Ellsbury, of
  7. Kelly Shoppach, c
  8. Manny Delcarmen, rhp
  9. Jed Lowrie, ss/2b
  10. Clay Buchholz, rhp

I also revealed my top 20 Boston Red Sox list a few weeks ago, and they are pretty similar for the most part.

Here are the key differences:

  • They included Jonathan Papelbon, I didn't, though I probably should have (I did say in the post he would be #2 if I had included him).
  • I have David Murphy at #7, they have Kelly Shoppach. I think Shoppach's stock has dropped over the years, but apparently Baseball America still thinks of him highly.
  • Baseball America finishes their list with Jed Lowrie and Clay Buchholz, number nine and ten, respectively. I have Brandon Moss and David Pauley in those spots. It's nice to know I'm not the only one that isn't on the Moss bandwagon. I was reluctant to even place him 8th on my list.

Along Baseball America's annual top ten prospects list comes the "Best Tools" list. Pedroia, Ellsbury, and Hansen are the standouts on this list:

Best Hitter for Average: Dustin Pedroia
Best Power Hitter: Andy Marte
Best Strike-Zone Discipline: Dustin Pedroia
Fastest Baserunner: Jacoby Ellsbury
Best Athlete: Jacoby Ellsbury
Best Fastball: Craig Hansen
Best Curveball: Manny Delcarmen
Best Slider: Craig Hansen
Best Changeup: Randy Beam
Best Control: Abe Alvarez
Best Defensive Catcher: Kelly Shoppach
Best Defensive Infielder: Dustin Pedroia
Best Infield Arm: Andrew Pinckney
Best Defensive Outfielder: Jacoby Ellsbury
Best Outfield Arm: Willy Mota

Anyone have any thoughts on these lists?