BB Top 10 2B Prospects

The Heros have 3 of the top 7 2B prospects on BB list.
1.Dustin Ackley
2.Brett Lawrie
3.Jason Kipnis
4.Jemile Weeks
5.Jean Segura
6.Reese Havens
7.Johnny Giavotella
8.Billy Hamilton
9.Scooter Gennett
10.Daniel Descalso

Jason Kipnis:

AS: This kid has just come out and raked. I look at his line and can't help but think his numbers better a number of guys on our 1B prospect list. There really aren't any weaknesses in his offensive game. Sweet swing, above average tools and everyone who sees him seems to think he's a guy who will play beyond his tools. I'm drinking the Kipnis Kool-Aid.

JS: A friend turned me onto Kipnis before the season began as a player he thought we be a top 2B prospect by year’s end. It is hard to argue that Kipnis has not become just that. He is an athletic guy and he will stick at 2B, but with the amount of work he needs to be polished at the position, it could delay his major league arrival.

JR: The book on Kipnis coming into the year was that, despite his production at Arizona State, he was undersized, did not have the defensive tools for center field, nor the power potential requisite for a corner spot. The move to second base looks brilliant in retrospect. With one swift move all of those concerns were alleviated, and his frequently praised work ethic has allowed the transition to be as smooth as possible. His batting average and plate discipline are around what was expected, but I do not think anyone anticipated this kind of power out of Kipnis. He certainly looks like an above average regular at second base to me, making the pick a steal for Cleveland.

MH: Kipnis has a good looking bat that plays extremely well at 2B. Good walk rates, solid to above average power and good contact rates. The K rate isn't out of hand either, it actually improved when he moved up to AA along with his ISO. With Cleveland not likely to contend in the next year or two the Indians can take their time developing Kipnis' defense at the keystone. Even with that, I think the bat will be what carries him. Luckily it looks good enough to do just that.

DM: Obviously I love this kid, having ranked him the #1 second baseman. Since we already have a pretty good profile of the kid, I just want to present his and Ackley's triple-slash numbers side-by-side without comment.

Ackley: .260/.386/.381 at AA and .274/.338/.439 at AAA;

Kipnis: .300/.387/.478 at Hi-A and .311/.385/.502 at AA.

And of the two, Kipnis is the one who will likely stay at 2B. Yup, I love this kid, alright.

Reese Havens:

JS: It was recently reported, after this list was compiled, by Adam Rubin that Reese Havens may be getting back surgery. How do his injury woes effect his ranking for you guys, and more specifically an injury as serious as back surgery?

JR: I like the potential in Reese Havens's bat, and I seem to remember the reports on his transition from SS to 2B to be going smoothly. He would have a shot at the number 2 spot if not for the constant injuries that he has endured as a professional, all of which have sounded seemingly minor. The latest has been an oblique strain suffered in mid June that ultimately ended his 2010 campaign, an almost unfathomably long time to recover from an oblique strain. As JD mentioned a report has just came out that he will undergo back surgery this off-season. I really do not know what to make of it just yet, and eagerly await news on the scope of the surgery and estimated recovery time. If he can find that magical elixir that allowed him to play three full seasons at South Carolina, he has the kind of bat that New York would love to pencil into the lineup everyday at second base.

MH: Until we get more info on the severity of the injury and how the surgery goes, I don't want to do much with Havens ranking. He sits at #5 on my list right behind another injury prone player in Jemile Weeks. He might have as much power as anyone on the list, though I'm not sold on him hitting for a high average at the MLB level. If he can stay healthy he can be a valuable player between his solid defense and good power/solid walk rates. That's looking like a big if though.

AS: The back surgery doesn't change much for me. Since he's a Mets player I assumed he would get injured and had already adjusted his ranking for that (kidding!). Seriously... its obviously a negative, but I don't want to overreact until we know more. I was really warming up to Havens. He'd be a great fit in Queens and a refreshing change from Luis Castillo.

Johnny Giavotella

MH: Giavotella isn't flashy and doesn't have a very high ceiling. What he does have is a very good combo of contact ability, strong walk rates, and very low K rates. His power isn't anything special, but I think he's capable of hitting .285/.360/.410 with averagish defense at 2B. Not a star, but a solid regular.

JR: Johnny Giavotella's plate discipline has always been the most impressive part of his game for me. With the move to the Texas League this year, his bat got a bit more interesting. Given the poor marks he usually receives for his defense, his ability to maintain the progress he has made offensively will determine whether he can carve out a role as a solid regular.

AS: Yeah, Giovatella doesn't really impress when you watch him, but he keeps on hitting and doesn't have any major weaknesses in his game.. I really like the approach and the contact ability. Not a flashy player but one who could hang around the majors for a while.