Complete Index of League Top 20s

By Aaron Fitt
October 4, 2005

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Chat Wrap: Aaron Fitt took your Southern League questions

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TOP 20 PROSPECTS

1. Delmon Young, of, Montgomery 2. Jeremy Hermida, of, Carolina 3. Jeff Francoeur, of, Mississippi 4. Chris Young, of, Birmingham 5. Chad Billingsley, rhp, Jacksonville 6. Joel Guzman, ss, Jacksonville 7. Andy LaRoche, 3b, Jacksonville 8. Felix Pie, of, West Tenn 9. Brian McCann, c, Mississippi 10. Russell Martin, c, Jacksonville 11. Scott Olsen, lhp, Carolina 12. Matt Murton, of, West Tenn 13. Bobby Jenks, rhp, Birmingham 14. Jonathan Broxton, rhp, Jacksonville 15. Rich Hill, lhp, West Tenn 16. Dustin Nippert, rhp, Tennessee 17. Ricky Nolasco, rhp, West Tenn 18. Renyel Pinto, lhp, West Tenn 19. Chuck James, lhp, Mississippi 20. Elijah Dukes, of, Montgomery

The Double-A Southern League featured so much talent this year that our Top 20 Prospects list easily could have been expanded to include 50 players—and those at the bottom of the list might very well have made the Top 20 in other leagues. Not only did the SL have depth, but the quality of its best prospects also set it apart.

Delmon Young, the top prospect in the minors, won the SL MVP award despite a mid-July promotion to Triple-A. Jeremy Hermida, Jeff Francoeur, Brian McCann, Bobby Jenks and Scott Olsen all became impact players for major league contenders after their stints in the league. Young, Francoeur, Chris Young, Felix Pie and Elijah Dukes are all five-tool talents.

There were so many good hitters that Chad Billingsley, who might be the top pitching prospect in the minor leagues now that Felix Hernandez has been promoted to the majors, checked in as the SL's No. 5 prospect. Billingsley led an incredible collection of talent at Jacksonville, which placed five players on the Top 20. West Tenn also had five players on the list, including a trio of intriguing pitching prospects.

"Just about every team--especially in the first half of season, before players move up--had good players," Huntsville manager Don Money said. "Many of these guys will be in the big leagues for a long time."

Subscribers can access scouting reports on all twenty players. (How to subscribe)