By Bill Ballew
January 2, 2007

Baseball America's Top 10 Prospects lists are based on projections of a player's long-term worth after discussions with scouting and player-development personnel. All players who haven't exceeded the major league rookie standards of 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched (without regard to service time) are eligible. Ages are as of April 1, 2007.

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TOP TEN PROSPECTS

1. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, c 2. Elvis Andrus, ss 3. Matt Harrison, lhp 4. Brandon Jones, of 5. Van Pope, 3b 6. Eric Campbell, 3b 7. Scott Thorman, 1b/of 8. Jo-Jo Reyes, lhp 9. Joey Devine, rhp 10. Yunel Escobar, inf

BEST TOOLS

Best Hitter for Average Jarrod Saltalamacchia Best Power Hitter Scott Thorman Best Strike-Zone Discipline Wes Timmons Fastest Baserunner Ovandy Suero Best Athlete Brandon Jones Best Fastball Neftali Feliz Best Curveball Cory Rasmus Best Slider Joey Devine Best Changeup Steve Evarts Best Control Matt Harrison Best Defensive Catcher Clint Sammons Best Defensive Infielder Van Pope Best Infield Arm Van Pope Best Defensive Outfielder Jordan Schafer Best Outfield Arm Jon Mark Owings

PROJECTED 2010 LINEUP

Catcher Brian McCann First Base Adam LaRoche Second Base Edgar Renteria Third Base Chipper Jones Shortstop Elvis Andrus Left Field Jarrod Saltalamacchia Center Field Andruw Jones Right Field Jeff Francoeur No. 1 Starter Tim Hudson No. 2 Starter Kyle Davies No. 3 Starter Matt Harrison No. 4 Starter Jo-Jo Reyes No. 5 Starter Chuck James Closer Rafael Soriano

TOP PROSPECTS OF THE DECADE

Year Player, Position 2006 1997 Andruw Jones, of Braves 1998 Bruce Chen, lhp Orioles 1999 Bruce Chen, lhp Orioles 2000 Rafael Furcal, ss Dodgers 2001 Wilson Betemit, ss Dodgers 2002 Wilson Betemit, ss Dodgers 2003 Adam Wainwright, rhp Cardinals 2004 Andy Marte, 3b Indians 2005 Jeff Francoer, of Braves 2006 Jarrod Saltalamacchia, c Braves

TOP DRAFT PICKS OF THE DECADE

Year Player, Position 2006 1997 Troy Cameron, ss Out of baseball 1998 Matt Belisle, rhp (2nd round) Reds 1999 Matt Butler, rhp (2nd round) Out of baseball 2000 Adam Wainwright, rhp Cardinals 2001 Macay McBride, lhp Braves 2002 Jeff Francoer, of Braves 2003 Luis Atilano Nationals 2004 Eric Campbell, 3b (2nd round) Braves 2005 Joey Devine, rhp Braves 2006 Cody Johnson, of Braves

LARGEST BONUSES IN CLUB HISTORY

Jeff Francoer, 2002 $2,200,000 Matt Belisle, 1998 $1,750,000 Jung Bong, 1997 $1,700,000 Cody Johnson, 2006 $1,375,000 Macay McBride, 2001 $1,340,000

BRAVES LINKS

Braves' Team Page Braves Top 10 Scouting Reports  Last Year's Braves Top 10 Prospects 2006 Draft: Braves (Basic Database) 2006 Draft: Braves  (Advanced Database) 2006 Draft Report Cards: NL East  Complete Index of Top 10 Prospects Pre-Order the 2007 Prospect Handbook

 

Since winning the first of their record 14 consecutive division championships in 1991, the Braves never have endured as much change as they have the last two seasons. And though that streak came to an end with a 79-83 third-place finish in 2006, Atlanta still has plenty of young talent that will allow it to contend in the future.

The Braves began their makeover in 2005, en route to perhaps the most surprising of their playoff berths. Atlanta used 18 rookies—12 of whom made their major league debuts—while Jeff Francoeur and Brian McCann already have established themselves as cornerstones the franchise will build around.

The influx of young talent continued in 2006, if to a less dramatic extent, with Chuck James the most significant rookie. But the year was more notable for the changes in the front office.

Assistant general manager in charge of baseball operations Dayton Moore long had been considered one of the game's top GM prospects and a possible successor to Atlanta GM John Schuerholz. After pulling out of the running for the Red Sox job last winter, Moore accepted the Royals' offer to run their franchise. He left right after the June draft, and by the end of the season he brought Braves farm director J.J. Picollo, international scouting supervisor Rene Francisco and minor league pitching coordinator Bill Fischer with him to Kansas City.

To help replace Moore and Picollo, Atlanta expanded the role of legendary scout Paul Snyder. Originally signed by the Milwaukee Braves as a player in 1957, Snyder became scouting director in 1977 and helped build the franchise into a juggernaut. After overseeing both scouting and player development from 1996-1999, he took a step back and became a special assistant to Schuerholz in 2000. Now Snyder is supervising scouting and player development again, with protégé Roy Clark still in place as scouting director and former West Coast crosschecker Kurt Kemp the new farm director.

Though Time Warner is in the process of selling the club and has put some limitations on signing bonuses, Atlanta spent $6.8 million on the 2006 draft, the third-highest figure in baseball. The Braves snapped up four high school pitchers in the first three rounds and 11 hurlers in the first 10 rounds.

Atlanta also inked six draft-and-follows from 2005 in May—most notably righthander Tommy Hanson—and continued to make a splash on the international front. The Braves landed three Cubans in January, most significantly lefthander Francisley Bueno, and acquired Taiwanese righthander Chen-En Hung and Japanese catcher Ryohei Shimabukuro during the summer signing period.

The number of potential major league standouts doesn't compare with the Braves' recent past or the system's heyday in the early 1990s. Then again, very few organizations ever have been as productive.

 

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