By Bill Ballew
December 15, 2008

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, 2009.

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TOP TEN PROSPECTS

1. Tommy Hanson, rhp 2. Jason Heyward, of 3. Jordan Schafer, of 4. Gorkys Hernandez, of 5. Freddie Freeman, 1b 6. Cole Rohrbough, lhp 7. Jeff Locke, lhp 8. Julio Teheran, rhp 9. Kris Medlen, rhp 10. Craig Kimbrel, rhp

BEST TOOLS

Best Hitter for Average Jason Heyward Best Power Hitter Cody Johnson Best Strike-Zone Discipline Jason Heyward Fastest Baserunner Gorkys Hernandez Best Athlete Jordan Schafer Best Fastball Craig Kimbrel Best Curveball Cole Rorhbough Best Slider Tommy Hanson Best Changeup Edgar Osuna Best Control Todd Redmond Best Defensive Catcher Clint Sammons Best Defensive Infielder Van Pope Best Infield Arm Brandon Hicks Best Defensive Outfielder Jordan Schafer Best Outfield Arm Jordan Schafer

PROJECTED 2012 LINEUP

Catcher Brian McCann First Base Freddie Freeman Second Base Kelly Johnson Third Base Brandon Hicks Shortstop Yunel Escobar Left Field Gorkys Hernandez Center Field Jordan Schafer Right Field Jason Heyward No. 1 Starter Tommy Hanson No. 2 Starter Jair Jurrjens No. 3 Starter Tim Hudson No. 4 Starter Cole Rohrbough No. 5 Starter Charlie Morton Closer Craig Kimbrel

TOP PROSPECTS OF THE DECADE

Year Player, Position 2008 1999 Bruce Chen, lhp Out of baseball 2000 Rafael Furcal, ss Dodgers 2001 Wilson Betemit, ss Yankees 2002 Wilson Betemit, ss Yankees 2003 Adam Wainwright, rhp Cardinals 2004 Andy Marte, 3b Indians 2005 Jeff Francouer, of Braves 2006 Jarrod Saltalamacchia, c Rangers 2007 Jarrod Saltalamacchia, c Rangers 2008 Jordan Schafer, of Braves

TOP DRAFT PICKS OF THE DECADE

Year Player, Position 2008 1999 Matt Butler, rhp (2nd round) Out of baseball 2000 Adam Wainwright, rhp Cardinals 2001 Macay McBride, lhp Tigers 2002 Jeff Francouer, of Braves 2003 Luis Atilano, rhp (1st round supp.) Nationals 2004 Eric Campbell (2nd round) Braves 2005 Joey Devine, rhp Athletics 2006 Cody Johnson, of Braves 2007 Jason Heyward, of Braves 2008 Brett DeVall, lhp Braves

LARGEST BONUSES IN CLUB HISTORY

Jeff Francouer, 2002 $2,200,000 Matt Belisle, 1998 $1,750,000 Jason Heyward, 2007 $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 2008 Draft: Braves (Basic Database) 2008 Draft: Braves  (Advanced Database) 2008 Draft Report Cards: Atlanta Braves  Complete Index of Top 10 Prospects Pre-Order the 2009 Prospect Handbook

No team in baseball, particularly one that has established themselves as perennial contenders, ever wants to use the "R" word. And while the Braves may not be in a complete rebuilding mode after posting their worst record since 1990 and failing to reach the playoffs for the third straight year, they're doing some serious retooling.

Major changes began in earnest at the conclusion of the 2007 season, when John Schuerholz became the club's president and passed the general manager reins to right-hand man Frank Wren. Since then, Edgar Renteria and Mark Teixeira have been traded, Andruw Jones has left as a free agent and Tom Glavine and John Smoltz have hit the free-agent market as well. Undaunted by giving up five prospects for Teixeira in a 2006 trade that will turn out to be one of Schuerolz's most regrettable moves, Atlanta sent four youngsters (most notably catcher Tyler Flowers) to the White Sox for Javier Vazquez and Boone Logan this winter.

For the most part, however, the Braves have been trying to get younger. Dealing Renteria and Teixeira yielding building blocks such as Jair Jurrjens, Casey Kotchman and outfield prospect Gorkys Hernandez. Atlanta put together its run of 14 consecutive playoff trips from 1991-2005 by constantly replenishing the big league roster with fresh, homegrown talent, and that blueprint for success remains intact.

Six of the Braves' eight lineup regulars in 2009 were drafted and developed by the club, and the farm system features as much depth as ever. Scouting director Roy Clark and his staff have filled the organization with several high-profile prospects with productive drafts throughout the current decade.

Outfielder Jason Heyward, the system's top position prospect, was selected with the 14th overall pick in 2007, but Atlanta has excelled in finding prospects outside of the first round. Righthander Tommy Hanson, the sensation of the Arizona Fall League was a 22nd-rounder in 2005 and part of the now-defunct draft-and-follow process that also netted the Braves lefthander Cole Rohrbough (22nd round in 2006), Flowers (33rd in 2005) and outfielder Brandon Jones (24th in 2003). They also grabbed outfielder Jordan Schafer (third round in 2005) and righthander Kris Medlen (10th round in 2006) far lower in the draft than their talents would merit today.

Atlanta also has reasserted itself on the worldwide front, starting with the hiring of Johnny Almaraz as director of international scouting and operations in late 2006. He oversaw the construction of a state-of-the-art facility in the Dominican Republic that opened in 2007, and he and his scouting network are making inroads elsewhere in Latin America as well.

In the last two years, the Braves have signed such talents as righthander Julio Teheran out of Colombia, righthy Randall Delgado and catcher Christian Bethancourt out of the Panama and lefties Santos Rodriguez (part of the Vazquez deal) and Carlos Perez out of the Dominican. Teheran, who cost $850,000, was the top pitcher on the international market in 2007. They also have intensified their efforts in Taiwan, landing righty Wei Cheng Huang and catcher Meng Hsiu Tsai.

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