By Jim Shonerd
December 2, 2011



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, 2011.

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TOP TEN PROSPECTS

1. Zach Lee, rhp 2. Allen Webster, rhp 3. Nate Eovaldi, rhp 4. Alfredo Silverio, of 5. Chris Reed, lhp 6. Garrett Gould, rhp 7. Chris Withrow, rhp 8. Josh Lindblom, rhp 9. Joc Pederson, of 10. Tim Federowicz, c

BEST TOOLS

Best Hitter for Average Joc Pederson Best Power Hitter Kyle Russell Best Strike-Zone Discipline Gorman Erickson Fastest Baserunner James Baldwin III Best Athlete James Baldwin III Best Fastball Nate Eovaldi Best Curveball Garrett Gould Best Slider Chris Reed Best Changeup Allen Webster Best Control Zach Lee Best Defensive Catcher Tim Federowicz Best Defensive Infielder Pedro Baez Best Infield Arm Pedro Baez Best Defensive Outfielder James Baldwin III Best Outfield Arm Blake Smith

PROJECTED 2015 LINEUP

Catcher Tim Federowicz First Base Jerry Sands Second Base Ivan De Jesus Jr. Third Base Alex Santana Shortstop Dee Gordon Left Field Joc Pederson Center Field Matt Kemp Right Field Alfredo Silverio No. 1 Starter Clayton Kershaw No. 2 Starter Zach Lee No. 3 Starter Chad Billingsley No. 4 Starter Allen Webster No. 5 Starter Nate Eovaldi Closer Kenley Jansen

TOP PROSPECTS OF THE DECADE

Year Player, Position 2011 Org. 2002 Ricardo Rodriguez, rhp Out of baseball 2003 James Loney, 1b Dodgers 2004 Edwin Jackson, rhp Cardinals 2005 Joel Guzman, ss/of Chunichi (Japan) 2006 Chad Billingsley, rhp Dodgers 2007 Andy LaRoche, 3b Athletics 2008 Clayton Kershaw, lhp Dodgers 2009 Andrew Lambo, of Pirates 2010 Dee Gordon, ss Dodgers 2011 Zach Lee, rhp Dodgers

TOP DRAFT PICKS OF THE DECADE

Year Player, Position 2011 Org. 2002 James Loney, 1b Dodgers 2003 Chad Billingsley, rhp Dodgers 2004 Scott Elbert, lhp Dodgers 2005 *Luke Hochevar, rhp (1st round supp.) Royals 2006 Clayton Kershaw, lhp Dodgers 2007 Chris Withrow, rhp Dodgers 2008 Ethan Martin, rhp Dodgers 2009 Aaron Miller, lhp (1st round supp.) Dodgers 2010 Zach Lee, rhp Dodgers 2011 Chris Reed, lhp Dodgers *Did not sign.

LARGEST BONUSES IN CLUB HISTORY

Hiroki Kuroda, 2007 $7,300,000 Zach Lee, 2010 $5,250,000 Clayton Kershaw, 2006 $2,300,000 Joel Guzman, 2001 $2,255,000 Ben Diggins, 2000 $2,200,000

DODGERS LINKS

Dodgers Team Page Dodgers Top 10 Scouting Reports  Last Year's Dodgers Top 10 Prospects 2011 Draft: Dodgers (Basic Database) 2011 Draft: Dodgers  (Advanced Database) 2011 Draft Report Cards: Los Angeles Dodgers  Complete Index of Top 10 Prospects Pre-Order the 2012 Prospect Handbook

After two years that have been like a bad dream that wouldn't end for Dodgers fans, there's finally hope that the franchise will be able to move forward in 2012.

In early November, embattled owner Frank McCourt agreed to sell the team and Dodger Stadium via auction, ending a saga that began when McCourt and wife Jamie, then the team's CEO, announced the end of their marriage in October 2009. What followed were two years of court battles over control of the franchise, first between Frank and Jamie McCourt, then between Frank McCourt and Major League Baseball. MLB accused McCourt of taking $189 million out of the team to fund an extravagant lifestyle.

MLB took the fight to McCourt in April by appointing a trustee to oversee the team's day-to-day operations in an attempt to remove him from power. The battle for control of the team's finances continued throughout the summer, with commissioner Bud Selig rejecting a 17-year, $3 billion television deal with Fox that would have given McCourt a desperately needed influx of cash. McCourt and the league neared a bankruptcy settlement in November, with the team and stadium expected to bring $1 billion or more at auction.

A 2011 season that also included the near-fatal beating of a Giants fan in a Dodgers Stadium parking lot on Opening Day and the club's lowest attendance in 11 years did provide some welcome on-field highlights. Homegrown players Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw blossomed into two of the game's brightest stars. Kershaw won the National League Cy Young Award and pitching triple crown, while Kemp nearly won the hitting triple crown and took home Baseball America Major League Player of the Year honors.

Though Los Angeles fell out of the playoff race by midseason, it went 41-28 after the all-star break and managed to finish with a winning 82-79 record under rookie manager Don Mattingly. The farm system provided plenty of contributions, most notably Dee Gordon, who hit .304 and showed spectacular defensive ability at shortstop. Rubby de la Rosa, Javy Guerra, Kenley Jansen and Jerry Sands also showed promise, though de la Rosa needed Tommy John surgery after starting his big league career 4-5, 3.71.

With Gordon and Sands graduating to the majors and Trayvon Robinson traded to the Mariners, the Dodgers lack potential impact position players outside of outfielder Alfredo Silverio. There's plenty more in the pitching pipeline, however, from top prospect Zach Lee to the cadre of arms who pitched at Double-A Chattanooga last year, such as Allen Webster, Nate Eovaldi, Chris Withrow and Josh Lindblom.

McCourt's financial woes have taken their toll on the team's ability to bring in amateur talent. Los Angeles spent just $3.5 million on its 2011 draft class, the fifth-lowest bonus total in baseball and less than the heavily backloaded $5.25 million deal it gave Lee alone in 2010.

The Dodgers' once-strong presence in Latin America also has greatly diminished. Silverio is the only international signee on our Top 10 Prospects list, as the team has been relegated to hoping it can strike gold with bargain deals such as the $50,000 it gave him in 2003 or the $15,000 it cost them to sign de la Rosa in 2007.

Scouting reports for the Top 10 Prospects  (How to subscribe)

Pre-Order the 2012 Prospect Handbook 30 scouting reports on every team