Ask BA: Who Just Missed The Top 100?

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Q:So we now know who made the Top 100 Prospects list, but who just missed?

Everyone,
Every year

BA:
Yes, this is the one time each year that we know we’ll receive this question for Ask BA. We know as soon as you get the Top 100 Prospects list in your hand, you’ll be wondering who just missed the list.

This year the just-missed list is a little longer and meatier than usual because the back of this year’s list was even more wide open—with more varied opinions—than usual.

A little insight to the process: We get the Baseball America staff to rank their Top 150 Prospects, and we put those lists into a spreadsheet to see if we can find a consensus. Once we have that list, we sit down and mull over the adjustments.

In some order, the next 20 who just missed the Top 100 were Alex Jackson, Archie Bradley, Byung-ho Park, Chance Sisco, Duane Underwood, Dylan Bundy, Frankie Montas, Garrett Whitley, Hunter Harvey, James Kaprielian, Jameson Taillon, Jorge Alfaro, Josh Naylor, Kyle Freeland, Mark Appel, Matt Chapman, Reese McGuire, Spencer Adams, Tim Cooney, Tyler Kolek and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

In our discussions Sisco, Harvey, Taillon, Whitley and Bradley all came the closest to making the list.
Andrew Knapp (No. 96) was the last player to place on all six ballots.

There were 208 players who landed somewhere on at least one ballot, including:

A.J. Cole, Albert Almora, Alen Hanson, Alex Blandino, Andrew Velazquez, Antonio Senzatela, Aramis Garcia, Ashe Russell, Austin Barnes, Austin Riley, Beau Burrows, Billy McKinney, Brandon Nimmo, Brian Johnson, Bubba Starling, Casey Gillaspie, Chad Pinder, Chris Shaw, Christin Stewart, Clint Coulter, Cole Tucker, Colin Moran, Conner Greene, Dan Vogelbach, Daniel Robertson, Derek Fisher, Deven Marrero, Domingo Acevedo, Drew Jackson, Dylan Cease, Edwin Diaz, Forrest Wall, Franklyn Kilome, Gavin Cecchini, Gilbert Lara, Jack Flaherty, Jacob Faria, Jacob Nottingham, John Lamb, Jomar Reyes, Jon Harris, Jordan Patterson, Josh Hader, Ke’Bryan Hayes, Keury Mella, Kevin Newman, Kodi Medeiros, Lucas Sims, Lucius Fox, Luke Weaver, Mallex Smith, Marco Gonzales, Matt Duffy, Matt Olson, Max Fried, Micah Johnson, Michael Feliz, Miguel Almonte, Mike Gerber, Mikie Mahtook, Nick Travieso, Oscar de la Cruz, Phillip Ervin, Raimel Tapia, Ramon Flores, Renato Nunez, Richard Urena, Richie Martin, Rob Refsnyder, Roman Quinn, Ronald Acuna, Rowdy Tellez, Ruddy Giron, Sam Conrood, Sam Travis, Sandy Alcantara, Sean Reid-Foley, Taylor Guerrieri, Taylor Ward, Trayce Thompson, Trevor Story, Trey Mancini, Trey Michalczewski, Tyler Beede, Tyler White, Wilkerman Garcia, Wilmer Difo and Yaisel Sierra.

So what is the importance of this list? Let’s take a look at the past just-missed lists.

In 2015, we highlighted 15 players who just missed. Clint Frazier, Bradley Zimmer, Brent Honeywell, Brett Phillips and Jorge Polanco climbed from last year’s just-missed list to this year’s Top 100. Austin Hedges and Mike Foltynewicz and Greg Bird graduated to the big leagues. Max Pentecost (shoulder injury) and Nick Kingham (Tommy John surgery) did not garner any votes this year because of injuries. Matt Olson and Micah Johnson returned to the “others receiving votes” list while Kohl Stewart, Justin O’Conner and Hunter Dozier carry more concerns this year than they did a year ago.

In 2014, our top 10 just missed players were White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson, Nationals outfielder Brian Goodwin, Nationals righthander A.J. Cole and Reds outfielders Jesse Winker and Phillip Ervin. Others were Rays shortstop Hak-Ju Lee, Royals lefty Sean Manaea, Royals righthander Miguel Almonte, Twins righthander Jose Berrios and Orioles infielder Jonathan Schoop.

Looking two years later, Berrios (No. 28), Anderson (No. 45), Manaea (No. 48), and Winker (No. 51) are all in the Top 100 now. Cole, Goodwin, Almonte and Ervin are all on the others receiving votes list this year and Schoop has graduated to the big leagues. Only Hak-Ju Lee has slid significantly since then and in his case there was a serious knee injury involved.

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