MiLB Top 10 Prospects Flashback: 1987 Northwest League

By Matt Eddy
on September 18, 2020

The short-season Northwest League had a banner season for future talent in 1987, the year the draft was streamlined into one June phase. For the first time, players from high school, college and junior college were draft-eligible at the same time. This created a situation in which prep outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. (No. 1) and juco righthander Kevin Appier (No. 6), the first and ninth overall picks in 1987, could debut together immediately after signing.

1987 Northwest League Top 10 Prospects

No	Player	Pos	Team	Org	PA/IP	WAR
1	Ken Griffey Jr.	OF	Bellingham	Mariners	11,304	77.7
2	Mike Erb	RHP	Salem	Angels	—	—
3	Kevin Garner	RHP	Salem	Angels	—	—
4	John Orton	C	Salem	Angels	448	-0.1
5	Tom Gordon	RHP	Eugene	Royals	2,108	32.8
6	Kevin Appier	RHP	Eugene	Royals	2,595	57.3
7	Jose Valentin	SS	Spokane	Padres	6,317	30.3
8	Eric Gunderson	LHP	Everett	Giants	229	-0.1
9	Bobby Moore	OF	Eugene	Royals	15	0
10	Lee Tinsley	OF	Medford	Athletics	979	1.4

Griffey made a rousing pro debut, hitting .313 with 14 homers and 13 steals in 54 games. “He can do anything he wants,” one manager said of Griffey’s obvious five-tool potential.

Appier recorded a 3.04 ERA in 15 starts, striking out 72 in 77 innings with an “above-average major league arm,” including a “good live fastball, change and slider.”

Five-foot-9 Tom Gordon (No. 5) struck out 91 batters in 72 innings with “incredible arm speed and the makings of an outstanding curveball.” Gordon peaked at 94 mph on the “slow” JUGS radar gun in use at the time; his curve would become one of the deadliest in the majors.

“He’s so smooth and sure-handed it’s hard to believe he’s only 17,” one manager said of Jose Valentin (No. 7). He hit .250 with strong “discipline at the plate” for Spokane. Valentin would later develop big power for a shortstop, swatting 249 big league homers.

No other single Northwest League season can hold a candle to 1987. Future stars to play in the league include Jose Canseco (1983), Mike Hampton (1991), Miguel Tejada (1995), Carlos Beltran (1996), Felix Hernandez (2003), Josh Donaldson (2007) and Kris Bryant (2013).

Northwest League All-Time BA No. 1 Prospects

Players listed with career major league plate appearances/innings and FanGraphs WAR. Stats for active players current through mid August.

Year	Player	Pos	Team	Org	PA/IP	WAR
1982	Jimmy Jones	RHP	Walla Walla	Padres	755	-0.6
1983	Bill Wilkinson	LHP	Bellingham	Mariners	113	1.4
1984	Todd Burns	RHP	Medford	Athletics	490	6.6
1985	Clint Zavaras	RHP	Bellingham	Mariners	52	-0.1
1986	Lee Stevens	OF/1B	Salem	Angels	3,724	1.4
1987	Ken Griffey Jr.	OF	Bellingham	Mariners	11,304	77.7
1988	Stan Royer	3B	Southern Oregon	Athletics	169	-0.3
1989	Roger Salkeld	RHP	Bellingham	Mariners	189	0.5
Year	Player	Pos	Team	Org	PA/IP	WAR
1990	Todd Van Poppel	RHP	Southern Oregon	Athletics	907	-0.4
1991	Troy Percival	RHP	Boise	Angels	709	18.9
1992	Jason Hutchins	RHP	Bend	Rockies	—	—
1993	Jeff Granger	LHP	Eugene	Royals	32	-1.0
1994	Ben Grieve	OF	Southern Oregon	Athletics	3,743	6.7
1995	Miguel Tejada	SS	Southern Oregon	Athletics	9,205	39.7
1996	Mike Caruso	SS	Bellingham	Giants	1,140	-1.4
1997	Dee Brown	OF	Spokane	Royals	874	-4.0
1998	Paul Phillips	C	Spokane	Royals	238	0.2
1999	Kyle Snyder	RHP	Spokane	Royals	238	-0.3
Year	Player	Pos	Team	Org	PA/IP	WAR
2000	Freddie Bynum	SS	Vancouver	Athletics	377	-0.4
2001	J.J. Johnson	OF	Boise	Cubs	—	—
2002	Andy Sisco	LHP	Boise	Cubs	148	-0.1
2003	Felix Hernandez	RHP	Everett	Mariners	2,730	56.9
2004	Javier Herrera	OF	Vancouver	Athletics	—	—
2005	Shane Lindsay	RHP	Tri-City	Rockies	6	-0.2
2006	Tyler Colvin	OF	Boise	Cubs	1,316	1.9
2007	Mat Latos	RHP	Eugene	Padres	1,153	16.7
2008	Josh Vitters	3B	Boise	Cubs	109	-1.4
2009	Hak-Ju Lee	SS	Boise	Cubs	—	—
Year	Player	Pos	Team	Org	PA/IP	WAR
2010	Jurickson Profar	SS	Spokane	Rangers	1,924	4.2
2011	Justin Nicolino	LHP	Vancouver	Blue Jays	201	0.7
2012	Mike Zunino	C	Everett	Mariners	2,434	13.9
2013	Kris Bryant	3B	Boise	Cubs	3,175	27.9
2014	Franklin Barreto	SS	Vancouver	Blue Jays	216	-0.5
2015	Dansby Swanson	SS	Hillsboro	D-backs	1,879	4.6
2016	Leody Taveras	OF	Spokane	Rangers	0	0.0
2017	Cole Ragans	LHP	Spokane	Rangers	—	—
2018	Joey Bart	C	Salem-Keizer	Giants	5	0.1
2019	Kristian Robinson	OF	Hillsboro	D-Backs	—	—