Down On The Farm: Profiling Baseball America’s Mid-Season Top 25 Prospects

Here is part 3 of my 3-part series of articles profiling Baseball America's Mid-Season Top 25 prospects.

19. Lonnie Chisenhall-CLE-Chisenhall was drafted in the first round of the 2008 draft and proved that he could man the hot corner in 2009 at High A and AA by going 22-92-.258-.329-.472 with a 96-44 K/BB rate. This year at AA Akron, he is hitting .267-.341-.410 with 8 HRs, 37 RBIs and an improved 38-23 K/BB rate in 266 at bats. Chisenhall could be up with the Indians at some point in 2011 and is a solid choice in keeper leagues.

21. Tyler Matzek-COL-Matzek was the Rockies first round pick in 2009. In 9 starts at Low-A Asheville, Matzek is 2-1 with a 2.44 ERA and a 1.229 WHIP. In 48 IP, he has 50 strikeouts and 27 walks, which is alot of walks, but he is highly thought of amongst prospect experts. Keith Law said here that Matzek has plus fastball-curve combo, but BA states that his FB is sitting in the 89-92 range, after touching 98 in high school. Something to watch with Matzek. Matzek is pitching in Low-A, so he is several years from making the big leagues.

23. Kyle Drabek-TOR-Drabek was dealt to the Blue Jays in the offseason deal that sent Roy Halladay to the Phillies. Drabek was a first round pick by the Phillies in the 2006 draft. Drabek went 12-3 with a 150-50 K/BB rate in 2009, with a 3.19 ERA and a 1.209 WHIP. This season, pitching at AA New Hampshire, Drabek is 9-8 with a 3.03 ERA, 1.212 WHIP, and just a 85-46 K/BB rate. His K% is down this season to 6.8/9, but he did recently throw a no-hitter. I think Drabek's prospect status has taken a hit this season, even with BA's top 25 ranking.

25. Tanner Scheppers-TEX-Scheppers is one of the many Rangers prospects coveted by the team. Scheppers was drafted in the first round of the 2009 draft and has moved quickly through the Rangers system. This season he has appeared in 19 games, 5 of which he has started, and has struck out 64 and walked 16 in 50 IP, with a 2.88 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. Scheppers pitched in the MLB Futures game on Sunday night and hit 99 on the radar gun a few times. He could see time in the Rangers bullpen this season and has closer written all over him. The Rangers have a dilemma on their hands in 2011, a good one, as they already have Neftali Feliz closing on the big league roster.

BA also listed their top 26-50 prospects with their mid-season Top 25 and here are a few of the names on their list: Jared Cosart-PHI, Jonathan Singleton-PHI, Ethan Martin-LAD, and John Lamb-KC.