In today’s MLBPipeline Perspectives, Jim Callis and I debated which teams we thought had the best pitching prospects tandem in baseball. Jim went with Jon Gray and Eddie Butler of the Rockies. I opted for the right-handed combo of Jameson Taillon and Tyler Glasnow from the Pirates.
Jim went on to blog his rankings for the top pitching prospect duos in the game over on Callis’ Corner. I must admit I’m a bit dismayed he put my Taillon-Glasnow third on his list, but I’ll get over it.
To extract some measure of revenge, however, I wanted to provide my own rankings, of a sort. I used it in my argument in picking Taillon and Glasnow: the Prospect Points. That’s the system we used to provide an organizational standings from the Top 100 list. I used the same idea — 100 points for the No.1 prospect, 99 for No. 2 (Jon Gray gets 87 points for being No. 14, as a result)., etc. Using this system, here’s how the top tandems in the Top 100 (only one pairing for an organization listed eve if they have more than two pitchers in the Top 100) stack up:
1. Taillon and Glasnow, Pirates: 165 points. I rest my case.
2. Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman, Orioles: 159 points. Jim’s not the only one who can put the O’s No. 2.
3. Gray and Butler, Rockies: 147 points. A distant third.
4. Kyle Zimmer and Yordano Ventura, Royals: 142 points. A lot of power coming towards KC.
5. Alex Meyer and Kohl Stewart, Twins: 134 points. Stewart’s development could raise their stock.
6. Mark Appel and Lance McCullers Jr.: 133 points. Even if McCullers ends up a reliever, this is a good tandem.
7. Henry Owens and Allen Webster, Red Sox: 126. First lefty mentioned on this list.
8. Aaron Sanchez and Marcus Stroman, Blue Jays: 124. If you told me this duo would outperform some ahead, I wouldn’t argue.
9. Archie Bradley and Braden Shipley, D-backs: 118. Shipley is one of my picks for guys in the 51-100 range who could jump up the list in his first full seaosn.
10. Noah Syndergaard and Rafael Montero, Mets: 106. Music to Mets fans ears as both are close to contributing in New York.
11. Andrew Heaney and Justin Nicolino, Marlins: 92. The only double-lefty combo; both could be established in Miami’s rotation by 2015.
12. Lucas Giolito and A.J. Cole, Nationals: 89. I’d keep an eye on this pair, they could move up this ranking in a hurry.
13. Max Fried and Matt Wisler, Padres: 81. I think Fried could establish himself as top lefty by end of year.
14. Kyle Crick and Edwin Escobar, Giants: 75. Interesting combination of power (Crick) and more pitchability (Escobar).
15. Zach Lee and Julio Urias, Dodgers: 75. Urias is so young, but if the lefty keeps doing what he’s done so far, he’ll move up quickly.
16. C.J. Edwards and Pierce Johnson, Cubs: 60. Chicago known more for its hitting prospects right now, but this is still a solid duo.
17. Jake Odorizzi and Taylor Guerrieri, Rays: 52. Guerrieri’s suspension and injury hurt their standing.
