BA's Florida State League Top 20 Prospects
 

FLORIDA STATE LEAGUE
TOP 20 PROSPECTS
1. Jose Fernandez, rhp, Jupiter (Marlins)
2. Gerrit Cole, rhp, Bradenton (Pirates)
3. Jameson Taillon, rhp, Bradenton (Pirates)
4. Christian Yelich, of, Jupiter (Marlins)
5. Nick Castellanos, 3b, Lakeland (Tgers)
6. Enny Romero, lhp, Charlotte (Rays)
7. Oswaldo Arcia, of, Fort Myers (Twins)
8. Tyler Austin, of, Tampa (Yankees)
9. Gary Sanchez, c, Tampa (Yankees)
10. Jesse Biddle, lhp, Clearwater (Phillies)
11. Jake Marisnick, of, Dunedin (Blue Jays)
12. Adam Morgan, lhp, Clearwater (Phillies)
13. Avisail Garcia, of, Lakeland (Tigers)
14. Bruce Rondon, rhp, Lakeland (Tigers)
15. Marcell Ozuna, of, Jupiter (Marlins)
16. Jimmy Nelson, rhp, Brevard County (Brewers)
17. Slade Heathcott, of, Tampa (Yankees)
18. Nik Turley, lhp, Tampa (Yankees)
19. Wilmer Flores, 3b, St. Lucie (Mets)
20. Gift Ngoepe, ss, Bradenton (Pirates)

Most leagues are lucky if one or two elite pitching prospects make an appearance during the season. In 2012, the high Class A Florida State League had two of the game's top 10 pitching prospects on the same team.

Righthanders Gerrit Cole, the No. 1 pick in the 2011 draft, and Jameson Taillon, the No. 2 selection in 2010, spent the first two months together at Bradenton before Cole was promoted to Double-A. As impressive as they were, the Marauders finished with the FSL's second-worst record and another frontline starter, Jupiter's Jose Fernandez, earned the nod as the league's top prospect.

Fernandez and Cole were two of four 2011 first-rounders to spend significant time in the league. The others, Brevard County righthander Taylor Jungmann and lefty Jed Bradley, failed to make this list. Jupiter also claimed the top position prospect in the league, with outfielder Christian Yelich beating out Lakeland third baseman Nick Castellanos for that honor.

That's an impressive list. 1/3 of baseballs overall top 15 prospects for 2013

Glad to see enny Romero up there as well!

Nice to see Ngoepe on there. Amazing story with that kid if anyone wants to learn about him. To have progressed this far from where he came from is simply unreal. Even if his hitting doesn't develop any more, he still has the glove to be a starting SS in the majors.

Nice, I expect to see heathcott in an actual Yankees uniform in the not so distant future if he stays healthy

Cole passed Taillon... interesting.

Nice, i met the Top 4 at games and got them to sign for me. also got Ozuna on that list