Chris Reed had more than twice the number of votes of his opponents, so I decided to declare him winner and move on to the #6 Prospect. Reed won despite just 7 innings of professional experience, beating out fellow former 1st round pick Chris Withrow, toolsy outfielder Joc Pederson, and 2011 Dodger Minor League Pitcher of the year Shawn Tolleson.
This next vote should be more interesting since there wasn't a clear runner up for prospect #5, and we'll let this one simmer all the way until Wednesday morning. I didn't add anyone this time around, but will add a few names next time.
Here are the candidates for the Dodgers #6 prospect:
Joc Pederson - OF (19.5 years old) - Pederson's name was scattered all over the Pioneer League Leaderboard after a big offensive season that saw him hit .353 with 11 homers, 24 SB's, and a .997 OPS. As I mentioned last year he has 5-tool potential, although none of his 5 tools seem to have a particularly high ceiling. Scouts don't think he'll be able to handle center field in the big leagues, but believe he can play either corner outfield spot.
Chris Withrow - RHP (22.5 years old) - Withrow had a quiet, yet solid campaign in 2011 as he posted a 4.20 ERA in AA to go along with a 3.86 FIP and a 9.1 K/9. He continues to struggle with control, but is armed with a hard fastball, a very good curveball, and a changeup that Baseball America calls fringy. He's still in the rotation for now, although there have been talks that he could move to the bullpen if he can't improve his walk rate.
James Baldwin - OF (20 years old) - Baldwin started the 2011 season on fire, and while he cooled down as the year progressed he still finished with 10 homers, 22 stolen bases, and a .828 OPS. Many people call him the most exciting prospect since Matt Kemp, although Baldwin struggles with strikeouts much more than Kemp did. He should have no trouble handling center field as he moves up through the minors.
Javy Guerra - RHP (26 years old) - While he won't qualify as a rookie next season, he didn't quite reach the 50 IP mark in the big leagues so will still be considered a prospect in this vote. I probably don't need to provide and color here since he spent most of the 2011 season with the Dodgers, so everyone should be very familiar with him by now. Community votes to exclude him since he is no longer a rookie
Alfredo Silverio - OF (24.5 years old) - Signed way back in 2003, Silverio finally figured out how to make good use of the athleticism that scouts have seen in him for years. This past season the outfielder led the Southern League in total bases, and hit .306 with 16 homers and a .883 OPS. He also showed good speed with a minor league high 18 triples, but was caught in 12 of his 23 SB attempts. While he spent most of the 2011 in center field, it remains to be seen if he'll be able to handle that position at the big league level.
Angelo Songco - 1B (23 years old) - Songco had a monster season for the Quakes in 2011, leading the California League in doubles and total bases while hitting .313 with 29 homers and 114 RBI's. He's always had a ton of raw power, and it finally showed this past year. He made the switch from left field to 1st base during the season, but overall doesn't have much defensive value so he's going to have to continue to hit as he moves up through the system.
Jonathan Garcia - OF (20 years old) - Garcia got off to a hot start in 2011 and showed good power throughout the season with 19 homers, but he ended the year in a major slump and hit just .228 for the season. He was one of the youngest players in the Midwest League, however, and has plenty of time to improve and mature. On defense Garcia has a strong arm and should be able to handle right field as he moves up through the system.
Shawn Tolleson - RHP (23.75 years old) - Tolleson flew through the minor leagues in 2011, advancing from LoA to AA and dominating everywhere he went. His combined stats were ridiculous as he had a 1.17 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, a 1.59 FIP, and a 13.7 K/9 over 69 innings. His cutter is by far his best pitch, which by most accounts is nearly unhittable for lower level minor leaguers. He also mixes in a solid fastball, which apparently hit 97 mph last season on a good night, and a slider.
Angel Sanchez - RHP (22 years old) - Sanchez literally came out of nowhere in 2011 and had a very good season for the Great Lakes Loons. Signed out of the Dominican Republic, he jumped straight to the Midwest League and had a 2.82 ERA, a 3.46 FIP, a 7.6 K/9, and a .198 batting average against. He throws a hard fastball that can reach 97 mph, and he also has a curveball and changeup.
Please use this post as the discussion thread, and cast your actual vote in this Fanpost.