Tom Brennan - Majoring on the Minors: Top 30 Prospects - #1 Noah Syndergaard

MAJORING ON THE MINORS: TOP 30 PROSPECTS – #1 NOAH SYNDERGAARD – Tom Brennan

I’m doing my Top 30 Prospects articles a bit differently – in 2 lists:

·       A top 10 list of lower minors guys who likely won’t show up until 2017 or later.  See list at end of this article. 

·       Followed by my top 20 list of guys who are closing in on the big leagues.  Guys who could help in the near future or be trade bait.

Here is the list so far:

20.   Daniel Muno

19.   Michael Fulmer

18.   Miller Diaz

17.   Dario Alvarez

16.   Jayce Boyd

15.   Rob Whalen

14.   Hansel Robles

13.   Gabriel Ynoa

12.   Gavin Cecchini

11.   Jack Leathersich

10.   Cory Mazzoni

9.      Cesar Puello

8.      Matt Bowman

7.      Akeel Morris

6.      Matt Reynolds

5.      Brandon Nimmo

4.      Kevin Plawecki

3.      Dilson Herrera

2.      Steve Matz

Let me state that I left Rafael Montero off this list, figuring that his 44 big league innings are enough to say, “no longer a prospect, but now a bona fide big leaguer” in my book.

It has been a long road to Tipperary with these 30 articles.  29 prospect ranking articles before today.  Today, finally, selection #1:

NOAH SYNDERGAARD:  Thank you RA Dickey.  Travis d'Arnaud and, very soon, Noah Syndergaard, or Thor for short, have come from the loins of your trade to the Jays – not to mention Wuilmer Becerra, my 7^th ranked lower minors prospect.  Ahh, generosity.

Thor, the weights-pumping giant, who can dead lift the equivalent of two Bartolo Colons at a time, also is in possession of an arm that throws high 90s bullets and the El Diablo Terry Collins Saturday Special, the curve ball deemed the "hook from hell”. 

Considered by many to be future #1starter material, or #2 material, Thor will choose door #1.

Just careful not overdoing the weight thing, sir, to stay healthy there, and I hear if you book a June flight from Vegas to Laguardia, the fares are really cheap, so please do so today.

He is huge and should be very imposing when he gets here.  Last year's so-so #s in Las Vegas were not so bad if you normalize them for a more normal pitching environment...and hooks from hades work better at sea level in humid air, which Citifield is proud to say it has plenty of.  When Thor arrives, the young starting staff will be Stud Central.  Can't wait.

Someone that strong can give the whole team a lift.  How about 10 reps, as in 10 titles in 10 years. He's big, so I'm thinking big.  Some guys project a prospect's floor and ceiling...I normally do not, but for him, ceiling? Roger Clemens.  Floor? Don Drysdale.  Now, about that plane ticket...

MY TOP 10 LOWER MINORS LIST:

# 1 - Marcos Molina

#2 – Michael Conforto

#3 – Amed Rosario

#4 – Dominic Smith

#5 - Jhoan Urena

#6 – Vicente Lupo

#7 – Wuilmer Becerra

#8 – Luis Guillorme

#9 - Casey Meisner

#10 - Milton Ramos

Next article: I will combine my 2 lists into a single ranking of 30 guys.