futures market

There are no big surprises in Baseball America’s annual league-by-league prospect rankings, which appear in the Oct. 17-30 issue. Four 2011 Mississippi Braves made the Southern League Top 20, and three of them already have worn a big league uniform. Pitchers Arodys Vizcaino (No. 6) and Randall Delgado (7) played with Atlanta down the stretch, and shortstop Tyler Pastornicky (17) was promoted from Triple-A for the final game, though he didn’t get in. The other prospect, No. 19 Brett Oberholtzer, a lefty starter, was traded to Houston in the Michael Bourn deal. Andrelton Simmons, a shortstop, and Christian Bethancourt, a catcher, were the Nos. 4 and 10 prospects in the Class A Carolina League and figure to play in Pearl at some point next season. Right-hander Zeke Spruill cracked the CL list at No. 11, and he’s already an M-Braves alum, going 3-2 with a 3.20 ERA in seven starts at the end of 2011. Ole Miss product Drew Pomeranz, who made his big league debut with Colorado in September, was rated the CL’s No. 2 prospect. Former Taylorsville High star Billy Hamilton checked in at No. 2 on the Class A Midwest League chart after stealing 103 bases this season. He’s playing shortstop in the Cincinnati system now but apparently doesn’t have the arm for that position and may wind up at second base. The Reds already have Ole Miss product Zack Cozart in line to play short in the big leagues for the foreseeable future. Another former Rebels standout, right-hander David Goforth, went 0-4 with two saves and a 4.43 ERA in his debut season as a Milwaukee farmhand. But he was rated the No. 15 prospect in the rookie level Pioneer League. Former Meridian Community College and Mississippi State star Tyler Moore, who hit 31 homers this year, was on the “just missed” list in the Double-A Eastern League. He is in the Washington Nationals system.
P.S. Props to Southern Miss product Brian Dozier for earning the minor league player of the year honor in the Minnesota organization and to ex-Jackson Generals star Lance Berkman of the St. Louis Cardinals for being named National League comeback player of the year. … Saw where former Jackson Mets standout Mookie Wilson was not retained as first-base coach by the New York Mets. Yeah, that’ll sure make a big difference for them next season.