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Baseball Factory Alumni On Baseball America’s 2016 Top 10 Prospects List: A.L. West

We continue our weekly look at Baseball America’s 2016 Top 10 Prospects Index, ranking each major league team’s top players as well as the team’s farm system. This week, we’ll take a look at Baseball Factory alumni from the American League West.

Players from across the country have attended Baseball Factory player events, ranging from Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryouts to the Under Armour All-America Game. A total of 82 Baseball Factory alumni across all 30 baseball teams make up the list in 2016.

Rankings are prioritized by Baseball America and numbered 1 through 10 for each team. Let’s take a look at Baseball Factory’s alumni from the American League West, where a total of 19 players land on this week’s list.

Houston Astros

Alex Bregman

Alex Bregman – SS (BA’s Rank: #3)

Baseball America has ranked the Houston Astros the second-best minor league system in all of baseball and with young stars already blossoming and ready to make an impact from the minors in 2016 and ’17, the up-start Astros’ future looks very bright. Beginning at No. 3 is Bregman, the Astros first round selection (2nd overall) in last year’s Draft.

The Albuquerque, New Mexico native and standout from LSU put together a very productive first go in professional baseball and did it in a very short time. Bregman showed his skills in all facets; a very good contact hitter who puts the ball in play to all fields. After only hitting .259 in 29 games at A-level Quad Cities, he hit the baseball even better upon his promotion to High-A Lancaster where he hit .319 with eight doubles, four triples, three home runs and 21 RBI. He has an outstanding eye at the plate, striking out just 30 times in 272 combined at-bats while walking 29 times. He can get it done on the base paths as well, stealing 13 bases.

Bregman’s talent has always stood out, beginning with the first time we saw him at the 2009 Team One Futures Game and later as a two-time Under Armour Pre-Season All-American in 2010 and 2011. His defense is premier and his track record screams “winner” and that is what the Astros hope he’ll bring when the time is right to bring him to the majors. Baseball America projects he’ll spend most of 2016 at Double-A Corpus Christi.

Kyle Tucker

Kyle Tucker – OF (BA’s Rank: #4)

The Astros hit another home run, snagging Tucker with the fifth overall selection last year out of H.B. Plant High School in Tampa, FL. The 6’4″, 190 pound outfielder is athletic as they come and scouts love his advanced swing and solid approach at the plate. Tucker appeared in the 2014 Under Armour All-America Game and at the event, showed the ability to drive the baseball to all parts of the field, finding the barrel consistently.

Starting out in the Gulf Coast League with the Astros after signing, the lefty-swinging outfielder hit .286 with nine doubles, one homer, 20 RBI, 14 stolen bases and slugged .393. Tucker will start out in Quad Cities in a dangerously-talented lineup in 2016.

Daz Cameron

Daz Cameron – OF (BA’s Rank: #5)

Rounding out the Astros impressive list of talent who have participated in Baseball Factory events is an outfielder with a strong MLB bloodline and a last name that one may recall when thinking of premier outfield defense. The Astros took Daz 37th overall as a first round supplemental draft selection out of Eagles Landing High School in McDonough, GA.

Daz is the son of former big leaguer, Mike Cameron who roamed center field for eight different teams in his 17-year career, hitting 278 career home runs and winning two Gold Gloves with the Seattle Mariners in 2001 and 2003 and one with the San Diego Padres in 2006. Daz is getting it done defensively too, providing plus defense with great anticipation and routes to the baseball. His speed is a plus-tool as well, swiping 24 bases last season between GCL Astros and Rookie-level Greeneville, which could lead to future opportunities as a potential lead-off hitter.

Together, with Tucker, they’ll begin the season at Quad Cities and chances are, it likely won’t be the last time they’ll be teammates together.

Los Angeles Angels

Nate Smith – LHP (BA’s Rank: #3)

This lefty starter has scratched, clawed and climbed his way towards the top of the Angels prospects list with good reason after an impressive stint at Double-A Arkansas to begin 2015 and a promotion to Triple-A Salt Lake to end the season. The former eighth round selection in 2013 by the Angels out of Furman University, Smith features a four-pitch mix, adding a slider last season that helped his repertoire overall. His fastball sits low-90’s, pairing that with a plus change that has become his strikeout pitch. Smith struck out 104 batters in 137 2/3 innings and will most likely head to Triple-A to get starts under his belt this season.

The former 2008 Team One North participant entered camp on the Angels’ 40-man roster as a Non-Roster Invitee and could be one of the first arms called to the bigs when needed, according to Baseball America.

Joe Gatto

Joe Gatto – RHP (BA’s Rank: #7)

Gatto was signed by the Angels in the second round of the 2014 Draft out of St. Augustine College Prep School in Richland, NJ, netting a $1.2 million dollar bonus.

At Rookie-Level Orem in 2015, Gatto made 12 starts, pitching to a 4.31 ERA but made some gains as he recorded a 2.8 groundball-to-flyball ratio at Orem, which according to Baseball America, would have led the Pioneer League had he pitched enough innings.

Gatto first attended the 2012 Under Armour Baseball Factory Team One Futures Series East showcase, and later, participated in an Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout in Mt. Laurel, NJ in October of 2012 and was named a 2013 Under Armour All-American where he showed a four-pitch mix during the game with a fastball that sat low-90s. Gatto also features an above-average curveball and a changeup in his arsenal.

The plan is to start Gatto out at Single-A Burlington this season.

Oakland Athletics

Sean Manaea

Sean Manaea – LHP (BA’s Rank: #2)

Manaea rocketed up the board after his trade from Kansas City to Oakland in the trade that sent Ben Zobrist from Oakland to KC at last year’s trade deadline. The deal turned out to be great for the A’s, as the former first round pick out of Indiana State went 6-0 with a 1.90 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 43.0 innings in seven starts at Double-A Midland.

The big, hard-throwing left-hander participated in a September, 2009 Under Armour Baseball Factory College PREP event and features a mid-90s fastball that he can get up to as high as 98 on the radar gun to go along with a changeup and a “slurvy” slider. Manaea pitched well in the Arizona Fall League for the Mesa Solar Sox, striking out 33 hitters in 25 2/3 innings.

He’ll be ready for Triple-A Nashville as his ceiling is still high and could see time in the majors, depending on the situation at the big-league level in ’16.

Matt Olson – 1B/OF (BA’s Rank: #6)

Olson was selected by the A’s 47th overall in 2012 out of Parkview High School in Lilburn, GA as a big-time, power bat and Olson has not disappointed, crushing 77 homers the last three seasons. For the season in 2015, Olson hit just .249 at Midland, but began turning it around in the second half, hitting nine homers and batting .281 with a .485 slugging slash line. He hit a career-high 37 doubles last season to go along with 17 home runs and 75 RBI in 133 games.

He’s gained some versatility in the field, in addition to playing a very good first base as his main position, he made 59 starts in right field in 2015, something the A’s likely value should he show he is capable of playing it based on his arm strength.

Olson was a 2011 Under Armour All-American where he featured a fluid and powerful swing with raw power. The A’s will test Olson this year by starting him in Nashville as he prepares for a possible late-season call-up.

Yairo Munoz

Yairo Munoz – SS (BA’s Rank: #10)

Munoz was born in the Dominican Republic and signed there as a 17-year old by the A’s in 2012. Signing just four days after his birthday in 2012, Munoz has grown up in the organization, playing primarily as a short stop, making 88 starts at Low-A Beloit and 37 starts in his promotion to High-A Stockton in 2015. In 39 games at Stockton, Munoz hit .320 with 12 doubles, four homers and 26 RBI filling in for the injury to A’s No.1 prospect, Franklin Barreto last July.

The former 2011 Under Armour All-American’s calling card is his stellar defense. He can flat out pick it and throw it, evidenced by his 60 rating by scouts during that year’s game. He showed quick-twitch actions and maintained excellent body control and has the hands you want at the premium position.

Munoz will play a full season at Stockton in 2016 as the team’s top prospect (Barreto) will move to Midland to play the position in 2016. It seems to be a big of a log-jam at the position, but the A’s want to keep Munoz there to play every day and continue to allow him to grow offensively at the plate.

Seattle Mariners

Alex Jackson – OF (BA’s Rank: #1)

The former first rounder (sixth overall) in 2014 out of Rancho Bernardo High School was a 2013 Under Armour All-America Pre-Season Tournament Participant and a two-time Under Armour All-American in 2012 and 2013.

He’s looking to get off to a fast start in 2016 after a disconcerting 2015 season that saw his average dip (.207 last season after hitting .280 in ’14), despite steady power numbers (eight homers in 271 at-bats last season).

His bat is as special as they come with a combination of excellent bat speed and an eye for the right pitch, the type of tools that someday will land him in the heart of the Mariners batting order. Jackson had been a catcher through high school and once drafted, the Mariners shifted Jackson to the outfield where he’ll stick as a corner outfielder due to his arm, instincts and work ethic.

Texas Rangers

Lewis Brinson

Lewis Brinson – OF (BA’s Rank: #2)

Brinson had a tremendous 2015 season with the hard work put in that took him from High-A High Desert to start 2015 and a promotion to Triple-A Round Rock to end the season. The dynamic OF’er hit .337 in 64 games with the Mavericks in High Desert with 22 doubles, seven triples, 13 homers and 42 RBI. At Double-A Frisco, he stayed hot, hitting .291 with six homers and 23 RBI before playing eight games at Round Rock where he collected 13 hits in 30 at-bats.

His speed (18 stolen bases in ’15) and plus arm are off-the-charts good and huge assets as the former first round pick (29th overall) in 2012 out of Coral Springs High School in Coral Springs, FL has seen time in big league camp so far, collecting three hits in eight at-bats with two stolen bases.

It’s quite possible you will hear the name of this 2011 Under Armour All-American at some point this season with the big league club, but he’ll likely get more seasoning at Triple-A to start 2016. Baseball America has projected Brinson in the likes of a Cameron Maybin-type player with the power-speed combo of a player like Adam Jones.

Eric Jenkins

Eric Jenkins – OF (BA’s Rank: #6)

Drafted in the second round last year by Texas out of West Columbus High School in Cerro Gordo, NC the 19-year old speedy outfielder may have the organization’s best hands with a repeatable short and powerful swing that leads to line drives.

Jenkins, who participated in an Under Armour Baseball Factory College PREP event in Myrtle Beach, SC in January of 2013, also has the speed and plate discipline to continue ascending in the Rangers minor league system. Last season, he swiped 28 bases in 31 attempts between the Arizona League Rangers in Rookie ball and at Low-A Hickory. He also walked 24 times in 224 plate appearances before breaking his right hamate bone at the end of the season.

Provided he’s healthy and ready to go, Jenkins will play a full season, starting the season in Hickory, patrolling the outfield where he made 31 starts in center, four in left and eight in right. He has the defensive skills to stick in center field as an athletic player.

Josh Morgan – SS/3B (BA’s Rank: #7)

Morgan jumps three spots from last year’s ranking after showing a solid season of on-base skills (45 walks and an OBP of .385) in 98 games at Low-A Hickory. The Rangers third round pick in 2014 out of Orange Lutheran High School in Orange, CA, participated in the 2012 Team One Futures Series West and 2012 Ryan Lemmon Sophmore Showcase.

He has a lot of assets working for him at the pro game; his speed (nine stolen bases in 2015) and steady defensive ability, flashing soft hands and a solid arm that is needed for a position up the middle.

He hit .336 with the Rookie-league Rangers and then .303 with short-season Spokane in 2014 and followed that with a .288 average last season with 15 doubles, a triple and three home runs. He makes the most of his at-bats and can be a high-OBP hitter which should delight those people in the Rangers organization. Baseball America projects he could be a top-of-the-order hitter in the future if he’s able to continue putting the ball in play and draw walks.

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