1) Mike Trout, 8/7/91 - CF
.341/.428/.490 with 10 HR and 56 SB. +39 bat, -3 glove, 5.81 WAR
Trout posted the fourth best prospect performance in the last six years, behind only Howie Kendrick (2005), Sean Rodriguez (2006), and Brandon Wood (2005). While all four of those guys played in High A during their breakout seasons, Trout faced California League competition at a younger age then any of them. Following the regular season, he went on to hit .350 with 3 HR's for Team USA against high level competition in the Pan Am Games qualifying tournament. He does it all on the field, hitting for average, stealing bags, taking his walks, and flashing promising pop. You've heard the praise all offseason, so there's little point in heaping it on here. On the other hand, Trout's WAR was not quite as crazy as it could have been due to the mediocre glove rating, which is a bit of a head-scratcher because scouting reports universally went gaga for his instincts, hustle, and range in centerfield. Sean Smith, TotalZone's creator and baseball guru, downplayed the slightly negative rating by pointing out that he was +5 in the field over a half a season in 2009, and that a year's worth of sample size is likely an aberration that does not reflect his true talent level, especially given all of those glowing scouting reports. At any rate, if the Angels don't trade Bourjos when Trout is ready, he's likely headed to a corner anyway, making lackluster defensive numbers in centerfield less of a concern. Trout will probably head to AA this spring as a nineteen year old, leading the attack of a very good Travelers' ball club. As Eddie Bane promised last offseason, Trout will enter 2011 as one of the top five prospects in all of baseball, and it's not inconceivable that he takes his first cuts for the big league club this September.