Baseball Prospectus top 50 prospects

Baseball Prospectus is out with their annual list of the Top 50 Prospects in baseball. The Red Sox, who have been focused on their minor league system for the past three years, are one of 4 teams with 3 players on the list.

Red Sox prospects on the BP top 50 list

Number	Name	Position	Team
11	Dustin Pedroia	2B	Boston
36	Jonathan Papelbon	RHP	Boston
45	Craig Hansen	RHRP	Boston

• The other 3 prospects teams are Cleveland, Kansas City and Los Angeles (NL). Three teams - Arizona, Florida and Seattle - have 4 players on the list, while the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim lead the way with 5.


• The Red Sox lead the AL East. The Yankees, Orioles and Devil Rays each have 1 prospect on the list, and the Blue Jays have none.


• Two years ago, the only Red Sox prospect on the list was Charlie Zink, at 50. Last year, the Red Sox had two players on the list, Hanley Ramirez at 24, and Dustin Pedroia in a tie for 49th. Pedroia, who's still in the Boston system, has moved up to 11th. Ramirez, who went to Florida in the Beckett deal, has dropped out of the top 50, though he is still in the honorable mention category (as is Anibel Sanchez, who went in the same trade.)


• Andy Marte, who the Red Sox acquired for Edgar Renteria and traded for Coco Crisp, has dropped from number 1 on the list last year to 7th this year.


• The player considered by many to be the best prospect in the Red Sox system, left-handed pitcher Jon Lester (John Sickels, for example, had his list of the top 20 Sox prospects yesterday and had Lester 2nd) did not make the list.


• The Red Sox had 6 of the top 57 draft picks in the 2005 draft. They'll have about 5 of the first 60 again this year, picking up a first for the Damon signing, a 2nd for the Mueller signing, two sandwich picks, and losing none of their own. They added a lot of talent to the system last year, and are poised to do so again this year.