Top 20 Pitchers in Baseball in the World 25 and Under I thought it would be fun to identify the top 20 pitchers who are under 25 that are creating the most buzz in baseball. Pitchers in the major leagues will get more consideration than minor leagues, but sometimes the talent level is just so great that the pitcher can't be ignored. For most of the foreign pitchers, my world hasn't seen them pitch, but we're reacting based on their buzz. We are also not that familiar with any minor leaguers, though in both Korea and Japan the teams will not have their top draft choices toil in the minors for long. Neither are developmental leagues. 1. Yu Darvish (Fighters) Japan - No pitcher on this list has a wider repertoire. There are some that would like to see him shorten his selection of pitches so he can throw to hitters with his three or four best pitches, not his seventh best pitch. He led all WBC pitchers in K's (20) and a couple of his appearances were as the closer out of the Japanese bullpen during the semi finals and finals. 2. Felix Hernandez (Mariners) Venezuela - The Mariners were careful with his arm as he rose up the ranks as a teen through the minor leagues, finally making the Mariners as a teenager. In Seattle they affectionately refer to him as King Felix. He didn't give up a run in the WBC. Many thought he should have started in the game against Korea in the semifinals rather than Carlos Silva. A Cy Young is in his future. 3. David Price (Rays) United States - The fact that the Rays sent him down to the minors is no reflection on his stuff. They just want to control his innings and if he pitched the whole year with the Rays he'd work over 200 innings. Last year he only pitched a little over 123 innings. He became the closer for the Rays in the playoffs so he's shown he's got ice in his veins. 4. Joba Chamberlain (Yankees) United States - The Yankees have him in the starting rotation, but he's better off in the bullpen. He becomes less effective his second and third time through the order. Perhaps he'll get better as he gets older and perfects the art of pitching. He throws hard and has the requisite three solid pitches to be a starter, but needs to work on his stamina to keep those pitches effective deeper in the game. 5. Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers) United States - Unusual for a lefty to have his velocity. He made the Dodgers last year as a 20 year old. He will be the ace of the staff in a couple years. He also has a nice breaking ball to go along with his heat. His repertoire reminded me a little bit of Koufax and we know how well he pitched. Excellent command for a young pitcher. 6. Stephen Strasburg (San Diego State) United States - Perhaps my bias is entering here. Of the pitchers mentioned above, no one has his velocity. And his curveball is a dynamite pitch as well. I really wanted to rate him higher, but I had to restrain myself. Who ever drafts him number one will have him in their rotation in 2010. 7. Aroldis Chapman (Holquin Dogs) Cuba - He was probably the hardest thrower in the WBC, hitting the triple digits on a couple pitches. He still has command issues, but at 20 years old he was good enough to be Cuba's number three starter and they are rated the best team in the world in baseball. 8. Kwang-Hyun Kim (SK Wyverns) Korea - He would have been rated higher based on his MVP performance in the Korean professional league with 16 wins and a 2.39 ERA and in the Olympics in China, but he was disappointing in the Konami Cup and he was the invisible man in the WBC after a couple poor performances left his ERA at 21.60. I suspect his arm was tired and the world didn't see the true talent of Kim Kwang-Hyun. 9. Johnny Cueto (Reds) Dominican Republic - He started out well last year for the Reds and was a candidate for rookie of the year. But he tired as the season progressed and his ERA finished at a 4.81. He reminds a lot of Reds fans of Mario Soto with his mid 90s fastball and his devastating changeup. 10. Masahiro Tanaka (Rakuten Golden Eagles) Japan - In the WBC, the only team he could not make it as a third starter was Japan. Even the United States could have used him as their third starter. For a Japanese pitcher he throws the ball hard and his fastball could reach the mid-90s as he matures. He broke the record for most strikeouts by a high school pitcher (483) and that record had been held by Daisuke Matsuzaka. He can only hope to have as successful of a career, but he's gotten off to a good start, winning the rookie of the year award in the NPB in 2007. 11. Jair Jurrjens (Braves) Curacao - When he was with the Braves he was a good prospect but not a highly rated prospect. You can't argue about the year he had with the Braves as he turned out to be their ace. Jair tired as the innings piled on and finished with a 3.68 ERA, but his year was much greater than his numbers showed. 12. Madison Bumgarner (Giants) United States - He probably will not pitch in the major leagues until 2010 but at 19 his fastball is already hitting 97 on the radar. If he had gone to college instead of signing with the Giants in a couple years people would be talking about him like they are Stephen Strasburg. 13. Hyun-Jin Ryu (Hanwha Eagles) Korea - In 2006 as a 19 year old he became the only Korean pitcher to win the rookie of the year award and the MVP in the same year finishing 18-6, 2.23. He also pitched the gold medal game in the Olympics against Cuba, going one out into the 8th inning. In the WBC he was Korea's number two starter. His circle changeup is a major league pitch and complements his fastball well. 14. Neftali Perez (Rangers) Dominican Republic - He's only 20 years old but he already hits in the triple digits with his fastball. His major league debut should be this year if he dominates as he did last year. 15. Hideaki Wakui (Seibu Lions) Japan - He pitches for the NPB champion Seibu Lions and in 2007 led the Pacific League in wins with 17. Not bad for a 21 year old. He will be wearing number 18 this year, which was Daisuke Matsuzaka's number when he played for Seibu. Hideaki also pitched for the same high school as Daisuke (Yokahama) so they seem to be following the same career path. Are the Red Sox in his future? He became the ace of the Seibu Lions after Daisuke left for the United States. He had a disappointing 2008, otherwise he would be rated higher. He can throw the fastball in the mid-90s. 16. John Danks (White Sox) United States - Some might say the White Sox fleeced the Rangers when they traded Danks for Brandon McCarthy. The Rangers made the trade to get a pitcher who was more seasoned and could be major league ready quicker, but McCarthy suffered through injuries and Danks appeared in the majors first. He had a solid year last year (12-9, 3.32). I would rate him higher if he threw the ball harder. 17. Suk-Min Yoon (Kia Tigers) Korea - He was one of the more consistent pitchers in the WBC, finishing 2-0, 1.13, striking out 13 hitters to only one walk. In the Korean League he made a successful transition from closer to starter, and after having a poor year in his first year as starter, led the Korean League in ERA at 2.33 with a 14-5 record. He also pitched for the gold medal Olympic team, finishing 2-0, 2.34 with one save. 18. Rick Porcello (Tigers) United States - Though he was drafted in the first round in 2007, Rick is having such an impressive spring that the Tigers are considering him for the starting rotation this year. He's got a nice fastball/sinker combination that gets hitters to pound the ball on the ground, something you don't need to do in the confines of Detroit. 19. Tommy Hanson (Braves) United States - He had a lights out winter league in Arizona, becoming the first pitcher to ever win the MVP in the Arizona Fall League going 5-0, 0.63 and limiting opponents to a .103 average in the thin Arizona desert air. That in itself is a major accomplishment. He throws hard (mid 90s) and has a good slider to complement the fastball. The Braves already have five starting pitchers so he will perfect his craft in the minors, but is a phone call away in case an injury forces the Braves to bring up a pitcher. 20. Trevor Cahill (Athletics) United States - He pitched for the United States Olympic team. It was a tossup whether to choose teammate Brett Anderson for this list or Trevor Cahill, but we went with the more overpowering fastball. Pitchers taken into consideration but falling short of the list, Ryan Perry (Tigers), Brian Matusz (Orioles), Junichi Tazawa (Red Sox), Andrew Brackman (Yankees), Jordan Zimmerman (Nationals), Tae Hoon Im (Doosan Bears - Korea) and Miguel Lahera (La Habana Cowboys - Cuba). http://myworldofbaseball.com/wordpress/?p=1162 --

※ 发信站: 批踢踢实业坊(ptt.cc) ◆ From: 203.67.168.192