Diamond Futures’ Retrospective: Our 2005 Top 100

Felix Hernandez was the big story from the 2005 list

A number of you have inquired recently as to where you can find our previous Top Prospect Lists. In response, we have begun to post our previous lists and will get through all of them before the season starts.

Joe Mauer repeated atop the 2005 list, as an early season knee injury limited him to just 107 ABs in 2004, however the real story was the emergence of Felix Hernandez, who came in at #2. For us, the 2005 list was in some ways one of our most successful—not so for the percentage that we got right, because the jury is still out on many of the players from the list. No, the success comes from the number of quality prospects that we were ahead of the curve on. We still had our share of misses, as everyone pretty much missed on Adam Miller-#11; Michael Aubrey-#19; Andy Marte-#23; Dan Meyer-#25; Joel Guzman-#27; Brian Dopirak-#34; Jeremy Reed-#39 and Thomas Diamond-#43. And we were kind of out on a limb with Yusmeiro Petit-#11 and Kyle Davies-#36, both of whom have yet to experience the success that we would have expected. And We Bankston-#49 may have been our worst pick of the year.

But all-in-all the results were good, as we, along with most everyone recognized the talents of players like Matt Cain-#4; Ian Stewart-#6; Prince Fielder-#7; Jeff Francoeur-#9; Jeff Francis-#12; Chad Billingsley-#13 and Hanley Ramirez-#14. In addition to those, we were significantly ahead of the curve on players like Brian McCann-#17; Billy Butler-#20; Ubaldo Jimenenz-#21; John Danks-#28; Francisco Liriano-#33; Jonathan Broxton-#41; Joey Votto-#42; Ian Kinsler-#47; Ervin Santana-#54; Nate McLouth-#57; Jair Jurrjens-#59; Jon Lester-#64; Dustin Pedroia-#72 and Alcides Escobar-#82. The complete list can be found below:

Diamond Futures 2005 Top 100

1 ) Mauer , Joe , MIN , C
2 ) Hernandez , Felix , SEA , RHP
3 ) Young , Delmon , TBR , OF
4 ) Cain , Matthew , SFG , RHP
5 ) Milledge , Lastings , NYM , OF
6 ) Stewart , Ian , COL , 3B
7 ) Fielder , Prince , MIL , 1B
8 ) Kotchman , Casey , ANA , 1B
9 ) Francoeur , Jeff , ATL , OF
10 ) Petit , Yusmeiro , NYM , RHP
11 ) Miller , Adam , CLE , RHP
12 ) Francis , Jeff , COL , LHP
13 ) Billingsley , Chad , LAD , RHP
14 ) Ramirez , Hanley , BOS , SS
15 ) McCarthy , Brandon , CHA , RHP
16 ) Kubel , Jason , MIN , RF-LF
17 ) McCann , Brian , ATL , C
18 ) Bailey , Homer , CIN , RHP
19 ) Aubrey , Michael , CLE , 1B
20 ) Butler , Billy , KCR , 3B
21 ) Jimenez , Ubaldo , COL , RHP
22 ) Hardy , J.J. , MIL , IF
23 ) Marte , Andy , ATL , 3B
24 ) LaRoche , Andy , LAD , SS
25 ) Meyer , Dan , ATL , LHP
26 ) Barton , Daric , STL , C
27 ) Guzman , Joel , LAD , SS
28 ) Danks , John , TEX , LHP
29 ) Capellan , Jose , ATL , RHP
30 ) Sweeney , Ryan , CHA , OF
31 ) Reyes , Anthony , STL , RHP
32 ) Duke , Zach , PIT , LHP
33 ) Liriano , Francisco , MIN , LHP
34 ) Dopirak , Brian , CHN , 1B
35 ) Encarnacion , Edwin , CIN , IF
36 ) Davies , Kyle , ATL , RHP
37 ) Quentin , Carlos , ARZ , OF
38 ) Niemann , Jeff , TBR , RHP
39 ) Reed , Jeremy , CHA , CF
40 ) Choo , Shin-Soo , SEA , OF
41 ) Broxton , Jonathan , LAD , RHP
42 ) Votto , Joey , CIN , 3B
43 ) Diamond , Thomas , TEX , RHP
44 ) Olsen , Scott , FLA , LHP
45 ) Anderson , Brian , CHA , OF
46 ) Kazmir , Scott , NYM , LHP
47 ) Kinsler , Ian , TEX , SS
48 ) Garko , Ryan , CLE , C
49 ) Bankston , Wes , TBR , OF
50 ) Hamels , Cole , PHI , LHP
51 ) Floyd , Gavin , PHI , RHP
52 ) Baker , Scott , MIN , RHP
53 ) Carter , Chris , ARZ , 1B
54 ) Santana , Ervin , ANA , RHP
55 ) Quintanilla , Omar , OAK , SS
56 ) Jackson , Conor , ARZ , 1B
57 ) McLouth , Nate , PIT , OF
58 ) Schierholtz , Nate , SFG , 3B
59 ) Jurrjens , Jair , DET , RHP
60 ) Humber , Phil , NYM , RHP
61 ) Seddon , Chris , TBR , LHP
62 ) Einertson , Mitch , HOU , OF
63 ) McPherson , Dallas , ANA , 3B
64 ) Lester , Jon , BOS , LHP
65 ) Morales , Kendry , ANA , OF
66 ) Callaspo , Alberto , ANA , 2B
67 ) Chick , Travis , SDP , RHP
68 ) Moss , Brandon , BOS , 2B
69 ) Swisher , Nick , OAK , LF-RF
70 ) Guzman , Angel , CHN , RHP
71 ) Jackson , Edwin , LAD , RHP
72 ) Pedroia , Dustin , BOS , SS
73 ) Crain , Jesse , MIN , RHP
74 ) Stevens , Jake , ATL , LHP
75 ) Willingham , Josh , FLA , C-LF
76 ) Burke , Chris , HOU , 2B
77 ) Tiffany , Chuck , LAD , LHP
78 ) Haren , Dan , STL , RHP
79 ) Iguchi , Tadahito , CHA , 2B
80 ) Zumaya , Joel , DET , RHP
81 ) Rodriguez , Sean , ANA , SS
82 ) Escobar , Alcides , MIL , P
83 ) Weeks , Rickie , MIL , 2B
84 ) Megrew , Mike , LAD , LHP
85 ) Street , Huston , OAK , RP
86 ) Marson , Louis , PHI , C
87 ) Portes , Juan , MIN , SS
88 ) Germano , Justin , SDP , RHP
89 ) Marshall , Sean , CHN , LHP
90 ) Carmona , Fausto , CLE , RHP
91 ) Penn , Hayden , BAL , RHP
92 ) Clippard , Tyler , NYY , RHP
93 ) Verlander , Justin , DET , RHP
94 ) Markakis , Nick , BAL , OF
95 ) Martin , Russell , LAD , 3B
96 ) Shell , Steven , ANA , RHP
97 ) Kendrick , Howie , ANA , 2B
98 ) Blanton , Joe , OAK , RHP
99 ) Howard , Ryan , PHI , 1B
100 ) Granderson , Curtis , DET , CF