- Ratings (OVERALL/POTENTIAL) are as of July 27, 2041
- 2041 WAR figures are through July 27, 2041 and projected out for the rest of the season
- Salary figures in grey italics are projected arbitration totals
- Players selected in the 2041 First Year Draft were not considered for the list due to lack of professional experience
We continue our run-through the list, today looking at #40-#21, with the top twenty to be unveiled Friday morning:
- - - - - - - - - -
#40 - Juan García, Des Moines, SP 55/60
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2039 | 20 | 0.4 | $500,000 |
| 2040 | 21 | 3.8 | $500,000 |
| 2041 | 22 | 4.0 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $14,800,000
REMAINING AAV: $3,700,000
One of two Juan Garcías in the Des Moines’ rotation, this Dominican version likely won’t make the list after this particular edition, but his mix of youth, future AAV and production over the past two years makes him rather valuable right now. While his scouting reports don’t jump off the page, I’m guessing most playoffs teams would love to bolster their staff for October with García’s services.
#39 - Pedro Rocha, Mexico City, SP 60/60
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2039 | 27 | 2.9 | $6,780,000 |
| 2040 | 28 | 1.7 | $7,950,000 |
| 2041 | 29 | 6.0 | $7,950,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $7,950,000
REMAINING AAV: $7,950,000
After making his first All-Star team in 2038, Rocha suffered two straight years of decline. Now in 2041, Rocha has bounced back as one of the best pitchers in the Johnson League. Barring a Dan Cannon-like career in his 30s, Rocha probably won’t crack the top 50 moving forward but with pitching coming at a premium more than ever, his plus-three pitch repertoire and ability to pack the stands makes him a valuable asset in the Brewster.
#38 - Ramón Pagán , Valencia, LF 65/65
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2039 | 22 | 4.5 | $4,000,000 |
| 2040 | 23 | 4.6 | $6,250,000 |
| 2041 | 24 | 5.6 | $9,550,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $22,500,000
REMAINING AAV: $11,250,000
Miscast as a centerfielder earlier in his career, Valencia decided let Pagán focus on his offense last year, allowing him to put up a career-best .925 OPS and win the Johnson League Puckett Award at DH. This year Pagán has played primarily in leftfield where he is a very good fielder and on pace to put up nearly 6.0 WAR. Sluggers who can hit 50 HR don’t grow on trees, so his value (and future earnings) continues to rise now that he’s settled in at LF.
#37 - Edwin Gilliam , Calgary, SP 60/60
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2039 | 23 | 4.4 | $500,000 |
| 2040 | 24 | 3.6 | $3,900,000 |
| 2041 | 25 | 5.5 | $3,800,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $14,400,000
REMAINING AAV: $7,200,000
Through his first four seasons, Gilliam has averaged just a hair under 4.0 WAR. As solid as they come, the strike-throwing righty is a bargain for now, but Gilliam’s AAV is starting to rise. But in this day and age, that’s nary a concern for most teams in the league for his dependable services.
#36 - Pedro Huerta , Edmonton, RF 55/65
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2039 | 19 | -- | high school |
| 2040 | 20 | -- | minor leagues |
| 2041 | 21 | 4.9 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $16,300,000
REMAINING AAV: $3,260,000
Another first-timer to the list, Huerta has burst onto the scene this year, currently second in the league in RBI (on pace for 160+) as a rookie. The right fielder possesses one of the best bat-to-ball skillsets in the league and has the potential to win a batting title with plenty of extra base power. Dollars to donuts, Huerta’s arb figures will continue to rise but he’ll still be a bargain for the next five seasons.
#35 - Stewart Illingsworth , Atlantic City, LF 60/60
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2039 | 20 | -- | minor leagues |
| 2040 | 21 | -- | minor leagues |
| 2041 | 22 | 7.0 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $17,600,000
REMAINING AAV: $3,520,000
An unheralded prospect out of Jamaica, Illingsworth put his name on the radars of all 32 teams when he slashed .441/.525/.735 in the Florida Prospect League this off-season, finishing second in MVP voting. All the 22-year-old corner outfielder has done as a follow-up in his rookie season is contend for the Brewster MVP Award. While his skills don’t jump off the page, Illingsworth has a solid offensive profile and scouts rave about his work ethic. His value may never be higher, so it will be interesting to watch what Illingsworth (and Atlantic City) does in the next twelve months.
#34 - Théo Bourges , Louisville, CF/LF 65/80
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2039 | 18 | -- | minor leagues |
| 2040 | 19 | -- | minor leagues |
| 2041 | 20 | 3.9 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $19,300,000
REMAINING AAV: $3,216,666
A true five-tool talent, Bourges entered the year as the #3 overall prospect in the Brewster. Thanks to early-season service time manipulation, the Sluggers will hopefully get the Frenchman for an extra year, proof how valuable a player like Bourges is when he’s under team control. Despite not reaching Louisville until the last week of April, Bourges still made the All-Star team in his rookie season. Sky’s the limit.
#33 - Bing-de Zhào, Rockville, 2B 80/80
PREVIOUS RANK: 33
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2039 | 19 | -- | minor leagues |
| 2040 | 20 | 3.1 | $500,000 |
| 2041 | 21 | 3.5 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $27,400,000
REMAINING AAV: $5,480,000
An international free agency signee in 2037, Zhào ascended to #1 prospect status in 2038. In just one-third of a season last year, Zhào put up over 3.0 WAR. Expectations were extremely high heading into this year and while he’s struggled a bit in the field, the kid has been rock solid at the plate. Scouts believe Zhào has Zimmer Award potential at 1B, but his bat plays better at 2B. Regardless of where he ends up on the diamond, Rockville has an elite talent who carries tremendous value.
#32 - Don Smith, Des Moines, SP 70/80
PREVIOUS RANK: 42
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2039 | 19 | 1.0 | $500,000 |
| 2040 | 20 | 2.1 | $500,000 |
| 2041 | 21 | 5.0 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $22,800,000
REMAINING AAV: $5,700,000
#31 - James Browning, Louisville, SP 50/80
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2039 | 18 | -- | high school |
| 2040 | 19 | -- | minor leagues |
| 2041 | 20 | 0.9 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $16,600,000
REMAINING AAV: $2,766,666
Two top-five draft picks (4th overall in 2038 for Smith, 2nd overall in 2039 for Browning) with off-the-charts potential, it’s possible one is a cautionary tale for the other. When asked, most GMs will tell you that Smith was rushed to the bigs; extremely raw with control issues, Des Moines made the decision to debut their prized prospect at age 19 despite the team seemingly a few seasons from reaching the playoffs. Smith struggled in his first two seasons but has seemingly figured it out this year. But now he’s two years closer to free agency with the Kernels ten games under .500.
On the flipside, Louisville is one of the best teams in the league and recently made the decision to call up twenty-year-old Browning, who wasn’t exactly setting the world on fire in the minors. Browning is still raw with an under-developed third pitch, however his potential could be a difference-maker for the Sluggers who are set to make the playoffs again.
So is playing time and experience in the big leagues worth two years of service time? How much value is there really in having team-control when you aren’t a playoff team? These are questions that every general manager will eventually face during their tenure.
#30 - Fernando Castillo, Vancouver, RF 65/75
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2039 | 22 | -- | minor leagues |
| 2040 | 23 | 3.8 | $500,000 |
| 2041 | 24 | 4.2 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $18,700,000
REMAINING AAV: $4,675,000
A team captain in just his second season, the scouting discovery out of Nicaragua has traded in his basestealing and defense from his rookie year to a lethal hitting profile. It’s scary to think a switch-hitter with an OPS north of 1.000 still hasn’t reached his potential. With four more years of team control, Castillo’s tremendous value and production is just one of many young studs on the Mounties’ roster.
#29 - Carlos Valle, Yellow Springs, SP 70/70
PREVIOUS RANK: 15
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2039 | 26 | 4.7 | $6,000,000 |
| 2040 | 27 | 7.1 | $6,000,000 |
| 2041 | 28 | 8.2 | $6,000,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $126,000,000
REMAINING AAV: $21,000,000
So Valle wins a Nebraska last year and is on-pace for an even better season and a top-two finish come award season, but he falls fourteen spots on the list? What gives? Well, take a look at that newly inked extension that will pay the veteran hurler over $20M for the next six years. That kind of financial commitment can be tough for most teams to swallow but Valle is as big of a difference-maker on the mound as anyone.
#28 - Salvador Allende , Madison, SS 75/80
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2039 | 18 | -- | minor leagues |
| 2040 | 19 | 2.5 | $500,000 |
| 2041 | 20 | 3.3 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $21,400,000
REMAINING AAV: $4,280,000
The youngest player to crack the top 50, Allende is a talented prototypical leadoff hitter with game-changing speed and the ability to play all over the infield. Already a fan favorite and All-Star, Allende can soon become an MVP candidate if he settles in at a position (2B?) and focuses on his glovework.
#27 - Quinton Lara, Charm City, C 70/70
PREVIOUS RANK: 32
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2039 | 20 | -- | minor leagues |
| 2040 | 21 | 4.9 | $500,000 |
| 2041 | 22 | 4.0 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $15,500,000
REMAINING AAV: $3,875,000
All Lara did as a 21-year-old rookie was hit .329, make the All-Star team and ultimately win the Johnson League Puckett Award at catcher. Dodging the sophomore slump, Lara is putting up similar numbers this year and is already one of the best catchers in the entire BBA. Dominating in one of the weakest positions in the league, Lara’s value remains high for Charm City as they enjoy his services for at least the next four years.
#26 - Ernesto Ramos, Yellow Springs, SP 60/65
PREVIOUS RANK: 24
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2039 | 24 | 4.2 | $500,000 |
| 2040 | 25 | 6.4 | $850,000 |
| 2041 | 26 | 3.8 | $5,000,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $6,000,000
REMAINING AAV: $6,000,000
Thanks to a team-friendly extension that bought out his final two years of arbitration, Ramos is one of the best-established veteran bargains in the league. Performance aside, Ramos’ future value will hinge on his next contract demands but until then, he’s both a fixture in Yellow Springs’ rotation but also an extremely valuable trade chip should the team dangle him in the next twelve months.
#25 - Jefferson Pierce, Calgary, SP 65/65
PREVIOUS RANK: 18
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2039 | 22 | 2.6 | $500,000 |
| 2040 | 23 | 5.7 | $2,500,000 |
| 2041 | 24 | 4.4 | $3,200,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $8,100,000
REMAINING AAV: $8,100,000
Three straight appearances in the top 25, Pierce continues to do two things: pitch damn well and be considered one of the most valuable players in the Brewster. The reigning Johnson League strikeout king relies on his 100+ fastball and plus-secondary off-speed pitches but with questionable stamina and just one more year of team control left after this season, his trade value could fall back to earth once he signs what may be a six-figure contract in 2043.
#24 - Jim Armstrong, New Orleans, SP 75/80
PREVIOUS RANK: 27
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2039 | 22 | 4.7 | $500,000 |
| 2040 | 23 | 3.6 | $500,000 |
| 2041 | 24 | 3.8 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $23,400,000
REMAINING AAV: $7,800,000
A third-straight season of at least 3.6 WAR has raised Armstrong’s arbitration AAV estimates by more than $3.5M per year. Is he worth it? Heck yeah he is. I’ll repeat what was said last year because it still holds up: “Ask nearly any general manager in the league and they would call Armstrong one of the very best and valuable young pitchers the league has seen in the last ten years.”
#23 - Liann-wei Mao, Calgary, 1B 75/75
PREVIOUS RANK: 30
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2039 | 22 | 4.5 | $500,000 |
| 2040 | 23 | 4.5 | $500,000 |
| 2041 | 24 | 5.0 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $19,600,000
REMAINING AAV: $6,533,333
The best offensive threat on the best team in the Brewster, “The Chairman” continues to deliver freakishly consistent production…just pencil-in a slash line of .310/.380/.610, sit back and enjoy the next three seasons while he’s still cheap for the Pioneers.
#22 - Todd Rice, Seattle, CF 65/65
PREVIOUS RANK: 28
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2039 | 20 | 4.1 | $500,000 |
| 2040 | 21 | 5.1 | $500,000 |
| 2041 | 22 | 4.6 | $500,000 |
TEAM CONTROL THROUGH: 2045
REMAINING CONTRACT: $20,300,000
REMAINING AAV: $5,075,000
To call Rice a slap hitter would be an insult, as the youngster has the makings of a multiple-time batting champion, doubles-hitting machine, and base-stealing menace. Oh, and how about elite defensive in centerfield? Rice is the very definition of "valuable".
#21 - Jeffrey Smith, Vancouver, RF 70/80
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2039 | 20 | 1.5 | $500,000 |
| 2040 | 21 | 2.9 | $500,000 |
| 2041 | 22 | 6.3 | $500,000 |
TEAM CONTROL THROUGH: 2044
REMAINING CONTRACT: $14,200,000
REMAINING AAV: $4,733,333
Oh look, another young Mountie (and not the last). Here’s a simple explanation as to why all these breakout prospects from Vancouver carry so much value. Starting three or four outstanding players at league minimum or in their early arbitration years allows a team like Vancouver to sign veterans like Aaron Stone in free agency and extend franchise cornerstones like Rashardo Menne III to expensive deals. It’s unlikely Smith will be dangled in trade talks, but it doesn’t diminish the value he provides his team.
- - - - - - - - - -
Who would be your top five for 2041?
Last year:
#5 - Augusto Sánchez
#4 - Héctor Márquez
#3 - Dong-po Thum
#2 - Dennis French
#1 - Semei Kwakou
The answers -- and much much more -- coming in a few days...thanks for reading!
