Law's Top 100 Prospects

Following his organizational rankings released yesterday, Keith Law published his Top 100 prospects rankings on ESPN today.

I can smell the RSN soiling themselves over Lars Anderson's #7 ranking, and rightfully so. Will be a nice replacement for Papi in a few years, likely bumping Youk back to 3B.

You have to get to the 2nd page (Insider required!) to see the first Yankee prospect listed at #46, Austin Jackson. Says Law:

Jackson's star has dimmed over the past year or so, as an expected breakout hasn't come. He's shown that he takes a while to adjust to each new level or challenge. He's still a great athlete, but it's not translating into baseball skills as quickly as hoped.

Jackson's tools grade out as more or less average across the board, with nothing standing out as plus except for the possibility that he'll become an above-average hitter (for average, that is). He had good speed but is, at best, a 55 runner now, although he has good instincts on the bases. He has gap power and can jerk a ball over the fence to left, but doesn't project as more than a 15-20 homer guy unless he fills out substantially.

He's solid in center field with a good arm, but probably isn't a Gold Glove candidate. Because he lacks a major weakness, he's still a valuable prospect, and he'll play all of 2009 at age 22, so he has room for growth. It's just hard to see the ceiling that appeared to be there a year or two ago.