Highly anticipated each year, earlier this morning Keith Law of ESPN  released his Top-100 minor league prospects lists.  I’ve always been curious about how long it takes him to make the list.  I’d have a hard time ranking the Top-10 in any given system, let alone the Top-100 out of a pool of everyone.

Reading the complete list requires an EPSN Insider subscription, so out of respect for Mr. Law,  I can’t exactly copy and paste all 100 names.  I do, however, feel the liberty of sharing with you which two Red Sox prospects were represented on the list and what he wrote about them.

No. 62 Overall: SS Xander Bogaerts

(Photo: Dave Letizi/soxprospects.com)

“The Red Sox were aggressive with the Aruban-born Bogaerts, promoting him from the Dominican Summer League right to full-season ball, where only Jurickson Profar and Bryce Harper were younger among regular position players. But Bogaerts held his own due to excellent bat speed and enough pitch recognition to keep himself afloat. He starts out very wide at the plate and closes slightly when he gets his front foot down. The ball really comes off his bat well, thanks to strong wrists and forearms and a very rotational swing with great extension through contact.

He spent the year at shortstop, making an error every three games, but isn’t likely to stay there with third base the probable destination. He has the arm and feet for it, assuming he does indeed outgrow shortstop. Boston’s system is thin right now, with several prospects who project as solid regulars but nothing more. Bogaerts is the Red Sox’s best chance right now to produce an All-Star.”

No. 100 Overall: C Blake Swihart (Sw-EYE-heart)

(Photo: ESPN.com)

“Swihart is raw on both sides of the ball but extremely athletic with the bat speed and arm strength to profile as a potential All-Star at a number of skill positions. As a hitter, he can get out on his front foot early and doesn’t finish rotating his hips to produce the power his swing should allow, but the bat speed is there and he has a decent feel for the strike zone. As a catcher, he can throw and has already improved his release time since signing with Boston.

Having played a number of positions in high school, Swihart needs to work on receiving and game-calling. Given time and regular reps behind the plate, he could be similar to Matt Wieters, a switch-hitting catcher (perhaps with less power) who can add value through catching and throwing. If he has to move to another position, such as third base, he could still end up an above-average big leaguer but would obviously lose a good bit of his value.”

So there you have it.  Two Red Sox prospects made the cut, and somebody had to be No. 100! Interestingly enough third baseman Will Middlebrooks (Baseball America’s No. 1 Red Sox prospect) didn’t make the list, neither did shortstop Jose Iglesias.

It’ll be some time before we see either Bogaerts or Swihart here at McCoy Stadium.  The 18-year-old shortstop finished last season with Low-A Greenville, while Swihart, 19, played in an exhausting two games of rookie ball last year.

Although Boston doesn’t have a top-flight prospect like Mike Trout or Bryce Harper, what it does have is a good core of “solid” prospects (mostly offensively) and plenty of youth.

-AG