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Few teams have been as busy this offseason as the Miami Marlins.

The decision to extend Giancarlo Stanton with a historic 13-year, $325 million contract thrust the Marlins into win-now mode, and it wasn’t long before the club began to aggressively retool its big league roster around the 25-year-old slugger.

However, building a strong supporting cast around Stanton meant blowing up the farm system, and so the Marlins were forced to part with top prospects.

First, they traded left-hander Andrew Heaney, the organization’s first-round draft pick in 2012, along with Enrique Hernandez and two other players to the Dodgers for Dee Gordon. One day later, they shipped right-hander Anthony DeSclafani to the Reds in a deal for Mat Latos.

Heaney, Hernandez and DeSclafani each debuted in the major leagues in 2014, meaning that the Marlins would have had them under team control for five or six years. Meanwhile, their respective departures have left Miami with few options down on the farm.

Flame-throwing right-hander Tyler Kolek, whom the Marlins selected with the No. 2 overall pick in last year’s draft, has the highest ceiling in the organization and headlines a prospect pool that’s top-heavy with pitching.

Lefty Justin Nicolino’s plus command and advanced pitchability should help him reach the major leagues in 2015, and right-handers Jose Urena and Trevor Williams shouldn’t be far behind.

Second baseman Avery Romero has done nothing but rake as a professional, batting .320 between both Class-A levels, while 2014 draft pick Brian Anderson gives them additional depth at the position. Meanwhile, catcher J.T. Realmuto had the breakout campaign that seemed inevitable and also fared well during a brief audition in the major leagues, and he seems poised to carve out a more important role with the Marlins in 2015.

Here are the Miami Marlins’ top 10 prospects for the 2015 season.

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The Philadelphia Phillies haven’t launched a full-on rebuilding process, at least not yet, but the organization appears to be headed in that direction based on recent trades.

The Phillies have targeted young, projectable pitchers in trades this offseason, acquiring Zach Eflin and Tom Windle from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Jimmy Rollins deal and then getting right-hander Ben Lively from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for Marlon Byrd. Those additions give the Phillies some much-needed pitching depth on the farm behind 2014 first-rounder Aaron Nola and former top prospect Jesse Biddle.

J.P. Crawford, the No. 16 overall pick in the 2013 draft, was lauded for his offensive potential and ability to remain at shortstop, but no one could have predicted how advanced the hit tool would be in his first full professional season. Meanwhile, third baseman Maikel Franco overcame a rough first half at Triple-A to reach the major leagues as a September call-up, setting him up for a potential everyday role in 2015.

Beyond that, the Phillies system also stands out for its collection of young, high-upside talent in the low minors, a group that includes center fielder Roman Quinn, catcher Deivi Grullon, left-hander Yoel Mecias and right-hander Franklyn Kilome.

Here are the Phillies’ top 10 prospects for the 2015 season.

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The Atlanta Braves system may be weak, but the cupboard is far from bare.

Twenty-year-old second baseman Jose Peraza’s exciting tools and advanced feel for the game have him on the fast track to the major leagues, while the team’s top prospect from 2014, right-hander Lucas Sims, seems poised for a bounce-back campaign.  

Catcher Christian Bethancourt’s bat didn’t develop in the high minors as hoped, and questions remain about the 23-year-old’s hit-tool potential, but he’s an absolute monster defensively and ready for a near-everyday role in 2015. 

2014 first-round pick Braxton Davidson (No. 32 overall) has big raw power and a short swing to make it play, but the left-handed hitter struggled to drive the ball this summer between two rookie levels. Meanwhile, 18-year-old shortstop Ozhaino Albies got everyone’s attention last summer by batting .364 across a pair of rookie levels.

Atlanta has added several notable prospects to its system this offseason through trades, as it acquired right-hander Tyrell Jenkins from St. Louis (Jason Heyward deal) and left-hander Manny Banuelos from the Yankees (David Carpenter deal). And last but not least, the Braves also received left-hander Max Fried, third baseman Dustin Peterson and center fielder Mallex Smith from the Padres in return for Justin Upton.

Here are the Atlanta Braves’ top 10 prospects for the 2015 season.

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Marcus Stroman’s graduation to big league starter last season put a temporary dent in the Toronto Blue Jays’ system, but right-hander Aaron Sanchez, lefty Daniel Norris and center fielder Dalton Pompey each picked up the slack in his absence, as all three prospects finished the year in the major leagues.

Sanchez, who spent most of 2014 between the Double- and Triple-A levels, proved to be a force out of the Blue Jays bullpen following a late-July promotion, showcasing an upper-90s fastball and devastating breaking ball while saving three games in late September. Meanwhile, Norris and Pompey ultimately joined Sanchez in Toronto for the final month of the season to complete their respective meteoric rises through the minor leagues.

As for the draft, getting right-hander Jeff Hoffman with the No. 9 overall pick, assuming he makes it all the way back from Tommy John surgery, was like adding a top-five draft talent at a bargain price. Max Pentecost, the No. 11 overall pick, was viewed as the best catcher in the draft class with good potential on both sides of the ball, but he’ll miss a sizable portion of the 2015 season after undergoing labrum surgery.

It’s worth noting that Toronto’s offseason acquisition of third baseman Josh Donaldson from the A’s did cost the team three top-10-caliber prospects in pitchers Sean Nolin and Kendall Graveman, both of whom have MLB experience, as well as 18-year-old Franklin Barreto, one of the better shortstop prospects in the minors. However, they did acquire Devon Travis, an all-around solid second-base prospect, in exchange for Anthony Gose.

The Blue Jays also have a crop of promising young arms spread out across their lower levels, a group that includes right-handers Miguel Castro, Roberto Osuna, Alberto Tirado and Sean Reid-Foley and lefties Jairo Labourt and Matt Smoral.

Here are the Toronto Blue Jays’ top 10 prospects for the 2015 season.

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Despite graduating a host of players to the big leagues last season, the Boston Red Sox enter 2015 with one of the finest collections of talent in the sport thanks to an aggressive draft strategy and outstanding player development.

The Red Sox’s core of pitching prospects continued their steady climb of the organizational ladder, as right-handers Anthony Ranaudo and Matt Barnes reached the major leagues after strong showings in Triple-A, while 22-year-old left-hander Henry Owens, the team’s top pitching prospect, furthered his impressive professional career with a strong, consistent performance across Double- and Triple-A.

Switch-hitting catcher Blake Swihart also thrived in his first taste of the high minors, as the 22-year-old hit for both average and power while playing phenomenal defense. Meanwhile, third baseman Garin Cecchini made his mark in the major leagues despite an overall disappointing campaign at Triple-A. Unfortunately, it’s hard to see where he fits into the organization’s long-term plans after the offseason signing of Pablo Sandoval.

All that being said, 2014 will be remembered as the year Boston’s next wave of international prospects put themselves on the prospect radar. Eighteen-year-old third baseman Rafael Devers showcased arguably the highest ceiling in the system with his excellent performance between the Dominican Summer and Gulf Coast Leagues, while 19-year-old outfielder Manuel Margot put himself on the map with his power/speed combo across both Class-A levels.

The Red Sox’s draft this year once again featured a good mix of high-ceiling, high–floor talent. Shortstop Michael Chavis, the team’s first-round pick at No. 26 overall, is a player who does a lot of things well—including a short swing and advanced approach—without dazzling in one area.

Right-hander Michael Kopech is a projectable right-hander who has touched the high 90s with his fastball. Second-round pick Sam Travis, a right-handed-hitting first baseman, got lost behind Kyle Schwarber at Indiana, but his bat is very good with above-average pop, and he has a good idea of what to do in the box.

Boston also added some fresh faces at last year’s trade deadline, acquiring left-handers Edwin Escobar and Eduardo Rodriguez in separate deals, and they still have both the talent and depth to pull off a potential blockbuster deal.

Here are the Boston Red Sox’s top 10 prospects for the 2015 season.

Want to talk prospects? Hit me up on Twitter: @GoldenSombrero.

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On Monday we learned the Pittsburgh Pirates have won negotiating rights to Korean shortstop Jung-Ho Kang, tweets Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

Kang’s Korea Baseball Organization team, the Nexen Heroes, accepted Pittsburgh’s high bid of slightly more than $5 million, per Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and the two sides now will have 30 days to negotiate a deal.

According to Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News, Kang is said to be seeking a contract in the three-year, $24 million range.

A lot has been made of Kang this offseason, as the 27-year-old was long expected to pursue a career in Major League Baseball following a career-best season in the KBO. Should he reach the major leagues, he’ll become the first player to make the jump directly from the KBO. On top of that, Kang is set to arrive at a time when there’s a scarcity of impact hitters, let alone shortstops, on the open market.

But is Kang the next great international player, or should expectations be tempered?

Kang posted huge numbers in 2014, his final KBO campaign, hitting .356/.459/.739 with 40 home runs, 36 doubles and 117 RBI in 117 games. While it was easily the best season in his career, it wasn’t as though Kang came out of nowhere.

Originally a second-round selection in the 2006 KBO draft, Kang debuted as a 19-year-old but didn’t emerge as an everyday player until 2008.

The 2012 season was when everything seemed to click for Kang, as he raked at a .314 clip over 124 games while contributing 25 home runs and 32 doubles. Kang also demonstrated vastly improved plate discipline by accruing nearly as many walks (71) as strikeouts (78), and, just for good measure, he added a career-high 21 stolen bases.

Kang failed to build off his success the following year, but he still hit .291 in 126 games and showed a promising combination of power and speed with 22 home runs, 21 doubles and 15 stolen bases.

And then, of course, came his monster 2014 season.

However, whether Kang’s robust power and production will translate in the majors next season, provided he works out a deal with the Pirates in the next month, remains up in the air.

Those who have scouted Kang generally seem to agree that the right-handed batter’s power will play in The Show.

From ESPN’s Keith Law (subscription required):

…I see a swing that will generate legit plus power even once he leaves his hitter-friendly home park in the Yangcheon District of Seoul. Kang has a huge leg kick and gets his lead foot down late, which could create timing issues, but the swing is rotational, and I don’t think the power surge he has had the past three years is strictly a function of the rising level of offense in the KBO.

Building off Law’s comments, Kang, at 6’0”, 210 pounds, uses an upright setup at the plate that allows him to employ an elongated and distinct load and leg kick, which is relatively common among power hitters from Asian leagues.

More specifically, Kang tries to hold his weight on his backside for as long as possible, which in turn forces him to rush his front-foot timing and prevents him from achieving a favorable point of contact. However, he does appear to maintain good balance throughout his swing and doesn‘t land as violently on his front side as you’d expect.

On top of that, Kang possesses above-average bat speed as well as raw power to all fields, so he should still run into his share of pitches even if he fails to hit for average. In a recent article, Jeff Sullivan of FOX Sports (among other places) offered a similar take about Kang’s power in the major leagues:

On the one hand, we can’t expect Kang‘s power to totally translate to the majors. On the other hand, it’s a legitimate skill of his. Kang appears capable of hitting big-league home runs, with a big swing load and power to the pull side and up the middle. Here are a bunch of video highlights, and while Kang hits some wall-scrapers, he’s also responsible for his share of no-doubters, and he can hit a big-league baseball 400 feet.

Still, I wouldn’t be surprised if Kang were to struggle against good velocity in the big leagues; his timing mechanism could make him susceptible to fastballs on the inner half, resulting in a significant amount of swing and miss and weak contact.

On the other side of the ball, Kang, based on video, appears to move well enough at shortstop, showing good athleticism with average range in all directions, and he also plays the position with a sense of creativity that aids him in making difficult plays. Kang’s arm strength is probably a better fit at second base than shortstop, though his smooth transfer and arm stroke allow him to get rid of the ball quickly.

Not everyone views Kang as a big league shortstop, though.

From Ben Badler of Baseball America (subscription required):

While Kang is a solid offensive player, the consensus in the international scouting community is that he won’t be an everyday payer. He doesn’t have the range to play shortstop in the majors, and scouts also expressed concerns about his ability to make the routine plays. Kang doesn’t have a plus tool, but there’s enough potential at the plate for him to be an offensive-oriented utility player who starts his U.S. career in the majors.

Sullivan believes Pittsburgh’s winning bid for Kang reflects the 27-year-old’s perception across the industry, writing that: “If teams believed he were a starter, the bid would’ve been at least triple this.”

He also acknowledges that some teams simply avoid the “blind risk” involved with international hitters, using Ichiro Suzuki’s first contract with Seattle for three years and $14 million as an example.

All of this is just speculation, obviously. The only real way to gauge Kang’s potential in the big leagues is to have him compete against big leaguers. Unfortunately, that won’t happen until spring training, and that’s only if he and the Pirates work out a deal.

But the fact that clubs bid on Kang in the first place is significant in and of itself, as it’s at least partial confirmation that he’s perceived to have potential in the major leagues.

For the Pirates, finding out what that potential might translate to is a risk worth taking.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The New York Yankees’ quietly good offseason continued Friday, as the team acquired right-handed pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, first baseman Garrett Jones and right-handed pitching prospect Domingo German from the Miami Marlins, according to Marc Carig of Newsday.

Heading to the Miami Marlins in the deal will be Martin Prado, who the Yankees acquired at last year’s trade deadline, and right-handed pitcher David Phelps.

After shoring the left side of the infield with the additions of third baseman Chase Headley and shortstop Didi Gregorius, the Yankees were seeking an upgrade on the mound without having to shell out big bucks for a veteran free agent. Therefore, they used Prado, who became more expendable after the Yankees inked Headley to a four-year pact, to land a pair of high-upside arms.

In Eovaldi, the Yankees are getting one of the more intriguing young pitchers in the game. He has a power arm and nasty stuff to go along with good control, but heading into his age-25 season, things haven’t quite clicked for the right-hander.

“I don’t think he’s a finished product,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said of Eovaldi via John Harper of the New York Daily News. “He’s got a great deal of ability, and we’re really excited to add him to the mix.”

Eovaldi had a rough 2014 season at face value, posting 6-14 record and 4.37 ERA in 33 starts for Miami. Beyond that, however, a case can be made that the 24-year-old had a career-best campaign.

Eovaldi’s 3.37 FIP and 3.78 xFIP suggest he suffered from bad luck in 2014, a notion supported by a career-worst .323 batting average on balls in play by opposing hitters and a strand rate (65.5 percent) that was approximately eight percent lower than the previous year, per FanGraphs. And from a durability standpoint, he set new career high-water marks with 33 starts and 199.2 innings pitched.

And then there’s the stuff.

To put it simply: Eovaldi throws smoke. The right-hander’s 95-96 four-seam fastball last season ranked second among all starting pitchers (minimum 1,000 four-seam fastballs thrown), and he located the pitch in the strike zone more often than anyone not named Phil Hughes. As for command, Eovaldi is adept at pounding the bottom of the zone, especially low and away, against lefties and righties, but he’s still learning how to effectively pitch to both sides of the plate.

“He’s [Eovaldi] got a great gift—there’s no doubt about that,” Cashman said per David Waldstein of The New York Times. “Now it’s just a matter of harnessing that gift.”

Eovaldi’s knack for working inside the zone is also what limits his ability to miss bats. He’s below average both at getting strikeouts (6.28 K/9 in 460 career innings) and swinging strikes (8.1 percent), as neither his hard four-seamer nor his slider are particularly great swing-and-miss pitches.

However, Eovaldi’s combination of stuff and his insistence on living in the zone is precisely what gives him so much upside. Joel Sherman of the New York Post speculates that Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild could be the answer for the right-hander.

The Yankees adore power arms, and both Eovaldi and German have those. However, Eovaldi has not translated that lightning into consistent effectiveness.

[…]

The Yankees believe they have in Larry Rothschild one of the finer pitching coaches in raising the effectiveness of hurlers with stuff, and they clearly see room for Eovaldi to evolve into something better.

Eovaldi is eligible for arbitration for the first time this offseason and will earn approximately $3.1 million, according to Matt Swartz of MLB Trade Rumors. The Yankees will have three years of team control, with Eovaldi set to become a free agent following the 2017 season.

The Yankees are also getting a promising young arm in German, a 22-year-old right-hander who’s coming off an impressive full-season debut.

Making 25 starts for Low-A Greensboro, German posted a 2.48 ERA with 113 strikeouts against 25 walks over 123.1 innings. Though he flew under the radar as an older pitcher at a lower level, German put himself on the prospect map in this year’s SiriusXM Future Game with strikeouts of Kris Bryant and Joey Gallo.

The 6’2”, 175-pound right-hander has impressive arm strength, boasting a fastball that sits comfortably in the low- to mid-90s and at times a few ticks higher. On top of that, he’s adept at pounding the zone with the pitch, while his athletic delivery and fluid arm action give it late sinking action.

German’s secondary arsenal is highlighted by changeup that has the potential to be above average, and he already shows an advanced feel for the pitch relative to his fastball. His slider is easily his least advanced offering, registering in the low-80s with inconsistent shape and pace, and he’ll need to time to refine the pitch in the coming years.

While German’s an overall work in progress, his arm strength and strike-throwing ability provide a solid foundation for future growth. However, his long-term role, as in starter versus reliever, will depend on the development of a legitimate third pitch.

The acquisition of two young power arms is a big step for the Yankees, as they have traditionally targeted pitchers with years of sustained success in the major leagues. With Eovaldi, however, the club clearly believes that his best years are on the way.

If that turns out to be the case, the Yankees will have yet another cheap, young arm to build a rotation around.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

When the Atlanta Braves traded outfielder Jason Heyward to St. Louis in November, it signaled that the club might be initiating a rebuild.

However, a lack of activity on the trading front at the winter meetings as well as the signing of free agent Nick Markakis to a four-year deal gave the impression that the organization still might try to compete in 2015.

“I made it real clear from the beginning that we’re not looking to trade anybody. We’ll certainly entertain whatever might come our way. If there is something that comes along with real value for us, we’ll certainly examine it,” said Braves President of Baseball Operations John Hart following the winter meetings, via Mark Bowman of MLB.com.

Well, Hart clearly likes what came his way Friday morning, as the Braves traded left fielder Justin Upton to the San Diego Padres in return for a prospect package featuring left-handed pitcher Max Fried, infielder Jace Peterson, third baseman Dustin Peterson and center fielder Mallex Smith, per FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal and CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman.

Granted, the Braves failed to acquire any of San Diego’s top prospects in the deal, but they were able to fill some of the glaring holes in their weak farm system, namely left-handed pitching and infield depth, and did so at the cost of one year of Upton.

Now, with both Heyward and Upton out of the mix, it’s time for the Braves to officially commit to a rebuild.

Headlining Atlanta’s return for Upton is left-hander Fried, whom the Padres selected with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2012 draft out of high school.

Fried impressed in his 2013 full-season debut, registering a 3.49 ERA with 100 strikeouts in 118.2 innings over 23 starts at Low-A Fort Wayne. His control was shaky, evidenced by 56 free passes and eight hit batsmen on the year, though that was almost expected as he made the jump from the rookie-level Arizona League to Low-A.

Fried, who turns 21 in January, missed the first three months of the 2014 season due to forearm tightness, but returned in early July to make five starts between the Arizona League and Low-A. Unfortunately, the southpaw’s ulnar collateral ligament gave out and resulted in season-ending Tommy John surgery, thus putting his promising career on hold for at least a year.

Prior to the injury, Fried, a 6’4”, 185-pound southpaw with a projectable build and smooth delivery, showcased three potentially above-average to plus-plus offerings: a low-90s fastball, an outstanding curveball with varying speeds and shapes and a hugely underrated changeup that will be a weapon against right-handed batters.

The Braves are also getting a pair of Petersons in the deal, Jace and Dustin, who are not related.

The Padres selected Jace, a former two-sport standout at McNeese State University, with the No. 58 overall pick in the 2011 draft. The 24-year-old left-handed batter received his first taste of the major leagues in 2014 but hit just .113 with 18 strikeouts in 58 plate appearances.

However, Peterson did showcase his defensive versatility during his time in The Show, playing both second and third base after logging 330 games at shortstop in the minor leagues.

Dustin Peterson, the younger brother of Mariners prospect D.J. Peterson, was San Diego’s second-round draft pick (No. 50 overall) in 2013 and is generally viewed as a bat-first third baseman.

In his 2014 full-season debut, Peterson batted .233/.274/.361 with 10 home runs, 31 doubles and 79 RBI in 564 plate appearances for Low-A Fort Wayne. However, the 20-year-old’s 137-25 strikeout-to-walk ratio during that timeframe indicates his approach and plate discipline will require considerable refinement moving forward, and his 38 errors at the hot corner highlight his room for improvement defensively.

The Braves are also getting center fielder Smith, a fifth-round draft pick in 2012 who’s since emerged as one of the better base stealers in the minor leagues.

Smith, 21, will join the Braves after a breakout 2014 campaign between Low-A Fort Wayne and High-A Lake Elsinore in which he batted .310/.403/.432 with 41 extra-base hits over 120 games and led the minor leagues with 88 stolen bases.

But after trading both Heyward and Upton this offseason, it makes sense for the Braves, who clearly have their eye on being competitive in 2017, to further their rebuilding process and deal some of their top remaining assets.

From Mark Bradley of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

…it’s clear the new-but-also-old Braves hated everything Frank Wren had done with this organization, and they’re determined to build something that they regard as better and, to use a sabermetric word, sustainable.

I don’t know if they’ll succeed. Nobody knows if they’ll succeed. But this is what they’re doing, and when you do something like this — trade the corner outfielders off a team that couldn’t hit in the first place — you’re not thinking of winning next season. It will be a while before the Braves are winners again.

Just to be clear, I’m not advocating the Braves should consider parting with Freddie Freeman, Andrelton Simmons and Julio Teheran, each of whom signed long-term extensions within the last two years.

Rather, the club should look to trade Evan Gattis (four remaining years of team control) and Craig Kimbrel (owed $33 million over the next three years, with a 2018 team option) this offseason while there’s still an opportunity to extract maximum value for both players.

Considering Atlanta’s return for both Heyward and Upton, whom were both a year away from free agency, there is a real chance they could pull in an even greater haul with Gattis and Kimbrel—guys who might appeal to contenders and rebuilders alike.

It’s hard to say exactly what the next move will be for the Braves this offseason. However, if the team truly is intent on rebuilding for the 2017 season, it’s a safe bet that more trades are coming.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Many of baseball’s top prospects are spending the offseason playing in winter leagues in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela, hoping to get a head start on the 2014 season and improve their chances of cracking an Opening Day roster. 

As it is usually the case given the time of year, the prospect pool between the four leagues is heavy on hitters. Unfortunately, the crop of talent in the leagues this winter is fairly weak and features fewer big-name prospects than previous years.

Here’s a look at some of the top prospects tearing it up in the offseason winter leagues.

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International free agents are receiving serious interest in the aftermath of Major League Baseball’s winter meetings, with teams looking for relatively cheap and creative options to plug holes on their rosters.

Cuban infielder Yoan Moncada, 19, is expected to be the most coveted international player this offseason, though that could change depending on when he’s officially cleared to sign. Meanwhile, power-hitting shortstop Jung-Ho Kang was posted Monday by the Nexen Heroes of the Korea Baseball Organization, and he could potentially be a fit for a variety of teams.

However, those are just a few international players drawing interest from major league teams.

Here’s an updated look at projected landing spots for five international players currently pursuing a major league contract, including Japanese right-hander Kenta Maeda, who’s yet to be posted but worth discussing given his potential impact on the open market.

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