They're All For You, Dear - I'll Write the Album of the Year: A Look Back at Our Top 30 Prospects List, #30-21 Edition

Hi everyone.  Before we re-rank our prospects, let's take a look at how those on our previous list fared this season, starting with 30 and counting down to 1. 

30.  Scott Campbell:  After a disappointing and injury-marred 2009, everyone's favourite Kiwi had a nightmare 2010 marred by a serious hip injury.  The future is now very unclear for the former prospect who looked very much like at least a solid utility player when he impressed with the Jays in spring training 2009. 

29.  Danny Farquhar:  Farquhar is now finishing up his 2010 in the Arizona Fall League after spending his season in AA.  I have a tough time rating relief prospects particularly highly unless they are completely dominant but I think Farquhar has made his case to move up a bit.  A sidearming righty, Farquhar struggled early in the season with his command but put together strong strikeout (9.27/9 IP) and groundball numbers and really cut down on his walks as the season went on with walks, by month, of 6, 11, 12, 4, and 7.  Walks remain a concern but Farquhar looks like a solid relief option and it's very possible we see him in a Jays uniform in 2011. 

28.  Michael McDade:  McDade, Farquhar's fall teammate in the AFL, had a respectable season for Dunedin in a tough league for young hitters, batting .267/.315/.448 with 21 home runs.  The concern is that as a power hitting first baseman, McDade needs to start showing somewhat better on base skills and a better approach at the plate if he is to master AA, always a test for hitters.  The power is nice but he really struggled with his approach at the plate this season, walking just 5% of the time while striking out close to 30% of the time.  Next season could be a bit of a reckoning. 

27.  John Tolisano:  The switch-hitting former prep 2007 pick struggled with injuries this season after enjoying a fantastic May and June that looked like they had him poised for a big break-out year.  He finished the season hitting .252/.337/.404 in high-A.  Tolisano played all three outfield positions as well as second and third base and it's still unclear what his position will be going forward.  Unfortunately injuries stopped him from moving up to AA, but he'll be looking to do that once he gets healthy as he just turned 22.  He has shown decent power and on-base skills, so if he can stick at center field or second base he'd likely be a solid performer, but it's not clear that his defense is cooperating. 

26.  Darrin Mastroianni:  The speedy native of upstate New York enjoyed another solid season in AA New Hampshire, hitting .301/.390/.398 with 46 steals in 56 attempts, mostly from the leadoff spot.  He's finishing it up now in Venezuela in Winter Ball.  Mastroianni has always been a good hitter for average and has a great eye at the plate, so for him it's a matter of whether he will drive the ball more as he gets older.  His Iso took a nice jump this season while his batting average and walk and strikeout ratios mostly stayed constant, so that's a good sign.  Mastroianni is never going to be confused with a power hitter, but whether he continues to grow as a hitter will determine whether he's an everyday CF or a reserve outfielder type.  His defense in centre is reported to be excellent. 

25.  Andrew Liebel:  After a deceptively good 2009, Liebel had a very rough 2010.  Plagued by injury problems, he made only 13 starts and posted poor ratios.  Liebel didn't pitch at all after June so it was a bit of a lost season after a solid 2009 - the plan was surely for him to just polish things a bit at high-A before moving on to AA, but things never materialized.  Liebel will be 25 by the time next season starts so things aren't really looking up at the moment.   

24.  Justin Jackson:  The former highly-touted shortstop had another injury-marred season.  After starting April red-hot, Jackson succumbed to a leg injury and spent almost all of 2010 on the shelf before returning for a brief cameo in September.  Jackson will be 22 in December. 

23.  Josh Roenicke:  Roenicke, 1/3 of the return in the trade that sent Scott Rolen to Cincinnati, is a weird case as he is 28 now but has yet to spend much time in the majors due to flighty control.  He had a good season in Las Vegas, putting up a 54/24 K/BB ratio over 59 innings in a league that is notoriously tough on pitchers.  Josh also pitched 19 innings for the Jays and had trouble finding the plate with 13 walks.  Roenicke is likely to begin 2010 in the Jays' major-league bullpen, at least, he would if I had my druthers.  Time to sink or swim. 

22.  Ryan Schimpf:   After a promising 2009, second baseman Schimpf took a small step back in 2010.  After a 2009 in which he was drafted and worked his way up from Rookie Ball up to Auburn, Schimpf split 2010 between Lansing and high-A Dunedin, where he struggled.  His Lansing numbers were a decent, but unspectacular, .240/.332/.421, but he did show an excellent power stroke for the level, particularly for a middle infielder, with 23 doubles, 10 triples, and 6 home runs in 227 at-bats. 

21.  Tim Collins:  Everyone's favourite pint-sized southpaw, Collins began the season in New Hampshire but was traded in the deal that brought Yunel Escobar to Toronto. Atlanta then flipped him in the Rick Ankiel deal.  Collins continued to do what he does at higher and higher levels, finishing the season with a 21/8 K/BB ratio over 20 innings in AAA, in the PCL no less.  He may only end up a situational lefty in the majors, but he's done nothing but put up great numbers so I'm sorry to see him leave the organization. 

That's it for now everyone.  Tom will be back with #20 to 11 in a few.  Oh, and today's title comes from the great song "Album of the Year" by the Good Life.