Former Valley Leaguer Chris Perez is the third-rated prospect for the Cardinals, currently assigned to Springfield.

HARRISONBURG, Va., March 1, 2007 – Baseball America magazine recently released its 2007 prospect handbook in which the publication ranked each Major League Baseball team’s top 30 prospects and listed others to watch while also identifying the top tools within each organization.  Below is a comprehensive list of former Valley League players who appear in BA’s rankings.

Former Valley Leaguers in Baseball America/MLB Organizational Rankings
Source: Baseball America 2007 Prospect Handbook
Rankings are for that player’s organization
* Player signed with VBL team but did not play/report with team

Joe Koshansky Colorado Rockies, 1^st base Staunton

13^th overall prospect 

Best power hitting prospect

Top 1^st base prospect

2006 Future Games

81 Home Runs in three seasons

Played ’06 w/Tulsa Drillers (AA)

13^th rated prospect in the Texas League in 2006

UVA

Drafted 6^th rd. in 2004

Brian Bocock S.F. Giants SS Luray

26^th overall prospect

3^rd rated shortstop

Best Infield Arm

Drafted 9^th round 2006

Stetson

Gaby Sanchez Florida Marlins C/1^st base Staunton

5^th overall prospect

Best hitter for average

Best Power Hitter

Best strike zone discipline

Top 1^st base prospect

U. of Miami

Drafted 4^th rd. 2005

Tommy Murphy Los Angeles Angels OF Staunton

26^th overall prospect

3^rd best OF prospect

Best Defensive OF

Best OF Arm

Made MLB Debut on May 4, 2006 played in 48 games

Drafted 3^rd 2000

Florida Atlantic

Chris Perez St. Louis RHP Closer Staunton

3rd overall prospect

Top closer prospect

Best Slider in organization

2005 Team USA

Miami

Drafted 1^st rd Supplemental 42 player taken

12 Saves for Quad City in 2006

John Jay St. Louis OF Staunton

5th overall prospect

Best strike zone discipline

2^nd best OF prospect

2005 Team USA

Miami

Drafted 2^nd rd

Batted .342 for Quad City in ‘06

Dustin Nippert RHP Arizona Luray*

8^th overall prospect

2^nd best starting right handed pitching prospect

Best curveball

Made MLB Debut in 2005

Drafted 15^th rd. 2000

West Virginia

Tommy Manzella SS Houston Waynesboro

23^rd overall prospect

Top SS prospect

Best Defensive Infielder

Best Infield Arm

Tulane

Drafted 2005 3^rd round

Brett Gardner OF Yankees New Market

10^th overall prospect

Fastest runner

Best Strike Zone Discipline

2^nd rated OF prospect

C. of Charleston

Drafted 2005 3^rd round

Stolen 77 bases in 3 minor league seasons

Tim Norton RHP Yankees New Market

29^th rated overall prospect

4^th rated right handed relief prospect

UConn

Drafted ’06 7^th rd.

Cliff Pennington SS Oakland Harrisonburg

13^th rated overall prospect

2^nd rated SS prospect

Best Infield Arm

Texas A&M

Drafted 2005 1^st round

Rocky Cherry LHP Cubs Harrisonburg

16^th overall prospect

Best Slider

2^nd rated right handed reliever

Oklahoma

Drafted 14^th rd 2002

Dan Smith LHP Atlanta Staunton

Rated 21^st overall prospect

#1 LHP reliever

Free Agent sign 2003

Corey Coles LF N.Y. Mets Covington

Rated #30 overall prospect

#2 Left field prospect

Louisiana - Lafayette

Drafted 2003 5^th round

Tobi Stoner RHP N.Y. Mets Front Royal

Rated #22 overall prospect

8^th rated starting RHP

Davis & Elkins

Drafted 2006 16^th round

Jack Egbert RHP White Sox Winchester

Rated #16 overall prospect

5^th rated starting RHP

Rutgers

Drafted 2004 13^th round

Ben Harrison RF Rangers Harrisonburg

Rated #17 overall prospect

2^nd rated RF prospect

44 Home Runs and 178 RBI’s in 3 minor league seasons

Drafted 7^th round in 2004

Florida

Ryan Klosterman SS Toronto Winchester

Rated #14 overall prospect

#1 rated shortstop

Drafted 2004 5^th round

Vanderbilt

Nick Stavinoha RF St. Louis Front Royal

Rated #20 overall prospect

#1 rated prospect

26 Homer Runs 126 RBI’s .315 BA in two minor league seasons

Drafted 7^th round in ‘05

Louisiana State

Chris Johnson 3B Houston Luray*

Rated #24 overall prospect

#1 rated third baseman

Drafted 4^th round 2006

Stetson

The following former VBL players’ were not rated in their teams Top 30 but were mentioned in organizational reports.

Andrew Dobies, Boston LHP Staunton

6th rated starting LHP Prospect

Virginia

Rowdy Hardy, Kansas City LHP Staunton

6th rated LHP prospect

Austin Peay

Matt Fox, Minnesota RHP Staunton

11^th rated starting RHP

Twins loaded with pitchers

Vanderbilt

Kennard Bibbs, Milwaukee OF Harrisonburg

5^th rated Left field prospect

Oklahoma City

Erick San Pedro, Washington C Staunton

6th rated catcher

Miami

Josh Papbelon, Boston RHP Loudoun County

7^th rated right handed reliever

North Florida

Ian Ostlund Detroit LHP Harrisonburg

5^th rated LHP reliever prospect

Virginia Tech

Paco Figueroa Baltimore 2B Winchester

Univ. of Miami

2^nd rated 2^nd Baseman

Danny Figueroa Baltimore CF Winchester

6^th rated centerfielder

Miami

Derrick Lutz Cincinnati RHP Front Royal

George Washington U.

7^th rated RH relief pitcher

Eric Haberer St. Louis LHP Harrisonburg

4^th rated starting LHP

Southern Illinois

Clayton Hamilton Pittsburgh RHP Winchester

11^th rated starting RHP

Penn St.

John Madden RHP San Diego Luray

4^th rated right handed reliever

Auburn

Ricky Orta RHP Seattle Luray*

6^th rated starting pitcher

Drafted 2006

Miami

Dee Brown OF Washington Luray

#4 rated left fielder

Central Florida

Drafted 10^th rd. 2004

Kevin Ardoin RHP Detroit Covington

13^th rated starting RHP

Derin McMains 2B Giants Winchester

5^th rated 2^nd baseman

Antoan Richardson CF Giants Winchester

5^th rated centerfielder

Clayton Timpner CF Giants Staunton

4th rated Centerfielder

Mark Fleisher 1B Orioles Waynesboro

4^th rated 1^st baseman

Brad Zeigler RHP A’s New Market

7^th rated right handed relief pitcher

Jeff Kindell 1B Colorado Covington

2^nd rated 1^st base prospect

Chad Blackwell RHP Pittsburgh Winchester

12th rated Reliever RHP

Pirates farm system deep in pitching talent

Tom Hagan LF Pittsburgh Covington

3^rd rated LF prospect

Virginia

Scott Cousins RF Florida Harrisonburg

3^rd rated RF Prospect

Carlos Guevara RHP Cincinnati Covington

5^th rated RHP reliever

Craig Tatum C Cincinnati Covington

2^nd rated catcher

Michael Cooper RHP Cubs Harrisonburg

8^th rated RHP reliever

Ryan Norwood 1B Cubs Front Royal

3^rd rated 1^st base prospect

Coby Mavroulis LHP Washington Harrisonburg

2^nd rated LHP reliever prospect

Sam Walls RHP Phillies Covington

6^th rated reliever RHP

NC State

Bridger Hunt LF L.A. Dodgers Staunton

3^rd rated LF prospect

Mike Myers CF White Sox Waynesboro

4^th rated CF prospect

Tyler Norrick LHP Cardinals Harrisonburg

5^th rated staring LHP

Brett Smith RHP Yankees Harrisonburg

16^th rated starting RHP

Harold Mozingo RHP Royals Waynesboro*

14^th rated starting pitcher

6^th round pick in 2006

Virginia Commonwealth

League Totals

VBL Team	Top 30	Listed	Total
Covington	1	6	7
Front Royal	2	2	4
Harrisonburg	3	8	11
Haymarket/Loudoun	0	1	1
Luray	1	2	3
New Market	2	1	3
Staunton	6	6	12
Waynesboro	1	2	3
Winchester	2	6	8
Woodstock	0	0	0
League Total	18	34	52

Note: Prospects that did not play in VBL are NOT included in totals

29 MLB Teams have former VBL players listed in their team rankings.

*Special thanks to Gerald Harman for compiling this information