FanGraphs gave us what we have all been waiting for: the end of Prospect List Season. Eric Longenhagen wrapped up the offseason in the prospecting world by dropping his list on FG Wednesday morning. The thing that really sets his list apart from the rest of the prospect list world is the statistic precision that goes into the rankings. More emphasis is placed on numbers and potential future value in terms of WAR than other publications. However, that does not mean Longenhagen fails to use player scouting in his consideration just like the other list curators make sure to use metrics and statistics to determine the ordering of their lists.

While FanGraphs labels their list as the top 100, the rankings really go 120 deep to accommodate for the remainder of the players that receive a Future Value of at least 50, or an average regular in the big leagues.

Three Cubs cracked the Top 100, with another Chicago farmhand being on the list outside of #100.

46. Nico Hoerner
50. Brennen Davis
65. Miguel Amaya
114. Brailyn Marquez

The top three guys are all ranked higher than where we typically see them crack lists. Nico’s 46 ranking rivals Prospects Live, who is known to be extra high on the middle infielder.

This is the highest we have seen both Davis and Amaya, but at 50 and 65 respectively they are properly ranked in my eyes. If you recognize Davis’s incredible talent and upside, there’s not reason not to include him this high. It is nice to see Amaya getting the love he is here, as Cubs prospect writers have a collective feeling that national publications have been far too low on Miggy up to this point.

The surprise here comes with Brailyn Marquez falling out of the top 100. What it clearly comes down to, as laid out in Longenhagen’s write-up, is that he is viewed as a reliever in the Major Leagues. He has the potential to be a top tier reliever if that’s the role he ultimately winds up in, but relievers just aren’t going to crack any top 100 lists, no matter how good they are. If Longenhagen believes Marquez will not have a shot at the rotation long-term, that is why he has him down here at number 113.

Now that all of the top 100s of the season have been posted, a follow-up of the composite rankings will be up at OOTV very soon!