Top 12 prospects: Skaggs back in
Updated: August 10, 2012, 3:18 PM ET
By Kevin Goldstein | Baseball Prospectus
Note: The top 12 fantasy prospects (players currently in the minor leagues) for 2012 are below. These rankings are a bit different from other prospect rankings, as they are strictly for 2012 fantasy purposes. Not only do talent and recent performance play a role, but potential paths to the big leagues also factor in. All young players in the minors are eligible, including those in "prospect purgatory," those who have exceeded rookie status but are still young, unproven commodities.
The Top 12 for '12 lost two more in the past week, with Josh Vitters joining the Chicago Cubs and Adeiny Hechavarria heading to the Toronto Blue Jays. The big miss was the surprising move by the Baltimore Orioles to bring up top prospect Manny Machado, who I profiled Thursday. At this point of the season, we're in long-shot mode, but let's shake up the list a bit by including some potential September call-ups.
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2012 Rookies/Prospects Coverage 

Who's next? And what should we expect from them? ESPN Insider has all the info you need on rookies and prospects, such as Wil Myers.
Fantasy: Prospect/Rookie Rankings
- Top 12 for '12 (8/31): Trevor Bauer moves up
- Top 12 (7/6): Futures Game prospects
- Preseason Top 100: Nos. 1-50 | 51-100
2012 call-up profiles
- 8/9: Manny Machado
- 8/6: Brett Jackson
- 8/6: Josh Vitters
- 8/2: Ryan Lavarnway
- 8/2: Dan Straily
- 8/2: Mike Olt
- 7/31: Domonic Brown
- 6/27: Trevor Bauer
- 6/27: Martin Perez
- 6/1: Yasmani Grandal
- 5/31: Alex Castellanos
- 5/31: Andrelton Simmons
- 5/20: Matt Adams
- 5/18: Alex Cobb
- 5/7: Brian Dozier
- 5/3: Connor Gillaspie
- 5/2: Will Middlebrooks
- 4/28: Mike Trout, Welington Castillo
- 4/24: Jarrod Parker
- 4/20: Drew Hutchison
- 4/13: D. Carpenter, J. Dyson, E. Crawford
- 4/11: Joe Wieland
Keith Law
- Keith Law Blog
- Top 50 prospects (as of July 12, 2012)
- Organizational rankings: Padres on top
- Preseason Top 100 prospects:
Index | 1-25 | 26-50 | 51-75 | 76-100 - Top 10 prospects by organization
- Top prospects who missed top 100
- Sleeper prospect for every team
Kevin Goldstein
- 8/29: 2013 Rookie of the Year candidates
- 8/21: 2012 draftees off to strong starts
- 8/15: O's could use Dylan Bundy right now
- 8/1: Ranking the prospects traded in July
- 7/25: Prospects losing trade value
- 7/18: Prospects to sell high on
- 7/11: Forecasting the Futures Game rosters
- 7/4: Short-season standout prospects
- 6/27: Midseason prospect promotions
- 6/20: Raw prospects with big-time potential
- 5/30: Four "blocked" prospects
- 6/7: MLB Draft - Identifying the roto leaders
- 5/30: Four "blocked" prospects
- 5/16: The next great power hitters
- 5/9: Six "pop-up" prospects
- 5/2: Five future No. 1 starters
- 4/25: Top prospects off to slow starts
- 4/18: The historic 2011 draft
- 4/5: Assignments for top prospects
- 4/3: Ten rookies/prospects on the rise
- 3/28: Minor League POY candidates
More prospect coverage
- McDaniel (9/4): Scouting Shelby Miller, J. Baez
- McDaniel (8/28): Scouting T. Walker, Hultzen
- McDaniel (8/16): Scouting Zach Lee, Teheran
- McDaniel (8/14): Scouting B. Hamilton, H. Lee
- Crasnick (8/14): Hamilton on fast track
- McDaniel (8/7): Carlos Correa, M. Davidson
- McDaniel (8/1): Tyler Austin, J. Marisnick
- McDaniel (7/27): Mason Williams, G. Sanchez
- McDaniel (7/23): Jose Fernandez, J. Taillon
- Churchill (7/19): Scouting Straily, Hultzen
- Rumors (7/17): Potential call-ups
- Rumors (7/3): More prospects on the way?
- Karabell (4/27): Pick up Harper/Trout?
- Szymborski (4/27): Harper expectations
- Rumors (4/9): Who could benefit from trade?
