A rapidly improving organization. The emergence of Hanson and Polanco at West Virginia last year looks real to me, providing a quick boost for a system that looked a bit thin in position players entering 2012. This also helps ease the sting of Josh Bell's unfortunate season. As mentioned above, grading Bell is tough but his upside remains high enough for me to retain optimism. If he continues to struggle with contact in 2013, that may change. I like Barnes and Mathisen from the 2012 draft. Dilson Herrera and Jin-De Jhang provide more up the middle depth, and gloveman Gift Ngoepe is also intriguing. The real depth is on the pitching side. Although the failure to sign Mark Appel is annoying, the system remains chock-full-o'pitching, with a pair of potential aces at the top in Cole and Taillon, then a bushel of guys who could develop into mid-rotation starters. Heavy recent investments in high school arms haven't panned out as quickly as hoped, but Kingham took a big step forward, with Glasnow and Holmes hoping to replicate that in 2013. Luis Heredia performed very well given his age in the New York-Penn League. Note the mass of Grade C+ pitching prospects in the middle of the list. McPherson, Black, Wilson, and Irwin are all college products who have moved steadily up the system and are ready or almost ready to contribute, at least as role pitchers. Morris has taken well to the bullpen over the last two years and has nothing left to prove. Overall, despite the disappointing second half from the major league club, the rebuilding process seems to be coming along well. Pitching prospects are often ephemeral (witness what happened in Kansas City over the last two years), but the foundations of a strong staff are here. Someone asked me about Jeff Locke. If he were still eligible, I think I'd have him as a Grade B- and rank him 10th. I think he can be a nice fourth starter and he's obviously ready now. --

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