For the second year in a row, MLB Pipeline conducted a poll to find out who Major League General Managers and Scouting Directors considered to be the top prospects in the game. The questions this year asked about the top prospect going into 2017 and the top pitching prospect in the game.
Last year, Tyler Glasnow received two votes as the top pitching prospect, finishing third behind Lucas Giolito (then of the Washington Nationals) and Blake Snell from the Tampa Bay Rays. Snell no longer qualifies after throwing 89 innings in the majors in 2016. There were a total of seven pitchers who split the 20 votes last year.
Glasnow gained more support this season, finishing second with three votes from the 19 front office members who answered. Giolito, who was traded to the Chicago White Sox this off-season, received just one vote. Alex Reyes of the St Louis Cardinals picked up the other 15 votes. It’s interesting to note that all three pitchers received Major League time this year, and Reyes fell just short of losing his rookie status. He threw 46 innings, four short of the 50 IP cutoff for prospects. The 22-year-old Giolito threw 21.1 innings for the Nationals and posted a 6.75 ERA and a 1.78 WHIP.
One scouting director had this to say to MLB Pipeline about Glasnow:
“He has frontline starter stuff with swing-and-miss ability. He’s still continuing to get better and will be a dominant number one.”
That’s high praise for the 23-year-old Glasnow, who put up a 4.24 ERA in 23.1 innings with the Pirates, spread out over four starts and three relief appearances. He issued 13 walks, struck out 24 batters and posted a 1.50 WHIP. In the minors this season, he had a 1.93 ERA in 116.2 innings over 22 starts, with 68 walks, 144 strikeouts, and a 1.17 WHIP.