Lawrie is #5

Baseball America released their Top 20 Prospects for the Southern League on Thursday.  Ex-Rattlers second baseman Brett Lawrie was #5.

Two other Ex-Rattlers made the list.  Michael Pineda (’08) of the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx was #3.  Pineda’s West Tennessee teammate Alex Liddi (’06, ’07, ’08) made the list at #16.

A bit from behind the subscriber wall:

Aside from [#1 prospect Mike] Stanton, no SL prospect excited scouts and managers alike as
much as Pineda. He throws in the upper 90s from his first pitch and
maintains his velocity throughout a game.

Yet, some scouts seem him as more of a closer than a starting pitcher.

Like [Dan] Uggla, Lawrie is a strong, aggressive hitter with a big swing. He
has a quick bat that stays in the hitting zone for a long time, and
balls carry well off his bat. While he’s prone to chasing pitches out of
the zone, he also has shown the ability to make adjustments during
at-bats and series.

Some scouts see him as a corner outfielder at the upper levels.

Liddi’s numbers were bound to take a hit after he played at hospitable
High Desert in the hitter-friendly California League last year. A career
.244/.311/.372 hitter entering 2009, he led the minors in hitting while
batting .345/.411/.594. He legitimized himself as a prospect with a
solid 2010 season at West Tenn, leading the league with 92 RBIs.

Possible move to first base at the next level? BA and scouts don’t like it.