MiLB Top 10 Prospects Flashback: 1987 Southern League

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The Double-A Southern League has a rich prospect tradition, none better than the class of 1987 headlined by Hall of Famers Randy Johnson (No. 2) and Larry Walker (No. 3), both Jacksonville teammates as Expos farmhands, and 1996 National League MVP Ken Caminiti (No. 1).  

Other contenders for best prospect class in Southern League history include 1990 with Frank Thomas and Chuck Knoblauch, 2006 with Joey Votto and Ryan Braun, 2008 with Clayton Kershaw and David Price and 2009 with Giancarlo Stanton and Freddie Freeman.  

1987 Southern League Top 10 Prospects

No	Player	Pos	Team	Org	PA/IP	WAR
1	Ken Caminiti	3B	Columbus	Astros	7,127	36.0
2	Randy Johnson	LHP	Jacksonville	Expos	4,135	105.2
3	Larry Walker	OF	Jacksonville	Expos	8,030	68.7
4	Erik Hanson	RHP	Chattanooga	Mariners	1,555	23.6
5	Geronimo Berroa	OF	Knoxville	Blue Jays	2,825	6.0
6	Steve Gasser	RHP	Orlando	Twins	—	—
7	Walt Weiss	SS	Huntsville	Athletics	5,516	14.8
8	Brian Holman	RHP	Jacksonville	Expos	677	10.3
9	Tommy Greene	RHP	Greenville	Braves	628	6.7
10	Rob Mallicoat	LHP	Columbus	Astros	54	-1.1

Johnson won five Cy Young Awards but didn’t receive his first vote until he was 29 because of untamed wildness stretching back to his amateur days. In the Southern League he walked 128 in 140 innings while leading the league with 163 strikeouts thanks to his “93 mph-plus fastball.” One manager regarded Johnson as having “more potential than any pitcher in the league.”

Walker shot to Double-A at age 20 and had a big year in the Southern League, hitting .287 with 26 homers thanks to a “smooth swing.” One manager accurately forecasted that Walker “can do all five things well.”

“Everything he does is a plus,” one Southern League manager gushed about Caminiti, who reached Houston in the second half of 1987. While he was repeating the SL, Caminiti hit .325 with 15 homers and drew praise for his “outstanding arm, good hands and range at third.” 

Walt Weiss (No. 7) carved out a 14-year big league career as a smooth-fielding but light-hitting shortstop. “His defense is at major league standards now,” one manager said.

Southern League All-Time BA No. 1 Prospects

Players listed with career major league plate appearances/innings and FanGraphs WAR. Stats for active players current through mid August.

Year	Player	Pos	Team	Org	PA/IP	WAR
1981	Tim Laudner	C	Orlando	Twins	2,268	4.0
1982	Stefan Wever	RHP	Nashville	Yankees	3	-0.4
1983	John Morris	OF	Jacksonville	Royals	665	-0.1
1984	Mickey Brantley	OF	Chattanooga	Mariners	1,222	0.9
1985	Jose Canseco	OF	Huntsville	Athletics	8,129	42.1
1986	Bo Jackson	OF	Memphis	Royals	2,626	7.7
1987	Ken Caminiti	3B	Columbus	Astros	7,127	36.0
1988	Pete Harnisch	RHP	Charlotte	Orioles	1,959	28.0
1989	Eric Anthony	OF	Columbus	Astros	2,244	0.3
Year	Player	Pos	Team	Org	PA/IP	WAR
1990	Frank Thomas	1B	Birmingham	White Sox	10,075	72.1
1991	Mark Wohlers	RHP	Greenville	Braves	553	4.3
1992	Chipper Jones	SS	Greenville	Braves	10,614	84.6
1993	Alex S. Gonzalez	SS	Knoxville	Blue Jays	6,248	9.2
1994	Trey Beamon	OF	Carolina	Pirates	172	-0.7
1995	Jason Kendall	C	Carolina	Pirates	8,702	37.1
1996	Andruw Jones	OF	Greenville	Braves	8,664	67.0
1997	Miguel Tejada	SS	Huntsville	Athletics	9,205	39.7
1998	Eric Chavez	3B	Huntsville	Athletics	6,228	35.7
1999	Vernon Wells	OF	Knoxville	Blue Jays	7,212	25.1
Year	Player	Pos	Team	Org	PA/IP	WAR
2000	Corey Patterson	OF	West Tenn	Cubs	4,499	10.9
2001	Adam Dunn	OF	Chattanooga	Reds	8,328	25.6
2002	Jake Peavy	RHP	Mobile	Padres	2,377	43.7
2003	Miguel Cabrera	3B	Carolina	Marlins	10,331	70.5
2004	Andy Marte	3B	Greenville	Braves	940	-2.0
2005	Delmon Young	OF	Montgomery	Rays	4,371	-1.3
2006	Homer Bailey	RHP	Chattanooga	Reds	1,399	10.2
2007	Justin Upton	OF	Mobile	D-backs	7,135	36.0
2008	Clayton Kershaw	LHP	Jacksonville	Dodgers	2,299	73.6
2009	Jason Heyward	OF	Mississippi	Braves	5,649	31.5
Year	Player	Pos	Team	Org	PA/IP	WAR
2010	Giancarlo Stanton	OF	Jacksonville	Mariners	4,951	39.7
2011	Matt Moore	LHP	Montgomery	Rays	895	6.4
2012	Trevor Bauer	RHP	Mobile	D-backs	1,143	19.5
2013	Yasiel Puig	OF	Chattanooga	Dodgers	3,376	18.0
2014	Kris Bryant	3B	Tennessee	Cubs	3,175	27.9
2015	Miguel Sano	3B	Chattanooga	Twins	2,132	8.7
2016	Dansby Swanson	SS	Mississippi	Braves	1,879	4.6
2017	Ronald Acuna Jr.	OF	Mississippi	Braves	1,280	9.9
2018	Eloy Jimenez	OF	Birmingham	White Sox	600	2.4
2019	Jo Adell	OF	Mobile	Angels	41	-0.6