Rangers show as well as expected, as BA's title is "Rangers dominated the NWL list" :
1. Josh Vitters, 3b, Boise (Cubs)
2. Martin Perez, lhp, Spokane (Rangers)
3. Christian Friedrich, lhp, Tri-City (Rockies)
4. Neil Ramirez, rhp, Spokane (Rangers)
5. Conor Gillaspie, 3b, Salem-Keizer (Giants)
6. Wilfredo Boscan, rhp, Spokane (Rangers)
7. James Darnell, 3b, Eugene (Padres)
8. Tim Murphy, lhp, Spokane (Rangers)
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16. Matt West, 3b, Spokane (Rangers)
2. Martin Perez, lhp, Spokane (Rangers)
It took Perez 14 tries to earn his first pro victory this summer, but his season couldn't be considered anything but a success. After all, he was the youngest player in the Northwest League at age 17 and was making his pro debut after signing out of Venezuela in 2007. He finished seventh in ERA (3.65) and allowed just three homers in 62 innings.
Small and wiry at 6 feet and 165 pounds, Perez nevertheless has two plus pitches. He consistently works from 89-92 and touches 94 mph with his fastball, and his power breaking ball may be the best curve in a Rangers system loaded with arms. Perez shows some feel for a changeup, a third potential plus pitch, but it's still a work in progress. He maintains good arm speed and gets good action on it, though it can be too firm.
4. Neil Ramirez, rhp, Spokane (Rangers)
As with Perez, the Rangers challenged Ramirez by sending him to the NWL to make his pro debut as a teenager. He had little trouble overpowering older hitters, holding them to a .166 average while striking out 52 in 44 innings.
Ramirez attacks hitters with a 90-94 mph fastball that touches 96 and has decent life to the arm side. He has shown the ability to change speeds with his fastball, keeping hitters off balance. They can't gear up for it because his curveball is a hard, late-breaking hammer, a true plus pitch.
At 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds, Ramirez also has projection remaining. He's working on a changeup that showed improvement throughout the summer. He has to improve his command and control, but his pure stuff is exciting.
6. Wilfredo Boscan, rhp, Spokane (Rangers)
Another teenage pitching standout for Spokane, Boscan led the NWL in wins (nine) while finishing fourth in ERA (3.12) and strikeouts (70 in 69 innings). For an 18-year-old, he showed uncanny fastball command and mound presence. He was fearless, working the inside corner and throwing any pitch in any count.
Boscan's fastball ranges from 88-92 mph and it tends to sink down and away from righthanders. He changes speeds on his over-the-top curveball, and he gets good late movement on his plus changeup. His 70-11 K-BB ratio ranked second in the league to Loree, who's three years older.