The South Atlantic League Top 20 Prospects list issued by BA which is based largely on a survey of league managers did not include any Lexington players.
Probably the two biggest surprises in terms of omissions were C J.R. Towles and RHP Tip Fairchild. RHP Brad James presumably would also have received some consideration. Age (too old for the league at 23) may have been the biggest factor in OF Eli Iorg not making the list.
Looking back at who made BA’s South Atlantic League Top 20 Prospects lists over the past five years:
2005
- LHP Troy Patton (#4)
- RHP Jimmy Barthmaier (#11)
- OF Hunter Pence (#15)
2004
- OF Josh Anderson (#14)
- RHP Matt Albers (#18)
2003
- RHP Fernando Nieve (#15)
2002
- None
2001*
- C Garett Gentry (#6)
- SS Chris Burke (#8)
- RHP Anthony Pluta (#8)
- RHP Chad Qualls (#13)
- RHP Mike Nannini (#16)
*Houston had two low-A clubs in 2001 and 2002: besides Lexington, the other (Michigan Battle Cats) was in the Midwest League. Gentry, Burke and Qualls were chosen in 2001 from the Midwest League while Pluta and Nannini were chosen from the South Atlantic League.