An independent look

Baseball America concluded their ranking of Top 20 prospects with 20 independent league players. Look at who the #3 unsigned independent leaguer is:

3. Bryan Sabatella, of/1b
Alexandria (United)/Lancaster (Atlantic)

Not many 23-year-olds can handle the graduate level course that is facing Atlantic League pitching, but Sabatella made the jump from the United League to the Atlantic League with no problems.

Sabatella, 23, ranked among the UL's leaders in average (.340) while leading the league with 36 steals in 40 attempts. He's a plus runner (4.0-4.1 seconds from home to first base) who used the entire field while also showing some power—he hit 14 home runs and slugged .517. After the United League season ended, he hit .385/.429/.600 with Lancaster in the Atlantic League, showing that he could handle more advanced pitching.

Bat speed is Sabatella's only conern. A Mariners' ninth-round pick out of Quinnipiac University in 2005, Sabatella hit .237/.310/.341 in two seasons in the Northwest and Midwest leagues with the Mariners before being released in 2006. Some observers wonder if he can get around on a quality fastball. Sabatella played a little bit of everywhere for Alexandria, but in affiliated ball, he would likely be limited to left field.

Part of Sabatella's second season in the Mariner system was 2006 with the Timber Rattlers. In 52 games he hit .199 with an OBP of .259. He hit three homers and drove in 17 runs.