I thought so too about Bruce. I'd like to say the MWL guys I picked weren't entirely random, but there weren't a lot of guys to choose from. It's a rare feat in the last half-dozen years. :)
Over .800 OPS in the MWL as a teen:
2005: Carlos Gonzalez (killing it for Colorado now as a 23 & 24 year old CF/OF)
2006: Bruce, Maybin
2007: Snider, Gerardo Parra (in the bigs at 22 in '09, not yet successful splitting time at CF/LF)
2008: Mike Moustakas (ravaging AA and AAA at 21), Andy Lambo (average in AA, same age)
2009: Jaff Decker (top 100 prospect)
2010: Nick Franklin, Mike Trout, Matt Davidson - all 1st round picks who will be top 100 if not top 50 players on next year's Baseball America rundown. Some are calling Trout the undeniable #1 hitter in baseball, after all.
There were a few 20 year olds that cleared .800 this year, which is up from past years, so maybe this year the MWL is easier and drawing the line at "teenagers" is too arbitrary. Still, the comps looked accurate to me as far as skillset goes:
Franklin's EYE: .42
Bruce: .42
Snider: .38
Maybin: .43
Franklin's AB:K : 4.2
Bruce: 4.2
Snider: 3.6
Maybin: 3.3
Franklin's ISO: .208
Bruce: .225
Snider: .212
Maybin: .153
3 guys is not a scientific sample, but when a guy has power, a decent average, and a survivable K-rate in that league at 19, I have to like his chances.
BTW, neutralized for park and luck:
Franklin: .309/.375/.527/.902
Bruce: .299/.370/.533/.903
Before Jay stomped on the Midwest League at 19, he was the #76 prospect in the country. After? #14.
I think Franklin's a top-20 hitting prospect in the minors, EASY. And for all that Mike Trout impressed the universe in his MWL stint, Franklin outhit him using neutralized stats. There's a danger of overselling this year for sure, but it's impressive any way you slice it, and even when you look at its weaknesses.
The fact that he can improve and STILL did what he did is a good thing, not a bad one. When Smoak and Ackley leave the system, it's hard to see a better hitting prospect in it than Franklin. Maybe Choi. ;)
~G