Top 10 Defensive Players since 1990

Again I know this is a baseball blog, but it's a day before the Super Bowl, biggest Championship game in the world, besides maybe the World Cup. Here's the top 10 best and most feared defensive players.

1. Rod Woodson, FS/SS, Pittsburgh Steelers- Woodson was a beast for his time. He has 71 interceptions at the safety position with is good for 3rd place in NFL history. His tackling ability was a plus, but wasn't necessarily what he was known for. He was more of a coverage guy but he did force quite a few humbles with those open field helmet-helmet hits, 20 forced fumbles in his career to be exact. People also forget that he was a formidable return man in Pittsburgh, actually leading the league in yards per return, with 27.3 in 1989.

2. Jon Lynch, SS, Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Lynch along with Steve Atwater and Darren Woodson may very well be the best safety and hardest hitting safety ever. Dolling out concussions, Lynch was a serious force against the run and passes over the middle in the 1990's and early new millenium, he has been to 9 pro bowls and was twice a first team All-Pro. He finished his carrer with 740 tackles, 16 forced fumbles , and 26 interceptions out of the Strong Safety position. He lasted a long time and I think he still has plenty in the tank, but it looks like his career is over after he didn't play a down in 2009.

3. Reggie White, DE, Green Bay Packers- Reggie was an absolute bear, and he led the league in sacks twice, and throughout his 15 year career only fell below 11 sacks three times. He was feared by John Elway, Vinn Testaverde, Steve Young and Dan Marino--all getting some serious hits--maybe Drew Bledsoe the most. He's second all time with 198 sacks, and is one of the best defenders in the hall of fame.

4. Ray Lewis, MLB, Baltimore Raves- For a long time, the player I hate most, "Dirty Ray" was consistently in the top five in tackles and was 3/4 of the Ravens extremely good defense in the early 2000's. He's a 9 time Pro Bowler and a 6 time First Team All Pro and twice one Defensive Player of the year and a 2000 Super Bowl MVP award to go along with that sexy resume. Like I said, I hate him, he's a frequenter of strip clubs and murdered a black man outside of one of them with a knife--but still, he's definitely one of the bets ever.

5. Zach Thomas, MLB, Miami Dolphins- A 7 time Pro Bowler and a five time First Team All Pro, Thomas has had quite a career and just keeps on chugging away. With his sister married to Jason Taylor, Zach's best friend, the two were a scary force for most of the late 90's and then early 2000's. He's a fast guy, and is fourth all time in Non-Offensive Touch Downs, quite polite touch downs actually. Joke aside, Thomas is one of the best every and is going down in history as a sure fire Hall of Famer.

6. Brian Urlacher, MLB, Chicago Bears- Urlacher was converted from safety to middle linebacker when he was drafted by the Bears. He's been a turn-over machine collecting forced fumbles and interceptions gamely, actually having the most of any active linebacker. He's also collected 37.5 sacks, a ridiculous number for a Middle Linebacker. He's still just 30 years old and has plenty left in the tank but is already a 6 time Pro-Bowler and a 4 time first team All-Pro, pretty impressive considering he's only played eight seasons in the NFL. The Beast and the heart of the Bears' Defense, he, Mike Brown, Lance Briggs and now Craig Steltz will be bashing heads and collecting turn- overs well into the future.

7. Ed Reed, SS/FS, Baltimore Ravens- Reed is the new Rod Woodson, and even though he' hideously ugly, looking like a cross between The Toxic Avenger and Howard Stern's Beattle Juice, Reed has been picking off opposing quarterbacks for eight seasons now. He has already twice led the league in picks and has only had less than 5 once! He's an absolute animal and is probably already a lock for the Hall of Fame.

8. Ty Law, CB, New England Patriots- The Pat's defense was really cool when Ty Law and Lawyer Milloy were laying down the law in Boston. He's a five time Pro-Bowler and a two time First Team All-Pro, and led the league in interceptions twice. His tackling ability was top notch and he was a huge part of the Pat's Super Bowl run. He's super good and he's still chugging although it looks like 2009 could be his last year.

9. Junior Seau, MLB, San Diego Chargers- Seau has been around forever, 18 years now and as one of the fastest linebackers ever, is a 12 time Pro-Bowler and a 6 time All-Pro. His longevity is what Eddy Murray's was in Baseball, or even Hank Aaron's, and is absolutely incredible for holding up as a linebacker for that long. He and Bryce Paup were a force in the 90's and were always favorites of John Madden.

10. Warren Sapp, DT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Michael Strahan just missed this list, but Warren Sapp was an essential part of it. The bets defensive tackle ever in my opinion, he revolutionized the position turning it from a fat-guy-hole-filler to a position that could grab some sacks with the ends. He also could run a 4.4 40 yard dash which is absolutely incredible for a 400 pound guy. He had 16.5 sacks in 2000, a number that is untouchable by any other defensive tackle, ever. He's ranked 28th in his career for sacks, but first among defensive tackles and was a 7 time pro-bowler and 4 time First Team All-Pro- considering the play of Simeon Rice and Chris Hovan during this time that's pretty effing good! Oh, and the fat man is also hilarious.

Top Prospects 2009: 76-100

76. Daniel Bard, SU, Boston Red Sox (B+)- Bard is a Farnsworthian, aggressive, fireballer with a high nineties tailing fastball. Unfortunately thats the former Tar Heel's only major league ready pitch and altough he uses a tight sinker/slurve in the minors, it doesn't project to be a average-plus pitch until he gets more movement. Eitherway theres plenty of pitchers that can just get by on that heat, but if he can get a breaking ball or splitter he'd be a hell of a setup man.

77. Josh Reddick, CF, Boston Red Sox (B-)- Reddick is a young gun with a very high ceiling. He had a .342 batting average in single A in 2008 but quickly sputtered in AA. He has good power, sluggin .593 last year, but the source of his trouble at the higher levels is probably the fact that he doesn't walk at all. In almost two thirds of a season he walked only 17 times, and that won't help his case for the majors, especially with Billy Beane jr., Theo Epstein making the call-ups.

78. Jeffrey Locke, SP, Atlanta Braves (C+/B-)- Locke is a solid pitcher. He was named the New Hampshire Rocket by local press, but he really doesn't have a rocket. He throws 88-92 with the regular fastball, curve, change. He was decent in his first year with the Braves' system, an his control is plus, but he needs to either polish up his average pitches or learn a plus pitch if he wants to be a 4-5 starter in the MLB.

79. Chris Carter, DH, Boston Red Sox (B-/B)- I'm no MLB scout but I have scouted for The Olympic Committee and for Team USA at the Pan American games as well as other leagues and games. Carter is an older prospect, turning 27 this coming season, and he's a good hitter but he's ranked lower because he's a DH, and his outfield play is even worse than Adam Dunn. He had a decent debut with the Sox in 2008, and with Sean Casey peacing for a T.V. job, Carter could fill that contact-guy-off-the-bench void and maybe play a little first. He has plenty of power and he makes contact with the best of 'em. He's also a Stanford Alum...

80. Jacob McGee, LHP, Tampa Bay Rays (C+/B+)- Depending on how well he recovers from T.J. surgery, McGee could be better than Davis and Hellickson or much worse. He has very good stuff with a Zito and a changeup that he can knock the dick off a humming bird with. Some project him as a set-up man because of his lack of stamina, but the 2006 AA strikeouts leader looks to me to be able to hold down atleast a 6 inning game. He's efficient and that plus-plus curve will carry him to the majors, like Zito did with his curve ball.

81. James McDonald, CL/SU, Los Angeles Dodgers (B+)- McDonald doesn't have an eye popping fastball, but like Hoffman he makes his money off of his plus-plus change. It has a Pedro Martinez screw-ball tail and is 10 mph slower than his 92 mph fastball. He also mixes in a plus curve. Broxton has his hands all over the Closer's job, but McDonald still has a bright future.

82. Sean Rodriguez, 2B/SS, Anaheim Angels, (B-)- Rodriguez has ridiculous power, especially for a middle infielder. He slugged a phat .645 with AAA in 2008. What scares me away from ranking him in the top fifty is his absolutely awful showing with the big club in 2008. He hit .204 with a John McDonald .593 OPS, which is unacceptable even at shorstop, unless of course he can field like McDonald and he can't. If he can put it together and quit striking out like Brandon Wood he'll be a very, very good player in the mold of Miguel Tejada.

83. Junichi Tazawa, SP, (B-) Boston Red Sox- The Sox have a lot of mid-range prospects and Tazawa is one of them. His 96 mph fastball was clearly a fib, he throws in the 90-92 range and mixes in a very good high 80's slider. He'll get better and he has a ceiling in the top 50, but he has absolutely no professional experience, not even in Japan.

84. Freddie Freeman, 1B/OF, (B-) Atlanta Braves- Freeman's ceiling is much higher thn a B-, no doubt, but he's only 19 and falls victim to the same thing Tazawa did above--lack of experience. He had average numbers in the Sally league in the first half of '08, but then became one of the top ten hitters in the league hitting .349 with a .418 OBP and a .562 slugging percentage. He'll be good but won't be around until 2012 or even later.

85. Chris Perez, CL, St. Louis Cardinals, (B)- Perez has absolutely electric stuff, a mid to high 90's moving fastball and two hard, plus, breaking balls to go along with it. What keeps his ranking this low, and what might keep him from maintain the CL job in St. Louis, a role that he did well taking up in 2008 actually, is his erratic control. He walked more than 4.50 batters per 9 innings in the majors and had some serious control problems in AA and in College. For instance, only pitching 40 innings in the Texas League in '07 he hit 8 batters and issued 28 walks and tossed 9 wild pitches in 2009. If Brian Bruney can be effective so can Perez.

86. Brandon Erbe, SP/RP, Baltimore Orioles, (C+/B-)- Despite the Orioles issues with starting pitching Erbe may actually become a good starter. His numbers aren't impressive through A+, but he throws a 98 mph fastball, which is always something to build on. More than likely, he'll be a backup closer to Sherrill in '09 or atleast a releiver in the near future as he tires at the end of every summer.

87. Jonathan Meloan, SP/RP, Cleveland Indians (C+/A-)- As a starter Meloan gets a C+ but as a reliever he's very good, getting an A-. With the Dodgers system he was an absolute dream reliever striking out 70 in just 45 innings with Jacksonville AA in 2007. Meloan has the real- good-shit. Meloan makes his money off of a plus 95 mph fastball and two plus-plus pitches his cutter and his curveball. He also throws an average change, but his curve and cutter are both rated 70 on the 80 scouting scale. Kobayashi shouldn't be ahead of him, but he is for 2009.

88. Chris Nelson, SS, Colorado Rockies (B-)- Nelson could be a B+ shorstop some day. He has a lot of power for a thin shortstop and plays his position well. He fell in the rankings due to a broken hamate bone in his hand in 2008, but if he moves to second, he could be with the Rockies as early as September '09.

89. Hector Gomez, SS, Colorado Rockies, (B-)- Not the bad of Nelson but has a little bit more contact potential and has a plus glove. The two of them are supposedly in competition, but wit Tulowitzki--competition for what? Water boy? Nelson would be the more likely to move to second base, it suits him better and Gomez will lose a lot of his value moving to a less important defensive position.

90. Jeremy Jeffress, SP/RP, Milwaukee Brewers, (C+/B-)- Jeffress was suspended for a 50 game substance absue policy so that already sends up red flags to me. He throws a 100 mph fastball but with lax control and not much else. If he can improve, and if he can still pitch when dropping 'roids he could be the answer to Milwaukee's Closer needs.

91. Fautino De Los Santos, RP, (C+/B-)- Fautino has good stuff headed by a 96 mph fastball. His value has dropped because he tore apart his elbow and got major surgery in 2008. His secondary pitch, a decent change is as good as its gonna get besides the fastball unless he can add to his breaking ball. If he can recover and improve his crappy 53/43 K/BB ration he could be a very good reliever.

92. Adrian Cardenas, SS, Oakland Athletics, (C+/B-)- Arian has very good patience, a good glove and decent contact hitting, hitting .300 in the low levels of the minors. He was Baseball America's top highschool player in 2006. He needs more power and a better batting average to go along with that patience if he wants to make it in the Bigs, but he's still very raw, just able to buy a beer in 2008.

93. Jordan Walden, SP, Anaheim Angels, (C+/B-)- Walden throws a 92-94 mph fastball and a 84-87 mph slider. He's a good prospect but needs to work on those mediocre numbers in high A. If he gets a little better I'd put him in front of Adenhart in a New York minute.

94. Peter Bourjos, OF, Anaheim Angels, (C+)- Bourjos is all speed and is apparently the fastest player on the Angels according to Mike Scoscia. That's an impressive statement considering Anaheim has Chone Figgins, Reggie Willits and Eric Aybar.

95. Andrew Brackman, SP, New York Yankees, (C+)- Brackman has good stuff and throws in the high nineties with a fastball/hard slider combo like Walden. He was a basketball star at NC State but chose Baseball for the $$$. He doesn't have much experience and he's coming of Tommy John Surgery but an 6'7" power pitcher deserves a look.

96. Mark Melancon, CL, New York Yankees, (B)- Obviously Melancon is blocked by Rivera in the bigs but his stuff is unquestionably good. He throws three different pitches, headed by a very good 12-6 curve and a 93-96 mph fastball. He's kind of an asswipe/douchebag, but that's what you need in a closer, a player who thinks he great and can shake off a bad outing. When Rivera retires look for him to be in the mix. He's ranked low because of T.J. surgery recovery time that was a year and a half which raises some questions about how healthy that arm is.

97. Jon Niese, SP, New York Mets, (C+)- The Mets farm system is pretty dry outside of Niese and Martinez. Niese has a good curve, good sinker and decent fastball. Upon being called up in 2008 he went Deep Throat and started sucking...Big ones. His era was above 7 in the MLB, but the Mets are gonna give him another shot heading in to 2009, and even if he doesn't make it out of Spring Training, Tim Redding, a guy that also sucks a dick, probably won't hold down a starting job for that long.

98. Tyler Robertson, SP, Minnesota Twins, (C+)- Robertson is a young sinker/slider/curve grounball pitcher and had some good seasons with low Beloit and High A Fort Meyers. In 82 innings in Fort Meyers he burned batters for 73 strikeouts, and at his previous stop he came in second in ERA. His fastball is 88-92, but his weirdo-snappy delivery keeps it low and on the ground.

99. Nick Hagadone, LHP, Boston Red Sox, (C+)- Hagadone is a beast of a left hander but when the Red Sox switched Tim Lincecum's former college closer to a starter he immediately went down with T.J. surgery--maybe that frame isn't that useful after all. He throws 93-96 and has a plus straight change and a developing 10-4 slider. If he recovers he could be a good reliever for the Sox pretty soon.

100. Todd Frazier, SS, Cincinnati Reds, (C+)- Todd Frazier is straight out of the draft and that's the only reason he's ranked so low. He's a very good hitting SS, hitting .328 and slugginh .598 with Dayton in 2008. The kid out of Rutgers needs to sure up his defense and improve on those average numbers in the upper A levels and then he'll start getting a look by scouts as a top SS.

Top Prospects 51-75

51. Brent Lillibridge, SS, Chicago White Sox, (B-)- The Lil' guy is a very solid all around short stop. He has the potential to hit .290-.300, swipe 30-40 bases and belt 15 homers or maybe a few more. His bat is still a question mark though as he hasn't made great contact in the minors. Still, his glove is very good and he has very good range. He's kind of like Mark Derosa in that he can really play any position on the field sans catcher and pitcher--sort of a super Utility man.

52. Mike Moustakas, 3B/SS, Kansas City Royals (B-)- I'm not sold on Moustakas yet. Although he's shown some power, his contact hasn't been very good, striking a little too much and hitting only .272 in 2008. He doesn't have good range and as a result he has been moved to third, and with Alex Gordon in the bigs that really blocks Moustakas. Most scouts rate him in the top 20 but I simply can't rate a guy who only gets on base .337 of the time and only slugs .468. To me, he seems a little too much like Drew Henson.

53. David Robertson, RP, New York Yankees (B+)- Again I rank relievers lower as they're simply not as valuable as starters. Robertson had a good debut with the Yankees in 2008, although inconsistent he showed that his two pitches, a hard 12-6 curve and a 94 mph fastball are good enough to strike out tons of batters. The Yankees went from an awful bullpen in 2007 to one of the best looking ahead to 2009.

54. Austin Romine, C, New York Yankees (B-)- Romine is the second best catcher in the Yankees system which isn't a bad thing considering how ridiculously good Jesus Montero is. Romine doesn't have the power that Montero does, but in his first year in Professional ball he hit .300 and showed solid pop and line drive power. His defense is a lot of his value as his arm is rated as one of the best among minor league catchers--if not the best. He's young, but he's significantly more polished and ready than the raw Montero and for this reason would could see him come September.

55. David Freese, 3B, St. Louis Cardinals (B-)- Freese is big time trade bate only because Brett Wallace, Mr. Uber Prospect is better than him. Freese is good too though, he's just the other guy out of the two. In his career in the minors he has hit .307 and had a nice OPS of .917. Turning 26 in 2009, Freezer is almost MLB ready and he slugged .550 in AAA in 2008. If he can move to second or the outfield he can get some at bats especially with Chris Duncan's injury risk.

56. Michael Stanton, OF, Florida Marlins (B-/B+)- Michael Stanton has the best power of any minor league prospect and he belted 39 homers in just 468 ab's. What kills his value is his absolutely awful whiff rate--153 times in those 468 at bats. He is fairly patient and looks like he can be Adam Dunn in the Majors. If he can fix his contact and his swing he could be a B+ player, but until he does he's not looking too hot for the Majors as young whiff artists don't usually fair well in the bigs. Again power can come with age and bulk, but contact can't be taught.

57. Christopher Carter, 1B, Oakland Athletics (B-/B)- Like Stanton Carter has a lot of potential, but he too is a wild card because of his poor contact ability and his really high whiff rate--really really high but not quite Mark Reynolds. He looks like he could be enough to unseat Daric Barton--disappointing Daric-- but he needs to learn to hit. The long ball is fine, he hit 39 of them in 2008 but he only hit .259 and struck out over 150 times.

58.Kila Ka'aihue, 1B/DH, Kansas City Royals (B-)- Before 2008 KK wasn't a particularly good prospect, pretty bad actually. Then he turned 24 and something clicked. In AAA he slugged an awesome .640 and had a Bonds OPS of 1.079. He mad his debut with the Royals and looked very good doing it. He'll be in the first base mix with Jacobs and Butler in 2009. His contact potential is good and he has some power, but his defense is aweful, so the Royals have a log jam with a bunch of terrible fielding plus hitters between Butler, Shealy, Ka'aihue and Mike Jacobs (not that bad actually).

59. Brett Cecil, LHP, Toronto Blue Jays (B-/B+)- Since being drafted as a closer a few years ago Cecil has shot up the rankings. He's now a starter and scouts consider his slider to be one of the best in the minors. He throws a hard 94 mph fastball, a slow curve, a decent change and that awesome slider. He looks like he could peak as a lefty Joba Chamberlain, but for now he's still fairly raw. Even so, his numbers in 77 ip in AA were a 2.55 era, 66 hits allowed and 87 k's. He wasn't as untouchable in AAA and like I said he's rated low because he is still raw, but look for him to be a top twenty guy soon enough.

60. Kyle Blanks, 1B, San Diego Padres (B-)- Okay, San Diego's system isn't all that bad, but seriously, after Blanks theres only Matt Antonelli and then absolutely no talent. Blanks is a power hitting first basemen--go figure--that was intriguing in AA during 2008 because he doesn't whiff yet hit 20 bombs in 492 at bats and hit .325. Guys who make this contact and don't strike out usually fair well in the majors so this bodes well for Blanks. When he matures and if he pans out he could be a B+ player.

61. Logan Morrison, 1B, Florida Marlins (B-)- Morrison went from an all power, no contact guy to a power and contact guy in 2008. He went from .267 in 2007 to .332 in 2008 and hit 20 homers. He's only 21 so that's pretty damn nice for that young of a kid. He's also good at getting on base and has solid fundamentals. For a power hitter he doesn't strike out too much anyway.

62.Bryan Anderson, C, St. Louis Cards (B-)- Anderson has a ton of potential, maybe even an A hitter if he develops more. He hit .302 as a nineteen year old in A-ball and then basically the same average the next year in AA. His defense is very good and his bat, although raw, looks it'll unseat Yadier Molina for the starting gig soon.

63. Chris Coghlan, 3B, Florida Marlins (B-)- Coghlan is a very good all around player but without a huge ceiling. At his peak he'll probably be a B player hitting like Kevin Frandsen or Alberto Callaspo and stealing 20-30 bases yearly. He doesn't strike out-- only 65 times in almost a full season in 2008, and he makes good contact (.298 in 2008) and gets on base very well, sporting an OBP of .396.

64. Gaby Sanchez, 1B/C, Florida Marlins (B-)- Sanchez is finally getting the shot he's deserved for quite some time now that the crappy Mike Jacobs finally took an effing hike. Now turning 26, Sanchez looks poised to take over the job, and he put up good numbers in a September call-up. He hit .314 in 2008 with just 0 strikeouts and had a .404 OBP and hit 17 bombs in in a shade under 500 ab's. Its a shame he isn't still a catcher, but either way, he looks like the real deal. He's a nice guy too.

65. Taylor Teagarden, C, Texas Rangers (B-)- Teagarden has already won a championship--with the Longhorns while playing college ball. He's a very good prospect and will only get better. Salty is in front of him, but there's a chance that Salty will be moved to 1B/DH with Bradley gone as Teagarden is the better defender. His numbers of late haven't been too impressive but between 2005 and 2006 he consistently had an OPS above one. He has a ton of power, but his contact has regressed. Either way he's one of the better catchers out there.

66. Max Ramirez, C, Texas Rangers (B-)- Although he's ranked just behind Teagarden his potential is much higher than Teagarden's. In fact he's probably the best catcher in Texas at this point. He's a career .312 hitter with a .413 OBP and a .928 OPS in the minors. He was called up for 46 at bats in Arlington but he didn't really impress. Look for him to redeem himself and take over the backup or even starting job in 2009.

67. J.P. Arencibia, C, Toronto Blue Jay (B-)- There are so many good catchers in this year's top 100 that its hard to believe Arencibia is ranked this low. He's a fantastic defensive catcher and is poised to take over the starting catcher's job in Toronto. He makes solid contact always hitting around .300 and has above average power for a catcher.

68. Jordan Schafer, RF/CF, Atlanta Braves (B-)- Schafer was suspended for 50 games after getting caught using steroids last year. A few years back he was a top thirty prospect, but batting average dropped all the way to .269--hopefully not the product of quitting the juice. His career slugging percentage isn't all that impressive at .447, but if he can get back to the point he was at in 2007, he could be a 20-20 guy in the MLB.

69. Michael Saunders, 3B/OF, Seattle Mariners (B-)- Saunders is a strange case. Not particularly good at any one thing, he does a lot of things pretty well. He can steal bases, he grabbed 29 in 2007, he can hit for average--.299 in '07 and he has decent pop, slugging .484 at AA in 2008. He was moved to outfield as soon as he became a professional and for this reason his value has dipped. He's a tall, lanky guy and looks like he could be a decent hitter. He also has a good arm, so right field is his probable destination.

70. Jose Tabata, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates (B-)- Perhaps stupidly, the Yankees traded Tabata for the likes of Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte. At the time the Yankees were angry with his lax style of play and his overall cockiness, but once he got to Pittsburgh he shit in Cashman's mouth and hit .348 and slugged .964. Cashman screws up consistently and is not good at spotting prospects. Its a shame, but Tabata is now with the Pirates and has a very bright future. He has the best outfield arm in the minors and has the ability to win a batting title some day.

71. Trevor Crowe, CF, Cleveland Indians, (B-)- Crowe is a good fielder and has some good tools. He's not a true power threat, but if there's one thing you've learned by reading this blog its that power can pop up at any time in a young gun's career. He makes good contact and hit .323 at AA in 2008 and stole 45 bases in half a season in 2006. Yeah he's super fast.

72. Ben Revere, CF, Minnesota Twins, (B-)- Ben Revere is a fantastic fundamental baseball player. He makes contact at one of the best clips in the minors, hitting .379 at single A in 2008 in only a half season. He's another fast guy as well, stealing 44 bases in 2008 as well. His only drawback is his absolute lack of power, in his professional career he has only 1 homerun. He could potentially break ten homers some day but that's really not his game. He looks like a baby Ichiro. The comparison is unfair to anyone, but this kid is darn good at hitting.

73. Aaron Cunningham, Oakland Athletics, RF, (B-/A-)- Cunningham's minor league stats look fantastic and he could be an All Star in no time He has a .317 career batting average and slugs just under .500. He's one of those rare players that has improved with every promotion. The only thing that makes me rank him this low was that he looked absolutely lost in the MLB in 2008. Sure, he hit .250 but he struck out in more than a third of his at bats and didn't walk at all. If he can improve in his sophomore season he could easily be an A- player.

74. Michael Bowden, Boston Red Sox, RHP, (C+/B-)- Bowden is a solid all around pitcher without a high ceiling. He projects to be a third starter. His mechanics are very good, and he has plus control, but his stuff isn't anything special, with a low 90's fastball and an inconsistent but good curveball. What scares me about Bowden is the increase in ERA at each stop throughout the minors and this is usually a bad sign for young pitchers. Of course there will be increase but his ERA went up a run from AA to AAA.

75. Nick Adenhart, Anaheim Angels, RHP, (C+/B-)- Adenhart seems to be a AAAA player, atleast so far in his career. He put up good numbers in '06 and '07 but fell apart at AAA and was absolutely horrid in the MLB-- walking 13 in 12 innings and getting absolutely shelled every time out. He doesn't seem the most stable mentally and for this reason Beane doesn't want anything to do with him, but he may very well shake it off and come back as a Jon Garlan or Mark Buehrle type player in 2009.

Top Prospects 26-50

Heres the best of the rest. Don't be fooled by the ranking some great players have been ranked very low, Chris Davis for instance was ranked 82 by baseball America before he came up the bigs and started dropping bombs.

26. Jason Heyward, Atlanta Braves, OF, (B/B+)- Heyward is the new Cameron Maybin/Jay Bruce. He's so damn good at such a young age. He hit .318 at age eighteen, and hit 11 homers and stole 15 bases through 120 games with The South Atlantic League's Rome Braves. Like Montero he would be higher if it wasn't for his age, he's a little bit too unpredictable because of his distance from the bigs, but the fact that he can already hit this well and has shown some good tools he looks like he could be Carlos Beltran or yet another B.J. Upton.

27. Brett Wallace, St. Louis Cardinals, 3B, (B/B+)- Wallace has some good competition in David Freese for the starting spot at third in 2009, but ultimately I think he will win that competition. Through 202 career at bats in the minors the kid has a .327 batting average and a .957 OPS-- Barry Bonds numbers practically. Its a wonder he's not ranked higher by most scouts, especially because he makes such good contact, the most important aspect of a young player's game. Either way, keep an eye on him in 2009-- he could win a batting title some day.

28. Josh Vitters, 3B, Chicago Cubs, (B/B+)- Many scouts have made an argument that Vitters is the best third base prospect out there. That aside, Keith Law was quoted saying ""If the patience comes, he's a potential no. 3 hitter who'll hit plenty of doubles and 25-plus home runs with a high average." Right now he simply doesn't get on base enough and hasn't showed great defense or power, but his potential is there, and when he gets there Aramis Ramirez will do pee pee in his panties.

29. Chris Tillman, Baltimore Orioles, SP, (B/B+)- Tillman, drafted in the second round in 2007 by the Mariners, has a bright future, the only downside he has is the Orioles' jinx on their young starters that has bit Daniel Cabrera, Garret Olson, Radhames Liz and many others. Tillman has a big frame at 6'5" and 200 pounds, he just needs to fill out with some bulk. He has two plus pitches, a 93-95 mph fastball, a plus curve and he also offers an average-plus split finger and changeup. He'll have a shot to make the Orioles battered, young and generally laughable rotation in 2009.

30. Justin Smoak, 1B, Texas Rangers, (B/B+)- Smoak didn't sign until August 15 of last year, but after that he dominated the Arizona fall league hitting .327 and slugging .551. A lot of scouts compare him to Mark Texeira and/or Adrian Gonzalez. True he is a slick fielder like Texeira, but he's more of a contact guy than Texeira is, and Texeira has a little bit more raw power. Either way, Smoak is a more than adequate replacement for Tex and the 22 year old will head into 2009 as the third best prospect in the Rangers' system behind Neftali Feliz and Elvis Andrus-- not bad considering that system is one of the best.

31. Mat Gamel, Milwaukee Brewers, 3B, (B/B+)- Gamel is a lot like Chris Davis in that he can hit a ton. One thing he does better than Davis however is field his position. He's posted good numbers between the rookie league, A+ and AA, hitting .327, .300, .329 respectively. His power isn't outstanding but it is developing, and he could be Garret Atkins in no time.

32. Kellen Kulbacki, OF, San Diego Padres, (B/B+)- Kulbacki is one of the most underrated prospects out there. The James Madison prospect wields a sick bat hitting .332 and slugging .589 and hitting 20 homers in only a half a season. In the two years he's been in the minors he's had an OPS of .917. The Padres are thin on offense, and thinner on prospects, but Kulbacki no doubt is their best bet at a power hitter in the near future. He's only 5'11" which is small for a guy with that much power, but his swing is sweet and remember, Dustin Pedroia is barely 5'6" and still belted 17 bombs in '08.

33. Tyson Ross, Oakland Athletics, SP, (B)- Ross is off many scouts radar after losing 2008 to injury. He was drafted in the second round in 2007, and it was suprising to Beane that he dropped that far. Beane knows what he's got, a tall young gun with a 97 mph fastball and a diving breaking ball. He'll be in the top 50 on most scouts lists very soon, maybe even mid-2009.

34. Austin Jackson, New York Yankees, CF, (B)- Jackson is generally considered the Yankees' top prospect even though Montero is far better. Jackson doesn't have a high ceiling but he's a very good all-aroubd player who can hit for average, wallop 10-15 homers and steal 15-20 bases all coupled with good defense. He's a lot like Adam Jones in that he doesn't do anything spectacular when he plays, but he does everything wel.

35. Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates, OF (B)- McCutchen is a lot like Jackson in that he's more of an all around guy than anything else. He doesn't hit a ton, but he does run well and he does field his position well and looks like he could hit .300 in the MLB some day. He stole 34 bases in AAA in 2008, but slugged only .398. He's shown potential to slug near .450 in his Minor League career, but ranking him in the top 20 is too high.

36. Rick Porcello, Detroit Tigers, SP, (B)- Porcello is really the Tiger's only good prospect now that Andrew Miller is gone. He's only 20 and he doesn't strike out too many batters, but he did post a good era t 2.66 and he gave up 115 hits in 125 innings in 2008. He's only had 1 year in Professional Ball, so his 72 k's may very well increase as he gets bigger and older. Either way, he looks solid.

37. Jeremy Hellickson, SP, Tampa Bay Rays, (B)-Most scouts rank Wade Davis higher than Hellickson, but after a 2008 in which he went 7-1 with a 2.00 ERA, and after watching him pitch incredibly well, I most definitely rank him higher than Davis. All of his pitches are ranked at a solid 55 at the scouting scale and he dons a 93 mph fastball, a changeup that he can place literally anywhere and a good curve. His bonus is his control-- at Vero Beach he had a 61/3 K/BB ratio.

38. Dellin Betances, SP, New York Yankees, (B)- Betances has a ridiculous amount of potential. He's only twenty years old, and he's already shown flashes of brilliance. In single A Charleston he struck out 135, yes that's 1-3-5 in only 115 innings pitched. His control still needs improvement, but the fact that he's 6'9," the fact that he throws a 96 mph fastball, an 84 mph change and a 75 mph diving Knuckle curve makes him look like a helluva prospect. Of course he's still young and has a long way to go.

39. Wade Davis, SP, Tampa Bay Rays (B)- I consider Davis the lesser of Tampa's top two pitching prospects, which consists of Davis and Hellickson. Still, at age 23 he's a little bit older than Hellickson and has a little bit more experience, especially since he's made it to AAA. Outside of Price, Davis is the most ready for the bigs. He throws a 95-97 mph fastball and a hard sharp curve and is apparently working on a third pitch to introduce in the bigs, supposedly a slider/sinker pitch. His stuff is nothing to scoff at, and its better than Price or Hellickson's, but he only has 2 pitches currently, and he has sub-par to average control so he gives up a lot of homers and a lot of walks. The former is scary because Tropicana as some issues with the gopher ball.

39. Phillippe Aumont, SP, Seattle Mariners (B)- Aumont is also ranked 39 because he and Davis seem very much the same to me. They're both tall and filled-out right handed pitchers with plus stuff and similar pitches. The Quebecois Kid is straight out of a high school with a name that sounds like something on a snobby restaurants' menu. He throws a a fastball thats usually between 92-94 but has touched 96 in scouting bullpen sessions for the draft. He hasn't used his changeup professionally yet, but he throws an 82 mph slider with serious tilt and movement--definitely his best offering. His fastball in the mid nineties isn't just a fastball, it's heavy and has late life on it making it very hard to loft when he's down in the zone. If he can finally perfect that changeup he'll be able to build on an impressive 2008 with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

40. Carlos Santana, C/3B, Cleveland Indians (B)- To go along with his rock'n name, Carlos Santana had a ridiculous year in 2008 in which he hit .323 and .352 between two stops at A+. He has a career .858 OPS and had a 1.042 OPS with The Kinston Indians in 2008. Two bad things follow Santana however, first he was switched from catcher to third base, greatly reducing his value and secondly he's only had one good year in the minors, the rest of his time playing professional ball has been mediocre at best. Prior to 2008 he had only slugged above .436 and hit above .300 once in his three previous years between rookie ball and a few different A ball leagues. Either way, he looks like he'll be finally sticking a fork in Andy Marte and taking over at 3B as early as 2009, unless Peralta and Asdrubal move around.

41. Tyler Flowers, C, Chicago White Sox (B)- Flowers was traded with Brent Lillibridge to Chicago for Javier Vazquez. Flowers doesn't hit for a super average, but he has good power, the potential to hit .300 and best of all, he walks A TON. In only 413 at bats in 2008 the kid walked 98 times! In a full season that's about 130 walks...jeese. Who does this kid think he is? Kevin Youkilis? With the Myrtle Beach Pelicans Flowers had a .927 OPS and belted 17 bombs. He's definitely the future catcher in Chicago and A.J. Pierzynski isn't exactly blocking him.

42. Hank Conger, C, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (B)- Conger is yet another plus-plus catching prospect. Hammer'n Hank had a cool .850 OPS with the California League's coolest team, The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. He plays a good catcher, but his hitting, especially his power make him a scout's dream. If Napoli stays this streaky then he'll be a backup in no time, and if Mathis continues to struggle then hello Hank and goodbye Jeff.

43. Lou Marson, C, Philadelphia Phillies (B)- Marson isn't the best hitting catching prospect but he's probably the most well rounded of all of them. He has been Team USA's starting catcher and his defense is one of the best among young catchers, if not the best. He's gotten better every year since 2005, and hit .314 in 2008 with an .849 OPS. He has a shot at starting for the Phillies in '09, although that may be harder now that they have Chris Coste, Ronny Paulino and that ugly Puerto Rican dude.

44. Ryan Flaherty, SS, Chicago Cubs (B)- Flaherty had only a glass of water in 2008 after being drafted out of Vanderbilt along with felow star Pedro Alvarez. He struck out a bit too much, over 50 times in just 200 at bats in A ball, but he does have a great swing and can certainly hit for contact. He hit .297 and slugged .511, which is suprisig considering he's usually a pure contract hitter, hitting mostly line drives and doubles. He's also pretty patient and he got on base 37% of the time in 2008. He played all over the place at Vanderbilt, and was considered a super Utility man (a guy who starts every game at a different position). He'll probably catch on at SS, especially because Theriot doesn't have the type of ability to really last, and The Riot's awful defense opens the door for Flaherty as well.

45. Ross Detwiler, LHP, Washington Nationals (B)- Jim Bowden has really screwed a lot of things up as far as prospects go. Yes he grabbed Elijah Dukes, Lastings Milledge and Jesus Flores, but he failed to sign Aaron Crowe and has made some pretty bad draft picks in the past. Detwiler however is not a bad draft pick by any means. He's a fireballing lefty with a 98-100 mph four seamer and a plus splitter. His professional debut wasn't anything to write home about with his era well above four, but if he harnesses his stuff and changes his delivery he could finally get his control. He could either be a very good closer, or a solid 1 or 2 starter.

46. Fernando Martinez, CF/OF, New York Mets (B-)- I have Fernando Martinez autographs all over my room, but unfortunately, like Carlos Gomez was, he's a little bit overrated. It has been three years since he hit .333 in single A, and his career .767 OPS isn't at all indimidating consider his OBP is most of that at .427. For a young guy he has good patience and range, he has some power but his contact needs improvement if he wants to be a good big leaguer. His ETA is probably 2009 as the Mets have really pushed him through each level, but the kid should wait atleast until 2010.

47. Nick Evans, 1B/OF, New York Mets (B-)- Evans went from average minor league prospect to top prospect in 2008 when he hit .311 and slugged .561 at AA. His major league debut was pretty solid too, belting 3 homers in less than a fifth of a season. The Mets don't really have room for him just yet but Church and Delgado definitely won't last forever. When Delgado retires or when Church's brain finally turns to mush, Evans will be next in line.

48. Will Inman, SP, San Diego Padres (B-)- After Inman and Kulbacki the Padres don't have any other prospects worth ranking--maybe Cedric Hunter if he gains some power. Inman is legit though and scouts love him. In 452 ip in the minors he's struck out 513 batters and has a career 2.82 ERA. He has a 92 mph fastball with which he really pounds the zone throwing it almost three quarters of the time. He controls all of his pitches well, especially his fastball. His slurve is a plus pitch and is changeup is dead average--but again he controls it very well. Perhaps the most intriguing thing about Inman is his ability to not give up the long ball--only 10 in 135 ip in the super hitter friendly Texas League.

49. Yonder Alonso, 1B, Cincinatti Reds (B-)- Alonso has the potential to be an A player, especially with his ridiculous power, but he simply hasn't played enough to scout him, and I personally haven't seen him. According to other scouts though, he has some of the best power of his generation, and in The Great American Ball Park, the best hitting park in the MLB, he could hit 50 homers. His stats will probably resemble Prince Fielder's but he'll last much longer than the donut-eating-machine.

50. Gio Gonzalez, LHP, Oakland Athletics (B-/A-)- Gonzalez is another wild card and his rating shows that. He was dominant in the minors but was absolutely terrible in his Major League debut posting an era above seven. The kid has a 92-95 mph riding fastball and one of the best hammer curves in the game. He also has a good change and a solid cutter that he's been playing with recently. All of his pitches sans the cutter are good enough to be a strikeout pitch, but his curveball really takes the cake. In 624 ip in the minors Gonzalez struck out 712 batters and posted an era of 3.68. The first round pick has unlimited potential but he really needs to fix his control. He walked 25 batters in 35 ip with Oakland in 2008--atrocious numbers. He's won a ton of awards though: 2007 Topps Double-A All-Star, 2007 Baseball America Double-A All-Star, 2007 SOU Post-Season All-Star, 2007 SOU Mid-Season All-Star, 2006 AFL Rising Stars, 2006 EAS Mid-Season All-Star, 2006 Futures Game Selection, 2005 SAL Mid-Season All-Star to name a few.

Top 25 MLB Prospects Heading in to Spring 2009

1. Matt Wieters, C, Orioles (A+)- Obviously this is a no-brainer. Wieters has Joe Mauer contact and Victor Martinez power along with the Molina brothers' defense. Basically, he's perfect. The Orioles are finally blessed with a savior and they know it. They made room for Wieters by trading Ramon Hernandez for Ryan Freel, and then signed Greg Zaun as a back-up/mentor. A .300 batting average and 15-20 homeruns and very good defense sounds like Matt Wieters in 2009.

2. Madison Bumgarner, SP, San Francisco Giants (A)- Alright, I know you're shocked that Price isn't in this slot, but the guy doesn't have the ceiling that Bumgarner does. M.B. for short, because repeating his name is a workout, throws a mid nineties fastball and an absolutely nasty 12-6 curve. The only comparison I can think of is, well, the best pitcher in the MLB, Tim Lincecum. He's only 20 so we'll have to wait until 2010 for some MLB action.

3. David Price, LHP, Tampa Bay Rays (A)- Price showed what he can do in last tears ALCS and World Series. He throws a 92-94 MPH fastball and a Joba Chamberlain/Francisco Liriano slider. He works with just two pitches, kind of like Kazmir, and that's what limits his ceiling, but those two pitches are both plus-plus. His fastball although its only a few ticks above average speed-wise, has a lot of cut to it, so Price looks like he'll be an ace for Rays in 2009, if he doesn't take the closer's job.

4. Trevor Cahill, SP, Oakland Athletics (A-)- Cahill hasn't had an ERA above 3.00 since his rookie league years when his era was exactly 3.00. The development of a Brandon Webb sinker, a strikeout sinker, has made his 90-92 mph fastball palatable to scouts and unpalatable to the minor league hitters he's struck out 264 times in a career of 238 ip. He's a step ahead of fellow prospect Brett Anderson, and looks to be a sure shot for the rotation in 2009.

5. Matt LaPorta, OF/DH, Cleveland Indians, (A-)- LaPorta is like Snider in that he can't field, he doesn't make good contact, he strikes out and hits for a ton of power. His contact isn't bad its just not his strong suit--he still hit .288 in 2008 and even .318 in '07, his strikeouts were quickly piling up though. What really makes him a top prospect isn't just his 40 homerun potential but his Kevin Youkilis patience. In his senior year at Florida he had an OBP of .582 and in 2008 he had a .402 OBP. He's definitely a gem and an A is his ceiling.

6. Tim Beckham, SS, Tampa Bay Rays (A-)- Beckham is a hell of an athlete. Drafted number one overall in 2008 and straight from highbschool he didn't impress in his single A debut when he hit only .243, but don't be fooled he's probably the next Derek Jeter, or at the VERY least an Edgar Renteria. He's got all the tools, he's fast, patient, has a wicked arm, a slick fielder and makes good contact. What more could you possibly ask for from your shortstop?

7. Colby Rasmus, OF, St. Louis Cardinals (A-)- Rasmus has plus-plus power and outside of a disappointing season in 2008, he's been money. It came as a surprise to many that the Cards didn't pick him to man the outfield over Schumaker, but because Schumaker did a decent job they really didn't need to rush the kid after all. When he finally gets going, he'll get going, and will probably be a Carlos Lee type hitter.

8. Cameron Maybin, CF, Florida Marlins, (A-)- Maybin is a five tool player in the mold of B.J. Upton. He makes great contact, exemplified by his .400 batting average in the bigs last September, has great speed and shows plenty of pop. His defense is good too. He'll be manning CF for Florida in 2009, and may very well give them a fighting chance to kick the Braves and Nationals to the corner, and hey, the Mets are still pussies so maybe them too.

9. Gordon Beckham, SS-3B, (A-) Chicago Whitesox- The bigger Beckham, not related to Tim, might even have more potential than the little guy. He's usually ranked around 40 by most scouting books, but my opinion he's one of the best and will be ranked in the top 10 in other scouting books in 2010 barring an unbelievable setbacks. His college numbers were absolutely ridiculous. In his senior year at Georgia he hit .411, yes, .411. His first year in the minors wasn't as good, but it was still nothing to poop on. He hit .310, slugged .500 and had a .365 on base percentage in about a 1/10th of a season. He's a legitimate 5 tool guy with a lot of power and a lot of hitting ability

10. Dexter Fowler, CF, (A-)- Fowler is probably the lesser known of the Laporta, Snider, Fowler trio of top outfield prospects. He shouldn't be. The bag of bones makes fantastic contact, he hit .335 in 2008 at AA Tulsa, and better yet, he got on base more than 43% of the time! His power still needs to grow, and he hasn't been stealing as much since his 2006 season where he swiped 43 bases. In fact he hasn't been stealing half that much, averaging only 20 over the past two seasons. Regardless I think he'll easily be a 20-20 player with Colorado, another B.J. Upton type player, and will play some good defense there too.

11. Travis Snider, OF/DH, Toronto Blue Jays (B+/A-)- What scares me about Snider is his lack of contact-making ability. Most scouts are in a consensus that power comes with age but contact can never be taught, and Snider has a whole lot of power, but only when he makes contact which has never been more than a .300 average and worse, he tends to strike out 100-150 times a season. If he played a full MLB season he could be an Adam Dunn type player, which is nothing to be scared of unless you're the opposing pitcher.

12. Reid Brignac, SS, Tampa Bay Rays (B+/A-)- Brignac is a wild card. He showed a ton of power in 2006 when he slugged .560 and plenty of contact with his .328 average. The past two years however, he's seem to have lost his stride. Since 2006 he hasn't slugged more than .433 between MLB, AAA, and AA, and hasn't had an OBP above .328-- pretty bad numbers much less top prospect numbers. Still as a power hitting, slick-fielding shorstop, Brignac has a high ceiling. If the Rays come to their senses and put Bartlett in the Utility role and make Brignac the starter, then he may very well be capable of Troy Tulowitzki numbers.

13. Alcides Escobar, SS, Milwaukee Brewers (B+/A-)- Escobar is a contact/steals guy, kind of like Juan Pierre at short. He seems to be garnering some power as he ages, but it doesn't look like he'll ever be a 20 homer guy. He'll be good for a .300 batting average and 10-15 homers yearly. He also can swipe a few, he stole 34 in AA in 2008, and could probably surpass that number in a full MLB season. Watch out for this guy, he's a real keeper.

14. Jarrod Parker, SP, Diamondbacks (B+/A-)- If the Diamondbacks can get this kid going, they could quite possibly have the best rotation in the MLB, manning a ship with Brandon Webb, Dan Haren, Max Scherzer, Jarrod Parker and Yusmeiro Petit. Parker has very good stuff. At age 19 he absolutely dominated single A grabbing 12 wins, striking out 117 in 117 ip, and walking only 33. Obviously if he's this good at this age the sky is the limit by the time he reaches the MLB.

15. Tommy Hanson, SP, Atlanta Braves (B+/A-)- The guy is a bit overrated because of the whole "we're not trading him for Jake Peavy" stubborning that Atlanta put up this winter. Regardless, the guy looks like a hillbilly, but has hillbilly heat--whatever that means, I don't know. He throws 95 mph and has a great slurvy breaking ball and a developing change. He threw a no hitter in AA in 2008 and really exploded as he dominated competition the rest of the 2008 season.

16. Carlos Carrasco, SP, Philadelphia Phillies (B+/A-)- Carrasco is inconsistent and young, but the potential is there. At age 19 in single A, he out up videogame numbers- 159 ip, 159 k's, 103 hits allowed and 2.26 ERA. He basically repeated these numbers in AA in 2007 but hiccuped in 2008 in AAA. In 2008 his numbers weren't bad by any means, but he could do far better. Now turning 22, he'll make a push for the Phillies rotation in 2009.

17. Jeff Samardzija, CL, Chicago Cubs (A-)- Samardzija gets the A- and the 16 ranking odd-coupling only because I don't rank relievers as high as starters. A multiple record holder at Notre Dame for football, and Brady Quinn's former favorite target, Samardzija is an incredibly athlete, especially for a white guy (haha). He chose baseball for the money, which sucks, but he's so good who really cares? He throws 96, has a ton of stamina--enough to make me wonder if he'll start in 2009.

18. Brian Matusz, LHP, Baltimore Orioles, (B+)- Matusz is kind of like Cahill in that he makes a living off control and polish. His delivery is kind of weird, and that definitely scares scouts. He keeps hi front leg too stiff when completing his wind up, putting more pressure on his shoulder to make the throw. If they can fix that his fastball could go from 92 to 94, and his injury risk will drop. He has good, not great stuff. He throws 92, with a good curveball, change up and 2 seamer, all plus pitches, but none of them plus plus. He's kind of what Ian Kennedy was projected to be.

19. Buster Posey, C, San Francisco Giants, (B+)- Now that Sandoval has been moved to the corners of the San Francisco infield, only an aging Bengie Molina blocks Posey. Buster doesn't have the power that Wieters does, but he does have everything else. He's a mini Joe Mauer, and yes that's pretty arrogant projection, but look at his college numbers and you'll see what I mean about his hitting. After the soon to be 22 year old was picked in the first round in 2008 he played a short season at single A hitting .385.

20. Jesus Montero, C, New York Yankees, (B+)- Montero's potential is A+, but the kid is still only 20, and at catcher that's pre-school. He has 80 power on the scouting scale, and has been described as an A-Rod hitter by scouts. Wow, as a Yankee fan I sure hope they're right; as a Nationals fan I ask, "why can't we ever get guys like this?!" He'll break into the MLB soon, just about the time Posada's contract is up and his arm falls off.

21. Brett Anderson, LHP, Oakland Athletics, (B+)- The guy doesn't have a memorable name or anything, but his stuff and style is unforgettable. I haven't heard much about him as I concentrate mostly on Cahill as the A's best prospect, but what I do know is that 2008 was Anderson's break out year and his ERA dipped below 3.00 and he struck out more batters than innings pitched. He's only done it for one season so you never know what's in store for 2009, but his superior stuff makes me think that he could be Tim Hudson or at least Ted Lilly.

22. Neftali Feliz, SP, Texas Rangers, (B+)- Feliz, the happy one, falls victim to Texas' Park which doubles as a graveyard for young pitchers. He came over from Atlanta in the Texeira trade and he represents Ryan's attempt at making the Rangers' staff respectable. His numbers in 2008 were very good, especially in the super-hard-to-pitch-in Texas League. He pitched 82 innings, struck out 102 and had an era of 2.52-- fuck that's a lot of twos...He has the ceiling of a top pitcher, not prospect, pitcher.

23. Elvis Andrus, SS, Texas Rangers (B)- Andrus is a baby Jose Reyes, He stole 53 bases in the Texas League in 2008, and hit .295. His contact isn't anything to write home about, but he's hit at or around .300 at three of the four levels he's been too in the minors. Elvis the iceman, will start for the Rangers in 2009 and will ultimately be the death of Michael Young at SS and the rebirth of Michael Young when he gets moved to third base.

24. Lars Anderson, 1B, Boston Red Sox (B+)- If I had to pick a guy to compare Anderson's ceiling too it would be Justin Morneau. He's a tall guy, about 6' 5", maybe a little under, who hits for contact, power and is patient. Again his power isn't awesome, but he does have 30 homer potential. What separates him from other first base prospects is his ability to make contact. He hit .343 in A+ in 2007 and has a career .304 batting average. He's also above .310 at ever minor league level he's been too outside of single A where he hit .288 in 2007. The beast in the east will push Youkilis to third by 2010 right about the time Mike Lowell takes his broken ass home.

25. Pedro Alvarez, 3B/SS, Pittsburgh Pirates (B+)- Alvarez was the second pick in 2008 and has near unlimited potential. He and Ryan Flaherty absolutely dominated while playing for Vandy. In his three years in college Alvarez never had an OPS below 1.010, and that really says something especially because he played in the tough SEC. Currently he's a third basement, but I certainly think he has the ability to be a SS for Pitt. Either way he'll almost definitely be an All Star once he makes the Majors. His potential is (A+), but he hasn't played professional ball yet, so he's a bit of a wildcard.

Yankees Minor League Report 2009- Prospect Rankings

With the loss of Hughes, Chamberlain, Kennedy, Cano, Melky and Gardner the Yankees' farm system isn't as stocked as it was a few years ago. However, the team still is above the middle of the pack as far as depth.

1. Jesus Montero, C (A+)- Montero is a super-prospect who somehow hasn't garnered a lot of press outside of hardcore Yankee fan circles. On the scouting scale Montero rates a perfect score, 80, for power. WOW. A catcher with 80 power!? He's been compared to A-Rod as a hitter, and although raw defensively he isn't too shabby at catching either. At age nineteen he hit .326 and belted 17 homers, showing that he's already motoring past the competition. There's no doubt in Hal Steinbrenner's mind that this guy is the Yankees future, not just at catcher, but their leader.

2. Dellin Betances, SP, (B+)- Betances is probably the least known top prospect out there. I'm not sure why that is, especially because hes 6'7" and throws a 96 mph fastball and a Barry Zito curveball. He struck out 139 hitters in 115 ip in 2008, and showed flashes of absolute brilliance. He'll break into the Yanks rotation by 2010, and he'll be loud.

3. Austin Jackson, CF, (B+)- Austin Jackson doesn't have the ceiling that most top prospects have but what he does have is a great glove, paired with decent contact hitting He's a bit better than Melky Cabrera, and for most teams that would be great for a center fielder but for a team with a $200 million dollar annual payroll that's barely so-so. He had a down year in 2008, but in 2007 he hit above .300 and at least looked like he could hang with the big boys. He'll never be stellar, but Adam Jones seems like a good comparison. .300-15hr-15sb-75rbi and a GG sounds right.

4. David Robertson, RP, (B+)- Robertson showed some nasty stuff in his debut with the big club in 2008, but he also showed inconsistency. Either way, with his stuff and ability its a wonder that the Yankees haven't tried him as a starter. Regardless, he'll be a sure shot fantastic pitcher in the next few years. He throws a biting 12-6 curve and a 93-95 mph riding fastball. He's likely the safest bet here to make the team in 2009.

5. Mark Melancon, CL, (B+)- Melancon is the Yankee's closer of the future. Coming out of college as the top closer of the draft, Melancon was swiped up by the Yankees and almost immediately slotted at closer in Trenton. He had miniscule 1.81 era in 2008 at Trenton, and showed that he'll be dominant in the MLB with his diving slider and his 95 mph fastball.

6. Austin Romine, C, (B+)- The second half of the awesome catching duo that the Yankees have been blessed with, is Romine. He doesn't have the hitting ability that Montero does but isn't that far behind him either. Romine hit .300 in 2008 and smacked 10 homers in a half season. Theres no reason not to think that he'll end up a Dioner Navarro. His defense is really what separates him from other top hitting catchers. He has an absolute rocket arm, maybe the best among any minor league catcher. In my opinion he should play for one and a half more minor league seasons, and then get a spot with the Yankees.

7. Phil Coke, LHP, (B)- Coke had great numbers in Trenton with an ERA in the mid 2's. He has good stuff, a 94 mph fastball and a sweeping slider--both great offerings from a left hander. He's generally looked at as a starter, but his fantastic 14 ip in his September call up have made him appealing as a set-up man for the short term.

8. Andrew Brackman, SP, (B)- Brackman is a 6'9" fireballer from NC State. He missed 2008 after having Tommy John surgery, but his stuff was clearly back by the time he pitched in the Arizona Fall League. He may not be a starter for long, but as a reliever he could be the Yank's next closer.

9. Humberto Sanchez, SP, (B-)- Sanchez had TJ surgery in 2008 and missed the season. Still he's a big guy and he has good stuff. He came from the Tigers in 2007 and he's been a favorite of GM Brian Cashman ever since. He'll compete for a bullpen spot in Spring Training, but his injury history and recovery will be two things that'll limit his value to the big club.

10. Kevin Russo, 2B, (B-)- Kevin Russo is the Yankees' version of Alberto Callaspo or Eric Aybar. He hit .307, got on base 36% of the time and played slick defense in 2008 for Trenton. I like his style of play and think he should push Cody Ransom aside for a Utility spot with the big club in 2009.

11. Eric Hacker, SP, (B-)- What Hacker is most known for is his making the Yankees 40 man roster over quite a few prospects that we've actually heard of. He's a good pitcher with fairly average stuff. What he gets a bump up in the grading for is his polish and superior control. He places his 92 mph fastball well and his changeup is a plus pitch. He could be an innings eater in the form of Glen Perkins.

12. Wilkins De La Rosa, (B-)- The lesser known of the two fireballers for the River Dogs, De La Rosa isn't as good as Betances, but he still shows heavy potential. His mid nineties fastball and 12-6 curve are plus pitches and if he can get a better feel for them, and sure up his control he'll be a solid to plus third or fourth starter in the MLB. His ceiling is higher than a fourth or fifth, but he's young and raw, and the hardest type of player to project is a young, raw, talented pitcher from a different country.

13. Eric Duncan, 3B-1B, (B-)- Duncan gets the unlucky 13 because he's been, well, unlucky. He was considered one of the Yankees' best prospects prior to his being rushed through AA and then AAA. Ever since his showing in the New York Penn League back in 2003, Duncan has regressed to the point where he slugs below .400 and hits below an acceptable clip. He smells a lot like Drew Henson without the hype, but if he can pull it together, he could be a Wilson Betemit or Eric Hinske.

14. Alfredo Aceves, SP, (B-)- Aceves isn't really a prospect, he's already 27 and he's already played professionally in Mexico. Either way, Aceves is a solid pitcher. He had a good debut with the Yanks in September 2008, but his stuff is bland and average. He throws an 88-91 mph fastball and curve and a change, all average pitches. He has good control and stamina and may very well make the Yanks 'pen in 2009. He's better than the 14th best prospect but his ceiling is a heck of a lot lower than an Andrew Brackman or a Dellin Betances.

15. Juan Miranda, 1B, (B-)- Miranda has put up good numbers after defecting from Cuba in '06. He's an extremely patient hitter, walking 55 times in half a season in 2009, and he belted 12 homers while batting .289. The fact that his fundamentals are so solid poses well for his future, and he doesn't strike out much, another good plus. His rating will go up if he shows any improvement at all, and he could very well be in the Yanks' top 5 by mid 2009.

16. Marcos, 2B/SS, Marcos Vechionacci, (B-)- Vakio is a hell of a fielder, rated as the best arm in the Yanks' system by Baseball America now that Tabata is gone. His hitting isn't too shabby either, he hit a few points over .300 with Trenton in 2008. His only minus is his power, or lack there of. He hit no homers in 2008 and doesn't look any better than a doubles hitter. Power comes with age and contact can't be taught, so he has that going for him. His potential is Alberto Callaspo II.

17. Anthony Claggett, RP, (B-)- Claggett is a good relief prospect for the Yankees and was protected from the rule 5 draft when Cashman added his name to the 40 man roster. His stuff is solid, but again not too intimidating and that's what places him this low. His ERA was a paultry 2.15 in 2008 and he'l be a potential filler in the 'pen in 2009.

18. J.B. Cox, CL, (C+)- Cox has near unlimited potential with the ability to be a high B or even A player. His slider is a perfect 80 on the scouting scale and he has a 93 mph fastball working with some sink. In 2006 he had a 1.75 ERA with Trenton and showed that he could be very good in the near future. Another guy who'll be given a easy shot at the 'pen in 2009.

19. Brad Suttle, 3B, (C+)- Suttle is on the rise through the Yankees' minor league system. He had an '804 OPS in single A in 2008 and slugged 11 homers in half of a season. He makes a lot of errors at third but his range is above average and he's still young, only 21 winters. He looks like the Yanks' version of Mark Reynolds.

20. Alan Horne, SP (C)- Horne was a top prospect in 2006 when he posted an era of 3.11 and struck out 165 batters in 152 ip. Since coming off TJ surgery though, Horne's star has fallen and he put an ERA above 5.00 up with Scranton in 2008. If he can pull himself together he could still be a top five prospect in no time. He has plus stuff, B stuff, and he has plus control.

21. Chase Wright, LHP, (C)- Wright used to be a plus prospect but when he was called up he was absolutely humiliated by the Red Sox and gave up a record 4 consecutive home runs. Wow, that mustn't feel to good. The Yankees were embarrassed and sent straight back to AA and we haven't heard a peep from him since. Still he has good control and a very good changeup but he has a tendency to stay in the strikezone too much.

22. Francisco Cervelli, C, (C)- Cervelli has a decent sealing, playing a lot like Jason Kendall. He does a good job making contact and usually hits about .300 in the minors, and his glove is very very good. really his only problem, besides experience, he has only 5 homers through 575 professional at bats. Still, he'll make a move for the Yanks' third catcher in '09, especially with Posada's wrecked shoulder.

23. Emerson Landoni, INF, (C)- Landoni is a rookie leaguer and is very raw. He makes good contact and hit .310 in 2008, but his power is still developing (his OPS was well below .800).

24. Neall French, 1B/3B, (C)- French is a corner infielder, spending most of his time at first base, with a pretty good bat. He hit .345 in about a 1/5 of a season in '08 and could hit 15-20 homers in the bigs some day if he keeps getting better.

25. Wilkins De La Rosa, SP, (C)- De La Rosa is young and raw but showed some flashes of brilliance in'08 when he posted a 2.29 era with Charleston and won seven games against only three losses. His strikeout numbers were a little low, but they could improve when he learns something besides a fastball.

Glovework- The Importance of a Good Fielding Shorstop

Derek Jeter may be overrated, but his all around value isn't debatable. A shortstop with a .316 career average, 16 homers, 75-80 rbis, 110 runs and 20 sb's annually for most of his career is more than enough to secure a spot for the Yankees' Golden Boy. However, one aspect of his game that is overlooked and still overrated is his defense. Jeter's glove work is average at best, and outside of two above average seasons warrants him to move to second base or center field, especially at age 35.

Jeter's range factor throughout his career has been a shade below the league average, 4.04 vs. 4.13 while his fielding percentage has been a shade above, .975-.972. In 2009 and 2008 Jeter's defense has been at the league bottom, the only saving grace was his improved zone rating last year. His range has dropped well below four, and with shorstops like Jimmy Rollins, Omar Vizquel, Troy Tulowitzki and Orlando Cabrera, Jeter looks like a bad fielder. Neither his side to side movement or his arm are particularly to blaim, both are actually above average--what kills Jeter is his poor play in "the hole" (the space between 3rd and SS). That play where he tracks down a ground ball, runs into left field and then throws a two-hopper to the firstbasemen/premium right field seats isn't a good play...By an stretch of the phrase. If you watch the play, while it looks spectacular, you'll notice that rarely does the play result in an out. If you watch Orlando Cabrera or Omar Vizquel you'll see the proper technique, a "figure 4" slide, crossing your legs to make a "4" shape.

Comparing Jeter's numbers to a good fielding shorstop only proves the case more. Troy Tulowitzki, possibly the best fielding young shortstop in the bigs sans John McDonald, has a career range factor of 5.04, and has had years where it has been well above 5.20. Tulowitzkis RF throughout his career is a full point above Jeter's, meaning he gets to one more ball than Jeter every game.

Jeter still has adequate speed, and for this reason he should be a good fit for center field or second base--more likely center field. The Yankees are in dyer need of a good centerfielder with the failure of Melky Cabrera and the overall weak hitting of Brett Gardner. For those of you who play in fantasy leagues, this would kill Jeter's value, he'd go from a sick-hitting shortstop to Andre Etheir or J.D. Drew. Regardless, this move would help the Yankees. Maybe they could even slide A-Rod over to short, since he still has plenty left in the tank. A-Rod should originally been the starting SS for the Yanks with his consecutive gold gloves and a zone rating that made Jeter look like a little-leaguer, but Jeter's smile and goody goody attitude kept him at the most important defensive position outside of catcher. With A-Rod at third the Yankees could move Cano, a player with a great arm, to third base, a better fit for a slower player with an arm rocket.
At second the Yankees have a few options for second, first of all they have a slick fielding slap hitter Marcos Venchionacci in AA whose probably their best defense minor leaguer. Reggie Corona, a possible 20-20 guy also could be a good fit. Possibly the best fit is Trenton teammate Kevin Russo, who hit .307 last year and played adequate defense.

The Best Young Position Players

We've done the young guns, now we have to do the baby hammers. The best young hitters yet to play more than one full season are usually fairly obvious--you won't need me to tell you that Evan Longoria is a star for instance. There are quite a few guys that go unnoticed despite their use of the stick or glove, maybe because of their poor teams or some other flaw, either way they deserve recognition just as much as the next guy.

1. Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays- This pick is more than obvious, it's painfully obvious. Longoria mashed all year and then through the playoffs nearly ending up with 40 homeruns by Thanksgiving. He's the new Mike Schmidt and the best thing since Cracker Jacks.
.300, 35hr, 110rbi, 110runs

2. Matt Wieters, C, Baltimore Orioles- Its hard to believe, but the Orioles finally did something right regarding a prospect. Their farm system has been coughing up what looks like...pitchers?...for quite some time, pitchers without a clue of what to do in the Majors. Wieters on the other hand, looks like Joe Mauer and hits like a young Ivan Rodriguez. He doesn't strike out, at all, he hits for really really high averages, .345 and .365 over the past two seasons and he has great power--hitting 15 homeruns in only a third of a season in 2007. The only thing that has kept Matt form being atop this list is the fact that he hasn't had a single Major League at bat. When he does, watch out AL, a few MVP seasons are coming his way.
.305, 15hr, 75rbi, 85 runs

3. Jay Bruce, OF, Cincinnatti Reds- Bruce is generally mentioned in the same breath as Evan Longoria. The young man in Cinci completely overshadowed Delmon Young a year later with the show he put on when he was called up. He made his first week a homerun derby, and then slumped, but again picked it up again at the end of the season. The taste we had last year tells us that he'll be popping .300 and 30 homeruns in no time. Matt Holliday deux.
.310, 30 hr, 95 rbi, 100 runs

4. Lars Anderson, 1B, Boston Redsox- The beast in the east is a tall lanky, funny looking individual with a sweet, long, swing. For a guy that has had an OPS regularly hovering around .950 in the minors, its comforting to see that he doesn't strike out that much. He gets the edge over Snider and LaPorta, because simply put, he's a more rounded hitter. He isn't a huge power guy, yet, but he makes great contact and has a line drive cut. When he adds some more bulk to his 6'4" frame he'll start sniffin 40 homers in the majors. Oh, and a .320 avg to go with it.
.285, 25 hr, 80 rbi, 75 runs

5. Chris Davis, 3B/1B, Texas Rangers- Davis strikes out a lot, not just a lot, A LOT a lot. He's no Mark Reynolds 200 k's, but he is what Scott Rolen should've been. His power could reach 40-45 homers in a full season, and his average wouldn't lag behind that badly. With more time he'll cut out on his strikeouts and add some more walks, but for now, hes a pretty damn good stick at the hot corner.
.280, 30 hr, 90 rbi, 80 runs

6. Jesus Montero, C, New York Yankees- The fact that Montero isn't even legally able to drink in the U.S. yet still makes this list says a lot about this guy's talent. He's been hyped as an A-ROD bat playing catcher--enough said. At age 18 he hit 17 homers in 526 at bats in single A, and was given an 80 (the maximum) for his power on the scouting scale. The fact that he can barely buy cigarettes but is hitting bombs into New Jersey suggests that he'll be a very special player when he hits his prime in a few years. 45-55 homeruns? It could happen.
.310, 20 hr, 80 rbi, 80 runs

7. Angel Salome, C, Milwaukee Brewers- Okay, okay, whats with all the catchers on this list? Its really not because I like catchers, and I do, its because there are just so many good hitting catchers ready to break in to the MLB. Salome is often overlooked by other top hitting catchers but his batting title and .362 batting average in AA in 2008 is hard to miss. The fact that he outbatted Matt Wieters, the top prospect in the game, tells a lot about Salome. He's a quiet guy, more stocky than short, and he plays a solid dish. The Brewers have Jason Kendall barely hanging on to the job, so Salome will make a push to take over catcher in 2009.
.320, 10 hr, 70 rbi, 70 runs

8. Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds- Votto is a very good hitter. None of the statistical categories really stick out on his baseball card, but thats a good thing, it shows that J.V. is a very well-rounded player. He hit over .300 in his first MLB season and managed to belt 24 home runs. He'll never be a 40 home run guy, but .315 with 30 homers yearly, kind of a Justin Morneau for the NL, sounds about right.
.290, 25 hr, 100 rbi, 90 runs

9. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF, Boston Red Sox- Ellsbury really shouldn't be on this list, he's already played more than a full season with the Sox, but what the hell, he just barely missed the cut. Ellsbury is super fast--Jose Reyes fast. His bat stalled in 2008, but still shows the makings of a good contact hitter. He doesn't strike out, and he takes enough walks. If Ellsbury can find some more plate discipline theres no reason why he can't hit .300 and steal 60 bases annually. Probalbly the best part about the young player is his all around game--he really doesn't have a flaw. His arm may not be a cannon, but its a heck of a lot better than Johnny Damon. His power isn't godly, but 15-20 homeruns is very possible in his prime. He''ll be in the MVP voting by 2011.
.290, 12 hr, 60 sb, 75 rbi, 110 runs

10. Elijah Dukes, OF, Washington Nationals- Dukes has always had the tools to be a Vladamir Guerrero, the only thing that has stopped him from being one, and the only thing that got him thrown out of Tampa on a screaming Greyhound is his temper. The guy freaks out with the best of 'em, kind of like a Jack Nicholas meets Shaquille O'Neil type guy. If he can get a full season in, 30-30 is in reach. He has a cannon of an arm to go along with that bat by the way.
.270, 25 hr, 15 sb, 80 rbi, 70 runs

11. Matt, LaPorta, OF/DH, Cleveland Indians- LaPorta beats out the other top ten outfield prospect travis Snider with his more consistent play. The fact of the matter is, though, Snider and LaPorta are nearly the same player. They both hit for a ton of power, a decent average, can't field, and get on base at a decent clip. The Brewers were playoff crazy when they traded LaPorta to rent Sabathia for a half a season, and now they'll pay for it when another midwest team slots in a guy that could win ROY in 2009.
.260, 20 hr, 75 rbi, 70 runs

12. Travis Snider, OF/DH, Toronto Bluejays- What scares me is Snider's build. His frame isn't all that big, but he seems packed to the brim with bulk and muscle--traditionally this Brad Fullmer-Barry Bonds look means injury city. Still, Snider has power that nobody can argue against. 30-40 homers in his primse sounds about right, with Nick Markakis periferals.
.250, 20 hr, 75 rbi, 70 runs

13. Cameron Maybin, CF, Florida Marlins- Maybin has been waiting for the better part of the last two seasons for his shot at the show--he got that shot in 2009. He burst on to the scene with a roar and a .400 batting average over the last quarter of the season. The guy isn't superman, and he was overrated a bit too much, but .300, 20-30 is very attainable for Killa Cam.
.290, 15 hr, 30 sb, 65 rbi, 90 runs

14. Pablo Sandoval, 1B/3B/C- Sandoval wasn't a big name before 2008. That changed quickly by season's end after hitting .350 over two levels in the minors and another .350 in the majors. His bad is brilliant, and he can make contact with the best of them. The only issue with Sandy is his position--he really doesn't have one. Fantasy owners would love to see him playing catcher, but more than likely he'll end up playing in either corner of the infield--more likely first base than third.
.295, 15 hr, 70 rbi, 80 runs

15. Travis Buck, OF, Oakland Athletics- Other A's prospects generally get more hype than Buck did, but frankly, you can get more bang for your Buck with this guy (insert chuckle here). He hits for average, a lot of average, and has good but not great power. After his career at ASU, Buck was chosen in the first round by the Oakland A's, and since then has compiled a .326 batting average in the minor leagues throughout four seasons. His play in 2007 looked extremely promising, but then a concussion in 2008 halted his development. Still, in the fall of 2008 Buck really caught fire, and ended the season on a good note after a good September.
.285, 15 hr, 70 rbi, 75 runs

Young Guns- Can't Miss Young Pitchers

Max Scherzer, Joba Chamberlain, Brandon Morrow have all impressed their respective teams with electric stuff, control and maturity. Chamberlain gets all of the hype, and rightly so, but there are plenty of other better or atleast as-good-as young pitchers out there.

1. Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers- Hands down Kershaw is the top of the heap. His 98 mph fastball with a hammer curveball have made him so formidable that he may be ready to unseat Chad Billingsley as king of the Dodgers' pitching staff. If anyone was to hand out an A+ for pitching, Kershaw would get it.

2. Max Scherzer, D'Backs- A much less hyped young pitcher, Mad Max has stuff comparable to Kershaw, possibly with a shade less control. His numbers in 2008 were absolutely impressive with a 3.06 era, 66 k's in 56 ip and only 21 walks. The only flaw was his 0-4 record, but thats more a product of Arizona's week offense. They'll be better next year, and you'll be smart to watch out for Webb, Haren, Scherzer and maybe Parker as the best rotation in the NL.

3. Joba Chamberlain, Yankees- Joba likely has the most potential of any of these young pitchers, his only question mark is his health--which has always been a question mark for him. Posada doesn't think Chamberlain has the body to be a starter, and I agree with that statement fully. Even with the over-coddling that the Yankees insisted on left Chamberlain on the DL for all of August. If he can somehow get tougher, he could be the best pitcher in the AL, maybe the MLB. His slider is better than Liriano's and his 2 seam fastball is just a tick below Chien Ming Wang's, with more speed.

4. Brandon Morrow, Seattle Mariners- Morrow is so good the Mariners almost don't know what to do with him. His heat is comparable to Chamberlain's, his only problem being his health which is also comparable to Chamberlain's track record. Morrow is more than likely to end up in the starting rotation in 2009, but his shoulder woes probably will send him back to the 'pen at some point-especially now that the Putz is a lovable losing Met.

5. Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants- To rank a play thats never thrown a ball in the MLB on this list really says something. Bumgarner definitely has the name, bus his 96 mph fastball, great pitcher's frame and his sweeping curveball will look to make the Giants a contender in 2009.

6. David Price, Tampa Bay Rays- Price is even more overrated than Chamberlain because of his dominant showing in the ALCS and World Series. The fact of the matter is, he's a lefty with just above average stuff. True his slider is one of the best in the MLB, but his fastball hovers around the 92-94 range. His control his good, and his future looks great. But with only two pitches, only one of them an A, it would be hard to place him in the top 5 pitchers in the AL. More than likely he'll end up like Scott Kazmir.

7. Phil Hughes, New York Yankees- What we saw of Hughes in 2008, briefly, was a kid lost. His ribs and arm once again failed him sending him to the DL, luckily he was pitching so poorly that he wasn't going to last in the Yankees' rotation much longer. If he can last for the better part of a season, Hughes could be really good, a lot like a young Tim Hudson or even Mike Mussina. Although, at least in the short run, that outcome is unlikely.

8. Clay Buchholz, Boston Red Sox- Bulcholz is on his last legs as a prospect. His fantastic 2007 run, that included a no hitter was quickly over shadowed by an extremely poor showing in 2008. His stuff hasn't regressed, and maybe it was just a bad patch, but it doesn't seem that Bucholz will take Josh Beckett's role after all. He'll be a damn good 3rd starter behind Lester and Beckett someday.

9. Chris Volstad, Florida Marlins- Volstad is probably the least well known pitcher on this list. His stuff is impressive, but like Price, isn't anything to write home about. He's more of a groundball pitcher, using his sinker to get outs in the large Pro Player Stadium. He had a somehwat impressive debut in 2008, but you can be sure theres more to come in 2009. He seems to be closer to Brandon Webb than Chien Ming Wange, but definitely not the caliber of Webb.

10. Trevor Cahill, Oakland Athletics- Cahill is a strange case. His stuff isn't special, but his poise and control is. He's more mature than Price or Volstad, but his stuff doesn't compare. His fastball isn't bad, 91-93 is pretty good, and his breaking stuff looks above average, but his control is what is going to get him by in the MLB. Billy Beane hasn't grown too attached to any of his pitching prospects outside of Cahill. He has a rotation spot waiting for him in 2009.

11. Jarrod Parker, Arizona Diamondbacks- Parker is being compared to Tim Lincecum by the old D'Back's scouts. His fastball isn't 100mph, but it can get up there. His breaking stuff and control is extremely advanced for a kid his age, 20 years old, and that's what puts a guy like Parker, whose never pitched an MLB inning on this list. It's unlikely that he'll play a roll in 2009, but his ability will more than definitely give him a spot in 2010.

12. Carlos Carrasco, Philadelphia Phillies- Carrasco's numbers have been all over the board in the minors. His best numbers came in AAA-- a 1.72 ERA in 36 innings , collecting 46 strikeouts. His K rating and efficiency are both rated in the high B to low A range, and his overall mean stuff looks very good, especially in the NL. He turns 22 in March, and the Phillies need a back of the rotation starter with Moyer getting even older, and JA Happ and Kyle Drabek not looking like locks.

13. Ian Kennedy, New York Yankees- Kennedy is an absolute enigma. He came up in 2007 looking like a very good pitcher, and throwin 91 mph fastballs. His play in 2008 was absolutely awful, certainly not fit for a major league starter. His fastball sits between 86-89, and his curve ball is above average but his control of it lacks. His changeup is his best pitch, and he uses Gagne's vulcan grip to throw it. He walks way to many batters to get by in the Majors, but if he can fix that he'll be more than serviceable. Right now he looks like Kei Igawa, but if he fix's his control then he could be Noah Lowry.

14. Jeremy Hellickson, Tampa Bay Rays- Most scouts rates Wade Davis above Hellickson, but what they don't see is Hellickson's delivery. His low 3/4 delivery, firing a 95 mph fastball, make him the most formidable arm in Tampa. His delivery also will save his arm, as its much healthier to throw sidearm or 3/4 than it is to throw overhand--a much more unnatural motion. You've head it before, but the Rays are stacked with young pitchers...even so Hellickson will take Jackson's spot in 2009.

15. Jeff Samardzija, Chicago Cubs- Samardzija made the dissapointing decision to pass up being the best white guy to play Wide Receiver ever. With tons of Notre Dame receiving records, he was an absolute lock to be a first round pick in the NFL. Still, he's a damn good baseball player. He's big, he throws hard, and he isn't 24 yet. He's shown some inconsistency, but the overall product has been sweet. He's built like a starter, but he has a chance to end up as reliever in 2009, especially with the Cubs' stacked rotation. With Marmol and Gregg, he may not be a Closer, but then again Gregg isn't formidable and Marmol hasn't played enough Closer to be a lock.

16. Tim Alderson, San Francisco Giants- Its hard to believe that the Giants might have a rotation consisting of Lincecum, Cain, Sanchez, Bumgarner and Alderson as early as 2009. Every one of these pitchers, sans Sanchez has the ability to become an ace. Sanchez does have the stuff, but simply doesn't have the control. With extras like Noah Lowry and Barry Zito, the Giants don't need to rush Alderson or Bumgarner, and they won't.

17. Brett Anderson, Oakland Athletics- Anderson's K/BB ration in singe A was more than 5 to 1. Those numbers alone will put him on this list. His fastball is deceptive, but still sits in the low 90s, sometimes hitting 92. His curveball though, looks like it comes out of Clayton Kershaw's hand, and this is hit best pitch. His control is probably the best on this list. At age 20, he tore up AA with a 2.61 ERA with 38 k's in 31 innings. His A numbers with the D'Backs in 2007 were even better. At age 19 he had an ERA of 3.07, with 85 k's in 81.1 innings.
His K/BB ratio was 8.5 to 1, a mark that no young pitcher in any league has come close to in the years since Anderson started pitching professionally.

18. Jeff Niemann, Tampa Bay Rays- Niemann is overshadowed by other Tampa Prospects like Wade Daivs, David Price and Jeremy Hellickson on most lists-not on this one. Neimann is a tick better than Wade Davis. He's 6'9" and 260 lbs, making him one of the biggest players in the majors. His numbers aren't better than Davis' by any stretch, never pitching with an era below 3 in his professional career, but his consistency and ability to eat innings make him very useful for a team of young pitchers like the Rays. He turns 26 this year, so his time is now.

19. Wade Davis, Tampa Bay Rays- Davis is very good and very big. He's 6'5" and 220 lbs and he won't be 24 until September 7th, 2009. His numbers in 2007 between A+ and AA were dominant, with an ERA of 2.50 over 158 innings. He took a small step back in 2008 but finished strong in AAA. No doubt, Davis is polished, but his average K/BB ratio and poor control hint that he needs more time in AAA.

20. Joey Devine, Oakland Athletics- Devine is a reliever, but the guys that good. His fireball is probably going to push Ziegler aside, and his .59 ERA is unworldly. The man only gave up 23 hits, 23! in 45 ip. He won't keep those numbers up, but the Braves made a serious mistake giving him up. He could be Jonathan Papelbon, or if he doesn't live up to his potential hell still be Jonathan Broxton.