With September here and minor league seasons over, we turn our prospect attention to breaking down the top talents in each division. We break down the top five prospects for each organization for 2009, taking into consideration: games, at-bats, innings and major-league service time. We expect these players to have rookie status remaining heading into next year.
According to MLB rules: "A player shall be considered a rookie unless, during a previous season or seasons, he has (a) exceeded 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the major leagues; or (b) accumulated more than 45 days on the active roster of a major league club or clubs during the period of 25-player limit (excluding time in the military service and time on the disabled list)."
Note: Statistics are those at each stop in the minors this season and age represents how old they will be on opening day 2009.
Cleveland Indians
It seems every other year the Indians are rebuilding -- er, retooling as they call it. The other years they are competing for titles. A couple of trades before the deadline, CC Sabathia and Casey Blake have added to what is already a solid farm system. They could have as many as a dozen rookies impact their team next season, including the prize slugger in all of the minors who was acquired for Sabathia.
1. 1B Matt LaPorta, 24
One of the elite slugging prospects in baseball, perhaps the best, LaPorta was the key piece in the CC Sabathia deal this July. He showed well in the Futures Game and with Team USA in the Olympics and should compete for a starting job in spring training. The Brewers were criticized drafting him when they had the likes of Prince Fielder, Ryan J. Braun and Corey Hart in his positions, but the Indians will slot LaPorta's pop far more easily and quickly.
| Level | AVG | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | TB | BB | SO | SB | CS | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| Double-A | .288 | 84 | 302 | 56 | 87 | 23 | 2 | 20 | 66 | 174 | 45 | 63 | 2 | 1 | .402 | .576 | .978 |
| Double-A | .233 | 17 | 60 | 6 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 21 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 0 | .299 | .350 | .649 |
| Totals | .279 | 101 | 362 | 62 | 101 | 24 | 2 | 22 | 74 | 195 | 49 | 75 | 2 | 1 | .386 | .539 | .924 |
2. RHP Adam Miller, 24
We have been waiting years for this 100 mph arm to make a Fantasy impact, but injury after injury have derailed him. The latest issue was a finger ligament issue that kept him from making a 2008 splash. This arm is too intriguing to ignore but the years of injury woes should give you caution even if he surprises to win a rotation spot next spring.
| Level | W | L | ERA | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | GO/AO | AVG |
| Triple-A | 0 | 1 | 1.88 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 2/3 | 26 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 20 | 1.56 | .239 |
3. LHP David Huff, 24
In an organization with pitching prospects rising seemingly every year, Huff is the best of the next wave. The 2006 first-rounder out of UCLA could have been a candidate down the stretch, but he had already reached a career high in innings. Consider him a sleeper for a rotation spot in spring training, especially since Jeremy Sowers-like lefty has been in control everywhere he has pitched.
| Level | W | L | ERA | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | GO/AO | BAA |
| Double-A | 5 | 1 | 1.92 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 65.2 | 44 | 17 | 14 | 5 | 14 | 62 | 1.34 | .189 |
| Triple-A | 6 | 4 | 3.01 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 80.2 | 68 | 31 | 27 | 8 | 15 | 81 | 1.23 | .224 |
| Totals | 11 | 5 | 2.52 | 27 | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 146 1/3 | 112 | 48 | 41 | 13 | 29 | 143 | 1.28 | .209 |
4. 1B Beau Mills, 22
Mills was a prized slugger of the 2007 draft and continue to progress quickly to the majors. He has elite power potential and could be a big-time impact midseason call-up next season. We would like his prospects for '09 if he was a third baseman, but eventually his bat will play anywhere in Fantasy.
| Level | AVG | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | TB | BB | SO | SB | CS | OBP | SLUG | OPS |
| High A | .293 | 125 | 482 | 78 | 141 | 34 | 3 | 21 | 90 | 244 | 54 | 105 | 2 | 3 | .373 | .506 | .880 |
5. 3B Wes Hodges, 24
A second-round pick from the Georgia Tech baseball factory in 2006 could be a sleeper for a starting job at third base in spring training. His mere presence in the organization makes it likely the Indians won't find an offseason option at the position who would block Hodges long term.
| Level | AVG | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | TB | BB | SO | SB | CS | OBP | SLUG | OPS |
| Double-A | .290 | 133 | 504 | 70 | 146 | 29 | 3 | 18 | 97 | 235 | 52 | 105 | 3 | 1 | .354 | .466 | .821 |
Best of the rest: C Carlos Santana, OF Michael Brantley, SP Kelvin de la Cruz, SP Scott Lewis, SP Jon Meloan, OF Trevor Crowe, C Wyatt Toregas, RP Jeff Stevens, SP Chuck Lofgren, OF Nick Weglarz, SS Lonnie Chisenhall, SP Hector Rondon, Matt McBride, 1B Jordan Brown, 1B Michael Aubrey, SP Chris Jones, RP Tony Sipp, SP J.D. Martin, SP Ryan Miller, 1B Stephen Head, OF Brad Snyder, 3B Jared Goedert, SS Joshua Rodriguez, OF John Drennen, C Chris Gimenez, SP Ryan Morris, SP Carlton Smith, SP Bryan Bullington, SP Frank Herrmann, RP Reid Santos, RP Rob Bryson, RP Rich Rundles, RP Brian Slocum, 3B Abner Abreu, SP Trey Haley, 2B Cord Phelps, SP David Roberts, OF Tim Fedroff, SP Zach Putnam, SP Bryce Stowell, SP Joseph Mahalic and RP Shawn Nottingham.
2008 rookies to exhaust eligibility (expected): OF Ben Francisco, SP Aaron Laffey and RP Masahide Kobayashi.
Last year's top five here: Miller, Laffey, Lofgren, Brown and Hodges.
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