We figured the trade deadline would generate some opportunities for prospects. Adam Jones, who is getting called up for the weekend series Friday, was fairly easy to project.
The call-up of a 19-year-old phenom out of Double-A to join the pennant-contending D-Backs, wow!
Welcome to the big leagues, Mr. Justin Upton. Now take right field and deliver the Diamondbacks some key hits in high-pressure big league games.
Remember what you were doing at age 19? Nothing as cool as this. (No, your first time doesn't qualify.)
Fantasy owners are moving quickly. Since the news broke on Justin, B.J.'s younger and arguably stronger brother, his CBS SportsLine Fantasy ownership has risen from 7 to 28 percent. They are doing this without really knowing what his role will be, but they are wise enough to know a talent like this doesn't arrive to sit the bench.
"This is kind of the younger guy that everybody's kind of been anticipating, and now is the time," manager Bob Melvin told MLB.com. "I think if you looked at it last year, if you looked at it earlier this year, whether or not this guy is here before September was probably a stretch, but we moved him up to Double-A, and he played even better at Double-A, so it's time."
With disappointing Carlos Quentin (hamstring) going on the 15-day DL on Thursday, the D-Backs will likely slot Upton as their every day right fielder. The No. 1 overall pick in the June 2005 draft was promoted from Double-A Mobile. He arrived at Petco Park in time for Arizona's series finale Thursday against the Padres, but he wasn't in the starting lineup. You can be sure Jeff DaVanon won't be getting at-bats ahead of Upton.
"He's not going to be here to sit," manager Bob Melvin told MLB.com. "As long as he's here, he's going to play. You don't bring somebody here like that to not play him."
Jones' story is less certain, especially since the recently turned (22-year-old) had one shot to establish himself last year (.216 in 74 at-bats). The Mariners intend to promote prospect Jones from Triple-A Tacoma for Friday's game against Boston.
"I would prefer not to talk about Adam's role at this time," manager John McLaren told MLB.com. "We'll talk about that on Friday."
Jones will have to compete for at-bats with left fielder Raul Ibanez, right fielder Jose Guillen and DH Jose Vidro. They are not exactly DaVanon, but they're not exactly overwhelming road blocks either. After news of Jones' call-up came over late Wednesday night, his CBS SportsLine ownership rose from 18 to 25 percent.
Two elite talents who were tearing up minor league pitching are available in roughly 75 percent of Fantasy leagues. Take the fliers now, before it is too late.
Upton was batting .310 with Mobile, fifth in the Southern League, with 13 homers, 53 RBI and 10 stolen bases. Combined in the minors, he has a .410 on-base percentage and a .551 slugging percentage. He has struck out 79 times in 385 at-bats between high Class A and Double-A, but has balanced it with 56 walks. All told, not too shabby for a baby-faced teenager handling a promotion to Double-A and now the majors.
"A lot of his two years in the minors have been about how we predicted," Arizona GM Josh Byrnes told MLB.com. "We expected the first year to be a year of fatigue, a year of getting used to playing every day, a year of getting pitched around, wood bats, etc. Not many guys their first year have great performance years. You look at some of the great names in our game, that year is kind of an adjustment year. The second year is the year where things can move quickly, and it has."
Jones was more of a free-swinger, having fanned 106 times and walked just 36 in 420 at-bats. You cannot argue with a .382 OBP and a .586 SLUG, though.
You also cannot expect perfection from players this young, but you have to take the fliers anyway. If they are even half as good as they were in the minors, they are going to be something special for your Fantasy team.
On the verge
Here are some of our favorite prospects who are in the minor leagues and are worth tracking closely (stats through Aug. 1):
| Minor league hotlist | ||
| Position, player, team | Minor league stats | |
| 1 | OF Justin Upton, ARI | A-Double-A: .319 AVG, 18 HR, 70 RBI, 75 R, 19 SB |
| Pennant race forces 19-year-old future star into playing right. | ||
| 2 | OF Adam Jones, SEA | Triple-A: .314-25-84-75-8 |
| Our hunch last week is coming true, just few days later. | ||
| 3 | OF Jay Bruce, CIN | A-AA-Triple-A: .323-20-76-73-6 |
| He's scorching in Triple-A now, but it's too crowded in Cincy. | ||
| 4 | 3B Evan Longoria, TB | Double-A: .307-21-76-78-4 |
| Triple-A promotion to mean move of Akinori Iwamura to SS? | ||
| 5 | OF Rick Ankiel, STL | Triple-A: .272-31-85-59-4 |
| Started year as Triple-A 27-year-old breakout. Can help now. | ||
| Honorable mentions: SP Garrett Olson, BAL; SP Mike Pelfrey, NYM; SP Homer Bailey, CIN; SP Gio Gonzalez, CHW; RP Joba Chamberlain, NYY; SP Carlos Carrasco, PHI; SP Clay Buchholz, BOS; SP Colin Balester, WAS; 1B Daric Barton, OAK; OF Felix Pie, CHC; SP Max Scherzer, ARI; OF Brandon Jones, ATL; 2B Eric Patterson, CHC; 1B Joey Votto, CIN; SP Eric Hurley, TEX; OF Wladimir Balentien, SEA; DH/C Taylor Teagarden, TEX; SP William Inman, SD; SP Jeff Niemann, TB; SP Troy Patton, HOU; 3B Neil Walker, PIT; C Landon Powell, OAK; 3B Andy LaRoche, LAD; 3B Joel Guzman, TB; 1B Joe Koshansky, COL; SP Philip Humber, NYM; OF Brandon Moss, BOS; SS Jed Lowrie, BOS; 3B Ian Stewart, COL; OF Terry Evans, LAA; OF Travis Snider, TOR; SP Clayton Kershaw, LAD; SP Chris Mason, TB; SP Wade Townsend, TB; SP Wade Davis, TB; OF Nelson Cruz, TEX; OF Delwyn Young, LAD; 1B Steven Pearce, PIT; SP Mark Holliman, CHC; 3B Chase Headley, SD; C Jeff Clement, SEA; SP Kevin Slowey, MIN; SP Chuck Lofgren, CLE; SP Zack Segovia, PHI; SP Ian Kennedy, NYY; SP Justin Masterson, BOS. | ||
Rookie watch
Here are the top rookies in Fantasy to date (stats through Aug. 1):
| Top 5 AL Fantasy Rookies | ||
| Position, player, team | Rotisserie stats to date | |
| 1 | SP Daisuke Matsuzaka, BOS | 12-8, 3.75 ERA, 142 K, 1.271 WHIP, 0 SV |
| Run support hasn't been there of late, but he's pitching well. | ||
| 2 | SP Jeremy Guthrie, BAL | (7-3)-2.89-88-1.027-0 |
| Improving O's are making him more of a winner lately. | ||
| 3 | SP Andrew Miller, DET | (5-3)-3.76-47-1.564-0 |
| Walks totals are frustrating, but Tigers are bound to get hot. | ||
| 4 | OF Delmon Young, TB | .293 AVG, 9 HR, 54 RBI, 47 R, 7 SB |
| Power and steals have been disappointing, but give him time. | ||
| 5 | OF Reggie Willits, LAA | .303-0-29-50-22 |
| Cold streak is over and deadline didn't turn him into reserve. | ||
| Honorable mentions: SP Brian Bannister, KC; OF Travis Buck, OAK; 2B Dustin Pedroia, BOS; SP Kason Gabbard, BOS; DH Billy Butler, KC; 3B Josh Fields, CHW; SP Matt Garza, MIN; RP Eric O'Flaherty, SEA; 3B Akinori Iwamura, TB; RP Hideki Okajima, BOS; RP Dustin Moseley, LAA; RP Joakim Soria, KC; SP John Danks, CHW; 3B Alex Gordon, KC; SP Brian Burres, BAL; RP Santiago Casilla, OAK. | ||
| Top 5 NL Fantasy Rookies | ||
| Position, player, team | Rotisserie stats | |
| 1 | 3B Ryan Braun, MIL | .342 AVG, 18 HR, 50 RBI, 49 R, 10 SB |
| Everything's going so well right now, he's playing defense, too. | ||
| 2 | SP Tim Lincecum, SF | (6-2), 3.75 ERA, 105 Ks, 1.190 WHIP, 0 SV |
| He's pitching great right now for a bad team with no support. | ||
| 3 | SS Troy Tulowitzki, COL | .275-12-47-59-5 |
| Upstart Rocks could get him increased publicity down stretch. | ||
| 4 | OF Hunter Pence, HOU | .330-12-45-42-8 |
| Wrist injury keeps him out 4-6 weeks and kills his ROY hopes. | ||
| 5 | SP Yovani Gallardo, MIL | (3-1)-2.72-40-1.079-0 |
| Pressure should get intense down stretch for sinking Brewers. | ||
| Honorable mentions: OF Josh Hamilton, CIN; SP Micah Owings, ARI; 1B James Loney, LAD; SP Chris Sampson, HOU; SP Kyle Kendrick, PHI; OF Chris Young, ARI; C Carlos Ruiz, PHI; 3B Mark Reynolds, ARI; 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff, SD; SP Matt Chico, WAS; OF Michael Bourn, PHI; 2B Mike Fontenot, CHC; 2B Yunel Escobar, ATL. | ||
Baby talk
Jeff Austin, Texas: Which one would you keep out of Tim Lincecum, Phil Hughes and Andrew Miller? Where would Yovani Gallardo rank?
Emack: Wow, the elite ones there. Until we see Hughes pitch more in the big leagues, we will leave him out of the mix. Evaluate him down the stretch. Otherwise rank them Gallardo, Lincecum and Miller this year and Lincecum, Hughes, Gallardo and Miller long term.
You can e-mail Emack your Fantasy Baseball questions to DMFantasyBaseball@cbs.com. Be sure to put Attn: Prospects Report in the subject field. Please include your full name, hometown and state. Be aware, due to the large volume of submissions received, we do not guarantee personal responses to all questions.
