Top 25 Prospects

1.  Jesus Montero-We've been hearing about Montero on the prospect front for quite a few years now, with everyone thinking he is the eventually replacement for Jorge Posada.  After the Yankees signing of Russell Martin it looks like he will get 1 more year in the minors.  Coming into 2010 he was Baseball America's 4th ranked prospect, and he could even be higher this year.  Last year in Triple A as a 20 year old, he batted .289 with 21 home runs and 34 doubles while driving in 75 runs.  He should start next year in Triple A, but if Russell Martin struggles the 6'4 catcher will get his call.

2.  Bryce Harper-What could I possibly say about Bryce Harper that you haven't already heard? The 1st overall pick in the 2010 draft was the most hyped draft pick in history. He left high school early and went to Junior College just so he could be drafted in the 2010 draft when he was just 17. Harper has gigantic power and a cannon of an arm that he will show off in the outfield for the Nationals. The Nationals will try to push Harper through the minor leagues and have him in the big leagues by 2013. He'll debut at Single A and I'm sure every sports television station will let you know what happens.

3.  Mike Moustakas-The reason the Royals are not last on our list, is because of their farm system highlighted by Moustakas. After missing the first 2 weeks of last season, the 2nd overall pick in 2007 exploded the rest of the season.  He batted a combined .322 with 36 home runs between Double A and Triple A last season and only struck out 67 times.  Moustakas is a top 5 prospect in all of baseball and he could win the 3rd base job in Kansas City.  If he does he should be on everyone's radar to begin the season.

4.  Julio Teheran-The Braves have a gem with this 19 year old righty.  Last year he played at 3 levels, finally ending up at Double A for the last seven games.  In seven starts in Double A he had a 3.38 ERA in 40 innings with 38 strikeouts.  Those are amazing stats, but they are for a 19 year old in Double A playing against players much his elder.  The righty still has plenty of room to grow as he's listed at 6'2 and only 150 pounds.  He should start next season in Double A and should continue to improve.

5.  Mike Trout-The 25th overall pick in the 2009 draft showed that he was the real deal and a future stud in the 2010 season.  While playing in Single A as an 18 year old Trout batted .341 and had 28 doubles, 9 triples, and 10 home runs in 131 games.  He also played great defense and stole 56 bases.  If Trout's power develops he could be a legitimate five tool stud.  He should start next year in Double A and we wouldn't be surprised if the Angels tried to rush the youngster through the minors. 

6.  Eric Hosmer-Hosmer was the 3rd overall pick in the 2008 draft and another great prospect in the Royals system.  In high Class A and Double A last season the 20 year old hit .338 with 20 home runs and 14 stolen bases.  Hosmer smashed 43 doubles and as he gets older those doubles could turn into home runs.  Hosmer projects as a 30 to 35 home run first basemen, and Royals fans should be excited. 

7.  Domonic Brown-Coming into 2010 the lefty was the 15th ranked prospect by Baseball America, and he had a great season in the minor leagues.  Unfortunately, for Brown and the Phillies he struggled mightily in majors.  In the majors he had 62 at bats with a .210 average and 2 home runs.  That shouldn't stop Brown from getting the first shot at right field with Jayson Werth in Washington.  If the Phillies come out and name Brown their starter he could have a Jason Heyward type impact for the Phils.

8.  Wil Myers-Here's another young position player who had a monster season as a 19 year old in the Royals farm system.  Last season in Single A Myers hit .315 with a .429 on base percentage.  Myers had 37 doubles to go along with 14 home runs and showed some pop for a young catcher.  He also threw out 33 out 71 base runners trying to steal.  The sky's the limit for this young catcher.  

9.  Jeremy Hellickson-Going into the 2010 season Baseball America had Hellickson rated as their 18th best prospect and baseball, and after a spectacular season he has only gone higher on our list.  Hellickson had a great season in Triple A with a 12 and 3 record, a 2.45 ERA in 21 starts before getting called up for the Rays.  He finished strong there with a 4 and 0 record and a 3.47 Era in 36 innings.  Hellickson development can be seen as a main reason the Rays felt comfortable trading away Garza, and he could be considered one of the best young arms in baseball.

10.  Kyle Drabek-The Blue Jays left Drabek in Double A all of last season and he looked every bit the top prospect he is. He went 14 and 9 with a 2.94 ERA in 162 innings. Drabek still struggled with his command with a 1.94 K/BB ratio. The prize get in the Roy Halladay trade should get a chance to earn a rotation spot in the spring and could be looking at a chance at rookie of the year honors if he gets a full season of work.

11. Shelby Miller-Cardinals top prospect just completed his first full season in Single A and did not disappoint.  The 19th overall pick in the 2009 draft pick made 24 starts and had 140 strikeouts in 104 innings.  He had a 3.62 ERA.  He's a power arm and he should start next year in Double A as a 20 year old.  He is still only 2 years out of high school and it could take him a couple more years to make it to the big leagues.  

12.  Brandon Belt- The 6'5 1st basemen went from outside the Giants top ten prospects to the clear number 1 in the organization in only one year.  After being a 5th round pick out of Texas in 2009, Belt exploded in Single, Double, and Triple A last season.  Combine in 136 games Belt hit .352 with 43 doubles, 10 triples, and 23 home runs.  He had a .455 on base percentage and 112 rbi's.  He even threw in 22 steals in 30 attempts.  Belt emerged as a top prospect and the first basemen of the future for the Giants.

13. Zach Britton-After pushing through most of their pitching prospects, the Orioles farm system is lacking in that department compared to other years.  The 23 year old Britton had a good season at Triple A, but he lacks the stuff to be a top notch prospect.  Britton is not overpowering, he only struck out 124 batters in 153 innings.  The Orioles rotation looks to be full to start the season, but Britton will get the call with the first injury. 

14.  Kyle Gibson- The 22nd pick in the 2009 draft had a great first full season in the minor leagues, and already got a non-roster invite to spring training for the Twins in 2011.  Last year he started 26 games with a 2.96 Era and an 11 and 6 record. He came out of the University of Missouri and has a very polished game for such a young player.  He most likely will start next year in Triple A with the logjam in Minnesota with their starters, but he most likely will get the first call if someone gets injured.

15.  Manny Machado-The number three overall in the 2010 draft would have been the top positional player taken, if it wasn't "The Bryce Harper Draft".  The Floridan shortstop has drawn comparisons to former Alex Rodriguez, but we think that is pushing it.  Machado certainly is a five tool prospect, but we don't think he'll ever be a 40 home run a year kind of guy.   That era of shortstop's hitting 40 plus home runs is over but Machado is a straight stud.

16.  Michael Pineda-The 21 year old from the Dominican had a great season in the minor leagues even after missing most of the 2009 season with arm problems.  He has top of the line stuff if he can develop an adequate change up as he tore up Double A with a 2.22 ERA without one.  The Mariners will give him every chance to win a spot in the rotation to begin 2011, but they may send him back to the minors for more seasoning.

17.  Dustin Ackley-  The Mariners thought they had the next Chase Utley when they signed the former North Carolina Tarheel to a $6 million dollar signing bonus in 2009.  But, the young 2^nd baseball failed to overly impress by only hitting 7 home runs and having a .267 batting average in his first full season in the minor leagues.  The Mariners now hope he can shake off the first season jitters and succeed in Triple A in 2011.

18.  Jacob Turner-The Tigers selected Turner as the 9th overall pick in 2009 and he spent his first minor league season in Single A. In 23 starts Turner compiled a 6 and 5 record with a 3.28 ERA as a 19 year old. The 6'5 righty showed great control only walking 23 batters in 115 innings. The Tigers need to be encouraged by their former 1st round pick and will hope he continues his success in Double A next season.

19.  Tyler Matzek- Matzek is another top arm in the Rockies system. The former 11th overall pick in the 2009 draft spent his 19 year old season in Single A for the Rockies. He made 18 starts and had 2.92 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 89 innings. He should began next season at Double A like Bettis, and looks to increase his innings and move through the system.

20.  Miguel Sano-Last year the Twins threw 3.15 million dollars at the young teenager and scooped him up from other teams.  As a 17 year old last year he split time between shortstop and third base and batted .307 in 61 games.  He struck out nearly once a game but showed decent power with 7 home runs and 16 doubles.  Sano is still too young to project, but he could turn into a bust or a superstar.

21.  Matt Moore-Although his 6 and 11 record in high Single A last year doesn’t look impressive, the lefty was absolutely dominant for the Rays farm system last season.  Moore struggled with his control at times last season, but struck out a remarkable 208 batters in only 144 innings.  He features a 92-94 mph fastball with a tight curve and a changeup that should develop with time.  Look for him to pitch in Double and Triple A next season and watch the strikeout's continue to pile up.  Moore is one of the top left handed pitchers in the minors.

22.  Desmond Jennings-Although he came into last season as Baseball America's number 6 prospect, he is still ranked below Hellickson, and Moore for us this year.  Jennings statistics dropped across the board in his 2nd year in Triple A, but that could be because he was expecting to see more time in the big leagues last season.  This season he should slot into Carl Crawford's left field spot, and although he won't put up the power numbers Crawford displayed he'll bring speed and defense to the outfield.  If he starts out hot in Spring Training and wins the job, he could be in the consideration for Rookie of the Year.

23.  Casey Kelly-You'd expect the Padres to have good prospects after trading away Adrian Gonzalez, and they do not disappoint. Kelly use to split time between shortstop and pitching his first two seasons, but the Red Sox finally got him to focus on pitching and he struggled in Double A. He had a 5.31 ERA in 21 starts, but he still has top of the rotation stuff and is only 21 years old. The potential and youth is what keeps him as the number 1 prospect in the Padres system.

24.  Manny Banuelos-The 19 year lefty pitched at 3 levels last year, finally ending his season at Double A.  He did not have a win in 15 starts but had a 2.51 Era in 64 innings.  He struck out 85 batters and the next few years the Yankees will work on stretching him out.  He'll start next year at Double A and should continue to progress.

25.  Jean Segura-Segura was another Angels prospect who lit up Single A last year.  Segura batted .313 last year with 24 doubles, 12 triples, and 10 home runs in 130 games.  He stole 50 bases and only got caught 10 times.  Along with Mike Trout he should start next season in Double A and will make those games very fun to watch, especially from a base stealing outlook.  

1. Philadelphia Philles

Big Leagues-  The World Series favorites in 2010, crashed and burned in the NLCS versus the Giants.  Last year they're so called dominate lineup did not produce, and Roy Halladay couldn't carry the whole team.  They lost Jayson Werth this year, so you must be thinking why they are number 1 on our list.  The answer is simple, Cliff Lee.  Now with Cliff Lee the Phillies have the best playoff rotation we have seen with Halladay, Lee, Oswalt, and Hamels.  Being able to run out Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee in at least 4 games in a 7 game series gives them a clear advantage.  I wouldn't be afraid to draft any four of their top starters to anchor my fantasy team.  Last year Ryan Howard had a down year while he struggled with injuries, but expect a bounce back from his down year.  You may be able to get him at a discount after Pujols and Gonzalez are off the board.  I've pretty much given up hope on the Jimmy Rollins as a top fantasy shortstop.  Look for the Phillies to have a great year and make a push towards the 100 win mark.  If the season started today their lineup would look like this:

Catcher- Carlos Ruiz

1st Base- Ryan Howard

2nd Base- Chase Utley

Shortstop- Jimmy Rollins

3rd Base- Placido Polanco

Left Field- Raul Ibanez

Center Field- Shane Victorino

Right Field- Domonic Brown

Pitching- Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton

Relief- Ryan Madson, Jose Contreas, Brad Lidge

Top 5 Prospects

OF Domonic Brown-  Coming into 2010 the lefty was the 15th ranked prospect by Baseball America, and he had a great season in the minor leagues.  Unfortunately, for Brown and the Phillies he struggled mightily in majors.  In the majors he had 62 at bats with a .210 average and 2 home runs.  That shouldn't stop Brown from getting the first shot at right field with Jayson Werth in Washington.  If the Phillies come out and name Brown their starter he could have a Jason Heyward type impact for the Phils.

1B Jonathan Singleton-  Singleton was the 8th round pick of the Phillies in 2009, and has been a pleasant surprise so far.  Last year as an 18 year old in Single A, he hit .290 with a .393 on base percentage.  He had 14 home runs and 77 rbi's in only 104 games.  He should make the jump to Double A next year and that will be where his first real test will be at.

RHP Brody Colvin-  Colvin was a 7th round pick in the 2009 draft and had a great first full season in Single A as a 19 year old.  He started 27 games and had a 3.39 Era in 138 innings.  Colvin wasn't overpowering, but at this point the Phillies don't have much for top prospects.  He'll start next year at Double A, and projects as a 4th or 5th starter.

RHP Jarred Cosart-  Last year in Single a Cosart compiled a 3.79 Era in 14 starts.  He struck out 77 batters in 71 innings and had a 7 and 3 record.  He has very good control with only 16 walks, and should play well in Double a next year.  

LHP Jesse Biddle-  Biddle was the Phillies first round pick in the 2010 draft, and he signed early enough to start 12 games in Single A.  He was 4 and 1 with a 3.92 Era. He struck out 50 batters in only 43 innings while walking 20.   The Phils should leave him in Single A to start the year with a promotion to Double A with any success.

Payroll and Direction-  After losing Jayson Werth to the Nationals and their 7 year 126 million dollar contract, the Phillies got an absolutely steal when Cliff Lee took a discount and signed a 5 year 120 million dollar contract.  The Yankees were offering upwards to 150 million, but Lee wanted to reunite with Philadelphia and pitch with Roy Halladay.  The Phillies don't have much on the prospect front, but they seem to have enough money to get the pieces they need to compete every year.  We believe the Phillies are the best team in the majors, and Vegas agrees making them the 13 to 4 favorites to win the World Series. 

2. Boston Red Sox

Big Leagues- The Red Sox went out this year and spent a ton of money on players their fans actually wanted.  The past few offseasons the Red Sox moves were consisting of players such as John Lackey, Marco Scutaro, Mike Cameron, and J.D. Drew, solid players, but no one the fan base could get excited about.  This year they went out and got Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, and Bobby Jenks.  Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford were the best player's on the market for positional players, and the Red Sox got it done.  For fantasy purposes, Gonzalez and Crawford immediately jump into fringe first round players status by being thrown into a lineup with Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, and David Ortiz.  The signings even help the pitching staff, because they will be scoring more runs, and with Bobby Jenks they should be holding more leads.  Jon Lester again highlights the staff and with his high strikeout total, he should be contending for a Cy Young at year's end.  Clay Buchholz is coming off a career year, but don't expect his 2.33 Era to be that low this year.  He could be overvalued in league's but if you can draft him expecting 17 wins and a 3.50 Era you've got enough value.  Being at Fenway Park will also boost their run production like it does every year.  That should make the Red Sox the highest valued team in fantasy baseball.  They will score a ton of runs, and win a ton of games, don't be afraid to draft any of their players in your fantasy drafts.
Catcher- Jarrod Saltalamacchia/ Jason Varitek
1st Base- Adrian Gonzalez

2nd Base- Dustin Pedroia
Shortstop- Marco Scutaro/ Jed Lowrie
3rd Base- Kevin Youkilis
Left Field- Carl Crawford

Center Field- Jacoby Ellsbury
Right Field- J.D. Drew
DH- David Ortiz
Pitching- Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, Josh Beckett, John Lackey, Dice-K
Relief-  Bobby Jenks, Daniel Bard, Jonathan Papelbon

Top 5 Prospects RHP Anthony Ranaudo-  The Red Sox signed the 6'7 right hander out of LSU to a 2.55 million signing bonus and after trading for Adrian Gonzalez he becomes their top prospect.  He was considered by many teams a top 5 prospect in the draft but was taken 39th because of injuries and Scott Boras representing him.  That didn't scare the Red sox off because they knew they had the money to be able to sign the big righty.  If he stays healthy he should zip right through the minors. 

LHP Drake Britton- After missing most of the 2009 season after having Tommy John surgery, Britton came back better than ever in 2010.  In 21 starts for Single A Greenville he had a 2.97 Era and struck out 78 in 75 innings.  Next year, the Red Sox will start Britton in Double A and look to stretch him out.  Look for him to be just as good as pitcher's usually are better their 2nd year off Tommy John surgery.

OF Josh Reddick-  Josh Reddick was regarded as one of the top outfield prospects in the game last year.  He had a very successful season, but it looks like Ryan Kalish has overtaken him as the best outfielder in the Red Sox system, and will get the first look at J.D. Drew's open right field slot in 2012.  Reddick had a very nice year in Triple A though, batting .266 with 18 home runs and 28 doubles.  Reddick's best trait is his defense, he has a good arm, and has the range to play any of the outfield positions.  He will begin another season in Triple A, and will contribute in the big leagues this year.

SS Jose Iglesias-  The 21 year old Cuban has the makings of a gold glove shortstop, but his bat will need to mature before he gets his chance.  Iglesias has quick hands and great range, and can also play 2nd and 3rd base.  He reminds us a little of Elvis Andrus of the Rangers.  Last year Iglesias hit .295 with 12 doubles and 5 triples in 70 games.  He doesn't have much power at this time, but if he stays healthy for a full season it will help.  He will probably start at Double A Portland and hopefully move up to Triple A by the end of the season.

2B Oscar Tejada - The Dominican 21 year old finally had a breakout season in Single A.  He batted .307 with 11 home runs, 5 triples, and 32 doubles.  He also stole 17 bases.  If he can keep up his progressions he could make a really big impact next year at Double A.  He needs to improve his defense, he made 24 errors last year, but he could project as a Brandon Phillips type 2nd basemen.  He'll be quite the double play combination with Iglesias next year at Portland.

Payroll and Direction­- The Red Sox turned into the Yankees this offseason, and went out and spent money, and traded their top prospects to get the players they wanted.  The Sox did trade away most of their best prospects with Raymond Fuentes, Casey Kelly, and Anthony Rizzo moving to the Padres, but it looks like they are now ready to spend money to get back to championship contenders.  Our one concern is that they have not locked up Adrian Gonzalez to a long term contract.  They may be waiting for his shoulder injury to pass inspection during the season, or waiting until next offseason to see the market for other free agents Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder.  One way or the other the Red Sox can't let Gonzalez walk after giving up their top prospects.  After 2011 also marks the end of the contract of my least favorite player, J.D. Drew.  It will be the last year of his 5 year 70 million contract, and it looks like Ryan Kalish will get the first crack at the starting gig if the Red Sox don't sign another outfielder.  Either way it looks like the Red Sox are lined up to be the favorite in the AL for the next few years.

3. New York Yankees

Big Leagues- The Yankees may have had the most disappointing offseason of any team in their eyes.  As a team looking to improve their starting pitching, the Yankees got shut out on Cliff Lee, and missed trading for Zack Greinke.  Now their lineup is looking the same besides the often injured Russell Martin taking over for Jorge Posada.  This Yankees team is still a top team in the major leagues, but they really failed to improve.  They resigned Derek Jeter to a monster contract, and Alex Rodriguez is another year older.  But the lineup is not their problem, it’s the starting rotation.  If the season started today their rotation would have Ian Nova and Sergio Mitre holding up the back of the rotation.  That won't match up with the Phillies or Red Sox.  Another move the Yankees made, that will actually help the team is signing Rafael Soriano as a setup man.  The contract of 3 years 35 million was a little ridiculous, and GM Brian Cashman has already came up and said he didn't participate in negotiations, but if you have the money, you might as well spend it.  This is what their starting lineup would look like today:

Catcher- Russell Martin/ Jorge Posada

1st Base- Mark Teixeria

2nd Base- Robinson Cano

Shortstop- Derek Jeter

3rd Base- Alex Rodriguez

Left Field- Brett Gardner

Center Field- Curtis Granderson

Right Field- Nick Swisher

DH- Jorge Posada

Pitching- C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Phil Hughes, Ian Nova, Sergio Mitre

Relief- Joba Chamberlain, Mariano Rivera, Rafael Soriano

Top 5 Prospects

 C Jesus Montero- We've been hearing about Montero on the prospect front for quite a few years now, with everyone thinking he is the eventually replacement for Jorge Posada.  After the Yankees signing of Russell Martin it looks like he will get 1 more year in the minors.  Coming into 2010 he was Baseball America's 4th ranked prospect, and he could even be higher this year.  Last year in Triple A as a 20 year old, he batted .289 with 21 home runs and 34 doubles while driving in 75 runs.  He should start next year in Triple A, but if Russell Martin struggles the 6'4 catcher will get his call.

RHP Dellin Betances-  The 6'8 righty was a 8th round pick in the 2006 draft, and finally had his breakout season last year in Single and Double A.  The big righty made 17 starts sporting a 2.11 Era while going 8 and 1.  He struck out 108 batters in 85 innings.  He will be 23 starting next season and lacks the youth to be an elite prospect, but the Yankees are hoping he's just a late bloomer.

C Gary Sanchez-  After signing the 17 year old Dominican the Yankees sent him to Single A to start his career off.  He played in 47 games and hit .327 with 8 home runs and 13 doubles.  He is still too young to project, but that is a great start.  We could see him eventually moving from catcher if the Yankees decide to keep him behind Jesus Montero, or being used as a very valuable trade chip.  

LHP Manny Banuelos- The 19 year lefty pitched at 3 levels last year, finally ending his season at Double A.  He did not have a win in 15 starts but had a 2.51 Era in 64 innings.  He struck out 85 batters and the next few years the Yankees will work on stretching him out.  He'll start next year at Double A and should continue to progress.

RHP Ivan Nova- The 23 year old righty was dominant last year in Triple A while splitting time in the majors.  In Triple A last year he had a 12 and 3 record and a 2.86 in 23 starts.  He was a fill in starter and late season reliever for the Yankees also appearing in 10 games.  He held his own with a 4.50 Era.  With the Yankees missing out on Cliff Lee, Nova should be starting next year as the 4th or 5th starter.

Payroll and Direction-  You can't say much about the direction of the New York Yankees.  They have money, they will spend it, and they should be among the league leaders in wins every year.  This year though, the Yankees have the prospects that can give them organizational depth.  They have resisted trading Jesus Montero multiple times, and it's about to pay off in the next couple seasons when he hits the big leagues.  Look for the Yankees to continue to run out the mostly the same players for the next few years, and win 90 to 100 games.

4. Texas Rangers

Big Leagues- This was my favorite team to watch all of last year and into their playoff run to the World Series.  Unfortunately, they came up a little short.  This year they return most of the same players, minus Vlad Guerrero and Cliff Lee.  I don’t think the lost of Cliff Lee will hurt as much as everyone thinks, because they added even more pop to the lineup.  Adrian Beltre will be taking over the 3rd base job with Michael Young moving over to DH.  Beltre has a history of struggling after signing a big contract, but if he doesn't struggle, hitting in Texas will help his numbers.  Gone are the days for the Rangers that Taylor Teagarden, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and Chris Davis were the future of the club.  Catcher and 1st base are now manned by Yorvitt Torrealba, and Mitch Moreland.  Both could be late round sleepers with the lineup that is around them.  Ian Kinsler, Adrian Beltre, Josh Hamilton, and Nelson Cruz should continue to be drafted among the top ten at their positions.  Nelson Cruz struggled to stay healthy last year, but when he did he produced.  Don’t be surprised for him to hit over 30 home runs and 100 rbi's in this new lineup.  The pitching staff really does lack the number 1 guy this year, but C.J. Wilson emerged last year as a viable number 2 behind Cliff Lee, coming up big in the playoffs.  The rest of the rotation is filled with solid starters and former top prospect Derek Holland.  If one of them emerges they will be fine,  if one of them struggles I wouldn't be surprised to see Neftali Feliz or Alexi Ogando stretched out into the rotation.  Their lineup would be like this is the season started today:

Catcher-Yovitt Torrealba

1st Base- Mitch Moreland/ Chris Davis

2nd Base- Ian Kinsler

Shortstop- Elvis Andrus

3rd Base- Adrian Beltre

Left Field- Josh Hamilton/David Murphy

Center Field- Julio Bourbon/David Murphy

Right Field- Nelson Cruz

DH- Michael Young

Pitching- C.J. Wilson, Tommy Hunter, Colby Lewis, Derek Holland, Scott Feldman

Relief- Neftali Feliz, Alexi Ogando, Darren Oliver

Top 5 Prospects

SS Jurickson Profar- Last year the Rangers signed the young righty to a 1.55 million dollar signing bonus.  Many scouts for other teams could not decide whether Profar was a shortstop or a pitcher.  The Rangers got him and through the 17 year old into class A for 63 games last year.  He batted .250 with 4 home runs and 19 doubles.  He also stole 8 bases.  That isn't amazing production but for a 17 year old it's impressive.  His first full year next year will show a lot to what is future could hold.  

LHP Robbie Erlin- Erlin was a 3rd round pick in 2009 and has exceeded expectations.  Last year in Single A as a 19 year old, the 5'11 lefty dominated.  He had a 2.12 Era in 28 appearances including 17 starts.  He threw 114 innings and struck out 125 while only walking 17.  He was a step above everyone else last year and will look to increase his workload at Double A next season.  He should continue his success with his ability to control all of his pitches.  

LHP Martin Perez- Heading into 2010 Baseball America had Perez as the 17th ranked prospect in baseball, and he slightly disappointed playing above his head as a 19 year old in Double A.  He had a 5 and 8 record with a 5.96 ERA in 99 innings.  Perez struck out 101 batters, but struggled with his control walking 50 batters.  This was an expected lump for the youngster though, because you rarely see 19 year olds in Double A.  He should stick with the same level next year and expect a big jump in his numbers.

3B Mike Olt-  Olt was the 49th overall pick in the 2010 draft out of the University of Connecticut.  He comes to the Rangers with a polished bat and an excellent approach at the plate.  His last year at Uconn he hit a record 21 home runs while batting .313 leading the Huskies to a top 25 ranking.  He has the maturity and bat to cruise through the minors which makes him number 4 on our list.

OF Engel Beltre- You could know his name because he caused a bench clearing brawl after hitting a walk off home run this year in the minors, but that shouldn't take away from his talent.  In 115 games last year between Single A and Double A Beltre hit .300 with 6 home runs, 8 triples, and 15 doubles.  He also had 18 stolen bases.  He's a very solid player who likes to put the ball in play in use his speed, he only struck out 58 times last year.  Look for him to start next year in Double A.

Payroll and Direction- Last year the Rangers only paid out 68 million dollars to their players, that's not because they were really cheap, they just had so many young players they were paying under a million dollars because they have not signed their first real contract.  They did save money by Cliff Lee jetting to Philly, but they did get their second option of Adrian Beltre.  Having that extra money will go a long way when all of their young players need a new contract they should be able to retain them.  They should still be the favorites in the AL West with or without Cliff Lee.