10. Chicago White Sox

Big Leagues- This is a White Sox team with a lot of potential.  Previous years it had seemed like the White Sox were running out the same players every year, and that’s kind of true this year but with one big exception, Adam Dunn.  Dunn has 40 home run power and if he can adjust to the American League he will easily eclipse that.  If the young infield of Beckham, Ramirez, and Morel come together they could be in for a good year.  If they don’t it could be another 85 win season for the White Sox.  Their pitching staff with last year’s addition Edwin Jackson looks better, especially if Jake Peavy can finally stay healthy in Chicago.  Gavin Floyd and John Danks will continue to develop and Mark Buerhle is as solid as ever.  This year youngster Chris Sale will be taking over for Bobby Jenks in the closer role.

Catcher- A.J. Pierzynski

1st Base- Paul Konerko

2nd Base- Gordon Beckham

Shortstop- Alexei Ramirez

3rd Base- Brent Morel

Left Field- Juan Pierre

Center Field- Alex Rios

Right Field- Carlos Guillen

DH- Adam Dunn

Pitching- Mark Buehrle, Gavin Floyd, John Danks, Jake Peavy, Edwin Jackson

Relief- Matt Thornton, Jesse Crain, Tony Pena, Chris Sale

Top 5 Prospects

11. Chicago White Sox

LHP Chris Sale- The 13th overall pick in the 2010 draft was sent to the majors late last year and took the White Sox bullpen by the horns.  With Bobby Jenks struggling he came in and saved 4 games for Ozzie Guillen's squad.  He threw 23 innings for the White Sox and struck out 32 batters.  After Jenks signed with the Red Sox it looks like Sale is going to get the first look at the White Sox closer and should be looked after closely in fantasy leagues.

3B Brent Morel- Morel had a very solid year at Double and Triple A last year for the White Sox farm system.  The righty batted .322 and had 37 doubles and 10 home runs.  He may not have top power potential but it looks like he could develop into a 20 home run threat.  He could get the look at third base to start the season with a solid spring training.  He could take his rookie lumps but has the talent to become a long time big leaguer.

1B Dayan Viciedo- The first basemen who has the body like Pablo Sandoval at 5'11 240 pounds had a great year in 86 games for Triple A last season.   Viciedo hit .274 with 20 home runs and 15 doubles, but struggles with his plate discipline.  He struck out 78 times compared to only 11 walks last season.  Hopefully next season he'll look more like the Pablo Sandoval of 2009 and not the Sandoval of 2010.

RHP Addison Reed-  While attending  San Diego State and leading the nation in saves as a sophomore, the Aztecs  converted Reed to a starter as a junior.  He was the ace of the staff and compiled an 8-2 record with 90 strikeouts to 16 walks in 79 innings.  He was the White Sox 95th overall pick and projects as a solid 3 or 4 starter.

RHP Jacob Pericka- Pericka was the 63rd overall pick in the 2010 draft and signed early enough to get in some games last season.  He threw 44 innings and had a 3.05 ERA with 48 strikeouts.  His long term role is undefined with the White Sox, but it will be a while before we see his name. 

Payroll and Direction-  The White Sox are not afraid to spend money, as shown by their 2010 payroll of  102 million dollars.  This year’s White Sox could have a little more flash and potential if their young players make the turn for the better and their pitchers stay healthy.  Resigning Paul Konerko and signing Adam Dunn gives them a mighty righty lefty middle of the order.  Look for them to score a lot of runs and don’t be afraid to draft the White Sox players early in your draft.

11. Milwaukee Brewers

Big Leagues- The Milwaukee Brewers have come a long way in the last few years and they are one of the more exciting teams to watch in the National League. Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun have led the emergence of this club and the combination of these two big names and their role players have built a team that is to be reckoned with in a vastly improved NL Central. They recently traded their former top prospect, Alcides Escobar, to the Royals, but what they got in return is going to invaluable to their team in 2011. Zack Greinke has taken over as the Brewers ace and helped them to climb past the mediocre teams in our preseason rankings. Right now they are the 6th ranked team for us in the National League and that puts them in the thick of the playoff hunt. Braun and Fielder are both top level fantasy picks and Braun is worth taking in the top 5 of any draft. Greinke, Gallardo, and Marcum are all awesome pitchers to have on a fantasy staff and other considerations include Rickie Weeks and Corey Hart. If your league is deep and you need late round picks Yunisky Betancourt plays a solid role and Carlos Gomez will put up average numbers for the Brewers and your fantasy club.

Here is their lineup for opening day 2011:

Catcher- Jonathan Lucroy

1st Base- Prince Fielder

2nd Base- Rickie Weeks

Shortstop- Yunisky Betancourt

3rd Base- Casey McGahee

Left Field- Ryan Braun

Center Field- Carlos Gomez

Right Field- Corey Hart

Pitching- Zack Greinke, Yovani Gallardo, Shawn Marcum, Randy Wolf, Chris Narveson

Relief- Latroy Hawkins, Jon Axford

Top 5 Prospects

RHP Mark Rogers- The Brewers never had a good farm system, and it didn't get any better after trading some of their top prospects to the Royals for Zack Greinke.  That brings us back to the Brewers number 5 overall pick in the 2004 draft, Mark Rogers.  After being drafted out of Mt. Ararat High School in Maine, Rogers battled struggled with arm problems for 3 or 4 years.  Even after injuries Rogers still sports a 93-96 mph fastball and a hard breaking ball.  After staying healthy the past two seasons, the Brewers are giving him a chance to compete for the 5th starter job in spring training, and the righty could be a nice pickup if he secures it.

RHP Cody Scarpetta-  Scarpetta is a very solid prospect who projects as a solid third starter.  Last year in Single A he had a 3.87 ERA in 27 games.  He has an average fastball and changeup but one of the best curveball's in the Brewers minor league system.   Last year he had 142 strikeouts in 128 innings last year and will look to move up to Double A and produce next year

RHP Kyle Heckathorn- The Brewers 1st round pick in 2009 spent his entire 22 year old season in Single A last year and had success in 124 innings.  He compiled a 10 and 6 record with a 2.98 ERA.  Heckathorn is not overpowering but a smart pitcher who does not put extra men on base.  The jump to Double A should be an interesting one for him, and you'll be able to tell a lot more about his career after this season.

RHP Wily Peralta- The Domican right hander struggled with his command last year in Single and Double A, and he will need to harness his command before he can make a push to the top level prospect.  With a 3.79 Era last year we can see Peralta sticking in Double A next year for some seasoning.

RHP Amaury Rivas-  As a 24 year old in Double A last year Rivas lacks top prospect potential, but could be looked at as a long reliever or fill in spot starter for the Brewers in the future.  Last year he had a 3.37 ERA in Double A and he should make the move to Triple A and increase his workload for the 2011 season. 

Payroll and Direction- The Brew Crew is no longer the laugher they once were in the National League. This team has come a long way their success is imminent in their future. They are pushing to become a "right now" kind of team by acquiring Greinke, but I think a World Series run is still a few years off. Their payroll is perfect at right around 90 million dollars and obviously they have the management to acquire the players that they need to win. Their prospects are all middle of the road arms, but I'm not too worried about the direction of the Brewers. Plus they have an awesome vintage logo, which is always a plus for a major league team.

12. Los Angeles Angels

Big Leagues- The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are, perhaps, one of the most disappointing teams in baseball in recent years. The Angels are always a highly touted team coming into the season and they almost always make the playoffs, either as the AL West champions or the AL Wildcard team. Unfortunately for their fans, the Angels are always lacking the fire power it takes to win in the postseason. They generally lose in the first round and it always feels like they are one player away from the ultimate success and it's not for lack of effort. The Angels can never seem to land the free agent necessary to take them the distance. This off season the Angels missed out Carl Crawford to Boston and lost Adrian Beltre to a division rival in the Texas Rangers. The Angels have a solid lineup and will most likely make their usual push to the playoffs, but I don't see anymore success for them than they have had in recent seasons. As for fantasy, the Angels have some players that you will want to add to your fantasy roster on draft day. Kendry Morales is emerging as solid power hitting first baseman and Bobby Abreu could put up numbers again this year. The Angels real value lies in their pitching staff. Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, Ervin Santana, Joel Pineiro and Fernando Rodney are all fantasy considerations. Grab these guys when you can, but don't overpay for them.

Here is their lineup for opening day 2011:

Catcher- Jeff Mathis/ Mike Napoli

1st Base- Kendry Morales

2nd Base- Howie Kendrick

Shortstop- Erick Aybar

3rd Base- Maicer Izturis/ Alberta Callaspo

Left Field- Bobby Abreu

Center Field- Peter Bourjos

Right Field- Torii Hunter

Pitching- Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, Ervin Santana, Joel Pineiro, Scott Kazmir

Relief- Scott Downs,  Hisanori Takahashi, Fernando Rodney

Top 5 Prospects

OF 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. 

2B 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. 

RHP Tyler Chatwood- Last year Chatwood went through Single A, Double A, and Triple A as a 20 year old and really impressed the Angels.  He had a combined record 13 and 9 with a 2.84 ERA.  Next year the Angels will start Chatwood in Triple A for seasoning and he could get the call up if one of their starters get injured.

RHP Jordan Walden-The 6'5 240 pound Walden is a major power arm out of the Angels minor league bullpens.  The righty consistently hits 98 mph and should start the season in Triple A or in the Angels bullpen.  Where ever he starts the manager will love running out the big righty in the middle or late innings. 

RHP Garrett Richards- Richards was the 42nd overall pick in the 2009 draft and he had a very good year in Single A going 13 and 5 in 26 starts.  He is pretty old for an elite prospect but still projects as a back end of the rotation starter with very solid stuff.  He has no problem striking batters out as seen with his 149 strikeouts in 143 innings last year. 

Payroll and Direction- The Angels are comparable to the Tigers in that they are not really going anywhere. They are consistently average and with the growth of the Texas Rangers it is becoming less likely that they will be able to win the AL West. Their payroll is pretty high at 117 million dollars, but it is justified. Their players are not necessarily great, but they have good management and they have had success as a unit. The Angels are just a few major signings away from the team they had when the won the World Series almost 10 years ago. They need to start competing with the Rangers in the off season if they want to have success within their division.

13. Los Angeles Dodgers

Big Leagues- The Los Angeles Dodgers have all the tools needed to be successful in the Major Leagues, but for one reason or another they can't seem to put it all together. Maybe it's the Hollywood distractions that Larry Bowa suggested were hindering Matt Kemp's abilities or maybe it's something else, but for some reason this team just can't live up to it's potential. Between Kemp, Clayton Kershaw, James Loney and Andre Ethier, the Dodgers should be a perennial threat to win a World Series. Joe Torre wasn't quite the answer and I'm still not convinced the team is heading down the right road. The Dodgers have top of the line management and their player development skills combined with their ability to bring in names like Rafael Furcal has opened the door for them to become a dynasty type team. They need to get it together as a club and start working towards a common goal and then they will find success. Kemp, Loney, Kershaw, and Ethier are all early round picks for fantasy leagues in 2011 and a resurgent Juan Uribe is a solid consideration for 2nd base. Jonathan Broxton is a former top of the line closer, but he had a bad year last year too and if he finds his way back to his old ways he will be a steal in the late rounds. 

Here is their lineup for opening day 2011:

Catcher- Rod Barajas

1st Base- James Loney

2nd Base- Juan Uribe

Shortstop- Rafael Furcal

3rd Base- Casey Blake

Left Field- Jay Gibbons/ Tony Gwynn Jr. 

Center Field- Matt Kemp

Right Field- Andre Ethier

Pitching-  Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Ted Lilly, Hiroki Kuroda, John Garland

Relief- Hong-Chih Kuo, Matt Guerrier, Johnathan Broxton

Top Prospects

RHP Zach Lee-  Zach Lee was one of the top quarterback recruits in the nation last year, and had already committed to Les Miles and the LSU Tigers, but then the Dodgers came in and swept in with a $5.25 million dollar signing bonus and took the Tigers recruit.  He's a power arm and a competitive pitcher and we'll see  how he progresses the next few seasons.  

RHP Kenley Jansen- The huge 6'6 right hander mowed through Double A last year as a 22 year old.  He pitched in 33 games and had a 1.60 ERA in 45 innings.  He projects as nothing but a power arm in the bullpen for the Dodgers, but he will be more important to the actual team than a fantasy team.  He will either start next year in Triple A or the majors with a chance to contribute.

1B Jerry Sands- Sands came out of nowhere after being drafted in the 25th round of the 2008 draft.  Last year in 2 levels the first basemen hit .301 with 35 home runs and 85 rbis.  Not only that he had 18 stolen bases while only being caught twice.  He was a little old at 22, but those numbers are impressive.  The Dodgers should start him in Triple A and see if his numbers continue when the competition increases.

SS Dee Gordon-  The Dodgers took the speedster in the 4th round of the 2008 draft, and he hasn't stopped running since.  In the past two years Gordon has stolen 73 and 53 bases respectively.  He will never hit double digit home runs in a season, and he isn't the best defender but he isn't the worst option the Dodgers could have for a replacement for Rafael Furcal in the next couple years.

OF Trayvon Robinson-  The Dodgers took Robinson in the 10th round of the 2005 draft as a high schooler, and he hasn't left the minors since.  He lacks the youth to be considered a top prospect, but he has really come into his own the past year in the minors.  Last year in Double A he hit .300 with 17 home runs and 29 doubles in 136 games.  He may not project to a starting outfielder but should be a contributor in the big leagues someday.

Payroll and Direction- The Dodgers are definitely not heading n the direction that any team wants to go. Just a few years ago they were expected to be a top 5 team. They made the mistake of adding Manny Ramirez and their success has since plummeted. They pay out just over 102 million dollars with their highest salary going to Hiroki Kuroda. Kershaw is still young and in his pre- arbitration years and makes just 440,000 dollars a year. This team is full of youth and talent, but if the players are not willing to focus on baseball, they will continue to fail. Don Mattingly will continue to bring the old school work ethic that Joe Torre and Larry Bowa were trying to instill in the club and hopefully he will make a more successful impact on the players. If they are not will to change their ways they will soon fall from a potential top finish in a weak NL West to the very bottom of it.

14. Tampa Bay Rays

Big League-No team was hurt worse by free agency this offseason than the Tampa Bay Rays.  It was tough to rank them this low, but after making their final move of getting rid of Matt Garza it was inevitable.  The Rays had been a fixture at the top of the AL East with the Yankees and Red Sox the past few seasons, but we don't see how that's possible anymore.  In just one offseason the Rays have lost Carl Crawford, Carlos Pena, Matt Garza, Rafael Soriano, Dan Wheeler, and Jason Bartlett. Looking at the Rays big league squad they could be a lot worse than 14 on our list, but their overall organization depth could save them in years to come.  If the season started today their lineup would look like this:
Catcher- John Jaso
1st Base- Dan Johnson
2nd Base- Sean Rodriguez
Shortstop- Reid Brignac
3rd Base- Evan Longoria

Left Field- Desmond Jennings
Center Field- B.J. Upton
Right Field- Ben Zobrist
DH- Matt Joyce
Pitching- David Price, James Shields, Jeff Niemann, Wade Davis, Jeremy Hellickson
Relief- J.P. Howell, Andy Sonnanstine

Top Prospects
RHP 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.

LHP 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.

OF 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.

LHP Jake McGee- The Rays look at McGee as a power arm without a defined role.  Last season he split time between starting and the bullpen, and really excelled in the bullpen for Triple A Durham.  In 17 innings he only allowed 9 hits 3 walks while striking out 27.  Those numbers lead us to believe the Rays may be looking at McGee as the closer of the future.  They may start him in Triple A next season or in the bullpen for the Rays, either way if he wins the closer role have him on your fantasy radar.

OF Josh Sale- Sale was the 17th overall pick in the 2010 draft, and the Rays and many other teams regarded him as the best high school hitter in the draft.  As a senior outfielder at Bishop Blanchet he batted .520 with 5 home runs.  He will begin next season in Single A and his progress will be closely monitored.

Payroll and DirectionAfter years of contending in the toughest division in baseball, the Rays had a fire sale this offseason.  Even though the Rays have lost a lot, there will be plenty of young talent pushing through their system the next few years to help them contend again.  Names like Desmond Jennings, Jeremy Hellickson, and Matt Moore should become household names and on everyone's fantasy radar.  Beware of Evan Longoria's numbers dipping in 2011 with losing the protection of Carlos Pena and Carl Crawford, but he'll still be a stud for years to come.  If the Rays find money to actually sign their young players this time when they develop their top farm system, they will be able to contend again with the Yankees and Red Sox.

15. Detroit Tigers

Big Leagues- The Detroit Tigers will remain one of the most average teams in the league for the 2011 season. They have not had great success recently and, depending on who you ask, they have not had great failure either. Their roster is full of mid level fantasy players and they are not getting much better or much worse. They were able to sign Victor Martinez in the off season, which will add potency to their lineup, depending on his success. In recent years, the Tigers have signed many former All Stars and they have lacked success in Detroit. Johnny Damon and Dontrelle Willis are perfect examples of once great players going to Detroit to die. On the other hand, Miguel Cabrera and Magglio Ordonez have found success in Detroit after playing for other clubs. We expect the Tigers to have another average season and probably finish third in the AL Central and maybe make a run at the wild card. As far as fantasy considerations are concerned I am personally high on Austin Jackson, but first round high yet. Magglio and Miguel will bring the power numbers that have always brough and Victor Martinez is middle to early pick at catcher. Their top 3 starts will make fantasy noise this season and Jose Valverde is always a solid closer to add to any lineup.


Here is their opening day lineup for 2011:


Catcher- Victor Martinez/ Alex Avila

1st Base- Miguel Cabrera

2nd Base- Scott Sizemore/ Will Rhymes

Shortstop- Jhonny Peralta

3rd Base- Brandon Inge

Left Field- Brennan Boesch/ Ryan Raburn

Center Field- Austin Jackson

Right Field- Magglio Ordonoz/ Brennan Boesch

DH- Victor Martinez/ Carlos Guillen

Pitching- Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello, Phil Coke, Armando Galarraga

Relief- Joel Zumaya, Ryan Perry, Joaquin Benoit, Jose Valverde



Top 5 Prospects
RHP 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.

3B Nick Castellanos- The Tigers took Castellanos with the 44th overall pick in the 2010 draft and got him signed early enough to send him to the rookie league for 7 games last year. He hit .333 with only 5 strikeouts in those 7 games. He has a long ways to go, especially in filling out his body. He came in out of high school at 6'4 and 195 pounds and will be hitting the weight room hard the next few years for the Tigers.

LHP Andy Oliver- Last year Oliver started 5 games for the Tigers and went 0 for 4, but that does not take away from what he has did in the minors last year. In Double and Triple A last year Oliver had a 9 and 8 record with a 3.45 ERA. Oliver does not project as a top of a line starter, but could develop into a back of a rotation stable. The Tigers will start him in Triple A and he'll probably be one of the first called on if an injury takes place.

RHP Chance Ruffin- The Tigers drafted the Texas University closer with the 48th overall pick in the 2010 draft. He's a very polished right hander and the Tigers won't need to send the youngster for much minor league time, and he could be called up in the next year or two. He won't be the Tigers closer right away but he could be in their plans long term.

LHP Daniel Schlereth-The son of former NFL linemen Mark Schlereth can seem to keep his spot in the majors the past two seasons. He is a former 1st round draft pick, and is a power lefty coming out of the pen for Detroit but he hasn't been consistent enough to keep a job. His major league time borderlines him as a prospect for us but we believe he'll be in the Majors next year and be a major contributor for the Tigers versus lefties.


Payroll and Direction- The Tigers are going no where fast, and that's not necessarily a bad thing for this club. It will take them awhile to build a franchise that will reign supreme in the Midwest, but they are on their way. As for now the Tigers should be content with 75- 80 wins, and hopefully they can keep developing towards becoming a major threat to the perennial front runners of the American League. Their payroll is a little high for what they bring to the table at 123 million dollars, but that will go down in coming years when their vets reach retirement age. The Tigers should keep working on building prospects and they are clearly not hurting for cash. In a few years they will be able to revamp their roster with some bigger, younger names and they will have a shot to become the favorite in AL Central.

16. Colorado Rockies

Big Leagues- The Colorado Rockies have come a long way in the past decade. They earned a trip to the World Series in 2007 and their home grown prospects are finally coming of age. Carlos Gonzalez and Ubaldo Jimenez have both found their way onto a roster in every fantasy league in the world, and more importantly for the Rockies, they have earned big league success.The Rockies have a solid combination of youth and experience on their roster and it has led them to success in the NL West in last couple of seasons. Eric Young and Dexter Fowler bring a lot youth and excitement to the club and Todd Helton and Troy Tulowitzki remain solid players for a club that deserves a lot of respect for their development of players. As far as fantasy is concerned, almost their entire lineup will find their way onto rosters in the 2011 season. Chris Ianetta is an above average catcher and the aforementioned players will all bring something different to a fantasy lineup. Gonzalez and Jimenez are both first round considerations and the rest of the lineup will fit into holes later in the draft. We recommend drafting nearly all 8 of their fielders, with Ryan Spilborghs being left out depending on how deep your league is. These players have done great things for the Rockies, and their development will help your fantasy team the same way it has helped this franchise.


Here is their starting lineup for opening day 2011:

Catcher- Chris Ianetta

1st Base- Todd Helton

2nd Base- Eric Young/ Jose Lopez

Shortstop- Troy Tulowitzki

3rd Base- Ian Stewart/ Jose Lopez

Left Field- Carlos Gonzalez

Center Field- Dexter Fowler

Right Field- Ryan Spilborghs

Pitching- Ubaldo Jimenez, Jorge De La Rosa, Jason Hammel, Aaron Cook, Esmil Rogers

Relief- Huston Street, Rafael Betancourt, Matt Lindstrom

Top 5 Prospects
3B Nolan Arenado- The Rockies took Arenado in the 2nd round of the 2009 draft and the young right hander impressed last year in Single A. Arenado hit .308 in 92 games and had 12 home runs and 41 doubles. As Arenado's body matures so will his power and we expect those double's to turn into home runs. Look for Arenado to be a middle of the order third basemen with 25 to 30 home run power in the next 3 years.

LHP 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.
OF Kyle Parker- Now this is a unique story. Some may recognize the name Kyle Parker, and think of Clemson's starting quarterback, well this is the same Kyle Parker. He is a two sport athlete and the Rockies took him in the first round last year as an outfielder. They signed him to a contract with the stipulation that he could play quarterback his senior year, one of which he just completed. The fact that the Rockies used the number 1 pick on a dual sport athlete is enough for us to have him number 3 on our list. We'll follow him closely once he gets into the minors.

RHP Chad Bettis- Bettis was the Rockies 2nd round pick in the 2010 draft and signed early enough to put up some great numbers in the late part of the season. He pitched in 13 games in Single A having a spectacular 1.07 ERA in 67 innings. He had a 4.31 K/BB ratio and should start his second year at Double A. If he succeeds there the Rockies could push the right hander right through their system quickly.


C Willin Rosario- Although Rosario tore his ACL in late July, his numbers warrant him still being in the Rockies top five prospects. Last year in Double A he hit .285 with 19 home runs and 52 rbi's in only 73 games before his injury. The Rockies have Rosario in their long term plans at catcher, and the injury is just a speed bump.


Payroll and Direction- I love the direction of the Colorado Rockies. They have burst onto the scene as a true contender in a fairly weak National League and they will continue to move up in preseason rankings in the coming seasons. The Rockies fall into the middle of leagues payroll graph, paying out just over 83 million dollars. Their top paid player is still Todd Helton at 16.6 million dollars a year, but they are getting a value on Ubaldo at 1.25 million a year and Carlos Gonzalez just signed a new deal. The Rockies have several strong prospects in the minors and they will likely become the team to beat in the NL West by 2014.