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Carlos Santana missed some time with a minor knee injury, but he’s back at it.  Through 15 games for Triple-A Columbus Santana is 17 for 51 (.333) with 10 runs, 4 doubles, 5 HRs, 16 RBIs, 2 SBs, and 11 walks. His on-base percentage is .452, his slugging percentage is .706, and his OPS is 1.157.

With Lou Marson hitting .088 (3 for 34) and Mike Redmond (soon to be 39) better suited for a back-up role (and mentor), Santana could get his call before long.

Aroldis Chapman continues to impress for Triple-A Louisville. Through three starts he’s 1-1 with a 0.60 ERA and 18 Ks in 15 innings. It’s not all rose for Chapman though. He also has 10 walks so far. He’ll have to work out his control issues before the Reds call upon him.

Stephen Strasburg does not share that problem. In 12-1/3 innings for Double-A Harrisburg he has surrendered just 3 Walks in 12-1/3 innings. He’s racked up 17 Ks already to go with his 2-0 record, 0.73 ERA, and 0.811 WHIP. I expect Strasburg will test the Triple-A waters before the Nationals give him the call. They do not want to rush their prized prospect. Plus, his clock doesn’t start.

Carlos Santana is killing it for Triple-A Columbus. In four games Santana is 7 for 16 (.438) with 6 runs, 2 doubles, 4 HRs, 8 RBIs, and 2 walks. His on-base percentage is .500, his slugging percentage 1.313, and his OPS a ridiculous 1.813. He has 21 total bases in four games. If he continues to rake like this, he’ll be getting a call sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile Aroldis Chapman was impressive in his debut for Triple-A Louisville. He went 4-2/3 innings allowing one run while striking out nine. In spring training Chapman was 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA. He had 15 Ks in 10-2/3 innings.

Chapman isn’t the only pitcher on the fast track. Stephen Strasburg shined this spring for the Nationals going 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA. He had 12 Ks in 9 Innings. In his debut for Double-A Harrisburg Strasburg allowed one earned run (plus 3 unearned) in five innings to pick up the victory. He struck out 8 while walking 2.

It’s just a matter of time before these three get their call.

Written by Eric Stashin the Rotoprofessor

Acquired in the deal that sent George Sherrill to Los Angeles, Josh Bell appeared on the precipice of a Major League job heading into 2010 before the Orioles signed both Garrett Atkins and Miguel Tejada.  Now, just an injury away of getting an opportunity, Bell should certainly still be on the radars of fantasy baseball owners.

2009 Statistics (split between two Double-A teams):
448 At Bats
.295 Batting Average (132 Hits)
20 Home Runs
76 RBI
65 Runs
3 Stolen Bases
.376 On Base Percentage
.516 Slugging Percentage
.339 Batting Average on Balls in Play

What You Need To Know:

• His power was good all year, but he really turned things up after the trade hitting nine home runs in 114 AB for the Orioles’ Double-A team.
• In 2009 he was the MVP of the Southern League All-Star Game after he went 2-4 with a home run and two RBI.
• Baseball America ranked him as the team’s second best prospect (and 37th overall) heading into 2010, ahead of the highly touted Jake Arrieta.  They said that he “has above-average power and a good approach, showing the ability to work counts to get on base”.
• He was selected in the fourth round (136th overall) of the 2005 draft.
• One of the biggest knocks against him is his ability to hit lefties.  Despite being a switch hitter, he hit .340 against right-handers in 2009 and .198 against left-handers.  He’s always had similar struggles, posting averages of .240 (Rookie League), .246 (two levels of Single-A) and .262 (Single-A) from 2006-2008 against southpaws.
• He does strikeout a fair share, at 25.5% over his minor league career.  He was below that at both levels of Double-A he played in (24.6% for the Dodgers, 21.0% for the Orioles), but it still needs to be monitored.  The more he strikes out, the tougher it’ll be for him to post a usable average in the Major Leagues.  How he performs against the upper-levels in 2010 will certainly help tell us the full story.
• His success in 2009 comes after missing most of 2008 due to preventative knee surgery.  According to mlb.com, “The surgery was for a small divot that was found in the cartilage near his kneecap. It was the kind of thing that wasn’t bothering the 21-year-old in the slightest. The problem was that, if left untreated, it would get bigger and could be career-threatening down the road.”

Final Thoughts:
He has plenty of power and given the opportunity, could prove usable in all formats, especially given how shallow 3B is in 2010.  He’s likely ticketed for Triple-A to open the season, but all it will take is an injury to one of their new corner infielders, or potentially Luke Scott, to give Bell his opportunity to shine.

Monitor him closely because once he makes an impact he could be a name you need to know for many years to come.

What are your thoughts on Bell?  Could he be usable in 2010?  What type of production do you expect from him?

If you would like to see a free preview of the Rotoprofessor 2010 Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide (available for just $5) now including a Top 50 Prospects for 2010 List, click here.

Written by Eric Stashin the Rotoprofessor

Let’s take a look at the Top 20 prospects for 2010.  Keep in mind, this list is meant look at the players with the best opportunity to make an impact for fantasy owners in 2010.  With that said, away we go (the entire list is Top 50, which is available to those who purchase the Rotoprofessor 2010 Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide for just $5):

1. Jason Heyward – Atlanta Braves – 20 – OF
   He is among the best prospects in the game, but at 20-years old you have to wonder if the team will push him to the Major Leagues or give him more time to develop at Triple-A.  Considering he’s had just 173 AB above Single-A, I wouldn’t expect him to break camp with the team.  Even when he gets there, he has the potential to struggle, though he has shown signs of greatness.  He hasn’t developed his power yet, though it is coming along (his flyball rate continues to improve, up to 37.5% last season leading to 17 HR).  His average in 2009 was buoyed by a tremendous BABIP (.346).  Is that impossible to see him repeat?  He’s got all the talent and certainly is worth taking a flyer on, as he is the premier prospect in the game.
2. Stephen Strasburg – Washington Nationals – 21 – SP
   There are a ton of questions on if he will break camp with the Nationals or not, but when you have a pitcher armed with a 100 mph fastball on the fast track, all owners must take notice.  He has the potential to be among the elite as soon as 2011.
3. Madison Bumgarner – San Francisco Giants – 20 – SP
   With Randy Johnson’s retirement, Bumgarner assumes the fifth starter duties in San Francisco.  After going 12-2 with a 1.85 ERA over 131.1 innings (9-1 with a 1.93 ERA at Double-A), he has little to prove in the Minor Leagues.  He’s not going to bring elite strikeouts (at least not yet, with just 92 in the Minor Leagues), but he certainly has the stuff and the position to be successful.
4. Neftali Feliz – Texas Rangers – 21 – SP
   He’s proven what he can do in a Major League bullpen (1.74 ERA, 11.32 K/9 over 20 relief appearances), but will the Rangers give him a chance to open the season in the rotation?  We’ve seen a similar situation with Joba Chamberlain and the Yankees, but I don’t see the Rangers repeating their mistakes.  I’m thinking the Rangers will utilize him in both roles, depending on the number of innings they want to allow him to throw, meaning he’s likely to be worth using at some point in 2010.   As it is, with his arm, even if he’s in setup duty, he’s going to have some value.
5. Brian Matusz – Baltimore Orioles – 22 – SP
   The Orioles 2008 first round draft pick, Matusz wasted no time flying through the system and reaching the Majors in 2009.  He may have struggled at times (4.63 ERA and 1.48 WHIP over 44.2 innings), but don’t be misled.  He was hindered by a .343 BABIP, certainly showing that a lot of his problems were related to bad luck.  He’s got tremendous upside and should spend the season in the Baltimore rotation.  You are going to watch him closely against the AL East foes, but against others he easily could prove usable.
6. Wade Davis – Tampa Bay Rays – 23 – SP
   After exploding onto the scene in 2009 (3.72 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 8.92 K/9), he has the inside track on the Rays fifth starter spot to open the season.  For his minor league career he had a 3.29 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 8.7 K/9, so his success should not be all that surprising.  While facing the Red Sox and Yankees on a regular basis is a scary thought, he will have the opportunity and ability to thrive in his rookie campaign.
7. Alcides Escobar – Milwaukee Brewers – 23 – SS
   One of the new “big three” shortstops and has as much talent as any of them, though the big question is where he will bat in the Brewers lineup and if they actually take the handcuffs off and allow him to run wild, utilizing his immense speed (42 SB in 430 AB at Triple-A in ‘09).  He’s guaranteed to start, with J.J. Hardy shipped to Minnesota, meaning he is worth using in all formats.
8. Carlos Santana – Cleveland Indians – 23 – C
   He has the potential to be among the best hitting catchers in the game.  Can you imagine that the Dodgers were willing to part with him as part of the Casey Blake trade?  He hit .290 with 23 HR, 97 RBI and 91 R at Double-A in ‘09 and considering Lou Marson is now all that stands in his way, it’s just a matter of time before he makes a major impact in ‘10.
9. Daniel Hudson – Chicago White Sox – 23 – SP
   This ranking may be a bit aggressive, but the 2008 fifth round draft pick is on the fast track.  He was impressive in 2009, posting a 2.32 ERA over 147.1 minor league innings (including a 1.60 ERA in nine Double-A starts).  He has impeccable control and while Freddy Garcia may break camp with the White Sox, it’s just a matter of time before Hudson assumes the role.
10. Aroldis Chapman – Cincinnati Reds – 24 – SP
    We all know his story at this point, big arm but does he have the control to excel?  While he may not open the season in the Reds rotation, you don’t give a pitcher that big of a contract if you don’t plan on using him.  He’ll be in the Reds rotation at some point in 2010.
11. Scott Sizemore – Detroit Tigers – 25 – 2B
    He’s in line to open the season as the Tigers starting second baseman, which immediately makes him a player to target.  He may not produce overwhelming statistics, but he’s a solid option as a middle infielder thanks to his potential to go 10/10 with a solid average.
12. Pedro Alvarez – Pittsburgh Pirates – 23 – 3B
    The perennially rebuilding Pirates easily could turn to their 2008 First Round Pick at some point in 2010.  He reached Double-A in his first pro season, hitting .333 with 13 HR and 40 RBI in 222 AB (though the average came courtesy of a .407 BABIP).  Overall he hit 27 HR with 95 RBI in 465 AB (while hitting .288).  He has a ton of potential, though the strikeouts (26.6% at Double-A) will likely make it difficult for him to hit for a good average initially.  Still, with Andy LaRoche the only thing standing in his way, he’s going to get a shot at some point in ‘10.
13. Justin Smoak – Texas Rangers – 23 – 1B
    The only thing blocking his way of potentially making an impact is a slow start from Chris Davis.  How unlikely does that seem?  However, after hitting just .244 with 4 HR in 197 AB in the high-powered Pacific Coast League, he has his own concerns hanging over his head.
14. Brett Wallace – Toronto Blue Jays – 23 – 3B
    He is in-line to open the season as the Blue Jays DH, but the power has not yet developed (28 career minor league HR in 755 AB).  He also doesn’t appear likely to hit for an extreme average, meaning he’s a marginal option at best.
15. Desmond Jennings – Tampa Bay Rays – 23 – OF
    He could produce a similar line to Carl Crawford (in just 115 AB at Triple-A he hit .325 with 3 HR and 15 SB in ‘09).  That really should tell fantasy owners all they need to know about him.  It’s debatable if he’s the best OF prospect or not, but without a doubt he’s a top prospect for 2010.  With Matt Joyce and Gabe Kapler all that’s standing in his way, it is just a matter of time, at least you’d think.  Unfortunately, at this point, word is that it will take something extraordinary to get him into the lineup in 2010, so time will tell.
16. Chris Carter – Oakland Athletics – 23 – 1B
    Earlier in the offseason it appeared that Carter could break camp with the team, but their moves may have put a slight kink in those plans.  There are only so many available positions and with the slew of outfielders, Kevin Kouzmanoff, Jake Fox and Jack Cust all looking for AB, it’s likely someone (probably Fox) opens the season at 1B.  His power makes him worth monitoring, however, because it may just be a matter of time.  At Double-A he hit .337 with 24 HR, 101 RBI, 108 R in just 490 AB.
17. Austin Jackson – Detroit Tigers – 23 – OF
    The opportunity is going to be there, thanks to being shipped to Detroit in exchange for Curtis Granderson.  Is he going to be successful, however?  I’ve never been the biggest fan of his as there as several questions surrounding his bat.  He has little power.  He strikes out way too much (24.4% strikeout rate at Triple-A in ‘09).  He’s got speed, but that’s just not enough to make him a solid gamble.  Think Cameron Maybin, meaning it’s going to take some time for him to potentially reach his full potential.
18. Buster Posey – San Francisco Giants – 23 – C
    Had Bengie Molina not resigned with the Giants, Posey would have been a sure fire Top 10 prospect, even without the power potential.  Now, once again being completely blocked, he’s ticketed for full-time duty at Triple-A unless the Giants need a spark (or an injury necessitates playing time).  If you are looking for help in 2010, he’s just not the answer anymore.
19. Jeremy Hellickson – Tampa Bay Rays – 22 – SP
    Wade Davis gets the attention given his production in 2009, but Hellickson has just as much upside, all he needs is the opportunity to succeed.  Over his Minor League career (461.0 innings) he’s posted a 2.71 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 9.9 K/9.  In any other organization he’d be given his chance out of Spring Training.  In Tampa Bay, he’ll just have to bide his time.
20. Gaby Sanchez – Florida Marlins – 26 – 1B
    The Marlins did not address their gaping hole at 1B, meaning that one of their two young prospects will get a chance to break camp with the team.  Having already gotten a cup of coffee with the squad, it would appear Sanchez gets the first look.  He makes good contact, giving him a chance to hit for a decent average, but there isn’t much power there to get you excited about.

What are your thoughts on this list?  Who was left off?  Who is ranked too high?

Think someone is missing?  It’s possible they just missed out on cracking the Top 20.  If you want to see the entire Top 50 list, you can do so by purchasing the Rotoprofessor 2010 Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide for just $5 by clicking here.

Written by Eric Stashin the Rotoprofessor

The Rangers have proven that they are willing to push their pitching prospects, as evidenced by their usage of both Derek Holland and Neftali Feliz at the Major League level in 2009.  The next pitcher who could follow suit is 18-year old Martin Perez (he’ll turn 19 on April 4).

They pushed him to Double-A last season, where he did struggle in five starts (5.57 ERA, 14 K in 21 IP), but he was extremely successful in his time at Single-A:

5 Wins
93.2 Innings
2.31 ERA
1.23 WHIP
105 Strikeouts (10.09 K/9)
33 Walks (3.17 BB/9)
.332 BABIP

What You Need To Know:

• Those 93.2 innings were comprised of 14 starts and 8 relief appearances.  It’s very possible that if he does make his Major League debut in 2010, he’ll be used as a relief pitcher, much like Neftali Feliz was in ‘09.
• He’s a left handed pitcher, which has helped add to the comparisons to Johan Santana that people have been making.
• He was undrafted, signed as a free agent out of Venezuela.
• Baseball America recently ranked him as the third best prospect in the Rangers organization (behind Feliz and Justin Smoak) saying, “Perez is more often compared to Johan Santana nowadays for his size, delivery, moxie and electric arm. He attacks hitters with a 91-95 mph fastball, and he’s still maturing physically, so he could throw hard. He has exceptional feel for his sharp 1-to-7 curveball, which he can add and subtract from at will, throwing it anywhere from 68-81 mph. He has an uncommon ability to manipulate the ball in a wide variety of ways.”
• MLB.com has him ranked as the #18 prospect overall.  He was quoted there as saying, “There is a little bit of pressure, but I control it. I have learned to just concentrate on the game and block everything else out. You have to. You can’t worry about what others are thinking, just focus on what you are there to do.”
• The BABIP was extremely high at Single-A, so he certainly has the potential to pitch significantly better.
• He combined with two relievers to throw a no-hitter in ‘09.  In that game he went four innings striking out six and walking three.
• The control is something to watch, though at his age he clearly is still developing.  While he improved at Double-A (it was a small sample size), you don’t like seeing him walking that many in the low minors with his stuff.  However, part of it could be the Rangers insistence that he throws more change-ups (as per Baseball America).

Final Thoughts:
The comparisons to Johan Santana tells you all you need to know about his long-term potential, but at 19-years old, that’s all he really has right now.  Those in yearly leagues can easily ignore him, because even if he gets to the Majors, it’s likely to be just as a relief pitcher.  Dynasty League owners, however, can safely stash him away as he is among the elite pitching prospects in the game.

What do you think?  Will he live up to the hype?  How good could he be?

If you would like to see a free preview of the Rotoprofessor 2010 Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide (available for just $5), click here.

Written by Eric Stashin the Rotoprofessor

I did a report on Carlos Santana all the way back in April (which you can read by clicking here), talking about just how good he could be.  He has been discussed as one of the brightest young catching prospects in baseball and in 2009, he has lived up to the hype (all stats are through August 24):

383 At Bats
.285 Batting Average (109 Hits)
20 Home Runs
86 RBI
80 Runs
1 Stolen Bases
.410 On Base Percentage
.522 Slugging Percentage
.310 Batting Average on Balls in Play

As if those numbers are not impressive enough, they don’t even touch on the best of them all.  To date, he’s struck out 76 times while walking 81 times.  That’s right, he’s struck out less then he’s walked!

In fact, for his minor league career (1,546 AB), he has 276 strikeouts vs. 279 walks.  To say that he has tremendous plate discipline is an understatement.  Prior to the season Baseball America, who ranked him as the Indians top prospect, said:

“Santana has shown good strike-zone discipline ever since signing with the Dodgers. He swings aggressively at strikes and routinely squares up balls with authority, using his lower half well and getting good extension. He has a good two-strike approach and doesn’t chase pitches outside the strike zone. He should hit for a high average and OBP with average power. He’s more athletic than most catchers.”

His BABIP is extremely repeatable and he’s shown power at all levels of the minor leagues.  If the 20 HR this season aren’t enough, he has 27 doubles and 2 triples.  That’s 49 extra base hits in just 383 AB, certainly an impressive number.  Couple that with a 45.4% flyball rate and it shows that more power may be in his future.

There’s no reason to think that even in the major leagues, the 23-year old wouldn’t be able to be a .275+ hitter with around 20 home runs, and that may just be his floor.  The ceiling could put him among the games best offensive catchers.  That’s not too bad for a player acquired from the Dodgers as part of the deal that sent Casey Blake to Los Angeles last season.

With Victor Martinez now calling Boston home and Kelly Shoppach failing to seize the job, there is every chance that the team turns to Santana in September.  What do they really have to lose?

If Santana does get a chance to play, he has the potential to be a must own in all 2-catcher formats immediately.  There are very few catchers with his type of plate discipline who brings the potential for both a solid average and power.

Given the state of the Indians offense, the team could even try him out in the middle of the line-up immediately, though that may be a long shot.  They have protected Matt LaPorta in the early going since his recall, so Santana would likely get the same treatment.

Still, with LaPorta getting regular ABs to see what he has, the team might as well do the same thing with their catcher of the future.   At 55-70, the Indians are clearly playing for their future.  With Santana already on the 40-man roster, there isn’t a need to make a move to bring him up, so there really is no downside.

Keep your eyes and ears open and see if the Indians make the move.  If they do and you play in a 2-catcher format, grab him without a second thought.  He has the potential to have a Geovany Soto type impact the moment he steps on the diamond.

What do you think of Santana?  How good could he be?

Written by Eric Stashin the Rotoprofessor

There have been rumblings that the Rays may transition David Price to the bullpen, meaning that a spot may soon open up in the rotation.  For a team with tremendous young pitching depth, they likely shouldn’t miss a beat as Wade Davis, currently pitching in Triple-A, could seamlessly step in and fill the void.

Davis has been impressive, posting the following line this season:

10 Wins
145.2 Innings
3.34 ERA
1.29 WHIP
129 Strikeouts (7.97 K/9)
39 Walks (3.65 BB/9)
.292 BABIP

What’s not to like from those numbers?  Everything is right in line with his minor league career numbers:

• K/9 – 8.8
• BB/9 -  3.4
• WHIP – 1.27
• ERA – 3.28

Considering that he’s been able to duplicate those numbers against the highest level of minor league competition, there’s little reason to doubt that he could continue to be a solid pitcher in the major leagues.  In fact, in most organizations he’d already be a consistent force in a rotation, but this is Tampa Bay.

Prior to the season, the 23-year old right-hander was ranked as the Rays third best prospect (behind Price and Tim Beckham) by Baseball America.  In fact, he’s been a fixture among the team’s Top 10 for the past four years, since being selected in the third round in 2004.

Baseball America described his arsenal prior to the season by saying:

“Davis is one of the premier power pitching prospects in the game. His four-seam fastball sits in the low to mid-90s, and he can dial it up to 95-96 mph when needed. He throws his hard 11-to-5 curveball with plus control, and it’s filthy when he produces two-plane break. Davis also has a straight changeup and showed an improved cut fastball in Triple-A.”

His strength lays in his ability to get righties out, hitting just .213 against him with 4 HR this season.  He’s struggled against lefties this season (.254, 8 HR), a trend that has been there for his entire career (.273, 22 HR while righties have hit just .208 with 19 HR).

Considering he has faced 1,547 right-handed batters and 1,194 left-handed hitters, the fact that he’s allowed more home runs and nearly as many doubles (46 vs. 51) against lefties is quite disturbing.  He needs to figure out a way to get left-handers out if he wants to be successful moving forward.

Pitching in the AL East, he’s going to have to face batters like Mark Teixeira, David Ortiz & Victor Martinez, so that could become a problem, as if facing the Yankees and Red Sox was not bad enough.

For his career he’s benefited from a 45.8% groundball rate, though that number has plummeted to 36.9% in 2009.  It is something worth monitoring, because while it hasn’t hurt his HR/9 dramatically this season (0.71), at the major league level it could prove troublesome.

Overall he has the stuff to be a successful major league pitcher and clearly is worth monitoring in all formats.  Is he a pitcher that should be used every start?  Absolutely not, as he faces the potential to be blown up from time to time, if he even ends up in the rotation (though, he shouldn’t run into an innings cap having thrown 160.2 innings in ‘08).

He’s clearly worth stashing in keeper leagues immediately (if he’s available), while yearly league owners should consider him as a potential pitch-and-ditch option down the stretch.  He’ll have the potential to be brilliant, especially when facing a predominantly right-handed hitting, weaker line-up.  Outside of that, the potential is there for some gaudy numbers.

What do you think of Davis?  How good could he be?  Will he struggle this season?