"Issue Number 2"- Three Minor League Players who could make an impact in the near future.....

This week, The Fantasy Man asks, "Who are three players that are currently playing in the minors that fantasy managers need to keep a hard eye on to possibly "Grab and Stash" or be ready to pick up when the time is right?"

JDizzle's Minor League Picks

Fantasy Finders for the Midseason

Hey all, I love this question, this is my bread and butter. One of my favorite things about the offseason is seeing all of the offseason moves made to make room for upcoming studs from the minors...Josh Barfield in San Diego (trading Loretta), Rickie Weeks and Prince Fielder in Milwaukee (trading Overbay), and Ian Kinsler in Texas (Soriano to Washington).

There are two major kinds of AAA studs in fantasy baseball. There are the studs that are impressive in the minors and are highly touted but haven't had that break out season in the majors yet; or there are the players who are not big names but make huge fantasy impacts just because of the teams they are on. Dallas McPherson in LA, David DeJesus in KC, and Alexis Rios in Toronto are all examples of the first kind of second-tier fantasy players. But my three players for this questions are chosen based on a myriad of factors. Before I begin, let me give my three prospects who are sure to make a fantasy impact on your fantasy roster before October.

1) Stephen Drew-Arizona Diamondbacks, currently playing for the Tucson Sidewinders (AAA)

2) Melky Cabrera-New York Yankees, just called up from Columbus

3) Anthony Reyes-St. Louis Cardinals, currently playing for the Memphis Redbirds (AAA)

The three things that I look at when coming up with this list is: opportunity to make the club, availability of position openings, and sheer talent.

Stephen Drew is an absolute stud. In 35 games, the more highly touted of the Drew brothers is hitting .299 with 6 homers and 22 RBIs. Here is my take on him...Craig Counsell is currently playing shortstop for the surprising Arizona Diamondbacks. Counsell, while serviceable at shortstop, will not last the season. Drew is playing great and is the future of this D'back team. Even their first round pick, Justin Upton, was moved to centerfield this season in single-A because Arizona knew Drew would be handling shortstop duties in the Arizona sun for years to come. If you are in an NL-only league, you need to grab him as soon as he becomes available, especially due to the fact that the NL shortstop position isn't extremely deep. If you are in a deep 10-team league, grab and stash him if you have the space.

Melky Cabrera has been on my list for a long time. When Sheffield went down, his fantasy value increased, but when Hideki Matsui injured his wrist, Cabrera's value increased exponentially. Even before he was called up, he was on this list and know that he has arrived he is a must-have in most leagues. Through 31 games he was hitting .385 with 4 homers and 24 RBIs. He can play left and right and is strong kid with plenty of pop and a good eye in the box to boot (9 k's in 122 AB's). With that Yankees lineup surrounding him, he is bound to get some pitches to swing at. And when he gets ahold of 'em, watch out!

Anthony Reyes is my 3rd pick. Being a Cardinals fan, he had to be on my list. While only 1-1 for Memphis he has 40 k's in 44.1 innings pitched. He had a great spring and narrowly missed making the team. Now with Sir Sidney on the DL and the Cardinals in possible need of starting pitching help, Anthony Reyes could be in the rotation sooner than most realize. Mulder, Marquis, Ponson and Suppan are all free agents after this year and any of them could be dealt at the deadline for some outfield help, especially if the deal is sweet enough. Reyes has electric stuff and already has a little MLB experience under his belt. Don't count this stud out and get him if you need late season help at the starting pitching position.

I'm out......The JDizzle

listen to emery......

TP's 3 Minor League Picks

I love this question Fantasy Man! There are a few guys that I've been watching closely lately. I'm going to share three of the guys that I've spent the most time looking at recently. My list includes two pitchers and a hitter, partially due to the fact that I spend a lot more time looking for pitching talent rather than hitting talent. Quality pitching is hard to find so it requires more effort and number crunching. I'm going to begin this issue with a player that I have been watching since 2002 and I think is ready to make an impact this season in Major League Baseball.......As a matter of fact, he just got his opportunity.....

Cole Hamels is a starting pitcher in the Phillies organization and actually made his first major league start Friday against Cincinnati. He pitched 5 innings, giving up 1 hit and striking out 7, while walking 5 batters and allowing no runs. Cole is the Phillies top pitching prospect and a player that they feel will be a quality starting pitcher for years to come, IF he can stay healthy, which has been a problem since he was drafted. He has three above average pitches, including a fastball in the low 90's, a quality curveball, and a devastating change up. This season, he has made 7 combined starts for single A Clearwater and AAA Scranton/Wilkes Barre, posting a 1.05 ERA, a 0.83 WHIP, allowing 26 hits while walking 10, and striking out 65 batters in 43.2 innings. He has simply dominated the AAA batters, allowing only 1 run in 23.1 innings while striking out 36 batters in 3 starts. He also put up a 14 strikeout effort in a seven inning outing, and pitched one complete game shutout.

I like him for a few reasons. One, he's a lefty and I'm always looking for quality lefties. Two, he has the ability to locate pitches well and change speeds very well. Three, he has three pitches that are above average. Putting it simply, he has good stuff clear across the board.

The downside......He's been injured a few times already in his short career. He suffered from back spasms last season as well as breaking his wrist. He's also had some minor elbow problems.

IF Cole can stay healthy, he will be a solid pitcher for years to come........Many experts are saying to "grab and stash" him NOW, even in shallow mixed leagues. I think that he's worth a look, as he has the ability to make an impact, and with pitching being thin in Philly, he'll probably get a decent opportunity to show us what he's made of. I know I'll continue to watch him and wait patiently for the right time to snatch him up. The time may be very soon.

Another starting pitcher that I've been eyeballing is Chad Billingsley who is in the Dodger's minor league system. He's playing for AAA-Las Vegas this season, but could possibly be in the Dodger rotation as early as the All-Star break. He's 3-0 this season in the Pacific Coast League with an ERA of 2.04. He has 40 strikeouts in 34.1 innings and has allowed 23 hits. He's only 21 (will turn 22 in July) but has shown significant progress in terms of command of his pitches. I've been watching this kid for the last 2 seasons and I think he's about ready for the jump to the majors, and that's saying a lot for a kid his age. His arsenal includes a fastball in the low 90's, a good slider, a curveball, and a changeup. His changeup still needs a little refining, as well as his control, but he's making steady progress with both. I like him because he's shown a good K/IP ratio as well as a good K/BB ratio. When scouting young pitching talent, these two categories tell you a lot about their ability to dominate hitters and demonstrate good control. I'm sold on him and I eagerly await his arrival into the bigs.

My third player is a player that I don't necessarily think will make an impact this season, but will in the near future. Brandon Wood is a 21 year old power hitting shortstop with good size who is in the Angels organization, playing for AA-Arkansas right now. He has gotten my attention because he is a rare commodity, a shortstop that can hit for power. He has the potential to become a major league player as early as next season. His biggest downfall is that he strikes out too much, but he should improve these numbers as he progresses to the majors. Right now he's batting .275 with 8 home runs and 11 doubles in 131 AB so far this season for the Travelers. He's also driven in 28 RBI's already. I'm always looking for good players for the future, and this guy is impressing me. He catches my eye because he plays at a position that doesn't normally put up a lot of power numbers, but he can. There are never more than a handful of power hitting shortstops in the big leagues at one time, and this guy fits into that category. I will be keeping a close eye on his development, and you should too.

Well, that's it for now. Feel free to post comments, ask questions on the tag board, or email me at fantasyozone@yahoo.com

TP