Fantasy Baseball Advice

I spend most of my time here focusing on prospects who’re nearing their big league debuts.  Today, though, I’m gonna be discussing some guys a little further out.  In these rankings, talent trumps all – although, I broke that rule a few times based on lack of experience (see Bundy, Sano, Starling).  Among all of these names, though, one fact is constant:  each has an enormous ceiling.  All of these guys have the potential to develop into tremendous fantasy assets.  Unless you’re drafting in a dynasty league, however, these are not players you want to be considering on draft day.  For the top 25 fantasy baseball prospects for right now, click that link.

1. Jurickson Profar | SS, Rangers:  Profar has already put up some exciting numbers, and scouts are drooling over his physical development this offseason.  The upside here is preposterously high.  More on Profar in my Rangers post.  ETA:  2013.

2. Manny Machado | SS, Orioles:  The slugging shortstop has drawn comparisons to a young A-Rod.  The arrival of Machado and Profar will certainly aid the shortstop scarcity currently plaguing fantasy baseball.  ETA:  2013.

3. Gerrit Cole | SP, Pirates:  Cole was the #1 overall pick last June and made his pro debut in the Arizona Fall League, where he was clocked as high as 102 MPH.  He’ll start at High-A this year, but should move quickly. ETA:  2013.

4. Jameson Taillon | SP, Pirates:  Although he’s a year ahead of Cole in terms of experience, Taillon is behind his teammate developmentally.  Legitimate ace potential here.  The future is bright for the Pittsburgh rotation. ETA:  2014.

5. Travis D’Arnaud | C, Blue Jays:  Projects better than Arencibia both offensively and defensively, so it’s only a matter of time ’til D’Arnaud takes over as Toronto’s regular behind the plate.  He should be up late this season and ready for full-time in 2013.   ETA:  Late 2012.

6. Anthony Rendon | 3B, Nationals:  Rendon is a polished hitter and he could be ready for the bigs by late-season.  With Ryan Zimmerman at third for the foreseeable future, Rendon might have to arrive as a 2B.  More on Rendon in my Nationals post.  ETA:  2013.

7. Nolan Arenado | 3B, Rockies:  Arenado doesn’t impress scouts quite so much as Rendon, but he’s an impressive all-around talent and the Rockies have no one blocking him at third.  He’ll start 2012 at Double-A and try to push his way through to the big club this year.  More on Arenado, here.  ETA:  Late 2012.

8. Dylan Bundy | SP, Orioles:  An ace in the making, Bundy is looking forward to his first taste of pro ball in 2012.  He should move quickly.  Could rank higher if he backs up the hype with on-field production.  ETA:  2014.

9. Taijuan Walker | SP, Mariners:  Ace potential is even more attractive when you factor the Safeco effect.   ETA: 2014.

10. Mike Montgomery | SP, Royals:  Montgomery has a chance to gain some big league time this year if the Royals’ staff is injured and/or terrible.  More likely, Kansas City remains patient with their prized prospect and he makes his impact in 2013.  ETA:  Late 2012.

11. Miguel Sano | SS, Twins:  Sano will get his first taste of full-season baseball in the Midwest League this year.  That means he’ll make a few visits to Kane County, which isn’t too far from me.  Can’t wait to watch him live.  ETA:  2015.

12. Bubba Starling | OF, Royals:  The fifth overall selection last June, Starling is oozing with talent.  He could be playing full-time at Kane County this year.  OH HELL YEAH – when can I pre-order Beloit at Kane County tix?   ETA:  2015.

13. Carlos Martinez | SP, Cardinals:  Command seems to be the only thing holding Martinez back at this point.  He’ll return to the Florida State League to begin 2012 in order to refine that aspect of his game.  Once he can work that out, he’ll push through quickly.  ETA:  2013.

14. Archie Bradley | SP, Diamondbacks:  Bradley joins Trevor Bauer and Tyler Skaggs as three potential aces in the D’Backs system.  He’ll need quite a bit more time than the other two, however.  ETA:  2015.

15. Wil Myers | OF, Royals:  In terms of pure talent, Myers falls a bit short of Starling.  At this point, though, he’s far closer to the bigs.  Long shot to arrive late this year. ETA:  2013.

16. Manny Banuelos | SP, Yankees:  Banuelos is probably ready now, but the Yankees have nowhere for him.  Based on readiness, he’s a good candidate for a late-seasn arrival.  More on Banuelos, in my Yankees prospect review.  ETA:  Late 2012.

17. Jonathan Singleton | 1B/OF, Astros:  Singleton joined the Houston system by way of Philadelphia in the Hunter Pence swap.  He put up some outstanding post-trade figures in the California League.  A beacon of hope for Astros fans.  More on him, here. ETA:  2013.

18. Christian Yelich | OF, Marlins:  Yelich projects above average in hitting, power and speed.  Defensively, he’s just average, though.  Good thing we don’t care about defense.  ETA:  2013.

19. Mike Olt | 3B, Rangers:  He could very well be ready by the second half of 2012, but the opportunity in Texas won’t exist while Beltre is entrenched at third.  Could be trade-bait.  More on Olt, here.  ETA:  2013.

20. Martin Perez | SP, Rangers:  Three plus offerings has Perez looking like a frontline starter if he can get his command in order.  Read more on him in my Rangers post. ETA:  2013.

21. Zack Wheeler | SP, Mets:  Wheeler profiles best as a #2 starter, but he could develop into an ace if he can transform his curveball into a plus offering – his fastball and changeup are already there.  Wheeler could reach Triple-A this year.  ETA:  2013.

22. Francisco Lindor | SS, Indians:  Yet another huge upside talent who’ll be playing in the Midwest League this year.  The Cleveland system is horrendous, but Lindor provides some reason for hope.  ETA:  2015.

23. Gary Brown | OF, Giants:  Brown will begin 2012 trying to prove he can put up big numbers outside the hitter-friendly California League.  But his speed and defense will play in the bigs, regardless.  Read more on Brown in my Giants post.  ETA:  2013.

24. Anthony Gose | OF, Blue Jays:  Extremely toolsy centerfielder swiped 70 bags at Double-A.  Gose will work on refining his approach at the plate in Triple-A this year.  He could push Colby Rasmus out of center in 2013.  ETA:  2013.

25. Hak-Ju Lee | SS, Rays:  Lee, for now, is a defensive-minded shortstop, but he has all of the tools to develop into an exciting offensive player.  Shortstop is a weakness at the top of the Rays’ organization, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see Lee up at some point next year.  ETA:  2013.

Ten more, in alphabetical order:  Xander Bogaerts (SS, Red Sox); Nick Castellanos (3B, Tigers); Jarred Cosart (SP, Astros); Yasmani Grandal (C, Padres); Billy Hamilton (SS, Reds); Zach Lee (SP, Dodgers); Rymer Liriano (OF, Padres); Wily Peralta (SP, Brewers); Oscar Taveras (OF, Cardinals); Kolten Wong (2B, Cardinals)

We’re a few weeks from Opening Day, and the outlook on prospects for 2012 is taking shape.  As usual, it’s important to take a prudent approach with these guys.  Prospect-happy drafting is not wise.  Most of these names won’t make major impacts for another year or two – if ever.  Even so, it’s a good idea to get to know ‘em.  I tried to limit this list to guys I thought would contribute this year.  Rankings are weighted heavily in terms of realistic 2012 playing time, but I’m factoring each player’s projectable ceiling as well.  I’ll be following this post with my Top 25 Fantasy Prospects for 2013 & Beyond.  That one will run on Sunday.  For now, this:

1. Matt Moore | SP, Rays:  Immediate fantasy ace potential.  Read Grey’s Matt Moore outlook here.

2. Yu Darvish | SP, Rangers:  An argument could be made for Darvish to lead this list.  He’s a safer option than Moore to pitch a full season, but I believe Yu’s upside falls a bit short.  Check out my Rangers Minor League Review for more on Darvish.

3. Yoenis Cespedes | OF, Athletics:  He’s already impressing folks in the Cactus League.  Grey projects him at 65/20/80/.250/12.

4. Jesus Montero | C, Mariners:  Miguel Olivo is still in the picture, but Montero should take over full-time duties before long.  Grey has him as a top-10 catcher option.  I definitely agree.

5. Devin Mesoraco | C, Reds:  Like the Montero-Olivo situation, Mesoraco still needs to beat out Ryan Hanigan for the regular role behind the plate.  Nice upside here. 

6. Bryce Harper | OF, Nationals:  Baseball’s best prospect likely arrives this season.  Grey already went over Harper’s sleeper status:  he might be worth most as trade bait.

7. Zack Cozart | SS, Reds:  Cozart has the starting shortstop role effectively locked down in Cincy.  For more on both him and Mesoraco, check out my Reds post from last week.

8. Yonder Alonso | 1B, Padres:  Yes, the move to Petco hurts his value significantly.  Even so, he should be starting at first all year, making him useful in deep leagues or NL-Only.  More on Alonso in my San Diego post, here.

9. Trevor Bauer | SP, Diamondbacks:  Tim Lincecum 2.0?  He hasn’t blown anybody away this spring, but I’m excited about Bauer’s potential and I was tempted to rank him higher.  Read more on Bauer in my D-Backs post from earlier this offseason.

10. Julio Teheran | SP, Braves:  Teheran was pummeled in his spring debut, but bounced back nicely.  He has outstanding stuff and the Braves haven’t ruled him out of the opening day rotation just yet.

11. Addison Reed | RP, White Sox:  The White Sox have uncertainty surrounding the closer role and Reed could be the guy to step into that position this year.  R.J. wrote earlier this week that he expects Matt Thornton to be used in high-leverage setup situations.  That would seemingly leave Reed to collect the save opps.

12. Mike Trout | OF, Angels:  If he truly had a shot at playing this year he’d rank top five.  He doesn’t.  Still, he deserves to be mentioned here because he’s absolutely ready if there is a need.

13. Anthony Rizzo | 1B, Cubs:  The new Cubs front office has been adamant about letting Rizzo marinate for another year in Triple-A.  If that’s indeed the plan, then I should probably be saving Rizzo for my Top 25 Fantasy Prospects for 2013 & Beyond post.  Clearly that’s not what I’ve done.  I doubt Bryan LaHair can cut it in the bigs – not even on the Cubs.  I expect to see Rizzo manning first base at Wrigley for the second half of 2012.

14. Brad Peacock | SP, Athletics:  Big upside guy with a good shot at making the A’s rotation.  Grey & Rudy took him in the 22nd round of the inaugural LABR Mixed league draft.

15. Jarrod Parker | SP, Athletics:  Grey wrote about Parker after he was traded to the A’s in December.  He should be stronger than ever now, a season-and-a-half removed from Tommy John.  He and Peacock could be an exciting backend to the Oakland rotation.

16. Drew Pomeranz | SP, Rockies:  Pomeranz left yesterday’s spring start with tightness in his hip.  This isn’t good.  Two days ago he seemed like a lock to earn a role in the Colorado rotation.  Now, not so much.  The injury might be minor – certainly a situation to monitor.  See my Rockies post for more on Promeranz.

17. Jacob Turner | SP, Tigers:  Turner has struggled with control thus far in camp.  Looks like he’ll be opening the season in Triple-A, but it shouldn’t be long ’til he’s making an impact with Detroit.  Read more on Turner in my Tigers post.

18. Leonys Martin | OF, Rangers:  The toolsy outfielder is battling for a starting role in camp, and he’s been impressive so far.  He might have an edge on the competition thanks to his defense, but his offense is still a work in progress.  Read more on Martin in my Rangers post.

19. Shelby Miller | SP, Cardinals:  With Chris Carpenter’s health in question, the Cardinals are holding auditions for the fifth spot in their rotation.  After two poor outings this spring, though, it seems Miller won’t make the cut.  Should the Cards’ injury problems persist, however, Miller could be up and he could be extremely effective this year.  More likely, though, he makes his impact in 2013.  More about Miller, here.

20. Danny Hultzen | SP, Mariners: The M’s have optioned Hultzen to Triple-A, but he’s still a good bet to crack their rotation at some point this year.  The #2 overall pick last June should be added in all formats upon arrival.  Grey & Rudy recently drafted him, so you know he’s good.

21. Tyler Skaggs | SP, Diamondbacks:  Skaggs is dealing with a sore shoulder issue in camp, but he made his last appearance without issue.  The 20-year-old likely begins 2012 in Triple-A, but he’s certainly a candidate for a mid-season call up.  See my D’backs post for more on Skaggs.

22. Hisashi Iwakuma | SP, Mariners:  At 30 years old, he’s hardly a prospect in the typical sense.  Iwakuma is pretty well locked into a starting role, however, and that’s certainly valuable considering the Safeco-effect.

23. Brett Jackson | OF, Cubs:  Jackson is off to a exciting start in the Cactus League.  If he can keep it up, he’ll have a shot at arriving in the bigs sooner than I anticipated.

24. Joe Benson | OF, Twins:  The Twins’ best hitting prospect still has a chance to leave camp with the big club.  Check out my Twins post for more on Benson.

25. Lance Lynn | SP, Cardinals:  Lynn looks like the favorite to be take the fifth spot in the St. Louis rotation.  He was fantastic in relief down the stretch last season.  We’ll see if he can carry that momentum into this year as a starter.  More on Lynn in my Cardinals post.

New York Yankees 2011 Minor League Review

Organizational Talent Rankings via Baseball America:

2012 (6) | 2011 (5) | 2010 (22) | 2009 (15) | 2008 (5) | 2007 (5)

2011 Affiliate Records

MLB: [97-65] AL East

AAA: [73-69] International League – Scranton

AA: [68-73] Eastern League – Trenton

A+: [74-64] Florida State League – Tampa

A: [55-85] South Atlantic League – Charleston

A(ss): [45-28] New York-Penn League – Staten Island

The Run Down

The Yankees system took a bit of a blow after losing Jesus Montero, but it’s still in good shape.  Offensively, there isn’t much exciting going on at the high levels of the minors, but there are some high-upside guys (Sanchez, Heathcott) in A-ball.  The pitching side of things is a little more interesting as a number of guys are primed to push through with into the bigs.  The Scranton rotation this year will feature a group of arms, each of whom could surely occupy a major league role with a different organization.

Arizona Fall League Players – Phoenix Desert Dogs

David Phelps (RHP); Corban Joseph (2B); Ronnier Mustelier (UTIL); Rob Segedin (OF)

Graduated Prospects

Hector Noesi (RHP); Eduardo Nunez (SS/3B); Ivan Nova (RHP);

Players of Interest

Hitters

Austin Romine | C:

With Jesus Montero now out of the picture, Romine takes over as the Yankees’ catcher of the future.  The 23-year-old is praised primarily for his work behind the dish, but he’s capable at the plate too.  Romine will begin 2012 at Triple-A, but he could be in line for a late season call up.  The Yankees hope he’ll be ready to take over full-time in 2013.  Nothing terribly special here – ceiling somewhere around .275 AVG and 15 homers.

Brandon  Laird | 3B/1B/OF:

Laird, who earned some time in the bigs last season, will look to return to New York this year as a bench player.  His  .878 OPS at Double-A in 2010 was reason for excitement, but that figure regressed to .710 at Triple-A last year.  If Laird is ever to make it as a regular in the majors, he’ll need to be more selective at the plate.  He walked only 17 times last season in 489 PA at Scranton.

Pitchers

Manny Banuelos | LHP – SP:

Banuelos is the best of a handful of righthanded starters who’re on the verge of breaking through.  He’s shown glimpses of frontline-type ability, but he’s yet to put it all together for an extended period.  He’ll work on doing just that in Triple-A to begin 2012, but expect to see him pitching at Yankee Stadium at some point this year.

Dellin Betances | RHP – SP:

Betances struck out 142 batters in 126 IP before he was called up to New York in late September.  The power thrower works in the mid-90’s with his four-seamer, and counters with a low-80’s curve and a change.  He’ll work on command at Triple-A in 2012, but his stuff is certainly mid-rotation-caliber, and perhaps better.

David Phelps | RHP – SP:

Phelps projects as a backend starter and there’s little upside beyond that.  With plus control, though, he’s a good bet to reach his potential as a big league starter.  He’ll return to Scranton for a third stint in Triple-A, but the Yankees could feel comfortable using him at some point this year if he’s needed.

Adam Warren | RHP – SP:

Like Phelps, Warren projects at the back of the rotation, but he likely won’t have the opportunity to pitch in the majors this year without injury to guys ahead of him.  His stuff is probably better than Phelps’, but I’ll put Phelps ahead of him for now based on command.  Warren has the potential to be a valuable innings-eater at some point, but he needs to refine his secondary pitches first.

D.J. Mitchell | RHP – SP:

Mitchell has been able to stick as a starter to this point, but he seems bound for the ‘pen, eventually.  Good sinking action on his fastball and changeup allow him to keep draw many grounders and keep the ball in the park.  He’s probably ready for chance at middle relief should the Yankees have a need.

Honorable Mention

Hitters

Gary Sanchez | C:

Sanchez is unlikely to pan out as a receiver, which is damaging to his fantasy outlook.  Regardless of that, his power production at just 18 years old in the South Atlantic League was rather impressive:  17 HR, .199 ISO.  Sanchez will likely return to Low-A for 2012, where he’ll work on his defense.

Slade Heathcott | OF:

Heathcott’s development has been slowed by a shoulder ailment, as well as some personal baggage, and he’s yet to put up numbers that match his tools.  There’s been some concern that two shoulder surgeries have sapped his power.  He’ll begin 2012 in High-A, but with all-around plus tools, Heathcott has the potential to climb the ladder quickly.

Cincinnati Reds 2011 Minor League Review

Organizational Talent Rankings via Baseball America:

2012 (7) | 2011 (6) | 2010 (17) | 2009 (14) | 2008 (3) | 2007 (12)

2011 Affiliate Records

MLB: [79-83] NL Central

AAA: [73-71] International League – Louisville

AA: [53-86] Southern League – Carolina*

A+: [66-74] California League – Bakersfield

A: [83-57] Midwest League – Dayton

R: [44-32] Pioneer League – Billings

*Pensacola takes over as Cincinnati’s Double-A affiliate in 2012.

The Run Down

The Reds’ system was gutted quite thoroughly this offseason through trades.  And most of the remaining bright spots seem bound for graduation here shortly.  Included in that group are Devin Mesoraco and Zack Cozart, both of whom will carry much relevance in the fantasy game this year.  A couple more bats (see Frazier and Soto) are ready for the big leagues too. For now, though, must of Cincy’s pitching talent occupies the low level minors.  Daniel Corcino has a chance to break through in the next couple years, but there’s not much else worth excitement at this point – not in terms of fantasy, at least.  The Reds have had an impressive system for the past few years, but it’s been depleted considerably of late.  Regardless, this is certainly a group to get to know.

Arizona Fall League Players – Phoenix Desert Dogs

Brad Boxberger (RHP); Nick Christiani (RHP); Donnie Joseph (LHP); Travis Webb (LHP); Brodie Greene (2B); Cody Puckett (2B)

Graduated Prospects

Aroldis Chapman (LHP); Juan Francisco (3B); Sam LeCure (RHP)

Players of Interest

Hitters

Devin Mesoraco | C:

Mesoraco probably begins the season platooning behind the plate with Ryan Hanigan.  It shouldn’t be long before he takes over full time, though, making him worthwhile to target in drafts.  Great upside here, but it might be 2013 before we see Mesoraco blossom as a top-tier catcher.

Zack Cozart | SS:

He’ll be the regular shortstop in Cincinnati this year.  Grey ranks him 15^th among shortstops and projects him at 55/14/70/.245/20.  Seems fair.  Read Grey’s Cozart outlook here.

Todd Frazier | 3B/1B/OF:

Frazier has a shot at breaking camp with the Reds, and if Scott Rolen can’t stay healthy, he could see regular time.  The 26-year-old slugged six homers in 112 big league at-bats last year and has little left to prove in the minors.  Frazier’s defensive versatility should allow him to stick on the major league roster at some point this year.

Honorable Mention

Hitters

Billy Hamilton | SS:

Hamilton had 103 stolen bases in 2011, which is absurd.  He also posted a .700 OPS, showing room for improvement, but nothing horrendous.  He’ll be tearing up basepaths in the California League this year and could reach Double-A.  Don’t expect Hamilton to arrive until 2014, though.

Didi Gregorius | SS:

Gregorious isn’t touted quite so highly as Hamilton, but he’s ahead of him developmentally and he probably has a better shot of sticking at shortstop.  He projects a little better at the plate than Cozart, and with a good year in Triple-A, Gregorius could challenge for the regular SS role in 2013.

Neftali Soto | 1B:

Soto’s .303 ISO at Double-A in 2011 stands out.  He’s still raw at the plate, but power like that is intriguing.  He’s going nowhere as long as he’s behind Joey Votto, but he’s certainly a guy to monitor in case of injury or trade.

Henry Rodriguez | 2B:

After posting an .841 OPS between High-A and Double-A in 2011, it’s clear that Rodriguez can hit.  The concern here is that poor defense will hold him back.  With Ronald Torreyes out of the picture, the switch-hitting Rodriguez could be in line to take over for Phillips at second base in 2013.

Pitchers

Daniel Corcino | RHP – SP:

Corcino is still a few years from reaching the bigs.  Corcino throws a nice mid-90’s fastball, and counters with a slider and a change, both of which could use some work.  He draws comparisons to Johnny Cueto, though his secondary stuff will need to improve considerably if he’s ever to be frontline guy.  For now he projects more like a number three.

J.C. Sulbaran | RHP – SP

Sulbaran posted some impressive ratios in 2011 at High-A, though his 4.60 ERA doesn’t reflect it.  Like Corcino, he profiles as a number three starter, but his ceiling isn’t as high.  Sulbaran will join Pensacola’s rotation for 2012, where he’ll work on his secondary pitches.

Cleveland Indians 2011 Minor League Review

Organizational Talent Rankings via Baseball America:

2012 (29) | 2011 (7) | 2010 (3) | 2009 (7) | 2008 (19) | 2007 (10) | 2006 (9)

2011 Affiliate Records

MLB: [80-82] AL Central

AAA: [88-56] International League – Columbus

AA: [73-69] Eastern League – Akron

A+: [76-62] Carolina League – Kinston

A: [53-86] Midwest League – Lake County

A(ss): [41-34] New York-Penn League – Mahoning Valley

The Run Down

A lot has been made out of how horrendous the White Sox farm system is, how there’s a sizable gap between them at #30 and the systems ranked ahead of them.  And while I would by no means rank Cleveland’s system beneath that of the White Sox, I don’t necessarily think they’re too far apart.  And from a fantasy perspective, the Sox probably have more pieces who’re ready to contribute.  Certainly the Tribe’s woes in this regard can be attributed to their having graduated a nice crop of guys last year, as well as a few trades (Pomeranz to Colorado).  But the upper levels of the Cleveland farm system are almost entirely void of genuine big league talent.  For chrissakes, their top two prospects – Francisco Lindor & Dillon Howard – have only five games of pro ball experience between them.

Arizona Fall League Players – Phoenix Desert Dogs

Cory Burns (RHP); Preston Guilmet (RHP); T.J. McFarland (LHP); Tyler Sturdevant (RHP); Roberto Perez (C); Jesus Aguilar (1B); Chad Huffman (1B); Tim Fedroff (OF)

Graduated Prospects

Lonnie Chisenhall (3B); Alex White (RHP); Jason Kipnis (2B)

Players of Interest

Hitters

Cord Phelps | 2B/SS:

Phelps has surprising pop for a scrappy second baseman, and I think that given the opportunity, he could suffice as a regular in the bigs.  Unfortunately, that opportunity won’t arise in Cleveland as Asdrubal Cabrera and Jason Kipnis man the middle infield.  .198 ISO at Triple-A last year has certainly captured the attention of execs around the league.  It wouldn’t surprise me to see Phelps get his chance at a major league job with a different club.

Pitchers

Nick Hagadone | LHP – RP: 

Hagadone should be used often out of the Tribe’s bullpen this year.  The power lefty throws a mid-to-high-90′s fastball and counters with a late-breaking slider.  He’s still working on his approach toward right-handed hitters, so for now he’s almost strictly a lefty specialist.  Clearly, that’ll be something he’ll need to sort out if he’s ever going to have a chance at a late-innings role.

Chen Lee | RHP – RP:

Lee’s another arm that should have a spot in the Cleveland ‘pen.  His 12.2 K/9 in 2011 during a twenty-game stint at Triple-A to go along with a 2.27 ERA shows he’s ready for a chance in the big leagues.  Chen relies on deception, but his stuff isn’t bad featuring a low-to-mid-90′s fastball with late movement and a strong slider.  He’ll likely return to Columbus to begin 2012, but expect to see him pitching in Cleveland before long.

Scott Barnes | LHP – SP: 

Barnes was on track for a promotion to the big club last season, but was derailed due to a knee injury.  He’ll return to Columbus to begin 2012 with hopes of a late-season call up.  He throws a low-90′s fastball with decent command and also features a solid slider along with a change.  Barnes projects at the backend of the rotation, but he might be relegated to a relief role ultimately.

Zach McAllister | RHP – SP: 

The Indians picked up Derek Lowe this offseason, effectively blocking McAllister from breaking into the rotation.  The righty was forgettable in four big league starts last year, posting a 6.11 ERA over 18 IP.  It’ll take an injury or two for him to reemerge in that role.  And time is not on his side, as he turns 25 later this year.

Honorable Mention

Hitters

Chun Chen | C: 

Chen has a very alliterative name, which I enjoy.  He also fits Cleveland’s mold of offense-first catchers as he put up 43 XBH in 467 PA at Double-A last year.  Though scouts have mixed feelings as to whether or not Chen’s bat can truly cut it in the bigs, his incremental improvement at each stage bodes well.  His defense, on the other hand, could use quite a bit of work.  He’ll return to Akron for 2012 to work on that aspect of his game.  Expect a 2013 arrival.  With Carlos Santana blocking him, however, Chen’s chance at regular time is slim.

Pitchers

Austin Adams | RHP – SP:

Adams has a nice heater, but beyond that he’s not too exciting.  He’s already 25 years old too, which only adds to his uninteresting aura.  With a fastball that can touch 100 MPH, however, Adams profiles best in a relief role.  If he can refine his slider a bit, he could surprise folks and work his way into a late-innings role in Cleveland.  For now, he’ll join the Columbus rotation for 2012.