10 Minor Leaguers Who Will Make Impact In 2009

10 Leading Candidates for 2009 Rookie Of The Year

Jan 1, 2009 David Hein

David Price and Matt Wieters lead a list of very talented young players knocking at the door to the Majors and ready to break it down with a Rookie of the Year award.

David Price - LHP - Tampa Bay Rays

Price stormed through the Rays minor league system last season after being picked No. 1 overall in 2007. The lefty landed with the big club in September and played a huge role in the Rays' magical race to the World Series, getting wins and saves from the bullpen. Now with Edwin Jackson traded away to the Detroit Tigers, Price has a spot in the Rays rotation to show off the rest of his ace-type stuff.

Matt Wieters - C - Baltimore Orioles

Wieters is a power-hitting, switch-hitting catcher who crushed minor league pitching last season. Wieter also has excellent plate discipline and is improving more and more with catching games behind the plate. And the trade of Ramon Hernandez to Cincinnati gives Wieters every chance to win the starting job straight out of spring training.

Cameron Maybin - OF - Florida Marlins

Maybin, who came to Florida from Detroit in the trade for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis, is ready to dazzle MLB fans in centerfield for the Marlins. A true five-tool player, Maybin struggled last season in the minors with strikeouts but improved over the course of the second half. A late season call-up gave Maybin another chance to get his feet wet. And expect him to win the challenge for the centerfield job out of spring training.

Travis Snider - OF - Toronto Blue Jays

Snider turns just 21 years old in February but is already considered the best hitting talents in the Blue Jays farm system. Snider actually is ready to be considered one of the best hitters in the Blue Jays big league system. The left-handed slugger hits to all fields with power and may start the season in a platoon with fellow youngster Adam Lind in leftfield and designated hitter.

Matt LaPorta - OF - Cleveland Indians

LaPorta - the main piece of the trade for CC Sabathia - struggled in the second half of the season in the Indians system. But the outfielder possesses loads and loads of power and his bat should find a spot in Cleveland in 2009.

Colby Rasmus - OF - St. Louis Cardinals

Rasmus hopes to finally get over his slow starts to make the St. Louis line-up, which he was unable to do last season despite Jim Edmonds being traded away. The emergence of Ryan Ludwick and Skip Schumacher allowed Rasmus time to develop. But the youngster feels he's ready to man centerfield for the Cardinals.

Andrew McCutchen - OF - Pittsburgh Pirates

McCuthen oozes the talent of a five-tool superstar but has yet to work his way into the Pittsburgh outfield. That should change in 2009.

Brett Anderson - LHP - Oakland A's

Anderson is a hard-throwing lefty with excellent control - 9.7 strike outs per nine innings and less than two walks. Anderson is ready to help the A's back to respectability.

Dexter Fowler - OF - Colorado Rockies

With the trade of Willy Taveras out of Colorado, Rockies management clearly feel the switch-hitting speedy Fowler is ready to take over centerfield.

Mat Gamel - 3B - Milwaukee Brewers

Gamel compares quite a bit to Ryan Braun - an amazing bat with loads of power but only a suspect fielder at third base. Braun has already been switched to left field which leaves that not an option for Gamel, who should make a spot because of his power from the left side of the plate.

That was 10, but here is one more ...

Tommy Hanson - RHP - Atlanta Braves

Hanson led the Arizona Fall League in wins (5), ERA (0.63) and strikeouts (49 in 28 2/3) while holding hitters to a .105 batting average.

The copyright of the article 10 Minor Leaguers Who Will Make Impact In 2009 in Baseball is owned by David Hein. Permission to republish 10 Minor Leaguers Who Will Make Impact In 2009 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

What do you think about this article?

Comments

Jan 7, 2009 6:59 PM

Guest :

You don't think Rockies will use Spilborghs?
I'm looking for a OF sleeper rookie so let me know.

Jan 8, 2009 5:15 AM

David Hein :

Spilborghs is not a rookie after playing in 89 games and getting 233 at-bats last season. He may be a sleeper though - especially since there is also a spot up for grabs in left-field.
In fact, that may be another sleeper in Carlos Gonzalez, who came over in the Holliday deal from Oakland.
With RF set in Hawpe, there are two spots to come down between Spilborghs, Fowler, Gonzalez, Jeff Baker and Seth Smith.
Tough spot to look for a sleeper right now - though I think Fowler is ready to be outstanding.

Hope that helps

2 Comments