Highlighting top NL West prospects for '08
By Eric Mack | Senior Fantasy Writer Follow EricFollow CBS Fantasy Baseball
We break down the top five prospects for each organization for 2008, taking into consideration: games, at-bats, innings and major-league service time. We expect these players to have rookie status remaining heading into next year.
According to MLB rules: "A player shall be considered a rookie unless, during a previous season or seasons, he has (a) exceeded 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the major leagues; or (b) accumulated more than 45 days on the active roster of a major league club or clubs during the period of 25-player limit (excluding time in the military service and time on the disabled list)."
We have already covered the AL West and now we take a look at the NL West:
Arizona Diamondbacks
| Top Diamondbacks prospects | ||||
| Player | Age | Pos. | 2007 minor league stats | |
| 1 | Max Scherzer | 23 | RH SP | A-Double-A (combined): 6-4, 3.28 ERA, 106 K, 42 BB, .210 BAA |
| We figured he could be an option in '07 until a bad July slowed him. | ||||
| 2 | Carlos Gonzalez | 21 | OF | AA-Triple-A (combined): .288 AVG, 17 HR, 86 RBI, 72 R, 10 SB (.336 OBP, .478 SLUG) |
| Not quite the year we expected but he was still very solid at age 21. | ||||
| 3 | Greg Smith | 23 | LH SP | AA-Triple-A (combined): (9-5)-3.54-96-32-.271 |
| Should get a look in spring training or during the year in 2008. | ||||
| 4 | Brett Anderson | 19 | LH SP | Class A (combined): (11-7)-3.07-125-21-.270 |
| High school SP draftee advanced himself well in first pro season. | ||||
| 5 | Aaron Cunningham | 21 | OF | A-Double-A (combined): .308-16-77-101-28 (.375-.509) |
| Came over from White Sox in trade for Danny Richar this June. | ||||
| Best of the rest: 3B Jamie D'Antona, 2B Emilio Bonifacio, SP Brooks Brown, SP Hector Ambriz, OF Geraldo Parra, OF Aaron Cunningham, 3B Clayton Conner, P Jarrod Parker, RP Daniel Stange, P Dallas Buck, OF Cyle Hankerd, P Wes Roemer, SS Reynaldo Navarro, C Ed Easley, P Barry Enright, P Mike Schultz, OF Jeff Salazar, OF Jarred Ball, P Bill Murphy, OF Chris Rahl, P Sean Morgan. | ||||
| 2007 rookies to lose eligibility (expected): OF Chris Young, 3B Mark Reynolds, SP Micah Owings, C Miguel Montero, OF Justin Upton, 2B Alberto Callaspo, RP Doug Slaten, RP Dustin Nippert. | ||||
Colorado Rockies
| Top Rockies prospects | ||||
| Player | Age | Pos. | 2007 minor league stats | |
| 1 | Ian Stewart | 22 | 3B | Triple-A: .304-15-65-72-11 (.379-.478) |
| Even better long term than Garrett Atkins, but what do they do with both? | ||||
| 2 | Greg Reynolds | 22 | RH SP | Double-A: (4-1)-1.42-35-9-.180 |
| Immense talent will miss month or two of 2008, but can star by summer. | ||||
| 3 | Franklin Morales | 21 | LH SP | AA-Triple-A (combined): (5-4)-3.51-93-58-.241 |
| Call-up might give him a look in spring, but should start in Triple-A. | ||||
| 4 | Joe Koshansky | 25 | 1B | Triple-A: .295-21-99-79-4 (.380-.490) |
| Yet another powerful corner infield option, but it's crowded right now. | ||||
| 5 | Chris Nelson | 22 | SS | Double-A: .289-19-99-97-27 (.358-.503) |
| Great numbers but he needs a new position with Tulo around. | ||||
| Best of the rest: 2B Eric O. Young, OF Seth Smith, 2B Jayson Nix, OF Joe Gaetti, 2B Daniel Mayora, SS Hector Gomez, SP Brandon Hynick, SP Chaz Roe, OF Matt Miller, OF Dexter Fowler, P Juan Morillo, SP Shane Lindsay, RP Casey Weathers, SP Samuel Deduno, SP Anuery Rodriguez, RP Ryan Speier, OF Sean Barker, SS Jonathan Herrera, 2B Corey Wimberly, P Pedro Strop, P Parker Frazier, OF Brian Rike, P Connor Graham, P Keith Weiser, C Lars Davis, P Isaiah Froneberger, P Darren Clarke, P Alberto Arias, C Edwin Bellorin, P Josh Newman, P Zach McClellan, P James Burok, P Sean Jarrett. | ||||
| 2007 rookies to lose eligibility (expected): SS Troy Tulowitzki, SP Ubaldo Jimenez, SP Jason Hirsh, 3B Jeff Baker, C Chris Iannetta. | ||||
Los Angeles Dodgers
| Top Dodgers prospects | ||||
| Player | Age | Pos. | 2007 minor league stats | |
| 1 | Andy LaRoche | 24 | 3B | Triple-A: .309-18-48-55-2 (.399-.589) |
| Shoulder woes slowed him down, but he was a monster in stretches. | ||||
| 2 | Clayon Kershaw | 19 | LH SP | A-Double-A (combined): (8-7)-2.95-163-67-.201 |
| This might be the best pitching prospect to arrive in midseason '08. | ||||
| 3 | Scott Elbert | 22 | LH SP | Double-A: (0-1)-3.86-24-10-.128 |
| Shoulder 'scope ended year early and keeps him from spring chance. | ||||
| 4 | Delwyn Young | 25 | OF | Triple-A: .337-17-97-107-4 (.384-.571) |
| Converted 2B proved he can hit enough to be big league corner outfielder. | ||||
| 5 | Chin-Lung Hu | 23 | SS/2B | AA-Triple-A (combined): .325-14-62-89-15 (.364-.507) |
| Made some great strides at the plate to become more than just a glove man. | ||||
| Best of the rest: SP James McDonald, 3B Blake Dewitt, 3B Josh Bell, SP Justin Orenduff, RP Jonathan Meloan, P Greg Miller, 3B Pedro Baez, P Eric Stults, RP Ramon Troncoso, 1B Jamie Ortiz, SP Chris Withrow, RP Wesley Wright, SP Cody White, OF/1B Andrew Lambo, OF Xavier Paul, SP Mike Megrew, SP Zach Hammes, SP Steven Johnson, RP Mark Alexander, P Eric Hull, P Bryan Morris, SS Ivan DeJesus, 2B Preston Mattingly, P James Adkins, P Michael Watt, SP Josh Wall, RP Miguel Sanfler, 3B Austin Gallagher. | ||||
| 2007 rookies to lose eligibility (expected): 1B James Loney, 2B Tony Abreu. | ||||
San Diego Padres
| Top Padres prospects | ||||
| Player | Age | Pos. | 2007 minor league stats | |
| 1 | Matthew Antonelli | 22 | 2B | A-Double-A (combined): .307-21-78-123-28 (.404-.491) |
| There's a legit chance he could open 2008 as Padres' starting 2B. | ||||
| 2 | Chase Headley | 23 | 3B | Double-A: .330-20-78-82-1 (.437-.580) |
| Kouz's strong second half likely means Headley opens in Double-A. | ||||
| 3 | Chad Huffman | 22 | OF | A-Double-A (combined): .294-22-104-91-0 (.388-.491) |
| The fact he's No. 3 here shows Padres have some '08 impact guys. | ||||
| 4 | William Inman | 20 | RH SP | A-Double-A (combined): (8-11)-3.28-180-58-.220 |
| Stolen from Brewers; scouts don't think strikeout rate will project. | ||||
| 5 | Kyle Blanks | 21 | 1B | Class A: .301-24-100-94-11 (.380-.540) |
| Masher won't be challenging Adrian Gonzalez anytime soon, though. | ||||
| Best of the rest: C Colt Morton, C Nick Hundley, SP Cesar Carrillo, OF Cedric Hunter, OF Will Venable, SP Jack Cassel, P Wade LeBlanc, SP Cesar Ramos, SP Drew Miller, P Manny Ayala, 1B Brian Myrow, OF Vince Sinisi, C Nick Canham, SP Nick Schmidt, SP Matt Buschmann, 3B David Freese, OF Robert Perry, RP Joe Thatcher, P Jared Wells, OF Danny Payne, OF Kevin Kulbacki, P Corey Luebke, SS Drew Cumberland, 1B Jose Mayi, 2B Craig Stansberry, OF Kyler Burke, OF Yefri Carvajal, P Steve Garrison, RP Matt Bush, OF Paul McAnulty, RP Aaron Rakers. | ||||
| 2007 rookies to lose eligibility (expected): 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff, SP Justin Germano, P Justin Hampson, P Kevin Cameron. | ||||
San Francisco Giants
| Top Giants prospects | ||||
| Player | Age | Pos. | 2007 minor league stats | |
| 1 | Nate Schierholz | 23 | OF | Triple-A: .333-16-68-67-10 (.365-.560) |
| Middlin' OF doesn't K much, but he doesn't walk much either. | ||||
| 2 | John Bowker | 24 | OF | Double-A: .307-22-90-79-3 (.363-.523) |
| Made great strides with his power in Double-A; arrives in '08? | ||||
| 3 | Travis Denker | 22 | 2B | Class A (combined): .300-11-66-72-9 (.379-.461) |
| He wasn't a blip with the Dodgers, but Brett Tomko piece is needed in SF. | ||||
| 4 | Adam Witter | 24 | C | Class A: .260-18-74-55-2 (.342-.481) |
| Old for his level but his pop at his position could help him advance. | ||||
| 5 | Eugenio Velez | 25 | OF/2B | AA-Triple-A (combined): .297-1-25-60-54 (.346-.393) |
| Speed makes him SB option in deeper NL-only Rotisserie leagues. | ||||
| Best of the rest: SP Pat Misch, 3B Angel Villalona, OF Angel Joseph, SS Emmanuel Burriss, SP Nick Pereira, SP Madison Bumgarner, SP Ben Snyder, SP Kevin Pucetas, SP Clayton Tanner, SS Brian Bocock, SP Paul Oseguera, SP Tim Alderson, 2B Nick Nooan, OF Wendell Fairley, C Jackson Williams, RP Erick Threets, RP Brian Anderson, P Maladi Perez, RP Justin Hedrick, SS Charlie Culberson, OF Clay Timpner, OF Michael McBryde, SP Joseph Martinez, 2B Marcus Sanders, 1B Travis Ishikawa, 2B Sharlon Schoop, OF Ben Copeland, SS Luis Figueroa, RP Scott Atchison, P Merkin Valdez, P Daniel Giese, P Daniel Griffin, 1B Scott McClain, RP Osiris Matos, RP Billy Sadler, RP David Quinowski, OF Eddy Martinez-Esteve, P Jesse English. | ||||
| 2007 rookies to lose eligibility (expected): SP Tim Lincecum, OF Rajai Davis, OF Fred Lewis, OF Daniel Ortmeier, C Guillermo Rodriguez. | ||||
You can e-mail Emack your Fantasy Baseball prospect questions to dmfantasybaseball@cbs.com. Be sure to put Attn: NL West prospects in the subject field. Please include your full name, hometown and state. Be aware, due to the large volume of submissions received, we cannot guarantee personal responses or answers to all questions.
