Prospects Report: Names you'll hear at the deadline

We tend to like the end of the month as a time teams move to prospects, but the end of this month tends to be more about the overpriced or underperforming than the underrated and overlooked in the minor leagues. August tends to be the time you try to fix your team with trade acquisitions and not minor league call-ups -- in the majors or in Fantasy.

But there will be plenty of minor league names buried under the headlines in the next week.

Here are our top 10 picks to get brought up in the next week to 10 days (in order of ownership on CBSSports.com):

1. Francisco Liriano, SP, MIN

No foolin'? The Twins don't have an opening in their rotation, but Livan Hernandez could be traded in the next week or one of the young Twins arms could be demoted to the bullpen. The Twins have hit the skids a bit as a slugging team like the Yankees has exposed their strike-throwing but very hittable young pitchers. The Twins pitching staff has walked the fewest batters in the majors but has allowed the most hits. That is not good when you will compete directly with the slugging White Sox and Tigers in the season's final months. Liriano is not hittable and can stop the Twins' downward spiral.
Current ownership: 77 percent

2. David Price, SP, TB

OK, we need to be more creative. We cannot stop talking about Liriano and Price. But the Rays will have to bring this name up if their fan base -- they have one? -- wonders why they didn't make a move at the trade deadline, while the big-budget Red Sox and Yankees do. Price is unchallenged in the minors still and will be an impact pitcher in all Fantasy leagues when he is called up after Aug. 1. Remember him getting a standing ovation at Legends Field vs. the Yankees after his spectacular debut this spring? You have to wonder if Yankee fans will have the same reaction in New York come September.
Current ownership: 54 percent

3. Andrew McCutchen, OF, PIT

Steve Pearce has already been up in the majors, and McCutchen is younger and more raw, but you don't trade a Xavier Nady (probably) and/or a Jason Bay (less likely) to reintroduce a guy like Pearce to your fan base. McCutchen is an elite 30-30 talent who will impact Fantasy leagues initially with his stolen bases. A Pirates outfield of Bay, Nate McLouth and McCutchen will be something to be proud of. Pearce looks like his future will be at first, unless the Pirates are overwhelmed for Bay.
Current ownership: 5 percent

4. Chris Perez, RP, STL

The Cardinals are fading quickly in the rugged NL Central, having watched the Brewers add the 4-0 CC Sabathia and the Cubs bring in Rich Harden, who is a 10-strikeout candidate every time out. It will be hard for them to make a major move, especially with regard to their struggling bullpen, so Perez is our pick to be their second-half answer. It might not be as a closer for the 100-mph thrower, but if he gets a look in that role, you will have to take notice in a number of leagues.
Current ownership: 4 percent

5. Matt Wieters, C, BAL

We didn't think Wieters was a real candidate to help this year, but you have to change gears on that now. Ramon Hernandez is falling out of favor in Baltimore and the rebuilding program could feature this future star backstop in this second half. Wieters didn't make the Futures Game and therefore the Olympic team, so he can be in play if Hernandez is dealt before the trade deadline. Guillermo Quiroz is a decent backup, but we could see Wieters handed the catching job at the news conference to announce a Hernandez deal -- or even in a pre-emptive call-up preceding a deal.
Current ownership: 4 percent

6. Wladimir Balentien, OF, SEA

Wladimir Balentien has cut way down on his strikeouts since his demotion. (US Presswire)

Balentien made Adam Jones somewhat expendable in the Erik Bedard trade, but he struggled with whiffs and inconsistency in his call-up earlier this year. He is hot again back in Triple-A and has dramatically cut his strikeout rate. This could be a sign he is ready to make an impact in the major leagues. The Mariners are clearly in a rebuilding program and a recent hot streak could lead to Balentien's recall. We wouldn't trust him right away in mixed leagues, but we wouldn't put it past him to surprise in the season's final months.
Current ownership: 4 percent

7. Nick Adenhart, SP, LAA

The Angels have never been a team to trade its prospects -- especially pitchers and certainly not at the trade deadline. But Adenhart has struggled mightily this year and could be on the move. He appears on this list not for his potential call-up, but because we could see him being the big piece in an offer for a Mark Teixeira. Let's stir something up: Kendry Morales and Nick Adenhart for Big Tex -- then hand the Angels the AL West.
Current ownership: 3 percent

8. Chuck James, SP, ATL

We see the Braves as sellers now and one ready to start another second-half rebuilding process. James is out of favor in the organization for some reason -- he is a bit wild -- but his other numbers are solid in Triple-A. He could arrive after the deadline and impact NL-only leagues again. Remember when mixed league Fantasy owners used to trip over themselves for this guy?
Current ownership: 3 percent

9. Fernando Martinez, OF, NYM

This is a prospect we have often ragged on for being a part of the New York hype machine. His status in the eyes of scouts has always exceeded his stature on a stat sheet. When watching him this spring we changed our tune, though. He is the prospect everyone asks the Mets for when they engage in talks, but even if he isn't a part of a trade, he could be the in-house solution for the Mets hole in left field now that Moises Alou (hamstring) is out for the year and perhaps his career. F-Mart has injury woes holding him back, which could keep him a Met farmhand. He had a cramp in a game Thursday, in fact.
Current ownership: 2 percent

10. Anthony Reyes, OF, STL

We said above that the Cardinals aren't likely to make a major move for their bullpen, but they could score just about anything if they decide to include this name in trade talks. Reyes has been a burgeoning Fantasy ace for years and the Cardinals have never really taken the shackles off him and just let him go. We don't see them giving up on this talent, but then again, this talent should have been growing in their rotation uninterrupted for the past three years.
Current ownership: 2 percent

Honorable mentions

The names brought up in the next week won't end here, but those 10 represent the ones owned in more than 1 percent of CBSSports.com's leagues. Among the others we expect to hear bandied-about that are owned in at least 1 percent of leagues: SP Jeff Niemann, TB; SP Michael Bowden, BOS; OF Austin Jackson, NYY; OF Jose Tabata, NYY; 1B Lars Anderson, BOS; 2B Danny Richar, CHW; SS Alcides Escobar, MIL; and 1B Kendry Morales, LAA.

These players won't be in trade talks now, but they could get a call-up if guys in front of them are dealt: 2B Emilio Bonifacio, WAS; SP William Inman, SD and SP Jeff Samardija, CHC.

Prospect watch

Every Thursday, we break down all the minor leaguers who are owned in at least 1 percent of our Fantasy leagues. This will be your essential guide to unearthing the elite prospects before they hit the big time.

Rookie watch

Top AL rookies to date

1. 3B Evan Longoria, TB -- This race has turned into a runaway right now, but the division sure hasn't.
2. OF Jacoby Ellsbury, BOS -- Slump and power outage makes him much less of a sure thing in mixed leagues right now.
3. SP Armando Galarraga, DET -- The Tigers hit like a slow-pitch softball team, so he can be a big winner down stretch.
4. 2B Alexei Ramirez, CHW -- The Cuban Missile is hot again and has some very useful Fantasy versatility.
5. SP Joba Chamberlain, NYY -- His name has exceeded his Fantasy value, but that will change in the second half.

• Honorable mentions: OF David Murphy, TEX; 1B Chris Davis, TEX; OF Matt Joyce, DET; SP Nick Blackburn, MIN; SP Glen Perkins, MIN; SP Greg Smith, OAK; RP Masahide Kobayashi, CLE; RP Justin Masterson, BOS; OF Ryan Sweeney, OAK; SP Aaron Laffey, CLE; SS Mike Aviles, KC; OF Ben Francisco, CLE.

Top NL rookies to date

1. C Geovany Soto, CHC -- He has cooled off, but stay patient because you are playing with the house's money on him.
2. SP Jair Jurrjens, ATL -- He looks like the real deal and quite a steal for Edgar Renteria.
3. OF Kosuke Fukudome, CHI -- He has slipped, too, but Alfonso Soriano's return could buoy him.
4. OF Jay Bruce, CIN -- Streaky burgeoning star hasn't quite been a superstar, but you can see the talent long term.
5. 1B Joey Votto, CIN -- The trio of Reds rookies are streaky, but you certainly have to like them long term.

• Honorable mentions: SP Johnny Cueto, CIN; SP Hiroki Kuroda, LAD; SP John Lannan, WAS; SP Jorge Campillo, ATL; OF John Bowker, SF; OF Gregor Blanco, ATL; 3B Blake Dewitt, LAD; SS Emmanuel Burriss, SF; RP Kyle McClellan, STL; SP Chris Volstad, FLA; SP Josh Banks, SD; 3B Ian Stewart, COL.

Newbie needs

Hensley: In an AL-only Rotisserie league, who do you feel is the better pick-up for long-term potential: Daric Barton or Billy Butler?

Emack: Yours truly has never been a fan of Barton's power. Butler still can be a .300-30-100-100 guy long term, but Barton looks more like a 20-homer guy at this point and we are less certain he can hit better than .290 long term.

Brian Hodak: Thanks for mentioning Jamie D'Antona. As you probably are aware, D'Antona made the Futures Game as the U.S. team's starting DH, and he batted fourth. Of course, my main man, Gamel, played third and batted third for the U.S. team. Also, my third All-Star on that team was William Inman. In my league, we can stock our minor league roster with up to six players. Here are mine -- in my order, top to bottom: 1. Gamel; 2. Alcides Escobar; 3. Inman; 4. Ian Stewart; 5. D'Antona and 6. Josh Anderson. Your comments are welcome and how would you rank them?

Emack: Stewart is your best prospect, despite the Kevin Kouzmanoff-like breakthrough of Gamel in Double-A. We tend to think Gamel is more of a Kouz prospect -- a solid big leaguer but not a superstar. Stewart has Chase Utley-like potential. Here is our ranking of your six: 1. Stewart; 2. Gamel; 3. Inman; 4. Escobar; 5. D'Antona and 6. Anderson.

You can e-mail us your Fantasy Baseball prospect questions to DMFantasyBaseball@cbs.com. Be sure to put Attn: 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 to all questions.