Highlighting top Tigers prospects for '09

With September here and minor league seasons over, we turn our prospect attention to breaking down the top talents in each division. We break down the top five prospects for each organization for 2009, 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)."

Note: Statistics are those at each stop in the minors this season and age represents how old they will be on opening day 2009.

Detroit Tigers

When the Tigers made the Winter Meetings deal for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis, they knew it would hurt long term. They didn't figure it would cripple them in 2008, too.

But, sans the depth, the Tigers failed to reach expectations and played their way out of the race early -- especially with regard to a beat up veteran pitching staff. There is some pitching talent in the system, but none likely ready to make them a top contender.

The Tigers system was really picked clean by the Marlins, so some unheralded names like SP Armando Galarraga and OF Matt Joyce have come to the forefront. It leaves some more opportunities to those who are closest down on the farm, but we don't see many players ready to play for a top contender. Expect another busy winter.

1. RHP Rick Porcello, 20

Porcello has been a pitching prospect on the Baseball America radar since he was 15 years old. He debut spectacularly in high Class A in his first pro season and might be one of the quickest-rising high school pitching prospects since Jeremy Bonderman. It is hard to classify him as anything less than a future ace, but of course at his young age, there are many years for injury to set him back. He will be a long shot to make the Tigers' rotation out of spring training, but if he does, look out.

2. SP Chris Lambert, 26

A lot of prospects were more highly thought of in the Tigers organization a year ago than Lambert, but outside of the one above, none had made more hay for himself than Lambert. He should have a shot at a rotation spot in spring training and could be a sleeper in deeper leagues. That Tigers offense should remain a monster.

3. 1B Jeff Larish, 26

Larish's numbers might have looked a lot better this season if he didn't spend so much time behind the likes of 1B Miguel Cabrera and DH Gary Sheffield. There is great pop here, though, so he could impress if he gets a chance next spring.

4. OF Wilkin Ramirez, 23

Ramirez is a free-swinger with steals and homer potential, so he is someone to watch this winter and into next spring. The Tigers need to play some younger guys like him and Matt Joyce now that they have big dollars tied up into Cabrera, Willis and company long term.

5. SS Cale Iorg, 23

Scouts love bloodlines (Cale is the son of former major leaguer Garth) and they like Iorg a little more than we do. Baseball America suggests he could develop into a 15-20 homer threat as a middle infielder, which is enough to give him a top-five spot in a fairly weak farm system.

Best of the rest: SP Eddie Bonine, C Dusty Ryan, SP Brandon Hamilton, SP Ryan Perry, OF Brent Clevlen, OF Freddy Guzman, SP Virgil Vasquez, SP Jonah Nickerson, SP Mauricio Robles, SS Michael Hollimon, 2B Scott Sizemore, 1B Ryan Strieby, C James Skelton, SS Danny Worth, SP Jordan Tata, SP Casey Crosby, SP Duane Below, SP Jonathan Kibler, SP Luke Putkonen, SP Luis Marte, OF Jeremy Laster, RP Robbie Weinhardt, SP Matt Hoffman, SP Cody Satterwhite, SP Scott Green, C Alex Avila, OF Casper Wells, RP Yorman Bazardo, RP Rudy Darrow, RP Brett Jacobson, RP Tyler Stohr, RP Casey Fien, SS Brent Dlugach, RP Francisco Cruceta, SP Jeff Gerbe and SP Charles Furbush.

2008 rookies to exhaust eligibility (expected): Galarraga, Joyce, RP Freddy Dolsi, RP Clayton Rapada and OF Clete Thomas.

Last year's top five here: OF Cameron Maybin (traded to Marlins for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis), Jair Jurrjens (traded to Braves for Edgar Renteria), Larish, Porcello and Vasquez.

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