Fenst's Farm Report: Now Arriving, Matt Weiters!

Welcome back to another edition of Fenst's Farm Report. In this edition I will feature a number of the recent call ups from around the league along with a few players who were just sent down that will have an impact again in the big leagues this year. Let's start with the top two prospects in the minor leagues with David Price, the top pitching prospect, and Matt Wieters, the top hitting prospect.

Price has been on the radar for over a season now (really, since he was drafted out of Vanderbilt) and he may finally get his permanent crack at the rotation. It was the injury to the ace lefty of the staff that brought up the future left-handed ace in Price. Kazmir's injury vaulted Price to the big league squad when things were starting to look like Price might be down for a while. It was only a matter of time before he took the job of Jeff Niemann or the struggling Andy Sonnanstine. I think this move will keep Price in the rotation and be most likely the end of Niemann in the rotation. Sonnanstine needs to turn it around real quick or another top pitching prospect in Wade Davis will take his job in the rotation as well.

Expect a very high K/9 ratio from Price as he is one of the premier strikeout pitching prospects. He may struggle with his command at times, but that is something that comes with the inexperience. He is capable of coming out and striking out 10+ at any time. That kind of talent is undeniable. He should provide a well needed boost to a struggling rotation. He will be sitting comfortably in the four spot of the rotation by the end of the year with endless potential to fill.

Price has some new competition in his own division that he is going to have to deal with come this Friday. One of my newest man crushes, Matt Wieters, is getting the call to the majors and will make his debut on Friday. Now I will have a reason to want to watch Orioles games. Wieters will be considered by many to be a top 5 hitting catcher day 1 in the major leagues. There is a lot of pressure on him to help turn things around in Baltimore. Hopefully he doesn't fold under the pressure that comes along with being the #1 prospect. Alex Gordon was talked as being the start of the turnaround for the Royals, but they have thrived without him in the lineup during his DL stint and when he was in the lineup there was little to no production.

His ability and potential are, again, hard to deny. I know I sound like a broken record, but this kid is a polished hitter and all the tools of a superstar are there. Baseball, however, is a mental sport as well as physical. If he starts off slumping right out of the gates it will be interesting to see how he handles adversity. There is always the other factor with a catcher of managing a major league staff, which is never easy. Even with all the risk that comes along with Wieters I am a Strong Buy for him. Try and get him on your fantasy team now before he starts making his name in the bigs.

There are a few other call ups that also happened this week. I talked about Jake Fox and his insane numbers a few weeks ago. He is getting his shot with the Cubs and could be an outfielder to keep your eye on. He was leading the Pacific League in arguably every category 40 R, 17 HR, 50 RBIs, .423 AVG, .503 OBP, .886 SLG. Every time I have looked at his numbers I feel like its from a video game and my created character in Road to the Show mode is just having an insane first half because I am still playing on the rookie level. Mets prospect, Fernando Martinez, is going to see some playing time with all of the injuries that are destroying the Mets roster. Martinez is still very raw at 20 years old and his numbers were good in the minors this year, but not outstanding. I don't see him coming into New York and being an instant success. It is a tough place to play and the fans expect so much of that team this year after choking in back to back Septembers. With top players getting hurt the pressure will fall onto others shoulders, including their top hitting prospect.

A player who was recently sent back to AAA that I feel will be back hitting homers in bunches by seasons end is Matt LaPorta. He is a masher, there is no other way to put it. I think that the Indians will be out of the race soon enough in the Central and there are a lot of injury prone vets in front of him that will bring him back up into the everyday lineup. Don't give up on him yet if you are in a deep league and can spare the bench spot. Well, that's all I got for this edition. Come back in two weeks for another exciting edition of Fenst's Farm Report.

Fenst's Farm Report: Pacific Coast League

Welcome to another installment of Fenst's Farm Report. Two weeks ago I shared with you all a few players who are making a name for themselves in the International League. This week I am going to take a look at a few players who are turning heads in the other AAA leage, the Pacific Coast League. Let's get right into it with the unreal year that a 7 year minor leaguer is having.

Jake Fox (OF- Cubs)

Fox has had a tremendous start to his 2009 campaign. He already has belted 14 and knocked in 42 RBIs, which both lead the league. He is still hitting over .400 at .405 and his OPS is an astronomical 1.426. When I look at some of his numbers I still question if they are accurate because of how amazing they are. The next highest OPS in the Pacific Coast League is Hector Luna's 1.109. Fox has had 120 ABs so far in the PCL this year, which happens to be the same amount of ABs he had last year in the PCL. The comparisons are almost from one extreme to another. He was hitting .220 last year with just 6 home runs and had an OPS of .720. Talk about a guy figuring something out over the off-season. If Fox continues to put up these numbers people will have to take notice. He just got himself on my radar.

Chris Coghlan (2B- Marlins)

Coghlin's play has just earned him a call up to the major league squad. He is now seeing some time with the Florida Marlins after a very productive month and a half in New Orleans. Coghlan showed his versatility by doing a bit of everything with the bat including a couple of home runs and handful of steals at 9. He has shown versatility in the field as well. He has played left field and second base for the Marlins so far and is also listed as a third baseman. That kind of versatility is important to a young player looking to make an impact on his new team. Chris has shown great plate discipline in the minors so far this year (6:5 BB:K ratio). It will be important to see if that translates over to the big leagues.

Luke Hochevar (SP- Royals)

The highly touted prospect has been the Zach Greinke of the PCL thus far. His strong performance and the struggles of Sidney Ponson has resulted in Hochevar back up with the surprising Royals. If Hochevar can keep his confidence up and add another strong arm to that rotation the Royals could become the favorites in the tight AL Central. Hochevar struggled against Oakland in his first start and Ponson had to relieve him early in the game so keep an eye on that situation if you are in need of a pitcher for your fantasy squad. Hochevar has great upside. He isn't overpowering, but he can strike batters out at a solid clip. If he can come into his next start with some confidence and face the adversity ahead of him, he could be in for a quality season. The Royals are capable of run production for the first time in many seasons and since Alex Gordon (yes, I'm still on the band wagon) is still going to break out this year they will have even more firepower to their offense when he comes back. So far Hochevar's PCL ERA of 0.90 has translated over into an ERA of 36.00 in the MLB. I'll say if Hochevar locks down a rotation spot look for low to mid 4 ERA with an average to above average strikeout rate.

Fenst's Farm Report: International League

Welcome back to the second edition of SportsJudge.com's Fenst's Farm Report. Baseball is nearly a month into its season and some prospects are heating up all over the minor leagues before the weather even has a chance. This edition will take a look at some of the top prospects in the International League (AAA) that are off to a hot start. Many of these players you may see on your favorite major league team in the upcoming months.

Matt LaPorta (OF-CLE)

LaPorta was Milwaukee's top pick in the 2007 First Year Player Draft. The power hitter was the 7th overall selection in the draft and was a centerpiece in the CC Sabathia deal last summer. The power hitting prospect has shined in the first month of this short season for Cleveland's AAA affiliate, Columbus. For the Clippers, LaPorta has 11 extra base hits in 68 AB's, 5 of which are home runs. The righty's .368 average is tied for 7th in the international league and his whopping 1.142 OPS is fourth. If he continues and builds on his strong performance Cleveland will be forced to call him up to the majors and find him some regular playing time. LaPorta is able to play both corner outfield positions and first base as well. With LaPorta being one injury away from a call up he could see regular time at DH as well. If he does get the call up expect solid power numbers in Cleveland's lineup, but I wouldn't expect him to be a .300 hitter. Cleveland looks as if they may have received a middle of the order guy for many years from the deal of the galaxy known only as CC Sabathia.

Austin Jackson (OF- NYY)

The young speedster Austin Jackson is off to a great start for Scranton Wilkes-Barre hitting .357 with 10 RBI so far. Where Jackson's true value comes in is his speed and he has not disappointed so far this season. Jackson has 5 steals so far this young season and added two triples as well. With the health/age concerns in the Yankees outfield, as with many prospects, Jackson is a play away from the major leagues. Jackson is striking out at a regular basis, but that is expected from a player that raw and that young. Jackson has the potential to be a 30+ base stealer once he arrives in the majors. He will need to work on his strikeout count for him to sit atop a lineup like the Yankees.

Michael Bowden (RHP- BOS)

Michael Bowden seems to be the next in line of young Red Sox pitchers ready to make an import for the big league club. Bowden is leading the International League in ERA for the Paw Sox with a 0.64 ERA in 3 starts. He is striking out more than a batter per inning and has shown good control with just 5 walks in his first three outings. Drafted in the first round out of high school back in 2005, Bowden is cruising through the competition and looks ready for the next level. The biggest problem for him is the logjam of pitchers ahead of him. Even with injuries already in the rotation he is still stuck with the Paw Sox waiting for his shot. Clay Buchholz is also pitching well and would probably be considered before Bowden as well. If your league has a minor league system, don't let this kid slip under the radar and someoen else get rewarded in the future. On a side note, if Bowden was on the Pittsburgh Pirates he probably would have already been called up, had a dominant rookie season, and then fizzled out already by this point in his career. (Yes, I know the Pirates staff has been amazing this year, but look at the past with these kids.)

Phil Hughes (RHP- NYY)

The injured Wang has vaulted Phil Hughes up into the Yankees rotation. He shined in his first opportunity this year with the parent club, winning his first game for the Yanks since 2007 (he had no wins in his brief stint last season). Hughes didn't allow a run and struck out six through six innings. If Hughes continues to pitch well he might be able to solidify himself as a full-time starter for the big league Yankees. It is always nice to see a highly touted prospect seemingly right the ship after such an awful, injury plagued season (even if he is a Yankee and for the first time in three years not on my fantasy squad...). During his time in the minors he had a 1.86 ERA and 1.03 WHIP ((walks + hits) / innings pitched).

Tommy Hanson (RHP- ATL)

Baseball America top 5 prospect Tommy Hanson has been spectacular thus far for the Gwinnett Braves. His K/9 has been incredible as he has 29 strikeouts through just 20.2 innings pitched.
I wrote two weeks ago to keep an eye on Hanson in my first installment of the Farm Report and nothing has changed. If you have a deep roster or a minor league system he is a must on your fantasy team. When Hanson comes up to the majors he will make an immediate impact for the Braves and your roster. Strikeouts will come in bunches and I don't think he will hurt your ERA, in fact he might improve it. Like I have said before, a mid 3 ERA is a good estimate for where he will be after he arrives with Atlanta.

Fenst's Farm Report

Welcome to the first installment of SportsJudge.com’s newest article, Fenst's Farm Report. Here, you’ll uncover the action that is taking place in the minor leagues; the hitting, the pitching, and the top prospects to watch carefully, because these are the guys that you will count on to shape your fantasy squad in the future.

There are already many top prospects starting up in the majors that you should keep an eye on, such as Oakland pitchers Brett Anderson and Trevor Cahill. Young studs Colby Rasmus, Elvis Andrus, Travis Snider, Rick Porcello, Cameron Maybin and Dexter Fowler are all on major league rosters as well. Even with all of these young players already up in the majors, though, there remains plenty to pay attention to down on the farm. With the season just getting underway, I will highlight some of the top prospects that are waiting for their chance to impact their major league organization as well as your fantasy team.

David Price (SP- Tampa Bay)

Price has been on the radar ever since he was drafted first overall in the ’07 draft out of Vanderbilt. He proved during his September call-up at the end of last season and throughout the ’08 playoffs that he is the real deal. He had a 1.93 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 14 innings in September, and was just as dominant in the post-season. Look for Price to get the call-up very soon after receiving the Longoria treatment this year starting in the minors. He has already demonstrated that he is major league ready and should supplant Jeff Niemann in the Rays rotation in the near future. Price was a mid-round draft pick, but may be undervalued with his start in the minors. Jump on him quick if possible, and expect to reap the rewards for the remainder of the season.

Matt Wieters (C- Baltimore)

Wieters is a rare talent in what is considered by far the weakest position in fantasy baseball. After his call-up – which will be sooner rather than later – he will already be considered to be in the upper echelon of catchers. I am already on the bandwagon, as I have stashed him away in every league I could. You may think it is crazy to value a player this much before a major league at bat, but look at Longoria last season. Expect a .280+ avg. and 15+ homers even though he will be getting a late start to the season. Wieters hit .355 with 27 home runs in 2 leagues in the minors last season. He also shows great plate discipline and has a fantastic approach at the plate for such a young player (more walks than strikeouts last year).

Gordon Beckham (SS/2B- Chicago {AL})

Beckham was the 8^th pick in the 2008 First Year Player Draft by the Chicago White Sox. It is very rare that a player makes it on an opening day roster the year following their draft (which is what Beckham was trying to do this year) but he came extremely close. Even with Chris Getz winning the starting job in Chicago, it is hardly locked in and Beckham could see a lot of time up in the majors this season. If he, does expect solid numbers from him including some decent pop from the second base position (tied for the DIV-1 NCAA lead with 28 homers during his last year at Georgia). He will also have shortstop eligibility, which is a huge bonus considering both positions are quite weak this season. In just 22 at-bats, Beckham is tearing the cover off the ball in AA after a very good campaign in the South Atlantic League (Low A) last season. He might not have the impact of Wieters or Price, but make sure he is on your radar if he does get the call.

Tommy Hanson (SP- Atlanta)

This young strikeout machine is waiting in the wings to take over a rotation spot in Atlanta. In two starts so far this young season, he has 17 strikeouts and an ERA under 1 for Atlanta’s AAA affiliate- Gwinnett. Hanson had over 160 K’s in 138 innings between two levels last year (high-A and AA). With Glavine also contemplating retirement, the move to Hanson could be right around the corner. If Hanson can use his tools effectively at the next level, he is a future ace. As for this season I could easily see him posting a mid 3 ERA and close to a strikeout per inning. Keep an eye on this situation as it could change quickly. If he is sitting in free agency in deep leagues he makes a better option to fill out your roster than a back-end-of-the-rotation starter without much upside. Keep him on your watch list.

Justin Smoak (1B- Rangers)

Smoak was the Rangers’ first round pick in the ’08 First Year Player Draft (11^th overall). He has drawn many comparisons to former Rangers slugger Mark Teixeira and had 63 home runs in his three-year career at South Carolina. Just like Teixeira, Smoak is a switch-hitter with power to all fields and the first baseman of the future for the Rangers. The issue he is dealing with now is the logjam of infielders in front of him in the Rangers organization. They have Hank Blalock and young slugger Chris Davis that both will spend some time at first base this year. Both players can play third base, but longtime shortstop Michael Young has slid over to third this year to make room for prospect Elvis Andrus. If Smoak does get some time up in the majors this year expect plus power numbers, especially in that lineup and the “Bandbox in Arlington.”

As with all SportsJudge articles, feel free to comment with any opinions or questions and stay tuned for the next installment of the new and improved Down on the Farm!