Arizona Diamonfbacks
Byung-Hyun Kim, RP
A young pitcher from Korea, Kim tore through the minor
leagues before winding up in the Arizona bullpen for a
brief tenure last season. A right-handed sidearmer, Kim
has nasty stuff including a slider that seems to rise as
it nears the plate. If he doesn’t head to Triple-A, Kim
should pitch in middle relief for the Diamondbacks this
year and could even find his way into the rotation if
necessary.
Atlanta Braves
George Lombard, OF
The acquisition of Reggie Sanders bought additional
development time for this five-tool prospect. Blessed
with above-average power and excellent speed,
Lombard has the makings of a major-league star. The
24-year-old former football standout battled injuries and
limited success against Triple-A pitching in ’99. After
whiffing 98 times in 233 at-bats in the minors last year,
Lombard led the Arizona Fall League with 11 home
runs and 35 RBI.
Chicago Cubs
Roosevelt Brown, OF
Although his defense is rather suspect, Brown has the
ability to become a solid major league hitter. After
leading the Arizona Fall League with nine home runs in
1998, Brown crushed Triple-A pitching last year.
Roosevelt batted .358 in 268 Triple-A at-bats and hit a
combined 25 homers on the season. He probably won’t
ever be a full-time player in the big leagues, but Brown
should become a fourth outfielder with solid offensive
numbers.
Cincinnati Reds
Jason LaRue, C
Expected to split time with veteran Eddie Taubensee
behind the plate, LaRue should hold his own as a
rookie. Jason batted .365 in Double-A ball in ’98 and
blasted 12 homers in a half-season at Triple-A before
being called to the majors last year. Not known as a
great backstop, LaRue surprised the Cincy brass by
playing excellent defense during his callup. LaRue
sometimes lacks patience at the plate and might need
some time to adjust to big-league pitching.
Colorado Rockies
Ben Petrick, C
Because of the glut of veteran catchers in Colorado,
this fine hitter will probably start 2000 in the minors.
Nevertheless, he’s the Rockies’ catcher of the future. A
versatile player with good speed and an excellent arm,
Petrick has All-Star potential. He batted .312 with 19
dingers and 9 stolen bases at Triple-A last year, then
hit .323 in a brief stint in the majors.
Florida Marlins
A.J. Burnett, SP
Pencilled in as the Marlins’ No. 4 starter this season,
Burnett will learn on the job in the big leagues. The
23-year-old righty throws 95-MPH heat and features a
late-breaking curveball that overmatched even
big-league hitters last year. Although he struggled in
Double-A ball in ’99, the Marlins gave Burnett a chance
to make a few starts in The Show and he was up to the
challenge. He went 4-2 with a 3.48 ERA in seven starts
in Florida last season.
Houston Astros
Lance Berkman, OF
Like fellow Houston prospect Daryle Ward, Berkman is
a superb hitter who just needs a chance to prove
himself in the big leagues. Lance split time between
Triple-A and Houston last year, batting .323 in the
minors and ripping four homers in part-time duty with
the big club. He’s still working on his outfield defense,
but there’s no doubt that Berkman will be a
major-league slugger. A switch-hitter, Berkman hits
well from both sides of the plate but has better power
as a righty.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Eric Gagne, SP
A 24-year-old righty, Gagne has come a long way
since having Tommy John surgery prior to the ’97
season. In 1998, Gagne reasserted himself as a
prospect with a strong year in Class-A ball. Last year,
Eric really came into his own by abusing Double-A
batters to the tune of a 12-4 record with a 2.63 ERA
and 185 punchouts in 167.2 innings. Boasting a heavy
90+ MPH heater, Gagne is expected to be in the
Dodgers starting rotation in 2000.
Milwaukee Brewers
Kevin Barker, 1B
After blasting 23 home runs in Triple-A last season,
Barker was called up to the big leagues in August.
Kevin batted .282 with three longballs in 117 at-bats for
the Brewers and is expected to win the full-time job at
first base in 2000. A left-handed hitter with potential 25-
to 30-homer power, Barker should bat somewhere in
the middle of the Milwaukee order. He must improve a
bit against lefty pitching but could be the long-term
answer at 1B.
Montreal Expos
Milton Bradley, OF
The high expectations for Bradley, who is a five-tool
talent and should become a major-league star, are
tempered with concerns about his volatile nature.
Though just 21 years old, Bradley has had several
run-ins with umpires in the minor leagues. Bradley
plays stellar defense and had a .329 average at
Double-A Harrisburg in 1999. The Expos believe
Bradley will mature into a 20-20 player in the big
leagues. He’s not far from claiming a permanent spot in
the Montreal lineup.
New York Mets
Jorge Toca, 1B
A 28-year-old Cuban defector who knows how to hit (he
has years of experience with the Cuban national team),
Toca performed well in his first season in the States.
Jorge batted .319 with 25 taters between Double- and
Triple-A and received a late-season callup to Shea. If
Toca makes the Mets roster this season, look for him
as a backup at 1B and as an occasional starter in the
outfield. Although he swings a potent bat, Toca may
have a hard time finding many at-bats in New York.
Philadelphia Phillies
Pat Burrell, OF
The biggest question regarding Burrell is what position
he’ll play in 2000. A natural infielder, Burrell might find
his way into the Philly lineup as a left fielder. In his first
pro season after signing an $8 million contract, Pat
"The Bat" pounded the Double-A Eastern League. He
left the yard 28 times and contributed 90 RBI to go
along with his .333 average. Burrell will team with
slugger Scott Rolen to create a fearsome 1-2 punch in
the heart of the Phillies batting order.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Chad Hermansen, OF
Although he’s only 22 years old, Hermansen has
already played two full seasons in Triple-A. One of the
top power-hitting prospects in baseball, Hermansen is
also equipped with excellent speed. He stole 19 bases
in the minors last year and hit 32 bombs while raising
his average by a dozen points. The Pirates expect
some growing pains as this strikeout-prone slugger
adjusts to hitting in the big leagues, but they’re
confident that Hermansen will develop into a 20-20 or
30-30 man.
San Diego Padres
Buddy Carlyle, SP
A 22-year-old southpaw, Carlyle should develop into a
successful major-leaguer of the "crafty lefty" variety.
Despite his tender age, Buddy held his own in the
hitter-friendly Triple-A Pacific Coast League last season
and even made seven starts for the big club. Carlyle
has only average stuff but is a smart pitcher. He
probably needs more time in the minors to perfect his
craft, but he’ll be in the running for the fifth starter job in
San Diego in 2000.
San Francisco Giants
Calvin Murray, OF
There won’t be many new faces arriving from the farm
this season but the Giants might give minor-league
veteran Murray a shot. Too old to be a true prospect,
Murray, 28, is a former first-round pick who boasts plus
speed and has improved his abilities at the plate. If he
makes the club, Calvin will find at-bats as the fourth or
fifth outfielder and as a defensive replacement. His
upside is very finite but he might swipe some bags in
limited duty this year.
St. Louis Cardinals
Rick Ankiel, SP
It’s no secret that Ankiel is the best pitching prospect
in the game. It took the 20-year-old Ankiel less than
two years in the minors to reach The Show. A lefty with
a deceptively smooth motion, Ankiel consistently
throws in the mid-90s and has the kind of curveball that
most major-league pitchers dream about. The Cards
picked up plenty of veteran arms this offseason, so this
future Cy Young candidate may start the year in the
pen or back in Triple-A.
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