The Graduate: Jose Arredondo | Born: March 1984 | Right-Handed Pitcher

Jose Arredondo has always had a great arm, but he was inconsistent throughout his minor league career, especially as a starting pitcher. Once the Angels moved him to the bullpen full-time, however, Arredondo flourished. In 2008, the right-hander won 10 games out of the bullpen for the Angels and posted a 1.62 ERA. He allowed 42 hits in 61 innings and posted rates of 3.25 BB/9 and 8.11 K/9. Arredondo also allowed just three homers and should be in line for even more important work in 2009, especially if Francisco Rodriguez flies the coup.

The Riser: Mark Trumbo | Born: January 1986 | First Baseman

Mark Trumbo, 21, took full benefit of his hitting environment in 2008 and posted career numbers. The former two-way player slugged 26 homers in 407 at-bats in the hitter’s haven in Rancho Cucamonga (California League) and posted an ISO of .270. He then maintained his power reasonably well upon his promotion to Double-A where he posted an ISO of .220 in 32 games. Trumbo probably won’t hit for a high average at the Major League level but he is well on his way to displaying average to above-average power for a first baseman. After making 22 errors at first base in 2008, Trumbo is likely a future designated hitter.

The Tumbler: Nick Adenhart | Born: August 1986 | Right-Handed Pitcher

Rushed to the Majors in 2008, Nick Adenhart imploded. He lacked the necessary command or confidence to survive at the Major League level and he took his struggles back to Triple-A with him upon his demotion. Overall on the year, Adenhart allowed 173 hits in 145.1 Triple-A innings and posted rates of 4.64 BB/9 and 6.81 K/9. In 12 Major League innings, Adenhart allowed 18 hits and 13 walks. He will spend most of 2009 in Triple-A again, trying to regain his composure while also working on consistency and command.

The ’08 Draft Pick: Tyler Chatwood | Born: December 1989 | Right-Handed Pitcher

The Angels lacked a first round draft pick in 2008 but the organization was thrilled to nab Tyler Chatwood in the second round (74th overall). Committed to UCLA, the Angels gave Chatwood half a million dollars to forgo a college career and he had some success in his first pro season despite his young age. He posted a strikeout rate of 11.37 K/9 in Rookie Ball, but also had a hideous rate of 8.53 BB/9. When he got the ball over the plate, Chatwood was tough to hit, as he allowed just 25 hits in 38 innings. He has a lot of work to do, but the right-hander is extremely promising.

The ’09 Sleeper: P.J. Phillips | Born: September 1986 | Infielder

The brother of Cincinnati’s Brandon Phillips, P.J. Phillips has struggled in his minor league career due to a lack of patience coupled with too many strikeouts. The youngster made strides in 2008, although there is still work to be done to take full advantage of his athleticism and raw power potential. He “improved” his walk rate from 3.3% in 2007 to 4.7 BB% in 2008 and lowered his strikeout rate from 35.3% to 25.8%. P.J. also utilized his speed to slug 11 triples and steal 35 bases. Double-A will be a huge test for him in 2009.

Next Up: The Philadelphia Phillies

The Graduate: Daniel Murphy | Born: April 1985 | 3B/OF

This former 13th round pick (2006) spent 2007 in High-A ball and ended 2008 as an important part of a team racing towards the playoffs. Thanks in part to his versatility, and hot bat, Daniel Murphy appeared in 29 games for the Mets and hit .313/.397/.473 in 131 at-bats. His left-handed bat, mix of speed and power, and ability to play third base, first base and the outfield should ensure him a spot on the Mets’ bench in 2009.

The Riser: Wilmer Flores | Born: August 1991 | Shortstop

The Mets knew they had something special when Wilmer Flores was signed as an amateur free agent out of Venezuela, but they didn’t expect him to be this good this fast. Flores, who did not turn 17 until August, displayed amazing power for his age with an ISO of .180 in Rookie Ball, which earned him a late-season promotion to the New York Penn League (A league dominated by college draft picks). The only real knock on Flores is his lack of patience (4.7 BB%).

The Tumbler: Nick Carr | Born: April 1987 | Right-Handed Pitcher

The good news is that not many Mets prospects took a step back in 2008. Nick Carr, though, had a disappointing season as a 21-year-old in High-A ball. He allowed 103 hits and 50 walks in 94.2 innings, along with 80 strikeouts. He learned the importance of changing speeds and must continue to work on his change-up if he wants to remain a starter.

The ’08 Draft Pick: Brad Holt | Born: August 1986 | Right-Handed Pitcher

Brad Holt’s selection in the supplemental first round of the 2008 draft did not draw a lot of attention, but his subsequent pro debut season certainly did. Holt allowed just 43 hits in 71.1 innings, along with rates of 4.11 BB/9 and 11.94 K/9, in Short Season ball. Obviously the walks need to come down, but he has likely earned a promotion to High-A ball in 2009 and is on the fast track to New York.

The ’09 Sleeper: Jefry Marte | Born: June 1991 | Third Baseman

Jefry Marte was not as heralded a signing as Flores, but he still received half a million dollars last year as a 16-year-old. The third baseman was considered raw in many areas, but that did not show in the Rookie League this season when he hit .325/.398/.532 with a .208 ISO in 154 at-bats. His walk rate of 7.8% is OK, especially given his age and lack of experience. He could be in full-season ball next season as a 17-year-old.

Next Up: The Los Angeles Angels

If you are a Chicago White Sox fan – or even a Tampa Bay Rays fan – you may be asking yourself: “Where the heck did Dewayne Wise come from?” The hot-hitting, 30-year-old outfielder has been around baseball for a very long time. He was originally drafted out of South Carolina at the age of 19 by the Cincinnati Reds with the 158th pick (fifth round) of the 1997 amateur draft.

Wise then bounced around the low minors for three seasons without doing anything overly spectacular. However, impressed with his speed, athleticism and raw power potential, the Toronto Blue Jays selected Wise in the Rule 5 draft and he spent the 2000 season in the big leagues (with the exception of a 15-game rehab stint in Double-A). He appeared in just 28 games and hit .136/.208/.136 as a 22-year-old.

He then spent the next three seasons in the Blue Jays system and appeared in 42 more big league games but showed nothing with the bat and hit below .200. Wise moved on to the Atlanta organization and took advantage of some injuries with the big league club and appeared in 72 MLB games but hit just .228/.272/.444 with six homers and six stolen bases.

Over the next three seasons, Wise spent a year with the Tigers’ Triple-A affiliate and two years with the Reds organization, where he managed to appear in another 36 MLB games, but again hit below .200 during that time. The White Sox then took a flyer on Wise for the 2008 season and caught lightening in a bottle. He hit .319/.402/.565 in 191 Triple-A at-bats with nine homers and 15 stolen bases.

Wise was then called up to the big league club where he hit .248/.293/.450 in 129 at-bats. He impressed the White Sox brass enough to be included on the post-season roster after he hit some big homers to help the club achieve a post-season berth. In his first post-season start against Tampa Bay earlier this week, Wise went 1-for-3 with a three-run homer against Rays’ ace James Shields.

After battling in obscurity for 11 seasons, Wise deserves to bask in the spotlight. However, the same questions that have plagued Wise throughout his career remain. It’s unlikely that he’s finally broken out at the age of 30. He is still displaying a low walk rate (5.8% with a career rate of 4.7%) and a high strikeout rate (24.8% with a career rate of 18.6%). His 2008 BABIP is also .050 higher than his career rate. Wise’s numbers are more indicative of a fourth outfielder, than a starting left-fielder in the Major League playoffs.

Enjoy The Show while you can, Dewayne.

It might have taken James McDonald a little time to settle on pitching but it looks like it was the right choice for the former two-way player.

Originally drafted as a pitcher at the age of 18, McDonald spent his first minor league season on the mound and posted a 3.33 ERA with 39 hits and 15 walks allowed in 48.2 innings. He also struck out 8.69 batters per nine innings. Regardless, he was converted to a hitter the next season due to ongoing arm issues.

McDonald spent the next two seasons as a light-hitting outfielder and batted .220 with an OPS below .600. He struck out 71 times in 208 at-bats with 21 walks. Sensing his career was at another crossroads, McDonald moved back to the mound and crossed his fingers that the arm woes were behind him.

And they were. McDonald has been on fire since rededicating himself to the art of pitching. In his first season back on the mound, McDonald allowed just 119 hits in 143 innings. He posted rates of 4.03 BB/9 and 9.25 K/9.

His 2007 season, which ended in Double-A, was even better as he shaved off about one-and-a-half walks per nine innings and posted a strikeout rate of more than 11 K/9. In 2008, McDonald returned to Double-A where he spent most of the season. He then pitched in 22.1 Triple-A innings before getting the call to the Majors. The pitcher features the best curveball in the Dodgers’ system, as well as a good change-up and an 88-93 mph fastball. McDonald has good command of all three pitches.

McDonald ended the 2008 regular season by throwing six scoreless innings with five hits, one walk and two strikeouts. He impressed the Dodgers enough in that brief time to receive the final NLDS playoff roster spot. McDonald has come a long way in a short period of time.

Michael Bowden was a supplemental first round pick of Boston’s in 2005 out of an Illinois high school. The right-hander does not get the press that some of Boston’s other prospects do, but he could very well spend a significant period of time in the Major Leagues in 2009.

He currently projects as a third or fourth starter with an 88-92 mph fastball. During a one-game stint in Boston earlier this season, Bowden also flashed a solid change-up and curveball. He held the White Sox to two runs in five innings after allowing seven hits and a walk, to go along with three strikeouts. He worked up in the strike zone a little too much and induced just three ground balls, along with 11 fly balls and four line drives.

While at Double-A earlier in the year, Bowden posted a 2.33 ERA and allowed just 72 hits in 104.1 innings. He walked 24 batters (2.07 BB/9) and struck out 101 (8.71 K/9). Promoted to Triple-A, he allowed 40 hits in as many innings and walked five (1.13 BB/9). He struck out 29 (6.53 K/9). At both levels, Bowden also struggled with allowing too many fly balls although homers were more of an issue at Triple-A (1.13 HR/9), than Double-A (0.43 HR/9).

Despite some minor struggles, Bowden has positioned himself to receive consideration for a spot in Boston’s starting rotation in 2009, especially if Clay Buchholz continues to struggle.

Given the recent impact that the C.C. Sabathia trade has had on the playoffs, let’s revisit the move that brought the burly left-hander to the National League and the Milwaukee Brewers. We all know what Sabathia has done for the Brewers in the second half of the season, so let’s look at how the prospects received by Cleveland did this past season.

Outfielder Matt LaPorta was the prospect with the highest profile, as a former first round pick who has put up impressive minor league numbers. He struggled, though, after coming over from Milwaukee and hit just .233/.281/.350 in 17 Double-A games before heading to the Olympics where he was beaned by a pitch and sat out the remainder of the season as a precaution.

In a small sample size, LaPorta’s walk rate plummeted after the trade from 13.0 percent to 6.3 percent, while his strikeout rate remained roughly the same around 20 percent. His power stroke also disappeared as his ISO dropped from .288 to .117, and his OPS went from .957 to .631. He’s likely earned a ticket back to Akron in 2009 to begin the season.

Zach Jackson is a former supplemental first round pick (32nd overall in 2004 by Toronto). He is a soft-tossing lefty who projects as more of a middle or long reliever than a starter. Jackson, 25, appeared in 11 Major League games (nine starts) combined between Cleveland and Milwaukee in 2008. He posted a 5.55 ERA (4.61 FIP) in 58.1 innings. He allowed 69 hits and 16 walks to go along with 31 strikeouts (4.78 K/9). He’ll have to battle for a roster spot in 2009.

Rob Bryson was a name that wasn’t known by many people before the big trade. The 20-year-old, who has split time between the starting rotation and bullpen, spent the season in A-ball. He appeared in just seven games after coming over from Milwaukee after suffering from shoulder inflammation and possibly a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder. He has the ability to hit the mid-90s when healthy.

When the Brewers secured the playoff berth, it allowed Cleveland to pick a fourth prospect, as a player to be named later. That player is expected to be named today and should be either outfielder Michael Brantley or infielder Taylor Green.

Both prospects are interesting but they project as bench or platoon players. Neither player has much power but they are both versatile. Brantley has a slightly better chance of being a regular, at least for a few seasons, due to his amazing strike zone judgment and speed (28 stolen bases in 36 attempts). He hit .319/.391/.398 in 420 Double-A at-bats. He walked 50 times (10.6 BB%) with just 27 strikeouts (6.4 K%). His ISO is a paltry .079. Green hit .289/.380/.443 in 418 High-A at-bats. He walked 61 times (12.7 BB%) with 59 strikeouts (14.1 K%). His ISO was a more respectable .153.

Obviously, none of the players above have impacted Cleveland like Sabathia has affected Milwaukee, but 2009 could be a whole different story, especially if Milwaukee is bounced from the 2008 playoffs early on and Sabathia walks for a larger free agent payday. Until then, though, Milwaukee has definitely won this deal.

The Atlanta Braves organization is well-known for its preference in drafting raw high school pitchers and molding them with the club’s pitching philosophies. The 2006 draft was known for being heavy in talented college pitchers, but the Braves still followed through with the club’s original formula and selected four high school pitchers as part of its seven picks within the first three rounds of the draft.

(FYI: The club also draft high school first baseman Cody Johnson, community college shortstop Chase Fontaine, and college pitcher Dustin Evans).

Cory Rasmus, brother of St. Louis’ Colby Rasmus, was the first prep pitcher taken by Atlanta (38th overall). He has been slowed by injuries and has pitched just 13 innings in the last three seasons. He is expected to be healthy in 2009 and the right-hander should spend most of the year in A-ball.

Steve Evarts (43rd) has also pitched far less in the past three seasons than the Braves had hoped he would, in part due to injuries and in part due to disciplinary reasons. When he’s been on the mound, the young lefty has pitched well and he has a 2.30 career ERA in 98 innings, having allowed just 86 hits and 17 walks, with 81 strikeouts.

Jeff Locke (51st) has at least been able to stay on the mound for three seasons with good, but not spectacular, results. This season, his first in full-season ball, Locke allowed 150 hits in 139.2 innings but walked just 38 batters and struck out 113. The lefty obviously has excellent control, but he needs to miss more bats if he is going to be successful in the upper minors.

Chad Rodgers (100th) was the fourth high school pitcher taken and the third lefty. He, like Locke, played his first full season of ball in 2008 after two stints in Rookie ball. Rodgers went just 2-10 with a 4.53 ERA and split time between the starting rotation and the bullpen. He showed good control (2.76 BB/9) and struck out more batters than Locke (7.59 K/9) but also had trouble missing bats and allowed more than one hit per inning.

It’s true what they say: Young pitchers will break your heart. This quartet of talented pitchers have opportunities that millions dream of, but few realize. It’s about time they start to take advantage of those chances.

The Pittsburgh Pirates drafted Neil Walker out of a local high school in the first round of the 2004 draft (11th overall). At the time, he was a young, promising, switch-hitting catcher. More than four years later, though, Walker is on the cusp of the Major Leagues but he has been converted to the hot corner.

The move from behind the plate really does hurt Walker’s potential quite a bit. With catchers, any type of offence is considered a bonus, as long as they play solid defence and call a good game. At third base, though, the bat is under the microscope as this position is traditionally a power position.

In five minor league seasons, Walker’s line looks like this: .273/.320/.426. That is OK, but not spectacular for a former No. 1 draft pick hoping to play third base at the Major League level, especially given that Walker hit just .242/.280/.414 in 505 at-bats during the 2008 Triple-A season. On the plus side, he did hit a career-high 16 homers and drove in 80 runs.

On the downside, he walked just 5.4% of the time, had an OPS of .697 and an ISO of .172, none of which screams impact bat. Walker will be just 24 next season but he will need to make some adjustments and get his bat going if he hopes to avoid getting left behind. Earlier this season, Pittsburgh obtained top third base prospect Andy LaRoche from the Los Angeles Dodges and he has a head start on claiming the title of third baseman of the future.

Things may not have gone as planned in the Bronx this season, but the New York Yankees club has received some encouraging bullpen contributions from some young pitchers.

Jose Veras, 27, may be a little older than the typical rookie, but he had just 21.1 innings of Major League experience before the 2008 season began. The right-hander has been solid throughout the season by allowing 50 hits and 27 walks in 56 innings. He has also fanned 60 batters. Veras does have a few things to work on for next season, including lowering his walk totals (4.34 BB/9) and keeping the ball in the park a little bit better (1.13 HR/9).

Edwar Ramirez, 27, received a lot of press last season after posting some ridiculous minor league numbers, thanks to a plus-plus change-up. The right-hander found the Major Leagues to be a little more challenging (8.14 ERA in 21 innings in 2007) but he settled in nicely in 2008. In 54 innings this season, Ramirez has allowed 43 hits and 24 walks. He has also struck out 61 batters. Like Veras, Ramirez needs to keep the walks down (3.98 BB/9) and avoid the long ball (1.16 HR/9). He was also helped by a BABIP of .281.

Regardless of how well Veras and Ramirez duplicate their 2008 seasons in 2009, both players have turned out to be wise acquisitions by the Yankees (a club that does not receive enough credit for its scouting). Veras was signed as a minor league free agent after spending time with the Tampa Bay Rays and the Texas Rangers organizations. Ramirez, originally a signee with the Angels, was found in an independent baseball league.

Something tells me, though, that these two players have more left in the tank.

Michael Aubrey is a name you may have forgotten, unless you’re a Cleveland Indians fan. The first baseman is a former No. 1 draft pick (11th overall in 2003) out of Tulane University. Now 26, Aubrey is finally in the Major Leagues for the first time – a September cup of coffee.

Aubrey was considered the second-best, draft-eligible college hitter prior to the draft (Rickie Weeks was the top choice), according to Baseball America. The is what BA said at the time:

…Aubrey is a better pure hitter than any other college player in the nation. He projects as a .300-plus hitter with lots of doubles and 15-20 homers in the majors. He has a great approach at the plate and rarely gets fooled.

So, what took so long? What caused Aubrey to take six seasons to get to the Majors? And does he still have something in the tank, or is he a shadow of his former self.

The answer to the first question is: Injuries. In his debut season, after signing for more than $2 million, Aubrey played 38 games in A-ball. The next season he played 98 games between High-A ball and Double-A. Then in 2005 he managed just 28 Double-A games. The 2006 season was even worse, injury-wise, as Aubrey appeared in 14 games. The next year, though, he managed a whopping 65 games despite ongoing injuries. This season, Aubrey was able to appear 97 times during the minor league’s 130-game schedule.

The numbers for Aubrey this season do not inspire a lot of confidence, especially given his position at first base… and this leads us to the answer for the second question above. At Double-A, he hit .282/.333/.456 with two homers in 103 at-bats. He walked 7.2 percent of the time, and struck out at a rate of 11.7 percent. After a promotion to Triple-A, Aubrey hit .281/.328/.418 with seven homers in 285 at-bats. He walked just 5.3 percent of the time, with a strikeout rate of 14 percent.

At Double-A, Aubrey’s OPS was .790 and at Triple-A it was .736. His ISO at Double-A was .175 and .137 at Triple-A. An average ISO is considered to be .120, with most “power hitters” exceeding .200. So it’s clear, Aubrey is not a power hitter. And he doesn’t walk much. And he’s never hit above .283 at Double-A or Triple-A.

That said, Aubrey does have value. A .280 average isn’t bad for a bench player. He also swings from the left side, which gives him more value off the pine. Aubrey was also considered an excellent defender coming out of college so he could be a solid late-game option in the field. A part-time role might also help lessen the injuries that have plagued Aubrey’s career to this point.

All this suggests that Aubrey might be better suited for a career in the National League where bench players have more opportunities for regular playing time. In Cleveland, the first base/DH slots are pretty much filled with the likes of Travis Hafner (albeit apparently in a downward spiral) and Ryan Garko on the Major League roster. Cleveland also has first base prospects hot on Aubrey’s heels, such as Beau Mills, Matt LaPorta (currently playing the outfield), Jordan Brown, and Nick Weglarz (also seeing time in the outfield).

There is no question Aubrey still has value to a Major League club, but that team is most likely not Cleveland.