1) Desmond Jennings (OF-TB)-Rated as the #6 prospect in all of baseball in 2010; big things are expected of the speedy 24 year old outfielder. With Carl Crawford out of the picture after being dealt to Boston, Desmond Jennings will finally get the opportunity to strut his stuff as an everyday player. After being drafted by the Rays in the 10th round of the 2006 Amateur Draft, Jennings went to work to prove wrong all those who passed him up. In 2009 during his time in Double-A and Triple-A, Jennings showed his great promise, batting .318 with 11 HRs, 62 RBIs, and adding 31 doubles, 10 triples and a whopping 52 steals. His 88.1 success rate on the base paths was 2nd of all of Minor League players. Despite struggling a bit in 2010, with a .278 avg, 3 HRs, and 36 RBIs, Jennings still managed 25 doubles, 6 triples, and 37 steals. This five-tool stud has a great knowledge of the strike zone and seems to be on base all the time (career .384 OBP in the Minors). With his great outfield defense and ability to wreak havoc on the base paths, Jennings should flourish in this year’s Tampa Bay offense.
2011 PREDICTION: .281 AVG/ 6 HRs/ 45 RBIs/ 42 SBs
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2) Daniel Hudson(SP-ARI)- After sky-rocketing through the White Sox minor league system with a ridiculous 30-13 record / 2.90 ERA/ 364 strikeouts/ 310.1 innings stat-line, Hudson busted onto the Major League scene in 2010. After struggling in 3 July starts, with a 1-1 record, unimpressive 6.32 ERA, and .293 BAA, he was dealt to Arizona as part of a package deal for P Edwin Jackson. All he did there was go 7-1 in 11 starts for the Diamondbacks, posting a 1.69 ERA with 70 strikeouts in 79.1 innings, while holding opponents to a measly .183 batting average. With no real ace in Arizona and a staff that consists of the likes of Ian Kennedy, Joe Saunders, Barry Enright, and Zack Duke, Hudson is in prime position to emerge as the team’s ace. Also noteworthy is how Hudson’s 2010 second half stacked up against those of Cy Young winners Felix Hernandez and Roy Halladay. Below is a chart that shows just how dominant Hudson was. Oh, and did I mention Daniel Hudson is still just 23 years old?! National League beware…
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Pitcher W-L ERA Ks WHIP
Hernandez 6-7 1.53 101 0.94
Halladay 11-3 2.81 91 1.02
Hudson 7-1 1.69 70 0.84
2011 PREDICTION: 13-7/ 159 Ks/ 3.41 ERA
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3) Jeremy Hellickson (SP-TB)-Another young Rays prospect projected to make a big impact on this year’s Major League club is Jeremy Hellickson. After we were briefly introduced to the 23 year old righty last season, it is evident that he is a stud in the making. Hellickson went a perfect 4-0 with a 3.47 ERA. He struck out 33 batters in 36.1 innings, displaying impeccable control, issuing only 8 walks. While some may question the small sample size (only pitched in 10 major league games), there is no denying Hellickson’s minor league stats. During his 6 seasons in the Minors, he totaled a 49-16 record/ 2.71 ERA/ 634 strikeouts/ 137 walks in 580.1 innings. Before being promoted from Triple-A Durham he went 12-3 with a 2.72 ERA and 127 Ks in 119.1 innings. With Matt Garza no longer in Tampa Bay, he is penciled into a rotation spot for the Rays. While of course there will be growing pains, especially in the heavy-hitting A.L. East, what a joy it’ll be to watch this kid pitch every 5th day.
2011 PREDICTION: 11-7/146 Ks/3.62 ERA
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4) Domonic Brown (OF-PHI)-With Jayson Werth now occupying right field in Washington, Domonic Brown, who last year ranked as the #4 overall prospect by Baseball America, is set to emerge as Philadelphia’s next superstar. With comparisons to Darryl Strawberry, Domonic Brown possesses pure strength and power at the plate. After putting up statistics of .299 avg/ 14 HRs/ 64 RBIs/ .880 OPS across three minor league levels in 2009, Brown shattered those numbers in 2010 when he hit .327, belted 20 HRs, racked up 68RBIs, and accumulated a staggering .980 OPS. He was recalled for a brief stint with the Major League club, but sporadic playing time and adjustment to Major League pitching, resulted in an unimpressive 62 at bats where Brown totaled just 2 HRs and 13 RBIs. With outstanding speed, a cannon of an arm, and improving plate discipline, this kid’s got the pure power and work ethic to become an immediate big-time player at the professional level.
2011 PREDICTION: .282 AVG/ 16 HRS/ 78 RBIS/ 22 SBs
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5) ****Jay Bruce(OF-CIN)- After being rated as the #1 prospect in all of baseball in 2008 and 2 years of being viewed as a bust, Jay Bruce finally lived up to the hype in 2010. Appearing in a career high 148 games, Bruce improved upon every statistical category, ending his season with a .281 avg/ 25 HRs/ 70 RBIs/ .846 OPS. Although he struck out a career high 136 times, the promise that once excited so many scouts was finally seen in the play of the 23 year old outfielder. With a solid young core in place in Cincinnati and the despised position of hitting behind reigning National League MVP Joey Votto in the batting order, expect another strong season out of Bruce in 2011.
2011 PREDICTION: .274 AVG/ 28 HRs/ 83 RBIs
Who else is primed for a big season in 2011? Share your thoughts in the comment section!