Prospect Alert
Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

Reader Response

Welcome to “Prospect Alert,” the informative new column with information regarding all aspects of the minor leagues. Throughout the course of this season, we will focus on minor leagues with the goal of informing fantasy players about the minor leagues. From player scouting to specific player breakdowns, this is the place to visit for top-notch minor league information.

Prospect evaluation can cover a wide variety of players and topics. To help eliminate some of the confusion in terms of prospects, it is best to break down a few prospects that readers have specific questions about. So, if you have any questions that you would like answered, feel free to drop a comment at the bottom of the page, and you will receive an in-depth answer in a future column.

Here are the questions for this week:

I would like your opinions and to know anything you've heard in regards to Andy Marte (Braves) Clay Condrey (Padres) Jason Stokes (FLA) and Todd Linden (Giants).

In order, I’d rank them Stokes, Linden, Marte, and Condrey.

Jason Stokes is one of the best hitters in the minors. He has everything except speed and durability, and could has already surpassed Adrian Gonzalez as the future first baseman of the Marlins in the eyes of many talent evaluators. Perhaps most impressive is the monstrous season that Stokes had last season, when he hit .341-27-75.

Stokes has gotten off to a rather rough start this year, but it is still early. That should not be a problem, as Stokes is one of the hardest workers in the minors. He gives it all on every play, and often struggles to play through various injuries. With a decent understanding of the strike zone, it is likely that Stokes will continue to mature into a legitimate hitting threat. While his defense is questionable, it is adequate for the time being. It would not be a shock to see Stokes move to the outfield, particularly left field, to account for Adrian Gonzalez in the future.

Todd Linden is a polar prospect, and everybody seems to have widely varied thoughts on him. The view here is that Linden is a talented prospect with solid power/average potential, but he is not nearly as talented as some believe. His plate discipline is encouraging, and he could be less than a year away from reaching the majors. If all goes well, Linden could end up as the starting right fielder for the Giants by the end of the season.

Perhaps most puzzling about Linden is his inconsistency. If he is able to overcome his cold stretches to become a more consistent producer, his stock will surely rise to amongst the top outfield prospects in the game. For now, concerns about his swing and defense will keep him in the minors. In the future, Linden appears to be a legitimate power/average threat with the potential to throw in a few steals each year.

Andy Marte will face a true test this season, and will significantly help his stock with a solid performance. While his power potential is spectacular, it remains to be seen if he continues to hit against older competition. His defense should carry him a long ways, even if his defense begins to suffer, but he will need to continue to hit in order to get a legitimate chance at starting in the big leagues.

The biggest concern with Marte, as in many prospects, is a lack of plate discipline. It would be nice to see a few more walks to cover for the high strikeout total, but the strike-zone judgment can be overlooked if he continues to hit. Keep an eye on his progress, as this will be a crucial year in his development. With another season similar to his last, Marte could quickly blossom into the top third base prospect in baseball.

Clay Condrey is a bit old to be considered a traditional prospect, and any previous success that he has had needs to be taken with a grain of salt. That said, Condrey should provide a solid season for the Padres, and could develop into a useful option in NL-only leagues.

The best fit for Condrey is out of the bullpen. He has a decent amount of success in that role last season, and could become one of the more reliable long-relievers in baseball. In terms of value as a prospect, Condrey has none. He is, however, one of those players who fits better on a real-life team than in fantasy leagues.

Jason Standridge, RHP TB Drays

What do you think his chances are. I had heard earlier he might be traded for Carl Everett. I would just like an overall prospect profile on him. Thanks!!

Jason Standridge is an interesting prospect. He is a former quarterback at the University of Auburn, and is a former first-round pick of the Devil Rays. His fastball reaches the mid-90s on occasion, and is complimented nicely by a sharp curve. A third pitch needs to be developed, and that will likely be his changeup, but he has the work ethic to develop another option quite easily. He would be best served by another full year in the minors to polish up a few aspects of his game, but would be adequate in the big leagues in the short-term future.

Standridge seems to have trouble acquiring a large number of strikeouts, which is a bit puzzling given his repertoire. That could all be due to the fact that he is rather raw, as much of his pre-professional career was devoted to football. He will never strike out a batter an inning, but his current strikeout total will likely improve as he gains experience. Standridge is a solid prospect, and has the potential to develop into an above-average starter with improved control.

Will Cleveland put Tallet in the rotation? When Cliff Lee is ready who does he replace in the rotation?

What are your thoughts on Jose Lopez SS (Seattle)?

Brian Tallet will likely not make the rotation this year. With the way the current group of starters has pitched, there doesn’t appears to be much of a need for him, although it is possible that he will fill a bullpen role like the one Billy Traber is currently in. To start the season, he will be in Triple-A Buffalo, and it is quite possible that he will remain there for the entire season. Keep an eye on any trade rumors, as Tallet does not appear to be an ideal fit for the future of the Cleveland organization. He is stuck behind a talented group of starters, and would be better served with another team.

Cliff Lee still has some work to do in recovering from his abdominal strain injury, and he will fall into the same category as Tallet, but to a lesser extent. Aside from Westbrook, Lee will be the top option to fill any hole that should arise in the starting rotation. Expect him to spend a good chunk of the season in Triple-A, and it is entirely possible that he will not be up until after the All-Star break. Be sure to keep an eye on the situation with Jason Davis, as any prolonged struggles from him could prompt a promotion for Lee.

Jose Lopez is a tremendous prospect, and is often overlooked. He was the youngest player in his league last year, yet managed to post an extremely high average and stolen bases total. His power is excellent for a young middle infielder, and his potential for growth is also very high. Lopez is one of the most exciting prospects in the minors, and is one of the top prospects in the minors.

Perhaps most encouraging about Lopez is his low strikeout rate. While he could stand to draw more walks, his lack of strikeouts will more than compensate for that weakness. Lopez has one of the best arms in the minors, and his defense is excellent. He is a little big for shortstop, and is splitting his time between second and short. No matter where he plays, Lopez will be one of the most talented prospects in baseball.

Please leave any comments/suggestions/questions using the “comment” feature at the bottom of this page, or feel free to leave a message on the Fantasy Info Central message board. The more feedback provided, the better this column can be devised. In the coming weeks, look for an in-depth look at the league’s top prospects.

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