An often-cited criticism of the military establishment is that it is too frequently guilty of planning for the last war, rather than the next one.Regardless of how you might feel about that observation, those of us in ‘Keeper’ and ‘Dynasty’ leagues, especially those with an allocation of minor league roster spots, are compelled to stay aware of what is happening throughout the minors in order to not only win now, but in the future.

Staying up on prospects, though easier now than ever, remains a daunting task. Even if you live near a minor league park, you may have the opportunity to see only a few of any particular organization’s prospects over the course of a season. That leaves literally hundreds of future major league players that you can only judge through the eyes of others. There are certain reliable statistical measures (i.e. did the player improve on his performance in the next-higher level of the minors), but most evaluation comes from other sources. In the course of reviewing this inorganic (not developed by the user) intelligence within the periodicals and publications dedicated to covering the minor leagues, there are a few players on which most sources agree. These, for now, are the must-know names as 2008 gets underway:

1. Jay Bruce (OF, Cincinnati). Unless you live in a cave in the Kashmir, you have probably heard at least the name, and possibly quite a bit more about the 2007 Baseball America ‘Minor League Player of the Year’. The 21-year old outfielder has burned a path through the minors, starting in the low A Gulf Coast League and up though fifty games for AAA Louisville in the IL last summer. His OPS has improved at each of the six levels he has played (a significant trend), and he has balanced power and average as a complete, professional hitter. His biggest obstacle to the major leagues is the Cincinnati manager, Dusty Baker, who has shown a long-term resistance to putting youth on the field. While Baker struggles with whether to start Ryan Freel or Corey Patterson in CF, the future of the franchise is standing on deck.
1A. Evan Longoria (3B, Tampa Bay). Another name for cave dwellers. Almost as storied as Bruce, Longoria is the same, ‘complete’ hitter, and he plays third base well enough to stay (unlike Ryan Braun) there. Unlike Bruce, Longoria played two years of college ball before signing with the Rays in 2006, and thus has two more years of experience and maturity
than the Cincinnati prospect. His numbers trend in parallel with Jay Bruce’s, and either would be a low-risk investment for the future.
2. Clayton Kershaw (LHP, Los Angeles - N). The 2006 USA Today ‘High School Baseball Player of the Year’ turns 20 on March 19. His reputation is as a big, power pitcher (12 K/9 in the minors in 2007) and, because he is a lefthander, he will get every opportunity to stick in the majors. He has three pitches that he will throw to anyone at any time. Maybe they will figure him out eventually, but for now he is a ‘strong buy’.
2A. David Price (LHP, Tampa Bay). As with Bruce and Longoria, Price is virtually indistinguishable from Kershaw. Both are left-handed strikeout pitchers, and one has college experience to go with the skills. The 6’6” Price won almost every relevant collegiate award in leading Vanderbilt to the SEC title in 2007, and was the first overall pick in the draft. To say Price dominated in college is to say that Tiger Woods is a decent golfer. Price struck out 194 in 133.1 innings last year, and lost only once (a relief appearance on two days rest in the NCAA Regional), and even proved himself on the USA Baseball National team in Cuba in 2006. Pitchers may not project well (remember Brien Tyler, Todd van Poppel, and David Clyde?), but Price is another low-risk opportunity who will never be cheaper than today.
3. Matt Wieters (C, Baltimore). The Six-Million-Dollar (bonus) Man of Baltimore. Played college ball at Georgia Tech, splitting time between being the team’s closer for two years and knocking the cover off the ball for three. At 6′5″, he is a giant among catchers, but every report reiterates that he has the skills to stay behind the plate. If he can do so, if his knees and ankles can take the strain, he has a chance to rewrite the position description for catcher. What Cal Ripken did to the shortstop position, Wieters may achieve behind the plate.
4. Colby Rasmus (OF, St Louis). It has been a tough spring for Rasmus. After hitting 29 homers in the AA Texas League in 2007, many assumed that he’d simply change clothes and pick up right where he left off in St Louis. Not so fast. He remains the top prospect in the Cardinals’ system, but may require a full year at AAA before he is ready for the big stage. Unless absolutely everyone who has seen him is dead wrong, though, he will be producing in the majors before mid-2009. Buy low, sell high.

Be ready for the future. It will arrive sooner than you think.