Minor League Watch

By Michael Bornhorst, Special to SI.com , TalentedMr.Roto.com

John Lester, Starting Pitcher, Boston Red Sox : Anybody know how that other Red Sox pitching prospect turned out? Papelbon, I think his name was? This isn't to say that all the young arms in Boston 's system are spectacular, but the folks in charge of player development in Beantown certainly have momentum on their side, momentum that will only continue with the eventual success of John Lester. This lefty has a four-pitch repertoire, and has a knack for avoiding the longball. His Triple-A stats reveal the merit behind Lester's promotion (2.70 ERA, on the heels of a 2.55 Single-A ERA in 2005). His strikeout to walk ratio could improve, and he's likely a middle-of-the-rotation starter rather than an eventual ace. This said, chances are Lester's already been snatched up in your league. But, should this 22-year-old starter be available in your AL-only league, he's a strong pickup.

Carlos Marmol , Starting Pitcher, Chicago Cubs : Talk about a clear path to the majors for a starting prospect: Marmol pitches in a system that has Kerry Wood and Mark Prior in its big league rotation, meaning a youngster's injury-induced opportunity is pretty much a given. Marmol is a convert to the mound, having started his baseball career as an outfielder. However, his mid-90s fastball and hard slider belie his relative inexperience (as do his 2.15 Double-A ERA and 64 Ks). Called up just over a week ago, Marmol now slides into Chicago 's rotation and should stay there until the Prior/Wood tandem is at full strength, which could mean the kid stays in the forever. Oh, wait, Dusty Baker 's the manager, which means Marmol is six starts away from the DL (paging Salomon Torres ). Carlos is a good short-term starter in NL-only leagues.

Chris Roberson, Outfield, Philadelphia Phillies : There's not much to get excited about here. At 26, Roberson is slightly on the old side as far as prospects are concerned. And while his 2005 numbers were solid (.309 AVG, 15 HRs, 34 SBs), he was quite mature for Double-A. On the plus side, Roberson does know how to steal a base. But as he's currently a reserve player in the bigs -- predicting if/when reserves will pinch run with an eye toward stealing a base has a success rate similar to a dime-store Ouija board -- Roberson won't get the playing time necessary to be of use, even in the deepest of NL-only leagues.

Jorge Piedra, Outfield, Colorado Rockies : It's a given that Piedra has power (seven home runs in 138 Triple-A at-bats this season). What's unknown is whether Colorado will play Piedra enough to justify a roster spot on your fantasy squad. Jorge's 2006 numbers have so far been suppressed by a heel injury that sidelined this slugger until May. And despite Piedra's recent performance, his call-up stems from the Rockies' trade of Eli Marrero rather than the intent to work Piedra into the outfield mix. Should Brad Hawpe or Matt Holiday find themselves on the trainer's table, Piedra's value skyrockets; any fantasy acquisition prior to that would is a speculative endeavor.

Mike Rouse, Second Base/Shortstop, Oakland A's : The best thing about Rouse, fantasy-wise, is that picking him up cannot hurt your squad. Whether it'll help is another question entirely. Rouse lacks the power or speed to make his offensive contributions notable, but has the potential to hit for a quality average while playing quality defense. Think of your prototypical scrappy middle infielder. Mark DeRosa 's recent offensive explosion notwithstanding, that's not the stuff of fantasy league difference-makers.

Russ Adams , Second Base/Shortstop, Toronto Blue Jays : He's back. Demoted in late-May after a prolonged slump in the big leagues, Adams returns to Toronto . Hopefully his newfound stroke made it through customs. Adams had little trouble regaining his confidence at the plate while in Triple-A (.338 AVG, 500 SLG), and in the process regained the confidence off the Blue Jays' brass. While the plan is for Russ to resume his everyday duties, he'll be hitting at the bottom of the Blue Jay lineup. If you're not looking for exceptional power from your middle infield slot, Russ may be the best name out there in your AL-only free agent pool.

Tim Lincecum , Starting Pitcher, San Francisco Giants : The Giants ' first-round pick in this year's draft, Lincecum was a college pitcher with a 77 MPH curveball and a 96 MHP fastball. His oddball overhand delivery have caused some to consider him a gimmick pitcher, but given his quality command of four pitches it's easy to see why the Giants are betting that he's not. Used both as a starter and a reliever in college, his eventual role with the Giants is unclear, but we may not have to wait long for an answer to this question, as there's speculation that Lincecum's arm is already major-league-ready, which could translate into a mid-season call up.

Matt Tuiasosopo, Shortstop, Seattle Mariners (Single-A): What position Tuiasosopo eventually plays is subject to speculation, but presently he's one of the top middle-infield prospects in the Mariners' system. The speculation as to Tuiasosopo's defensive destination stems from his so-so shortstop defense (25 errors last season), and the team's overall depth at the position. Nevertheless, Tuiasosopo remains one of the Mariners' better bets to make it to the majors, thanks to his emerging power and improving plate discipline. Not yet 21, he's still a few years away from making it to the majors, so there's little sense in fantasy players stashing him away. But Tuiasosopo will be a name to know a few years down the road (and how could you forget it).

Juan Salas, Relief Pitcher, Tampa Bay Devil Rays (Double-A) It's mid-June, and Salas has yet to give up an earned run. That's 34 innings -- and 14 saves -- of near perfection. Almost as impressive are his 54 strikeouts amassed during this streak. Salas is 27, which would typically be a tad on the old side for a pitching prospect, but he's a convert to the mound, having been an infielder until the 2004 season. And while his 96 MPH fastball may be his out-pitch, Salas comes equipped with a changeup that's equally unhittable. He's still an under-the-radar prospect, but Juan could have an immediate impact if/when he's promoted to the majors.