Shoppach started at Class A Sarasota in the mid-level Florida State League in 2002. He had 10 home runs and 66 RBIs in 414 at-bats for a .271/.432 (AVG/SLG) that was largely hampered by his century plus (112) strikeouts.

With the Sea Dogs he was .282/.488 powering 12 home runs and 60 RBIs on the season.

Last year, his first season at Triple-A Pawtucket, Shoppach crashed 22 homers, drove in 64 runs and hit .233. That was good enough to earn him a spot on the IL's end of season All-League team.

Shoppach's numbers are even better this year, having already exceeded the homer and RBI totals, and raised his average by nearly 30 points, and it would be a surprise if he didn't repeat as an All-Star.

He was an all-star in 2004 and 2005, and an MVP in both of his years in A and AA baseball. He's never hit less than 25 doubles, 10 dingers, and 60 RBIs a year in his pro minor league career.

On the D side, he is probably the best defensive catcher in the minor leagues.

He makes the FAB50™ rather than our Ones2Watch list, which has more exceptional "parked" players, because the clock is running out for the Red Sox to do something with him. Shoppach has done all he can do in the minors, and will no doubt be attractive trade bait during the off-season.

Mirabelli was a stop-gap while they developed Shoppach.  Our sources tell us that he's ready for prime time and that Doug's deal can be dealt.

We rank him at 20 because of the contract stickyness surrounding the extra year for Mirabelli. There is a chance that he could be parked for another season, which would be unfortunate for Shoppach, the organization, and Red Sox fans, who have to be salivating at the prospect of the damage that having two great catcheers, Varitek and Shoppach, can do to the American League opposition in general, and arch nemeses the New York Yankees in particular.

- Dan Hickling contributed to this ranking