Minor League News MLN FAB50 Baseball 2006 Photo Gallery
Players by Major League Club (Photo Thumbs)
Players by Major League Club
Who had the top clubs in this year's FAB50? This is one place where the money you spend on your superstars doesn't buy much. Sorry, Yankee fan. The top development clubs in the FAB50 rankings have both great players and opportunities for them to play. The Los Angeles Dodgers win our MLN Farm System of the Year 2006 award with seven top FAB50 and Ones2Watch picks. The Arizona Diamondbacks, who hold both the No. 1 FAB50 and Ones2Watch picks, come in second. The Los Angeles Angels power system delivered for a third place nod. Click on the link to see your club, and then click on the player photos to see the full article and bigger pictures! Click on the "List" link next to each club name to return to the list.
2006 Club FAB50 Rankings:
1. Los Angeles Dodgers (7; Top: 15) - (MLN Farm System of the Year 2006) (List)
The Los Angeles Dodgers farm system, long one of the top development systems in the baseball biz, shows new strength as picks made over the last two to three years come to term. (See: Farm System of the Year Award). The Dodgers picks launch a bit lower than some of the other top contending farms, but seeding in the McCourt ownership era is taking root. There appears to be a greater commitment to the Dodgers' historic strength through home grown talent in a multi-year investment that is starting to reap better dividends.
2. Arizona Diamondbacks (5; Top: 1) (List)
The Diamonbacks have talent both ripe and green. Stephen Drew is a franchise shortstop, and Carlos Quentin, who debuted last year at 21 on the MLN FAB50 rises to No. 4 this year. Callaspo and Gonzalez show promise for the longer term. Justin Upton, phenom No. 1 draft, adjusts to the pro game.
3. Los Angeles Angels (5; Top: 3) (List)
Across town, the LA Angels continue to employ smart development tactics that continue to build a stronger club and provide some good opportunities for players at the major league level. Howie Kendrick comes of age after a steady rise through the system. Brandon Wood, too, moves into his prime. Saunders, Adenhart, and Evans demonstrate the continued depth of the Angels farm.
4. Oakland Athletics (5; Top: 8) (List)
With five picks, the Oakland A's make a big comeback with their farm in 2006 as farmhands like Buck, Windsor, Suzuki, Barton, and Baisley turn it on and make the Athletics development system a contender again. More important, it seems like the Athletics can have a use for more players in development.
5. Tampa Bay Devil Rays (4; Top: 2) (List)
The Tampa Bay Devils Rays farm system is full of over-ripe talent. BJ Upton, who falls off our list this year unfulfilled, joins bat-tossing bad boy Delmon Young and a cast of characters in a shameful exhibition of unharnessed talent and uncontrolled egos running amok (See: The Devil Goes Down to Durham, MAJOR BLOGS June 18, 2006). Sending Bill Evers to the major league club to work with the talent was a good idea. Now if they can just find a babysitter for some of these enfant terribles, the D-Rays may recoup some of their substantial investments in these home-grown players.
6. Houston Astros (4; Top:10) (List)
The Houston Astros continue to deliver talented young arms, and develop the mighty bat of Hunter Pence deliberately. The question remains for skipper Phil Garner if he can utilize the talent that the farm system is sending the big league club. The Astros ran out of gas in the 2005 World Series. What was described by one Astro-watcher as an 'obsession' with veterans, and some alleged communication break downs with the rookies, may have had something to do with Garner not getting enough lift in those final games from his club.
7. Cincinnati Reds (4; Top: 13) (List)
There was a time when the Reds should have shared the theme song with WKRP In Cincinnati: "Baby if you've ever wondered whatever became of me..." Adam Dunn and Edwin Encarnacion were the only two faint heartbeats in a farm that has been largely dysfunctional and plagued by injury. This year, we can get excited about home grown talents like Chris Denorfia, Joey Votto, and Homer Bailey to help the new ownership group put that quintessential Cincinnati stamp back on the club and remove the retreads from the post-Marge era. Jay Bruce is farther down the line, but also shows some continued seeds of good development in the mix.
8. Cleveland Indians (4; Top 16) (List)
The Cleveland Indians had faith that Andy Marte, away from the pressure cooker that is life behind Chipper Jones on the Atlanta Braves depth chart, would connect with his inner baseball chi. In June he proved that he is da man, going on a home run tear that earned him IL Player of the Month honors, and a call-up not too long after the mid-season break. Ryan Garko, who doesn't appear in the FAB50 this year, continues to bounce up and down between Cleveland and Buffalo. Miller, Smith and Crowe give C-Town fans a wee bit o'hope for the future.
9. Pittsburgh Pirates (3; Top: 6) (List)
Tom Gorzelanny shines as a top, top prospect for any farm system in what has been a quieter year for the Bucs' development system. We liked a lot of the picks and moves last year. It's a bit disappointing, though, not to see as much made of them.
10. Kansas City Royals (3; Top: 7) (List)
The Royals dispelled the "amateur" standing of the 2006 MLB Draft when they took pitcher Luke Hochevar of the professional indy Fort Worth Cats as No. 1 overall. The farm has a mixed bag in development. Alex Gordon and Billy Butler show promise on the near horizon. Zach Greinke is the Little Red Corvette in the repair shop but looking to make a comeback, and Matt Tupman waits in the wings in Omaha to play or trade.
11. New York Mets (3; Top 12) (List)
The Mets farm has produced this year. Gone from our list is Lastings Milledge, who is making the big time. Mike Pelfrey is the most promising pitcher we see in the organization by mid-season, and Gaby Hernandez shows forward promise in the longer-term. There have been quite a few injuries that
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sidelined potential for players in the Mets farm, but none with such an edge to it as the downing of Brett Harper, whom we could compare favorably, other than on age, to the Astros Hunter Pence. Harper bangs bombs, and was turning it on in the early stages of the season with some real power. |
Ones2Watch: Brett Harper | Gaby Hernandez |
12. Colorado Rockies (3; Top: 24) (List)
The Rockies have made some adjustments to their farm system, including development personnel, but it is too early yet to see if it is paying dividends. Right now, the Rockies main cash crop is in a pair of players from the Colorado Springs Sky Sox. Ubaldo Jiminez has been considered a top prospect long enough for a clothing fad to come and go. It's time to see what he can do at the major league level. Chris Ianetta debuts lower in the MLN FAB50 Baseball 2005 rankings, but remains one of the few catchers of interest during the great catcher talent drought.
13. Minnesota Twins (3; Top: 25) (List)
You expect any system as prodigious as the Minnesota Twins to slow down a bit, but there's nothing slow about Kevin Slowey and Matt Garza, who are middle-horizon talents. Alexi Casilla is on the longer-term horizon. Boof Bonzer, a FAB50 2005 alum, misses the list in 2006 with a season that has failed to electrify us.
14. Seattle Mariners (3; Top: 36) (List)
Wasn't it this time last year that we were singing the Mariners' praises with hurler Felix Hernandez topping the MLN FAB50 Baseball 2005 rankings at No. 1? Yep, that was us. What a difference a year makes. There is a big bald patch in the farm that drops off after Jeff Clement. Matt Tuiasosopo (Matt T to all us non-football types) is moving along, we suspect a bit more for some recoup of his signing bonus as for the effort that he is putting into his game. Justin Thomas shows promise, but overall, this has not been an electrifying year on the farm for the Mariners organization.
15. Detroit Tigers (2; Top: 5) (List)
Many of our top Tigers prospects from last year have hit the big cage in Detroit. Humberto Sanchez, though, electrifies and makes the top five of the MLN FAB50 Baseball 2006 rankings. Cameron Maybin is longer-horizon, but also looks to be a top Tigers take.
16. Chicago White Sox (2; Top: 11) (List)
The Chicago White Sox continue to demonstrate why they'll be a contender, with a farm heated up with talents ready to step up and push the club forward. Josh Fields, and Phillips by mid-season proved that they are readying to answer the big league call.
17. Texas Rangers (2; Top: 20) (List)
To all of you who emailed us on the 'Ian Kinsler? You must be nuts!' campaign after 2005's rankings, we had to direct a smile your way when a few of us on the staff caught him nailing a Yankee or two in a recent televised game. The Rangers always have a couple of good players in the hopper. Danks and Diamond are mid-FAB50 prospects that can deliver some good pitching to Arlington. We aren't wowed by the position players as much this year, but the Rangers farm is still a sight better than a lot of clubs that don't even make our list at all.
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18. Boston Red Sox (2; Top: 23) (List)
Last year, the Boston Red Sox were named our first Minor League News MLN FAB50 Farm of the Year. You couldn't argue. Their system was deep in ripe talent. So much so, that the Red Sox realized that they had to use what they could, deal the rest, and grow a new crop. Gone from the FAB50 Baseball 2005 are graduates Hanley Ramierz (Marlins) and Kelly Shoppach. A few players cooled down, or their openings to the majors seem a bit more limited now. Dustin Pedroia, who debuted on the MLN FAB50 at 45 last year, from what we hear, continues to be tracking faster. Jacoby Ellsbury may be rising from the lower depths of the farm rapidly if he continues to have a great season.
19. San Francisco Giants (2; Top:33) (List)
Don't let the baby face fool you: Nick Pereira is a real-deal hurler with the potential to play environmentally-friendly baseball in the Green City: He'll sure keep home run balls from finding their way into San Francisco bay. Tim Lincecum is further back on the farm, but may know the way to San Jose.
20. Milwaukee Brewers (2; Top: 44) (List)
The Milwaukee Brewers have wrung out a good amount of the talent on tap of exceptional quality, but we think that Tony Gwynn and Yovani Gallardo have the MAJOR ATTITUDE to make a mark in Milwaukee in the not-too-distant-future, or be decent deal-worthy players.
21. New York Yankees (2; Top: 45) (List)
Mitch Jones remains on the 40 Man Roster, but comes off of the FAB50 as the promise of a trade somewhere fails to materialize and age starts to be a question mark. Phillip Hughes playing for Trenton might find himself caught in the Yankee arms race if injury-prone Bronx arm-suck calls up enough players on the depth chart to advance him. Gabe Lopez could offer someone a nice incentive in a trade for a late model, slightly used veteran from a small-market club... with cash or other considerations, of course.
22. Atlanta Braves (2; Top:50) (List)
Yunel Escobar may be lucky enough to find a way into the upper ranks of the Braves depth chart over the long haul. Take note from Andy Marte: When it's your turn to shine, turn it on. The Braves are a produce or perish organization, and there area a lot of WTBS-induced eyes on the shortstop position in Atlanta. That said, we think Yunel has a shot. Kala Ka'aihue (KA-AH-EEE-HOOEY), the pride of Hawa'ii, makes our Ones2Watch because he's very watchable.
23. San Diego Padres (1) (List)
The Pads have absorbed a number of the hot picks in development, but George Kottaras emerges this season on the radar as a potential Petco Park player in the not-too-distant future.
24. Toronto Blue Jays (List)
Ones2Watch: Ricky Romero
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| Top of Story | Ones2Watch | MLN Farm System of the Year |
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MLN FAB50 2004 | MLN FAB50 2005 |
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