The Joy of a Minor League Draft, Part 2

He'll start the season at high-A Stockton and work on harnessing his repertoire. He has one of the livest arms in all of baseball, but if he can't settle down and become a pitcher he may be destined for the bullpen. 

7) Ian Kennedy, Starting Pitcher (New York Yankees) 

For all the pundits who enjoy Yankee farm bashing, the young pinstripers just might have the last laugh. While Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain have a bountiful arsenal of nasty pitches between them, Ian Kennedy is the unsung arm of the bunch.

Kennedy has consistently found success at every level, handling batters better than many of his counterparts who were deemed to have better "stuff." It's true that his ratios don't blow you away, but his W-L record is uncanny. Ian wins where he goes and pitches well. He attracts a low ERA and WHIP, which are—call me traditional and old-fashioned—still the two best categories by which to judge a pitcher.

Scouts also love Kennedy's intelligence and his artistic approach on the mound, which is a nice way of saying he paints the corners. Although that's become a taboo categorization for a pitcher these days, if you can paint and win, then why not?

I'm holding back from making the Greg Maddux comparison so to make myself feel better I'll say David Cone.

From a bang for your buck point of view, this was the second best pick of my league's draft. Stay tuned for the first.

8) Desmond Jennings, Outfielder (Tampa Bay Rays) 

Jennings and his Columbus teammate, Ryan Royster, tore up Sally League pitchers last season. While Royster deals with the question of how his gaudy power numbers will translate against more sophisticated pitching, Jennings basks in the glow of his more humble plate approach.

A .401 OBP combined with 21 doubles and nine home runs in 387 at-bats leaves the 21-year-old with room to grow into his stroke without sacrificing discipline. Add to that 45 SB and the Rays might have another Carl Crawford on their hands. The difference is that there's no rush to get Jennings into the big leagues. Watch for a possible debut in 2009 by which time I suspect his power numbers will have slightly increased.

A wonderful late, first round selection. 

9) Carlos González, Outfielder (Oakland A's)

Every good draft need ones...A steal that is. The player who was on top of my draft board goes last. Unfortunately, I traded my first round pick last season, otherwise it could have been me who pulled off this coup.

As evidenced by his fall, González is not without his vocal detractors who say he strikes out too often and does not hit for a high enough average to be a relevant all-around force in the Majors.

He may not be a perennial All-Star, but fantasy Minor League drafts are not about that. If you can recognize the player with the most talent who is also closest to getting a shot with their big club then you're halfway to a player who will contribute to your team for years to come.

Talent is talent is talent and it will adapt anywhere at any level.

It may take González half a season to find his swing in Oakland, but he has shown enough polish and power through his five Minor League seasons, as well as the ability to adapt that it warrants considering him the hitter furthest along the development curve in this year's draft.

In Part Three of this article, we'll highlight some sleepers selected in the draft's later rounds and reveal the fates of the prospects profiled in Part One.

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