Anthony Rizzo and 10 Prospects Who Are Ready to Dominate at the Next Level

Anthony Rizzo of the Iowa Cubs is currently leading the Pacific League with 22 home runs, and Chicago fans have to be wondering when he is going to get called up to the bigs. He has had a few setbacks with minor injuries, but he is one of those rare players that has shown an immense amount of power at the plate this season.

But he is not the only guy that has been shining in the minors—in fact, there are many guys that have been looking like they are ready for a chance to compete in the major leagues.

Here are ten guys that are ready to take the next level by storm.

Adam Eaton: CF, Reno Aces

The lefty from Springfield, Ohio currently has a .389 batting average, the best in the Pacific League. Eaton is not much of a power hitter, but is definitely a guy that the Diamondbacks could call up to be a lead-off guy or utility player to come in during clutch situations.

Eaton is second in the league in hits (88) and doubles (22), and considering he is still only 22 years old, the Diamondbacks shouldn't hesitate to see what they have in their Reno center fielder while the season is still young. Even if they have to send him back down to AAA, he is young enough to take some more time to prepare for the bigs.

Anthony Gose: Outfielder, Las Vegas 51s

The speedster from Paramount, California could really add some flare to the Toronto Blue Jays lineup. He leads the Pacific League with 24 stolen bases, and his 114 total bases are good enough for 11th overall.

Gose is still very young, and it is time for him to make the step up to the major leagues and learn from the veterans around him in order to grow into a superstar. It's not like he can't hit, either—he has a very respectable .296 batting average and .372 on base percentage.

Andrew Kown: SP, Fresno Grizzlies

The huge downside for Kown is that he was born in 1982—so he is a little old for a call-up—however, the Giants need to see what they have in him while he is pitching so well in AAA.

The 6'7" Kown is 4-1 with a 2.87 ERA in nine starts this season. He has been holding hitters below a .250 average and has only allowed two home runs in those nine starts. He doesn't strike out a lot of hitters, but with his size and tenacity on the mound, it is about time the Giants give him a look before his age makes it impossible for the call up to be made.

Sandy Rosario: CP, New Orleans Zephyrs

Rosario has dominated AAA ball when it comes to relief pitching. He leads the league in saves, with 16, and has only given up three runs in 26 innings pitched. He has been called up to the big leagues before and struggled, but after his time back with New Orleans he is ready for another shot.

In his last 10 appearances, Rosario hasn't given up a run, and it is time for the Marlins to tell him to head east for another shot at making a name for himself in the major leagues.

Eric Hacker: SP, Fresno Grizzlies

Eric Hacker is leading the Pacific League with nine wins, and is carrying an impressive 3.27 ERA. He is averaging over six innings per start, and although he is 29 years old, he has proven that he is ready to take his talents to the next level.

He started one game this year in the big leagues, and had a pretty decent outing before getting sent back down to Fresno. He only gave up three runs in six innings, and is another case of whether or not the Giants are going to take advantage of his talent before his age becomes a real factor.

Joe Kelly: SP, Memphis Redbirds

Although his record in Memphis is a horrendous 2-5, he has simply been a victim of absolutely no run support. Kelly has everything going for him: not only is he young, but he is currently leading the Pacific League with a 2.86 ERA.

The Cardinals have been struggling so far this season, and Kelly is a guy that can put a spark into the rotation and some pressure on the veterans. He has only given up three earned runs in his last 22 innings pitched and is ready to take the majors by storm.

John Ely: SP, Albuquerque Isotopes

The 6'2" starter out of Miami of Ohio has been dominant on the mound so far this season. He is 6-4 with a 3.24 ERA and has 82 strikeouts in 13 starts. His velocity is uncanny for a AAA pitcher, and his breaking ball complements his heater quite well.

The crazy thing? He only has 17 walks compared to his Pacific League-leading 82 Ks. The Dodgers have been having a fantastic year thus far, but they can't ignore what Ely has been doing in Albuquerque. He deserves a call up, and he will only complement the already succeeding team.

Mark Appel: SP, Rights Held by Pittsburgh Pirates

The reason why I like Appel so much is that he did the right thing and went to Stanford when he was drafted in 2009—which is a difficult thing to do as a teenager with a lot of money about to be coming your way. Many thought he would be the number one pick in this year's draft, but he ended up falling to eighth overall, where he was drafted by the Pirates.

Pittsburgh has failed in the past to get the best out of their young prospects—with a few exceptions, of course—but Appel is a young, mature talent that is ready for the next level. He will be ready out of college and poised to take the mound at PNC Park by storm.

Carlos Correa: SS, Rights Held by Houston Astros

Not only was Carlos Correa drafted number one overall by the Houston Astros in the 2012 MLB Draft, but he is in really good company when you look at the history of the pick. Correa is only the third Latino to ever be drafted number one overall, with the other two being Alex Rodriguez and Adrian Gonzalez.

He might not make the immediate step to the majors—considering he is only 17 years old—but whatever his next level ends up being, he will definitely be ready to dominate, and should end up having a long and illustrious major league career.

He received a $4.8 million signing bonus, which is actually fairly low for a first overall pick, but considering he is only 17 years old, Houston will be throwing plenty of money his way as time progresses.

Anthony Rizzo: 1B, Iowa Cubs

Anthony Rizzo has just been on an absolute tear of late, and his statistics are nothing short of phenomenal. He has 81 hits, 22 home runs and 57 runs batted in—all while hitting with a .367 batting average.

If there is anyone that is ready to move up and dominate in the major leagues, it is Anthony Rizzo. I don't know how long the Cubs are going to wait to move him up... but they definitely shouldn't wait long if they want to put a spark in their offense.