AL East Prospect Run Down: Top 10

The American League East has a wealth of young talent at every level.

Begin in the majors and work your way down. Evan Longoria, Joba Chamberlain, B.J. Upton, and Jon Lester at the big league level. David Price, Ian Kennedy, Jed Lowrie, and Brett Gardner at AAA. Down at AA reside Matt Wieters, Travis Snider, Lars Anderson, Chris Tillman and Austin Jackson. A level below houses Jake Arrieta, Josh Reddick, J.P. Arencibia, and Jeremy Hellickson.

The lowest level of the minors, rookie ball, houses quite possibly the most talent. First round picks Brian Matusz and David Cooper, two-way star Casey Kelly, and the #1 pick from last years draft, Tim Beckham. 

It is clear that a few years from now, maybe five or ten, the AL East will be driven not by the David Ortizs and Derek Jeters of the league, but rather by the likes of David Price and Matt Wieters.

Who is the best of the best though? What kind of impact will they make on the teams waiting for them to arrive and carry them to the playoffs? For arguments sake, I'm leaving players like Longoria, who are already at the Major League level, off the list.

1. David Price, left-handed starting pitcher, AAA and MLB (Tampa Bay Rays)

There was a reason Price went #1 overall to the Rays in 2007 and he showed everyone by finishing the season with the big league club. Along the way he went 12-1 with 109 strikeouts in 109 innings and a 2.30 ERA at three levels.

Price has quite an advantage that many prospects don't have when reaching the major league level: basically no pressure. With an already loaded staff of Kazmir, Shields and the resurgence of Andy Sonnanstine, Price can slide into the rotation next spring and not have to worry about being thrown to the fire against No. 1 starters all season long.

Expect him to have a strong 2009 season, helping the Rays make it back to the playoffs and eventually working his way up to the No. 2 spot in the rotation by the end of the year. ETA: 2008

2. Matt Wieters, catcher, A+ and AA (Baltimore Orioles)

Wieters surpassed everyone's expectations in 2008; expectations that were already lofty. He tore up Carolina and Eastern League pitching to a tune of .355, cranking out 27 home runs and driving in 91 runs. Along the way he showed better than average plate discipline (82:76 walk to strikeout ratio) and flashed a gun behind the plate.

An underestimated part of his game that he developed was his ability to call a game. In the games he caught, he took the Bowie staff to another level. Wieters could start the 2009 season in Baltimore or will at least be there at some point during the year. It all depends on what the Orioles want to do with Ramon Hernandez.

Wieters has the capability of hitting for a higher average than most think and showed the pop that might enable him to hit at least 20 home runs a year. It's only a matter of time for Wieters. ETA: 2009

3. Travis Snider, outfielder, A, AA, AA and MLB (Toronto Blue Jays)

Snider has one of the most advanced bats in the AL East prospect heap. He got better at every stop he made in '08, saving his best for last during a September call-up to Toronto. He held his own, hitting .301 in 73 at-bats.

His minor league season looked like this: .275, 31 2B, 23 HR and 91 RBI. He showed both the tendency to take a lot of pitches, leading to walks, and also to strikeout, often a sign of an aggressive hitter. He'll smooth that out and if he starts the season with Toronto. I look for him to continue to do what he does best...hit. ETA: 2008

4. Chris Tillman, right-handed starting pitcher, AA (Baltimore Orioles)

Tillman was the prize of the Erik Bedard trade and showed why, putting together his best season yet in 2008. He was arguably the ace of a very talented Bowie staff, anchored by the catcher Matt Wieters. Wieters had quite an impact on the right-hander's season, reigning him in and teaching him to trust his stuff.

Tillman was so good (11-4, 3.18 154 Ks in 135.2 IP) that many were clamoring for him to get the call to Baltimore as a late September call-up. The Orioles erred on the side of caution and will likely do so in 2009, possibly letting the 20-year-old start back at Bowie again before bumping him up to Norfolk. It's only a matter of time before Andy MacPhail has no other option but to bring Tillman up for good. ETA: 2009

5. Wade Davis, right-handed starter, AA and AAA (Tampa Bay Rays)

Davis shared much of his preseason publicity with Jacob McGee, but once the season started he did all that he could to distance himself from the lefty. While McGee stagnated at AA, Davis proved to be the superior player, pitching even better at Durham than he did at Montgomery.

Davis went 9-6 with a 3.85 ERA and a .261 average against at AA and then took his game to another level, winning four of his nine starts at Durham. The righty held batters to a .205 average, striking out 55 in 53 innings. Davis will probably start 2009 back at Durham, because come on...why tamper with the rotation in Tampa? Davis will get his shot to make his debut sometime in 2009, but it might take another year until he sticks. ETA: 2009

6. Tim Beckham, shortstop, Rookie and A (Tampa Bay Rays)

The Rays could start their own 10 list and it would very likely resemble this list. That's how good and deep their system is.

Beckham could wind up being the cream of the crop. A legitimate five-tool prospect, Beckham showed flashes at Princeton, but didn't have a season that screamed future major league superstar. It's ok, the kid is only 18. It's only a matter of time before he supplants Reid Brignac as the Rays top shortstop prospect.

Expect the Rays to take their time with Beckham, and much like most of their prospects, why bother to rush them with such spectacular talent at the Major League level. ETA: 2012

7. Brian Matusz, left-handed starting pitcher, Arizona Fall League (Baltimore Orioles)

Hopefully, the Orioles are getting in Matusz what they thought they were in Adam Loewen. That's the prevailing hope. With Loewen giving up pitching to become the next Rick Ankiel, Matusz is the new show in town. A left-handed pitcher on the fast track.

I like to think the lefty will take the same course that righty Jake Arrieta took: Arizona Fall League to Frederick. Matusz could probably handle a trip to Bowie, but much like Arrieta he could use a good confidence booster before bumping up a level. Matusz should take the fast track and possibly end up in Bowie before the All-Star break, provided he pitches as well as his billing...a future No. 1 starter. ETA: 2010

8. Lars Anderson, left-handed starting pitcher, A and AA (Boston Red Sox)

Look at Anderson's stats, split between Lancaster and Portland, and one can see just how well he fits into the mold of the Boston Red Sox. Good average, good power, high on base percentage. Throw in his not so nimble movement and he's David Ortiz reincarnated.

Anderson does do the one thing he does well very well...and that's hit. He's torn up every level he's played at and saved his best for last, tearing the cover off the ball at Portland at a .316/.526/.962 clip. Throw in the fact that he just turned 21 and you have a certified future major league producer right there.

I'm a BIG Anderson fan and would love a re-draft of the '06 draft so that my Orioles could take him. He will suitably fill in for Ortiz at first and give the Red Sox another Kevin Youkilis type guy who gets on base, drives in runs and brings a do-whatever-I-can-to-help-the-team-win attitude.

Seeing how the Sox have treated him in the past, I expect him to start at AA and provided he hits as well as he did in A ball, he should move up to AAA sometime after the All-Star break. ETA: 2010

9. Austin Jackson, outfielder, AA (New York Yankees)

It's only a matter of time before Jackson REALLY arrives...as in New York city arrival. The center fielder could be manning Johnny Damon's spot this time next year. Let's face it, the Yankees are getting desperate and unless they spend a load of money on some free agent they'll be looking for help there.

Jackson can not only step in and play better center than Damon or Cabrera, put he'll provide a burst, both from his bat and in his youth to an aging lineup. Jackson will start at AAA in '09 but if he hits like he has in the past, he should earn the right to play at new Yankee Stadium. ETA: 2009

10. Jeremy Hellickson, A and AA (Tampa Bay Rays)

There was no pitcher who was as lights out during the first few months of the 2008 run. Hellickson simply did whatever he wanted, compiling a 7-1 record, a 2.00 ERA and an astounding 83:5 K to BB ratio in 14 games. That's dominance.

He took his unflappable nature and amazing control to AA in June and struggled a bit, exhibiting a tendency to give up the long ball, but still managed to rebound in July (3.12) and August (3.25) to give him an impressive stat line for the season: 11-5, 2.96 ERA, 162 K's in 152 innings.

Now I know what you're thinking, where on earth are the Rays going to store all these pitching prospects? Luckily, they won't have to worry about that for at least two years. Hellickson will most likely pitch most or all of next year at AA, before making the jump to Durham. Better to be safe than sorry and if there is one team that can afford to do so, it's Tampa. ETA: 2011

Also considered for the top 10 

Orioles RHP Jake Arrieta, Rays LHP Jacob McGee, Blue Jays 1B David Cooper, Orioles RHP Brandon Erbe, Red Sox RHP Michael Bowden, Yankees OF Brett Gardner, Red Sox OF Chris Carter, Rays RHP Jeff Niemann, Yankees C Jesus Montero, and Rays LHP Matt Moore.