Fantasy Baseball: Mike Trout and 5 Young Players to Grab at the Break

Heading into the All-Star break, fantasy owners are starting to gauge their playoff potential and the key ingredients needed to make a serious championship run.

Even rosters with sufficiently proven and worthwhile players could still benefit from the addition of some promising youth.

Whether it's a power hitting shortstop, a once top-notch talent, or the No. 1 prospect in the country, youth can go a long way.

If you're looking for a potential addition to your team that could serve as patchwork, look no further.

Here are the top five young players who should be on any fantasy team's radar over the next week.

5. Zack Cozart, SS, Cincinnati Reds

At such an offensively thin fantasy position, shortstop Zack Cozart has created a lot of buzz amongst owners.

The 25-year-old was hitting .262 with 16 home runs and 25 stolen bases this year in Triple-A, sort of making him a shortstop fitting the mold of Drew Stubbs.

In his first game with the Cincinnati Reds, Cozart went 1-for-3 with a run scored.

He has a lot of power for his position, is part of a great lineup, and has enough speed to make a difference on a weekly basis.

With Jose Reyes going down with an injury and Derek Jeter still struggling, replacing either one of the New York shortstops with Cozart for the next few weeks isn't a bad idea.

Just watch out for the strikeouts.

4. Alex Presely, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates

Alex Presley may not be a big name compared to the other talented youngsters on this list, but the Pittsburgh Pirate has produced well enough thus far to be considered an option in the deepest of mixed leagues.

Presley is currently batting .325 with one home run and two triples through 40 at-bats.

The 25-year-old has added two stolen bases along with an outstanding 8:5 K:BB ratio.

The Pirates have been slating the outfielder either in the leadoff spot or the two-hole. Either way, his production in 2011 has really opened some eyes for a guy who wasn't that touted coming up from the minors.

Over the course of a full season, Presley has a shot to hit .300 with 10 home runs and 20 stolen bases, making him a worthwhile add in most keeper leagues.

3. Blake Beavan, SP, Seattle Mariners

Blake Beavan pitched very well in his first major league start, throwing seven innings of one-run ball on his way to his first win.

The outing came against the San Diego Padres, but the performance was impressive nonetheless.

The 22-year-old wasn't pitching all that great at Triple-A before being called up on Sunday, but considering that the Seattle Mariners have had success with young pitching over the last few years, the promotion is understandable.

Beavan has enough ability to win on a consistent basis despite the Mariners best attempt at offensive stability.

The young pitcher doesn't possess a lot of strikeout potential, but he's a control-first type of guy who will rarely walk batters (two in his debut).

I'd wait a start or two before adding him to your roster, but another game like his first and it could be too late.

2. Travis Snider, OF, Toronto Blue Jays

Travis Snider is back with the big club.

The 22-year-old and one-time top prospect has recorded over 500 at-bats over the past two seasons, but has never produced consistently enough to keep his job.

Now that the Toronto Blue Jays are giving him another chance in the outfield, this could be Snider's last chance to prove his worth before he's labeled as a bust.

He's hit safely in three of his first four games back, recording six hits and three RBI.

Snider is a power prospect waiting to bloom.

He's got great gap hitting ability, 20 home run potential, and does enough at the plate to limit his strikeouts.

Considering that Snider is surrounded in the Jays' lineup by Jose Bautista and Adam Lind, adding him now and awaiting the benefits seems like the perfect plan.

He still has enough left in the tank to give the next name on this list a run for his money.

1. Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels

The wait is over.

Baseball's No. 1 prospect and potentially the hope for the Los Angeles Angels 2011 season, Mike Trout, has been called-up to start Friday night.

Trout, 19, has consistently been pegged as one of the best up-and-coming hitters in baseball.

Despite his young age and maturity, Trout was hitting .324 at Double-A with nine home runs, 28 stolen bases, and 11 triples before he was brought up.

He's an instant threat to help out any owner in any league.

While he may struggle at times to adapt to MLB pitching, Trout's power-speed combo is going to do wonders for any roster.

Take a flier and don't look back.

He could be in line for one of the biggest second-half breakouts in baseball.