MLB's 50 Top Prospects You've Probably Never Heard Of

Each year, MLB features its annual draft that takes the best players available from the high school and college ranks, and while much of the focus is placed on the first two rounds, scores of players are taken in the three-day draft.

In addition, scouts are constantly scouring the globe for international stars who could someday make their mark on the grand stage as well.

In recent years, players such as Bryce Harper, Stephen Strasburg, Justin Upton, David Price and Delmon Young have made a splash as overall first-round picks, and many other players have garnered much attention as top draft selections as well. But oftentimes, players that fall to the later rounds, or young teenage international players, are overlooked and are out of the eye of the general public, left to pursue their dreams in relative anonymity.

Here is a list of 50 current MLB prospects who aren’t drawing much attention, yet could very well become stars in the very near future.

David Holmberg: SP, Arizona Diamondbacks

With a list that already includes Trevor Bauer, Tyler Skaggs, Pat Corbin, Jarrod Parker and Archie Bradley, the Arizona Diamondbacks have arguably the best group of young pitching prospects in MLB. However, one name could also be added to that list—David Holmberg.

Drafted in the second round of the 2009 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox, Holmberg was included in the trade that sent starting pitcher Edwin Jackson to the Chicago White Sox in return for Daniel Hudson and Holmberg.

Holmberg was 12-9 with a 3.44 ERA in 27 starts between Single-A and Advanced Single-A in 2011, and while he doesn't carry the cache of the players listed above him in the D-Backs' minor league depth chart, the D-Backs look forward to Holmberg's development and future ascension nonetheless.

Evan Marshall: RP, Arizona Diamondbacks

With all of the focus placed on the Arizona Diamondbacks' top draft choices in 2011 (Trevor Bauer, Archie Bradley, Andrew Chafin), right-handed pitcher and Kansas State University pitcher Evan Marshall slipped in under the radar in the fourth round.

Marshall's professional debut was outstanding, rising three levels in just two months, finishing up with Double-A Mobile and notching a nifty 1.16 ERA in 27 relief appearances, with six saves and 31 strikeouts in 31 innings against just seven walks.

Marshall won't blow anyone away with his low-90s fastball, but the D-Backs absolutely love his slider, which scouts say is already major league ready.

Brandon Drury: 3B, Atlanta Braves

Third baseman Brandon Drury got off to a slow start after being selected by Atlanta Braves in the 13th round of the 2010 MLB Draft, hitting just .198 for the GCL Braves in the Gulf Coast rookie league in his first taste of professional ball.

However, last season, Drury showed everyone why the Braves are so high on him, hitting .347 to lead the Appalachian League at the age of 18, striking out only 35 times in 265 at-bats. Drury is also playing second base, adding versatility to his expanding resume as well.

Tommy La Stella: 2B, Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves selected second baseman Tommy La Stella with their eighth-round pick in last year's MLB Draft, and La Stella rewarded the Braves' faith in him, responding with a .328 average, a .944 OPS, 13 doubles, five triples, nine homers and 40 RBI in 63 games played.

Considering how easily La Stella handled Single-A pitching in his first professional season, he will likely start the 2012 season at Double-A Mississippi. Considering his numbers thus far, he may not be there for very long, either.

Gabriel Lino: C, Baltimore Orioles

Singed out of Venezuela as a 17-year-old by the Baltimore Orioles, catcher Gabriel Lino certainly impressed in his first professional season, albeit in only 78 at-bats. Lino hit .282 with the Gulf Coast Orioles in rookie league ball.

Lino, at 6'3" and 195 pounds, impresses even more with his defensive prowess behind the plate and very accurate throwing arm, throwing out 28 percent of runners trying to steal. While the Orioles already have a young Matt Wieters behind the plate, Lino definitely presents a rosy picture for the future as well.

Glynn Davis: CF, Baltimore Orioles

It seems odd that Glynn Davis of Catonsville Community College was undrafted in 2011, however with what he's shown thus far in his very short professional career, the Baltimore Orioles are certainly glad that Davis was left untouched.

A shortstop at Catonsville, the Orioles transitioned Davis to center field upon signing him, and he committed only one error in 147 total chances, indicating that his athleticism was far superior than what the O's expected.

In addition, Davis hit .284 and displayed decent plate discipline in his first professional season, progressing all the way to Advanced Single-A Frederick after debuting in rookie league ball.

At 6'3" and 170 pounds, the Orioles expect Davis to add 20-30 pounds, adding more power to his already balanced swing as he continues his development.

Chris Martin: RP, Boston Red Sox

The story of Chris Martin starts back in 2004, when he was drafted out of high school as a flame-throwing right-hander by the Detroit Tigers. Opting to go to college, Martin was again drafted the following year, this time by the Colorado Rockies.

However, Martin thought his dreams of playing professional baseball were over when he tore the labrum in his throwing shoulder. Working odds jobs for three years in Arlington, Texas, Martin's arm eventually healed and he soon began testing his shoulder in a local recreational league, and soon earned a contract to pitch for an independent team managed by former major leaguer Pete Incaviglia.

Incaviglia contacted a scout from the Boston Red Sox, who was soon impressed by Martin's mid-90s fastball and command of the strike zone, signing him to a minor-league contract in March 2010, almost six years after he was first drafted.

Now, Martin could be that much closer to his dream, finishing last season with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs. Martin will likely start the 2012 season with Portland, but considering the barriers he's already faced, it would be of no surprise to anyone if Martin found his way to Boston by the end of the 2012 season.

Marco Hernandez: SS, Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs have done an outstanding job scouring the planet for international players and have loaded the lower levels of their farm system with several low-risk/high-reward players. One of them is young 19-year-old shortstop Marco Hernandez of the Dominican Republic.

Hernandez showed tremendous poise in his first full professional season, hitting .333 in 53 games for the AZL Cubs in rookie league ball. While his defense is still a work in progress, Hernandez displayed great plate discipline with just 29 strikeouts in 210 at-bats, and he has the type of speed that could land him as an explosive leadoff hitter in the future.

Gioskar Amaya: IF, Chicago Cubs

Another international signee of the Chicago Cubs, this time from Venezuela, infielder Gioskar Amaya was outstanding in his rookie debut, hitting .377 for the AZL Cubs, with 19 extra-base hits and a .927 OPS.

Omaya is finding his way in the infield, sharing equal time at short, second and third; however it's his bat and speed that the Cubs currently covet.

Trayce Thompson: CF, Chicago White Sox

When the Chicago White Sox drafted Trayce Thompson with their second-round selection in the 2009 MLB Draft, they realized they were getting a raw, young outfielder with untapped potential.

Despite a rough rookie league campaign that saw him hit just .198, Thompson progressed to Single-A Kannapolis in the South Atlantic League in 2010. Last year, in his second season with Kannapolis, Thompson clubbed 24 home runs with 87 RBI. While he still displays a high strikeout rate and is having trouble recognizing curveballs, Thompson still shows plenty of promise for the future.

Jose Quintana: SP, Chicago White Sox

After spending four years in the New York Yankees' minor league organization, 22-year-old Jose Quintana, originally signed out of Colombia by the New York Mets as a 17-year-old, will get his chance to shine with the Chicago White Sox.

Quintana, who was signed to a minor league deal by the White Sox in early November, posted a 2.91 ERA, 7.8 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 across 102 innings of work (12 starts), easily his best year in professional ball.

White Sox GM Kenny Williams sees a lot in Quintana.

“He’s a strike thrower,” Williams said. “He can spin the breaking ball. He’s got velocity to both sides of the plate. He can grow up and be a starter.”

Juan Perez: SS, Cincinnati Reds

There's an awful lot to like about young 20-year-old shortstop Juan Perez, taken by the Cincinnati Reds in the 26th round of the 2011 MLB Draft.

In just 52 games during his first professional season, Perez hit .316 overall with 15 stolen bases, committing just five errors in 143 total chances. Signed out of JC of the Canyons in California, Perez finished second in his college conference with a .397 batting average and is said to have a tremendous eye at the plate, with quick hands that accelerate through the strike zone.

Henry Rodriguez: 2B, Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds certainly think enough of young 21-year-old infield prospect Henry Rodriguez that they placed him on the 40-man roster, protecting him from the Rule 5 Draft.

Rodriguez, who plays shortstop, second base and third base, split last season at Advanced Single-A Bakersfield and Double-A Carolina, batting a combined .320 with 13 homers and 81 RBI.

Despite what scouts call a quirky swing, Rodriguez continues to hit at every level, registering a .307 lifetime average in the minors thus far.

Chen Chang-Lee: RP, Cleveland Indians

After excelling for Taiwan in the 2008 Summer Olympics, the Cleveland Indians signed pitcher Chen Chang-Lee to a contract in September 2008, and next season could very well see the debut of Lee in an Indians' uniform.

With a mid-90s fastball, above average slider and good developing changeup, Lee posted a 2.40 ERA in 44 relief appearances between Double-A and Triple-A ball in 2011.

Bryce Stowell: RP, Cleveland Indians

After quickly establishing himself as a quality pitcher at the collegiate level with baseball power UC Irvine, the Cleveland Indians selected Bryce Stowell in the 22nd round of the 2008 MLB Draft.

Over the past three seasons, Stowell has quietly and quickly established himself as one of the Indians' premier relief pitching prospects in the minors, posting a 2.09 ERA last season with 57 strikeouts in 38 innings. Arm injuries have limited Stowell, however, and he will have to prove he can stay healthy if he has any chance of impacting the Indians' bullpen in the near future.

Chad Bettis: SP, Colorado Rockies

With the Colorado Rockies recently adding Drew Pomeranz, Alex White, Tyler Chatwood and Kevin Slowey to their starting rotation in an effort to bolster a sagging pitching staff, all eyes are now on young 22-year-old prospect Chad Bettis and what his future may be in a Rockies' uniform.

While Bettis has excelled as a starter on the minor league level, posting an outstanding 12-5 record and 3.30 ERA at Advanced Single-Modesto last season, some believe that the Rockies may be grooming Bettis as their future closer.

Bettis struck out 184 batters against just 45 walks in 169.2 innings last season, and with Rafael Betancourt currently slotted as the Rockies closer, they could work to transition him to the closing role next season.

Rafael Ortega: CF, Colorado Rockies

Already considered one of the best defensive outfielders in the organization, Colorado Rockies prospect Rafael Ortega is starting to impress with the bat as well.

Signed out of Venezuela as a 17-year-old in 2008, Ortega hit .294 with 32 stolen bases last season for Single-A Asheville and also contributed 18 outfield assists.

Ortega's great speed and range, combined with solid plate discipline, make him a candidate as a leadoff hitter sometime in the near future.

Drew Smyly: SP, Detroit Tigers

After an outstanding collegiate career with the University of Arkansas Razorbacks, starting pitcher Drew Smyly was selected by the Detroit Tigers with their second-round pick in the 2010 MLB Draft.

In Smyly's first professional season, he was 11-6 with a 2.07 ERA in 21 starts, including a sparkling 1.18 ERA in seven starts for Double-A Erie. Smyly could best be described as a classic crafty southpaw, mixing speeds with superb command of the strike zone.

While much of the Tigers' press has gone to fellow prospect Jacob Turner, Smyly could easily be making waves in Motown by the end of the 2012 season.

Tyler Collins: Outfielder, Detroit Tigers

Drafted out of Howard Junior College in Big Spring, Texas with the sixth-round selection in the 2011 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers, outfielder Tyler Collins has excelled at every level of ball since high school, and it appears that the minors will be no different.

Collins hit .313 in 43 games with the Connecticut Tigers in the New York-Penn League, with eight HR, 31 RBI and just 17 strikeouts in 163 at-bats.

At 5'11" and 205 pounds, Collins has an excellent chance to hit both power and average, and judging on early results, Tigers fans should be giddy at the prospects.

Austin Wates: Outfielder, Houston Astros

A lanky outfielder from Virginia Tech, Austin Wates was selected in the third round of the 2010 MLB Draft by the Houston Astros. Many, including ESPN's Keith Law, had Wates going much earlier in the draft, but to his and the Astros' surprise, he was available.

The Astros certainly aren't complaining. Wates has done nothing but impress with the bat, hitting .300 last season for Advanced Single-A Lancaster, playing all three outfield positions and stealing 26 bases.

Scouts see Wates as a potential table-setter with the potential to hit for some power and the speed to steal 25-30 bases a season.

Brian Fletcher: LF, Kansas City Royals

Drafted in the 18th round of the 2010 MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals, Brian Fletcher is another player who just keeps on hitting at every level played, including his first professional season.

After a stellar career at Auburn University, during which he hit .357 with 22 HR in his final collegiate season, Fletcher hit .328 in his first full professional season with the Kane County Cougars in Single-A ball, with 14 HR, 60 RBI and a .946 OPS.

Greg Billo: SP, Kansas City Royals

At 6'4" and 220 pounds, one might think that right-handed pitching prospect Greg Billo, drafted out of high school by the Kansas City Royals in the 28th round of the 2008 MLB Draft, might pack a little heat behind his fastball. They would be wrong.

In fact, Billo's fastball sits somewhere between 86-88 MPH and rarely hits 90, but Billo has a three-pitch repertoire (fastball, curve, slow change) that he mixes very effectively with command of all three.

Last season, Billo was 9-5 for the Single-A Kane County Cougars, with a 1.93 ERA in 27 appearances,18 of them starts. Billo's fastball has great late movement, causing quite a few swing and misses.

John Hellweg: SP, Los Angeles Angels

When the Los Angeles Angels drafted tall right-hander John Hellweg in the 16th round of the 2008 MLB Draft, they envisioned a relief pitcher who could bring the heat.

However, in Hellweg's first three professional seasons as a reliever, he certainly brought the heat, striking out 123 batters in 96.1 innings, but he also walked 98 batters, over one an inning.

Hellweg's 2011 season at Advanced Single-A Inland Empire started much the same, with a 7.71 ERA in relief and 2.18 WHIP in just 25.2 innings. The Angels finally decided to move Hellweg to the starting rotations, and the results were dramatic—Hellweg posted a 4-1 record with a 2.12 ERA and 80 Ks in 63.2 innings, cutting his walk rate by close to 65 percent.

Hellweg will likely stay in the rotation, and time will tell if Hellweg has finally found his command.

Matt Long: CF, Los Angeles Angels

The Los Angeles Angels already have a couple of pretty good young center fielders in Peter Bourjos and Mike Trout, however there's another one in their system who is generating plenty of interest as well—Matt Long.

Long, drafted in the 30th round of the 2009 MLB Draft, had a breakout season in 2011 with Advanced Single-A Inland Empire, hitting .301 with 16 HR and 73 RBI before a late-season call-up to Double-A Arkansas.

Long stole 34 bases between the two levels as well and contributed 18 assists from all three outfield positions. With Long's cannon for an arm, great speed and tremendous bat speed and power for his smaller frame (5'11", 170 pounds), Long will continue to impress as he continues moving up.

O'Koyea Dickson: 1B, Los Angeles Dodgers

After helping Sonoma State to its second-ever NCAA Division II Baseball Championship appearance this season, first baseman O'Koyea Dickson was chosen by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 12th round of the 2011 MLB Draft.

Dickson continued to impress on the professional stage, hitting .333 in 48 games for the Ogden Raptors of the rookie Pioneer League, with 13 HR and 38 RBI.

Dickson led the league with a .603 slugging percentage, and his .402 on-base percentage was among the league leaders as well. The Dodgers certainly have high hopes after seeing such an impressive professional debut.

Alfredo Silverio: CF, Los Angeles Dodgers

Overnight sensation is a label that can't be placed on Los Angeles Dodgers 24-year-old outfield prospect Alfredo Silverio, but with his breakout season in 2011, his time may be coming soon.

Silverio led the Double-A Southern League in total bases (289) and triples (18) while finishing second in doubles (42) and hits (163). Silverio primarily played center field; however with Matt Kemp firmly entrenched there long-term, he will likely switch to left field on a permanent basis.

Mark Canha: 1B, Miami Marlins

Drafted by the Miami Marlins in the seventh round of the 2010 MLB Draft, Mark Canha showed impressive power numbers in 2011 with Single-A Greensboro, with 25 HR, 85 RBI and a .902 OPS.

Canha can also play both corner outfield positions as well as first base, which will certainly work in his favor going forward.

Mike Fiers: SP, Milwaukee Brewers

Taken in the 22nd round by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2009 MLB Draft, starting pitcher Mike Fiers came into his own last season between Double-A and Triple-A ball, posting a 13-3 record and 1.86 ERA in 34 appearances, 18 of them starts.

Averaging over a strikeout per inning, Fiers also had a WHIP under 1.00, earning a brief appearance in mid-September for the Brewers last season. Fiers will likely compete for a spot in the bullpen during spring training.

Brian Dozier: SS, Minnesota Twins

There's an awful lot to like about Minnesota Twins shortstop Brian Dozier, selected in the eighth round of the 2009 MLB Draft, especially his ability to hit at any level.

In 2011, Dozier hit a combined .320 between Advanced Single-A and Double-A ball, showing outstanding plate discipline and registering just 12 errors between shortstop and second base.

Manuel Soliman: SP, Minnesota Twins

Originally signed as young 17-year-old infielder out of the Dominican Republic, the Minnesota Twins converted Manuel Soliman to a pitcher in 2009, and they are now starting to see the fruits of their decision.

At Single-A Beloit in the Midwest League, Soliman posted a 3.97 ERA in 25 starts, striking out 120 batters in 136 innings. Still just 22 years old and with only three years of pitching experience, the Twins will continue taking their time with Soliman as he continues to fine-tune his secondary pitches.

Daniel Muno: SS, New York Mets

One look at Daniel Muno's numbers after his first taste of professional baseball with the New York Mets should give a fair indication of exactly why Mets' management is so high on the young shortstop.

Drafted out of Fresno State in the eighth round of last year's MLB draft, Muno hit .355 for the Brooklyn Cyclones in the New York-Penn League, with an equally astounding .466 on-base percentage. Muno drew more walks (43) than strikeouts (39), and added 28 extra-base hits for good measure.

Collin McHugh: SP, New York Mets

After finishing his fourth season in the minors, starting pitcher Collin McHugh, the New York Mets' 18th round pick in the 2008 MLB Draft, appears to finally understand what can propel him to the majors—command and control.

Speaking with MLB.com during action in the Arizona Fall League, McHugh acknowledged that very fact.

"I think most importantly, we're all working on fastball command. The coaches down here and in the Minors, they tell us the way to get to the bigs and stay is to be able to command your fastball, and I think we've been working hard on that," he said. "You want to have more confidence in the zone, get more contact and get more strikeouts."

McHugh appeared to struggle in the first part of the season at Advanced Single-A Port Lucie, however after a promotion to Double-A Binghamton, McHugh turned things around, posting an 8-2 record and 2.89 ERA in 16 starts, striking out 100 batters in 93.1 innings against just 32 walks.

Adam Warren: SP, New York Yankees

With so much talk in the New York Yankees organization revolving around prospects such as Dellin Betances, Manny Banuelos and Jesus Montero, starting pitcher Adam Warren has skipped a bit under the radar, but that's not for a lack of progress on his part.

Warren pitched at Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre for the entire 2011 season, posting a 3.60 ERA in 27 starts. Warren has a fastball that sits in the low 90s and doesn't have spectacular secondary pitches, but command is a huge part of his game, walking less than two batters per start and fewer hits than innings pitched.

While Warren won't confuse anyone for an ace, he can be an effective innings-eater and allow minimal contact with terrific command and movement.

J.R. Murphy: C, New York Yankees

With all of the discussion surrounding great Yankees catching prospects like Jesus Montero, Andrew Romine and Gary Sanchez, another catcher in the system, J.R. Murphy, is quietly making progress as well.

Murphy, a second-round selection by the Yankees in the second round of the 2009 MLB Draft, hit a combined .287 at two levels last season, and while the trio of catchers above him are getting more exposure, Murphy just goes about getting the job done and continuing to impress.

Bobby Crocker: RF, Oakland Athletics

The Oakland Athletics liked outfield prospect Bobby Crocker so much that they drafted him twice.

Crocker, a high school standout at Aptos HS in California, was first drafted by the A's in 2008 but chose to attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. After a stellar collegiate career, the A's selected Crocker again, this time with their fourth-round selection in last year's MLB draft.

Crocker, at 6'3" and 220 pounds, has power to all fields and hits for average, hitting .322 in 32 games with Vermont in the New York-Penn League.

Blake Treinen: RP, Oakland Athletics

Some prospects seem to have almost a pre-planned destiny as far as their major league dreams are concerned, but for Oakland Athletics pitching prospect Blake Treinen, his road thus far has been anything but planned.

Through a series of misfortunes that involved several school changes, Treinen didn't pitch competitively for almost three years before finally landing at South Dakota State. Even just 18 months ago, Treinen was left disappointed when he was selected in the 23rd round of the 2010 MLB Draft by the Florida Marlins and then had his contract voided after the Marlins conducted an MRI that indicated a fraying in Treinen's shoulder.

Turns out the MRI was conducted just three days after Treinen had pitched, without the benefit of Treinen taking time to condition his arm after throwing. Undaunted, Treinen went back to South Dakota State for one more year before the A's drafted him in the seventh round last season.

Treinen impressed in 18 relief appearances in rookie league ball, striking out 29 batters in 27 innings, displaying a solid moving fastball that can hit 97 MPH and walking just seven batters.

Considering what Treinen has already been through, I certainly like his chances of continuing to rise above and make his way through pitfalls and potholes.

Austin Wright: SP, Philadelphia Phillies

Left-handed pitching prospect Austin Wright was drafted three times, the last time by the Philadelphia Phillies in the eighth round of the 2011 MLB Draft. While Wright's college numbers didn't indicate future greatness, there was enough there for the Phillies to invest a pick.

Sure enough, Wright seemed very much at ease in his first year of professional ball, with a combined 4-3 record in 14 starts between rookie league and Single-A ball, with a 3.03 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 68.1 innings. Wright showed off a 95 MPH fastball and showed excellent command with just 22 walks.

Ethan Stewart: SP, Philadelphia Phillies

Drafted out of New Mexico Junior College in the 47th round of the 2010 MLB Draft by the Philadelphia Phillies, tall, Canadian left-hander Ethan Stewart was impressive in his first year of professional, with a 3.39 ERA in 13 starts between Rookie League ball and lower Single-A ball in 2011.

Clearly a work in progress, Stewart has the tools that the Phillies seem to favor over polish when drafting pitchers. A fastball in the low-90s, Stewart still struggles to find the strike zone at times, but the Phillies have done better with far worse than Stewart.

Matt Hague: 1B, Pittsburgh Pirates

First baseman Matt Hague had a breakout season last year with Triple-A Indianapolis, hitting .309 with 12 HR and 75 RBI. Hague was a ninth-round selection for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2008 MLB Draft.

At 26 years of age, however, Hague has to prove that he can hit left-handed pitching consistently if he's finally going to get his shot. Hague's OPS against left-handers was a full 100 points lower than against right-handers. As a right-handed hitter, Hague has to improve in order to help out a Pirates lineup that's currently loaded with left-handed hitters.

Adalberto Santos: 2B/Outfielder, Pittsburgh Pirates

Drafted in the 22nd round of the 2010 MLB Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates, Adalberto Santos spent all of last season at Advanced Single-A Bradenton, hitting a solid .314 with 36 extra-base hits and 27 stolen bases.

The Pirates love Santos' athleticism and have worked him at both corner outfield positions as well as second base. However, Santos will be 24 years old when he starts at Double-A ball next season, so time will be a factor for Santos, and he'll need to continue rapidly developing and impressing.

Alberth Martinez: CF, San Diego Padres

Signed out of Venezuela in 2010, 20-year-old center field prospect Alberth Martinez tore through the Arizona Rookie League last year before being promoted in August, hitting .354 with 25 extra-base hits and 14 stolen bases.

Martinez got a quick look in Advanced Single-A and Triple-A ball as well and will likely start next season at the Double-A level. The Padres love Martinez' speed/power combination potential and will likely continue to push Martinez as he continues his progression.

Brad Brach: RP, San Diego Padres

In four minor league seasons, San Diego Padres pitching prospect Brad Brach, drafted in the 42nd round of the 2008 MLB Draft, put together an impressive resume—2.22 ERA, 112 saves and 283 strikeouts in 223.1 total innings.

Brach earned a late call-up by the Padres last season, posting a 5.14 ERA in nine relief appearances and will likely get a long look for the bullpen in spring training as well. With Heath Bell now with the Miami Marlins, Brach could be the man that manager Bud Black calls upon in the ninth inning.

Gary Brown: CF, San Francisco Giants

It's not too often that a player comes around with the rare ability to run like a deer and hit for power, but that's exactly what the San Francisco Giants found when they drafted Gary Brown in the first round of the 2010 MLB Draft.

Brown stole 53 bases last season at Advanced Single-A San Jose, hitting a robust .336 with 14 HR and 80 RBI. If Brown can prove next season he can hit beyond the hitting-friendly California League, his progression to the majors could come sooner rather than later.

Stefen Romero: IF, Seattle Mariners

When the Seattle Mariners drafted infielder Stefen Romero out of Oregon State with the 12th-round pick in the 2010 MLB Draft, they took a chance on a player whose season had ended prematurely with a broken arm.

However, the Mariners needn't have worried, as Romero excelled last season in Single-A ball, hitting .280 with 16 HR, 65 RBI and an .803 OPS. Romero played both third and second as well as getting some action in left field.

Matt Adams: 1B, St. Louis Cardinals

First base prospect Matt Adams has had to take the hard road in proving he was a viable prospect, but after the season he produced in 2011, no one is doubting Adams' prospect status any longer.

Adams, a 23rd-round selection in the 2009 MLB Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals, set franchise records for both home runs (32) and RBI (101) for the Double-A Springfield Cardinals, hitting .300 with a .923 OPS.

Adams' path to the majors had been blocked by one Albert Pujols, but with Pujols taking his talents to Anaheim, Adams' path to the majors was cleared, and it may not be long before he starts walking that path.

Jeremy Patton: 2B, St. Louis Cardinals

Many experts believed that the St. Louis Cardinals pulled off a real steal with the drafting of first baseman Jeremy Patton in the 38th round of last year's MLB draft.

Patton, who excelled at the collegiate level for Florida International University, was born and raised just outside the St. Louis area and excelled in his first taste of professional baseball with the Batavia Muckdogs in the New York-Penn League, hitting .292 with four HR and 40 RBI.

Patton also showed off his skills defensively, seeing action at second, first, third and right field.

Tyler Bortnick: 2B, Tampa Bay Rays

A 16th-round selection in the 2009 MLB Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays, second base prospect Tyler Bortnick has done nothing but hit at the minor league level, hitting .306 last season for Advanced Single-A Charlotte.

Bortnick displayed a keen eye at the plate as well, posting a .426 on-base percentage while drawing 12 more walks (79) than strikeouts (67).

Bortnick was also recently named one of the AFL's Rising Stars in the recently-completed Fall League.

Roman Mendez: SP, Texas Rangers

Acquired from the Boston Red Sox in the Jarrod Saltalamacchia deal in late 2010, 20-year-old pitching prospect Roman Mendez took big strides during the 2011 season.

At Single-A Hickory in the Sally League, Mendez posted an outstanding 3.31 ERA and 9-1 record in 26 appearances, 20 of them starts. With 130 strikeouts in 117 innings, Mendez represents an excellent power-pitching option for the future with the Rangers.

Drew Hutchison: SP, Toronto Blue Jays

Drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 15th round of the 2009 MLB Draft, starting pitcher Drew Hutchison took a huge step forward during the 2011 season, rising three levels and posting a combined 14-5 record and 2.53 ERA in 27 starts.

Hutchison's outstanding command was evident as well, with a 1.038 WHIP and just 35 walks in 149.1 innings.

Daniel Rosenbaum: SP, Washington Nationals

Taken in the 22nd round of the 2009 MLB Draft by the Washington Nationals, starting pitcher Daniel Rosenbaum took a major step forward in 2011.

Advancing from Advanced Single-A to Double-A ball, Rosenbaum posted a 9-6 record and 2.52 ERA in 25 starts, with two complete games and showing terrific command with a 1.121 WHIP.

The Nationals' future certainly looks bright with its acquisition of Gio Gonzalez and homegrown starters Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann. With guys like Rosenbaum fast developing in the minors, the future is even brighter.