Vote for Pedro?

Pirates fans are excited about this week's call-up of 3B prospect Pedro Alvarez, the second overall pick of the 2008 MLB Draft. And rightfully so - Pittsburgh is desperate for some star power, and Alvarez has that potential. Alvarez jacked 13 homers in 242 at-bats this year at Triple-A Indianapolis and projects to be a power-hitting corner outfielder for the Bucs for years to come. The 23-year-old has already relegated former prospect Andy LaRoche to the bench.

So what kind of fantasy impact can Alvarez make? The chance for regular playing time in Pittsburgh certainly helps his case, and power from the 3B position is at a premium. If things go well for the kid from here on out, you might expect 15 or so homers and a .270-.280ish average the rest of the way, which is nothing to sniff at in NL-only leagues. I'm not sure Pedro's ready to make much of a splash in mixed leagues yet as a regular fantasy starter, but he could be a useful player off your bench and definitely deserves consideration in keeper leagues.

Prospect watch: Jennings, Alvarez and more

Really want to get ahead of the competition in your 2010 baseball league? Familiarize yourself with Baseball America's Top 100 Prospects list, released last week.

Some of the guys I'll be targeting this year:

1. Jason Heyward, OF, Braves: The 20-year-old has steamrolled his way through the minors and should be an early season call-up if he doesn't make the Braves' big league club outright this spring. This story should give you some sense of his raw power.

6. Desmond Jennings, OF, Rays: He was 52-for-59 in steals last year in the minors and will be a fixture of Tampa Bay's outfield for years to come. That kind of speed is hard to find in the majors, which is why you'll want Jennings on your bench whenever he makes it to the big leagues.

8. Pedro Alvarez, 3B, Pirates: He smashed 27 HRs in the minors last year, and although he's got to cut down his strikeouts, he'll be breathing down Andy LaRoche's neck for playing time in 2010.

9. Neftali Feliz, RHP, Rangers: Hopefully you saw what the fireballer did last year in a bullpen cameo in the majors (1.74 ERA, 11.32 strikeouts per nine innings in 20 relief appearances), and that was before he developed what scouts are calling a great changeup. Whether he's a starter or reliever this year, he's someone to grab.

22. Aroldis Chapman, LHP, Reds: A lefty who throws 100 mph? Sign me up. The Cuban import is a big unknown, but he's the kind of talent you take a flier on.

Manny to Hollywood and more trade impacts

Now that the MLB trading deadline has come and gone, let's review the major deals from a fantasy perspective:

Manny Ramirez to Dodgers: I don't see Manny's value taking much of a dip in L.A. The change of scenery should bring out the carefree knucklehead we're used to seeing, and although the breakup of baseball's most feared duo (Manny and David Ortiz) hurts both players a bit, both should continue their slugging ways.

Jason Bay to Red Sox: Bay is no Manny, but he's an All-Star-caliber player, and he'll certainly benefit from playing in Fenway Park with a much better supporting cast than he had in Pittsburgh. He was in the midst of a really nice bounceback year, and he's already taken a liking to life with the Sox (homer, three RBIs, six runs scored, three walks in three games).

Craig Hansen, Andy LaRoche, Brandon Moss to Pirates: Three of the four minor leaguers Pittsburgh acquired in their big three-team deal will get immediate playing time with the big league club. Hansen will be in the mix in the Pirates' bullpen and could be their closer of the future, a job he didn't have much chance of taking from Jonathan Papelbon in Boston. Save-scavengers take notice. Moss has a bright future as the Pirates' everyday left fielder, though he's probably a year or two away from making real fantasy contributions. LaRoche, once considered the Dodgers' third baseman of the future before falling out of favor, now holds that distinction in Pittsburgh, where he'll man the hot corner across the diamond from his big brother Adam. He's definitely worth adding in NL-only leagues if he's not owned already, but beyond that, take a wait-and-see approach as he gets his first real shot at regular playing time.



Ken Griffey Jr. to White Sox: Junior's uneventful tenure in Cincinnati comes to a close as he finally gets dealt to a contender. It's a shame he's no longer an elite player and no more than a third or fourth fantasy outfielder at best, but there's a chance a pennant race and the opportunity to play centerfield again gives his bat a little extra life for the next two months. The deal also means less playing time for the fading Paul Konerko as Nick Swisher moves from center to first base.

Ivan Rodriguez to Yankeees: We've seen Pudge change addresses a few times before with no problem, and the relocation to New York's powerful lineup shouldn't affect him much. While no longer a top-level fantasy catcher, his near-.300 average is more than adequate, and he's right on target for the same kind of numbers we've seen from him the past few years in Detroit. Nothing to worry about here.

Kyle Farnsworth to Tigers: Detroit had to upgrade the back end of its bullpen with Todd Jones faltering in the closer's role, replacement Fernando Rodney following in his footsteps and Joel Zumaya being an injury risk. Farnsworth's struggles in big spots are well-documented, but the fact remains he's a strikeout machine (averaging a K per inning this year) and could see save opportunities before long.

Mark Teixeira to Angels: Big Tex's move to L.A. means the Angels finallly have a serious hitter to plant in the middle of their lineup and give Vlad Guererro some help. Teixeira is a notorious second-half player, and we should see a slightly better average from him down the stretch to go with those home runs.

Casey Kotchman to Braves: Kotchman, one of the young talents the Halos have been hesitant to part with the past few years, will step in as Atlanta's everyday first baseman, and though he's a decent player, his limitations as a power hitter make him no more than a middle-tier first baseman in mixed leagues.

The Class of 2008

It's hard to believe Joba Chamberlain is technically a rookie. Seems like we've been debating the New York Yankee's future (starter or reliever?), his antics on the mound (youthful exuberance or bad sportsmanship?) and his place in pinstriped lore (great Yankee or greatest Yankee?) for years.

Despite the plethora of back-page headlines and sports talk radio rants devoted to him, it's easy to forget the guy hasn't yet pitched 50 big league innings and has only begun reaching his potential. Still, the mastery he's already shown as a setup man (2.28 ERA, 12 holds, more than a strikeout an inning) has been valuable in the fantasy game, and his stock only rises as the Yanks continue converting him into a starter.

Chamberlain's just one of many in the Class of 2008 who are already helping fantasy teams or who will be in the near future:

HERE TO STAY

Evan Longoria already looks like a polished pro and is a cornerstone of the surprising Tampa Bay Rays at third base. When he figures out how to hit lefties (.154 average) and cuts down on his strikeouts (44 Ks vs. 19 walks) he'll enter David Wright territory.

Joey Votto has the Cincinnati Reds' first base job all to himself now that Scott Hatteberg is out of the picture. And rightfully so - double-digit homers and an average around .300 are more than adequate from a corner infielder.

Reds center fielder Jay Bruce may have an even higher ceiling than Votto in the long run, as he showed in his debut last week (3-for-3, two RBIs, stolen base, two runs scored). There's a reason he's baseball's top prospect.

If you didn't know who Geovany Soto was at the start of the year, you do now that the Chicago Cubs rookie leads all major league catchers in RBIs.

Jacoby Ellsbury is well on his way to a 40-steal campaign, but the Boston Red Sox outfielder is holding his own at the plate, which justifies a starting fantasy spot.

MAKING CONTRIBUTIONS

St. Louis Cardinals reliever Chris Perez has been virtually unhittable since his call-up two weeks ago and has yet to allow a run. It's only a matter of time before the righty is closing out games, so keeper leaguers and Ryan Franklin/Jason Isringhausen owners take note.

Clayton Kershaw just turned 20 years old, but the Los Angeles Dodgers have already put him in their rotation, at least for the time being. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound lefty will experience some hiccups, but his reputation as a strikeout artist can't be overlooked.

Speaking of hiccups, Johnny Cueto's had a few lately for the Reds after setting the league on fire his first few starts. Relegate him to your bench for now, but don't give up on his long-term potential.

Injuries opened a spot for lefty Aaron Laffey in the Cleveland Indians' rotation, but effective pitching (1.59 ERA, 0.89 WHIP) is keeping him there.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have used righty Max Scherzer as both a starter and a reliever. Either way, he's getting batters out (29 Ks in 25 2/3 innings, 2.10 ERA).

Jair Jurrjens fills the Atlanta Braves' quota of Curacao natives now that Andruw Jones is gone, but he's also given them a more-than-capable (5-3, 2.86 ERA) starting pitcher.

Former Red Sox farmhand David Murphy is one of several Texas Rangers mashing the cover off the ball (.291, 21 RBIs in May).

COMING SOON

Rays lefty David Price, the top overall pick in last year's draft, recently outpitched Pedro Martinez when the New York Mets star was making a rehab start in a Single-A game. The polished Price could be on the fast track to a big league call-up by the end of the year.

Switch-hitting third baseman/outfielder Chase Headley is tearing up Triple-A pitching and could make a cameo any day now for the sinking San Diego Padres.

The Dodgers, plagued by injuries and a lack of offense, could soon turn to third base prospect Andy LaRoche (career .900 OPS in the minors) for some help

Photos by The Associated Press