Boston Red Sox

1. Clay Buchholz - RHP - DOB: 08/14/84 - ETA: May 2008
7-2, 1.77 ERA, 55 H, 116/22 K/BB in 86 2/3 IP (AA Portland)
1-3, 3.96 ERA, 32 H, 55/13 K/BB in 38 2/3 IP (AAA Pawtucket)
3-1, 1.59 ERA, 14 H, 22/10 K/BB in 22 2/3 IP (Red Sox)

A 2005 supplemental first-round earned through the loss of Pedro Martinez to the Mets, Buchholz emerged as the game's top pitching prospect during the middle of last season, only to be challenged by Joba Chamberlain by year's end. Using a 91-95 mph fastball and two outstanding complimentary pitches in his curve and changeup, the Texas native was able to pitch a no-hitter versus the Orioles in just his second major league start. He was shut down in late September because of some arm fatigue, but it was nothing that was expected to linger. Assuming that the rest of Boston's starters make it through the spring healthy, Buchholz is probably going to get some additional minor league time early on. He hardly needs it, but it could serve to keep his innings total down. He's still sure to have a chance to make a big impact this year, and he could prove to be an ace two or three years from now.

2. Jacoby Ellsbury - OF - DOB: 09/11/83 - ETA: Now
.453/.518/.644, 0 HR, 13 RBI, 7/6 K/BB, 8 SB in 73 AB (AA Portland)
.298/.360/.380, 2 HR, 28 RBI, 47/32 K/BB, 33 SB in 363 AB (AAA Pawtucket)
.353/.394/.509, 3 HR, 18 RBI, 15/8 K/BB, 9 SB in 116 AB (Red Sox)

Ellsbury failed to excel in Triple-A after a red-hot start in Double-A last season, but he helped make up for that by hitting more homers during a 116-at-bat audition with the Red Sox than he had in 436 at-bats in the minors. Ellsbury already offers excellent defense and exceptional basestealing ability. He doesn't walk a whole lot, but his ability to make contact should see to it that he's at least a fair leadoff hitter. Whether he's truly the 10- or 15-homer guy he appeared to be during the final month of last year will determine if he's merely an above average regular or a future All-Star. Like Johnny Damon, he takes a completely different approach when he wants drive the ball. Most of the time, he's an inside-out guy. Since it seems to work for him, he could prove to be a better all-around hitter than the minor league numbers suggest. Either way, he should be a very good fantasy outfielder for the foreseeable future.

3. Lars Anderson - 1B - DOB: 09/25/87 - ETA: 2010
.288/.385/.443, 10 HR, 69 RBI, 112/71 K/BB, 2 SB in 458 AB (A- Greenville)
.343/.489/.486, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 9/11 K/BB, 0 SB in 35 AB (A Lancaster)

The Red Sox gambled on several big-ticket players in the 2006 draft, and while they couldn't land Matt LaPorta after selecting him in the 14th round, they did get Anderson, an 18th-rounder, to forgo his college scholarship by giving him supplemental first-round money. It looks like an outstanding investment so far. Anderson has an advanced approach and a swing that promises 30-homer power after he fills out. His glove lags behind his bat, but he'll be an adequate first baseman in time. He could prove to be a No. 3 or No. 4 hitter in a major league lineup.

4. Jed Lowrie - SS - DOB: 04/17/84 - ETA: April 2009
.297/.410/.501, 8 HR, 49 RBI, 58/65 K/BB, 5 SB in 337 AB (AA Portland)
.300/.356/.506, 5 HR, 21 RBI, 33/12 K/BB, 0 SB in 160 AB (AAA Pawtucket)
.163/.236/.245, 1 HR, 14 RBI, 14/10 K/BB, 3 SB in 98 AB (AFL Mesa)

Lowrie isn't the new Dustin Pedroia, but the two share some similarities. Both put up great numbers at top college programs (Arizona State and Stanford, respectively), yet neither was looked at as a true first-rounder coming out of school because of a perceived lack of athleticism. The Red Sox drafted both and used them at shortstop, even though neither figured to stay there for long. Lowrie has displayed surprisingly strong range at the position, but since he doesn't have a great arm, he still projects better at second. One of the best hitters in the minors over the final four months of last season, Lowrie could be a doubles machine at Fenway. He's also strong enough to hit 10 homers per year, and he knows the value of a walk. Because they have no place to play him, the Red Sox are open to trading him. However, they're not going to let a potential above average regular go cheap.

5. Michael Bowden - RHP - DOB: 09/09/86 - ETA: July 2009
2-0, 1.37 ERA, 35 H, 46/8 K/BB in 46 IP (A Lancaster)
8-6, 4.28 ERA, 105 H, 82/33 K/BB in 96 2/3 IP (AA Portland)

The Red Sox had little choice but to go to Lancaster for two years once they were dumped by their Carolina League affiliate. Worried about what kind of an effect it would have on their top pitching prospects, they had Buccholz skip the level. However, Bowden did start the year there and ended up dominating for a month and a half, even though the conditions were proving even more inhospitable than predicted. Unfortunately, Bowden didn't keep it up after reaching Double-A in May. Left-handers hit .299 against him, and his flyball tendencies started catching up to him, though he did finish 5-2 with a 3.42 ERA in nine starts after the break. Bowden throws 91-95 mph and has a swing-and-miss curveball. If he can learn to spot that pitch better and improve his changeup, he'd be a potential top-of-the-rotation starter. As is, he looks like more of a No. 3 or No. 4.

6. Justin Masterson - RHP - DOB: 03/22/85 - ETA: May 2009
8-5, 4.33 ERA, 103 H, 56/22 K/BB in 95 2/3 IP (A Lancaster)
4-3, 4.34 ERA, 49 H, 69/18 K/BB in 58 IP (AA Portland)

A 4.33 ERA isn't normally the type of figure that gets a player moving up prospect lists, but Masterson did it while spending most of the season at Single-A Lancaster. Things were so crazy there that the JetHawks scored 1,081 runs in 140 games, despite not having any top prospects in the lineup. Masterson got moved up in July and didn't see his ERA drop in a more typical offensive environment, though he did improve both his strikeout and groundball rates. On the season, he got 2 ½ groundouts for every one through the air. It's his low-90s sinker that figures to be his ticket to the majors, though some still believe he'd be best utilized as a late-game reliever. He's shown signs of improving his changeup and he can get strikeouts with his slider, so he has a chance of developing into a No. 3 starter. He's more likely than Bowden to help out this year.

7. Ryan Kalish - OF - DOB: 03/28/88 - ETA: 2011
.368/.471/.540, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 12/16 K/BB, 18 SB in 87 AB (SS-A Lowell)

It was just 23 games, but Kalish turned a lot of heads in the New York-Penn League before wrist surgery shut him down in mid-July. Like Anderson, he was bought away from a scholarship in 2006, getting second-round money despite being Boston's ninth-round pick. A left-handed hitter, Kalish offers very good speed and a terrific approach. His build suggests he'll be at least a 15-homer guy by the time he's a finished product. He may not stay in center -- the Red Sox shouldn't need him there anyway -- but he has the arm for right field. His appearance in the Johan Santana rumors won't be the last time he's mentioned in trade talks.

8. Brandon Moss - OF - DOB: 09/16/83 - ETA: June 2008
.282/.363/.471, 16 HR, 78 RBI, 148/61 K/BB, 3 SB in 493 AB (AAA Pawtucket)
.280/.379/.440, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 6/4 K/BB, 0 SB in 25 AB (Boston)

After maintaining a 900 OPS through the end of June, Moss slumped at Pawtucket over the final two months of the season, something that may have cost him his chance of making the Red Sox as a reserve this year. He still had a fine season for a 23-year-old in the International League. He hangs in pretty well against left-handers and he's a fine defensive right fielder capable of handling center when absolutely necessary. The Red Sox also have him working out at first base. Odds are that he'll never be good enough to start for Boston, but since he could post a solid average and hit 20 homers per year, maybe he'll get a look as a regular elsewhere. Another fast start would help his chances of being traded.

9. Daniel Bard - RHP - DOB: 06/25/85 - ETA: 2010
3-5, 6.42 ERA, 55 H, 38/56 K/BB in 61 2/3 IP (A- Greenville)
0-2, 10.13 ERA, 21 H, 9/22 K/BB in 13 1/3 IP (A Lancaster)
0-0, 1.08 ERA, 8 H, 15/15 K/BB in 16 2/3 IP (HWL Honolulu)

Viewed as a top-10 talent in the 2006 draft, Bard slipped to No. 28 because of his bonus demands. The Red Sox got him signed too late for him to pitch in 2006 and then had him start 2007 at the ridiculous offensive environment at Lancaster. Bard was awful there and little better following his demotion, but he did bounce back as a reliever in the Hawaiian Winter League, even if he kept walking far too many guys. Bard still has one thing that can't be taught: a fastball that's topped out at 101 mph. He also possesses a slider than comes and goes as a plus pitch. Perhaps he's just a reliever, but he could prove to be a very good one.

10. Oscar Tejeda - SS - DOB: 12/26/89 - ETA: 2013
.295/.344/.399, 1 HR, 21 RBI, 27/15 K/BB, 6 SB in 173 AB (R GCL Red Sox)
.298/.347/.394, 0 HR, 12 RBI, 26/6 K/BB, 4 SB in 94 AB (SS-A Lowell)

Given a $550,000 bonus to sign out of the Dominican Republic in 2006, Tejeda is the one player in Boston's top 10 that wasn't drafted by the team. A talented defensive shortstop, Tejeda exceeded expectations by more than simply holding his own as a 17-year-old last year. It looks like he'll get a crack at full-season ball at age 18. Tejeda probably won't offer big-time power, but he hits plenty of liners and runs well. It'll be 2009 or 2010 before he's ready to put up particularly good minor league numbers.


Next five: LHP Nick Hagadone, OF Jason Place, C George Kottaras, 1B Chris Carter, OF Josh Reddick

Unwilling to pay the price for Johan Santana, the Red Sox still have what may be the game's deepest farm system. I think left-hander Kris Johnson would have made every other team's top 15. Craig Hansen, who had a little too much service time to qualify anyway, would have come in 17th. Two very notable 2007 draft picks, Will Middlebrooks and Ryan Dent, failed to crack the lists, as did big international signings Michael Almanzar and Che-Hsuan Lin. … Hagadone was Boston's top pick last year and offers middle-of-the-rotation potential. … Place, a 2006 first-rounder, remains a big-time project after striking out 160 times last season. Still, as one of the circuit's youngest players, he managed an OPS 35 points above the league average in Hawaii over the winter. … Kottaras hit .318/.389/.582 in the second half for Triple-A Pawtucket. He probably won't be a starting catcher, but he should contribute as a role player. … Reddick hit .306/.352/.531 as a 20-year-old in the Sally League.


2007 top 15: Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, Clay Buchholz, George Kottaras, Michael Bowden, Daniel Bard, Jason Place, Bryce Cox, Kris Johnson, Brandon Moss, Lars Anderson, David Murphy, Felix Doubront, Edgar Martinez, Justin Masterson

2006 top 15: Andy Marte, Dustin Pedroia, Jon Lester, Jonathan Papelbon, Craig Hansen, Jacoby Ellsbury, Kelly Shoppach, Jed Lowrie, Manny Delcarmen, Brandon Moss, Luis Soto, Clay Buchholz, Edgar Martinez, David Murphy, Abe Alvarez

2005 top 10: Hanley Ramirez, Dustin Pedroia, Kelly Shoppach, Jonathan Papelbon, Jon Lester, Anibal Sanchez, Abe Alvarez, Luis Soto, Brandon Moss, David Murphy

2004 top 10: Kevin Youkilis, Hanley Ramirez, Kelly Shoppach, Charlie Zink, David Murphy, Jon Lester, Chad Spann, Juan Cedeno, Matt Murton, Abe Alvarez

2003 top 10: Hanley Ramirez, Kevin Youkilis, Freddy Sanchez, Phil Dumatrait, Kelly Shoppach, Jon Lester, Manny Delcarmen, Tony Blanco, Josh Hancock, Jerome Gamble

Continue story ...