Baseball Prospects Who Might Have Some Impact in the Future

As the pennant races around baseball are heating up, many rookies are contributing to help their teams cause. Players such as 3B Ryan Braun of the Brewers (.334 AVG, 25 HR, 66 RBI), SS Troy Tulowitzki of the Rockies (.296 AVG, 18 HR, 72 RBI), CF Chris B. Young of the Diamondbacks (.236 AVG, 28 HR, 51 RBI, 21 SB), and Yankee Phenoms RP Joba Chamberlain(9 IP, 3 Hits, 15 K's, 0.00 ERA) and SP Phil Hughes (2 Wins, 38.2 IP, 5.35 ERA, 1.22 WHIP) are all trying to help their respective teams make the playoffs. Teams are now relying on their younger players to make impacts, rather than trading them for one great player before the deadline. This means more minor leaguers will be called upon to help their teams make the playoffs for years to come. Here are a few prospects who might help their teams make the playoffs in 2008 and beyond.

Jeff Clement, Catcher, Seattle Mariners.
Drafted out of USC in 2005, Clement has looked good in the minor leagues. This year he is hitting .268 with 19 HR and 74 RBI for AAA Tacoma. Clement should be ready to come to the majors soon, but C Kenji Johjima is behind the plate for the Mariners. If the Mariners want Clements bat in the lineup they will have to open up another position for him, but his future will definitly be behind home plate at some point for the Mariners. He might get a September call up when the rosters expand on September First, but he will make an impact in the 2008 season for the Mariners.

Jay Bruce, OF, Cincinnati Reds.
Bruce has been surging through the Reds farm system this year and has made it up from high class A all the way up to AAA. No matter where he has been in the minors, Bruce has been hitting. He is a power hitting OF and is considered as a good defensive OF. Bruce will take over for Adam Dunn when Dunn leaves as a free agent. If the Reds want to make a run at the playoffs like they did in 2006, they will need Bruce to produce like he has done in the minors.

Reid Brignac, SS, and Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
The reason I put both together is because the Devil Rays will need both of these prospects to have major impacts if they will ever compete with the Red Sox and the Yankees. Brignac is a power hitting SS who is struggling in AA this year, but in 2006 he hit 24 HR between A and AA while hitting over .300. Longoria was the Devil Rays first round pick last year and has done nothing but hit since signing. This year between AA and AAA he has hit 24 HR while maintaining a .300 AVG and a .400 OBP. He could get a September callup this year and he will eventually force Akinori Iwamura over to play 2B. Longoria and Brignac could have the type of impact that Jose Reyes and David Wright have for the Mets. The Devil Rays will need them and the rest of their young talent to produce if the want to win the AL East.