Wondering which young players could have an impact in the majors this year? Let MLB FanHouse guide the way in Better Know a Prospect. In this edition we look at three players from the ridiculously deep Tampa Bay system. David Price, SP: Is this cheating? For all the hype David Price got in the playoffs, the guy's thrown 14 innings in the major leagues during the regular season and 19 2/3 total if you include the postseason. But the Rays think highly enough of young Mr. Price that they traded Edwin Jackson away for Matt Joyce over the winter to slot him into the back of their rotation. That's quite a show of faith in a guy that only made 19 minor league starts before getting the call for the stretch run, but Price deserves it. In his sprint through the minors last year he averaged a strikeout an inning with a 2.30 ERA and a nearly 3:1 K/BB. And we all saw his electric fastball and nasty slider in the playoffs. Ladies and gentleman, meet the preseason front-runner for AL Rookie of the year.
Wade Davis, SP: Another pitcher? Yep. The hitting came last year, but the amount of pitching talent the Rays have in the minors right now is silly. It was rumored that Davis was one of the players the Pirates had their eye on when they were shopping Jason Bay to Tampa last year, but the Rays wouldn't give him up and it's easy to see why. Davis is a 6-foot-5 righty with a mid-90s fastball and a solid curve. He looked very good in a nine start cameo with Triple-A Durham last year. He'll probably go back there to start the year, but he'll certainly be with the Rays by the end of the year, whether it's in Andy Sonnanstine's rotation spot or making a Price-like cameo in the bullpen.
Reid Brignac, SS: Brignac's actually fallen off considerably as a prospect after a rough 2008, but I think he's still the most likely to help the Rays in 2009. I guess I could've mentioned another pitcher here, but I feel like I've got to squeeze at least one position player in. Brignac's got the glove part of playing shortstop down nicely and seemed to be progressing well as a hitter until a pretty disastrous year at the plate in Triple-A last year. Still, he's young with a high ceiling and it's way too early to write him off. The Rays seem to agree, as they were rumored to be shopping Jason Bartlett over the winter. If he starts to flash any of the bat he showed in the lower minors in Durham, be ready for Brignac to be starting at short in Tampa Bay by the All-Star break.
For comprehensive coverage of the minor leagues, visit John Sickels at Minor League Ball and Baseball America. For minor league statistics, visit Baseball-Reference and Minor League Splits.
