The Future Is Now

In Major League Baseball, we all know who is `now.’ Alex Rodriguez has established himself as far and away, the most dominant offensive force in the sport; Josh Beckett and Jake Peavy lead the way in respective Cy Young races; and new stars like Colorado’s Matt Holliday are bursting onto the scene.

Someone once uttered, “The future is now.” Taking those words to heart, here are the top 50 future stars of Major League Baseball.

50. Danny Richar, 2B, Chicago White Sox

Richar got his first shot in the Majors right before the trade deadline this year, and went 2-3 in his first professional game. Filling the shoes of Tadahito Iguchi is no easy task for anyone, but Richar has done a respectable job thus far, hitting six home runs and driving in 14 runs in 46 games. He will need to cut down on the strikeouts a bit and work on his defense, but Richar is a talented 24-year-old with a chance to be the future of this White Sox infield.

49. Josh Fields, 3B/OF, Chicago White Sox

Fields is the other young infielder the White Sox expect big things from. Another 24-year-old, Fields has smashed 20 home runs and 63 RBI’s in his first full season. Obviously a big power guy, Fields’ main weakness is his inability to hit for a high average or get on base at a good rate. He also needs to work on his defense, but with a career slugging average of .462, Fields will get his time to improve.

48. Alexi Casilla, 2B, Minnesota Twins

Casilla started playing regularly after Luis Castillo was traded to the Mets in July, and seems to be a typical second baseman, showing flashes of brilliance on defense, and stealing 11 bases in just 50 games. Casilla will have to start working on his eye at the plate, but with solid speed and defensive ability, the 24-year-old will get plenty of playing time in the Twins’ infield.

47. Franklin Gutierrez, OF, Cleveland Indians

One of a fresh trio of Indians that made an impact this year, the 24-year-old Gutierrez is having a solid year on both sides of the ball. He’s currently slugging .502, thanks in large part to his 13 home runs and 36 RBI’s. Gutierrez is also a very good outfielder, with just 1 error in 86 games. As is the case with most young sluggers, Gutierrez needs to cut down on the strikeouts, but he should be a fixture in the Cleveland outfield for years to come.

46. Ben Francisco, OF, Cleveland Indians

Francisco is another outfielder the Indians gave playing time to this year, and did he ever come through. In just 22 games, Francisco has 3 home runs, including one walk-off, and is hitting .275. Francisco is the elder of the future stars thus far at 26 years old, but is just getting his first shot this year. Also a strong outfielder, Francisco will be getting more time next year after his strong 2007 debut. Tiger fans: Imagine a future Indians outfield of Francisco, Gutierrez and Grady Sizemore and try not to shudder.

45. Asdrubal Cabrera, 2B, Cleveland Indians

Cabrera seems to have wrestled away the starting spot at second base from Josh Barfield, and deservedly so. He’s made just 1 error in 35 games, and is getting on base over 35% of the time he steps in. Cabrera is only 21 years old but already making his mark on one of the best teams in the league in the heat of a playoff race. His .287 average is no fluke either; the kid’s a solid hitter. The Cabrera/Jhonny Peralta double play duo should be flourishing in the middle of the Cleveland infield for a while.

44. Jack Hannahan, 3B, Oakland Athletics

In 33 games replacing the injured Eric Chavez, the 27-year-old rookie Hannahan has only hit .296, slugged .461, and gotten on base at a clip of .397. With the recent offensive struggles and terrible injury history of Chavez, the A’s might even consider trading him if Hannahan keeps this up. Granted, Hannahan is not as good on defense as Chavez, but it’s hard to live up to six straight gold gloves. No matter what happens, Hannahan will be playing somewhere, for someone, after this 2007 performance.

43. Adam Jones, OF, Seattle Mariners

Jones had a short stint with the big club last year, but has made significant offensive improvements in his 2007 campaign. His average jumped to .288, his slugging percentage to .442, and on-base percentage to .339, the latter being a leap of over 100 points. Jones seems to be a bit nervous and shaky in the outfield occasionally, but with offensive numbers like that, he should be starting next year alongside Ichiro and Raul Ibanez. Oh, did I mention he’s only 22?

42. Daric Barton, 1B, Oakland Athletics

Another 22-year-old, Barton has been a pretty hot prospect for a couple years now, and has finally gotten his chance recently for the A’s. An average of .310, slugging percentage of .476, and on-base percentage of .388 will make Billy Beane a very happy G.M. Granted, he’s only played in 10 big league games, but judging by Barton’s ridiculous minor league numbers, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if he supplanted Dan Johnson as the A’s starting first baseman in the very near future.

41. Tony Abreu, 3B, Los Angeles Dodgers

Another hot prospect getting his first shot, Abreu has done plenty to impress the Dodgers’ brass. In 55 games this season, mostly split between second and third base, the 22-year-old has slugged .387, held an average of .267, and struck out just 19 times. A little shaky on defense, Abreu will need to concentrate on that aspect of his game before next spring, but should definitely be the leading candidate to start at third base for the Dodgers next year.

40. Brendan Ryan, INF, St. Louis Cardinals

Ryan, a 25-year-old rookie, has done a great job filling in for injured starters, splitting time between third base, shortstop, and second base throughout the season. The defense has been below average, but his offensive production has made up for it. Ryan has hit .308 and gotten on base at a .360 clip in 59 games for the Cardinals. With the injury history of Scott Rolen, there is no reason why Ryan shouldn’t get plenty of playing time next year as well.

39. Cameron Maybin, OF, Detroit Tigers

Just 20 years old, the Tigers rushed Maybin up to the majors this year, and though his offensive numbers haven’t impressed yet, the kid is an amazing young talent. He hasn’t made an error yet in the outfield and has pretty good speed. His first and only home run thus far was hit off Roger Clemens, who rewarded him with a fastball in the elbow his next time up. Ignore the weak offensive numbers; he’s a rising star, and one to watch.

38. Kurt Suzuki, C, Oakland Athletics

It took the A’s long enough to figure out that Jason Kendall was a waste of their money, and when they finally traded him to let Suzuki take over starting duties, they got exactly what they needed. In 61 games, the 23-year-old has hit just .255, but has an on-base percentage of .336 and has almost doubled Kendall’s two-year total for home runs with the A’s (7). A solid defender as well, Suzuki is undoubtedly the A’s catcher of the future.

37. Michael Bourn, OF, Philadelphia Phillies

This speedy 24-year-old gives the Phillies tons of options with their lineup. He has the speed and the on-base percentage to be a leadoff hitter so Jimmy Rollins can hit lower with more men on base, or he can be a productive bottom-of-the-order guy. Bourn is your typical table-setter, with 18 steals in 90 games this season, while only being caught once. He has yet to make an error in the majors as well. The only real concern with Bourn is that he’s only walked 13 times this year, a low number for a guy you want on base in front of the likes of Chase Utley and Ryan Howard.

36. Ryan Raburn, OF, Detroit Tigers

Twenty-six-year-old Raburn has played 42 games this season and is hitting over .300, with a slugging percentage north of .470. He has an on-base percentage of .341 and has been an excellent call-up for Detroit this season. The best thing about Raburn is that he can play outfield and infield, and between the outfield, second base, and third base, he has made 1 error. Look for the Tigers to have a speedy young outfield of Raburn, Maybin and Curtis Granderson in the near future (Magglio Ordonez to DH, Gary Sheffield to 1B, Sean Casey…sayonara!).

35. Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds

Votto has just turned 24 years old, and has only played 14 major league games, but you would never know by his stats. The guy is hitting .366 with 2 home runs in just 41 at-bats. Throw in the .610 slugging percentage and the astonishing .435 on-base percentage, you have the next Mark Teixeira in the making. If not better. And, yes, he can play defense. His fielding percentage currently sits at an even 1.000.

34. Geovany Soto, C, Chicago Cubs

If you thought Votto’s numbers were impressive, wait until you see what this young stud’s putting up. Soto was recently brought up to replace a worthless Jason Kendall behind the plate for the Cubbies. And through his first 11 games, he’s hitting .387 with a .711 slugging percentage and an on-base percentage of .441. Maybe Soto has finally reached his potential with his third stint in the majors, and if so, at age 24, his future is bright.

33. Rajai Davis, OF, San Francisco Giants

Davis is a ridiculously-gifted rookie who was traded mid-season from the Pirates to the Giants. Since fleeing to the Bay Area, Davis has been one of the most productive, unnoticed leadoff men in the league. The 26-year-old outfielder is hitting .303 with an on-base percentage of .376 through 42 games for the Giants. He is one of the fastest young players in the majors, evident by his 15 stolen bases. Along with some flawless defense, Davis should be a major part of the Giants’ inevitable future youth movement.

32. Delwyn Young, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers

Young has been used sparingly by the Dodgers since being called up, but he’s still mashing. In 11 games, he’s 7-17 with an on-base percentage of .412. Los Angeles is loaded with young talent in the outfield, with Matt Kemp, Juan Pierre and Andre Ethier, but if they can successfully convert Young into a second baseman, the 25-year-old should make a fine replacement for Jeff Kent eventually. Just a little taste of Young’s potential: 18 home runs and 98 RBI’s in AAA in 2006.

31. Conor Jackson, OF/1B, Arizona Diamondbacks

Jackson is in his second full major league season, and he continues to be a steady cog in the young Arizona lineup. His two-year totals include 29 home runs and 133 RBI’s, while his average hovers around .285. His on-base percentage is right around .350, and he plays solid defense both at first base and in the outfield. This 25-year-old is just going to keep getting better and better for a Diamondbacks team that has a scary amount of young talent on it.

30. Mark Reynolds, 3B, Arizona Diamondbacks

Continuing with the young D’back stars, Reynolds came in to fill Chad Tracy’s spot and has turned more than a few heads.  Besides batting .276, the 24-year-old has slugged 15 home runs and driven in 57 RBI’s. He plays a shaky third base at best, and strikes out too much, but with his power numbers, he can focus on fixing those problems in the off season.

29. Brendan Harris, 2B/SS, Tampa Bay Devil Rays

After five separate stints in the majors with four teams, Harris finally found a home in Tampa Bay. He has split time between second base and shortstop, and excelled at both positions. He has a pretty solid glove, but what really stood out this season are his offensive numbers. He’s hitting .286 with 12 home runs and 59 RBI’s through 135 games. This 27-year-old is an elder by Devil Ray standards, but will be a key contributor for a few years.

28. Billy Butler, DH/1B/OF, Kansas City Royals

Butler has also been a hot prospect for a while now, and is showing his offensive prowess in 2007. Just 21 years old, he is hitting .294 with 7 home runs and 49 RBI’s this season, but has been used primarily as a DH because of his poor defense. Butler has an on-base percentage of .351 and should be a future star for the Royals, as long as he can turn around his defense.

27. Reggie Willits, OF, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Reggie Willits in my mind is a mold of Juan Pierre: A good defender, who hits just under .300 every year and steals a good amount of bases. The only differences between the two are that Willits gets on base almost 40% of the time, and Pierre steals more bases. But who’s going to complain about 26 stolen bases? The Angels certainly won’t, and there’s no reason that the 26-year-old Willits won’t be one of the Angels’ outfielders for years to come.

26. Stephen Drew, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks

Twenty-four-year-old Drew is the younger brother of J.D., a huge bust so far, and hopefully Stephen will pan out differently. He has enormous potential on the offensive side. This year his numbers have dropped a lot, but he is still producing and playing strong defense. Despite hitting just .229, Drew has 11 home runs and 55 RBI’s, and just needs to work out a few kinks here and there (as well as not follow in J.D.’s injury-ridden footsteps) and there’s no doubt in my mind he will be a huge star.

25. Delmon Young, OF, Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Twelve home runs and a .290 average is nothing special in a first full season for a highly-touted prospect like Young, but two numbers really jump off the page when you look at his stats. First, he’s driven in 90 runs on the season, which tops names like Manny Ramirez, Jim Thome and Jorge Posada. Secondly, he has 16 outfield assists, which puts him with the elite in that category. Young is just 22 years old, and should be the main man for the Devil Rays as long as he isn’t tossing bats around at umpires.

24. Kendry Morales, 1B/DH, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Morales is a Cuban defect like Jose Contreras, only a much better hitter. A 24-year-old switch hitter, he is hitting .314 for the Halos this season and is slugging an even .500. The Angels expect huge things from Morales in the future, and he should be one of those key guys along with Vlad Guerrero, Chone Figgins, and Casey Kotchman, who help make the Angels a yearly contender.

23. Kevin Kouzmanoff, 3B, San Diego Padres

Kouzmanoff is 27 years old, and seems to be just getting the hang of playing in the majors. He’s hitting .270 with 17 home runs and 68 RBI’s on the season, and has been a big hitter at times for a Padre offense lacking in big hitters. A soft spot of Kouzmanoff’s game has definitely been on the defensive side, but he’s also known for making some spectacular plays, so it’s essentially a push.

22. Justin Upton, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks

Upton is this high on the list because he is hitting .232 with an on-base percentage below .300, and has a .925 fielding percentage. What? Okay, so it’s a big potential pick. The kid is just barely 20 years old, and judging by what his older brother B.J. has done for the Devil Rays this year, I expect Upton to at least be an all-star by age 22.

21. Joba Chamberlain, RP, New York Yankees

Finally, our first pitcher and who better than the 20-year-old phenom Chamberlain? He’s thrown 18.1 innings this season, allowed one earned run for an ERA of 0.49, and only allowed 10 hits. Getting a hit off the kid in the first place is a minor miracle, because he’s also struck out 24 batters and walked just 5. Chamberlain will undoubtedly be Mariano Rivera’s successor as the Yankees’ closer, and will it ever be fun to watch.

20. Rick Ankiel, OF, St. Louis Cardinals

Everyone knows the story of Ankiel’s transformation from hot pitching prospect, turned spastic Wild Thing, turned power-hitting outfielder. He’s hitting .273 with 9 home runs and 30 RBI’s in just 39 games for the Cardinals this year. He has an impressive slugging percentage of .538, and has handled the pressure of a playoff race surprisingly well. At 28 years old, Ankiel still has his best years ahead of him, and as long as the newly-discovered HGH problems don’t mess with his career, he could develop into an all-star slugger.

19. Shelley Duncan, OF, New York Yankees

The younger brother of St. Louis Cardinal Chris Duncan, Shelley busted onto the scene and into New Yorkers’ hearts this season with 3 home runs and 7 RBI’s in his first three professional games. After 29 games total, the 27-year-old has 6 home runs, 15 RBI’s and a slugging percentage of .541. With the Yankees’ plethora of talent, it will be tough for Duncan to get time unless he really starts improving his average, but he will be a star somewhere in a few years.

18. Joey Gathright, OF, Kansas City Royals

Gathright is 26 years old, and by far the fastest player I’ve seen play baseball. He’s hitting .309 this year with 9 stolen bases, but has Jose Reyes stolen base numbers written all over him. Once Gathright matures a bit and starts focusing on being a speedy on-base percentage kind of a player, he will be a very solid leadoff man for a Royals team that actually has a lot of potential bright spots.

17. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C, Texas Rangers

The fresh, 22-year-old Saltalamacchia is going to be a superstar catcher in a couple years. He reminds me of Joe Mauer hitting from the left side but he hits for less average. Saltalamacchia has a ton of power and will drive in runs in Texas like nobody’s business. He’s got a pretty solid arm behind the plate and can also play a little first base if need be.

16. Lastings Milledge, OF, New York Mets

Milledge has tons of raw talent, but is a bit cocky and needs to get a grip on himself before he develops into the star he will inevitably become. He’s hitting .273 with low power numbers but will become an all-star eventually. Milledge is only 22, and the Mets need to work on maturing him into a patient, hard-working player so he can live up to his potential and replace Moises Alou soon.

15. Akinori Iwamura, 3B, Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Iwamura, in his first professional season in American baseball, has impressed while living in fellow countryman Daisuke Matsuzaka’s shadow all year. He’s hitting .274 with a .355 on-base percentage for the D-Rays. He plays very good defense at the hot corner and is a good top of the order guy to set the table for bigger guys like Delmon Young, B.J. Upton and Carlos Pena. Though technically he’s a rooke at age 28, give Iwamura just one more season to get settled in, and expect a few all-star appearances for him.

14. Alex Gordon, 3B, Kansas City Royals

After a slow start, the most anticipated rookie this side of Dice-K has showed why he will be a fixture in the Royals’ lineup for years to come. He is hitting .256 with 13 home runs and 59 RBI’s and has played stellar defense. At just 23 years old, Gordon will be getting better every year, until he is a perennial all-star.

13. Felix Pie, OF, Chicago Cubs

Pie is a young, hot prospect who hasn’t quite lived up to his billing this season. He’s only 22, but has been one of the most anticipated prospects for a while now, and will rebound after a couple more years in the majors. He has great speed, hits for average, and has decent power for a guy his size. He’s made some eye-popping plays in his limited time in the outfield for the Cubs, and should play a key role for them in the next few years.

12. Jacoby Ellsbury, OF, Boston Red Sox

Ellsbury has completely dominated major league pitching since his call-up. The sweet-swinging, 24-year-old lefty is hitting .366 through 24 games, with 3 home runs and 14 RBI’s. He holds down the outfield with above average range, and has good speed (8 for 8 on stolen bases). Another amazing prospect from the Boston organization, and this one should (but won’t) supplant J.D. Drew in the outfield starting right now. Ellsbury also gets on base over 41% of the time and slugs above .500. Talk about a complete player.

11. Josh Hamilton, OF, Cincinnati Reds

This 26-year-old rookie has one of the most feel-good stories around and it would not surprise me one bit if he won NL Comeback Player of the Year. After years of battling drug addictions and almost giving up on baseball forever, the Devil Rays’ former number one pick is now a key component in the Cincinnati offensive attack. He’s hitting .292 with 19 home runs, 47 RBI’s, a .554 slugging percentage, and a .368 on-base percentage. Those numbers are way above what anyone could have expected from Hamilton, but now he has something to live up to.

10. Shane Victorino, OF, Philadelphia Phillies

Victorino, 27, is in his second full major league season, but has really improved his all-around game this year. He’s hitting .282 with 11 home runs 76 runs, and 45 RBI’s in 123 games. He has been a catalyst, when healthy, in the already explosive Phillies lineup, and has been the perfect guy to hit behind Jimmy Rollins. His 23 stolen bases added a new element this year to the Philadelphia attack. Not only is Victorino a top-of-the-line outfielder, but he will be one of the most feared top of the order hitters in baseball for a while.

9. Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Colorado Rockies

Tulowitzki is putting up insane numbers for a 21-year-old rookie. He is a major part of the Rockies’ ridiculous offensive attack. Hitting .294, he’s launched 22 home runs and driven in 90 runs, while getting on-base at a clip of .366 and slugging .478. Not only has he been producing on the offensive side of the ball, but Tulowitzki is also playing superb defense, making just 11 errors the entire season. He is as close to a lock as you can get for a future all-star, and it wouldn’t be the least bit surprising if he was an MVP by the time his career is over.

8. Hunter Pence, OF, Houston Astros

The 24-year-old’s season was shortened by an injury, but Pence still made a strong statement in his rookie year, hitting .323 with 14 home runs and 60 RBI’s as a catalyst in the Astro lineup. He is slugging .534 and his on-base percentage is .359, to go along with some solid outfield play. If not for his mid-season injury Pence would be neck and neck with Ryan Braun for NL Rookie of the Year. Anyway, expect multiple all-star appearances out of Pence in the near future.

7. Ryan Braun, 3B, Milwaukee Brewers

You can’t get a much clearer Rookie of the Year than 23-year-old Braun, who is batting .320 with 31 home runs and 85 RBI’s. His slugging percentage is off the charts at .629 and he gets on base over 35% of the time he steps in. He’s been handling the number three spot in the Brewers’ lineup all year, in the middle of a heated division race. Braun should be one of the best players in the game when he reaches his prime, as long as he improves his shaky defense.

6. Chris Young, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks

Though Young is only hitting .239, he has five-tool written all over him. He’s been a ridiculous leadoff hitter for Arizona this year, hitting leadoff bombs like his name’s Soriano. He’s got 30 home runs and 64 RBI’s. And if Young can pull off 4 more stolen bases before season’s end, he will be in the 30-30 club, an amazing feat for a rookie. Young needs to improve his on-base percentage and batting average, but at the tender age of 24, he has plenty of time to fix those minor details.

5. Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Boston Red Sox

Pedroia is another 24-year-old rookie playing out of his mind for a division leader. After starting the year terribly, hitting under .200, many fans in Boston doubted his ability and the hype surrounding him. But now Pedroia is batting .318 with a .381 on-base percentage and nobody doubts him anymore. He has only made 6 errors in the field all season, and will be the Red Sox second baseman of the future. No doubt.

4. Yovani Gallardo, SP, Milwaukee Brewers

Gallardo is one of those pitchers I’ve been hearing about for years that just never got called up. Now, I feel blessed to watch the young magician pitch. He is 9-4 in his rookie season with an ERA of 3.66, but you have to see him pitch to truly appreciate his dominance. First of all, he’s struck out 87 batters (against 34 walks) in 98.1 innings pitched. Secondly, he’s only 21 years old. Yes ladies and gentlemen, Gallardo is finally legally allowed to consume alcohol. But it’s going to be opposing batters who feel drunk facing his huge breaking balls and perfectly-placed fastballs. Did I mention he can hit? He’s got two home runs and a .270 average. Seems like a future Cy Young winner to me.

3. B.J. Upton, OF, Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Upton has had a huge breakout season for the D-Rays this year, belting 24 home runs and 82 RBI’s, all the while batting .307, slugging. .527 and getting on-base almost 40% of the time. He switched to the outfield in the middle of the season and has become a solid defender out there. Young is a typical five-tool player, also amassing 19 stolen bases and 11 outfield assists. The scariest part about this guy is he’s only 23 years old. And somehow the Devil Rays still can’t win.

2. James Loney, 1B, Los Angeles Dodgers

Has there been anyone hotter than Loney in all of baseball the last couple weeks? He’s hitting .324 with 12 home runs and 58 RBI’s in just 87 games this year, and has played pretty strong defense at first base. This big lefty seemingly has no weakness at the plate, and will be the first baseman of the future for Los Angeles, not to mention one of the best players in baseball when he reaches his prime. And at 23, he’s got plenty of time to do it.

1. Hanley Ramirez, SS, Florida Marlins

This guy makes you wonder if the Red Sox regret trading for Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell in the first place. Ramirez is not only the most exciting shortstop in baseball (yes, more so than Jose Reyes or Jimmy Rollins), but he is one of the best players in the game in just his second full season. Ramirez is batting .333 with 28 home runs and 75 RBI’s, not to mention 50 stolen bases. Ready for the age? He’s 23 years old. Twenty-three going on A-Rod. I know it’s bold, but barring injury, there might very well be a plaque in Cooperstown waiting for Ramirez when all is said and done.

*Stats are current as of 12 a.m. September 21, 2007.