Hmmm.  The SD farm thinned out in a hurry.  Still, some top drawer talent at the top.  Jim Callis, Baseball America, sees second sacker Josh Barfield as the best of the bunch :

" ... After a breakout 2003, Milwaukee’s Rickie Weeks and Arizona’s Scott Hairston are his only rivals as the top second-base prospects in the game. Barfield won MVP honors in the high Class A California League and led the minors in hits, doubles, RBIs and extra-base hits. The organization’s minor league player of the year, Barfield did it all despite being bothered by a sore right wrist for much of the year. He had offseason surgery to repair ligament damage, which prevented him from playing in the Arizona Fall League ... a rare second baseman who’s capable of batting third in the order. He uses his quick stroke to smoke line drives all over the field. Not only is he the best hitter in the system, but he’s also the best at making adjustments. Some of his doubles will carry over the fence once he gains more strength and experience, giving him 25-homer power. Barfield isn’t a speedster or a future Gold Glover, but he’s a better runner and defender than most people realize ... Padres say Barfield will be able to stay at second base, where his sure hands are his best asset."

" ... could stand to draw a few more walks, though he nearly doubled his total from 27 in 2002 to 50 last year ... Unless Barfield’s development slows considerably, however, he should be ready by mid-2005 at the latest. His wrist will be 100 percent for spring training, and he’ll open 2004 at Double-A Mobile."

MLB numbers in his prime :

" ... .300-plus average, 40 doubles, 25 homers, 110 RBIs. He's the real deal."

In the chatroom, Callis on Greene :

" ... The Padres are so committed to Greene that they chose not to pursue Kazuo Matsui or Nomar Garciaparra. I'm not sure he'll hit much this year, maybe around .250 with 8-10 homers, but can see him becoming a .275 hitter with 12-15 homers and 30-plus doubles in time."

    This one ought to promote some debate -- the SportsTicker picks as the best of the righty starters.  Joe Barbieri has his Top 10 online at MinorLeagueBaseball and yesterday's news -- Edwin Jackson -- could do no better than sixth.  The top gun is KC phenom Zack Greinke :

" ... Greinke won each of his first nine professional decisions en route to a 14-4 mark in 2003. After going 11-1 with a 1.14 ERA to ultimately win Carolina League Pitcher of the Year honors, the 6-2, 190-pounder went 4-3 with a 3.23 ERA over nine starts in the Class AA Texas League. Take away one bad start ... he was 4-2 with a 2.01 ERA in the Class AA ranks ... overmatches hitters with his mid-90s fastball, breaking ball and changeup. Perhaps most impressive, however, are his poise and control. Demonstrating an advanced feel for pitching, the now 20-year-old Greinke issued just 18 walks in 140 innings last season and held the opposition to a .221 average."

The Angels' Ervin Santana grabbed the runnerup slot :

" ... emerged as the advanced Class A California League's Pitcher of the Year and won its ERA title. Between advanced Class A and Class AA, Santana posted a .212 average against despite battling through a tired arm late in the season ...  just 20, the Angels' Minor League Pitcher of the Year is continuing to mature and build upon a fastball that already hits the mid-90s. The slender 6-3, 170-pounder also has command of his breaking ball and changeup."

    Jamey Newberg, Texas Rangers Minor League Report, salivating over the possibility of LA's Greg Miller moving to TEX in an A-Rod deal (which appears to have died on the drawing board) :

" ... Miller may be among the three or four most coveted pitching prospects in baseball, and would immediately become the Rangers' top prospect as well as the organization's most promising pitching prospect in as long as I can remember. He reached AA at age 18 last summer after going 11-4, 2.49 for High A Vero Beach, and in four Southern League starts for Jacksonville, he gave up three earned runs (1.01 ERA) on 15 hits (.156 opponents' average) and seven walks in 26.2 innings, fanning 40 (13.5 punchouts per nine innings). Stands 6'5". Touches 95. Filthy slider and a power curve. There's no way the Dodgers can actually part with him, is there? Maybe if they're not the only team in on Garciaparra -- and yesterday the White Sox reportedly intervened, dangling Magglio Ordonez and young pitching. Good. Maybe Los Angeles will have to do something it doesn't really want to do in order to get Garciaparra. Hopefully that means Miller goes to Boston, where he'll connect to Texas."

    Josh Boyd, Baseball America, with the tough choice -- who's No.1 on the Dodger farm?  Boyd opted for Edwin Jackson over Greg Miller :

" ... Jackson’s picturesque delivery, clean arm action and premium athleticism aid him in making 98 mph fastballs look effortless. He sits between 91-97 and can maintain his velocity deep into games. His slider and changeup both have come a long way since he made the full-time conversion to pitching ...  demonstrates an advanced feel for pitching too, not afraid to pitch inside or double up on sliders and changeups. The Dodgers have done a fine job limiting Jackson’s workload. He was limited to around 100 pitches a start, and he was scratched from the Arizona Fall League to avoid putting more innings on his arm ... Jackson is the complete package, and fits the profile of a top-of-the-line starting pitcher to a tee. He established himself as one of the elite prospects in baseball even before his September callup, and his performance all but guaranteed him a spot in the Los Angeles rotation for 2004. He’s the best homegrown pitching prospect the Dodgers have developed since Pedro Martinez."

Boyd on James Loney :

" .... He is already bulking up and the doubles he's hitting right now at a young age against older competition are a good sign. He has been working out at one of the premium facilities in Arizona this offseason and is noticeably bigger than when he was drafted. I don't think power is much of a question in the long run, but I wouldn't expect more than 8-10 if he played in LA next season."

    Dayn Perry, FoxSports, completes the position prospects with his look at the top guys in the outfield.  Jeremy Reed, Grady Sizemore, Alexis Rios 1-2-3.  Then :

" ... 4. Franklin Gutierrez ...  had an uninspiring debut in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League, but since then he's shown outstanding power potential. This past season, he slugged .513 in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League, despite being generally younger than his peer group. After a late-season promotion to AA-Jacksonville, he slugged .597 in limited action. He'll begin 2004 back in the Southern League as a 21-year-old. He needs to improve his walk rate, but otherwise he has everything you want in a hitter. You'll find few young hitters with better raw power."

" ... 5. Delmon Young ... This is a projection ranking, but he may actually be underrated at number five. Young, little brother of Dmitri, was the first overall pick of the June draft. He signed too late to play in the regular season, but he did drop many a jaw with his performance in the Arizona Fall League. Scouts can't say enough about his power potential, and comparisons to a young Albert Belle have heard in many corners. He has a broad base of hitting skills, tremendous raw power and an ability to hit to all fields. He won't be a stellar defender (although he does have a cannon arm in right), but it's his bat that will take him places."

    Dan Troy, StrikeThree, notes a shortage of potential impact position players in his assessment of the BAL farm.  He does, however, highlight some strength on the hill :

" ... Adam Loewen was considered by some to be the most talented pitcher in the 2002 draft. While the Orioles couldn't ink him before the start of the school year, they did manage to wrap him as a draft-and-follow this spring. The huge lefty is touted for his good velocity and movement on his fastball and has a big, slow curve to buckle the knees of opposing batters ...  brief stint at Aberdeen before shut down early as a precautionary measure. If he can stay healthy, he has a chance to be a staff ace, but the Orioles have had big problems keeping pitchers healthy."

" ... John Maine ... sixth-round choice in 2002, and he's proven to be quite a steal so far. He was downright untouchable this year, surrendering just 91 hits in 146 innings. The 22-year-old's strikeout rates were very strong and he posted an awesome strikeout-to-walk ratio of 6-to-1 in the SAL, and nearly 4-to-1 in his stint in the Carolina League. While he could likely get A-ball hitters out with just his fastball ...  has worked hard on his changeup, and he continues to refine his curveball. He should face a good test in AA."

" ... Michael Aubrey CLE ... probably not a potential star, but he will be a solid regular at first base, and because he plays better defense than either Ben Broussard or Travis Hafner, the Indians won’t hold him back once he’s ready. Very good fantasy prospect."

" ... Brent Clevlen  DET ...  Cody Ross will beat him to the majors, but Clevlen, a 2002 second-round pick, is Detroit’s top outfield prospect. A Texas native, Clevlen is a natural right fielder with the potential to be every bit as much of an offensive threat as Bobby Higginson was six or seven years ago. Playing in a very good pitcher’s park hurt his numbers in 2003, but Clevlen can be a .300 hitter with 25-homer potential."

" ... It’s time to start getting very concerned. Borchard handled Triple-A pitching fairly well in his go-round with Charlotte, putting up a .272/.349/.498 line a year ago. In 2003, he had the same numbers as the much-maligned Drew Henson, who is actually 16 months younger than Borchard. Maybe it was just a bad year, but it’s also possible he needs a new swing. Borchard still has tremendous power potential. If he turns things around quickly in 2004, he’ll probably get an extended chance to play center field for the White Sox. A Jeromy Burnitz-type career remains a possibility."

" ... Rauch, one of the top prospects in all of baseball following a brilliant 2000 season, isn’t yet back to where he was before hurting his shoulder in 2001. Still, after a strong finish for Triple-A Charlotte, he deserved a look at the end of last season. The 6-foot-11 right-hander throws in the low-90s and has a solid curve and slider. He remains a good bet to make it as a fourth or fifth starter and he could be something more."

Outfielder Grady Sizemore ranked atop the CLE chart :

" ... Sizemore ... starting to show power, making him a complete prospect. The 2000 third-round pick is a fine defensive center fielder with the potential to be a Shannon Stewart-like hitter from the left side. If necessary, he could probably hold his own in the majors as a 21-year-old. The Indians have a crowded outfield situation ahead of him, so he probably won’t get to play regularly until 2005."

Jeremy Guthrie was the No.2 with 20-year-old Fausto Carmona at No. 3 :

" ... Carmona ... led the minors in wins last season. The low strikeout total may make him look like a finesse pitcher, but he throws in the low-90s and his sinking fastball generates a lot of groundball outs. He also has a curveball and a changeup which should improve. He’s probably not going to be ready until 2006, but he has more upside than Guthrie."

A pair of righthanders finished 1-2 on the DET prospect list :

" ... 1. Kyle Sleeth...   the third overall pick in the 2003 draft ...  Tigers elected to have him rest rather than get him some time in the minors. In his final season in college, Sleeth went 7-3 with a 2.81 ERA and a 102/29 K/BB ratio in 96 innings. With his low-90s fastball, slider and curve, he has No. 2 starter potential. However, since he’s not particularly polished for a college pitcher, he doesn’t figure to contribute in 2004."

" ... 2. Joel Zumaya ... overpowered Midwest League hitters with a mid-90s fastball last season. The 2002 11th-round pick is still raw, but he has developed more quickly than expected. His curveball and changeup remain below average pitches right now, but that could change as he matures ... He’ll need at least one more full year and probably two more seasons in the minors."

" ... 3. Chris Lubanski  ... fifth overall pick in the 2003 draft, Lubanski is a tremendous athlete with impressive skills for an 18-year-old. He has terrific speed and should turn into a quality defensive center fielder over the next couple of years. He’s also expected to add power, making him a potential star. He doesn’t figure to develop quickly, though. 2007 is the earliest that he’ll arrive in the majors."

" ...  4. Colt Griffin  ...still got a long way to go, but Griffin, taken ninth overall in the 2001 draft because of his high-90s fastball, is making progress. Griffin no longer tries to throw 100 mph, and he’s quite effective when he’s manages to keep his 91-94 mph fastball around the strike zone. His slider and changeup are getting better, with the slider having a chance to become a legitimate out pitch. Griffin still needs to do a better job of throwing strikes, but he looks like a better prospect now than he did either of the last two years."

" ... 5. Jesse Crain ... has emerged as one of the top relief prospects in the minors. The University of Houston product has a mid-90s fastball and a hard slider and will occasionally mix in a curve and a change. Crain appears to be Minnesota’s closer of the future and could take over the job as soon as 2005. Expect him to debut in mid-2004 as a setup man."

" ... 9. Francisco Liriano ... Acquired along with Joe Nathan and Boof Bonser from the Giants in the A.J. Pierzynski trade. Liriano has terrific stuff for a lefty, but shoulder problems limited him to nine innings last season and he may lack the durability to make it as a starting pitcher. Could be a dominant reliever."

" ...  10. Boof Bonser ... Former top prospect of the Giants went 7-10 with a 4.00 ERA, 122 H and 103/67 K/BB in 135 IP for Double-A Norwich last season. Bonser’s velocity isn’t what it was a couple of years ago, but if he gets it back, he has a great deal of upside."

    Kevin Goldstein, Baseball America, in his review of the 2003 SEA Top 10, noted the progress of Rafael Soriano and highlighted some "emerging prospects" :

" ... Soriano began the year in the Triple-A Tacoma rotation, where he was nearly unhittable (.192 opponent's average). Spent the majority of the second half pitching out of the Seattle bullpen, where he was, well, nearly unhittable. 1.14 ERA after the all-star break, with 53 strikeouts in 39.1 innings. Could be the next great closer."

    John Manuel, Baseball America, suggesting Merkin Valdez, the top rated SF prospect, could find himself in the pen :

" ... Merkin could be a better Felix Rodriguez, and could start doing it in 2004, certainly. I think there is truth to that rumor, and it's a reason Joe Nathan was deemed expendable. Several scouts think Valdez profiles better as a reliever, that he may have more value and be more dominant as a closer (eventually) than as a starter, where his lack of a consistent offspeed pitch could hinder him."

" ... 7. Jeff Salazar COL ... In a league loaded with talent, Salazar stood out with a South Atlantic League-high 29 home runs, 98 RBI and 109 runs scored - 21 more than any other player in the circuit ...  stole 28 bases, leaving him just shy of becoming the only 30/30 man in the minors. In addition to leading the minors in runs scored, Salazar is considered by some to be a top defensive outfielder. The 23-year-old, who was virtually unknown after batting .235 with four homers in his first pro season, has a sharp batting eye, drawing 77 walks against 74 strikeouts."

" ... 8. Felix Pie CHN ... made a nice adjustment to low Class A ball after a co-MVP campaign in the Arizona League in 2002. Just 18-years-old, he is considered the top all-around athlete in Chicago's system, exhibiting four tools. Chief among them is his speed, which allowed him to play shallow and track fly balls all over the outfield and gained him the status as the league's top defensive outfielder. He managed a .285 average with a team-high 144 hits, 72 runs, and nine triples in 124 games."