NOBL Up And Comers

Developing a steady stream of major league-ready players to replace aging veterans is not simple. It requires an eye for talent, a knack for trading, and a lot of patience.

And too often, it requires a truckload of ROLAIDS to ease the heartburn of yet another failed prospect. We all have our stories; Steve (HOU) could actually write a book.

But when ability reaches potential, when those blue stars turn gold... and there are still five of them... it is a thing of beauty. You then have an impact player in the league. A player who may rewrite the history books. A player that might lead his team to championships.

Here, we'll take a look at some of the 18-year-old prospects in the league. These boys are fresh out of high school and carry with them the promise of future wins for their ball clubs. Below are five can't miss prospects, in no particular order, who will soon impact the league.

Can't miss? Well, better have the ROLAIDS nearby.

Just in case.

Douglas Ciprian, Atlanta, First Base
Doug is a tremendous athlete. He combines power with excellent defense and good speed on the basepaths. However, his inconsistency prevents him from being a top-tier prospect. He swings for the fences on every pitch, and this will severely limit his impact in the league. If Atlanta can improve Ciprian in this one area they will have a solid contributor for years to come.

Joseph Belt, Florida, Reliever
Joe Belt could be a dominating pitcher in the league. His upside is huge, but he is a long way from it. Potential alone demanded this young hurler be drafted in the first round. Now Florida must patiently move Belt through their minor league system. Some scouts were nervous about Joe's stamina standing up to the stresses of professional baseball, and is very likely why he fell to the Marlins so late in the draft. Should he prove them wrong, this big righthander will shut down major league hitters.

Craig Brown, Houston, Center Field
Prospects have had a rough time in Houston, but the Astros have managed to place some excellent ballplayers on their major league roster, Kyle Giusti and Don Griffie being two examples. Crag Brown may not have that same level of talent, but he could provide some much needed power in a future line-up. He has a very good glove in center field, solid speed, and has hit close to .300 at both Ft. Lauderdale and Long Island. Anyone who can give you power and defense in center field is worth taking note of.

Robert Woodson, Milwaukee, Starter
Robert Woodson is the youngest member of a very talented minor league system in Milwaukee. He already has pinpont control and needs only to work on finding the right location to keep the ball away from the hitters. Woodson looks to develop into a workhorse for the Brewers. If he can make the big league roster in two years, he would be part of a formiddable rotation including Alan Johnson and Roy Lebrun.

Silas Horak, Cleveland, Starter
Cy is a competitor and has good movement on his fastball. That has gotten him this far. To be a productive major league pitcher the young Indian will need to develop better control and learn to keep runners off the basepaths. He will never dominate, but may develop into a reliable if unspectacular member of Cleveland's rotation.