Orioles' Penn faces setback, Mets' Soler on the verge

	Hayden Penn jumped up to the big leagues, but has since been shelved by appendicitis. AP

By Michael Bornhorst, Special to SI.com, TalentedMrRoto.com

Heading Up

Hayden Penn, SP, Baltimore Orioles: Having sung Penn's praises in an earlier column, I won't tell you what he can do. However, I will tell you what he can't do: pitch. At least, not for the moment. After a deserved promotion to the Majors (1.48 ERA, near 3:1 K:BB ratio at Triple-A), Hayden's appendix refused to cooperate, sending Penn to the hospital for surgery to correct his appendicitis. He's currently on the DL, and it's unclear whether he'll return to action with the big league club or be sent back to the minors for rehabilitation. This said, should you play in a league that does not allow you to acquire players until after they've been called up to the bigs, you should grab Penn regardless of a potential rehabilitation stint back in the minors. He's gonna be good.

Alay Soler, SP, New York Mets: Having signed Soler to a $1.4 million dollar contract, the Mets expect big things from this 26-year-old Cuban defector. Visa problems sidetracked the start of Alay's U.S. baseball career, but the delay didn't seem to create a developmental challenge. This season Soler's been lights out, blowing through Single-A ball with a 2.75 ERA and a 22:3 K:BB ratio. After a promotion to Double-A, Soler was even more sensational, posting 0.65 ERA. Now he appears ready to attack major league hitters. With Jose Lima now out of the rotation, Soler has a chance to stick with the Mets. The usual caveats apply with any rookie pitcher, but it's worth noting that Soler comes to the Majors with a more seasoning than your typical Double-A pitching prospect. Players in NL-only leagues should take a chance on him.

Kendry Morales, OF/DH, Los Angeles Angels: Speaking of Cuban defectors, Kendry Morales has made an appearance in the majors. A rash of injuries have caused the Angels to call up a number of top-flight prospects in recent weeks, but unlike the prodigiously pedigreed middle infielders recently called up, Kendry has a greater chance of making an immediate impact on the team. Morales was hitting .319 / .369 / .472 at the time of his promotion, but his slow start in April causes his season-long stats to be misleading: Kendry's slugging ability is better than what his current numbers suggest. A gotta-grab.

Jason Kubel, OF, Minnesota Twins: Welcome back to the bigs, Jason Kubel. As a prospect, Kubel's path to the Show has been mercurial. He was arguably the Twins' top offensive prospect prior to injury, but a bum knee cost Kubel an entire season. Upon his return, he was a rusty and displayed the ill effects of missing out on a year's worth of development. After his demotion his offensive production returned to a solid, if unspectacular, level (.283 AVG, .475 SLG, 2 HR). For the time being, Jason will join Lew Ford as the Twins' temporary left fielder. Whether Kubel sticks around after Shannon Stewart's return from the DL depends on Kubel's production. But even if he is again demoted, Kubel remains in the Twins' long-term plans. If he's available, he's one to stash away in an AL-only league.

Anthony Reyes, SP, St. Louis Cardinals: Well, that was quick. The Cardinals activated star-prospect Anthony Reyes, but after his solid performance spot-starting for the injured Sidney Ponson, the righty was returned to Triple-A. Don't worry; he'll be back.

Corey Hart, OF/3B, Milwaukee Brewers: Is Corey a "Quadruple-A" player? Hart was amazing last season in Triple-A (.304 AVG, .530 SLG, 17 HR, 28 SB), and amazing this season in Triple-A (.320 AVG, 4 HR, 10 SB), but in-between he had an unimpressive .193 AVG in the majors. The poor stats can likely be attributed to a small sample size (roughly 60 at-bats). Given his potential double-digit power and speed, Hart has the tools to make a fantastic fourth outfielder for any fantasy squad. The problem is, will Corey get enough playing time to show what he can do?

Boof Bonser, SP, Minnesota Twins: Yes, that Boof Bonser. Longtime fantasy players may remember Bonser from his days in the San Francisco Giants system. (Hard to forget anybody named "Boof," isn't it?) At that time, he was considered a top prospect. However, a few middle-of-the-road seasons and an organizational shift may have prompted some to forget about Bonser. To refresh your memory: last season Boof put up quality numbers at Triple-A (3.87 ERA, 3:1 K:BB ratio), and this year he improved his production (2.01 ERA). Now the 24-year-old righty slides into the Twins rotation as the fifth starter. However, Boof is not without his hazards: this season marked his third trip through Triple-A, possibly skewing his positive numbers. For what it's worth, though, he did look good during his first start in the bigs...

Jeff Nelson, RP, Chicago White Sox: Yes, that Jeff Nelson. Given the depth of the White Sox staff, it's hard to imagine Nelson will have any fantasy value this season.