Futures Game: World Team Capsules

NDFA = non-drafted free agent

Justin Huber, C, Mets -- signed as NDFA in 2000

The Mets have not had a lot of success despite a high-salaried big league roster this season. That may change quickly if more players like the 20-year-old Huber roll through the system.

A native of Australia who was signed by the Mets two summers ago, Huber made his debut in pro ball last summer by excelling for Kingsport in the rookie-level Appalachian League. He ranked among the league leaders in average (.314, 6th), slugging (.528, 2nd) and on-base percentage (.415, 5th).

This season, his first full year in pro ball, the 6-2, 190-pound backstop is hitting .313. He leads the league with 71 RBI and ranks second with a .429 on-base percentage. Huber was named the South Atlantic League's Player of the Month for May, after he hit .369 with 31 RBI in 28 games. Huber's high school in Australia did not have a baseball team, and the precocious catching prospect was discovered scouts when he played for the Australian National team in the Under-18 Junior World Championships for three years. Huber can do it behind the plate as well. He ranked among league leaders by nabbing 32 percent of would-be base stealers last season and has gunned down 31 percent so far this year.

Victor Martinez, C, Indians -- signed as NDFA in 1996

Martinez was signed out of his native Venezuela as a red-thin, 6-2 shortstop. Martinez has since added 40 pounds to his frame, moved behind the plate and is now Cleveland's top young catching prospect. In his first season at the Class AA level, Martinez ranks third in the Eastern League with a .332 average, fifth in on-base percentage (.408) and fourth in slugging (.565).

After missing all but 47 games of the 2000 campaign with a shoulder injury, Martinez emerged by leading the Class A Carolina League with a .329 average and taking home MVP honors last season. He hit .429 in the month of July -- the fifth-highest average of any minor leaguer that month -- and hit for the cycle on July 7 against Salem.

The now 23-year-old Martinez, a switch-hitter, led the Carolina League in slugging and ranked fourth in hits, on-base percentage and doubles. He hit lefties (.315) and righties (.334) at a nearly equal clip a season ago and has done more of the same this year, hitting lefties at a .352 clip and righties at a .322 clip. He has gap power and is competent behind the plate. In fact, it was a terrific set of hands that forced the Indians to move Martinez behind the plate originally.

Angel Berroa, SS, Royals -- signed as NDFA (by Oakland Athletics) in 1997

The Kansas City Royals have been in a rebuilding mode for quite awhile. But, with more players like the Berroa in the fold, that trend may be coming to an end.

Coming off an impressive 2001 season, Berroa missed two months earlier this season with a knee injury. He is just now starting to round into form, with a .235 average and 22 RBI in 31 games. Berroa hit .284 in the month of June.

The 24-year-old native of the Dominican Republic was the key -- from the Royals' side -- in the deal that sent Johnny Damon to Oakland prior to the 2001 season. Last year, Berroa hit .304 with 14 homers, 67 RBI and 106 runs scored in 131 games split between two levels. He spent the season's final two weeks in the big leagues.

In the field, Berroa is an outstanding defender. He has tremendous range, a great glove and a big-league arm. Known to be very aggressive and make numerous breath-taking plays in the field, Berroa has been burdened by a high amount of errors. With better concentration and improvement on making the routine plays, he dropped his error total from 54 in 2000 -- the third-most of any minor league shortstop -- to 33 last season. He also has great speed, evident by his 25 steals in 37 attempts a year ago.

Miguel Cabrera, 3B, Marlins -- signed as NDFA in 1999

While the Marlins have hot prospects Adrian Gonzalez and Jason Stokes competing for the spot as Florida's top first base prospect, the organization has no such problems across the diamond. Cabrera was one of the finest prospects to ever come out of Venezuela, and he is showing the Marlins that the Venezuelan-record $1.9 million investment they made back in 1999 may be a pretty good one.

Originally a shortstop, Cabrera has been moved to third base for this season, his second full year as a pro. The 19-year-old Cabrera, again one of the youngest players in any full-season league, is hitting .275 with five homers, 48 RBI and a league-high 30 doubles for Jupiter in the high Class A Florida State League.

The 6-2, 185-pound Cabrera, who will be making his second straight appearance in the Futures Game, has good hands but limited range at third base. He has terrific gap and home run power potential which should only increase as he gets older and stronger.

Hee Seop Choi, 1B , Cubs -- signed as NDFA in 1999

The 2001 season was mostly a wasted one for the former Korean star, but 2002 has been a different story altogether. Choi, whose 2001 campaign was limited to just 77 games by wrist and hand injuries, is hitting .289 with 16 homers and a team-high 55 RBI for Iowa in the Class AAA Pacific Coast League. Choi's patience has been superb as well, as evidenced by his 56 walks - tops on the team with ease - and team-best .410 on-base percentage.

The Cubs paid $1.25 million back in the spring of 1999 for the services of Choi, and they expect to get their first baseman of the future from the investment. When healthy, Choi is a fine all-around prospect who proved it when he tore up the prospect-laden Arizona Fall League in 2000. The 6-5, 240-pound lefthanded hitter has excellent plate discipline for a young power hitter. He also has a short stroke and plus power to all fields.

Choi has good feet around the first base bag but needs more polish to be considered as anything more than an average defender.

Victor Diaz, , Dodgers -- 37th round pick in 2000

Diaz attended Grayson County (TX) Junior College and was a draft-and-follow selection from the 2000 draft. He has spent this season ripping apart the low Class A South Atlantic League in his first full pro season. Diaz, in his first year at third base after spending last year taking home rookie-level Gulf Coast League All-Star honors as a second baseman, is hitting .359 this season, second in the league.

His 111 hits lead the league with ease, and Diaz also tops the circuit with his 26 doubles. He also ranks among the league leaders in on-base percentage (.417), slugging percentage (.534) and extra-base hits (36).

Diaz, who is just 20 years of age, won the Gulf Coast League batting title with a .354 average last summer while also leading the league in total bases (104); slugging (.533), hits(69), extra-base hits(27) and doubles (22).

Diaz reminds some of a young Vladimir Guerrero in that he can hit practically any pitch and hit it hard. Diaz is still learning to play third base, but his work ethic with regard to improving his defense has been called into question.

Omar Infante, SS, Tigers -- signed as NDFA in 1999

Infante had a terrific year at the Class AA level in 2001 and has battled an injury in his first crack at the Class AAA level this season. Through 64 games, the 20-year-old Venezuelan is hitting .233.

Infante was one of the biggest surprises in all of Class AA last season. With just 116 professional games under his belt entering 2001, Infante hit an Erie team-best .302. His 163 hits ranked seventh among all minor leaguers, and Infante contributed 27 steals, scored 86 runs and knocked home 62 more. The righthanded-hitting Infante hits both lefties and righties, hits the ball on the ground and uses the whole field.

He is more than adequate defensively, leading one Eastern League source to claim that Infante could have played shortstop for Detroit last season.

Infante's story is all the more intriguing when one considers his family history. His brother, Asdrubal, a promising pitching prospect in the Tigers' system, was shot to death after a robbery attempt back in 1999. Then, over this past off season, Infante's father passed away after battling kidney disease.

Jose Lopez, SS, Mariners -- signed as NDFA in 2000

The Mariners are known for finding both the little-known (i.e. Lopez, outfielders Chris Snelling and Shin-Soo Choo) and the elite (Ichiro Suzuki and Kaz Sasaki) foreign players.

Lopez has been one of the high Class A California League's biggest surprises this season, especially because at just 18 years of age he is one of the youngest players in any full-season league. Lopez is tied for fourth in the league with a .321 average and is third with 24 steals in 32 attempts. He also ranks third in the league with 92 runs scored.

This is Lopez' first trip through a full-season league. Last year, he hit .256 for short-season Class A Everett in the Northwest League.

Justin Morneau, 1B , Twins -- 3rd round pick in 1999

After a stomach bug robbed him of his strength early in the season, Morneau has shown the promise of late that has the Twins excited about their first baseman of the future. Morneau is currently hitting .290 with nine homers and 41 RBI for New Britain in h is first season at the Class AA level.

Canada is known for producing hockey players and not top-notch baseball talent. But, you'd have a tough time convincing the Twins of that, because in Morneau they have a pretty good native Canadian on their hands. Morneau, now 21, impressed the Minnesota front office initially by belting several upper-deck shots in a post-draft workout back in 1999.

Last season, he ranked third in the organization with a .314 average and led all Twin farmhands with 97 RBI while playing at both levels of Class A and spending the season's final three weeks helping New Britain to a share of the Eastern League title. In 2000, he hit over .400 in the rookie-level Appalachian League, becoming just the third player in Twins franchise history to reach that mark in a season of any length.

Morneau began his professional career as a catcher, but elbow problems moved him to first base. The lefthanded-hitting Morneau has a nice stroke with raw power and has shown composure well beyond his years.

Jose Reyes, SS, Mets -- signed as NDFA in 1999

The Mets have struggled at the big league level despite a bloated payroll this season. That shouldn't be the case should Reyes and the other young Met farmhands continue to develop as the organization hopes.

Considered by Mets Assistant General Manager Jim Duquette to be the best pure shortstop since Rey Ordonez, Reyes can do something that his big league counterpart cannot, and that is hit. Reyes hit .288 and stole 31 bases in 69 games for high Class A St. Lucie before he was promoted to Class AA Binghamton last month. Reyes, at 19 one of the youngest players to ever play in the Eastern League, had five hits in his first-ever Class AA game and has hit .327 in his first 13 games since the promotion.

Last season, in his first full year in pro ball, Reyes hit .307 and collected 125 hits in 108 games as the low Class A South Atlantic League's youngest hitter.

Reyes is a phenomenal defender who can do it all from the shortstop spot. He has a good arm, solid footwork and exceptional range and soft hands.

Tony Alvarez, OF, Pirates -- signed as NDFA in 1995

It has been awhile since the Pirates signed Alvarez, and the organization looks to be reaping the benefits of the signing in the very near future. In his first Class AA season, Alvarez is hitting .313 -- ninth-best in the Eastern League -- and ranks second in the league with 27 doubles.

Alvarez is an exciting offensive player who led the organization with a .326 average in 2001. A native of Venezuela, he started last season at Class A Lynchburg and was promoted after batting .344 in 25 games. He hit .319 in 67 games at Class AA Altoona before the death of his father caused him to return home in early August.

The 6-2, 210-pound Alvarez has a body built for power, plus speed and the ability to put the ball in play. The converted infielder needs to become more comfortable in a corner outfield spot, transpose his powerful build into more over-the-fence power and develop better plate discipline. The now 23-year-old, who won Class A New York-Penn League MVP honors in 1999, needs to stay focused and tone down his on-field antics.

Shin-Soo Shoo, OF, Mariners -- signed as NDFA in 2000

Choo has followed up an impressive stint in the rookie-level Arizona League last summer with an equally impressive tour through the low Class A Midwest League in his first full season in the United States.

The Korean-born Choo, who turns 20 later this month, is hitting .301 in 77 games this season. Last summer, he led the Arizona League in walks, runs scored and triples.

Choo threw over 90 miles per hour as an amateur pitcher but is now solely an outfielder. He still has the excellent throwing arm and has terrific instincts for the game. He has a keen eye at the plate and terrific speed which has led to a Wisconsin team-high 22 steals this season, fourth-best in the league.

Wily Mo Pena, OF, Reds -- signed as NDFA (by New York Yankees) in 1998

Pena was signed by the Yankees for $3.6 million back in 1998 but played just 132 games in that organization before New York shipped him off to the Reds in the deal that sent Drew Henson back to the Yankees just prior to the 2001 season. This year, the 20-year-old native of the Dominican Republic is hitting .266 with six homers and 27 RBI in his first season at the Class AA level.

Pena had a strange season in 2001. While he did become one of only a handful of minor leaguers to achieve the rare 20/20 plateau (26 homers, 26 steals), he also ranked fifth among all minor leaguers with 177 strikeouts while spending the season at low Class A Dayton in the Midwest League. Pena's 113 RBI led the league and ranked fourth in the minors, and he was named to SportsTicker's All-Teen Team. He has fanned 57 times in 50 games this season and was sidelined by a leg injury for most of April.

The 20-year-old Pena is still a raw talent, but he has a contract that stipulates that he must be on a big league roster by 2003. For this reason, he will be pushed by the Reds' brass this season. Pena drew raves from his manager last season for the effort that he gives every night, so it won't be a lack of desire which holds Pena back.

Andres Torres, OF, Tigers -- 4th round pick in 1998

Torres, now 24, is one of the fastest players in the minor leagues and is trying to stay afloat in his first season at the Class AAA level. This season, he is hitting .228 in 64 games for Toledo in the International League.

When healthy, the fleet-footed Torres is one of Detroit's top prospects. He gets on base, runs well (67 steals in the 2000 season, his last year fully healthy) and hits the ball on the ground to take advantage of his speed. Torres was hitting .294 last season when his campaign was ended prematurely with a shoulder injury that required surgery.

A terrific outfielder who was a track star in high school, Torres has always been regarded as among his league's top outfielders due to his terrific speed and range.

Edwin Almonte, RHP, White Sox -- Dominican Republic -- 26th round pick in 1998

After struggling through his first three seasons as a spot starter, Almonte blossomed last season as a closer with Class AA Birmingham.

The 25-year-old went 16-16 with a 3.25 ERA in his first three seasons before going 1-4 with a Southern League and White Sox minor league record 36 saves and a 1.49 ERA in 2001. Almonte continued his dominance in the bullpen, going 1-3 with a 3.22 ERA this season with Class AAA Charlotte of the International League.

Almonte throws a low 90s fastball and a great circle change. Almonte has fanned 95 batters and walked just 24 in 102 2/3 innings over the last two seasons combined.

Erik Bedard, LHP, Orioles -- Canada -- 6th round pick in 1999

Bedard went from not bring deemed worthy of starting the 2000 season in low-Class A Delmarva's rotation to dominating the high-Class A Carolina League in 2001.

Finally getting a chance to start in the middle of the 2000 season, Bedard went 18-6 with a 2.91 ERA and 261 strikeouts in 207 1/3 innings between 2000 and 2001 before going down with a shoulder injury. The 23-year-old bounced back from the injury this season with Class AA Bowie, going 6-3 with a 1.97 ERA before suffering an elbow strain.

Bedard's velocity has improved as he's filled out. He now complements a low-90s fastball with a curveball and changeup and has the uncanny ability to throw any pitch at any time.

However, the injury bug has once again bit Bedard. He went on the disabled list on July 1 with a strained left elbow.

Francis Beltran, RHP, Cubs -- Dominican Republic -- signed as NDFA in 1996

This season Beltran went from a struggling starter to a top-notch closer with Class AA West Tenn.

In 2001 the 22-year-old was 6-9 with a 5.00 ERA in 21 games -- 18 starts. Before being called up to Chicago on June 26, Beltran had 12 saves and a 3.42 ERA this season.

After issuing five walks in one inning of work over two games, the 6-5, 220-pounder was sent back down to West Tenn.

Jorge De La Rosa, LHP, Red Sox -- Mexico -- signed as a NDFA in 1998

The 21-year-old spent his first four professional seasons as a setup man but now has found a role as a starter for Class A Sarasota of the Florida State League.

De La Rosa was 5-7 with a 4.77 ERA in his four seasons as a reliever. He has gone 4-4 with a 3.44 ERA in his first 16 games this season.

The 6-1 195-pounder, whose stuff has been compared to John Rocker's, has struggled with his control, walking 37 batters in 83 2/3 innings through July 2.

Gerardo Garcia, RHP, Devil Rays -- Mexico -- signed as NDFA in 1999

After spending 2001 in the Mexican League, Garcia dominated Class AA at the beginning of this season. He tossed a no-hitter for Orlando on May 22 just before being promoted to Class AAA Durham.

The 6-0 160-pounder pitched five shutout, allowing just three hits, to get the win in his Class AAA debut. Since his debut, Garcia has gone 0-2 with a 6.45 ERA in five starts.

The 22-year old went 4-0 with a 2.03 ERA in the month of June last season but struggled in July, going 0-4 with a 12.56 ERA.

Franklyn German, RHP, Athletics -- Dominican Republic -- signed as NDFA in 1996

Converted from starter's role to closer in 2001, German responded by leading the A's organization with 19 saves in high-Class A Visalia.

German was successful in his first season as a starter in the Dominican Summer League before going, 11-11 with a 5.47 ERA in his next three seasons as a starter. The 22-year-old was then moved to the bullpen where he has thrived, saving 15 games with a 3.20 ERA this season with Class AA Midland.

The 6-6, 270-pound German has touched 99 mph with his fastball and compliments it with a splitter that he developed last fall and a changeup. German has fanned 149 batters in just 102 2/3 innings since he was moved to the bullpen.

Francisco Liriano, LHP, Giants -- Dominican Republic -- signed as NDFA in 2000

Liriano, the youngest pitcher in the South Atlantic League, has pitched well in his first two professional seasons.

The 18-year-old went 5-4 with a 3.63 ERA and fanned 67 batters in 62 innings last season the Giants in the rookie level Arizona League.

Liriano is 3-3 with a 3.47 ERA this season with Hagerstown. The Giants have been very cautious with the 6-2 185-pounder, allowing him to pitch more than six innings in just two of his 26 career starts.

Ricardo Rodriguez, RHP, Dodgers -- signed as NDFA in 1996

The 24-year-old, who is making his second appearance in the futures game, was named the Dodgers' Minor League Pitcher of the Year and was also selected as the FSL's Most Valuable Pitcher after he went 14-6 with a 3.21 ERA for Vero Beach a season ago.

Rodriguez came onto the scene with a bang in 2000, going 10-3 with a Pioneer League-leading 1.88 ERA for Great Falls after struggling through three seasons in the Dominican Summer League, where he posted a 5-5 record and a 4.36 ERA.

A shoulder injury put Rodriguez in extended spring training to start this year. Since his return, he has been untouchable, going 4-2 with a 1.69 ERA in eight starts for Class AA Jacksonville.

Rodriguez features a 93 mph fastball, a big-breaking curve and a changeup, all of which he can throw for strikes. He has added 30 pounds to his 6-3 frame since he signed and now weighs in at a solid 195 pounds.

Seung Song, RHP, Red Sox -- South Korea -- signed as NDFA in 1999

A one time top pick in the Korean amateur draft, Song has dominated at every level that he's played at. The 22-year-old went 10-7 with a 2.47 ERA over his first two seasons in short season leagues.

In 2001, Song never allowed more than three earned runs in any of his 22 starts and posted an outstanding SO/BB ratio of 135/36 between Class A Augusta and Sarasota. Song's record would have been a whole lot better had he not received a loss or no-decision in eight starts in which he yielded one earned run or fewer.

Song throws consistently in the low-to-mid 90s and has improved his breaking stuff considerably since signing. This season Song is 7-5 with a 4.14 ERA in Class AA Trenton through July 2.

John Stephens, RHP, Orioles -- Australia -- signed as NDFA in 1996

Stephens has been untouchable at every minor-league level from Rookie ball all the way up through Class AAA despite having a fastball that tops out at 85 mph. He has a 46-29 record and a 2.45 ERA in six major league seasons.

The 22-year-old was 13-9 with a 2.51 ERA in 26 starts between Class AA and AAA in 2001. He led the Orioles' organization in wins and ranked fourth in the minor leagues with 191 strikeouts in 190 innings. This season with Class AAA Rochester Stephens is 11-4 with a 2.80 ERA through July 2.

Stephens can't overpower hitters with his fastball but he has been able to out think them. He uses a devastating curveball and solid changeup to keep hitters guessing.

 

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