The Ones To Watch

After last week's Double A All-Star Game in San Antonio, which the players from the American League affiliates won 4-0 over their National League counterparts, players from both teams hustled back to the TVs in their clubhouses. Like all minor leaguers, the Double A All-Stars were keeping an avid eye on the big boys, in this case the participants in the home run derby that was held in Cleveland the day before the major league All-Star Game.

Before long, some of the All-Stars who were in San Antonio and others from last week's Triple A All-Star Game in Des Moines—won 5-3 by the American Leaguers—won't have to watch the majors from afar. Indeed, Mark Kotsay, a 21-year-old centerfielder who won the best-arm competition in San Antonio, was called up by the Marlins four days later and was thrown right into the number 3 spot in the lineup. Not bad for a player drafted only a year ago.

Here's the short list of the top minor leaguers who could soon be making an impact in the majors.

•Daryle Ward, first baseman, Double A Jackson Generals (Astros).

During a game earlier this summer at Smith-Wills Stadium in Jackson, Miss., the lefthanded-batting Ward hit a screamer so hard down the rightfield line that it punched a hole right through a wooden billboard. Daryle, the son of former major leaguer Gary Ward, showed even more power at the Double A All-Star Game when he won the home run hitting contest with a shot that smacked the top of the 50-foot scoreboard in rightfield at Nelson Wolff Municipal Stadium.

Ward, 22, was hitting .333 through Sunday with 16 homers and 69 RBIs in 88 games. In April he tied a Texas League record by hitting homers in six straight games. "He has the potential to be a regular 40-home-run guy in the big leagues," says Generals manager Gary Allenson. "He's behind Jeff Bagwell right now, but teams seem to always find room for guys who can hit like Daryle."

•Todd Helton, first baseman, Triple A Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Rockies).

When Helton, the Rockies' first-round draft choice in 1995, gets called up to the majors, he won't have far to go. He's playing only 67 miles from Denver. "You hear a lot more gossip about things that are supposed to happen to you when you're this close," says the lefthanded-hitting Helton.

Lately the rumors have all been good. Helton, 23, was a Double A All-Star in 1996 and a Triple A All-Star this summer. At week's end he was hitting .360 with 16 homers and 84 RBIs. The 16 homers represented a power surge for Helton, who hit only nine all of last year. Expect that number to rise even more if he gets to play at Coors Field. One hang-up: He plays the same position as Andres Galarraga, who will be a free agent after this season. Helton could step in at first if Galarraga leaves Colorado or move to leftfield if he stays. Either way, Helton just wants to get the call to drive up Interstate 25.

•Paul Konerko, third baseman, Triple A Albuquerque Dukes (Dodgers).