Justin Upton

DIAMONDBACKS OUTFIELDER

FIRST SCOUTED by major league clubs at age 13, in the bigs by 19 and a .357 postseason hitter at 20, Upton is a young man in a hurry. "He was a 14-year-old kid at the Area Code Games," recalls Nationals assistant general manager Mike Rizzo, referring to the summer showcase for the nation's top high school players, generally seniors, "and he stood out."

Speed and power define Upton's game. Watching him run out a triple is as exciting as seeing Devin Hester return a kickoff, and he strikes the ball with terrifying force. After he whacked a low screamer over the centerfield fence against the Royals this spring, Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin swore that he had seen the second baseman leap for it. Given his rare combination of skills, his status as the No. 1 draft pick in 2005 and his arrival in the big leagues as a teenager last season, it's not surprising that Upton has inspired comparisons with a young Ken Griffey Jr., who at 20 batted .300 and was an All-Star. Neither of those thresholds are out of reach for the 6' 3", 205-pound Arizona rightfielder this season.

Indeed, Upton, the younger brother of Rays centerfielder B.J. Upton, could very well join Griffey and Alex Rodriguez as the only players in the past 30 years to hit 20 homers at age 20. His speed also makes him an excellent candidate to become only the second 20-home-run, 20-stolen-base, 20-year-old player in major league history. ( Vada Pinson pulled off that feat for the 1959 Reds.) Fast company for a kid who has played just 43 games in the bigs.