http://firstinning.com/ November 17, 2006 The following ten players were the most popular prospects at their position during the past week according to our site statistics. Billy Butler RF | Kansas City Royals Butler is one of the top hitting prospects in all of baseball. He doesn't really have a position to play, but he could probably hold his own as a DH in the big leagues as soon as next year. In his first full season as a professional ballplayer, Butler hit 30 home runs. Skeptics note that Butler played for hitter-friendly High Desert, but he hit almost as well on the road in the California League and continued to hit in double-A and the Arizona Fall League. Butler is a patient hitter who can compliment his power production with good on-base skills. Trevor Crowe CF | Cleveland Indians Jacoby Ellsbury CF | Boston Red Sox Justin Huber LF | Kansas City Royals Huber crushed AA pitching in 2005, but his impressive batting average can be partially explained by an unusually high .398 BABIP. He is unlikely to hit for that high of an average again, but he is a patient hitter who is capable of an above-average OBP even if his batting average dips to .260-.270 in the major leagues. His strikeout rate experienced a significant increase when he made the move to triple-A and the major leagues last year, so he may need a bit more time to adjust to advanced pitching. However, FIPro's long-term projection for Huber is solid. He could get on base during 35% of his plate appearances hitter and launch 20 or more home runs per season in his prime. Lastings Milledge LF | New York Mets FIPro projects improved power from Milledge in 2006 and a productive career as a slightly above-average outfielder in the major leagues. Milledge is not a .337 hitter; his double-A batting average was inflated by an unusually high BABIP. He could hit .270 or so and be a productive player at the major league level if he develops adequate patience at the plate and 20 HR power. Milledge is fast, but he was terrible at stealing bases in 2005. Expect a dropoff in stolen base totals in the near future. Ryan Patterson LF | Toronto Blue Jays Hunter Pence RF | Houston Astros Pence launched 31 home runs during the 2005 season, but he was a bit older than his competition so some analysts remain skeptical about his future as a hitter. He will face more advanced pitching in double-A and possibly triple-A during the 2006 season and FIPro projects he will continue to slug along the way. He projects as a .280 hitter capable of hitting 30 home runs per season at the major league level. He is not a very good fielder but his bat could more than make up for that. Felix Pie CF | Chicago Cubs Pie was on pace to hit 20 home runs in the Southern League when he injured his ankle halfway through the 2005 season. He could get a lot of attention with his power this year, but his poor strike zone judgment is an area of concern. He has not shown much improvement in plate discipline during his time with the Cubs, so he risks evolving into the second coming of Corey Patterson. Pie is a good defensive outfielder with above-average speed, but that speed hasn't translated into success when Pie tries to steal bases. Nolan Reimold RF | Baltimore Orioles Jose Tabata RF | New York Yankees Tabata's FIPro forecast reflects the fact that his approach at the plate is already advanced enough to ensure reasonable on-base skills in the future, but his ability to hit for power is not a sure thing. The teenager rarely pulled the ball in the air and did not show overwhelming power at Charleston. He has plenty of time to grow, however, and his success versus older competition in 2006 is an encouraging sign. --

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