A lot is being made about the Tampa Bay Rays’ solid core of young talent at the major league level.

It is hard to talk about the Rays without mentioning the current core of cost-effective, team-controlled youngsters who led the franchise to the World Series. Everyone has heard of former first-round picks Evan Longoria and David Price by now, of course.

But here is a brief list, in no particular order, of several of the remaining high-level prospects in the Tampa Bay organization who are not yet household names for non-prospect fanatics.

Wade Davis, RHP—Davis’ stock took a bit of his this year, as he struggled to consistently command his pitches. He remains a high-level prospect, though, thanks to his solid movement on a low-90s fastball and an excellent curve ball. The right-hander has not shown the ability yet to consistently command his other offerings, a developing change-up and cut fastball.

Davis began the season in the Southern League, where he went 9-6 with a 3.85 ERA and 81-to-42 K/W ratio in 19 starts for the Montgomery Biscuits. He was a bit unlucky—with a high BABIP—and allowed nearly a hit per inning, but flashed signs of brilliance. He then earned a promotion to Triple-A in July, joining the Durham Bulls. He put together a nice string of quality outings for the Bulls, going 4-2 with a 2.72 ERA and 55-to-24 K/W ratio in nine outings. The difference, though it was a small sample size, had a lot to do with luck, as his BABIP decreased and he limited opponents to a .205 batting average.

Davis will spend most, if not all, of the 2009 season in a starting role again at Durham. The 6’5 former fourth-round pick, though, could join the Rays at some point if he can continue to improve his consistency.

Jeremy Hellickson, RHP—Hellickson does not have the prototypical body for a big-league pitcher, at 6’1, 185. The 21-year-old right-hander, though, is a legitimate major league prospect. He has an above-average fastball and two solid secondary pitches but what differentiates him is his excellent command.

Hellickson tore up the Florida State League this spring, going 7-1 with a 2.00 ERA and stellar 83-to-5 K/W ratio in 14 starts. Upon his promotion to Double-A Montgomery, though, he ran into some difficulties, allowing 15 home runs in 75.1 innings pitched. While he was prone to giving up the long ball, he rebounded nicely after a few rough appearances to finish his stint with the Biscuits 4-4 with a 3.94 ERA. His command remained exceptional—79-to-13 K/W ratio—but he posted an opponents’ batting average of .292. While he lacks a true out pitch, he still profiles as a solid middle-of-the rotation starter.

Reid Brignac, Shortstop—Brignac has made tremendous strides defensively the past two seasons. Considered the best defensive shortstop in the International League this year, he seems destined to stick at the position in the majors for years to come. While Jason Bartlett is currently manning the position effectively—defensively, that is—and is locked up for a few more years, the 22-year-old Louisiana native has a chance to serve as a stopgap until number one overall pick Tim Beckham, who has a real chance to remain at the position, is ready.

Brignac projects to hit for power at the major league level as well. Since his breakout offensive performance in the California League in 2006, however, he has regressed severely at the plate as he jumped two levels. His on-base skills, in fact, leave a bit to be desired, and he took another step back in his first full season with the Durham Bulls in 2008. He batted only .250/.299/.412, drawing only 25 walks while striking out 93 times. He will need to improve his plate discipline, but, with his above-average defense, he seems ready to latch on with the Rays in the near future.

Some other names to look out for: Nick Barnese, Beckham, John Jaso, Desmond Jennings, Jeff Niemann, Jake McGee

Barnese, who posted a 2.45 ERA and 84-to24 K/W ratio for Hudson Valley in the New York Penn League this summer, induces a ton of groundball outs with a solid, low-90s sinking fastball. He will look to make a major leap in his development next year, as he makes the jump to full-season ball.

Beckham has tremendous tools, and scouts feel that he can remain at shortstop. At 18 years old, though, he has a long way to go in terms of development before reaching the majors. The Georgia prep prospect is still a bit raw, as he did not begin playing baseball competitively until he was 14. While it is foolish to read too much into a prospect’s short-season professional debut, he did not exactly set the Appalachian League on fire—.243/.297/.345, in 177 at-bats. He has tremendous upside, which prompted the Rays to select him with their second consecutive first overall pick over more expensive college options like Pedro Alvarez and Buster Posey, and is an exceptional athlete. Look for Beckham, who earned a late-season promotion to Hudson Valley, to begin ’09 in the South Atlantic League.

Jaso has excellent on-base skills and can really hit, but has yet to show that he can handle his catching responsibilities effectively. The organization, it seems, is not sold on his defense, but he has a career minor league line of.273/.391/.426 and .817 OPS.

Jennings had a season to forget, as injuries prevented him from taking another giant leap forward in his development. The former Alabama quarterback recruit was looking to build upon a breakout 2007 campaign, in which he hit .315/.401/.465 in the Sally League, and established himself as one of the premier outfield prospects in the minors. An athletic, physically gifted athletic specimen, he took a major step forward as baseball player in ’07, swiping 45 bags while improving his plate discipline.

Unfortunately, Jennings began the season in extended spring training and sat out the first two months with back and shoulder injuries. When he was healthy enough, he reported to the Florida State League, hoping to stay on the field without any issues. After only 24 games roaming center field for Vero Beach, however, he re-injured his shoulder, requiring season-ending surgery. He should be ready at the start of spring training and remains a top outfield prospect.

Niemann may get traded this offseason, following a solid, injury-free performance in the International League. His star has dimmed, but he finally made his major league debut in April, posted a .3.59 ERA in 24 starts at Durham and consistently sat in the mid-90s with his fastball in an encouraging year in which he was linked to numerous trade rumors. He tends to get lost in the translation, with the Rays’ apparent surplus of pitching, but several organizations would love to have him in their system. The former Rice star no longer projects as a front-line stud, but he has a chance to turn into a solid number three or four guy in the big leagues. Out of options, he should finally stick in the majors for good next year.

McGee, lost early in the spring after tearing his ulnar collateral ligament, underwent successful Tommy John surgery—another James Andrews patient—and is out until the middle of ’09. Before the injury, the flamethrowing lefty was regarded as one of the premier pitching prospects in one of the majors’ deepest farm systems. According to Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon, he may end up as a dominant closer for the Rays.

There are certainly others as well—from Fernando Perez to Heath Rollins—and expect to find a complete top prospect list in the next couple of weeks.

With the Rays’ ability to make cost-effective roster decisions, a solid core of young stars locked up for the long term, and with several of the aforementioned prospects close to reaching the show, it is clear that the Rays are not a one-year wonder. Many were critical when the Rays refused to give up a few of these prospects in deals at the trade deadline, but they made it to the Fall Classic without having to deal away any cheap, team-controlled assets. While the American League East will always provide a tremendous challenge—with the financial superpowers—the Rays seem equipped to make a nice little run.

To reach Tyler Hissey, send an email to TylerHissey@gmail.com.

Note: This post is from Monday. Ben Zobrist has been called up to the Rays, with Jonny Gomes getting shipped to Triple-A.

Davis Improves To 3-0 At Durham

Wade Davis improved to 3-0 in the International League on Monday, tossing six shutout innings in the Durham Bulls’ 5-0 win over the Richmond Braves. Davis, one of the top pitching prospects in the minors, struck out five while walking two, lowering his ERA with Durham to 2.25.

Davis was called up to the Bulls in the middle of July after beginning the season with the Montgomery Biscuits in the Southern League. With Montgomery, he posted a 3.85 ERA and 81-to-42 K/W ratio in 19 games started, going 9-6. Since the call-up, he is 3-0 with a 23-to-11 K/W ratio in four starts. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound right-hander, selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the third round out of the 2004 First-Year draft, has truly established himself as one of top starting pitching prospects in the game. He has a mid-90s heater, a solid hard hammer and improving command. While he struggled a bit with the Biscuits, he is the premier arm in the Rays’ system this side of David Price.

Zobrist Swinging A Hot Stick

Ben Zobrist is never going to be more than a utility player in the majors. Zobrist, though, can add some value to a club at the highest level. He has the ability to play numerous positions on the diamond and some decent on-base skills. Since filling at shortstop for the Rays when Jason Bartlett was on the disabled list, the 27-year-old has torn it up at Durham. He is batting .515 with two home runs, six RBIs and eight walks in his past 10 games going into Monday, raising his line with the club to .333/.423/.506. He has been playing all over the infield, as top prospect Reid Brignac has seen the majority of innings at shortstop, but is seeing the ball well at the plate right now.

Zobrist, who hit a few key home runs during his stint with Tampa Bay, had another big night in the Bulls’ 5-0 win over Richmond. He went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored.

Alvarez Watch: Pedro Alvarez and his agent, Scott Boras, are reportedly nowhere close to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the negotiation process. Alvarez, the number two overall pick out of Vanderbilt University, is a premier bat who has the chance to make a fast rise to the majors. In fact, the opportunity is there for him to turn into the best homegrown position player to come through the system since current Chicago Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez, an International signing in the 1990s. Pittsburgh cannot miss out on this chance here.

The Pirates and team president Frank Coonelly, who was responsible for enforcing slot money regulations when he worked in the commissioner’s office, recently added a solid group of prospects in deals involving their two departed outfielders, Jason Bay and Xavier Nady.

However, even with the addition of Andy LaRoche, who has a chance to be an impact corner infield bat, the majority of the players who the club acquired do not project as stars. Brandon Moss, for example, has a few tools, but seems like he will end up as more of a fourth outfielder.

After Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh does not have many future high-impact hitting prospects in its system. McCutchen is going to be an excellent player, perhaps in the near future, but the organization needs to get Alvarez locked up. Under first-year general manager Neil Huntington, the franchise has come along way since the Matt Morris debacle and the club finally has a vision. Huntington, however, must ensure that Alvarez is a part of a seemingly bright future by coming to an agreement with the superagent, Boras. Rather than taking a compensation pick in the 2008 draft if they fail to reach an agreement, they need to do what it takes to get it done before the August 15 deadline. The Bucs have missed out on too many opportunities to add a future All-Star piece to the puzzle via the first round of the draft.

Several other first-round picks—including San Diego State left-hand Brian Matusz and Florida State catcher Buster Posey—remain unsigned as well. Matusz, the best college southpaw in the nation this past season, was selected by the Baltimore Orioles. Posey was nabbed by the San Francisco Giants fifth overall, capping off an incredible campaign in which he won the Golden Spikes award and finished with a line of .463/.566/.879, 26 homers and 93 RBIs.

The deadline is only two weeks away.

Waiver Season:

If Rocco Baldelli actually ends up giving Tampa Bay anything at all, however, Gomes may be the odd man out.

Miller broke a record on Sunday. The only problem: it was the wrong kind of record, a frivolous one at that. He recorded the win in the Rays' extra-innings victory over the Detroit Tigers, registering his first decision in about...well...almost since his last stint in the 727. At least 121 appearances without a loss or win makes it seem that long.

Overall, the lefty specialist has not exactly been special, posting a 5.00 ERA while walking 18 in 27.0 innings pitched. He has held left-handed hitters to a .641 OPS, but he has left a bit to be desired with his performance.

The Rays' roster will change. Baldelli is anxious to return. Price, with his make-up, mid-90s heater and excellent performance (10-0, 1.97 ERA, 85-to-19 K/W ratio), is inching near his debut as well.

Dierkes' waiver predictions for Tampa Bay, then, clearly have some merit to them.

The Rays, by the way, actually lost a home game on Monday night, as Cliff Lee continued to shut down the American League.

Lee was not dominant, but effective enough, holding Tampa Bay--which has struggled against left-handers--to two runs in seven innings. After stopping the Rays' five-game winning streak, he is now 15-2 with 2.58 ERA and 127-to-22 K/W ratio.

Matt Garza was hit with the loss, allowing four runs in five innings. Garza, who is a completely different pitcher when he is efficient and works ahead in the count, has posted a 3.70 ERA and 84-t0-40 K/W ratio in 21 starts.

Tampa Bay did not give up any ground in its three-game lead in the AL East, as the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees each lost as well.

The story here, though: Willy Aybar played shortstop in the loss. Yes, Willy Aybar, who had never spent an inning at short in the majors prior to Monday. Bartlett missed the game with an injury, as did Carl Crawford, whose hamstring continued to bother him.

Tampa Bay is currently first in defensive efficiency, having converted 71.2 percent of balls put into play into outs. With the addition of Bartlett in the Delmon Young deal, Akinori Iwamura's flawless transition to second base and the emergence of Longoria, the once-lowly Devil Rays have move from worst to first in team defense. Getting rid of mediocre middle infield defenders Brendan Harris, Ty Wigginton and Josh Wilson, as well as B.J. Upton's move to center field, has helped out dramatically.

Aybar falls into that shaky category, however. Longoria, who saw some time at the position earlier this summer even though he had not played there since his days a stud in JUCO ball, remained at the hot corner, but is still considered the "backup."

Luckily, Bartlett is unlikely to be put back to the disabled list. If he does make his second DL stint, though, the Rays will most likely call up Brignac or Zobrist to fill the void.

Scouting Scandal:

Add the New York Yankees to the list of teams being investigated by Major League Baseball related to the international signing scandal.

Michael Schmidt of the Times:

The Yankees are among the six to eight teams that are being looked at as part of the investigation, the person said. Many of the people investigators are looking at worked for several other major league teams, according to the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he did not want to jeopardize his access to sensitive information.

M.L.B. is looking into whether Yankees prospects did not receive portions of their signing bonuses, which then went to team employees, the person said. The Yankees employees on leave are based in the Dominican Republic.

According to a person in baseball who has not been authorized to talk publicly, Major League Baseball investigators have been in the Dominican Republic for the past four months and have set up a hot line to investigate accusations.

Davis, 22, has come along way since then, forming one of the top pitching duos in the minors alongside left-handed Jake McGee. In fact, the two top prospects are frequently mentioned as a pair, because they have risen through the Rays’ system together as teammates since they were each selected back in ’04.

That took a turn for the worse this spring, however, as McGee tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow and is out indefinitely. Davis, on the other hand, continued to impress in the Southern League before his recent promotion to Triple-A Durham.

The 6-foot-5 right-hander made his mark in the professional ranks in the Midwest League back in 2006, posting a 3.02 ERA, 165-to-64 K/W ratio and 1.29 WHIP for Southwest Michigan. He even tossed a complete game, seven-inning no-hitter and finished second in the league, behind McGee, in strikeouts. Since then, he has been considered one of the flagship pitching prospects in the deep Tampa Bay farm system, as his mid-90s fastball and improving curveball left scouts drooling at times.

Davis' next stop took him to the Florida State League, where he went 3-0 with a 1.84 ERA, 88-to-21 K/W ratio and sub-1.00 WHIP (0.96) in 13 starts for the Vero Beach Devil Rays to begin the 2007 season. Again pitching alongside Davis in one of the circuit’s strongest starting rotations—as was the case in Michigan the summer before—he was named FSL Pitcher of the Week three different times and was elected to the league All-Star team.

Davis then forced a promotion to Double-A, where he made the transition with ease. He continued to make strides with his improving command while looking comfortable against older, advanced hitters to turn into a force at the top of the Biscuits’ staff. He finished 7-3 with a 3.15 ERA and 81-to-30 K/W ratio in 14 starts down the stretch to help push his club into the postseason.

Overall, Davis ended up 10-3 with a 2.50 ERA and 169-to-51 K/W ratio in 27 starts between the two levels, increasing his status as a prospect. In fact, while many analysts and scouts differ over who is the better long-term prospect, he was featured in nearly every prospect publication’s Top 20 prospect list, including Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus, Milb.com and Scout.com.

Davis, who began the season back in Montgomery, has lived up to the hype yet again. He was elected to the Southern League All-Star team two weeks ago after a nice first half, finishing his stay as a Biscuit with a 9-6 record, 3.85 ERA and 81-to-42 K/W ratio in 19 starts. The organization, which generally takes its time grooming young arms, was curious to see how he well he could handle Triple-A, promoting him a few days later.

On July 20, he made his International League debut—an impressive one at that— tossing seven shutout innings while consistently sitting around 95 with his heater. He struck out six while surrendering only three hits to earn his first win with the Bulls. He won his next outing as well, allowing three earned runs in six solid innings on July 25. The former third-rounder, 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA and 12-to-6 K/W ratio at Durham, is 11-6 with a 3.65 ERA in 21 total starts this year.

Davis’ name has shown up in numerous trade rumors lately, but has remained focused on his pitching and has continued to shine. The Colorado Rockies turned off the Rays in the Brian Fuentes talks by asking for him or Montgomery right-hander Jeremy Hellickson, a ridiculous asking price for a brief rental of only a decent reliever. He has also recently been linked to the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are reportedly asking for him in a deal for outfielder Jason Bay. As is the case with David Price, though, he is untouchable in the eyes of Tampa Bay Vice President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman.

Davis, who has the potential to turn into a front-line starter in this league for years to come, will perhaps compete for a rotation spot in spring training next March—though some analysts see his future as a dominant, late-innings reliever. So, the short- and long-term consequences of dealing him for a rental—even Bay, who would not become a free agent until the end of ’09—are too severe, and he will not get shipped.

In addition to his mid-90s fastball and hard hammer, Davis has been working hard to continue the development of a changeup and cutter, which he has made tremendous strides with and have the chance to turn into plus pitchers for him. With his size and dominant stuff, it is not hard to picture him pitching at Tropicana Field in the near future. Thus, as far as the trade talks, Davis is untouchable.

This article was originally posted on Scout.com.

To reach Tyler Hissey, send an email to TylerHissey@gmail.com.

The highest-ranked prospect on the list, Evan Longoria, is making a strong case to get elected to the American League All-Star team, and is the mid-season favorite to take home Rookie of the Year honors.

While Longoria is already making an impact at the major league level, there are many other prospects in the Tampa Bay system enjoying fine seasons, though injuries have set back a prospects number six and nine, Desmond Jennings and Eduardo Morlan.

1. Evan Longoria—3B, Tampa Bay Rays: Longoria has been a force at the hot corner, emerging as one of the Rays’ most consistent offensive players while playing excellent defense at third base. He is batting .270/.342/.529, and currently ranks seventh in the American League with 15 home runs. The mid-season favorite to win the AL Rookie of the Year, he is second among Tampa Bay regulars (behind Eric Hinske) with an .870 OPS, which is also the second-highest total among rookies in the majors. He is tops among newcomers with 36 extra-base hits as well.

2. David Price—LHP, Montgomery Biscuits: With his performance thus far, Price has proven why he was the consensus top amateur prospect entering the 2007 draft. Although he did not make a professional appearance after signing a record deal at the August 15 deadline, he still placed in the top three of every single Tampa Bay top prospect list this winter. Headed into the upcoming offseason, he will undoubtedly fill the top spot on next year’s round of lists. After going 4-0 with a 1.82 ERA and 37-to-7 K/W ratio in six starts at Vero Beach, the lanky left-hander earned a promotion to Double-A earlier this week.

In his first outing at Montgomery, on June 25, he scattered four hits in six solid innings, striking out seven to earn his first win. In seven combined starts, he is 5-0 with a 1.99 ERA, posting a 44-to-11 K/W ratio while holding opponents to a .182 batting average in 40.2 innings pitched. If he continues to miss bats and put up zeroes, he could earn another promotion in the near future, though the odds of him becoming the 2008 version of Joba Chamberlain are fairly slim.

3. Jake McGee—LHP, Montgomery Biscuits: When the organization decided to promote Jeremy Hellickson and Price to Montgomery, it was not too difficult to imagine the Biscuits, with a starting rotation featuring four of the premier pitching prospects in the minors, dominating the Southern League in the second half. The week did not go according to plan, however, as Hellickson surrendered five homers in his first Double-A start and McGee tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow. The 22-year-old southpaw will undergo Tommy John surgery—another patient for baseball’s busiest doctor, James Andrews—and is out indefinitely.

Before the injury, McGee was 6-4 with a 3.94 ERA in 15 starts. He was among Southern League leaders with 65 strikeouts and a 1.31 WHIP as well. While he is still young enough to make a full recovery—and could come back throwing harder than before, though there are few lefties in the minors who can match his pre-injury, mid-90s velocity—the pitching depth in the Tampa Bay farm system was dealt with a huge blow.

4. Wade Davis—RHP, Montgomery Biscuits: Deciding between Davis and McGee was really a toss-up this winter, with several prospect writers going with McGee, despite his below-average secondary offerings, for one reason—he is a lefty. Although the right-hander in the talented tandem struggles with his command at times, he has a true power arm with an excellent curve ball and arguably the highest upside of any pitcher in the Rays’ system—perhaps except for Price, whose excellent command rivals any pitching prospect in the minors. In 16 starts, he has had some ups and downs for the Biscuits in the first half, posting a 7-5 record, 62-to-38 K/W ratio and 1.35 WHIP while surrendering only five home runs in 88.2 innings pitched. His numbers were inflated after his poor outing on June 18, when he did not make it through the third inning, walking five while allowing six earned runs in 2.1 innings.

Update: Davis’ record dropped to 7-6 on Sunday, as he allowed all five runs in the Biscuits’ 5-4 loss to the Mobile BayBears, raising his ERA to 4.14. He struck out seven while only walking one, but surrendered seven hits, including two homers, in the loss.

5. Reid Brignac—Shortstop, Durham Bulls: For two years now, Brignac has been labeled as the Rays’ shortstop of the future. After Tampa Bay selected prep infielder Tim Beckham with the number one overall pick in the 2008 draft, however, it is no longer a sure thing. While Beckham, 18, is several years away from making an impact in the majors, many scouts feel that he has the athleticism, instincts, range and throwing arm to remain at the position as he rises up the Tampa Bay farm system. The Griffin High School product signed relatively quickly, and made his first start at shortstop for Rookie-level Princeton on Saturday night. Coming off a an MVP season in the California League in ’06, Brignac regressed at the plate at Double-A Montgomery last year, batting .260/.328/.433. Although he was among Montgomery team leaders with 17 homers, his approahc at the plate proved to be a cause for concern.  While he struggled at the plate, though, he made tremendous  progress in the field, emerging as one of the top defensive middle infielders in Double-A; this appears to have ended all of the discussion about Brignac being forced to make the switch to third base.

The offensive struggles have continued for Brignac at Triple-A in the first half of '08, as he has drawn only 21 walks in 74 games. In 271 at-bats, he has a .743 OPS, batting .260/.311/.435 with seven home runs through Sunday. The power potential is still there, but he needs to improve his approach at the plate. While he is no longer a sure bet, at least not to become the “shortstop of the future” in the Tampa Bay organization, he is still one of the more promising infielders in the International League.

6. Desmond Jennings—OF, Vero Beach Devil Rays: Jennings, a former quarterback recruit at the University of Alabama, is the best pure athlete in the Tampa Bay farm system. He made tremendous progress as a pure basbeall player in ’07, emerging as one of the Rays’ top position player prospects after hitting .315/.401/.465 for the South Atlantic League-champion Columbus Catfish. He also led the circuit with 45 steals, and, as he projects to hit for more power as he develops, has a realistic chance to turn into a 20-40 threat in the majors. He did not get off to the best start to this year, though, suffering a back injury and then injuring his left shoulder in spring training. While he missed the better part of the first two months of the season, he is now back, starting in the outfield and leading off for Vero Beach. In 23 games, he is batting .259/.357/.412 with two homers, five RBIs and five stolen bases in six chances.

7. Jeff Niemann—RHP, Durham Bulls: It has now been four years since Tampa Bay selected Niemann in the first round out of Rice University. A plethora of injury setbacks have made it seem even longer than that. While he is not yet a mainstay in the Rays’ starting rotation—as many predicted he would be at this point—he finally made his long-awaited big league debut this spring, going 1-1 with a 5.79 ERA in two big league appearances in April, when Tampa Bay starters Scott Kazmir and Matt Garza were on the shelf with injuries. At Durham, the former College World Series hero is 5-2 with a 4.20 ERA, posting a 51-to-20 K/W ratio and 1.19 WHIP while holding opposing batters to a .222 average in 55.2 innings pitched. All of the injuries have taken a toll on him, making it unlikely that he will turn into a future top-of-the-rotation starter in the majors. While he gets lost in mix because of the surplus of talented arms in the Tampa Bay system, however, he still has strong enough stuff to get hitters out and miss bats at the major league level.

8. Jeremy Hellickson—RHP, Montgomery Biscuits: Hellickson dominated the Florida State League this spring, going 7-1 with a 2.00 ERA in 14 starts with the Vero Beach Devil Rays. Hellickson, 21, showed a tremendous ability to miss bats, registering a 83-to-5 K/W ratio while limiting opponents to a .224 batting average in 76.2 innings pitched. He was named as the starting pitcher for the East squad in the league's All-Star game, though he did not pitch due to a blister on his pitching hand.

For his stellar performance, he—along with his Vero Beach teammate, Price—was promoted to Double-A Montgomery this week. For one of the first times of his young professional career, however, the Iowa product was hit hard on Friday night in the Biscuits’ 12-8 loss at Mobile. He allowed eight earned runs on eight hits, including five home runs, in 4.2 innings of work, striking out only one batter. With two outs in the fifth, he surrendered back-to-back-to-back homers, leading to his early exit from the game. While it was not the debut that he had in mind, the promotion to the next level is a huge step, perhaps a turning point, in his development. Tampa Bay has been patient with Hellickson since they selected him in the fourth round of the 2005 draft. His outstanding performance on the mound to this point, however, left the organization with little choice but to promote him. A Scout.com Top-100 prospect, how well he performs at Montgomery the rest of the summer will determine if he can inch up even higher on the list.

9. Eduardo Morlan—RHP, Montgomery Biscuits: Morlan is the minor leaguer whom Tampa Bay acquired in December’s blockbuster deal that ended Delmon Young’s days in St. Petersburg. While Jason Bartlett and Matt Garza—who nearly threw a no-hitter in a dominant one-hit complete game shutout against the Florida Marlins earlier this week—have had a direct impact on the Rays’ strong first-half, Morlan has the chance to really make the deal hurt for Minnesota. Like Jennings, though, he missed most of the first half, injuring his shoulder after six relatively ineffective performances to begin the season. He rejoined the Biscuits’ bullpen a few weeks ago, but has only made five relief appearances since coming back to the team. In 13.0 innings pitched, he has surrendered 17 hits, two of which were homers, eight runs (seven earned) while walking three. Despite an injury-plagued beginning to his tenure in the Tampa Bay farm system, he remains one of the top relief prospects in the minors.

10. Ryan Royster—Outfield, Vero Beach Devil Rays: Royster, selected by Tampa Bay out of an Oregon high school back in 2004, came out of nowhere to lead the Columbus Catfish to the Sally League Championship with a monster offensive season. He won the Organizational Triple Crown, batting .329/.380/.601 with a league-best 30 home runs and 98 RBIs. However, the transition to the Florida State League has not been as smooth for Royster, who has only eight extra-base hits and a .606 OPS in 70 games. He is hitting .244/.293/.313, and the only category in which he ranks among league leaders this go around is strikeouts, as he has been punched out 77 times.

To reach Tyler Hissey, send an email to TylerHissey@gmail.com.