If you’re a Major League Baseball prospect in today’s game, you’re best bet is to start as young as you can and move as quick as possible once a team drafts you.
The 2010 rookie landscape was littered with former prospects who played very little in the minors. Atlanta’s Jason Heyward needed only 238 games of seasoning to prepare for his breakout campaign, despite being drafted out of high school. San Francisco’s sensation, Buster Posey, was a three-year starter for FSU, but still required only 172 games in the minor leagues. Heyward’s late-season teammate, Mike Minor, needed only 25 starts to prove he was ready to take on big-league hitters.
And then there was the uberprospect of them all, Stephen Strasburg. “Stras” probably could have started his pro career in the Majors, but the Nationals took the cautious approach with him…aka 11 starts in the minors.
Despite the big names, there really isn’t any rhyme or reason to who moves through the minors quicker. Sometimes it’s elite high schoolers like Heyward and sometimes it’s seasoned college vets like Strasburg and Matt Wieters.
Either way, your favorite team will most likely employ the services of one of these types of players, the fast-riser and the quick-mover.
Here are the best bets (for each team) for that honor in 2011.