Baseball Best Minor League Players - MLN Fab50 (FAB 50) - MLN Sports Zone

MLN BASEBALL TOP MINOR LEAGUERS - THE FAB50

FAB50™ 2002 | FAB50™ 2003 | FAB50™ 2004 | FAB50™ 2005

Jonathan Roybal
MLN Associate Editor

Why do a player survey approaching the all-star break? The 2004 MLN FAB50™ is a snapshot of the best and brightest of the minor leagues. Spring previews promise. The grind of day-in-day-out play on one squad in May reveals a few spring flowers, like Zack Greinke, that get called up to the bigs. After you pass about fifty-five games, the air warms up, the summer breezes blow, and the stars of the minors start to shine their brightest.

It is these fabulous players that the FAB50 delivers. Players like B.J. Upton, the hottest talent in the minors right now.

Every magazine, web-zine, and official website has their take: Some talk up guys that they can vaguely remember from spring training; some use their corporate sponsors' list of bubblegum cards made up before half of the guys they picked under the logo were battle-tested; Yet others use a dart board, ouija board, or the ancient Greek method of slaughtering a goat and studying the entrails for signs and portents.

In this compilation, we present you with the real deal: Non-sponsor induced, and tout-free takes on the best 50 minor league baseball players in affiliated baseball. Guys that you should check out when they come to your town's ballpark, worthy of a spot on your rotisserie league rosters. The kids have what it takes to be the major league superstars of tomorrow.

To make the Fab 50 you must be living up to your reputation by producing on the field in 2004.

We don’t discriminate against younger players in lower levels. If you’re tearing the hide off the ball, or mowing down batters by the dozen, chances are you’ll find your way onto our list where those who choose to snooze in the AAA may not.

To make this list as accurate as possible, we went straight to the source. We talked to GM’s, player development directors, scouts and managers, asking them who they thought were the best players on their teams, in their systems, and in the leagues that they work. No matter how good you are, if these guys don't love you, your career may get seriously stuck in neutral.

The criteria were simple: As long as you were still playing in the minors as of June 1, 2004 you were eligible (We love ya, Greinke, but now you can work on being Sports Illustrated's darling.). Also, if you already had a cup of coffee in the bigs this season, then say sayonara (Begging humble pardons, Justin Morneau and Edwin Jackson). If you've been around too long and you haven't moved up, you move off the FAB50.

These are fast-track players, based their potential, production this season, and overall value to their organization. That doesn't mean that you'll be seeing many of these players (particularly those in the Yankees organization) at your particular major league ballpark soon. Many of our hottest players will be trade bait, the faceless "minor league player to be named later" that accompanies the big deal for the big deal star.

This year's list includes two new features... There are honorable mentions, those that just fell short who we still think are some of the best in the minors. We also include a separate list of some of the top stars in independent baseball, for those who are in indy cities to put on their "Must See" lists.

The FAB50 should also give you some idea of the state of the state in farm systems. From the scores of players in the affiliated minor leagues (those affiliated with MLB clubs) only a handful will make it to the major league level. How is life down on the farm in terms of rising top talent? The Devil Rays are dynasty building. It's sweeter this year for the Colorado Rockies, and good for the Angels. It's surprisingly lackluster for the Oakland A's, and if you think that the White Sox suck now, there's not much down on the farm to give you hope.

Our survey is as inclusive as the experts in the farm system that we interview for this story will allow. There are players in the black hole of the Mexican League,the Dominican and Venezuelan networks where contract status is loose, and farm directors hold their hands more cautiously, that won't make the list.

Some of our FAB50 players were MLN Players of the Year in 2003. Some are fresh faces. Some of the rising stars of 2003 missed the heavens this year.

The end result is the list you see before you. Simply put, the best 50 players in the minor leagues today.

The number one player in the minor leagues today plays for the organization in Tampa Bay. To find his photos and text, scroll down and click on "Next."

Ways to go from here... Click on Next for the our top pick, go to the Gallery of Stars for thumbnails of this year's FAB50 picks, choose a player number below OR, pull down the list at the top of each page to select a player. If the words are in bold type that's the page or page number that you're on!

Articles that follow contributed by the MLN Editorial staff. Researcher: Ketan Dhawan. Special thanks to all of the farm directors, scouts, general managers, and media relations people who made this possible.

[Gallery of Stars] [By Position] [By Club] [By League]
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| Ones 2 Watch | iBest™ 2004 Indy Players |