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Baseball Cards 2007 Rookie of the Year Collector Recommendations American League 5. Akinori Iwamura, Devil Rays: Just when you think the Japanese have exhausted their big-league frontiers, here comes the first corner infielder to try to make a successful jump. He's got hot hands, a cool personality and a bat that should be smoking by July. Ignore his silent spring. Hitters make the adjustment to the Majors much slower; even Ichiro was unimpressive in his first camp with the Mariners, then caught fire. 4. Matt Garza, Twins: This 2005 draft pick, who rocketed up the system last season, has been in an uphill battle to leave Florida with a starting spot locked up. But even if he begins the season on the outside looking in, how long do you suppose a rotation with Ramon Ortiz and Sidney Ponson will be able to keep Garza out? If the Twins successfully defend their AL Central title, he will have more to do with it than either of those two. 3. Alex Gordon, Royals: When camp opened, Kansas City manager Buddy Bell said Gordon, the second player taken in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft, would have to force his way onto the roster. A month later, he was the starting third baseman and had forced Mark Teahen into the outfield. He is making the leap from Double-A Wichita, where he was the consensus Minor League Player of the Year. He's a fluid left-handed swinger who will win batting titles and develop 20-plus-homer power. Yes, it's OK to dream of George Brett. 2. Daisuke Matsuzaka, Red Sox: The man who will turn Red Sox Nation into the Land of the Rising Daisuke-san. If he can log two wins for each pitch he allegedly throws, Boston will love him in October even more than it does now. His first three starts will come against Cactus League-based teams that haven't yet seen him, which should get him off to a fast start that will only intensify the mania. 1. Delmon Young, Devil Rays: For the young man who had been outspoken about not being brought to The Show earlier, it's time to put up and clam up. In his brief exposure -- 30 games last September (.317 with 13 extra-base hits) and this spring (.323) -- he hasn't shown anything that shorts his potential. Young could break in as a 30-30 rookie, but his biggest challenge will be proving to be as good a teammate as he is a player. National League 5. James Loney, 1B/RF, Dodgers -- Though he's not a lock to make the team and is blocked by Nomar Garciaparra at first base, look for Loney to get playing opportunities whenever possible as the Dodgers would like to keep his bat in the lineup. A first-round pick in the 2002 First-Year Player Draft, Loney hit .284 with four homers and 18 RBIs in 102 at-bats for the Dodgers in '06. Fifteen of his 29 hits went for extra bases, and he made national headlines by driving in nine runs in a Sept. 28 game at Coors Field. Loney has been smoking the ball this spring and seems primed for a fine season. 4. Chris Iannetta, C, Rockies -- The 23-year-old was called up to the Rockies for 21 games at the end of last season and hit .260 with two homers and 10 RBIs in 77 at-bats. Iannetta hit .303 over the past three years in the Minors, and while his defense still needs refining, he appears ready to take over as the starting backstop in Denver. 3. Chris Young, OF, D-backs -- Called up at the end of last season for 30 games, Young hit .243 with two homers, 10 RBIs and two stolen bases in 70 at-bats. The 23-year-old is expected to be Arizona's starting center fielder and has all the tools to be an outstanding one. Young has power (73 homers over his past three Minor League seasons) and speed (82 steals during that same span). 2. Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Rockies -- As Colorado's first-round pick, seventh overall, in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft, the Long Beach State product, who hit .240 with a homer and six RBIs in a 96 at-bat rehearsal at the end of last season, has moved quickly through the system. Tulowitzki, a very good athlete with excellent range, a plus arm and power to all fields, should get most of the starts at shortstop this season and put up very good numbers at Coors. 1. Kevin Kouzmanoff, 3B, Padres -- The Padres wanted Kouzmanoff so badly that they were willing to part with second baseman Josh Barfield to get him during the offseason. Kouzmanoff hit .332 over his last four Minor League seasons and didn't strike out a lot. In a 16-game callup last season, Kouzmanoff batted .279 with three homers, 11 RBIs and 23 total bases. Through his first nine games of the Cactus League season, the 26-year-old is hitting .349 with three homers, 17 RBIs and a .739 slugging percentage. The Nevada-Reno product appears to be ready to take over at the hot corner. Top 20 Prospects 1. Justin
Upton · Arizona Diamondbacks ·
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