Smokies roster stacked with talent

Parent club honored recently for having best minor league organization news@theheraldnewspapers.com Tennessee Smokies fans should expect to see some future Major League players pass through Smokies Park this season. According to Baseball America’s list of the top 100 minor league players that was released prior to the start of the season, the Arizona Diamonbacks, the Smokies parent club, boasts seven players in their organization on the magazine’s 17th annual list. Arizona had two of the top five ranked prospects on the list. Shortstop Justin Upton, the Diamondbacks’ first overall pick in the 2005 draft, was listed as the second overall best prospect behind only Tampa Bay Devil Rays outfielder Delmon Young. The 18-year old Upton, the younger brother of Devil Rays’ player B.J. Upton, was slated to begin the year with the Diamondbacks farm system at low-A South Bend. Stephen Drew, also a shortstop, made his debut as Smokies Park last year. Drew was listed as the 5th best overall prospect on the Baseball America list. Thr 15th overall pick in the 2004 draft, Drew was sidelined with a hamstring injury last season at Tennessee after appearing in 27 games for the Smokies. During his short stay in Sevierville, Drew hit at a .218 clip, had four home runs and 13 RBI before going down with the injury. First baseman Conor Jackson made the list at number 17, outfielders Carlos Quentin and Chris Young were 20th and 23rd, respectively, and Carlos Gonzalez and pitcher Dustin Nippert rounded out the list for Arizona ranked in the bottom 50 of the list. Having such success with the draft and developing prospects at the minor league level, no doubt is a tribute to the organizations overall stability. The Arizona Diamondbacks recieved the 2005 Topps Organization of the Year Award for its superb farm system. “We’re ecstatic about it,” said Arizona vice president of scouting operations Mike Rizzo. “It shows all the hard work we’ve done and the good people we have. Good people that can work together. It’s a credit to all the scouting and player development people.” The award is presented annually to one Major League organization based on the number of players in its farm system who have received Topps awards during the previous season. Points were awarded in four different minor league categories, including All-Star players, Players of the Month, the Trautman and Taylor Spink Award recipients (for league Minor League Player of the Year and Topps oveall Minor League Player of the Year, respectively) and for Major Leaguers who made the Topps Rookie All-Star Team. Four Smokies contributed to the Diamondbacks winning the award last season. Arizona received points from second baseman Dan Uggla (.297, 21 HR, 87 RBI) for earning a spot on the 2005 Southern League All-Star Team. Pitcher Nippert (8-3, 2.38 ERA, 3 CG, 2 SHO) picked up points for the August Southern League Player of the Month award. Nippert dominated the month of August, posting a 3-0 record in six starts for the Smokies before receiving a late-season call-up from Arizona in September. Late arrivals Phil Ablas and Miquel Montero also contributed to the Diamondbacks honor for their Player of the Month honors while with the Lancaster JetHawks in the California League.