This 30-part series will look at the projected Top 5 freshman contributors for each big league club for the year ahead. The rankings take into consideration a mixture of ceiling, readiness and potential playing time allocation, which is to say some players with lower ceilings may be ranked ahead of others with higher ceilings because they project to have a greater impact in the coming season.

In a Nutshell: The rope that’s tying B.J Upton to the Braves’ center-field gig has to be thinly frayed at this point. As well, you have to figure the club isn’t 100% sold on sophomore-to-be Tommy La Stella and his ‘meh’ defense at second base.

1. Jose Peraza, 2B/SS: This young Venezuelan’s game took a big step forward in the second half of 2013 and he earned the No. 3 ranking on the Braves’ pre-2014 prospect list at FanGraphs. The middle infielder’s strong play continued into 2014 and he is now the best prospect in the system and could push incumbent second baseman Tommy LaStella (a rookie himself in ’14) to more of a part-time role. Peraza, 20, has a chance to develop into a top-of-the-order threat with a strong batting average and 30+ steals.

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Welcome to the annual series: ‘A Minor (League) Review of 20__.” This series is a great way to receive a quick recap of the 2014 minor league season for your favorite club(s), while also receiving a brief look toward the 2015 season and beyond. It can also be a handy feature for fantasy baseball players in keeper and Dynasty leagues.

Previous Pieces:
A Minor (League) Review of 2014: Yankees and Orioles
A Minor (League) Review of 2014: Red Sox, Blue Jays, Rays
A Minor (League) Review of 2014: Indians and Tigers
A Minor (League) Review of 2014: White Sox, Royals, Twins
A Minor (League) Review of 2014: Angels and A’s
A Minor (League) Review of 2014: Astros, Angels, Mariners

A Minor (League) Review of 2014: Braves and Phillies
A Minor (League) Review of 2014: Marlins, Mets, Nationals

A Minor Review of 2014: Reds

The Graduate: Billy Hamilton, OF: There is no denying that Hamilton is an exciting player thanks to his top-of-the-scale speed. However, from an offensive standpoint, the shortstop-turned-center-fielder had a modest year in the Majors. A .292 on-base percentage only takes away from Hamilton’s greatest asset (his base running) and he doesn’t make enough consistent contact (117 strikeouts in 152 games). He’s intriguing, but he still has a long way to go to become a key player for the Reds.

The Riser: Ben Lively, RHP: The enigmatic and deceptive Lively had a grand year in the minors, going from 2013 fourth-round prospect to a Double-A hurler in 2014. Despite his average stuff, the right-hander allowed just 117 hits and struck out 171 batters in 151.0 innings. If he keeps this up, he could reach The Show in the second half of 2015.

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Welcome to the annual series: ‘A Minor (League) Review of 20__.” This series is a great way to receive a quick recap of the 2014 minor league season for your favorite club(s), while also receiving a brief look toward the 2015 season and beyond. It can also be a handy feature for fantasy baseball players in keeper and Dynasty leagues.

Previous Pieces:
A Minor (League) Review of 2014: Yankees and Orioles
A Minor (League) Review of 2014: Red Sox, Blue Jays, Rays
A Minor (League) Review of 2014: Indians and Tigers
A Minor (League) Review of 2014: White Sox, Royals, Twins
A Minor (League) Review of 2014: Angels and A’s
A Minor (League) Review of 2014: Astros, Angels, Mariners
A Minor (League) Review of 2014: Braves and Phillies

A Minor Review of 2014: Marlins

The Graduate: Sam Dyson, RHP: The Marlins enjoyed freshman contributions from the bullpen with the likes of catcher-turned-hurler Chris Hatcher and Dyson. The latter pitcher was acquired off the scrap heap in a questionable dump by the Blue Jays in early 2013. The right-hander is a ground-ball machine with his mid-90s fastball that he uses more than 80% of the time. His other offerings need polish.

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Welcome to the annual series: ‘A Minor (League) Review of 20__.” This series is a great way to receive a quick recap of the 2014 minor league season for your favorite club(s), while also receiving a brief look toward the 2015 season and beyond. It can also be a handy feature for fantasy baseball players in keeper and Dynasty leagues.

Previous Pieces:
A Minor (League) Review of 2014: Yankees and Orioles
A Minor (League) Review of 2014: Red Sox, Blue Jays, Rays
A Minor (League) Review of 2014: Indians and Tigers
A Minor (League) Review of 2014: White Sox, Royals, Twins
A Minor (League) Review of 2014: Angels and A’s
A Minor (League) Review of 2014: Astros, Angels, Mariners

A Minor Review of 2014: Braves

The Graduate: Tommy La Stella, 2B: Known more for his stick than his glove, La Stella — who I ranked as the Braves’ eighth-best prospect entering 2014 — took over for the disappointing Dan Uggla in late May. Unfortunately, he hit very poorly in the months of August and September, so he may not have done enough to guarantee a starting gig next season.

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Welcome to the annual series: ‘A Minor (League) Review of 20__.” This series is a great way to receive a quick recap of the 2014 minor league season for your favorite club(s), while also receiving a brief look toward the 2015 season and beyond. It can also be a handy feature for fantasy baseball players in keeper and Dynasty leagues.

Previous Pieces:
A Minor (League) Review of 2014: Yankees and Orioles
A Minor (League) Review of 2014: Red Sox, Rays, Blue Jays
A Minor (League) Review of 2014: Indians and Tigers
A Minor (League) Review of 2014: White Sox, Royals, Twins

The Graduate: Matt Shoemaker, RHP: A 27-year-old rookie (who recently turned 28), Shoemaker produced excellent numbers in 2014 — especially given his lack of hype or pedigree. The right-hander succeeded despite average velocity due to plus control and an outstanding splitter. It will be interesting to see if he can repeat his success in 2015.

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Welcome to the annual series: ‘A Minor (League) Review of 2014.” This series is a great way to receive a quick recap of the 2014 minor league season for your favorite club(s), while also receiving a brief look toward the 2015 season and beyond. It can also be a handy feature for fantasy baseball players in keeper and Dynasty leagues.

Previous Pieces:
A Minor (League) Review of 2014: Yankees and Orioles
A Minor (League) Review of 2014: Red Sox, Rays, Blue Jays
A Minor Review of 2014: Indians and Tigers

The Graduate: Jose Abreu, 1B: Abreu entered the 2014 season as one of the most enigmatic players, and he’ll exit the year as one of the best hitters in baseball. The Cuba native will likely finish his first big league campaign with a batting average of more than .300, at least 35 home runs, as well as 100-plus RBIs. The only real knock on his freshman season is the 46-125 BB-K rate.

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Welcome to the annual series: ‘A Minor Review of 2014.” This series is a great way to receive a quick recap of the 2014 minor league season for your favorite club(s), while also receiving a brief look toward the 2015 season and beyond. It can also be a handy feature for fantasy baseball players in keeper and Dynasty leagues.

Previous Pieces:
A Minor Review of 2014: Yankees and Orioles
A Minor Review of 2014: Red Sox, Rays, Blue Jays

The Graduate: Trevor Bauer, RHP: The 2011 first rounder of the Diamondbacks reached the Majors quickly — in 2012 — but he didn’t settle into a big league role until 2014 with the Indians. Bauer still has some adjustments to make, including improved control, but he’s struck out 135 batters through 142.2 innings of work. Cleveland did a great job of buying low on him and helping him regain his value. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to the annual series: ‘A Minor Review of 20__.” This series is a great way to receive a quick recap of the 2014 minor league season for your favorite club(s), while also receiving a brief look toward the 2015 season and beyond. It can also be a handy feature for fantasy baseball players in keeper and Dynasty leagues.

Previous Pieces: A Minor Review of 2014: Yankees and Orioles

The Graduate: Mookie Betts, IF/OF: Fellow rookie Jackie Bradley Jr. — who won the opening day center-field gig — stumbled at the worst possible time. That misstep allowed Betts to weasel his way into the role and — if his 2014 results are indicative of his future potential — he’s not going to be giving it up any time soon. His pop has been a pleasant surprise.

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Welcome to the annual series called: ‘A Minor Review of 20__” This series is a great way to receive a quick recap of the 2014 minor league season for your favorite club(s), while also receiving a brief look toward the 2015 season and beyond. It can also be a handy feature for fantasy baseball managers in keeper and Dynasty leagues.

The Graduate: Shane Greene, RHP: Greene is proof that scouting is not an exact science. The right-hander flew under the radar for five minor league seasons due to inconsistent results. His stuff took a step forward in 2014 and he could be in the Yankees’ starting rotation for years to come thanks to his combination of velocity, movement and sink on his offerings.

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There are a few exciting names up today. You’ve got your Maikel Franco in Philly, your Joc Pederson in Los Angeles and your Daniel Norris in Toronto. They’ve been called up to the bigs! But, due to innings limits on young arms, and roster crunches on teams now as much as 50% larger, it’s fair to ask. Will any of these youngsters play regularly?

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