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Minor Developments: Major call-ups

Two huge promotions take center stage this week, which is where we'll start.


Mike Trout finally got the call that was long overdue last week, and promptly started off 0-for-7 in his first two games. Trout is going to play every day, hitting at the top of an Angels lineup that has the potential to be potent. So he could be a great source of runs and steals for the rest of the year. His solid contact skills should also aid in providing a useful batting average. The power will eventually be there, but don't t expect anything more than 10-15 homers.


In a more surprising more, the Nationals promoted teen phenom Bryce Harper over the weekend, and he delivered a great debut, driving a deep double to the warning track in center field in his third at-bat and adding a sacrifice fly in the ninth. He collected another hit Sunday, and looks pretty comfortable in the early going. I think Harper is up for good, not only because of his otherworldly talent, but also since he'll put fans in the seats for the Nationals. It isn't crazy to think Harper can hit 20 homers as a 19-year-old.


I'm personally banking on Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado as being one of the next impact rookies to get the call, going as far as picking him up in the Yahoo! Friends & Family league. Although he's cooled a bit recently, Arenado is still batting .313, and has little blocking his path in the form of Chris Nelson and Jonathan Herrera. With Coors Field as his home set-up, you can't help but get excited about his fantasy potential when he finally reaches the majors. Clubs seem to be calling up prospects earlier and earlier these days, so it wouldn't be shocking to see Arenado up at some point in May.


Mets pitcher Matt Harvey is an arm you should be paying close attention to, especially following his previous two starts (13 IP, 3 ER, 8 H, 15/3 K/BB). Chris Schwinden isn't going to be a rotation mainstay following the Mike Pelfrey injury. So with a another few dominant starts, he'll quickly find his way to the majors. Harvey sits in the mid-90s with his fastball, throwing a heavy ball with good sinking motion. His secondary pitchers are really coming along, making him a nice stock to own in dynasty formats.


Is it time to worry yet about Braves pitcher Julio Teheran? He's been inconsistent thus far at Triple-A, book ending two great starts with two stinkers to start the year. He's being victimized by homers and walks, giving up three long balls and 10 free passes in 16.2 innings. I highlighted what I felt were some causes of Teheran's struggles back in March, and I'm still of the belief that mechanical issues are what are holding him back. Youth is on his side, but some corrections need to be made in order for him to fulfill the enormous potential he possesses.


Here are players who have caught my eye in the early going:


Jays catching prospect Travis d'Arnaud is finally turning things around. J.P. Arencibia has been terrible so far, and despite the Jays wanting to get their top catching prospect a full year at Triple-A, they may need to give d'Arnaud a look at some point this summer.


Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor has quite a few fans among readers of this column, and is sure to gain a few more following his hot start to the year (.314, 4 2B, 2 3B , 2 HR, 8 RBI, 8 SB). Manny Machado and Jurickson Profar have some company when it comes to top minor league shortstop discussions.


Looking for a future ace? Marlins prospect Jose Fernandez could be your man. He's currently dominating the South Atlantic League (28.1 IP, 1.59 ERA, 37/9 K/BB).


White Sox prospect Jared Mitchell looks to finally be figuring things out (.341, 1 HR, 20 RBI, 6 SB). The club's aggressive Double-A promotion looks to be paying off.


Yankees pitching prospect Jose Campos finally came back down to earth, receiving a shelling in his most recent outing (2.2 IP, 7 H, 8 ER, 1 HR, 3 BB, 3 K). He's still a great prospect, and will now have all the attention on him following Michael Pineda's torn labrum.


Sticking with Yankees prospects, Tyler Austin continues to mash. His three home runs this weekend brought him up to nine on the young season, to go along with an outstanding .358 average.


Athletics pitcher Brad Peacock is off to a solid start (28.1 IP, 3.49 ERA, 28/10 K/BB). He'll be worthy of a promotion as soon as an opportunity presents itself.


Through 23 games, Billy Hamilton is batting .398 with 29 steals. If he keeps this pace up, the Reds prospect will smash his 103 steals from last season with ease.


Twins prospect Eddie Rosario is still a work in progress defensively as he transitions to second base (six errors in '12), but his bat certainly hasn't slowed down (.326, 1 HR, 16


Rob Steingall is a syndicated fantasy analyst. Follow him on Twitter


Have a prospect question? A player you want to see covered? Send it to MinorDevelopments@yahoo.com