prospecthype

I’d like to introduce a new mini-series that I will be posting here and there between player reviews called Spike Watch. It will be a short list of a few players who I think for one reason or another will see some significant increases in their card prices in the near future, and state the reasoning behind these potential price spikes. So without further ado…

Neftali Feliz-P-Texas- Feliz is one of the most talented young pitchers in the minor leagues. He is just 20 years old, but he had tremendous success in 2008, striking out 153 in 127.1 innings of work. He has one of the best fastballs in all the minor leagues, consistentlyin the upper 90s, and he continues to get better and better. More and more people are starting to find out about this guy, and when they do, they will see nothing but good things. More people will look to buy his cards, and as a result, his prices will be driven upward.

Brett Anderson and Trevor Cahill- P and P- Oakland- I list these guys together because everything about their position in both the A’s system and in the card/prospecting world are so similar. These guys have been competing for the for the spot atop Oakland’s top prospect list all year. Both had great 2008 seasons, both have excellent stuff, both have a ton of potential,both have a chance to make their MLB debuts in 2009, and both have suprisingly low valued cards. I personally just purchased a Cahill chrome refractor auto for about half of what they had peaked at during the 2008 season. Both of these guys are ready to explode, and you can bet that they will both be very close to the top of just about every prospect list leading into the 2009 season. This exposure should lead prospectors and collectors alike to look to buy their cards, pushing their prices higher and higher.

Jesus Montero-C-New York Yankees- With this guy, the question is not if, it’s when. He has the bat to carry him to the majors and then to stardom. His power is exceptional, and especially as a Yankee, all it will take is some extra exposure for people to realize that this guy is the real deal.