Quiet as kept, the 2012 Major League Baseball season is on course to have a very exciting stretch run. The addition of a second wild card has more than a third of each league thinking postseason, including unexpected contenders like the Orioles, Pirates, and A's. What always makes September even more intriguing though are late-season call-ups from the minor leagues. Rosters expand from 25 to 40 players on September 1, often giving fans a glimpse of the future of their team.
But it's not just the also-rans that stand to benefit from September call-ups. Every year there are players who were in the minor leagues in August who make contributions to playoff contenders when autumn arrives. Here are the 10 most exciting players in the minor leagues right now: five who could impact playoff races, four who could help turn moribund franchises around, and one who might be pulling off one of the greatest public relations coups of all time.