The 10 Most Exciting Players in the Minor Leagues Right Now

Organization: None
Current Team: Sugar Land Skeeters (independent)
Position: Pitcher

Well, well, well, what do we have here? Just months after being acquitted on charges that he perjured himself in front of Congress talking about steroids, 50-year-old Roger Clemens will take the mound this Saturday in Houston for the independent Skeeters. It's hard to tell just what's motivating the Rocket to pitch professionally for the first time since 2007, but if it's simply for the love of the game—and not a twisted ploy to play in the MLB this season and push his Hall of Fame candidacy back until the steroid debate has presumably cooled some—then we don't think he's quite such a jackass after all.

Organization: Kansas City Royals
Current Team: Omaha Storm Chasers (Triple A)
Position: Outfield

For years the Royals farm system has been touted as one of the best in the game, but the big league club has little to show for it (so far). Luke Hochevar is a bust, Alex Gordon is good, not great, and the jury's still out on Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer. But maybe, just maybe, Wil Myers is the real, not-quite-Harperor-Trout-but-close deal. His numbers this year certainly suggest so. In 121 games in Double and Triple A this year, Myers has clubbed 34 homers and posted an OPS of .992. KC still has Jeff Francoeur, who's both a fan and opposing pitcher (see: .240 batting average) with a year left on a big contract, but Myers will be looking to revive hope for the Royals soon.

Organization: Houston Astros
Current Team: Lancaster JetHawks (Single A)
Position: Second base

The son of former big leaguer Delino DeShields, DeShields Jr. is the poor man's Billy Hamilton with more power. Across two levels of Single A this season, DeShields has collected 87 steals and 10 home runs, with an impressive .397 OBP. Houston is all-time awful this year, but there is hope on the horizon.

Organization: Texas Rangers
Current Team: Frisco RoughRiders (Double A)
Position: Shortstop

With the graduation of Bryce Harper and Mike Trout to the bigs this spring, Profar will enter next season atop many scouts' rankings of the best prospects in baseball come March. But he might be in the big leagues in two weeks. There's speculation the Rangers will promote their speedy, power-hitting shortstop even before rosters expand on September 1, in order to make him eligible for the postseason. It would be an unorthodox move given that Texas' incumbent shortstop is two-time All Star Elvis Andrus, but that's how well thought of Profar is. Fun Fact: Profar won a Little League World Series with Curacao in 2004.

Organization: Pittsburgh Pirates
Current Team: Altoona Curve (Double A)
Position: Pitcher

The first pick in last year's June draft, Cole features a fastball that's been clocked at 102, as well as a dominating slider and changeup. Less heralded than his UCLA teammate Trevor Bauer of the Diamondbacks at the beginning of the year, Cole could see action down the stretch for the Pirates as they make their playoff push.

Organization: Chicago Cubs
Current Team: Peoria Chiefs (Single A)
Position: Rightfield

Just 20 years old, Soler signed a nine-year, $30 million contract with the Cubs in June after defecting from Cuba last year. A 6'3" 255 lb. righthanded power hitter, he was ranked higher than fellow Cuban Yoenis Cespedis of the A's by some scouts, and thought to be a top 5 pick had he been eligible for the amateur draft. In seven games with Single A Peoria, he's compiled a measly 1.030 OPS. Patience Cub fans, patience.

Organization: Chicago Cubs
Current Team: Daytona Cubs (Single A)
Position: Shortstop

Another part of the Cubs' solid young nucleus (yes, you read that right), Baez is a 19-year-old infielder with impressive pop and speed. In 57 games with Low-A Peoria he posted a .979 OPS to go along with 20 steals in 23 attempts. He seems destined for a move to third eventually, but a tandem of Baez and Starlin Castro could give the Cubs the most powerful left side of an infield in the majors.

Organization: Baltimore Orioles
Current Team: Bowie Baysox (Double A)
Position: Pitcher

Bundy exploded on the baseball scene this past spring, compiling a 0.00 ERA through his first 30 innings, with 40 strikeouts to just two walks. He's since made two jumps in level—don't be completely surprised if the O's skip Triple A altogether and put him on their big league staff for a run at a the postseason in September.

Organization: St. Louis Cardinals
Current Team: Memphis Redbirds (Triple A)
Position: Centerfield

If the take-10-pitches-and-walk Moneyball model of hitting puts you to sleep and you're looking for a player to take up the Vlad Guerrero free-swinging tradition, then Taveras is your guy. With a strike zone that stretches from his shoelaces to his eyebrows and a long swing that seems to travel through time zones before reaching the plate, Taveras is not supposed to be hitting .320 with 21 home runs at Double A, but that's exactly what he's done so far this year. He's also toting a not-bad-at-all .382 on base percentage. But why walk when you can run to second?

Organization: Cincinnati Reds
Current Team: Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Double A)
Position: Shortstop

In sports there are players who are markedly faster than the rest of the competition—think Randy Moss in his prime leaving speedy cornerbacks in his dust. Then there are players who are freakishly fast beyond that—think Michael Vick with the Falcons. And then there's Billy Hamilton. He's been called the fastest player in baseball history, and while we don't have an 150-year frame of reference, we won't argue. Hamilton was promoted to Double A Pensacola at mid-season after spending the first half of the year with Single A Bakersfield. He's hit an already legendary inside-the-park home run and collected 140+ stolen bases at the two stops, on pace to break Vince Coleman's single-season pro record of 145 sometime this week. There are questions about whether he'll be able to play shortstop at the major league level, but he's already an intriguing September call-up possibility for the Reds: His speed could be a valuable pinch-hitting and pinch-running asset for a club in the thick of a playoff push.