Rankings/List

As I mentioned last week regarding the Boston Red Sox’s farm system, there’s arguably no such thing as an "underrated" prospect. If the player has a pulse, then it’s likely he’ll become over-hyped while ascending the organizational ladder.

Dozens of MLB free agents have already signed new lucrative contracts this offseason, and others will likely sign on the dotted line before the start of spring training as well.

Some free agents, however, are still sitting at home wondering what went wrong.

The Toronto Blue Jays are officially part of the discussion. 

The American League is crowded with top-level teams, and now the Blue Jays have to be included in that list. After adding two Cy Young-talented pitchers in R.A. Dickey and Josh Johnson, an above-average inning eater in Mark Buehrle and adding talent at the top of their lineup in Jose Reyes and Melky Cabrera, the Jays are a legitimate threat. 

It's hard to believe the offseason is almost over, with just a month separating us from spring training action for all our favorite teams.

Every team will have it's share of new faces when opening day finally arrives, but the fan favorites that have been leading their teams for years now are no doubt a focal point for the casual observer.

Here are some players in every franchise that hear their fair share of cheers any time they take the field for their home fans.

What's left of the free-agent market is led by starting pitcher Kyle Lohse and center fielder Michael Bourn, but for the teams not in on those two players, it is a time for bargain hunting.

As clubs look to fill out their roster with one last veteran starter, workhorse reliever or bench bat, there are a number of low-risk players out there who could turn out to be a solid value.

Upon Bryce Harper’s graduation from the minor to major leagues, the prospect realm lost its most promising power hitter. While there’s no other player who showcases as much raw power or the capacity for a similar power frequency at such a young age, there are several prospects that currently boast 70-to-80-grade power. Each of these players projects to hit at least 30-plus home runs annually in their prime.

As I highlighted in my ranking of the New York Yankees’ top 10 prospects, the organization has numerous young, projectable players on the rise, but very few capable of contributing in the major leagues during the 2013 season.

What would make up the "perfect" Baseball Hall of Fame player? 

Someone like Barry Bonds will be a Hall of Famer because of his tremendous power. Roger Clemens will be induced into Cooperstown because he won so many games and struck out so many batters. 

The playoffs are underway in all four factions of the offseason winter Leagues, with the winner of the Dominican, Mexican, Puerto Rican and Venezuelan leagues to represent their country in February’s Caribbean Series.

Since there’s a small sample size for this installment given the recent start of the playoffs, my focus will once again be on each league’s hottest position prospects. This week features several notable prospects in Oswaldo Arcia (Twins), Jesus Aguilar (Indians), and the red-hot Leury Garcia (Rangers).

Each year, there are lower-level pitching prospects who narrow the gap between their present abilities and future potential, and as a result emerge as a highly projected prospect.

Usually, it’s someone who has battled injuries early in his career or simply a young, unrefined pitcher who suddenly puts everything together (stuff, command, consistency).