Cesar Carrillo

Carrillo, a first-round pick in 2005, hasn't been the same since Tommy John surgery in 2007. His command seems to be returning, two years removed from the knife, and Petco Park is a solid place for a command/flyball pitcher, so you can't write him off. Sleeper in deep leagues, but watch for him on the wire in June in shallow ones.

The once highly regarded Carrillo has put himself back in the Padres' pitching picture with a good Arizona Fall League campaign, after returning for the second half of 2008 following Tommy John surgery in June 2007. He will likely need to get back some of the velocity he has lost since the elbow procedure, but if he does, he could be a decent sleeper candidate to help out the back end of a fantasy rotation.

Carrillo's last two seasons have been cut short by elbow problems, including a May 2007 Tommy John operation. He should resume throwing this spring, but he will be hard-pressed to compile any fantasy value in 2008. He has only thrown 15.2 minor league innings since June 2006. Once upon a time, Carrillo was a top-flight prospect with good control. Now, he's just trying to get back on the mound.

Carrillo is regarded by many observers as San Diego's best minor league pitcher, but his 2006 season was marred by a strained forearm and a sprained elbow, which leaves his 2007 plans in question. The elbow injury sidelined Carrillo from mid-June through the end of the season and forced him to withdraw from the Arizona Fall League. All told, Carrillo only started 10 games in 2006, nine of them for Double-A Mobile, where he went 1-3 with a 3.02 ERA and 43 K in 50.2 IP. Hopefully, he will be ready in time for spring training, but that injury-plagued 2006 dampens his 2007 outlook. He probably will not begin the season in the majors, but could be recalled later if he is healthy and pitching effectively.

San Diego's 2005 first-rounder, and the ACC Pitcher of the Year at Miami, was promoted aggressively through the system in his first summer of professional baseball. He appears to be on the fast track and could arrive as early as 2006.