Desmond Jennings

2013

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2012

Many have criticized the Rays for waiting to bring up Jennings, which is somewhat unfair. The Rays have made it their policy to delay the arbitration clock of top prospects and a fractured index finger also delayed his arrival. When he was finally called up he hit the ground running with a 1.039 OPS in nine July games before continuing his hot streak with a 1.026 OPS in 108 August at-bats. The league seemed to catch up with Jennings in September, as the rookie only managed a .504 OPS for the month. He finished the regular season with 20 stolen bases for the Rays and his power finally developed as he hit 22 home runs between Durham and Tampa. Jennings is an excellent outfielder and is penciled in to start in left field, but could slide over to center if any of the B.J. Upton trade rumors ever come to fruition. His blend of speed and power makes him a very intriguing fantasy option and he should finally have steady at-bats in the majors batting leadoff for the Rays.

2011

Jennings enters the 2011 season penciled in as the replacement in left field for Carl Crawford. One of the best outfield prospects in baseball, Jennings owns a similar skill set to the player he's replacing. One of the fastest players in the minor leagues, Jennings has the potential to hit for a little pop while posting a solid batting average. He struggled out of the gate last year, likely due to suffering a wrist and then shoulder injury. After hitting just .244 between April and May, Jennings hit .353 in June once he was completely healthy. At this point, his greatest fantasy asset will be his speed, and he swiped 37 bags (90.2 percent success rate) at Triple-A Durham. It may take some time for his power to develop, but at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds he should be good for double-digit home runs in the near future. Don't be afraid to go the extra dollar (or round) to snag him in dynasty leagues, he projects to be an outstanding player.

2010

Finally healthy, Jennings put together a spectacular season on his way to being named the Rays' minor league player of the year. One of the top prospects in baseball, Jennings is a legitimate five-tool player. At Double-A Montgomery, he hit .314 with eight homers and had 36 stolen bases in only 379 at-bats. After his promotion to Triple-A, Durham he continued to rake, hitting .322 with three home runs and 15 stolen bases in 115 at-bats. His batting eye is outstanding; he drew 19 walks to only 15 strikeouts at Durham. He'll probably start the year at Durham, but it will be tough for manager Joe Maddon to ignore him if he picks up where he left off during spring training. Don't hesitate to use a top minor league pick on him or stash him on your bench if you have a spot available in a deeper league.

2009

Jennings underwent shoulder surgery in July and missed the rest of the regular season, but after returning for Arizona Fall League play (.231 in 12 games, one homer, 3-for-3 in steals), he's now proved he'll be healthy enough for spring training. Jennings is likely the Rays' best outfield prospect at the moment; he'll start 2009 at either High-A or Double-A.

2008

Jennings went on the DL in mid-August with a minor knee injury and missed the rest of the season, but he'll be ready for spring training. Jennings was considered by many as the top position player prospect in the South Atlantic League in 2007, so he's certainly high on the Rays' watch list. Tampa Bay has more than enough outfield depth at the major league level right now, so there's no need to rush Jennings; he'll go to High-A Vero Beach to start the 2008 season, with an ETA in the bigs no earlier than 2010. Still, this talent should be rostered in any serious dynasty league.