Travis Hughes

Hughes was removed from, then added back onto the 40-man roster and will be one of the first casualties this winter if Texas needs more room. He's kicked around the minors for several years now without prolonged success.

Control issues finally caught up with Hughes, as his K:9 and K:BB rates fell apart at Triple-A. He's pitching in a relief role this winter down in Venezuela without much success. His ETA, optimistically slotted for 2004, is going to have to wait until he improves a great deal at Triple-A. A two-pitch flame-thrower out of the bullpen might be his eventual role, as is the case for most failed minor-league starters.

Hughes brings major heat to the plate, accompanied by the usual caveat that his control is sometimes an issue. He had an impressive 137 strikeouts in 143.1 innings at Double-A, though 82 walks came with it. He's a starter for now, but at the very least there should be a solid career as a hard-throwing setup man in his future if he can't bring the walks down. Watch his progress at Triple-A – he could be in Texas as a reliever late in 2003, with a rotation spot forthcoming in 2004.