Luis Terrero

Despite hitting a robust .318/.367/.500 with 16 homers and 18 steals for Triple-A Ottawa, Terrero faltered in the majors, going hitless in his first 19 at-bats before finishing on an 8-for-21 spurt. Despite their lack of right-handed outfielders, the Orioles let Terrero go in the offseason, and he will now compete for a back-up job with the White Sox.

With Jose Cruz coming over to Arizona last offseason, Terrero didn't get much of a chance to claim the regular center field job. He also didn't do anything to prove that it was an unjust decision. Terrero ran less often in 2005, so there's not much reason to keep him in a reserve role. And after the acquisition of Eric Byrnes, Terrero will serve as a fourth or fifth outfielder.

Barring a free agent signing, Terrero will start the spring as Arizona's starting center fielder. If so, he has only a year or so to stake his claim before Marland Williams (or Sergio Santos, if he moves from shortstop) comes to claim the position. Terrero is a base-stealing threat (25-for-30 overall in 2004 at both Triple-A and the bigs) so he'll have some value in NL-only leagues for that alone. He'll have even more value if he does a better job of getting on base.

Terrero may get a chance to compete for a reserve outfield job in the spring, but that may not mean he's ready for the majors yet. Terrero had a 103-to-31 strikeout-to-walk ratio at Triple-A in 2003 … and that was the best such mark in his pro career. Unless he learns an awful lot about plate discipline in the winter and spring, he might get eaten alive in his first real MLB playing time this year. (Good news/bad news: Terrero has stolen 41 bases in the minors over the last two years ... but he's been caught 41 times, too.)

Terrero was named by Baseball America as the Diamondbacks' top prospect during the 2001-02 offseason. He's got all the tools, and his numbers on the surface looked good at Double-A in 2002, as he hit .286-8-54 in 103 games. However, the kid has to learn to draw walks; Terrero has taken ball four just 30 times (against 185 whiffs) in over two hundred minor league games in the last two seasons. He turns 23 in May, and probably starts 2003 in Triple-A. Watch him if you're in a keeper league, but check his strikeout-walk ratios before you nab him.