Michael Aubrey

Aubrey once again lost time last season due to injuries as a back ailment shelved him in June. He did hit .281 between Double-A and Triple-A but showed inadequate power (nine homers) for a first baseman to be of any fantasy value. He'll be back in a reserve role -- likely with a new organization -- this season and there's simply not enough upside here to warrant much of a look.

Injuries once again played a role in Aubrey's season, limiting him to just 256 at-bats between High-A and Double-A. He struggled at Double-A as a 25-year old, slugging just .403 while dealing with quad and hamstring problems. He'll look to regain some of his prospect status in 2008 between Double-A and Triple-A but until he turns in a completely healthy season there's no reason to buy into him producing.

Until Aubrey can make it through an entire season without missing significant chunks of playing time, he will never achieve the status he probably deserves. It has never been an issue of production, as Aubrey is a career .923 OPS in four minor league seasons, it's been about staying on the field. At press time, he decided to skip the Arizona Fall League with an ailing rib; which is a brand new injury (he missed all of 2006 with a bum knee and balky back).

The Indians believe in Aubrey's ability to hit enough for them to place him on their 40-man roster this winter. However, the former three-year star at Tulane -- and 2003 round-one pick -- has been injury-plagued for two seasons now including always serious back troubles in 2005. He's a gifted hitter with a .314 career minor-league average. His power was even picking up in early 2004 before he got hurt. A healthy 2006 season, which will probably begin back in Double-A Akron, is all he and the Indians need to have to figure out whether they want the pop of Ben Broussard or the hitting and on-base ability of Aubrey in the lineup each day.

Aubrey, the Indians' first baseman of the future, has evinced comparisons to Mark Grace with his high-average stroke, good contact ability and fine defense. Aubrey cruised through low and high Single-A in 2003-04 and was promoted to Double-A before hamstring pulls ended his season in July. A full return to health in 2005 should see him back at Double-A with a promotion to the majors awaiting him in September. Aubrey doesn't have a traditional first baseman's 40-homer power, but he's a solid bet for a long, productive career.

The 11th overall pick in the 2003 draft, Aubrey figures to be Cleveland's first baseman of the future. The Tulane alum was rated by Baseball America as the second best hitter in the draft (behind Rickie Weeks) and is considered a strong defender. He'll likely spend most of 2004 in Double-A, with the opportunity to move up to the bigs by September.