Lars Anderson

Anderson made the move from Double- to Triple-A early on in the 2010 season and struggled initially. Though he was much better in the second half of the season, Anderson still had stretches where he didn't hit. He is striking out too much and the power we've been waiting for hasn't developed. But everything considered, he improved after a subpar 2009 that dropped him in many prospect rankings. Anthony Rizzo had moved ahead of him as a first-base prospect, but that changed when Boston traded Rizzo to San Diego as part of the package to land Adrian Gonzalez. The downside to that, obviously, is that Gonzalez should be Boston's first baseman for the next several years. Anderson, who spent September in Boston, is major-league ready and now doesn't have to carry the expectations that come with being the organization's top prospect. That may have played a role in his production drop in 2009. We may never see the big bat, but he is skilled defensively and could land as the backup to Gonzalez with Mark Grace-like production, but there's also still the chance he's part of a trade package and shipped elsewhere.

Anderson's 2010 ETA appears to be too optimistic, as he slumped badly for Double-A Portland in 2009. The power potential we saw in 2008 didn't emerge in his first full season at Double-A. In each of the last two seasons, Anderson has had stretches when he struggled to hit for weeks at a time. The strikeout rate is still too high, and there were reports of flaws creeping into what had been a sweet swing. He'll need to prove he can hit against advanced pitching for the Red Sox to consider him a solution at the major league level. We're looking for a 2011 arrival, but the organization continues to think about adding an existing MLB first baseman and moving Kevin Youkilis to third. This is a big year for Anderson to make himself a part of the Red Sox's upcoming plans.

After a slow start at High-A Lancaster, Anderson started to hit in May and was promoted to Double-A Portland in July. At 20, his power potential began to develop as he rapped 18 homers and 80 RBI in 439 at-bats, while becoming the top non-pitching prospect in the organization. There was a slight adjustment moving up a level, but the learning curve was minimal. Anderson strikes out a little too much, but that can be corrected, and fielding skills are adequate at this point. He's two years away from the major league level and will find a spot -- either first base or designated hitter depending on the other moves made by the front office -- in Boston by 2010.

Anderson made the move from Low-A to High-A in 2007, hitting 11 homers and knocking in 78 runs between Greenville and Lancaster. At 6-4, 210, he's got a hitter's build and a high power ceiling. He combines good on-base skills (.393 OBP) with a lot of strikeouts (121 K in 493 AB). He's just 19, so there's time to learn restraint. The organization has added a few first-base prospects in the last couple of years, but he's above Aaron Bates and Chris Carter in terms of promise.