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	Monday, October 9
	Players to watch in the AFL By John Sickels Special to ESPN.com
	REPORT FILED: OCTOBER 8 Here's a look at 12 interesting players in the Arizona Fall League. Note that this is not an overview of the "best prospects," but rather a glance at 12 players that I find particularly interesting and will be keeping tabs on. I also hope to see many of these players in person when I attend the Arizona Fall League Fantasy Baseball Symposium, sponsored by Baseball HQ. You can find more about this at http://www.baseballhq.com/afl2000/home.html. There are still a few slots left, and I heartily recommend the experience to all baseball fans, not just those with an interest in the minors. Joaquin Benoit, RHP, Texas Rangers (Grand Canyon Rafters) Like most teams, the Rangers are on the lookout for young pitching, and they like this live-armed Dominican right-hander. His track record is mixed and he has a history of injuries, but he throws hard and held his own in half a season of Texas League action this year. I'll be interested to see how Benoit holds up against hard competition in the AFL. Matt Kinney, RHP, Minnesota Twins (Grand Canyon Rafters) Kinney was impressive in late-season action with the Twins, and has a good chance for a rotation spot next year. His control is still shaky and his K/BB mark needs work. We should watch his fall league performance closely to see if he can get his fastball/slider combination in the strike zone consistently. Brad Lidge, RHP, Houston Astros (Maryville Saguaros) Houston's 1998 first-round pick, Lidge has seen only limited action as a pro due to nagging injuries. He pitched very well this year, posting a 2.81 ERA in the Florida State League, but it was only eight starts. Lidge needs innings and the AFL will provide him with a good venue to get experience. If he pitches well and proves to be healthy, he could see the majors late next year. Brad Wilkerson, OF, Montreal Expos (Maryville Saguaros) A supplemental first-rounder in 1998, Wilkerson played poorly in 1999 but was much better in 2000. He has very good strike zone judgment and above-average power, but he hit just .250 in half a season of Triple-A this year after getting promoted from Double-A. He'll need to do better in the batting average department. He'll face good quality pitching in the AFL and that will tell us something Mike Bynum, LHP, San Diego Padres (Peoria Javelinas) A 1999 first-rounder, Bynum has a killer slider that has been compared to Steve Carlton's. He was brilliant in A-ball this year and also did well in six Double-A starts. His control isn't perfect and his fastball, while a good pitch, isn't a super blazer. Watch his K/BB in AFL action. Bubba Crosby, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers (Peoria Javelinas) Another 1998 first-rounder, Crosby was a major disappointment in 1999. He played better in 2000 but still hasn't reached Double-A. A good AFL showing will revive his prospect status, but if he doesn't do well you can expect his stock to drop even more than it already has. Nate Bump, RHP, Florida Marlins (Mesa Solar Sox) A 4.57 ERA in 26 Double-A starts was not exactly what the Marlins had in mind from Bump, a former Giants top draft pick they acquired in the Livan Hernandez trade in 1999. He has a good arm, but hasn't been consistently effective since reaching Double-A. He throws hard but gave up a lot of hits this year, 169 in 150 innings. Kenny Kelly, OF, Tampa Bay Devil Rays (Mesa Solar Sox) Scouts love this guy; he's an awesome athlete, with blazing speed and some power potential. He needs to improve his swing, and his strike zone judgment still needs work. I'll be interested to see how his plate discipline holds up against tough AFL competition. Zach Sorensen, SS, Cleveland Indians (Phoenix Desert Dogs) Sorensen has been a mild disappointment since coming out of Wichita State in 1998. He's fast, has adequate strike zone judgment, and a decent glove, but hasn't developed as quickly as the Indians expected. As it is for many of these guys, the AFL is a good opportunity for him to revive his fortunes in the eyes of scouts. Ryan Ludwick, OF, Oakland Athletics (Phoenix Desert Dogs) Ludwick was the big slugger in the California League this year, as the UNLV product slammed 29 homers and drove in 102 after a slow start. He also fanned 128 times, and his ability to make contact at higher levels will determine how quickly the Athletics push him. Brad Cresse, C, Arizona Diamondbacks (Scottsdale Scorpions) LSU's College World Series hero, Cresse made a rapid adjustment to the wooden bat, hitting 18 homers after signing and drawing comparisons to Mike Piazza, with both bat and glove. He'll have to prove he can handle high-level sliders and curves, and the AFL will give us some early data points for that test. Esix Snead, OF, St. Louis Cardinals (Scottsdale Scorpions) Possibly the fastest man in the minor leagues, Snead stole a Carolina League record 109 bases this year. He also hit just .239, and while he will take a walk, he has very little power. Can he handle good pitching remotely well? The AFL will help us find out. After the end of the Arizona Fall League season, we will review this list of players to watch and see how they did. John Sickels is the author of the STATS 2000 Minor League Scouting Notebook. You can email your questions to him at JASickels@AOL.com.		ALSO SEE Down on the Farm archive