Some quick-hit thoughts on a few hitters that were called up after the first day of roster expansion on Sept. 1:
Ben Revere, OF, Minnesota Twins: Revere has been getting some stars in center field for the Twins while Denard Span works through a shoulder injury. The 2007 first-round pick has no pop to speak of, but makes contact, understands the strike zone, and has hit over .300 at each of his minor league stops over the past three seasons. His slashing, line-drive stroke can hit both righties and southpaws. His biggest appeal to fantasy owners is his speed, as he's stolen 44, 45 and 36 bases over the past three seasons. He needs to improve his success rate but has the raw speed to carry those totals over to the big league level as he improves his instincts on the bases. He may spend much of next year at Triple-A given the Twins' current outfield situation and may be more of a play for the 2012 season.
Hank Conger, C, Los Angeles Angels: I was asked about why I didn't include Conger in my initial list of top 20 prospects for the 2011 season. It's not because of his bat, as the switch-hitter advanced to Triple-A this year and had another season hitting around .300 with doubles power, a few homers and good patience. The 22-year-old's power is still developing, and he's going to become more of a homer threat. However, as has been abundantly clear the past few years, Angels manager Mike Scioscia loves defense from the catching position, and Conger is still improving in that regard, especially with his throwing, making his chances for a lot of playing time in the short term murky. Still, Conger should get more attention as a catching prospect than he probably does.