Beating the Bushes is counting down to the start of the 2010 baseball season, which kicks off April 4 at Fenway Park, when the Yankees take on the Red Sox.
In the first part of our season preview, we’ll examine Baseball America’s Top 10 prospects lists for the Mets and Yankees organizations from 2000-20009. Today we’ll look at the 2004 lists.
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The Yankees 2004 list is a massive disappointment in retrospect. Of the top 10 players, only one made any kind of impact with the Yankees. Most of them flamed out before reaching the major leagues, although a couple have had success elsewhere.
10. Bronson Sardinha, 3B – For more information on Sardinha’s carer, check out the 2002 list.
9. Estee Harris, OF – A second-round pick in 2003, Harris was a huge disappointment, never making it past High-A over the course of his minor league career. He was out of the Yankees’ organization after the 2006 season, and spent parts of the last three seasons playing for the independent Long Island Ducks, with a small cameo in the White Sox’s system in 2008.
8. Jorge DePaula, RHP – For more information on DePaula’s career, check out the 2003 list.
7. Ferdin Tejada, SS – Signed by the Yankees in 2000 out fo the Dominican Republic, Tejada
6. Robinson Cano, 2B – For more information on Cano’s career, check out the 2003 list.
5. Ramon Ramirez, RHP – Ramirez was signed as a free agent from the Hiroshima Carp in Japan in 2003, and was later traded to the Rockies in 2005 in exchange for starter Shawn Chacon. He was then dealt from the Rockies to the Royals in March of 2008, and then from the Royals to the Red Sox for Coco Crisp after the 2008 season. Ramirez then became a key cog in Boston’s bullpen last season, finishing the season with a 2.84 ERA in 70 appearances.
4. Joaquin Arias, SS – Arias, who signed with the Yankees as an amateur free agent in 2001 from the Dominican Republic, was the forgotten piece of the Alex Rodriguez trade with the Rangers. Arias was the player to be named later that went to the Rangers, along with star Alfonso Soriano, in the deal. He has made brief cameos with the Rangers in 2006, ’08 and last season.
3. Rudy Guillen, OF – For more information on Guillen’s career, check out the 2003 list.
2. Eric Duncan, 3B – Duncan is one of the bigger busts between the Mets and Yankees organizations in recent years. A local product, the Bombers drafted him in the first round out of Seton Hall Prep in 2003, and managed to sign him away from a commitment to LSU. However, in the years since, Duncan has struggled. He made it to Triple-A Columbus in 2006, and has stayed at that level ever since. Last season he hit .204 with four home runs and 24 RBI in 95 games with Scranton/Wilkes Barre.
1. Dioner Navarro, C – After signing as an amateur free agent out of Venezuela in 2000, Navarro made a brief cameo in the Bronx in 2004 before being shipped to the Diamondbacks before the 2005 season in exchange for Randy Johnson. As part of the same trade, Navarro was shipped on to the Dodgers for future Mets outfielder Shawn Green. He soon was involved in yet another trade, as the Dodgers sent him and former Mets pitcher Jae Seo to the Rays midway through 2006. Navarro became a key cog in the 2008 World Series team, hitting .295 and making the American League All-Star team.
tbontemps@nypost.com
