Wow!  Donruss baseball products are back in a big way with the new issue of 2008 Donruss Threads.  While the inclusion of baseball pariahs like Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson or other baseball-related celebrities like Abbott and Costello, Marilyn Monroe and even former President George H.W. Bush, my focus on this article will be on each of the 50 bright young prospects that have serial numbered first year autographs featured in this immaculate product.

#101) Emilio Bonifacio---2B/SS Washington Nationals

• Bonifacio was traded to the Nationals after being named Arizona's 6th rated prospect.  He is above average defensively and has good speed on the basepaths.  Don't expect many HR from his slap-happy bat.

#102) Wilin Rosario---Colorado Rockies C

• Rosario was ranked the #1 prospect in the Pioneer League after his superb season at Casper.  Blessed with superb raw power, plus athleticism, and a rocket arm, Rosario is one of baseball's elite young catching prospects.

#103) Carlos Peguero---Seattle Mariners OF

• Peguero is built like a horse at 6-5 210 lb.  His left-handed swing generates eye-popping power, but his plate discipline (10 BB/96 K) needs to improve if Peguero wants to succeed against more advanced pitching.

#104) Tyler Flowers---Atlanta Braves C/1B/3B

• Flowers has the athleticism to stay behind the plate, but his size (6-4 225 lb.) and solid glove may land him at an infield corner.  Flowers is powerful and drew a league high 98 BB this season.

#105) Tyler Henson---Baltimore Orioles SS

• Henson is the best athlete in the Orioles farm system with enough range, arm and speed to be an above average shortstop.  His 6-2 190 lb frame should add more pop, but his approach at the plate (26 BB/121 K's) needs to improve.

#106) Nevin Griffith---Chicago White Sox RHP

• Griffith was a 2nd round pick in 2007 out of Tampa.  He features 4 MLB quality pitches including a 92-94 MPH fastball and power slider that is his out pitch.

#107) Caleb Gindl---Milwaukee Brewers OF

• Gindl is has a compact muscular build with lefty pull power reminiscent of Brian Giles.  Gindl will need to pare down his strikeout totals and bump up his power numbers a little to be a solid MLB rightfielder.

#108) Jose Ceda---Chicago Cubs RHP

• Ceda is big and robust (6-4 275 lb.) He split time between High-A Daytona and AA Tennessee.  At Tennessee he was converted to a closer and had 9 saves.

#109) Brandon Waring---Cincinnati Reds 3B

• Waring followed his successful '07 debut with a mediocre showing at Low-A Dayton.  Waring has good size and strength, but 156 K's indicate he will be exploited by better pitchers.  Defensively and athletically, he is average...at best.

#110) Neftali Soto---Cincinnati Reds SS/3B

• Decimated pitching at two levels as a 19 year old.  His quick bat and wiry strong frame has the potential to hit 30 HR at the MLB level.  He will be hard pressed to stay at SS, and 3B has a log jam of prospects.  Make no mistake, his bat will play somewhere.

#111) Ryan Miller---Cleveland Indians LHP

• Miller has two lively pitches, a 91-93 MPH fastball with good late movement and a sharp curve that reaches the low 80's.  Miller needs to polish his control as he walked over 5 hitters per 9 IP.

#112) Jack Egbert---Chicago White Sox

• Unspectacular 2008 performance with 4-12 record.  At 25, he is one of the oldest prospects on this list and may be best used as a back of rotation starter or long reliever.

#113) Juan Silverio---Chicago White Sox SS

• Super young with loads of raw talent.  Projects as a Miguel Tejada-type slugging SS who has good range, great arm, and above average speed.  Plate discipline needs lots of work (8 BB/56 K).

#114) Jhoulys Chacin---Colorado Rockies RHP

• Chacin is a ground ball inducing machine (2.83 GO/FO ratio).  Chacin has solid command of his 93-94 MPH fastball and the control of his curve and change has improved dramatically.

#115) Charlie Furbush---Detroit Tigers

• Big bodied southpaw out of LSU who profiles as a finesse pitcher with an 88-90 MPH fastball and slurve.  Did not pitch at all in 2008.

#116) Hector Correa---Florida Marlins RHP

• Correa has good zip on his 95 MPH fastball and is a very good athlete.  Command is an issue with him and his slider has only a one zone break to it.  Injuries made 2008 a virtual loss for him, but he is only 20.

#117) Brad James---Houston Astros

• James is a finesse sinker baller who averaged nearly 2 groundouts/flyout.  James will likely be a  middle reliever or spot starter at the major league level.

#119) Keaton Hayenga---Kansas City Royals RHP

• Hayenga spent the 2008 season rehabbing from a torn labrum suffered in a high school game in spring of '07.  Regardless, Hayenga has superb athleticism with a projectible 6-5 190 lb. frame and three MLB quality pitches.

#120) Brent Fisher---Kansas City Royals LHP

• Limited to just 10 games in '08 due to injuries, Fisher's calling card is a deceptive delivery coined "the Invisi-ball" that seems to add life to his 90-92 MPH fastball and solid curveball.  He will need more than a deceptive delivery to fool more advanced hitters.

#121) Juan Francisco---Cincinnati Reds 3B

• Francisco has light tower power that belted 23 HR this season at Sarasota, but his BB/K ratio is abysmal (19 BB/123 K).  Francisco is part of a logjam at the hot corner that includes Todd Frazier, Brandon Waring, and Neftali Soto.

#122) Andrew Romine---L.A. Angels SS

• Prototypical baseball rat who has solid MLB bloodlines and a high baseball I.Q.  Romine has top of the order speed and plate discipline, but his power will never render double digit HR totals.  Defensively, he is an above average SS with a powerful arm.

#123) Mason Tobin---L.A. Angels RHP

• Injuries cut Tobin's season short at the start of June.  His 90-92 MPH fastball has good sink and his 3/4 arm angle is tough for right-handed batters to pick up.  His command was an issue this year as he walked as many hitters as he struck out.

#124) Anel De Los Santos---L.A. Angels C

• How did this guy advance past Hank Conger?  Horrible plate discipline (5 BB/77 K) in two levels.  Defensively, he is the best catcher in the Angels system and some believe he will hit 20 HR at the MLB level...we'll see.

#125) Andrew Walker---Pittsburgh Pirates C

• Walker has plus power potential and no one ahead of him on Pittsburgh's organizational depth chart.  He'll have to prove he can stay healthy and improve upon his plate discipline and catch and throw skills behind the plate.

#126) Alfredo Silverio---L.A. Dodgers OF

• Silverio has a strong and lean frame that should build more power as he matures.  Compared to a young George Bell, Silverio's plate discipline is still very raw and his other skills rank as being average.  His power development will dictate his MLB success.

#127) Mario Martinez---Seattle Mariners SS/3B

• Martinez has a young thick frame that will push him to 3B as he develops.  His power potential is intriguing and his soft hands should make him an above average 3B.  Like many young hitters, he needs to continue to develop his plate discipline to be successful.

#128) Taylor Green---Milwaukee Brewers 3B

• Green was almost sent to the Indians in the C.C. Sabathia deal.  He has very advanced plate discipline and should hit 15-20 HR at the MLB level with a high average.  Think Mark Grace at the hot corner.

#130) Wilson Ramos---Minnesota Twins C

• Deemed an untouchable 5-tool catcher by the Twins organization, Ramos had a very solid season at High-A Fort Myers.  Twins can afford to patiently allow Ramos to further develop his intriguing skills as long as Joe Mauer can stay healthy.

#131) Trevor Reckling---L.A. Angels LHP

• Very projectible and athletic, Reckling pitched pretty well at Cedar Rapids.  His fastball is nothing spectacular, but adaquate for a lefty.  HIs 3/4 arm slot gives lefties difficulty hitting.  His breaking pitches have the makings of above avereage pitches that he commands effectively.

#132) Engel Beltre---Texas Rangers OF

• Beltre is very "toolsy" with good speed and intriguing power potential.  Alas, the plate discipline is substandard (15 BB/105 K).  He has superstar potential, but that star is at least 3-4 years away.

#133) Scott Moviel---New York Mets LHP

• At 6-10, Moviel is an imposing presence on the mound.  His fastball sits at 90-92 MPH but his athleticism  and youth is cause to realistically expect an increase in velocity.  Moviel's offspeed pitches are nothing special at this point, which may limit his potential as a big league reliever down the road.

#134) Josh Tomlin---Cleveland Indians RHP

• Tomlin was effective as a late inning reliever for High-A Kinston last season.  He has good control of his pitches walking only 16 in 102.2 IP.  He will likely be in Cleveland's bullpen in 2009.

#135) Dominic Brown---Philadelphia Phillies OF

• Brown has a wiry strong 6-5 frame that reminds me of Darryl Strawberry.  Brown has very advanced plate discipline and a cannon for an arm.  His future is in RF, and it is a bright future.

#136) Neftali Feliz---Texas Rangers RHP

• Feliz throws gas...99 MPH gas.  His control and delivery is fluid and repeatible.  His arsenal of off-speed pitches show promise though they are still quite raw and inconsistent.  The mastery of them will determine whether Feliz is at the front of a rotation or back of a bullpen.

#137) Brian Friday---Pittsburgh Pirates SS

• Friday is the prototypical undersized, overachieving college player that emerges with plenty of polish and intangible skills, but his physical skill set limits him to a utility role in the big leagues.  Rice grads just don't make good big leaguers.

#138) Drew Miller---San Diego Padres RHP

• Miller has a solid 6-4 190 lb. frame and good fastball, though he has proven to be quite hittable (.313 BAA this year with 19 HR allowed).  His changeup has some promise though it is inconsistent right now.

#139) Steven Garrison---San Diego Padres LHP

• Garrison exemplifies the term "crafty lefty" as none of his stuff is good enough to dominate advanced hitters, though his offspeed stuff is good enough to keep hitters honest.  Garrison's ceiling is as a #4 or 5 starter.

#140) Mike McBryde---San Francisco Giants OF

• McBryde has very good speed, CF range and a RF arm.  He has the potential to be a good top of the order hitter with 15-20 HR power, but his skills have not yet reached their potential.  He did take a step forward this season and is an intriguing sleeper.

#141) Brian Duensing---Minnesota Twins LHP

• Duensing is a stocky southpaw with fringe MLB stuff that he knows how to use effectively.  That said, he didn't fool many hitters at AAA this season and likely won't at the MLB level.  Control and makeup are everything to Duensing and they are not enough to propel Duensing to anything beyond a spot starter.

#142) Greg Halman---Seattle Mariner OF

• From short season exile to the top of the M's prospect charts.  Halman made meteoric advances in his game this season as a near 30/30 man.  He still strikes out way too much and walks way too little, though the tools he has almost blots out his weaknesses.

#143) Jharmidy DeJesus---Seattle Mariners 3B

• This kid is special... so much that they made him a millionaire at 17 yrs old.  Prostigious power and a frame that could be A-Rodesque (my new word for 'chiseled'), DeJesus has an advanced grasp of the strike zone and solid athleticsim and arm strength to be a very good 3B.