Oakland’s Barry Zito made his major-league debut just 13 days after appearing in the 2000 Futures Game in Boston. Five who could be next:
1) Rich Harden
The 21-year-old right-handed Canadian, who started for the World team, is rumored to be joining Barry Zito in the Athletics’ rotation soon. Harden, who started the year by retiring the first 39 batters he faced in Double A, is 9-4 with a 3.15 ERA and 91 strikeouts in 88 2/3 innings at Triple-A Sacramento.
2) Neal Cotts
The U.S. team’s starter features an 8-3 record with a 1.97 ERA at the White Sox’s Double-A club in Birmingham. Cotts, who pitched at Illinois State, was acquired in the Keith Foulke trade in the off-season. The left-hander ranked fourth in the minors last season with 178 strikeouts in 137 2/3 innings.
3) Seung Song
Montreal’s 23-year-old right-hander from Korea started at Double-A Harrisburg, where he fired a no-hitter in April, and has five starts under his belt at Triple-A Edmonton where he’s 3-0 with a 1.95 ERA. He was 5-2 with a 2.35 ERA at Harrisburg.
4) Denny Bautista
Florida’s 20-year-old right-handed Dominican went 8-4 with a 3.18 ERA at Class-A Jupiter before a call-up to Double-A Carolina, where he won his first three starts. Bautista has allowed five runs in 22 2/3 innings, while striking out 25 compared with eight walks.
5) Zack Greinke
Kansas City’s sixth overall pick of the 2002 draft won each of his first nine decisions–over 11 starts–at Class-A Wilmington. And he’s only 19. After going 11-1 with a Carolina League-leading 1.14 ERA, the right-hander was promoted to Double-A Wichita and has appeared in just one game. Greinke has just 16 walks in his first 98 1/3 innings.
