Jim C. writes: I'm surprised by the lack of attention given to Braves Triple-A prospect Trey Hodges. He had an outstanding year last year, posting 15 wins and a 2.76 ERA at Class A Myrtle Beach. This year the right-hander is even better, posting 12 wins already as well as a 2.76 ERA at Triple-A Richmond. What are your thoughts?

Hodges was a 17th-round draft pick in 2000, a product of the tremendous Louisiana State University baseball program. You mentioned his strong W-L and ERA marks at Myrtle Beach, but even more impressive to me was his K/BB ratio: 139/18. He was impressive in spring training this year, and the Braves felt confident enough in him to push him directly to Triple-A, where as you point out he is pitching very well.

In 121 innings for Richmond, Hodges has a 81/41 K/BB mark. The walk rate is very low, but his strikeout rate is only mediocre, meaning (statistically at least) that he isn't likely to take the major leagues by storm, at least not at first. The numbers line up well with his scouting report: his fastball is average, and he relies on his command to survive.

Like most guys who don't have blazing stuff, he'll likely need an adjustment period when he gets promoted to the Show. I would look for him to get a shot as a spot starter/long reliever for the Braves late this year or next spring. He isn't a top-notch prospect, but he is a good one.

Rick L. asks: Indians prospect Earl Snyder is hitting well (.283, 15 homers, 51 RBI, .352 OBP) at Triple-A Buffalo. He was part of the Roberto Alomar deal and hit .280 with 20 homers at Double-A Binghamton last year for the Mets. Is it safe to say he has established himself as a true prospect?

I think Snyder has proven he can hit. People have always been skeptical about him, for two reasons. One, while Snyder is strong, he doesn't look that great in uniform, not being "svelte" at a stocky 6-0, 208. Two, he's always been a bit old for a prospect. He's 26 now, entering his prime, with little growth potential left. He was just a 36th-round pick (University of Hartford, 1998), so he doesn't have a big draft pedigree to fall back on. But he's mastered Double-A and Triple-A pitching, and he deserves a shot in the major leagues.

How will he do? If Snyder gets hot at the right time, he could end up making a pretty good career for himself, sort of like Shane Spencer (a similar hitter) did. If Snyder doesn't get hot at the right time, he'll probably bounce around Triple-A for the next seven years, hitting a lot of home runs but usually getting overlooked.

Jeff L. writes: Can you comment on Jack Cust's season and the chance he makes it up to the big leagues with the Rockies this year? I know that his defense is allegedly atrocious. Has he improved at all on his defense this year?

Cust's defense has improved from atrocious to merely bad. He doesn't make as many mistakes in the outfield as he once did, but his range remains very poor, and he simply doesn't have the athletic skills to be more than barely adequate as an outfielder. He really belongs at first base or DH, which of course is impossible in Colorado. What he really needs is to play for an American League team.

As much as I like Cust's power and walk rates, there are some doubts developing about his bat. He's hitting just .265 at Triple-A Colorado Springs this year. Colorado Springs makes the Moon look like Dodger Stadium, so while he's continuing to draw walks (77) and hit homers (20), some scouts think he may actually be too passive at the plate, and will struggle to hit .240 in the majors. Even if he draws tons of walks, that's an awfully low batting average for modern managers to deal with psychologically.

Of course, he's still just 23, and even with the low batting average, he doesn't have much left to learn in Triple-A. I want to see what he can do in the Show, and he deserves the chance to show us. But Cust, for all his potential, could end up being a Ben Grieve-like disappointment.

Derek F. asks: Will D'Angelo Jimenez, the infielder the White Sox received in a trade from San Diego, be ready to step in and contribute next year at the big-league level?

Jimenez really struggled this year in San Diego, both offensively and defensively. I still think he's going to be a good player, and it's quite possible he's still feeling some effects from the auto accident that almost ruined his career a couple of years ago. Before the car wreck, I liked him better than Alfonso Soriano in some ways, and I wasn't the only analyst who felt that way.

Jimenez may be suffering from what I call Carlos Febles Syndrome, though it could also be termed Bump Willsitis, Warren Morris Disease, or Bernie Allen Complex. That's when a promising middle infielder, usually a second baseman but sometimes a shortstop, flashes excellent potential and may even have a strong year or two, but suddenly loses steam with the bat and starts to struggle defensively. This often starts with an injury, but even after that heals, the player never returns to their former level of effectiveness. It's too early to say that Jimenez suffers from that, and I think it's a good gamble for the White Sox. But I do worry about him.

Christopher H. writes: Whatever happened to Ed Yarnall? I haven't heard anything about him this season. Is he still with the Reds? Is he injured?

Yarnall has been pitching in Japan the last couple of years. This year, hurling for the Orix Blue Wave, he is 4-9 in 16 starts, but with a solid 3.69 ERA, which ranks ninth overall in the Pacific League. He posted a 3.93 ERA in 73 innings for Orix last year, and seems to have adapted pretty well to Japanese conditions. Yarnall will probably come back to the U.S. at some point. I thought he was an excellent prospect back when he was with the Mets, but he didn't develop as hoped.

John Sickels is the author of the 2002 STATS Minor League Scouting Notebook. He is currently writing a biography of Bob Feller. He lives in Lawrence, Kansas, with his wife, son, and two cats. You can send John questions or comments at JASickels@aol.com, or you can visit his homepage at johnsickels.com.