A slew of prospects moved in the days leading up to the trade deadline, although nearly all were second-tier prospects, since buyers refused to part with long lists of "untouchable" prospects. Here's a rundown of the top 10 prospects who had to pack their bags in a hurry:
1. Brett Wallace, 3B, from St. Louis to Oakland: Wallace is the only impact prospect among all minor leaguers who changed hands in the past two weeks, and his is a special case, since he may have to move to first base, a position the Cardinals reserve for players with superhuman abilities. Wallace should be somewhere in Oakland's starting lineup next April.
2. Nick Hagadone, LHP, from Boston to Cleveland: Hagadone is just 26 innings into his return from Tommy John surgery, and while his development was slowed by the injury and long layoff, at worst he looks like a very good late-game reliever who can get left- and right-handed hitters out. There's still a chance he can develop into a starter, although that's going to take time.
3. Josh Bell, 3B, from L.A. Dodgers to Baltimore: Bell looks as though he'll develop into at least a solid-average third baseman for Baltimore if he can solve his problems against left-handed pitching; the O's must either clean up his entire approach from the right side or make him give up switch-hitting.
4. Zach Stewart, RHP, from Cincinnati to Toronto: Stewart sits in the mid-90s with great sink on his fastball -- he's given up just three home runs in 124 pro innings -- and has a slider as a potential out pitch. He's already in Triple-A in his first full pro season and could make his debut later this year if the Jays are willing to put him on the 40-man roster.
5. Aaron Poreda, LHP, from Chicago White Sox to San Diego: Poreda has a plus fastball with plus movement but lacks an average second pitch. He could pitch in the Padres' bullpen right away.
6. Josh Roenicke, RHP, from Cincinnati to Toronto: The son of former big league outfielder Gary Roenicke, Josh has a big arm with a plus slider of his own, with more velocity but less fastball life than Stewart. One of these two arms acquired for Scott Rolen should end up Toronto's closer in the next few years.
7. Jason Knapp, RHP, from Philadelphia to Cleveland: Knapp has a big arm and a violent delivery; he's had great success as an 18-year-old in full-season ball, but is currently on the shelf with minor shoulder fatigue.
8. Carlos Carrasco, RHP, from Philadelphia to Cleveland: Carrasco has had success in the minor leagues without a plus pitch, although on a good day he will show three average pitches. The Phillies had soured on Carrasco's makeup, allowing Cleveland to pick him up as a distressed asset.
9. Tim Alderson, RHP, from San Francisco to Pittsburgh: Alderson, a former first-rounder, has outstanding command of three pitches, but his velocity is two grades below where it was in high school, and there's a chance he's only a fifth starter.
10. Bryan Price, RHP, from Boston to Cleveland: Price is in his first full pro year and his first year as a starter after he was an infrequently used reliever and spot starter at Rice; he has the stuff to pitch in the middle of a big league rotation but has been hit around some in high-A and he has already thrown more innings this year than he did in all of 2008, including his collegiate work.
