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LF Bob Rogers (340th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 93rd Overall (1943)
Alma Mater: Newman Norseman

After cracking the top 200 last year, Bob Rogers slipped in the prospect rankings after a terrible first full season. After hitting over .500 in high school, Rogers hit a meager .230/.307/.272 (62 OPS+) in 403 trips to the plate for the Lions. After 7 homers last season, he didn't hit a single longball, with just 11 doubles, 2 triples, and 34 RBIs. He did walk a but, with 37 compared to 63 strikeouts, but pretty much everything that could have went wrong, went wrong for last year's 6th Rounder. Rogers will turn 20 in January, so he shouldn't have been nearly as overmatched as he was, but he'll get another shot at things in La Crosse next season. He'll have to earn his playing time before the draft, as we have a lot more exciting corner outfield prospects in Tom Jovin, Jimmy Hairston, and Harry Austin all on the roster with him. Still, "Snoot" is an exciting hitter, even if he didn't show it this year, as he should develop an elite contact tool. He has a nice swing and puts the ball in play a lot, but as a bat first prospect, he needs to take a huge step forward next season. Some power production would be ideal, because without it, it will be tough for him to turn into anything more then a bat off the bench.

RHP Al Robison (355th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 8th Round, 124th Overall (1944)
Alma Mater: North Smithfield Northman

I let him last a bit too long in the draft, but I was happy to still snag Al Robison in the 8th Round. Robison reminds me a lot of George Oddo, as the 18-year-old stands at 6'4'' and has plenty of upside on the mound. He looked really good for the Lions despite his 3-4 record in 74.1 innings pitched. Robison had a sparkly 2.42 ERA (145 ERA+) with a 1.41 WHIP, 39 walks, and 21 strikeouts. His run prevention skills were on full display, but we'll like to see him drop his 4.7 BB/9 in his first full season. A groundball pitcher, Robison has a nice four pitch mix, headlined by a wipeout slider. His fastball is a nice pitch too, comfortably in the high 80s while occasionally going a bit past 90. His change is a suitable pitch as well, but his curve needs a lot of work. Even without the curve, he has the stuff to start, but a fourth average or better pitch will make him a very talented starter. The biggest roadblock to Robison's big league success will be his control, which would cap him as a back-end starter, but he gets his work in even if it may take him longer then others. Robison has a long way to go, but there is a lot to like about the young righty.

RHP Babe Stinson (354th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 64th Overall (1942)
Alma Mater: Louisville Coyotes

After spending all of last season in San Jose, former 4th Rounder Babe Stinson was pushed back down to La Crosse, as 16 of his 18 starts came in C ball. Now 20, Babe is a very raw pitcher, who features five pitches that all need some work. A soft tosser, Stinson will never overpower hitters, but he has decent command of his pitches and manages to mix them well. The underlying numbers for Babe were much better then his results, as his 3.81 ERA (92 ERA+) is much higher then his 2.71 FIP (77 FIP-). He didn't allow a single homer in 89.2 innings with the Lions, walking 27 while striking out 46. This gives me hope that Stinson can pitch better in '45 with the Cougars, and last season he was 10-7 with a 3.88 ERA (98 ERA+) and 1.36 WHIP in 125.1 innings pitched. One issue for Stinson is he doesn't pitch deep into games, as he failed to surpass the century mark in any of his starts. This could force Stinson into a pen role, but a lot of pitchers are able to go deeper once they age. Right now Stinson profiles more as a depth arm or spot starter, but if he starts throwing harder, his future role could change drastically.

LHP Bob Hobbs (361st Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 8th Round, 119th Overall (1939)
Alma Mater: Brookhaven Panthers

In year two in the Marines Corps, Bob Hobbs took a huge step forward, seeing his velocity jump from 89-91 to 92-94. This is great news for the lefty, now 23, who would probably be ready for the big leagues next season if he wasn't enlisted. OSA thinks he's 5th starter quality, Tom Weinstock believes more of a filler arm, and I think he could be a nice longman out of the pen. He has huge strikeout numbers that come with a lot of walks, and since he's not Papenfus level overpowering, his profile works better in the pen. When he's on, he's unhittable, but if you get him shaken up he could crumble under the pressure. When he returns, he'll get back on track on the farm, but I'll let him start games until his results tell us he can't.

RHP Jack Huston (372nd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 77th Overall (1941)
Alma Mater: Bay State Bulldogs

The prospect people have never liked Jack Huston, and while he was elite in '43 with the Commodores, he came back towards the mean in Milwaukee. Huston saw his walk (3.0 to 4.3) and strikeout (4.9 to 3.9) rates go in the wrong direction, going 15-11 with a 3.31 ERA (108 ERA+) and 1.36 WHIP in 30 starts. He surpassed 200 innings again, reaching 225.2, but he walked 109 hitters with just 98 strikeouts. Despite that, the now 25-year-old got a callup to the big leagues for the last week of the season, allowing just one hit in a scoreless inning against the Foresters. Clyde Meyer is a fan of Huston, putting him behind just Ken Matson and Rusty Petrick in the pen. It may be tough for Huston to earn a pen spot, with out of options guys like Bill Anderson, Ben Curtin, Cal Knight, and Merritt Thomas all in camp, plus depth starters like Matson, Petrick, Angel Lopez, and Mike Murphy. What sets Huston apart is that he's a durable, rubber armed pitcher, and there aren't many better options if you need someone to soak up a lot of innings.