Mike Moustakas is another young stud prospect hoping to turn around the Royals.

Continuing around the infield, this week our tour of the top prospects in the minor leagues features the top shortstops down on the farm. Players like Asdrubal Cabrera and Troy Tulowitzki are not included in the rankings.

1. Mike Moustakas, Kansas City Royals

The No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft, Moustakas shot up the draft board in the days and hours prior to the draft—with good reason. The Southern California prep star created a lot of buzz and drew attention from teammate Matt Dominguez this spring by setting California high school records for career and single-season home runs. Moustakas hit .577 this spring and broke his own school records with 24 homers and 52 RBIs -- bettering the numbers of Dominguez, who was originally projected to be the better draft prospect and ended up going at No. 12 overall to the Florida Marlins (more on him next week). The power-hitting lefty is more known for his bat, but he is solid defensively as well, an athletic player with good hands. The one knock on his ability has been his range, but the Royals believe he can stick at shortstop, so for now we’ll keep him there. The ceiling is high for Moustakas, because he will be able to hit for both power and average, and as a fresh-out-of-high-school prospect he has plenty of time to develop.

2. Reid Brignac, Tampa Bay Devil Rays

The Rays’ second-round pick of the 2004 draft, Brignac greatly impressed offensively last season, but struggled a bit this season at Double-A Montgomery. While the average dropped from an overall .321 last season to .260 this year, Brignac did improve both his walk and strikeout numbers, posting a K/BB ratio of 94/55 as opposed to the 113/46 of 2006. The lefty hitter has a sweet, smooth swing with power and, like his numbers show, is developing better plate discipline. Brignac has a solid glove, good range and a strong arm—however, he is often inaccurate with his throws. Should be a force to be reckoned with in a few years with Evan Longoria (another player we’ll take a closer look at next week) in that Rays infield.

3. Elvis Andrus, Atlanta Braves

Andrus, who just recently turned nineteen, has all of the physical tools and incredible instincts to reach his sky-high ceiling. He has made great strides since being signed at age sixteen out of his home country of Venezuela; however, he still has much development left ahead of him. As young as he is, there is no reason for him not to reach his potential, but there is also that ever-so-possible chance he will fizzle out before he gets there. For now, though, the potential earns him a high rank. Andrus was selected to the 2007 All-Star Futures Game and is considered the most prized prospect in Atlanta’s farm system. He batted .257 overall this season with five home runs and 49 RBI. He still needs to work on consistency, power and strike zone discipline, but these are things that should come with time. In the field, Andrus dazzles. He has spectacular range, soft hands and a strong arm. His defense coupled with the potential offense should earn him a starting role in the majors even if he only half-reaches his ceiling.

4. Jed Lowrie, Boston Red Sox

Lowrie is a switch hitter who, in his own words, is more consistent from the left side but has more pop from the right, but overall he is very adept from both sides of the plate. He will hit for average and has good power for a middle infielder. Overall, he batted .298 this year with 13 homers and 70 RBI. His K/BB ratio of 91/77 shows a good eye and good plate discipline. Defense is one of his strong suits, as he is an excellent fielder with a strong arm and good range. Although he has played second base for most of his career, the Sox have had him at shortstop for a while, so it looks as though that’s where they envision him.

5. Kevin Ahrens, Toronto Blue Jays

Toronto took Ahrens with their first pick of the 2007 draft, No. 16 overall. Widely regarded as the best prep prospect to come out of Texas this year, Ahrens draws numerous comparisons to one player—Chipper Jones. The arm, the bat, the body, all are reminiscent of Chipper. Ahrens is a switch-hitter with power and is proficient from both sides of the plate. Like Moustakas, Ahrens may eventually end up at the hot corner, as he has the soft hands and strong arm for the position. However, also like Moustakas, the Jays are keeping him at short for now. The only part of Ahrens’ game that has been criticized is his speed—he’s a below-average runner.

Questions and comments may be sent to shannonmccarthy@sportsgrumblings.com