Stephen Fife

Fife's minor league numbers (4.66 ERA, 1.49 WHIP) were far from impressive, but when needed for spot duty in Los Angeles, he delivered a 2.70 ERA in five starts. The 26-year-old averages just 89 mph with his fastball and his minor league walk rates are decent, but far from spectacular. Still, if he can keep the ball down, there is some No. 5 starter upside in his future. Fife will likely open 2013 in Triple-A with an in-season callup possible once again.

Fife got the increased innings he needed in 2010 and now must work on developing his secondary offerings while improving the command of his fastball and limit hard contact. He's not an overpowering pitcher -- he allowed 190 walks and hits in 136 innings in 2010 -- so staying down in the zone and mixing pitches is paramount to his success. He'll likely begin the 2011 season back in Double-A as a starter, though it would not be surprising to see him work out of the bullpen at some future stage -- especially if the secondary offerings don't develop.

First and foremost, Fife, 23, needs more work in 2010. An early-season shoulder injury limited the University of Utah product to just 87 innings in 2009, but by and large, it was a good year. His 0-3 record for Low-A Greenville belied how well he handled the competition before a mid-season promotion to High-A Salem, where he had some predictable struggles with the advanced level. He worked hard on the control of his low 90s fastball, and he now needs to develop a feel for his curve and change. The fastball has a lot of sink and can produce groundouts, but he'll need to be able to throw strikes with the curve.