Luis Exposito | C

Exposito is ranked the 15th best prospect in the Red Sox organization by Baseball America. He hit 21 home runs and drove in 68 between Greenville and Lancaster last season. "There's no ceiling with this kid," Epperson said.

As a catcher, Epperson said, Exposito has a "very, very good arm" and blocks the plate well. "He needs to work on managing the game and really taking control of the pitching staff," Epperson said. "He's doing that. He's establishing that relationship." At the plate, "he's got as good a power as we've got in our lineup, up there with [Jason] Place and [Yamaico] Navarro," Epperson said.

Che-Hsuan Lin | CF

Lin was the 2008 Defensive Player of the Year in the Red Sox organization and was the MVP of the World Team in the Futures Game.

"He's fun to watch. He centers the middle of the pasture as good as anybody," Epperson said, pointing out that he managed Jacoby Ellsbury in Wilmington in 2006. "I haven't seen anybody better," said fellow outfielder Ryan Kalish. Lin's speed also shows itself on the bases, with 33 steals for Greenville last season. But he hit just .249 in Greenville. As a leadoff hitter, Lin needs to work on managing his at-bats, Epperson said.

Ryan Kalish | CF/RF

"There's no fear in this kid," Epperson said, promising that fans may leave the ballpark not knowing Kalish's name but they will remember his play. "He can juice the ball, and he has the speed to stretch singles into doubles, doubles into triples." His "no fear" style is not only entertaining, Epperson said, but it is also "good for his teammates to watch."

Kalish will play mostly left field and bat fifth, usually power positions, but also has the speed to fill at center field and leadoff when Lin needs a day off.

Kyle Weiland | LHP

The lefty was Boston's third-round pick last year out of Notre Dame, where he was a closer for three seasons and became the Irish's all time leader with 25 saves. He made the transition to starter in Lowell last summer and led the Red Sox farm system with a 1.50 ERA. The change was made easier because Weiland already had three pitches, a fastball, curveball and changeup, and he said the Red Sox were careful not to stretch out his workload too quickly and risk injury. Starting, Weiland said, is a "less adrenaline position" than closing, and he said he is working on being more consistent.

"I have to convince myself that I feel the same every day," Weiland said. "Everybody has days where they wake up and feel a little off. But by game time, you have to convince yourself that you're all right. You have to train your mind like you train your body. It's all about routine."

Jason Place | CF/LF

Place was Boston's top draft pick in 2006, a first-rounder with a $1.3 million signing bonus right out of high school, and the talent that inspired that pick is starting to shine through, said Epperson, who managed Place all last season in Lancaster.

"Take away his April, and he hit .280," Epperson said. "He has tremendous raw power to all parts of the field. And he is so much better at managing his at bats. We've seen this kid when he was three pitches and out. He is so much better now. Continuing to work on that is big this year." As for defense, Epperson said Place is already an "above average" outfielder. "He may not have the speed of Lin and Kalish, but he makes up for his closing speed and the way he reads the ball off the bat."

Yamaico Navarro | SS

Boston Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein called Navarro "toolsy." Navarro was an all-star in the New York-Penn League in 2007 and in the South Atlantic League in 2008, then he moved up to Lancaster and hit even better there.

"He has big league written all over him," Epperson said. "He's plus defense, plus arm, plus power, he's gonna hit for power He's a very exciting player. He gives us drama." Of all the players to watch, Navarro may also be the one to watch earliest. The Red Sox are not shy about moving players, and Epstein said the decision is made based solely on whether the player is ready to move on and not on such things as minor league pennant races.

-- Katrina Waugh