A rookie is more than just a prospect. It is someone with a major league roster spot.

That is a significant development when you're lining up the potential first-year surprises in Fantasy Baseball. Most rookies get nothing handed to them; they have to earn it in spring training, like Jason Heyward, for instance.

We are learning this week which players will begin the season as rookies and which are minor league prospects. Out of the gate, Heyward certainly did plenty this spring. Bobby Cox couldn't stop gushing about him. Future Hall of Famer Chipper Jones said he undoubtedly belongs.

And the car of Braves' assistant GM Bruce Manno certainly was dented proof Heyward is ready to be a smash hit -- quite literally. The Braves installed a protective net beyond the right field fence because the 6-foot-5, 245-pound 20-year-old man-child was smashing cars with homers sent sailing into the parking lot during batting practice.

Despite all the hype and awe, Heyward isn't the top rookie pick in CBSSports.com's average draft position (Rotisserie). That honor belongs to speedy Brewers shortstop Alcides Escobar, who forced J.J. Hardy out of town and earned his major league job down the stretch last season. In the top 276, which constitutes all the active players in a standard, mixed Rotisserie league, there are eight rookies, capped by Giants backup (or Triple-A) catcher Buster Posey at No. 273.

Escobar retains rookie eligibility, like the O's Brian Matusz, because he didn't exceed 130 at-bats in the major leagues or 45 days of service time during the period of the 25-player limit (which excludes September). Matusz didn't exceed the service time or 50 innings, which is the limit for pitchers to maintain rookie status.

Top rookies by Average Draft Position
RK Player POS TM 5x5 H2H
1 Alcides Escobar SS MIL 146 203
2 Jason Heyward OF ATL 157 143
3 Stephen Strasburg SP WAS 195 188
4 Aroldis Chapman SP CIN 229 209
5 Brian Matusz SP BAL 235 213
6 Neftali Feliz SP TEX 248 225
7 Wade Davis SP TB 251 223
8 Buster Posey C SF 273 303
9 Scott Sizemore 2B DET 283 298
10 Ian Desmond SS WAS 286 300
11 Austin Jackson OF DET 291 317
12 Madison Bumgarner SP SF 323 289

Escobar is a solid prospect this year and long term, but he isn't in the class of the Nationals' Stephen Strasburg or Heyward. Escobar does, however, have that all-important job security going into spring training -- unlike those future NL East stars. Our Fantasy drafters certainly are taking that into serious consideration.

How did we do the math?

One big-time prospect: major league minimum.

One bat: $75.

One ball: $6.

One smashed sun roof: $3,400.

One NL Rookie of the Year and immediate Fantasy superstar? Priceless.

That is spring training stuff of legend. It is the single reason we decided to line up with the crowd and pick Heyward over the ballyhooed Strasburg as Fantasy Baseball's No. 1 rookie to target on Draft Day.

Oh, and that little detail about having a more likely starting job on opening day.

Below are our Top 25 rookies to target on Draft Day. Unlike our static Top 100 prospects, this list is more about what they can do for you now as opposed to long term. Notice the top risers from our previous run are all job winners: Austin Jackson (won Tigers CF job), Ian Desmond (won Nats SS job), Jaime Garcia (named Cards' No. 5 starter), David Freese (won Cards 3B job) and Michael Brantley (won Indians LF job).

Top 25 rookies to target on Draft Day
RK Player POS TM AGE 2009 high 2010 start
1 Jason Heyward OF ATL 20 Triple-A Majors
The biggest noise-maker in early spring was denting cars beyond the RF fence in BP.
2 Stephen Strasburg SP WAS 21 NCAA Double-A
Nats really want him to start in the minors, but he could still give them no choice but to use him now.
3 Aroldis Chapman SP CIN 22 Defecting Double-A
We are assuming the Reds won't take long to give him a spot in their rotation this season.
4 Alcides Escobar SS MIL 23 Majors Majors
Ignore the fact he stole just four bases down the stretch, he can be this year's Elvis Andrus find.
5 Wade Davis SP TB 24 Majors Majors
His dominance late last year makes him the Rays' No. 5 starter and capable of helping immediately.
6 Brian Matusz SP BAL 23 Majors Majors
If he was on a better team, we might consider him the best rookie pitcher on this list, perhaps.
7 Austin Jackson OF DET 23 Triple-A Majors
A great spring earned him his job and he could be a potential sleeper to go 20-20 in his first season.
8 Ian Desmond SS WAS 24 Majors Majors
We didn't see him starting over Cristian Guzman, but Desmond's speed-and-pop is intriguing at SS.
9 Jaime Garcia SP STL 23 Triple-A Majors
The Cards picked him as their No. 5 starter and the Tommy John survivor could impact all leagues.
10 Neftali Feliz SP TEX 21 Majors Majors
If he had won a spot in the Rangers' rotation, we would have ranked him much, much higher.
11 Scott Sizemore 2B DET 25 Triple-A Majors
The departure of Placido Polanco clears the everyday 2B job for this future 20-20 candidate.
12 Adam Moore C SEA 25 Triple-A Majors
Jeff Clement and Kenji Johjima no longer block him, so consider him the M's catcher of the future.
13 David Freese 3B STL 26 Triple-A Majors
He is currently atop the Cards depth chart and could be a huge 27-year-old breakout this year.
14 Michael Brantley OF CLE 22 Majors Majors
Burner won the everyday left fielder's job -- at least while Russell Branyan (back) -- opens on the DL.
15 Buster Posey C SF 23 Majors Triple-A
If they didn't re-sign Bengie Molina, Posey might have been the first rookie picked in all leagues.
16 Madison Bumgarner SP SF 20 Majors Triple-A
He gets far less pub, but he is just eight days older than the ballyhooed Braves outfielder Heyward.
17 Desmond Jennings OF TB 23 Triple-A Triple-A
It will be hard to keep Jennings from making an impact this season, so watch out for a June 1 call-up.
18 Pedro Alvarez 3B PIT 23 Double-A Triple-A
Masher has some questions about his weight and position, but there's no question about the bat.
19 Gaby Sanchez 1B FLA 26 Majors Majors
He beat out Logan Morrison, but Sanchez is less likely to be the Marlins' long-term 1B solution.
20 Carlos Santana C CLE 23 Double-A Triple-A
By the end of the year, it is very likely no one will miss Victor Martinez much in Cleveland.
21 Chris C. Carter 1B OAK 23 Triple-A Triple-A
We would be inclined to rank him in the top 10, if not top five, if he would have made the team.
22 Jonathon Niese SP NYM 23 Majors Majors
He is the leading candidate to fill the Mets' No. 5 starter's spot and could be useful in spurts.
23 Daniel Hudson SP CHW 23 Majors Triple-A
Freddy An. Garcia can't be counted on at No. 5, so Hudson will at least be a June 1 call-up guy.
24 Michael Stanton OF FLA 20 Double-A Double-A
If the Marlins are in the race come June 1, we could see Stanton come up and make a huge impact.
25 Kyle Drabek SP TOR 22 Double-A Triple-A
The key piece of the Roy Halladay deal has already gotten one thing out of the way: elbow surgery.

Regardless in changes in status and the winners of the position battles, these following two preseason teams will remain our picks. The All-Rookie Fantasy Team is comprised of the players we expect to make the most significant impact this year, while the All-Prospect Fantasy Team are the players we project to have the best long-term value.

All-Rookie Fantasy Team
All-Prospect Fantasy Team
POS Player TEM POS Player TM
C Adam Moore SEA C Buster Posey SF
1B Logan Morrison FLA 1B Justin Smoak TEX
2B Scott Sizemore DET 2B Dustin Ackley SEA
3B David Freese STL 3B Pedro Alvarez PIT
SS Alcides Escobar MIL SS Alcides Escobar MIL
OF Jason Heyward ATL OF Jason Heyward ATL
OF Austin Jackson DET OF Michael Stanton FLA
OF Chris Heisey CIN OF Desmond Jennings TB
DH Chris C. Carter OAK DH Jesus Montero NYY
SP Stephen Strasburg WAS SP Stephen Strasburg WAS
SP Wade Davis TB SP Neftali Feliz TEX
SP Brian Matusz BAL SP Brian Matusz BAL
SP Madison Bumgarner SF SP Madison Bumgarner SF
SP Daniel Hudson CHW SP Jeremy Hellickson TB
SP Kyle Drabek TOR SP Aroldis Chapman CIN
RP Neftali Feliz TEX RP Casey Kelly BOS

You can e-mail Emack your Fantasy Baseball pitching questions to DMFantasyBaseball@cbs.com. Be sure to put Top 25 rookies in the subject field. Please include your full name, hometown and state. Be aware, due to the large volume of submissions received, we cannot guarantee personal responses to all questions.