We said it on Draft Day this spring, numerous times for a couple of reasons. Many of you likely said it as well, but it didn't necessarily carry the same meaning -- the one a bit more crass:

I need to take a Leake.

One owner in 12 percent of CBSSports.com's Fantasy leagues wanted to get their hands on of the best-kept secrets of spring training. The rest of you merely wanted a mid-auction potty break, getting their hands on ... well, nevermind.

Everyone was singing the praises of Braves slugger Jason Heyward this spring, for great reasons. They were drinking the red Kool-Aid on Nats wunderkind Stephen Strasburg and Reds Cuban import Aroldis Chapman. But it is Arizona State product Mike Leake who will make his major league debut Sunday without ever having thrown a minor league pitch.

That is something no current Fantasy Baseball ace can say. Not Strasburg, not Chapman, not Tim Lincecum.

No ad available

Leake was picked seven slots after Strasburg last June, eighth overall, after going 16-1 with a 1.71 ERA in the Pac-10. Strasburg was the unanimous No. 1 overall choice, going 13-1, 1.32 in the Mountain West with San Diego State.

To put it in major league terms, Leake did his damage as if he was pitching in the AL East equivalent of NCAA Division I ball. Strasburg's level of conference competition was something similar to a Rangers-less AL West (IE, facing teams with a whole lot less punch). For historical perspective: Lincecum went a less-impressive 12-4 with a 1.94 ERA as junior in the Pac-10 at Washington; Mark Prior (remember that one-time flame-thrower?) was a Leake-like 15-1, 1.70 at Southern Cal, albeit as a sophomore.

Those guys needed time in the minor leagues. Leake doesn't. The Reds decided that, which includes manager Dusty Baker, who happened to also have (ruin?) that Prior fellow in Chicago. Leake starts Sunday against those Cubs.

No ad available

"We just felt that competition-wise that's where he should be," GM Walt Jocketty said.

Leake will become just the 21st draftee to debut without time in the minors.

"Neither Walt nor I have ever had a player without any professional experience," Baker told The Sports Xchange. "But he's a special young man. His poise, his discipline, his control, his command, his pitch selection are far beyond his years."

No ad available

Leake was 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA, 16 hits, four walks and 10 strikeouts over 18 innings to win the rotation spot so many expected the Cuban defector Chapman would win. Instead, Chapman will be toiling in the minors this Sunday, something Leake might never have to do.

"We're very confident in his ability to pitch at a high level. He demonstrated that this spring," Jocketty told MLB.com. "We drafted him with the idea he was going to be a guy that would get to the big leagues quick. We didn't figure it would be this quick."

That is some praise and some company above that Leake is in. So, how in the world of Fantasy is Leake owned in just 22 percent of CBSSports.com's leagues with his major league debut coming Sunday?

No ad available

Perhaps it is beceause Leake doesn't possess a mitt-stinging heater that Strasburg, Chapman, Lincecum and Prior have/had. What Leake does have, though, is 90-94 mph (IE plenty) and a solid command of five pitches (fastball, cutter, curve, slider and changeup) according to Baseball America.

Veteran pitchers don't have that. One that comes to mind that did was David Cone, and he was pretty good as a first-time, full-year starter in 1988 with the Mets (20-3, 2.22).

We cannot project Leake to be as good as a Lincecum, Prior, Cone or even a Strasburg this season. For everyone of those, there is a Darren Dreifort (1993) or Mike Morgan (1998), two pitchers who didn't need time in the minors.

No ad available

But we can advise you: Leake is available in 78 percent of leagues as of this writing and shouldn't be.

On the verge

There are 10 prospects starting in the minors that are owned in more that 20 percent of CBSSports.com's leagues. Here is a quick rundown of those highly-regarded talents (current ownership percentage in parenthesis):

  1. Strasburg (86) -- He figures to be on the same timetable as David Price and Tommy Hanson were a year ago; June 1.
  2. Chapman (74) -- If not for a back issue, perhaps he could have pushed Leake a lot harder late in camp.
  3. Buster Posey (45) -- Something significant needs to happen to Bengie Molina for Posey to get a significant opportunity.
  4. Madison Bumgarner (34) -- He had a rotation spot to lose and he managed to do it. That is real discouraging, if not telling.
  5. Carlos Santana (29) -- By June 1, fellow Indians rookie Lou Marson could become a career backup or trade bait.
  6. Pedro Alvarez (27) -- This slugger will be pushing Andy LaRoche by this summer and impacting all Fantasy leagues.
  7. Chris Tillman (25) -- The Orioles have a number of young starters, but Tillman will replace one of the veterans by June.
  8. Desmond Jennings (24) -- If not for that wrist injury this spring, he might have been a candidate to start in the majors.
  9. Michael Stanton (23) -- He wasn't dominant in Double-A late last year, which the Marlins want him to be first.
  10. Leake -- Yes, there are nine (nine!) minor leaguers with no imminent arrival owned ahead of this guy. Wow.

Prospect watch

Every Friday we break down all the minor leaguers who are owned in at least 1 percent of our Fantasy leagues. This will be your essential guide to unearthing the elite prospects before they hit the big time.

No ad available

Key: -- Call-up is imminent; -- Currently not worth owning in any league; -- Serving a minor league suspension; -- Currently injured.

CBSSports.com's most-owned minor leaguers
Player POS TM Own% Player POS TM Own% Player POS TM Own%
Stephen Strasburg SP WAS 86 Shelby Miller SP STL 3 Greg Halman RF SEA 1
Aroldis Chapman SP CIN 74 Ben Revere CF MIN 3 Chris Nelson SS COL 1
Buster Posey C SF 45 Josh Reddick LF BOS 3 Henry A. Rodriguez RP OAK 1
Madison Bumgarner SP SF 34 Donovan Tate CF SD 3 A.J. Pollock CF ARI 1
Carlos Santana C CLE 29 Chris Marrero LF WAS 3 Alexander Colome SP TB 1
Pedro Alvarez 3B PIT 27 Jaff Decker OF SD 3 Bobby Borchering 3B ARI 1
Chris Tillman SP BAL 25 Matt Moore SP TB 3 Hak-Ju Lee SS CHC 1
Desmond Jennings CF TB 24 Tony Sanchez C PIT 2 Jason Donald SS CLE 1
Michael Stanton RF FLA 23 Alex White SP CLE 2 Jeremy Jeffress
SP MIL 1
Mike Leake
SP CIN 22 Ethan Martin SP LA 2 Angel Villalona 3B SF 1
Kyle Drabek SP TOR 19 Wilson Ramos C MIN 2 Joe Savery SP PHI 1
Justin Smoak 1B TEX 19 James Darnell 3B SD 2 Jose Arredondo
RP CIN 1
Chris C. Carter 1B OAK 17 Josh Lindblom SP LA 2 Chris C. Carter
LF NYM 1
Jesus Montero C NYY 17 Jemile Weeks 2B OAK 2 Roger Kieschnick LF SF 1
Jeremy Hellickson SP TB 16 Simon Castro SP SD 2 Noel Arguelles SP KC 1
Brett Wallace 3B TOR 15 Mike Minor SP ATL 2 Logan Forsythe 3B SD 1
Drew Storen RP WAS 15 Hank Conger C ANA 2 Lance Lynn SP STL 1
Starlin Castro SS CHC 14 Scott Olsen SP WAS 2 Kam Mickolio RP BAL 1
Domonic Brown RF PHI 12 Nick Hagadone SP CLE 2 Dellin Betances SP NYY 1
Michael Taylor LF OAK 12 Zach Britton SP BAL 2 Matt Maloney SP CIN 1
Dustin Ackley 1B SEA 12 Scott Elbert RP LA 2 Ryan Strieby 1B DET 1
Ike Davis 1B NYM 12 Danny Valencia 3B MIN 2 Troy Patton SP BAL 1
Eric O. Young 2B COL 10 Livan Hernandez
SP WAS 2 Sean O'Sullivan SP ANA 1
Logan Morrison 1B FLA 10 Mike Trout CF ANA 2 Ryan Roberts 2B ARI 1
Fernando Martinez OF NYM 9 Jason Knapp SP CLE 2 Kevin Pucetas SP SF 1
Derek Holland SP TEX 9 Max Ramirez C TEX 2 Brad Kilby RP OAK 1
Martin Perez SP TEX 9 Adrian Cardenas SS OAK 2 Josh D. Fields RP SEA 1
Daniel Hudson SP CHW 9 Nick Weglarz RF CLE 2 Tyson Gillies RF PHI 1
Yonder Alonso 1B CIN 8 Beau Mills 1B CLE 2 David Purcey SP TOR 1
Casey Kelly SP BOS 8 Andrew Cashner SP CHC 2 Wilin Rosario C COL 1
Christian Friedrich SP COL 8 Trevor Reckling RP ANA 2 Josh Thole C NYM 1
Jason Castro C HOU 8 Wade LeBlanc SP SD 2 Ivan DeJesus SS LA 1
Josh Bell 3B BAL 7 Brad Lincoln SP PIT 2 Jess Todd RP CLE 1
Tim Beckham SS TB 7 Jeanmar Gomez SP CLE 2 Omir Santos C NYM 1
Freddie Freeman 1B ATL 7 Rick VandenHurk SP FLA 2 Austin Romine C NYY 1
Tyler Flowers C CHW 7 Miguel Sano SS MIN 2 Matt Sweeney 3B TB 1
Jake Arrieta SP BAL 7 Brett Jackson CF CHC 2 Chad James SP FLA 1
Hank Blalock 1B TB 7 Jose Iglesias SS BOS 2 Shairon Martis SP WAS 1
Mike Moustakas 3B KC 6 Sean West SP FLA 2 Kevin Mulvey SP ARI 1
Jarrod Parker
SP ARI 6 Thomas Neal LF SF 2 Adam Miller SP CLE 1
Josh Vitters 3B CHC 6 Chris Withrow SP LA 2 Billy Buckner SP ARI 1
Carlos Carrasco SP CLE 6 Zach Stewart SP TOR 2 Zach McAllister SP NYY 1
Brett Cecil SP TOR 5 Kila Ka'aihue DH KC 2 Neil Walker 3B PIT 1
Lars Anderson 1B BOS 5 Jordan Walden SP ANA 2 Bobby Parnell SP NYM 1
Aaron Crow SP KC 5 Jared Mitchell
CF CHW 2 Vin Mazzaro SP OAK 1
Lonnie Chisenhall 3B CLE 5 Travis Wood SP CIN 2 Conor M. Gillaspie 3B SF 1
Brett Lawrie 2B MIL 5 Alex Liddi 3B SEA 2 Andrew Lambo LF LA 1
Todd Frazier OF CIN 5 Matt Antonelli
2B SD 2 Peter Bourjos CF ANA 1
Jacob Turner SP DET 5 Jake McGee SP TB 2 Donnie Veal RP PIT 1
Michael Bowden RP BOS 5 Kyle Gibson SP MIN 2 David Cooper 1B TOR 1
Brandon Allen 1B ARI 5 Arodys Vizcaino SP ATL 2 Wes Hodges 3B CLE 1
Aaron Hicks OF MIN 5 James McDonald RP LA 2 Angel Salome C MIL 1
Jhoulys Chacin RP COL 5 Jordan Lyles SP HOU 2 Jay Jackson SP CHC 1
Timothy Alderson SP PIT 5 Will Inman
SP SD 1 Chris Valaika SS CIN 1
Dayan Viciedo 3B CHW 4 Danny Cortes SP SEA 1 Cole Rohrbough SP ATL 1
Tanner Scheppers SP TEX 4 William Rowell 3B BAL 1 Andrew Brackman SP NYY 1
Andrew Miller SP FLA 4 Chris Duncan
LF WAS 1 Travis D'Arnaud C TOR 1
J.P. Arencibia C TOR 4 Wilkin Ramirez LF DET 1 Danny Duffy SP KC 1
Phillippe Aumont SP PHI 4 Hector Gomez SS COL 1 Josh Anderson CF CIN 1
Eric Hosmer 1B KC 4 Kyle Skipworth C FLA 1 Gorkys Hernandez CF PIT 1
Michael Saunders LF SEA 4 Jiovanni Mier
SS HOU 1 Michael Main SP TEX 1
Dee Gordon SS LA 4 Rich J. Hill SP STL 1 Deolis Guerra SP MIN 1
Casey Crosby SP DET 4 Brandon Snyder 1B BAL 1 Casey Weathers RP COL 1
Tyler Matzek SP COL 4 Daniel Espinosa SS WAS 1 Glen Perkins
SP MIN 1
Chris Heisey CF CIN 4 Daniel Schlereth RP DET 1 Daryl Jones CF STL 1
Michael Montgomery SP KC 4 Micah Hoffpauir 1B CHC 1 Fautino De Los Santos RP OAK 1
Derek Norris C WAS 4 Aaron Cunningham RF SD 1 Brandon Erbe SP BAL 1
Hector Rondon SP CLE 4 Michael Burgess RF WAS 1 Scott Lewis SP CLE 1
Brandon McCarthy SP TEX 3 Jordan Danks CF CHW 1 Bryan D. Anderson C STL 1
Michael Ynoa SP OAK 3 Craig Kimbrel RP ATL 1 Engel Beltre CF TEX 1
Wilmer Flores SS NYM 3 Jonathan LuCroy C MIL 1 Jose Ceda RP FLA 1
Justin Maxwell CF WAS 3 Anthony Slama RP MIN 1 Mike MacDougal
RP WAS 1
Armando Galarraga SP DET 3 Kasey Kiker SP TEX 1 Reese Havens SS NYM 1
Ryan Westmoreland
OF BOS 3 Aaron Miller SP LA 1 Ryan Tucker
SP FLA 1
Carlos Triunfel SS SEA 3 Bradley Holt SP NYM 1 Chad C. Jenkins SP TOR 1
Jose Tabata LF PIT 3 Steve Pearce 1B PIT 1 Anthony Rizzo 1B BOS 1
Aaron Poreda RP SD 3 Eric Arnett SP MIL 1 Brent Morel 3B CHW 1
Matt Dominguez 3B FLA 3 Mark Melancon
RP NYY 1 John Mayberry LF PHI 1
Julio Teheran SP ATL 3 Max Stassi C OAK 1 Mike Carp
1B SEA 1
Grant Green SS OAK 3 Ryan Kalish CF BOS 1

Top AL rookies to date

  1. Austin Jackson, OF, DET -- Huge spring gives way to a quick start, but he has to watch those strikeouts.
  2. Michael Brantley, OF, CLE -- He will have to make an impact this week and next because Russell Branyan will be back soon.
  3. Reid Brignac, 2B, TB -- He will compete for at-bats with non-rookie Sean Rodriguez at second base all season.
  4. Alex Avila, C, DET -- He made the team as a backup, but we figure he will take Gerald Laird's starting spot before long.
  5. Scott Sizemore, 2B, DET -- The pop came through late in spring, but he likely should be starting only in AL Fantasy formats.
  • Honorable mentions: Neftali Feliz, RP, TEX; Tyson Ross, RP, OAK; Brian Matusz, SP, BAL.

Top NL rookies to date

  1. Jason Heyward, OF, ATL -- If you're going to announce your presence with authority, that is the way to do it, Mr. Heyward!
  2. David Freese, 3B, STL -- He has flown under the radar, perhaps because of a quiet, injury-plagued 2009 season.
  3. Ian Desmond, SS, WAS -- In seven at-bats through Wednesday, five strikeouts, a double and a homer. Talk about all or nothing.
  4. Tim Wood, RP, FLA -- He got a circumstantial save in extra innings Wednesday night, since closer Leo Nunez was already pulled.
  5. Gaby Sanchez, 1B, FLA -- Has two doubles in two games, so perhaps the gap power will be useful in deeper leagues right away.
  • Honorable mentions: Alcides Escobar, SS, MIL; Dan Runzler, RP, SF; Antonio Bastardo, RP, PHI; Carlos Monasterios, RP, LAD; Jenrry Mejia, RP, NYM.

You can e-mail Emack your Fantasy Baseball prospect questions to DMFantasyBaseball@cbs.com. Be sure to put Prospects 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.