Jerry Crasnick from ESPN.com has a piece running down some of the close-to-ready prospectsthat are on the fringe of winning starting jobs with their big clubs, but could end up being sent down at the start of the season. The point of comparison here is Ryan Braun, who of course, was sent back to Triple A to start 2007, but was called up in May and contributed immediately.

I like that he mentions both Chase Headley (Padres) and Wladimir Balentien (Mariners), both players I think fit the Braun description perfectly. Not necessarily talent-wise, but as young players, who, if they get a chance to start at their respective positions (left and right field respectively), they could help propel their teams into the thick of a pennant race.

Headley elicited some double takes with a monster home run against the Mariners at the Peoria Sports Complex. The ball cleared the 30-foot batter’s eye in center field and traveled an estimated 440 feet.

“Anybody in the game would be proud of that one,” McLaren said. “I’m talking about the big boys. That was [Ken Griffey Jr.] territory out there.”

The Padres love Headley for his intangibles as well as his bat speed. Headley was a third baseman in high school, at the University of Tennessee and in his first three minor league seasons. But after Kevin Kouzmanoff staked a claim to the position last season, the Padres approached Headley about giving left field a whirl.

Headley said he would do whatever was necessary, and he’s taken a crash course in outfield play this spring. What he lacks in footspeed, he makes up for in desire.

“I think we’ve all been around players who would look at it the wrong way — as unfair in some ways. Like, ‘I’m a third baseman. Why are they messing with me?’” said Padres manager Bud Black. “Chase wasn’t like that. I told him right away, ‘Chase, you’re a baseball player.’ And he was fine. He said, ‘I’m in. I just want to play.’”