Matt Dominguez almost ready?

With news that Padres prize prospect Anthony Rizzo will be called to San Diego Thursday, and as we wait, impatiently, on the health and call of Brett Lawrie (hand), we get the consolation prizes of future middle-infield stars Dee Gordon and Jemile Weeks -- two called-up prospects with strong bloodlines.

It reminds us there is more than one piece to the June call-up puzzle. You have to be: 1. Healthy; 2. Scorching hot at the plate; and 3. Filling a position of immediate need.

If only Mr. Matt Dominguez had the latter after finally picking up the first two criteria ...

The Marlins have dropped six consecutive games, losing in a 1-0 shutout where their 21-year-old Double-A call-up, Brand Hand, does everything he can to make up for a stagnant offense that is missing fantasy monster Hanley Ramirez. If journeyman Greg Dobbs wasn't hitting .337, Dominguez could be that injection of help for the Marlins.

Dobbs has taken advantage of a big opportunity with the Marlins after Dominguez failed to win the third-base job out of spring training as was planned. After getting off to a hot start with a pair of early homers, Dominguez hit just .190 (8-for-42) in exhibition games.

Then, back in the minor leagues, bad luck struck him on the elbow with a hit-by-pitch and forced him out of action for what should have been two full months. Dominguez, 21, healed quickly and wound up playing 20 unproductive games from Class A through Triple-A in May.

The calendar turned to June, though, and Dominguez has turned it on. The high school teammate and fellow 2007 first-round pick (12th overall) of Royals prospect Mike Moustakas (second overall) has gone 9-for-22 (.409) with three homers, nine RBI, four runs, a .481 on-base percentage and a .909 slugging percentage in the seven games this month. It isn't enough of a stretch to earn a call-up, but it is definitely something to take notice of in deeper fantasy leagues.

In those ultra-competitive leagues that value prospects, Lawrie (53 percent ownership), Moustakas (42 percent), Desmond Jennings (36), Rizzo (34) and Dustin Ackley (32) are tough to get their hands on. Rizzo (11 percent), Lawrie (6) and Moustakas (2) are the three-most added minor-leaguers in fantasy right now.

The Marlins' future third-base star is hardly making any noise on the transaction wire and rumor mills. He is owned in a mere five percent of leagues; yet he is closer than all but a handful of the 50-plus prospects that are owned in more than him.

If you cannot get your hands on the imminent call-ups of Lawrie, Rizzo, Jennings, Moustakas or Ackley, Dominguez -- like Gordon and Weeks are above -- is your consolation prize.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/eric_mack/06/08/fantasy-baseball-prospects/index.html#ixzz1PGYd14i7