Who is this? Zach McAllister, a minor league pitching prospect
What is this? An autographed card from the 2009 Trenton Thunder team set
Where'd I get it? I got it signed after a Trenton Thunder game this summer
How much did it cost? The team set cost $10 in the Thunder gift shop
Why is this so special? Baseball America has ranked McAllister as one of the Yankees' top 10 prospects for the two years. A 22-year-old left-hander, McAllister went 7-5 with a 2.23 ERA for Trenton this year. His ERA was more than a full run better than the next qualifying Eastern League pitcher.
McAllister should start the season in AAA in 2010, and most scouts seem to project him as a solid mid-rotation starter in the majors. I wish I had gotten to see him pitch this year, but I suppose I'll have the chance to watch him on TV in a year or two if the scouts are right.
There were two well-known prospects on the Trenton Thunder this season: McAllister and catcher Jesus Montero. While Montero ducked the autograph seekers after the game I went to, McAllister graciously signed for the dozen or so people who approached him after the game. He's got a pretty legible signature for a lefty. ;-)
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