FanHouse Lars Anderson

Wondering which young players could have an impact in the majors this year? Let MLB FanHouse guide the way in Better Know a Prospect. In this edition we look at three players from the vibrant Boston system.

Michael Bowden, SP: More pitching? The Red Sox hardly need it, but that's just what they've got. Just 22, Bowden made his big league debut last year, spot starting once down the stretch. He has excelled at every level in the minors, posting a career 3.15 ERA over four minor league seasons and striking out almost four times as many hitters as he has walked. Bowden probably won't be a top-of-the-rotation hurler because of an average fastball, but he mixes it well with a changeup and a curveball. He won't break camp with a major league job, but even with Boston's absurdly deep rotation, he'll be in the mix should injuries arise.

Somewhat lost in the acrimonious departure of Manny Ramirez from Boston this summer was Jason Bay, the player the Red Sox wound up with on their deadline day swap.

Bay, who is six years younger than Ramirez, performed well down the stretch for Boston, hitting .293 and driving in 37 runs in 49 games as the Red Sox locked up the AL wild card. He followed that by hitting .341 in the ALDS and ALCS.

The left fielder is due to be a free agent at the end of this season, but according to Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe, the Red Sox aren't about to let Bay walk without making a serious run at signing him to a contract extension.

We know the Angels are going to make a very hard push to re-sign free agent Mark Teixeira. We suspect the Yankees will do the same. And you can probably add a third American League juggernaut to the list of clubs pursuing the slugging first baseman.

Boston will aggressively pursue Teixeira, two industry sources confirmed. While the Red Sox have a very good first baseman in Kevin Youkilis, they can move Youkilis to third to make room for Teixeira. Incumbent third baseman Mike Lowell is recovering from hip surgery and isn't expected to be ready until mid-March, and as much as the Red Sox like Lowell, they can look to trade him.

Considering Lowell is only a season removed from winning World Series MVP, Teixeira might seem like a ridiculous excess for one of baseball's richest franchises.

But also consider these two factors:

- Ever since the Manny Ramirez trade, Boston's offense hasn't had quite the same punch. Kevin Youkilis, who will turn 30 during Spring Training next year, is the youngest Red Sox hitter at a corner position, and the organization hasn't developed an impact hitting prospect on the corners since Shea Hillenbrand. Lars Anderson, a 21-year-old first baseman who finished 2008 at Double-A Portland, could change all that, but Teixeira would infuse the Red Sox offense with both youth and power in the meantime. That's of paramount importance in the wake of the Rays' ascent to the top of AL East.

- With Ramirez's contract off the books as well as potentially Jason Varitek's and Curt Schilling's, Boston could free up close to $40 million in payroll this winter. Some of that money will go toward sorting out the catching situation. Some of it may go toward long-term deals for Dustin Pedroia and other Red Sox youngsters. But much of it could easily go to Teixeira without the Red Sox even feeling the financial difference.

The Red Sox have embraced cost-controlled talent in recent seasons and it shows, particularly on their pitching staff. But let's not forget that they're also a financial giant willing to flex their financial muscles for the right player. Mark Teixeira might be just that.