The Cubs' minor league affiliates have announced their 2006 rosters. Let's take a look.

The Iowa starting rotation will look like this:

1. Rich Hill
2. Angel Guzman
3. Raul Valdes
4. Les Walrond
5. Jae-kuk Ryu

(That order is certainly subject to change.) The Cubs appear set on making former first round draft pick Bobby Brownlie a relief pitcher. I presume David Aardsma will assume the closer's duties for Iowa, though Roberto Novoa may also get a chance to close.

The lineup will look like this:

C--Geovany Soto / Casey Kopitzke
1B--Brandon Sing
2B--Ryan Theriot / Mike Fontenot
3B--Casey McGehee / Mike Fontenot
SS--Augie Ojeda
LF--Jamal Strong / Michael Restovich
CF--Felix Pie
RF--Buck Coats / Michael Restovich

Pie is obviously the position player to watch.

In my opinion, the franchise would be better off if Theriot played everyday at shortstop and Fontenot played everyday at second base.

Strong is new to the Cubs. He was non-tendered by the Seattle Mariners in the off-season. He has hit .305/.391/.396 in 213 career triple-A games, with 70 steals in 93 attempts.

At double-A West Tenn, the pitchers to watch will be Carlos Marmol and Juan Mateo. Carmen Pignatiello returns to West Tenn after struggling in a call-up to Iowa last year (5.51 ERA in 47.1 innings).

West Tenn should have a good lineup for the second straight year. While Pie, Sing, and McGehee are gone, Brian Dopirak will start at first, Eric Patterson will start at second, and Scott Moore will start at third. The outfield will consist of Adam Greenberg, Luis Montanez, and Chris Walker. I don't really follow the logic in putting Greenberg in double-A and Coats in triple-A, given that Greenberg is slightly older and better, unless perhaps the Cubs are still concerned that Greenberg is suffering effects from last year's beaning.

West Tenn also returns an interesting player -- second baseman Richard Lewis. Lewis was the Southern League MVP just 2 years ago, but struggled mightily at Iowa last year before being demoted back to double-A. He now returns with someone, Patterson, having taken his second base slot. Given that Patterson is entrenched at second, and the fact that the Diamond Jaxx only have three outfielders on the roster, I wonder if the Cubs won't do something like what they did with Buck Coats and have Lewis learn the outfield.

At high-A Daytona, the position player to watch will be former first round draft pick and rightfielder Ryan Harvey. Also watch catcher Jake Fox.

The Daytona press release hypes the offense, but the pitching is what I think is going to be intriguing. The rotation will be anchored by Sean Gallagher and Grant Johnson. Daytona's staff will also include Luke Hagerty, who was much hyped following his play at short-season-A Boise in 2002, but who hasn't been healthy since. The Cubs' third round draft pick in 2005, Mark Holliman, will start his professional career with Daytona.

At low-A Peoria, the pitcher to watch is Donald Veal.