01:00 AM EDT on Sunday, October 9, 2005

JONATHAN PAPELBON

Papelbon, who will be 25 next month, zoomed up the organizational ladder through Portland to Pawtucket to Boston, and everyone who has seen this 6-foot-4, 230-pounder comes away raving about his potential.

He already has given the Red Sox a glimpse of that potential in three starts and 16 relief appearances. Papelbon's stuff and command is electric, and his mound presence is impressive. He pitched twice in the American League Division Series, showing no nervousness in blanking Chicago for four innings.

Somehow, some way, Papelbon should wind up in Boston's starting rotation net year.

CRAIG HANSEN

Hansen, 22, a right-hander who was a first-round pick for Boston in June after an All-American career at St. John's, may get a shot to be Boston's closer depending on what happens with the health issues of Keith Foulke, who had surgery on both knees at various points this season.

Hansen didn't show a lot in his first four big-league outings, but a winter of rest likely will do him a world of good.

MANNY DELCARMEN

Delcarmen also got his feet wet in Boston this year, making the same jumps as Papelbon. While Delcarmen, a righty who will be 24 in February, has to conquer wildness, he could force his way into the Red Sox' bullpen in 2006, along with left-hander Lenny DiNardo.

LENNY DiNARDO

DiNardo, 26, a Rule 5 draftee before the 2004 season, impressed manager Terry Francona in a couple of late-season outings and very nearly pitched his way onto the postseason roster.

JON LESTER

Lester, pitching for Portland, was the Eastern League's Pitcher of the Year. He went 11-6 with a league-leading 2.61 E.R.A. in 26 starts. Lester, the Sox' first pick (second round) in 2002, had a league-best 163 strikeouts in 148 1/3 innings.

ANIBAL SANCHEZ

Sanchez began the year in Class A, but finished in Portland, where he went 3-5 with a 3.45 E.R.A. in 11 starts. He had 63 strikeouts in 57 1/3 innings.

DUSTIN PEDROIA

There are fewer position players on the major-lague cusp, but one of them is second baseman Dustin Pedroia, 22, Boston's first pick (second round) in 2004. Named the organization's offensive player of the year, Pedroia batted .324 in 66 games for Portland and .255 for Pawtucket, though he was slowed by a wrist injury after being hit by a pitch following his promotion to Triple A.

HANLEY RAMIREZ

One of the Sox' brightest position-player prospects is shortstop Hanley Ramirez. At the age of 21, Ramirez played his first full Double A season, batting .271 with 21 doubles, 7 triples and 6 homers in 122 games. He also stole 26 bases. Ramirez also had a few games' experience at second and third bases.

DAVID MURPHY

Center fielder David Murphy, who turns 24 in a week, was named the organization's top defensive player. After a slow start, Murphy, the Sox' No. 1 draft pick in 2003, batted .275 with a team-leading 75 RBI at Portland.

ADAM STERN

Adam Stern, a 25-year-old Rule 5 draftee last winter, should be healthy after shoulder surgery a few weeks ago.

and infielder/outfielder Alejandro Machado, 23, and there are a few position players on the Red Sox' horizon, too.

ALEJANDRO MACHADO

Infielder-outfielder Alejandro Machado, 23, is another of the position players on the Red Sox' horizon. He spent the last month of the season in Boston amd was used by Francona as a pinch runner in the eighth inning of Game Three with the Sox trailing by a run.