Featured autograph - Jedd Gyorko

Jedd Gyorko has been a hitting machine for Lake Elsinore this year - playing in the California League, he probably has raised his profile as a prospect in the San Diego Padres' system despite his seemingly underwhelming stature.

Featured autograph - Angelo Songco

Angelo Songco is another Dodger minor league currently playing with Rancho Cucamonga whose autograph I've added to my collection - the California League is where my buddy and I get most of our minor league autographs during the baseball season.

Even though I may lament the fact they are now a Dodgers affiliate - Rancho is probably the closest Cal League team to my home and still an alternative place to watch baseball and get in-person autographs.

I guess the recent set of featured autographs I've posted could be considered my 'down on the farm' segment - featuring just a few of the players [whose autographs I've gotten this year] who will be playing in the California / Carolina League All-Star game next week.

Featured autograph - Gary Brown

Giants minor leaguer Gary Brown has been featured here before - this autograph card was actually signed at the Cal State Fullerton alumni game in January.

Featured autograph - Jake Lemmerman

Jake Lemmerman is a minor league shortstop playing for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes - looking at his stats, nothing remarkable stands out but he might be one of those players who steadily rises through a team's minor league system and within a couple of years is within the cusp of reaching the Major Leagues.

Featured autograph - Gorman Erickson

It was trading card giveaway day at the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes game this past Sunday and I was able to get catcher Gorman Erickson to sign his card - the Dodgers minor leaguer has had an up-and-down playing career as a professional starting in 2007, but it looks like his bat is getting a boost this year by playing in the California League.

Featured autograph - Tyler Skaggs

Tyler Skaggs is the former Angels first round draft pick [40th overall in 2009] - who was the key minor leaguer sent to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Dan Haren in 2010.

What you see in-person, read about online or assume based on how a guy 'looks' in the most superficial sense doesn't mean anything - but I think this profile story from spring training encapsulates everything that needs to be said about the way Skaggs handles his business as a young pro.

Featured autograph - Yasmani Grandal

Yasmani Grandal just maybe the best catching prospect in the minor leagues - he still has a ways to go before reaching the Major Leagues, but he is probably going to get there sooner than later despite the Reds' catching depth with Ramon Hernandez and Ryan Hanigan in the Major Leagues and fellow catching prospect Devin Mesoraco playing in AAA.

Featured autograph - Josh Fellhauer

Bakersfield Blaze outfielder Josh Fellhauer doesn't actually appear on this 2010 Topps Heritage Cincinnati Reds team card - but he does currently play for the California League affiliate of the Reds, so I got him to sign the card earlier in the year.

As much as I'd like to have actual player cards for guys I'm getting autographs of - sometimes stocking up on team cards or something fairly generic [but not something 'blank' because professional baseball players don't like to sign those] is something I need to do, so I can something signed when I couldn't find and/or pick up a card of a particular player in time.