Justin Upton at Spring Training

We’re taking a break from the “Who Am I?” segment that normally runs on Mondays. Don’t worry, it’ll be back, but with the season fast approaching and memories of my recent trip to the Cactus League still reasonably fresh, I thought I’d share some photos this week.

You can see all my spring training photos at Flickr, but I understand that you’re busy and may not have time to go clicking all over the place. With that in mind, here’s a shot of Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Justin Upton:

Upton, for those who may have been living in a cave, is one of the brightest young players in baseball. From the Baseball America 2007 Prospect Handbook (aff link):

The term “five-tool prospect” somehow doesn’t seem strong enough for Upton. He does everything exceptionally well and already has the body and composure of a big leaguer. If one thing stands out, however, it’s his bat speed. He whips his bat through the hitting zone and has great leverage in his swing, which allows him to sting the ball like few players can and gives him plus power potential.

Upton doesn’t turn 21 until the end of August, and he already has 43 big-league games under his belt. Yeah, as a Padres fan, I’m more than a little concerned at the thought of his sustained presence in the National League West. He may well be the game’s best player in 5 years.