2000 Kane County Midwest League All-Stars Unnumbered	2001 Grandstand Texas League Top Prospects Unnumbered	2002 Multi-Ad AAA Top Prospects # 20

Jason Lane has basically dominated the competition at every level he's been in his still-young career. A number six pick in the June '99 draft, Lane was immediately assigned to Short A Auburn, and he responded by leading the New York-Penn League in RBI's with 59 and additionally topping the Doubledays in games played, doubles, homers and extra base hits. He was named League All-Star and Team MVP.

The following year at Michigan, Lane was again a League All-Star, as he co-led the 2000 Midwest League in RBI's with 104, finished second leaguewide in hits and doubles, and third in homers and runs. He ended up leading the League-Champion Battlecats in homers, RBI's, doubles, runs scored, and hits. And that earned him his second straight team MVP honor.

A year later, the onslaught continued. It's almost frightening how dominant Lane was for the AA Round Rock Express in 2001. He was named Texas League MVP, as he led all minor league baseball with 124 RBI's and 320 total bases. He also led the the Express in runs with 103, hits with 166, home runs with 38, and slugging percentage with .608. When you add it all up, you find his OPS + SLG at Round Rock for 2001 was a mind-numbing 1.015. Yeah, yeah, I know, it's the minors, but an OPS + SLG score above unity has only been achieved eight times in Astros history. Lane was so good in 2001, he played in three All-Star Games: the Texas League, the AA, and the All-Star Futures Game. And he was named his team's MVP for a third straight year.

Although maybe not quite as dominant at AAA as previous, in 2002 Lane did nothing to tarnish his image. Despite getting called up to Houston on August 24 for the rest of the season, Lane led the New Orleans Zephyrs with 15 HR, 83 RBI, 201 total bases and a .484 slugging percentage. He was for the fourth straight year named MVP of his team. He performed admirably when called up by Houston, as well, as he hit .290 for the Astros, with a neat .911 OPS + SLG.

Like I said, frightening. Jason Lane reminds me so much of Cameron Drew it's scary.

2002 Topps Gallery Certified Autograph # GA-JL	2002 Fleer Boxscore Box Score Debut # 12BSD	2002 Fleer Hot Prospects Future Swatch # 104

"Solid middle of the order run producer with power. Good knowledge of the strike zone. Showed very well in limited major-league look this past season. Plays all the outfield positions. average arm. Very highly desired player by other clubs. Great kid, great make up"      -- Astros Assistant General Manager Tim Purpura, 12/28/02 to ESPN's Rob Neyer

Lane also played Left Field in Carlos Hernandez' single A no-hitter in 2000. Wonder how he did?