ORONO – They may not be household names, but there are a few Northeast League players whose friends or relatives are.

Carlos Rosario, starting second baseman for the Elmira (N.Y.) Pioneers, is one such player.

The Pioneers were in Orono last week to play the Bangor Lumberjacks in a three-game series and Sanchez was seeing Maine for the first time.

“I like it, but it is not as warm as I like it,” said the 28-year-old infielder.

His cousin, a fairly well-known major league player who won the American League MVP Award last year, was playing on the opposite coast in an area more conducive to Rosario’s taste.

Rosario’s younger cousin is Miguel Tejada, the Oakland Athletics’ all-star shortstop.

“Yeah, we’re very close. I talk to him every day on the phone. He talks to me a lot and asks how I am doing,” he said. “I ask him about his games and we talk about baseball.”

Tejada, who is a year younger than Rosario, lived with his elder cousin for five years. Both grew up in Bani, Dominican Republic.

While Tejada’s future appears limitless as he enters potential free agency after this season, Rosario’s is unsettled at best.

After the New York Yankees signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2001, he played Rookie League ball in Tampa (Fla.) and Single A at Greensboro (N.C.).

Rosario’s respectable numbers (.245, nine doubles, two homers, 15 RBIs in 40 games) weren’t respectable enough and he was released in 2002.

“I felt very bad the day I got released, but I play independent ball and play hard to go back to organization ball,” he said.

Rosario played for the NEL’s Brockton Rox and batted .319 with four homers, 23 RBIs and 38 stolen bases in 64 games last year. He also played 18 games for Gary (Ind.) Southshore of the Northern League and hit .260 with a home run, three RBIs and six steals in 18 games.

Since signing with Elmira on May 19, Rosario has gotten off to a slow start with a .137 average, no homers and four RBIs in his first 12 games. He is the team’s top base-stealer with eight, however.

“I must keep working hard. A lot of players there [Dominican Republic] are very good players, but [Tejada] was a better player because he always played hard,” Rosario said. “I try to be the same kind of player.”

Portland’s prospects

Just like they were when they were affiliated with the Florida Marlins, the Portland Sea Dogs have become a repository of solid young talent for the Boston Red Sox organization. Unlike the Marlins organization, however, that’s saying a lot when you consider how bereft the Sox are of blue-chip prospects.

With last week’s trade of Shea Hillenbrand to Arizona, Kevin Youkilis now stands out as Boston’s top third base prospect. Through Saturday, the 24-year-old righthander was batting .282 with a .472 on-base percentage. The 2001 eighth-round draft pick out of the University of Cincinnati walked 45 times in his first 156 at-bats and scored 37 runs. The Cincinnati native won’t be a power or speed threat as he had just one home run, three steals, and 19 RBIs. He also needs some work defensive as he lead the Dogs in errors with 13 in 49 games.

Since coming back from an extended spring training spent rehabilitating a shoulder which underwent offseason surgery, 23-year-old catcher Kelly Shoppach has lived up to early projections of him being the Sox catcher of the future. The 2001 second-round pick has shown no signs of wear or rust as he was hitting .296 with two homers and 18 RBIs. The Fort Worth, Texas, native’s on-base and slugging percentage were both solid at .386 and .488, respectively, in his first 33 games.

Others are also strong, like Rule 5 draftee Jeremy Owens, who was plucked from the San Diego Padres last December. The 1998 eighth-round draftee is Portland’s leading base stealer (11) and third-leading hitter with a .317 average. He’s also surprising Sox scouts with his power (nine homers and 30 RBIs) and durability (he played in each of the team’s first 55 games).

Another dark horse candidate who’s more than living up to expectations is California native Josh Stevens, who just turned 24 Friday. The right-handed starting pitcher was 7-1 with a 2.15 earned run average in his first 10 starts. Opponents were batting just .218 against him and he had 52 strikeouts in 67 innings. Stevens was signed as a free agent last November after being released by Toronto and the New York Yankees.

Infielder Tracy Coquillette was also affected by the Hillenbrand trade as he was called up to Triple A Pawtucket to replace infielder Freddy Sanchez, who Boston called up to fill Hillenbrand’s spot. Coquillette was hitting .227 with four homers and 15 RBIs at Portland.

Tucker shining in Double-A

Former University of Maine pitcher Rusty Tucker is establishing a niche for himself with the San Diego Padres’ Class AA affiliate in Mobile, Ala.

Tucker, in only his second professional season, has emerged as the closer for the Mobile BayBears of the Southern League. The 6-1, 190-pound lefthander from Gloucester, Mass., has registered 16 saves on 28 games and sports an 0-2 record with a 2.32 ERA.

Tucker, a 21st-round draft choice of the Padres in 2001, has struck out 41 and walked 19 in 31 innings. His 16 saves rank second in the Southern League.

Tucker was named the America East Pitcher of the Year in 2001 after going 7-2 with a 3.26 earned run average and 70 strikeouts in 66 1/3 innings.

Andrew Neff can be reached at 990-8205, 1-800-310-8600, or aneff@bangordailynews.net