The roster expansion date looms. What are you waiting for?

Major league teams will add young talent from their farm systems on Sept. 1, and smart fantasy baseball owners already have future star Delmon Young stashed on their bench.

Young isn't the only player who could help fantasy teams. By doing your bidding early, you may be able to land a September gem.

Here are some players who may be worth gambling on in the days before Sept. 1. If called up, they could have intriguing fantasy value. They may not get the nod, but no fantasy owner ever got a huge September boost by avoiding roster expansion:

MOST LIKELY

Delmon Young, OF, Devil Rays

The embarrassing bat-throwing episode in early May earned the top minor league prospect a 50-game suspension. It appeared at the time that it might also significantly impact Young's already slow ascension to the majors. But the fact that the team called up fellow prospect B.J. Upton just days after he, Young, and Elijah Dukes criticized the organization for not calling them up in late July tells us that the Rays may be jonesing to see their top prospects on the field. Young hit .320 with eight homers and 22 stolen bases in 81 games at triple-A Durham. He could produce at a similar clip in Tampa Bay in September. If he's still available, snatch him up immediately.

Dustin Pedroia, INF, Red Sox

Pedroia got the callup that would have come on Sept. 1 on Aug. 22 when shortstop Alex Gonzalez went down with an injury. Pedroia is an excellent infield prospect capable of playing 2B, SS, and 3B, and while he had just five homers this season at triple-A Pawtucket, his 30 doubles are more indicative of the kind of hitter he should develop into. He's a future star, and while he won't be a fantasy monster right away, he's a consistent line-drive hitter who can find the gaps and if he plays well while Gonzalez is out, he may garner more September playing time.

Philip Hughes, RHP, Yankees

This is a controversial call. Hughes turned 20 in late June, and the Yankees chose to trade for Cory Lidle to be their fifth starter. There's been no official word from the team that a callup is looming for the team's top prospect, who is 8-3 with a 2.50 ERA at double-A Trenton, but an injury to Mike Mussina and an extremely tight pennant race may force the team's hand. Hughes is expected to be the ace of the future, and he already has the stuff to be effective in the big leagues, including a killer curveball.

PROBABLY NOT

Alex Gordon, 1B/3B, Royals

The team's top minor leaguer is also one of baseball's finest hitting prospects. Alas, Gordon is not on the 40-man roster, and the team has said it would rather not add him until next year. So it appears his powerful bat (.318 with 26 homers at double-A Wichita) will not be seen in Kansas City in September.

Andrew Miller, LHP, Tigers

The Tigers' first-round pick from this year's draft has a September callup written into his contract. The 21-year-old is a hard thrower. He'll be a starter in the future, but may be pressed into pennant race bullpen duty just months after pitching for the University of North Carolina. Could he succeed? Sure, but he's very green and his downside is higher than his upside this time. Avoid him for now.

SIXTH STARTERS

All three of these guys are good young prospects who have pitched previously in the majors and will probably get the call to return in September. Each may become a sixth starter on teams not in pennant races. None of them should be high on your fantasy radar:

Hayden Penn, RHP, Orioles

Appendicitis curtailed Penn's opportunity to join the Orioles rotation in May. His 6-4 record and 2.49 ERA at triple-A Ottawa are intriguing, as is his stuff, but his command can be shaky and he wasn't successful in his brief stint last September because of it.

Jonathan Sanchez, LHP, Giants

Sanchez is an aggressive southpaw who was excellent out of the bullpen for the Giants earlier this year but now might start. He's a high-risk, high-reward pickup, because he tends to walk a lot of batters.

Sean Burnett, LHP, Pirates

Burnett was once a top prospect, but elbow and shoulder surgeries have taken their toll. His 41 walks and 41 strikeouts along with a 4.79 ERA at triple-A Indianapolis aren't the stuff of fantasy dreams.