Patterson attended Harrison High School in Kennesaw, Georgia, and helped Harrison win the Georgia state championship as a senior in 1998.[citation needed] That year, he had a batting average of .528 with 81 runs scored, 22 home runs, 61 RBI and 38 stolen bases in 38 games.[citation needed] Patterson was named to the Baseball America and USA Today first-team All-America teams, and was selected by USA Baseball as its Amateur Player of the Year and as the Baseball Coaches Association\'s co-national high school Player of the Year.[citation needed] Patterson was also named a Baseball America second-team selection after his junior season.[citation needed]\n', '

Patterson was selected by the Chicago Cubs as the third overall pick in the 1998 Major League Baseball draft. He made his professional debut in 1999 with the Lansing Lugnuts of the Class-A Midwest League, and was selected as that league\'s "Prospect of the Year" after leading the league in slugging percentage (.592), extra base hits (72) and triples (17). He also batted .320 with 20 homers and 79 RBI, and was named to the league\'s all-star team both at mid-season and postseason. Baseball America named Patterson the league\'s top prospect.[citation needed] After the 1999 season, he played in the Arizona Fall League and was that league\'s youngest player. He batted .368 with 4 home runs, 24 RBI, and 8 stolen bases in 35 games, and was named to the league\'s all-star team.\n', '

In 2000, Patterson was promoted to the Double-A West Tenn Diamond Jaxx of the Southern League. He was named to the league\'s mid-season and postseason all-star team, and was named the league\'s top prospect by Baseball America.[citation needed] Patterson batted .268 with 22 home runs and 82 RBI, finishing second in the league in home runs.\n', '

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