Mound Musings: The Next Generation

It's time to get serious. With June comes the end of Super Two distractions – the date when teams can call up their blue chip pitching prospects, without losing a year of control down the line. During April and May, most teams, especially those with very limited payroll dollars, fill vacancies in their rotations with less valuable arms. This season that has been very tough to do with the deluge of injuries, and some top shelf prospects have already made their debuts, but there are plenty more very good ones to come. For some it will be soon, but others might have to wait until August or even September. Still, they are coming, and several are going to make a contribution.  Let's take a look at who we've seen already, and who might be on the way:

Already here:

• Kevin Gausman (Baltimore) – I'll be honest, I didn't know where to list him here. He was up and pitching in relief earlier so maybe already here fits, he went on the disabled list and should be ready to return soon so maybe he is coming soon, but there are conflicting reports on what his role will be when he does return. The Orioles are notorious for – at least in my opinion – mishandling their quality young arms. Gausman is without question one of the most talented kids in the game today, and he will eventually get the chance to show that every five days, it's just difficult to say when with certainty. I guess that's being patient.
• Eduardo Rodriguez (Boston) – If I had written this a week earlier, I could have talked about the sparkling numbers he posted in his first three starts. Only one earned run in the three outings, each one reaching at least six innings, and generating 21 strikeouts. Pretty impressive. Then he encountered the Toronto juggernaut. Nine earned runs in less than five innings. Ouch. Given how devastating the Blue Jays offense has been of late, we'll give him a mulligan on that one. He's not as good as he was in those first three starts, but he's got the tools and he's ready to contribute.
• Carlos Rodon (Chicago AL) – Rodon walks too many hitters, primarily because he came up too early in his career, but don't let that scare you off. He is still one of the most talented young arms to arrive this season, and while he could have some shaky outings related to higher pitch counts and early exits, he'll only get better as he becomes more comfortable. The White Sox are working diligently to refine his mechanics during his on-the-job training. He has one of the nastiest sliders I have ever seen, and it has strikeouts written all over it. I'm primarily concerned that innings could be a problem later this season.

• Steven Matz (New York NL) – Even with some injuries like Zack Wheeler being out for the season, the Mets have an excess of starting pitching. Matz has done exceptionally well in the minors, but it's time bring him up. They have tried to deal a couple of starters that don't figure into their future plans, and in fact they just designated Dillon Gee for assignment earlier this week. They have also talked about moving Noah Syndergaard to the bullpen to reduce his workload. Matz will be up soon, and he is clearly worth a look in fantasy circles.
• Aaron Nola (Philaelphia) – Nola came out of college almost ready for the major leagues, but the Phillies are rebuilding and there was no reason to push it. He overmatched the competition in Double-A and was just recently promoted to Triple-A. Nola is not the type of pitcher who will be an ace with the Phillies, but he is a guy who can pile up quality innings. He has pretty good command of a full repertoire on pitches, and can help a fantasy team right away.
• Jose Berrios (Minnesota) – When it comes to pure stuff, I like Alex Meyer better than Berrios, but the Twins have really been challenged while trying to harness Meyer's release point so Berrios is their starter to watch. He has rung up over a strikeout an inning at Double-A and should be promoted soon to Triple-A. He's ready. The Twins are definitely budget oriented, so they haven't pushed him, but he should see Minnesota fairly soon if he handles the jump up. They are already looking at their better kid sticks and Berrios can't be far behind.

• Jameson Taillon (Pittsburgh) – He is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, and probably won't see Pittsburgh before September, if then. The Pirates are understandably taking it slow so patience is key. They actually have two pitchers who fit on these lists, and the other one, Tyler Glasnow, could see the big show before Taillon. I have always been a huge fan of Taillon – he was at one time the top name on my prospect watch list – and I typically don't move them down much based on an injury. Reports indicate he is progressing in extended spring training so a minor league rehab assignment could happen soon. He has slipped a bit on many prospect lists, but I would pursue him aggressively for next year.
• Julio Urias (Los Angeles) – The Dodgers took the opportunity to slow down his 2015 innings accumulation and had him undergo surgery to remove a benign mass from his left eye in May. He is expected back in early July, and I expect him to jump right back on the fast track to Chavez Ravine. He won't be 19 until August and that could be a reason to keep him in the minor leagues this year, but he pitches like he's 29 and in the prime of his career. That's going to be hard to rein in for very long. Urias is the current owner of my prospect list penthouse, and I can honestly say no pitcher has ever been there before at his age. He has been dominant against older competition at Double-A Tulsa so he will soon need to see tougher competition. Truthfully, he may not face tough enough in the minors.
• Daniel Norris (Toronto) – I'm going to sneak one in here that may be somewhat forgotten in many fantasy leagues. The free-spirited southpaw opened the year in the Blue Jays rotation, but it was pretty clear he wasn't quite ready. They sent him down the first week in May, and he is likely building confidence in his still improving stuff. He has a high three-quarters release point that adds a serious downhill tilt to his arsenal. A quick moving fastball, crisp breaking pitches and an adequate change give him the necessary tools. Keep him in mind.

Some Notable Rotation Ramblings:

• Even though he wasn't terribly efficient in his first start back from injury, I was quite impressed with Justin Verlander. His pitches showed movement, and perhaps most importantly, his fastball was travelling at about 96-97 mph and that's encouraging. He might be worth pursuing if a discount is involved.
• Speaking of impressive, it's possible Mat Latos has put some physical problems behind him – at least for the time being. The Marlins thought they were getting a top of the rotation starter last winter and he was horrible to start the season. That was likely injury related so better things could be ahead for him too.
• Matt Moore is getting close to returning to Tampa Bay as he completes his recovery from Tommy John surgery. He is not known for pinpoint control, and some rust is likely, but he is a top of the rotation talent. He could see shorter outings this summer, but those in keeper leagues shouldn't forget him.
• One of the young pitchers who have caught my eye recently is Milwaukee's Taylor Jungmann. I still see him as just a middle or back of the rotation type, but he could be a serviceable fantasy option if he starts throwing more strikes. Right now, high pitch counts will limit his upside, but keep an eye on him.
• If you're looking for an arm to acquire for the second half, consider one of my favorite breakout candidates, James Paxton in Seattle. He strained a tendon on his middle finger and is hoping for a mid-July return. If he can ever stay healthy long enough to get in a groove, he could be a bonanza.
• Miami's Jose Fernandez announced he will make his anticipated return to the mound on July 2. Obviously that assumes he doesn't encounter any setbacks in his remaining rehab outings. Surely the Marlins will be careful with him, but if he is just close to what he was before blowing out his elbow, he changes the game.

Endgame Odyssey:

He may not get them all, but it looks as if Jake McGee has regained his spot as the primary closer for the Rays, while Kevin Jepsen will be his caddy. He should be a solid source of saves moving forward. Amazingly, Brett Cecil went 39 days without a save opportunity as the Jays closer, before picking up two last weekend. Toronto's explosive offense may limit his chances somewhat, but he should be good for an average number over the coming months if he gets the job done, which is no sure thing. Steve Cishek is back in Miami, but the closer's gig is firmly in the hands of A.J. Ramos right now. If he falters, don't be too surprised if dark horse righty Carter Capps gets a look. On Monday, the Royals brought Greg Holland into a game they were leading 8-2 and Holland didn't record an out, giving up three runs before Wade Davis stranded the two runners he left on base. It could have been one of those non-save outings, but he hasn't been as sharp as we have come to expect. Trevor Rosenthal has an achy arm and hasn't been used in the last couple of save situations. It doesn't sound like anything long term, but the Cardinals have used Kevin Siegrist to fill in. The Mets' Bobby Parnell is back, and he even picked up a save, but Jeurys Familia was not available that day. Familia remains firmly entrenched as their closer as long as he keeps going like he has so far. Who's the quietest end game success story? I nominate Huston Street.