After missing 2016 due to Tommy John surgery, Gonzales is unlikely to be back pitching in games until a month or two into the 2017 season. He will almost certainly spend time at Triple-A Memphis once healthy due to the fact that he is yet to impress in the majors and seemed to take a step back in the minors before he went under the knife. Over 14 starts with Memphis in 2015 (when he most recently pitched), Gonzales really struggled to retire the opposition, as batters hit .317 with him on the mound. He was much better at Triple-A in 2014, and it is possible his elbow was already an issue during his struggles in 2015. His stuff profiles better at the back of a big league rotation than in the bullpen, so he should continue to be developed as a starter, but given the Cardinals' rotation depth it is unclear when he will get a legitimate look in that role as long as he remains in this organization.

Gonzales’ proximity to the big leagues is the selling point and his lack of upside is a reason to look elsewhere in dynasty leagues. He will never be more than a No. 3 starter, and of course he’s far from a lock to actualize that ceiling. Assuming Carlos Martinez is over the shoulder issues that plagued him at the end of the year, Gonzales, Tim Cooney and Tyler Lyons are all on the outside looking in on the rotation heading into spring training. Gonzales had his own shoulder issues in the first half of last season, which may have contributed to his shaky run in the Pacific Coast League, but he will nonetheless be relying more on stuff and reputation than tangible success. Meanwhile, Cooney and Lyons can both point to successful, albeit brief runs in the MLB rotation last season, so Gonzales should enter camp as an underdog to serve as the first choice to fill in if someone in the rotation goes down with an injury.

Gonzales was terrific for the Cardinals when called upon in 2014, posting a 4.12 ERA in seven starts and striking out 39 in 43.2 innings. His xFIP of 2.94 shows just how good he was and going into his age-23 season, there's a lot for Cardinals fans and fantasy owners to be excited about. Arguably the organization's top pitching prospect entering 2014, Gonzales has a legitimate shot to crack the Cardinals' rotation in 2015 following the departure of Shelby Miller. He'll have to beat out fellow phenom Carlos Martinez along with oft-injured Jaime Garcia. Gonzales clearly has the talent to do so and if he gets the chance, he could be a great fantasy asset. However, the Cardinals could choose to develop Gonzales the same way they have Martinez, who was relegated to bullpen duties despite arguably being St. Louis' best pitcher last spring.

Gonzales was the Cardinals' first-round pick out of Gonzaga University in the 2013 draft. The lefty is a high-floor pitcher, but he doesn't have a ton of upside and could work his way to the majors late this season. In his first season as a professional, Gonzales posted a 2.70 ERA in 23.1 innings, striking out 23 while walking eight. It's an extremely small sample size, and the Cardinals will have a much better idea of what they have in the 22-year-old after a few months in Double-A, where he should start the 2014 season.