Erick Fedde

Fedde made 11 starts for the Nationals when not in the minors or on the shelf with a shoulder injury. He wasn't particularly effective when called upon, finishing the season with a 5.54 ERA. His underlying numbers were in line with those of a back-end starter, matching his prospect reports. The righty's 21.2% strikeout rate and 10.1% walk rate were each worse than league average, though neither by a large amount, and he kept the ball on the ground fairly well at a 53.1% clip. He was hurt by the long ball when batters did manage to hit it in the air, however, giving up a 22.2% HR/FB rate, nearly double the league average. If that number regresses this season, Fedde should be able to eat innings at the back of the rotation without hurting the Nationals too much. He looks to be the team's sixth starter heading into the year.

Fedde has the best shot to break camp as Washington's No. 5 starter as of early January, but the Nationals would undoubtedly prefer a better option. Fedde is entering his age-25 season and has made just 21 starts above High-A. His limited experience as a starter in the upper levels is due largely to the Nationals using him as a reliever at Double-A and Triple-A for a good chunk of last season. His slider grades out as a plus pitch, but his 93-mph fastball and improved changeup are just average offerings. Fedde's development brings flashbacks to the days when A.J. Cole was seen as a potential mid-rotation arm, then hit a wall against upper-level hitting and now projects to be a permanent member of the Nationals' bullpen. Fedde will continue to be developed as a starter for now, but he is more likely to develop into a No. 5 starter or setup man than a No. 3 starter.

Few prospects have seen their stock rise more in the last 12 months than Fedde. The 2014 first-round pick continued recovering from Tommy John surgery with flying colors, throwing 121 innings between High-A and Double-A while posting combined 9.1 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 rates. His fastball returned to the mid-90s with excellent life, his slider flashed as a true out pitch, and he even showed improvement with his changeup. As he's already 23 years old, the Nats have little reason to continue babying him, and it wouldn't be a shock to see him fire his last few frames in the majors. The development of that changeup remains key to his long-term value, as without it Fedde could find himself trying to find a role as a dominant late-inning reliever instead of a starter, but with Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez now in Chicago, the path is cleared for Fedde to challenge for a full-time rotation spot as soon as 2018.

The 18th overall pick in the 2014 draft, Fedde slid out of the top 10 after undergoing Tommy John surgery to close an outstanding career at UNLV. Making his pro debut in late June with short-season Auburn, the right-hander made eight strong starts before a promotion to Low-A Hagerstown to finish the year, and scouting reports had him back in his pre-surgery form with a mid-90s fastball that can touch higher as well as a developing slider and changeup that both have the makings of plus pitches. The Nationals have done very well in handling Lucas Giolito's development following his TJ surgery, and while the college-trained Fedde is older than Giolito, the organization won't likely rush him through the system. Expect the 22-year-old to return to Low-A in 2016 and get a possible midseason promotion if he's earned it, with his major league debut coming no earlier than late 2017.

The Nationals selected Fedde in the first round of the 2014 first-year player draft knowing that he would be rehabbing from Tommy John surgery performed just a month earlier, but given their track record with players like Lucas Giolito, you have to give them some credit for knowing what they're doing. In college, Fedde displayed a low-90s sinking fastball that he could crank up to 96 mph when he needed to, along with a sharp slider and the makings of a useful changeup. If he returns from surgery without a hitch, and used his time off the mound to improve his strength and fitness as well as rehabbing his elbow, he could advance through the Nats' system as quickly as their ultra-cautious plan will allow him. The earliest he'll realistically be knocking on the door of the major league roster is 2018, but keeper league owners who aren't deterred by that timetable could wind up with a gem if they grab him now.