Alex Sanabia

Sanabia has failed to display much improvement over the last two seasons after holding his own over 12 starts in 2010, struggling with both elbow issues and inconsistency at the minor league level. Over 17 starts at Triple-A in 2012, he posted a passable 4.06 ERA and 1.32 WHIP while cutting down his home-run rate (1.1 HR/9) and limiting the free passes (2.5 BB/9). Sanabia’s stellar changeup plays well off of his low-90s sinker, but the lack of a third pitch has hurt him throughout his professional career. With a couple of rotation spots up for grabs in Miami, it’s expected that Sanabia will get a long look this spring, but he remains little more than a back-end prospect and will more likely settle into a long-relief role unless he’s able to add another solid weapon to his arsenal.

Elbow trouble kept Sanabia from taking advantage of the Marlins' rotation vacancies last year, and his numbers during a brief stay in Triple-A were downright ugly, but the club still thinks he has a future. The best, and maybe only, thing going for him on the mound is still his ridiculously good change-up, but at some point he'll need to add something else to his arsenal if he wants to be anything more than a swingman. A healthy 2012 would be a good start, as would developing the ability to get more outs on the ground – or at least cut down his home-run rate.

Sanabia seemingly came out of nowhere last year, and the former 32nd-round pick rode great control and a truly exceptional changeup all the way to the major league rotation where he held his own as a 21-year-old. Given his age and frame (he's 6-foot-2 and might just weigh 170 soaking wet) there's plenty of room for growth in his profile, though in the short term he's a marginal fantasy pick due to his need to sharpen his show-me slider and develop better stamina. Down the road though, it looks like the Marlins have stumbled upon a gem.