Jordan Yamamoto

Yamamoto rode the rookie roller coaster in 2019. He began his big-league career by hurling 14.1 consecutive scoreless innings, registered an 8.13 ERA during a seven-game rough patch in July and August and capped the campaign with a one-hit, 10-strikeout performance over six innings in his final start of the season. Collectively, Yamamoto posted a 4.46 ERA (4.50 FIP) while notching a solid 25.2 K%, though he struggled with his control (11.1 BB%). He compensates for a middling fastball that sits at 91-92 mph with a kitchen-sink approach that includes six different offerings. Best among those is an excellent slider that ranked in the top 10% of the league in both vertical and horizontal movement, on which Yamamoto held batters to a .109 batting average. The 23-year-old has potential, but he'll need to show more consistency and fix his control issues in order to become a viable fantasy option.

Acquired by the Marlins in the Christian Yelich trade, Yamamoto was limited by injuries to just 13 starts. He recorded excellent numbers in those starts, finishing with a 1.83 ERA, 32.4 K% and 5.3 BB%. While three of those starts did come in a rehab stint at the rookie-league level, he was similarly effective at High-A Jupiter and Double-A Jacksonville. The 22-year-old's incredible numbers don't quite line up with his scouting reports, as his fastball sits in the high 80s, which may cap his ceiling as a back-end starter despite above-average command and a trio of interesting secondaries (curveball, slider and changeup). Those secondaries have fooled low-level hitters so far but may not be enough against more advanced hitters. Yamamoto has made just three starts at Double-A so far, but his addition to the 40-man roster in November could lead to his first callup at some point this season.