This article is part of our Mound Musings series.
As regular readers are probably aware, I play almost exclusively in keeper and dynasty leagues. And, not surprisingly, there is a huge benefit in identifying and acquiring excellent pitching talent just before they arrive in the major leagues.
This is typically my last column of the season, and it will be again this year. However, I felt it might be interesting to do an "Early Edition" to update shifts in the food chain (it's a very fluid list with pitchers constantly moving higher and lower). It's actually becoming more of a challenge maintaining this list because every pitcher with a heartbeat gets the call — often way before they are ready.
Over the past few years there has been an unprecedented rush of young pitchers to the major leagues. And, with the push for more offense, a lack of minor-league seasoning can be very problematic. I'll remind you that the pitchers below are primarily guys who will likely arrive (if they haven't already) in the next year, or two at the most regardless of their status this season. Let's get started:
Put These Guys at The Top of Your Watch List …
Eury Perez (MIA) – The top spot could have been a dead heat if I hadn't decided to promote the O's Grayson Rodriguez (who was promptly sent back down). Perez is just 20-years-old but he pitches older with an advanced mound demeanor. He pitched in Double-A last season, and looked good. He then opened 2023 back at Pensacola
As regular readers are probably aware, I play almost exclusively in keeper and dynasty leagues. And, not surprisingly, there is a huge benefit in identifying and acquiring excellent pitching talent just before they arrive in the major leagues.
This is typically my last column of the season, and it will be again this year. However, I felt it might be interesting to do an "Early Edition" to update shifts in the food chain (it's a very fluid list with pitchers constantly moving higher and lower). It's actually becoming more of a challenge maintaining this list because every pitcher with a heartbeat gets the call — often way before they are ready.
Over the past few years there has been an unprecedented rush of young pitchers to the major leagues. And, with the push for more offense, a lack of minor-league seasoning can be very problematic. I'll remind you that the pitchers below are primarily guys who will likely arrive (if they haven't already) in the next year, or two at the most regardless of their status this season. Let's get started:
Put These Guys at The Top of Your Watch List …
Eury Perez (MIA) – The top spot could have been a dead heat if I hadn't decided to promote the O's Grayson Rodriguez (who was promptly sent back down). Perez is just 20-years-old but he pitches older with an advanced mound demeanor. He pitched in Double-A last season, and looked good. He then opened 2023 back at Pensacola and looked even better, so the Marlins skipped Triple-A and brought the wispy, 6'8" righty to Miami. Like what seems to be an issue for most pitchers, his command has been erratic, leading to a 1.17 WHIP, but he has kept the damage to a minimum (2.25 ERA) and has logged about a strikeout per inning — a rate that I think could increase as he gets settled in. He boasts a four-pitch mix highlighted by a very lively upper-90s fastball, but what stands out to me is his maturity on the mound. He's probably not totally immune to an occasional rough outing, but I am more impressed every time I see him.
Brandon Pfaadt (ARZ) – He's already logged 23 MLB innings, posting an ugly 1.65 WHIP with an 8.37 ERA, but he still holds the number two spot on my list. He was just sent down to Triple-A to "work on issues" to be better prepared when he returns to Arizona. Those issues tend to be a hesitancy to use his full repertoire and a tendency to nibble rather than attack hitters. Sound familiar? It's the mantra of most solid prospects when rushed to the majors with insufficient minor-league seasoning. Those issues led to eight home runs (ouch!) over those first 23 innings. With some command concerns and extremely heavy usage of his fastball, major-league hitters quickly learned to be patient and wait for one of those fastballs to tickle the middle of the plate. I fully expect to see him back later in the season with a decent chance of being a fantasy asset.
Ricky Tiedemann (TOR) – Tiedemann's left arm is what general managers dream of, and the Jays have him on the fast track. At least he would be on the fast track if he could stay healthy. He began 2022 at High-A Dunedin (talk about a mismatch: 11 hits and 13 walks with 49 strikeouts over 30 innings), stopped off for a bit at Vancouver and finished the year at Double-A New Hampshire. All told, he worked 79 innings, and most importantly began building up arm strength and stamina. When he's on the mound, it's all about domination. He easily sits mid-90s with his fastball and complements that with a sharp-breaking slider, but it's his changeup that sets him apart. It might be the best in the minors. That means he has the potential to be a dominating starter if he can get past the nagging shoulder and biceps problems he's dealt with this year. I would be very surprised if he isn't pitching for Toronto later this season.
Andrew Painter (PHI) – The Phillies are being patient with their prized pitching prospect, who hit the injured list prior to the opening of the minor-league season with a partially torn UCL. So far, the news has been great as he attempts to avoid the knife, but he has a long way to go (he has yet to throw off the top of a mound) and the team isn't likely to take any chances. He just turned 20 years old in April after being taken with the 13th overall pick out of high school in 2021. High school pitching talent is pretty risky, so when a team uses an early first-round pick, it's best to pay attention. Painter zipped through three levels of minor-league ball in 2022 with a 1.56 ERA over 104 innings, piling up 155 strikeouts with only 25 walks. He starts with a high-90s fastball that touches triple digits and then complements that with a nasty slider, a changeup and a curveball. The change and curve are just "very good" but they are improving. If he can clear this UCL hurdle, he has the maturity and the tools to jump right to the top of this list.
Taj Bradley (TB) – The consensus among analysts is to give the benefit of the doubt to any pitching prospect wearing a Rays jersey. I pretty much concur, albeit that's pretty easy when evaluating talent like Bradley's. He's already made seven MLB starts this season, covering 35 innings, so graduation is imminent, but the Rays are being extra cautious, strictly limiting his pitch count (generally in the 80-90 range) which means he hasn't finished six innings in an outing. I suppose you could say his results have been somewhat mixed, but he has the pure stuff, and those 35 MLB innings have seen him issue just eight walks. Eight. That's incredible for a kid at his experience level. He's pretty much a two-pitch pitcher with a lively fastball and an explosive cutter, which generally works with workload restrictions making him face hitters only a couple times, but he needs a third pitch to really move to the next level. I'm pretty sure he'll get it.
Emmet Sheehan (LAD) – Sheehan earns the "fastest riser" tag as he wasn't on this list to begin the season, but he earned a spot early in the year and has been inched higher twice over the first couple months. He's currently pitching at Double-A Tulsa as the Dodgers shop for opposition to challenge him. They haven't found them yet. At Tulsa, he has allowed just 20 hits in 49 innings, striking out 83. He has issued a rather high 19 walks, but you can see better command coming in the near future. He's 23 years old, so he has to shave every day, but he has also developed a higher level of maturity. He features a rising fastball that can sit mid-90s. It doesn't really rise, but it gives that impression (think Minnesota's Joe Ryan) and it drives hitters crazy. He doesn't spot it as well as Ryan yet, but if the command comes (I think it will) he has hotter overall stuff. That equates to him being a potential monster. Pursue him with vigor!
Matthew Liberatore (STL) – Now, we'll drop down to the next tier of pitching prospects. I have been monitoring Liberatore since he was drafted in the first round of the 2018 draft. Like many southpaws, his development had ups and downs, but his wipeout curveball was enough to keep me interested. Now things have taken a positive turn. His fastball velocity is up a couple ticks (now 95 mph) and he is using it at the top of the zone to get swings and misses while setting up his curve at the bottom of the zone. That's a recipe for success. He could use a more reliable third pitch, and his command can waver a bit now and then, but it's improving. The Cardinals are being pretty cautious with his workload, so he's probably another year away from his best, as I don't think they want to push him too hard in 2023.
Mason Miller (OAK) – Miller is talented enough to potentially be a fantasy asset pitching for an abysmal team. Like so many of the arms on my list, he's already spent time on a big-league mound, but just as we were seeing what he could do, he went on the injured list with a mild UCL sprain. The A's haven't said much other than he's been shut down from throwing, but they do expect him back before the end of the season. Miller got the call with less than nine innings combined between Double-A and Triple-A. Why not? Operating with a barely minor-league pitching staff, he might as well learn on the job. He made four starts in late April and early May before the elbow injury, and overall, he gave a good accounting of himself. He's a bit of a one-trick pony with a moving fastball that sits in the upper 90s and reaches triple digits when needed. He's working on a slider, a cutter and a changeup, which all show some promise, so the tools are there or are coming along.
Gavin Williams (CLE) –The Guardians are quickly building a reputation for being a source of quality young pitching. It's well-deserved, and we haven't seen the best of them (imho) yet. Keep the names Allen, Bibee and Espino in mind, but this is the guy to target first. He began 2023 at Double-A, but that lasted just three starts before he was promoted to Triple-A Columbus, and he hasn't slowed down. Williams is a prototypical power pitcher with an upper-90s fastball as well as three off-speed pitches that are decent now and getting better. He just needs to be a bit better at throwing his entire arsenal for strikes. Some are asking why others have reached the majors earlier, and personally, I believe Cleveland might be protecting him by extending his MLB service timeline. It's not unusual, especially for lower-budget teams trying to maximize control over their elite young arms. I expect to see him later this season.
Gavin Stone (LAD) – How does a pitcher with a 3.00 WHIP and a 14.40 ERA across his first three starts make the list? By showing me something few young arms have. In Stone's case, that's a potent changeup. It's easily his best pitch and was instrumental in him posting a 1.48 ERA in 121 innings across three minor-league levels last year. Unfortunately, Stone is also a sinker ball pitcher. Regular readers know of my love/hate relationship with the sinker. If it's on, it's great, but if not, you can turn the ballpark into an Independence Day fireworks show. I watched one of his starts (against the highly volatile Rays), and everything he threw was thigh-high in the middle of the plate. Not surprisingly, Tampa Bay teed off. Interestingly, he didn't walk a batter in that game after walking five over four innings in his previous start. Maybe his primary objective that day was throwing strikes. I'm giving him a mulligan for his first turn with the Dodgers.
There are more names that could be added to this list, and I apologize if your guy isn't here, but I want to keep the Parade as pristine and pure as possible. Here are a just few other honorable mentions who received consideration (in no special order) for inclusion in the current Parade: Andrew Abbott (CIN), Bryce Miller (SEA), Forrest Whitley (HOU), Jordan Balazovic (MIN), Cade Cavalli (WAS), Kyle Harrison (SF), Cooper Hjerpe (STL), Bobby Miller (LAD), Max Meyer (MIA), Drey Jameson (ARZ), Luis Ortiz (PIT), Daniel Espino (CLE), Bryan Woo (SEA) and Jarlin Susana (WAS).
That's a wrap. Always remember, the list is never static. Tomorrow, the Parade could, and probably will, change. Keep the faith!
