Regan's Rumblings: Time To Focus On 2021?

I'm pretty disgusted at this point.

With both sides.

MLB had a once in a lifetime chance to recapture its former glory, and they are blowing it right before our very eyes. At this point, does anyone thinK we'll see baseball on July 4? I wish, but despite the recent proposals, I'm just not seeing it. An early July return would have baseball on track for nearly a month without the NBA or NFL. As a Dodgers fan, I wonder whether I'll ever see Mookie Betts in a Dodger uniform when it counts. We'll miss a full Year of Mike Trout's prime, and we'll have to wait an extra year to see the debuts of guys like Jo Adell and Nate Pearson.

That all aside, I'm going to discuss a few guys who could see their values take an uptick in 2021. Maybe you can grab them now in anticipation.

Matt Beaty, 3B, LAD

This one is a stretch, but there has been some speculation around the Dodgers NOT re-signing free-agent-to-be Justin Turner, whose contract expires this season. In that scenario (I DO think Turner probably re-signs), the Dodgers could shift Corey Seager to third base and Gavin Lux to shortstop (his natural position) and use Chris Taylor at second. Otherwise, perhaps the Dodgers turn over the job to Beaty, who hit .265/.317/.458 as a 26-year-old rookie in 2019. On the flip side, the Dodgers are in win-now mode, and it's unclear whether the lefty-swinger can hit southpaws and whether he can field the hot corner adequately enough. Beaty was the Double-A Texas League MVP in 2017 when he hit .326/.378/.505, so there's at least some production in his past that we can point to.

Kyle Tucker, OF, HOU

Tucker's time could finally come in 2020 if there's a season, but he's all but certain to be the Astros' full-time right fielder in 2021. Josh Reddick is set to hit free agency after this season, and the Astros will have some big holes to fill soon, with George Springer and Michael Brantley also free agents after 2020, and guys like Zack Greinke, Justin Verlander and Carlos Correa after 2021. To keep a subset of those guys around, they'll need Tucker's cheap contract on the books to compensate. After batting just .141 in his first MLB stint in 2018, Tucker hit well last September, finishing with a .269/.319/.537 slash in 72 PA, including four homers and five stolen bases. Overall last year, Tucker's counting stats (Triple-A and MLB) included 38 home runs, 107 runs scored, 108 RBI and 35 stolen bases. Though he's not going to hit those levels right away (or ever, maybe), those are first-round fantasy numbers. Maybe more realistically he's a 25 homer/20 steal guy in full-time work, but that's not bad either.

Tyler Stephenson, C, CIN

Stephenson has three guys ahead of him on the depth chart (Tucker Barnhart, Curt Casali and Kyle Farmer), but we're not exactly talking about him being stuck behind Johnny Bench. Barnhart is adequate enough, but Stephenson is the future and one of the minors' top catching prospects. As a 22-year-old in Double-A last year, Stephenson batted a solid .285/.372/.410, displaying excellent plate discipline, particularly for his age (10.2 BB percentage, 16.5 K percentage). He hit just six home runs, but at his age and stature (6'4"), there's every reason to think he can build muscle and hit 20 home runs in his prime. In addition, Stephenson impressed early this spring, going 6-for-16 with four extra-base hits and a nice 1:4 K:BB. He may very well open 2021 in Triple-A, but Barnhart hit just .231 last year, so if the Reds feel Stephenson is ready midyear (or earlier), he could get the call.

Garrett Hampson, INF, COL

I admit to some bias here, as Hampson is a local H.S. grad whom I've followed since he was drafted out of Reno High. Our latest note on Hampson has him battling for a 2020 bench/utility role, but 2021? We will see, but two possibilities exist that could open up a full-time gig for Hampson. First, Daniel Murphy will be a free agent after 2020, opening first base up potentially for a guy like Ryan McMahon. Second, Trevor Story will be a year removed from free agency and could potentially be traded if the Rockies elect to go for any sort of rebuild. Meanwhile, Hampson has hit just .251/.314/.386 in 129 career MLB games, but at the Triple-A level, Hampson has hit a much better .301/.360/.449 with 24 steals in 405 at-bats. He has good speed and developing power and should ultimately be an excellent contact guy, so if Hampson has a good 2021 spring, he should find himself with plenty of value on his legs alone.

Andrew Vaughn, 1B, CHW

We've already seen it with Luis Robert and Eloy Jimenez, so is Vaughn the next guy to sign a six-year extension prior to even making his MLB debut? Considering he barely has 200 pro at-bats and has yet to reach Double-A, that could be a stretch, but Vaughn is already extremely advanced. A polished college product chosen No. 3 overall in last year's draft, Vaughn put up an .832 OPS and impressive .79 BB/K in the minors last year, finishing in High-A. He also hit .304/.448/.522 this spring, so if a 2020 debut doesn't happen, it looks to be a lock that we'll see him early in 2021, if not right away. He's currently blocked by Jose Abreu and Edwin Encarnacion at 1B/DH, but EE is a free agent after this season who likely will be cut loose in favor of Vaughn.

Forrest Whitley, SP, HOU

The upside remains high, but 2019 left Whitley a bit of an enigma among fantasy owners. While batting shoulder fatigue, Whitley pitched just 59.2 innings with ugly results, including a 7.99 ERA and 6.6 BB/9. So why is he still RotoWire's No. 16 overall prospect? Well, those numbers came with a 13.0 K/9, and the scouting reports remain sky-high on the 22-year-old. At his young age, 2020/2021 aren't exactly "prove it" years, but the Astros would surely love him to grab a rotation spot at a minimum salary. He was unlikely to grab a rotation spot out of spring training this year, but with so much uncertainty in the rotation beyond Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke, the Astros aren't exactly putting up roadblocks in his path to the big leagues. It's now all on him to prove he belongs, and he likely will, and soon.

Miguel Andujar, OF/DH, NYY

A labrum tear is a pretty serious injury, so it stands to reason that the extra time off can only help Andujar recover strength in the shoulder postsurgery. He reported feeling "100 percent" back in early May and he's been working with a trainer, which he probably really needed, so there's optimism. If there's a 2020 season, Andujar is expected to see time at DH, 3B and left field, leaving him no real path to everyday duty as things stand. It's easier to see him plugging in the lineup somewhere in 2021 however, given the following possibilities:

1. Brett Gardner signs elsewhere or suffers a big decline, opening LF for Andujar.

2. Gio Urshela proves to be a one-year wonder after finishing last year hitting .207/.258/.397 in September

3. Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge can't stay healthy. This would be shocking if one or both were hurt.

4. Luke Voit's 27.8 K percentage catches up with him.

Not all of these will happen, but we could certainly see Andujar making his way to 500+ PA in 2021.

Jorge Mateo, SS, OAK

The 24-year-old Mateo didn't appear headed toward a 2020 roster spot, though with expanded rosters, it does seem possible. Even so, the A's are looking at a second base platoon of Franklin Barreto and Tony Kemp with Marcus Semien at short. Barreto and Kemp aren't going to remind A's fans of Eddie Collins or even Mark Ellis, leaving open the possibility Mateo could see significant time there this season. Next year looks more likely however, as Semien seems destined to receive significant free agent interest and will likely depart. A's ownership didn't seem to think they should pay their minor leaguers $400 per week, so paying Semien upwards of $100 million seems unlikely. That would open the door for Mateo to make a run at a 20/20 season, though with last year's 145 strikeouts in 119 Triple-A games, he has his warts as well.

Spencer Howard, SP, PHI

Howard is already being considered for the No. 5 starter job this year, which isn't surprising considering his competition includes Vince Velasquez and Nick Pivetta. His rise as a prospect can only be termed meteoric. If you look at his RotoWire rankings history, Howard wasn't even in the top-400 as recent as September 2018. By February 2019 he had cracked the top-200 and the top-100 by August 2019. He's now No. 16. The development has been swift. Howard was hitting 89 to 99 mph this spring, and he boasts an elite slider and a change that shows a lot of potential. Looking ahead to 2021, Jake Arrieta is set to depart in free agency, making it even more likely Howard spends all of 2021 in the rotation.

Brandon Marsh, OF, LAA

The Angels will be paying Albert Pujols and Justin Upton a combined $54.7 million in 2021. To offset that and hopefully target some pitchers while Mike Trout is still in his prime, look for Marsh to help offset some of that. At this point, the 2021 outfield still appears full, with a projected starting OF looking like Justin Upton, Trout and Jo Adell. Marsh is athletic enough to play all three positions, so perhaps as a part-time outfielder/DH/possibly first base, he could find his way to enough playing time.