Eric Lauer

It would have been easy to miss if he wasn't on any of your fantasy teams, but Lauer was quite valuable over his final 15 appearances. He logged a 2.23 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 76 strikeouts in 80.2 innings -- a far cry from the 5.21 ERA and 1.42 WHIP he posted over his first nine appearances. Part of his success over the final three months can be attributed to easy matchups, including facing the Pirates a whopping four times over that stretch. Lauer threw five pitches (four-seamer, cutter, curveball, slider, changeup) over 10% of the time last season, but his improved results correlate with him significantly increasing his slider and curveball usage (his two best pitches by xwOBA) while dialing back his four-seamer and cutter. This is the pitcher the Brewers hoped they were getting along with Luis Urias in the deal that sent Trent Grisham and Zach Davies to San Diego. While Lauer doesn't have a sky-high ceiling, he is a good late-round target in mixed leagues.

After spending four years in the Padres' organization, Lauer was traded to the Brewers in November of 2019. Lauer started 52 games for the Padres over the two prior years, and Milwaukee was expecting him to bolster the back end of their rotation. That plan did not immediately come to fruition, as Lauer wound up appearing in only four games and was hit hard in both his starts. Lauer's fastball, while sitting in the low-90s, carried him in 2019, but was ineffective a year ago. He does bring four other pitches to the table, and the Brewers will be hoping to find the right mix moving forward. Despite last year's struggles, Lauer will have a chance to secure a spot in the Brewers' rotation. His 8.3 K/9 for his career isn't too shabby, but his ratios aren't too appealing to fantasy players.

Lauer saw an increased workload in 2019, logging 149.2 innings over 30 appearances (29 starts). He had a 4.45 ERA on the season and was much better at home (3.08) than on the road (5.99). The lefty will not have the luxury of pitching half his games at Petco Park in 2020 and will instead pitch in a much more hitter-friendly environment in Milwaukee following a trade to the Brewers. Regardless of home venue, Lauer's ceiling was always that of a back-end starter. He has a middling 91.9 mph average fastball, and while his slider has received good grades in the past, it has not translated to high swing-and-miss rates. The 24-year-old improved his walk rate last season, but it still sat at a mediocre 7.8% after a rough 9.1 BB% the year before. Lauer currently projects for a spot in the Opening Day rotation, but this skill set is fringe at best for a mixed league.

Lauer opened the eyes of the Padres brass in the spring but was still sent to Triple-A El Paso to open the 2018 campaign. A 3.00 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 18 innings prompted a callup after just three starts. Lauer was immediately inserted into the Padres' rotation where he toiled until late July when he was shelved with a forearm strain. Lauer returned a month later and finished the season strong, posting a 1.07 ERA and 0.99 WHIP with 25 punchouts in 25.1 stanzas down the stretch. Lauer hopes to carry that momentum over to the spring where he'll be in a battle for a spot as a back-end starter for San Diego. To secure it, he'll need to improve his 8.6% swinging-strike rate, especially if he continues to walk batters at an above-average pace. The Padres' system is loaded with starting pitching prospects, ticketing Lauer for a long-term role as a swingman.

The Padres signed the Kent State lefty to a slightly under slot $2 million contract after selecting him with the No. 25 overall pick. He was dominant after entering pro ball, albeit in just 31 innings, primarily in the Northwest League. However, Lauer does not have a plus pitch, and his excellent numbers may oversell his long-term upside. He features a low-90s fastball, an above-average slider, and a changeup and curveball that could top out as average offerings. Additionally, he does not have the type of elite command needed to allow that arsenal to play up. Any organization would be happy to have a high-probability 6-foot-3 southpaw who should be able to pitch near the back of a big league rotation, but for fantasy dynasty leagues, that profile is a lot less exciting, especially when it comes with a lead time of two or three years.