The second full week of the MLB season is in full effect and we’ve already seen some surprising starts to the season from rookies and prospects that have gotten the call and we talked about some of those in last week’s piece. This week, we’ll talk about the prospects that made their debuts this past week and what we can expect from them going forward from a fantasy baseball sense. It’s been a busy year already with injuries and Covid moves and getting impact rookies early is how you can maximize their value for your teams, especially in keeper leagues.
Nick Neidert, RHP MIA - Neidert technically made his debut last year in a brief, four appearance, relief role but this year is making his debut in the rotation, which is his more natural role on the staff. With the injuries to Elieser Hernandez and Sixto Sánchez , Neidert might be up for at least a few turns through the rotation. His one true plus-pitch is his tumbling mid-80s changeup that plays off his low-90s sinking fastball well. He’s still finding consistency with his third pitch, a slider/cutter that sits in the upper-80s. The feel for pitching and command of his stuff to either side of the plate allows the stuff to play up and along with him pounding the strike zone, that might make him more of a third or fourth starter rather than a fifth starter.
Brent Honeywell Jr. , RHP TB - Oh the journey it’s been for Honeywell over the last few years. He was previously the best pitching prospect in baseball and then underwent a few different elbow surgeries over the last three seasons and has finally worked his way back to the mound to make his MLB debut this past weekend. Honeywell throws five pitches, all for strikes and all in any count, from his mid-90s fastball to a true screwball to a looping curveball to a biting slider and finally a deep, fading changeup that is perhaps his best pitch. If fully healthy, Honeywell is still a top-of-the-rotation arm and a guy who is an SP1 option in fantasy baseball, though that’s still a ways off from happening as he’ll be used carefully the rest of this year. Next year though, the hype train will be steaming down the tracks.
Michael Kopech , RHP CWS - Kopech, like Honeywell, is an electric arm who was anticipated to make his debut in both 2019 and 2020, however Tommy John surgery and then a Covid-related opt out kept him off the rubber. This year though, he’s been everything we’ve expected to this point, though working out of the bullpen rather than in a starting role. In 6.1 innings he’s struck out 11 with a 0.47 WHIP and .050 BAA. The fastball is the calling card with big time life and the ability to hit triple-digits on the gun but he pairs it well with his slider that sits in the upper-80s with two-plane break. The other two pitches are still coming around in a changeup and curveball that need a tad more feel and slower velocity to really make them plus pitches. He’s a true ace in the making but will likely remain in the pen most, if not all, of this year to limit the workload and innings.
Ryan McKenna, OF BAL - In this pitcher-heavy piece, McKenna is the lone bat that’s made a debut worth talking about this past week. McKenna, a former fourth-round pick in 2015, has been a bit up-and-down in the minors as he posted a well over .300 average one year and a .234 average the next and while speed is a part of his game, the efficiency in stealing wasn’t necessarily present at all times going 25-for-36 at Double-A Bowie. The power is making its way into his game steadily as it grades as a tick above-average while the speed is a plus trait and the hit tool is a tic below-average. He profiles as a guy who will likely hit .250-.255 with 10-12 homers and 20-plus steals in a full-time role while posting a .330 or higher OBP but in a platoon role or as a fourth outfielder, he’s more of a sneaky steals guy for fantasy purposes in much the way Jon Berti is now.
Jordan Sheffield, RHP COL - Sheffield, if the last name sounds familiar, is the older brother of Justus Sheffield of the Mariners and has finally gotten to the major leagues after a long road through the Dodgers’ minor league system. He was taken in the Rule 5 Draft this offseason with the Rockies hoping that his power stuff could solidify the back part of their pen and so far he’s done just that. The mid-90s fastball is the heart of the arsenal with riding life and sink making it tough to barrel while the near-plus curveball that can be a true out pitch and the changeup are still effective parts of the repertoire as well. If he can keep the walks in check, zero so far this year but averaging 5.5 BB/9 in his career prior to 2021, he can be a high-leverage reliever and rack up holds and nice strikeout totals.
Connor Brogdon, RHP PHI - Brogdon started the year as a trusted member of the Phillies pen after a cup of coffee in the majors last year but now with Archie Bradley on the IL, Brogdon has taken a bigger role in the pen. His mid-90s, high-spin heater gains life up in the zone and makes it tough to square up consistently, goes well with his above-average changeup that has good fade and depth to it and produced a 39-percent whiff rate last year. He’s already picked up three wins in five appearances with six Ks and with Joe Girardi playing favorites out of the pen typically, look for Brogdon continuing to get run in high-leverage spots.
Mickey Moniak, OF PHI - Staying in Philadelphia, Moniak was called up on Wednesday afternoon after Adam Haseley was placed on the restricted list for personal reasons and for an undisclosed amount of time. Moniak is a fomrer number-one overall pick for the Phillies in 2016 and since then has had a tough time getting on the right development path but it's starting to come together for him. At the alternate site last year as well as spring training this year, Moniak has worked on his plate approach and doubled his walk-rate as well as put better swings on the ball. While none of the traits really stand out as anything special, it's the complete package of athleticism and skills that make him a solid outfielder on the whole. His hit tool is average and the pop is burgeoning and while the speed isn't off the charts, it does play up because of his baseball IQ and feel for running the bases. Moniak's overall profile is one of a .260 hitter who should post a 10-15 HR-SB stat line. That stat line is worth an OF4 or OF5 in the fantasy baseball realm and he likely gets some pretty decent playing time as the probable starting centerfielder.