We all know Kris Bryant, but who are some of the other rookies that will impact fantasy in 2015?
When talking about the rookies who will have the biggest impact this fantasy season, you will see a common theme. Most top MLB rookie lists are littered with Chicago based-players. This one is no different.
Topped by Kris Bryant and Jorge Soler, the Cubs boast arguably the two best rookie prospects in all of fantasy. They both display massive power potential and will be hitting in the heart of an up-and-coming Cubs’ lineup. Both play a huge part in the expected revival of the North Side franchise. The White Sox are no slouches either on the rookie front, as Carlos Rodon and Micah Johnson will play a big role in the turnaround for the Pale Hose.
Every couple of weeks, the rookie report will keep you up to date on the latest comings and goings in the world of major league rookies. In future editions, we will take a deeper look at the up and coming prospects that could shape your team by season’s end. But for this first edition, we are sticking with the big names who will make a fantasy impact from the early stages of the season.
Infielders
Kris Bryant, 3B, CHC
We cannot talk about rookies without starting with Kris Bryant. Because of his 43 homers over two minor league levels last season, and his nine bombs this spring, the talk has transformed from “if” Bryant will be a superstar to “when.” Since the Cubs sent him down to start the season for service time reasons, the speculation has started as to when he will make his major league debut. All expectations are that Bryant will be back up not too long after mid-April, giving him plenty of at-bats to make a run at Rookie of the Year. If Bryant gets in close to 500 ABs, it is reasonable to expect 25-plus bombs. While his high strikeout rate will hold him back from reaching anything close to the .325 average he posted in 2014, the third baseman still projects to hit around .260 with an on-base percentage of around .340.
2015 projections: 382 AB, 67 R, 22 HR, 72 RBI, 8 SB, .261 AVG
Yasmany Tomas, 3B, ARI
Tomas signed a $66 million deal with Arizona to play third base as well as the outfield. With his solid power numbers in the Cuban leagues, Tomas looks to be a great bet to hit close to 20 home runs, especially playing in the launching pad that is Chase Field. While his defense at the hot corner may be a liability, Tomas will get plenty of reps in the infield as the Diamondbacks have an already crowded outfield. At only 24 years old, Tomas may take some time for his bat to develop, but given the rebuilding nature in Arizona he will be given every shot at succeeding this year. Like Bryant, Tomas will start the season in the minors. This doesn’t have to do with service time, but the rookie’s lackluster Spring Training.
2015 projections: 439 AB, 53 R, 17 HR, 58 RBI, 5 SB, .255 AVG
Micah Johnson, 2B, CHW
Johnson entered spring as the underdog to win the second base job for the White Sox. Veterans Emilio Bonafacio and Gordon Beckham were the favorites for the spot on the revamped South Siders, but Johnson’s .339 average this spring made the team think otherwise. Johnson will bring plenty of speed, as he totaled over 100 stolen bases the past two years despite being plagued with hamstring injuries last year. If Johnson can maintain a solid average against major league pitching, he has a great shot of swiping 20-plus bags this season.
2015 projections: 314 AB, 33 R, 4 HR, 27 RBI, 17 SB, .254 AVG
Outfielders
Jorge Soler, CHC
Another in the long line of Cuban prospects taking the major leagues by storm, Soler is quietly rising to the top of the 2015 rookie class. Constantly overshadowed by fellow rookie and teammate Kris Bryant, Soler is quietly tearing it up in Spring Training to the tune of a .345 average with four home runs. Soler is locked in and appears ready to pick up where he left off last fall when he hit five home runs while batting .292 over 89 at-bats for the Cubbies in 2014. Twenty home runs and 80 runs batted in seem to be reasonable expectations, as he will be hitting cleanup behind Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo in a potent Cubs’ offense.
2015 projections: 471 AB, 64 R, 21 HR, 72 RBI, 3 SB, .262 AVG
Joc Pederson, LAD
After hitting .303 with 33 home runs and 30 steals in Triple-A last season, Pederson has Dodgers fans drooling over the his potential. The tear he has gone on this spring, .367/.397/.750 with six home runs in 60 at-bats, has raised the bar to another level and made it a no-brainer for Pederson to start the year as the Dodgers’ center fielder. While his average is bound to take a hit, the 15.8% walk rate Pederson carried over the past two seasons will help boost his on-base percentage and run-scoring opportunities. A 20/20 season is not out of the question, as long as he can maintain a good enough batting average to keep his starting spot.
2015 projections: 455 AB, 65 R, 19 HR, 60 RBI, 20 SB, .236 AVG
Steven Souza, TB
Tampa Bay has so much faith in Souza, they traded the 2013 AL Rookie of the Year, Wil Myers, to acquire the former Washington National. And for good reason. In 2014, Souza put up an impressive .345/.427/.577 line while hitting 18 home runs and swiping 28 bases in only 100 games across three minor league levels. He even showed his defensive ability in his brief time with Washington, as he made a diving catch to preserve Jordan Zimmermann’s no-hitter last September. Despite struggling in Spring Training, batting .122 with a 32.6 percent strikeout rate, Souza has a starting outfield spot locked down on the rebuilding Rays, and is poised to flirt with 20 home runs and 20 steals this season.
2015 projections: 404 AB, 52 R, 15 HR, 51 RBI, 17 SB, .252 AVG
Pitchers
Daniel Norris, TOR
The Blue Jays’ top prospect was expected to compete for a starting spot this spring, but the season-ending injury to Marcus Stroman sped up the clock and gave the Jays no choice but to add Norris to the rotation. Norris, the minor leagues reigning strikeout king, posted a 12-2 record with a 2.53 ERA over 124.1 innings across three levels in 2014. The soon-to-be 22-year-old southpaw pitched lights out in Spring Training with a 1.05 WHIP and 10.6 K/9 over 24.2 innings, raising expectations for 2015. While he may struggle at times, Norris will be a leading candidate for AL Rookie of the Year due to his strikeout rate and potential for wins, as he is backed by a potent offense in Toronto.
2015 projections: 115 IP, 111 K, 7 Wins, 4.38 ERA, 1.38 WHIP
Archie Bradley, ARI
Bradley was expected to make his major league leap in 2014, but an elbow injury limited him to 79 innings over 17 starts in Double- and Triple-A. With a 4.44 ERA and 1.51 WHIP in 2014, his prospects for 2015 were looking bleak until this spring. In 22.1 innings, Bradley has registered a sterling 1.61 ERA with 1.16 WHIP, good enough to earn the fifth spot in the Diamondbacks’ rotation. The former No. 7 pick in the 2011 draft will most likely be on an innings cap this season, so a September shutdown is likely. If Bradley can make 20 starts before then, he will prove his potential to be the future ace of the Diamondbacks’ staff.
2015 projections: 83 IP, 68 K, 5 Wins, 4.64 ERA, 1.58 WHIP
Carlos Rodon, CHW
The No. 3 overall pick in last year’s draft, Rodon has flown through the minor leagues, and is on the cusp of making the big leagues just 10 months after being selected last June. Over three levels of the minors, Rodon finished 2014 with a 2.96 ERA and an extraordinary 14.1 K/9 rate in 24.1 innings. The former N.C. State product picked things back up this spring, striking out 21 batters in only 17.2 innings of work. With John Danks and Hector Noesi currently pegged as the White Sox’s fourth and fifth starters, it won’t be long before Rodon gets the call and makes his debut.
2015 projections: 89 IP, 92 K, 5 Wins, 4.23 ERA, 1.43 WHIP
Dale Redman is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Dale, check out his archive and follow him @fantasytool.
