Will Rymer Liriano overcome his health issues and make an impact this season?
Having exceeded their rookie limits, none of these players will appear on prospect lists this year yet they were all once highly-ranked. Maybe 2017 sees the breakthrough that their potential has promised as they establish themselves as Major League regulars.
Before you dismiss them, don’t forget that there was a former first-rounder who scuffled to .274 AVG as a journeyman in nearly 2000 at-bats in the minors before slashing .205/.228/.323 in his first 50 games in the majors. In each of the four subsequent years, Josh Donaldson has been one of the best players in the game.
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Rymer Liriano (OF – CWS)
Highest prospect rank: No. 30 (Baseball Prospectus)
MLB experience: 109 AB
Signed by the Padres as a 16-year-old in 2007, the Dominican was a top-50 prospect in 2012 and 2013 before playing 38 games in the majors in 2014, disappointing with a .220/.289/.266 slash line. Back in Triple-A, he broke out in 2015, slashing .292/.383/.460 with 14 home runs, 16 stolen bases, 31 doubles and 64 walks in 131 games, albeit in the favorable conditions of the PCL. Acquired by the Brewers with the intention of being their center fielder, the right-hander suffered multiple facial injuries after a horrific hit-by-pitch incident in Spring Training which caused him to miss the entire 2016 season.
Claimed off waivers by the rebuilding White Sox, Liriano has returned to action with 120 at-bats in the Dominican Winter League. Optimism should be tempered with the knowledge that he was still suffering concussion symptoms as late as August. The former top-30 prospect is out of options, so could be worth a flyer if the White Sox fail to reinforce their outfield.
Dilson Herrera (2B/3B/SS – CIN)
Highest prospect rank: No. 46 (Baseball America)
MLB experience: 149 AB
It is widely expected that Dilson Herrera will take over at second base for the Reds when Brandon Phillips’ contract expires at the end of 2017. Until then the 22-year-old will be in the mix with Jose Peraza and Arismendy Alcantara for a bench role.
In Triple-A in 2016, the right-hander slashed .274/.335/.456 with 116 hits, 15 home runs and seven stolen bases in 110 games. The former top-50 prospect has one option remaining but needs playing time in the big leagues to ascertain whether he really is the Reds’ second baseman of the future.
Dalton Pompey (LF/CF – TOR)
Highest prospect rank: No. 30 (Baseball America)
MLB experience: 135 AB
Once regarded as the Blue Jays’ leadoff man of the future, Dalton Pompey has seen his career stall but 2017 could be the year his fortunes improve. The speedy 24-year-old has stolen 154 bases in the minors with a career .367 OBP. That would look good at the top of any lineup.
He is blocked in center field by the outstanding Kevin Pillar, but with the departures of Jose Bautista and Michael Saunders to free agency, the Blue Jays will need to strengthen their outfield. Unless they seek help from outside of the organization, Pompey could be the answer. He still has an option, so watch developments in Spring Training to see whether the switch-hitter makes the Blue Jays’ roster.
Steven Moya (LF/RF – DET)
Highest prospect rank: No. 100 (MLB.com)
MLB experience: 124 AB
Despite hitting five home runs with .812 OPS in 26 games, Steven Moya was demoted to Triple-A last year to work on his outfield defense. The left-hander, with no options remaining, will make the Tigers’ roster, but with Victor Martinez at DH and with JD Martinez and Justin Upton entrenched in the corner outfield spots, the 25-year-old will need a trade or an injury to open up extended playing. If he works himself into a situation with more at-bats, expect game-changing power but be prepared for a 30% strikeout rate.
Joey Gallo (3B/LF – TEX)
Highest prospect rank: No. 6 (Baseball America)
MLB experience: 133 AB
One hit with 19 strikeouts in 30 plate appearances in the majors in 2016, gave fuel to the argument that the left-hander does not have a future in the big leagues. Having exceeded rookie limits, the former first-rounder has slipped off prospect lists and will drop off the radar of many fantasy baseball players. In dynasty leagues, his value is probably lower now than it has ever been.
It should not be overlooked that he hit 25 home runs in Triple-A as a 22-year-old last year with an impressive .367 OBP. Don’t be the one in your league to let prospect fatigue make you dismiss Joey Gallo’s immense potential.
Richie Shaffer (1B/3B/RF – CIN)
Highest prospect rank: First round pick in 2012 & top-five prospect for Rays
MLB experience: 122 AB
It has been an unsettling offseason for the 25-year-old, having been traded by the Rays to the Mariners in November, only to be claimed by the Phillies off waivers and then two weeks later by the Reds. The former first-rounder entered the 2016 season as the Rays’ prospect most likely to have an impact, having slashed .267/.357/.539 with 26 home runs in the minors in 2015.
Last season, the right-hander played first base, third base, right field and DH for the Rays but hit just one home run in 20 games in the big leagues with .752 OPS. Perhaps he can translate his Minor League pedigree into a Major League starting job in a similar fashion to Reds’ Adam Duvall, although, with options remaining, there is no guarantee that Shaffer breaks camp.
Jorge Polanco (2B/3B/SS – MIN)
Highest prospect rank: No. 97 (MLB.com)
MLB experience: 261 AB
The former top-100 prospect hit .279 with 13 home runs and nine stolen bases split between the majors and Triple-A last season. Twins’ manager Paul Molitor has stated that the 23-year-old is the leading candidate for Minnesota’s starting shortstop job and the switch-hitter is expected to bat second in the lineup ahead of Joe Mauer and Miguel Sano. In a world where light-hitting shortstops like Freddy Galvis can hit 20 home runs and still rank outside of the top-40, it is difficult to put a value on a well-rounded player but with no standout tools like Polanco.
Jaff Decker (LF/RF – OAK)
Highest prospect rank: No. 74 (Baseball Prospectus)
MLB experience: 111 AB
OK, so this one is a stretch but it looked more plausible before the A’s signed Rajai Davis to join their outfield ranks devoid of left-handed hitters. The Athletics signed Jaff Decker to a Minor League deal with an invitation to Major League Spring Training and if there is any team able to transform a 26-year-old former top prospect into an MLB regular, then it is the A’s.
The left-hander has previously tasted Major League action for the Padres, Pirates and Rays with a .162 AVG in 111 at-bats. He has stolen 18 bases in each of the previous two Triple-A seasons with a respectable .368 OBP. And he has a name that deserves to be in the Major Leagues.
Micah Johnson (2B – LAD)
Highest prospect rank: Top-3 prospect for White Sox
MLB experience: 106 AB
It was only a couple of years ago that Micah Johnson was the darling of the fantasy baseball world with dreams of 100 stolen base potential at the top of the White Sox lineup. The left-hander possesses speed, as 167 stolen bases in the minors attest (including 84 in 2013) and can play adequate second base defense. He hit .230 in 36 games in the majors in 2015 but only saw six plate appearances for the Dodgers last season.
Unless the Dodgers secure the services of Brian Dozier or another veteran second baseman, the 26-year-old will enter Spring Training aiming to secure at least a platoon of second base. His two rivals are Chris Taylor (70 OPS+) and Kike Hernandez (the former lefty killer who only hit .189 against them last season). All three have one option remaining so at least one will be back in the Minor Leagues.
Austin Hedges (C – SD)
Highest prospect rank: No. 18 (Baseball Prospectus)
MLB experience: 161 AB
It has long been acknowledged that Austin Hedges could be an everyday catcher in San Diego on the basis of his defense alone. In 2016, his bat finally caught up with 21 home runs, 20 doubles, 82 RBI, .326 AVG and .951 OPS in Triple-A.
With Derek Norris now in Washington, the second round pick from the 2011 Draft is expected to start the season as the Padres’ Opening Day catcher. The 24-year-old slashed .161/.206/.236 with one RBI in eight games in the Major Leagues in 2016, which will limit the enthusiasm surrounding him on draft day. He could be one of the steals of the draft.
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Gavin Tramps is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Gavin, check out his archive or find him @_tramps.
