The first two weeks of the Major League Baseball Season are behind us. With that being said, most of your fantasy leagues have begun (HOPEFULLY ALL!). Some of you are looking at this season as your year to win it. Others may look at this season as just another year of rebuilding. If you’re an owner who plans on rebuilding, this is a must-read article for you. In this article, I will present 5 starting pitchers that one must-stash in order to become Championship contenders in years to come.
Amir Garrett
Cincinnati Reds
[the_ad id=”384″]Amir Garrett is the one player who has impressed me the most on this list so far for the 2017 season. Beginning the season as the #63rd overall prospect in baseball, Garrett has only lived up to and or exceeded that hype. In his MLB debut, Garrett tossed a six-inning shutout. He finished his debut with 4 strikeouts, 2 walks, 2 hits, and 0 runs. Garrett went on to earn his first win that game. In Garrett’s second Major League game he earned another win as he threw 6.2 innings while striking out 5 and giving up only 2 runs. Garrett is off to a very hot start for his Major League Career and with all the hype surrounding him, it seems as he can only get better which is very scary for Big League hitters facing him. Amir Garrett is a “Must Stash Player” who can even be used now!
Yadier Alvarez
Los Angeles Dodgers
If you’re in a very deep Dynasty League, you cannot go wrong with picking up and stashing Los Angeles Dodgers prospect, Yadier Alvarez. Alvarez is currently the #46th overall prospect in the MLB and as it seems like, can only progress. Alvarez is a tall, lanky, and a very athletic right-handed pitcher whose fastball sits between 94-97mph. How scary is that? At age 21, his fastball is sitting at a consistent speed of between 94-97mph. Alvarez’s estimated time for arrival to the Big Leagues is set to take place around 2019. Depending on his progression in the minors it could always be quicker or possibly even slower. In conclusion, if you are a struggling manager in a major dynasty league and looking to rebuild, Yadier Alvarez is a great addition as he can be a MAJOR weapon to your pitching staff in years to come. If you have the time to wait on Alvarez, wait…
Robert Gsellman
New York Mets
The 23-year-old New York Mets starting pitcher is a great arm to stash on a deep league roster. Gsellman may not be off to the best start to the 2017 season as he is currently standing with a record of 0-1 and a 4.50 ERA. Although these numbers may displease many owners, Gsellman is a very solid right hander who gets strikeouts. Through 6 innings, Gsellman has struck out 8 along with only walking 2 batters. That’s a great sign to see. Gsellman also has a wide variety of pitches including his go-to fastball, slider, changeup, and curveball. His fastball is consistent as it usually clocks around between the 91-94 mph range. If you’re a Dynasty Owner and need a tough/solid pitcher for depth that is getting the job done right now, Gsellman is your guy.
Brent Honeywell
Tampa Bay Rays
[the_ad id=”693″]The Tampa Bay Rays #2 overall prospect is a key pitcher dynasty owners should add to their roster as soon as possible, if not taken already. Honeywell is a 6’2”, 180lb right-handed pitcher who is set to make his Big League debut later sometime this season. The 22-year-old is a very talented pitcher who has a wide variety of pitches. Honeywell throws five different types of pitches which include his fastball, screwball, curveball, cutter, and changeup. The screwball being the best of the best. Honeywell can generate whiffs with any of these five pitches as well as command the strike zone with great ease. He is a must-stash in deep leagues as he is definitely going to make an immediate impact to a young Rays pitching staff when is called up.
Michael Kopech
Chicago White Sox
If there is one player on this list that I would cut my leg off for, it would be Chicago White Sox pitching prospect, Michael Kopech. Kopech is 6’3”, 205lb right-handed pitcher from Mount Pleasant, Texas who is currently ranked #14th overall for MLB Prospects. He is a hard throwing right-handed pitcher who has even been compared to New York Mets superstar, Noah Syndergaard. Like Syndergaard, Kopech throws a consistent hard fastball that is clocked at between 96-98 mph and can even clock out at 100mph or more from time to time. On the MLB Prospects Pipeline website, Kopech has a perfect score for his fastball (80/80) which is hardly ever seen. He is a very talented pitcher who throws an amazing fastball, slick slider, and a mild changeup. If there is one thing Kopech could work on, it would be his control as he can get wild time to time which is expected when you throw near 100 mph. Dynasty owners hear me out, if there is one player on this list you can afford to shop and stash, Michael Kopech should be the guy. This man is bound to be an MLB Star pitcher, so stash him!
Garrett had a rough game tonight, but I really like him too. He has a huge upside. He reminds me a lot of a young C.C. Sabathia, minus about 65-70 pounds. Honeywell is getting really close to pitching in Tropicana Field and I think Gsellman is better than he has shown so far this year. I think it’s always rolling the dice when you go for pitchers in AA-ball or lower. A lot can happen, both good and bad to them in their development. It doesn’t matter how hard you throw if you don’t know where the ball is going and that would scare me a little bit about Kopech.
Great article Connor. I’m a Red Sox fan and have been following Kopech closely during his time in our system. This kid is the real deal. All these guys should be very good pitchers in the big leagues. I recently acquired Garrett in my keeper league and he’s been paying big dividends for my pitching staff.