10 Players to Keep an Eye On

 

Just about a week into the regular season, now seems like the perfect time to start handing out awards and labeling players as total busts. I mean, Pirates are on pace to win the NL Central and my personal World Series-pick Chicago Cubs might miss playoffs!? Giancarlo Stanton is going to break Barry Bonds record for home runs? The top 5 Cy Young-finishers will be the whole Red Sox rotation?

It’s early. Not too early to get excited about a team or player, but definitely too early to panic. For many teams, this will be the only time of the season that they see themselves at the top of the standings, so I guess we should let them enjoy it. That being said, there are still things to take away from the first week of baseball. Sometimes this is where streaks turn into trends, trends turn into habits, and habits turn into larger-scale breakouts/collapses. I put together a list of ten guys that piqued my interest from their performance so far. These aren’t predictions, but it is worth keeping these guys on your radar – whether for fantasy baseball purposes or just to be an informed fan of the game.

 

 

Shohei Otani

 

I have my doubts. It is still going to take a few more starts for me to buy into the hype – people are on and off the Otani bandwagon after an abysmal spring. His first start, however, he put together a quality outing: 6 innings, 3 runs, 6 strikeouts, and 18 swinging strikes (that last part is important). For reference, 15 swinging strikes in a game is really, really good. Aside from the 3-run homer he allowed, Otani had 4 scoreless innings in which he was making people whiff at a high rate. With a few more starts under his belt, Otani is a guy to keep tabs on. Maybe he can take the AL by storm and be one of the more dominant pitchers in the league.

 

AJ Pollock

 

2015 was the career year for Pollock in which he hit .315 with 20 homers and 39 steals. 2016 he suffered a season ending injury, playing 12 games total. 2017 he suffered through a hamstring injury, limiting both his games played (112) and stolen bases (20). 2018 is a whole new year, and hopefully a healthy one for Pollock. Big things could be in store for him as he tries to recapture his elite status. He is definitely off to a good start, hitting .352 over 4 games. Let’s see if he can maintain it.

 

Gerrit Cole

 

Cole is another guy that is a few years removed from being truly elite starting pitcher. Now on the Astros – a team that has a history of reclamation pitching projects – Cole has the chance to pitch for the best team in baseball without the burden of being the ace. His first start was a huge success, striking out 11 over 7 innings. Another guy to keep an eye on.

 

Yu Darvish

 

Just over 4 innings pitched, 5 earned runs, and 4 strikeouts – not the kind of stat line the Cubs wanted to see after paying big bucks for him to be a front of the rotation guy. Apparently, his stuff was not very good… but then again, it is just one start. He is a critical guy on the 2018 Cubs staff; their regular and postseason success will closely mirror the version of Yu Darvish that we see this year.

 

Xander Bogaerts

 

Bogaerts is off to a tear this season, hitting .455 with a home run. He is hitting the ball hard, which apparently is the result of not being held back by a hand injury (which plagued him in 2017). He is still young, super talented, and could take a big step this year.

 

David Price

 

Price has been the object of criticism in Boston for the past two years, mainly because his performance has not lived up to his mega-contract. However, his redemption tour may start with a fully-healthy 2018 season. His first start against the Rays was crisp, efficient, and effective – 7 scoreless innings. A return to form from Price could lead the Red Sox deep into the postseason this year.

 

Lance McCullers

 

McCullers has been on the verge of a breakout for the past couple years. Health and stamina are the only things standing in his way. He has one of the best curveballs in the league, on display with his 10-strikeout performance (in only 5 innings!) against the Rangers the other day. He can be scary good for the Astros. Definitely watch out for him.

 

Adam Eaton

 

Eaton missed most of 2017 with an injury, so he is not in the forefront of many peoples’ minds, but maybe he should be. The Nationals obviously saw something in Eaton, as they traded away two of their top prospects – Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez – for him before the 2017 season. Atop the Nationals lineup, Eaton will be a run scoring machine. He is hitting .615 through 3 games, most notably after a 5 for 5 performance against the Reds. Eaton could be in for a serious breakout year.

 

Bryce Harper

 

A few spots behind Eaton is Bryce Harper, who doesn’t need much of an introduction. He is on this list because I think he has the potential to have his best season yet, and that is saying something. Off to a hot start, playing for a top-3 team in baseball, juiced baseballs, and playing for a $400 million contract… this season could be something incredible.

 

Byron Buxton

Buxton needs to shed his bust label this year. Many people expect him to take that step forward, especially after showing some respectable signs last year. He has the power-speed combination to be an elite player, but still is struggling to get over the hump. Buxton is 3 for 15 so far this season. Don’t read too much into that, but definitely keep Buxton on your radar as a guy who is due for a breakout.

 

 

Written by Matt Loehle