
Each MLB Team's Untouchable Top Prospect
Unless you haven't been paying attention, it's prospect season for Major League Baseball here at Bleacher Report, where we have ranked all 30 farm systems and are working on rolling out the 10 best prospects for each individual club, too.
Next up? Selecting every team's most untouchable prospect. As in, the one youngster in each organization who is too valuable to go anywhere. In many—but not all—cases, this will be a franchise's No. 1 overall prospect. There are certainly, however, instances where other circumstances come into play and that does not apply.
Then again, in what has been a swap meet of an offseason, it wouldn't be a huge shock if one (or more) of these top players wind up being moved. But we'll make the case for why that shouldn't happen anytime soon.
Arizona Diamondbacks: Yasmany Tomas, OF
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Archie Bradley would be a perfectly acceptable alternative for this spot, but the Arizona Diamondbacks have a bunch of other highly regarded arms—including Braden Shipley and Aaron Blair, both of whom were drafted in the first round in 2013, 2014 first-rounder Touki Toussaint and Yoan Lopez, the 21-year-old Cuban right-hander who just agreed to terms, according to Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com.
That makes Yasmany Tomas, another recent Cuban import, the call here. Given the club's pitching depth, the 24-year-old Tomas actually becomes a bit more of a premium player as a power hitter with the potential to make an immediate impact in 2015.
Not to mention, the Diamondbacks just paid Tomas $68.5 million. In other words, he ain't going anywhere.
Atlanta Braves: Jose Peraza, 2B
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The Atlanta Braves need to cleanse the stench left behind by Dan Uggla, who was so bad they had to release him last year and swallow the rest of the $13 million owed to him in each of 2014 and 2015.
Then the Braves traded away Uggla's replacement, former prospect Tommy La Stella, this past November. So this is a club in need of a second baseman for both the present and the future.
Jose Peraza, an athletic, speedy 20-year-old who hit .339 with a whopping 60 stolen bases across High-A and Double-A in 2014, looks like he'll be Atlanta's keystoner at some point in 2015.
The Braves have been making a point of trading for young pitchers, but it's unlikely this rebuilding team will be unloading a third second baseman, especially one as valuable as Peraza.
Baltimore Orioles: Dylan Bundy, RHP
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Chris Tillman is an above-average starting pitcher, and he's backed up by a few quality arms in the Baltimore Orioles rotation, including Wei-Yin Chen, Bud Norris and Miguel Gonzalez. And there's hope that former first-rounder Kevin Gausman can take the next step and become the front-of-the-rotation starter the club projected him to be when they took him fourth overall in 2012.
But the fact is: The O's still need an ace. And if Gausman doesn't ascend to that level, their best bet is Dylan Bundy, who flew through the minors and debuted in 2012 at age 19 after Baltimore selected with the same pick the year before.
But Tommy John surgery put Bundy's development and arrival for good on hold. Now 22, he missed all of 2013 and threw just over 40 frames in 2014. The ace-caliber upside, though, remains as long as Bundy can stay on the mound, which is why he's the Orioles' most untouchable prospect.
Boston Red Sox: Blake Swihart, C
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The Boston Red Sox also have Christian Vazquez behind the dish, but Blake Swihart, arguably the top catching prospect in baseball, has more all-around upside.
Swihart, 22, is especially valuable as a switch-hitting catcher who triple-slashed .293/.351/.469 last season while also throwing out 46 percent of would-be base stealers.
Besides, the Red Sox have plenty of prospect depth in the outfield in Rusney Castillo and Manuel Margot (in addition to their current outfielders) and on the mound, with Henry Owens, Eduardo Rodriguez, Brian Johnson, Anthony Ranaudo, etc.
Swihart could be a franchise catcher, and that sort of commodity doesn't get traded often, even if he has been mentioned as a piece the Philadelphia Phillies would want in any potential deal for ace left-hander Cole Hamels.
"The Red Sox will not part with Mookie Betts or Blake Swihart," writes Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe. "The Phillies would need to get one of the two for Hamels to make a deal they feel comfortable with, and the Red Sox haven’t budged."
Chicago Cubs: Kris Bryant, 3B
5 of 30The Chicago Cubs, owners of arguably the top farm system around, aren't going to trade any of their big-name prospects now that the club is on the verge of something special for the first time in several seasons.
At the forefront of it all is 23-year-old third baseman Kris Bryant, who led all of MLB-affiliated baseball with 43 home runs in 2014. Simply put: Bryant, the No. 2 pick in 2013, is untouchable, untradable, don't-bother-asking immovable.
Chicago White Sox: Carlos Rodon, LHP
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Carlos Rodon is the choice for the Chicago White Sox for two reasons.
One, the 22-year-old lefty with great stuff, including a killer slider, already reached Triple-A mere months after the team took him third overall last June.
And second, the Sox technically can't trade him before next July, which marks one year after he signed his first pro contract.
General manager Rick Hahn has remade the team and put the club in position to contend in 2015, and Rodon is expected to be a big part of that.
Cincinnati Reds: Robert Stephenson, RHP
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Already this offseason, the Cincinnati Reds have traded away Mat Latos and Alfredo Simon, two of their five starting pitchers, and the club could lose free-agents-to-be Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake next winter, too.
In other words, this franchise will need arms soon, and Robert Stephenson has one of the best among pitching prospects, as his career 9.9 strikeouts-per-nine rate indicates.
The 21-year-old former first-round pick still has to harness his upper 90s heat better—he walked 4.9 per at Double-A in 2014—but he's not far away from reaching the Reds, who can't afford to move him. And won't.
Cleveland Indians: Francisco Lindor, SS
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Having finished dead last in errors in 2014, the Cleveland Indians are in desperate need of defense. Fortunately for them, defense is the forte of their top prospect, Francisco Lindor.
Lindor, 21, went eighth overall in 2011 and was on the verge of reaching the majors after the Indians traded shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera to the Washington Nationals.
Alas, Cleveland chose not to rush the youngster as a way to ensure he's ready for The Show once he's called up, likely during the first half of 2015.
Just don't expect to see Lindor break camp with the big league club.
GM Chris Antonetti told Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer:
"There would have to be a number of things that happened for Francisco to make our major league team [out of spring training]. No. 1, there would have to be an opportunity. No. 2, we would have to feel, not based just on how he performed in spring training, but that he is ready to come up to the major leagues and that he can be successful. That would be the criteria for having Francisco break with us. Is it conceivable, sure. Is it probable, I don't think so.
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And don't expect to see Lindor get traded, either.
Colorado Rockies: Jon Gray, RHP
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Given the Coors Field factor, the Colorado Rockies organization needs arms—and big-time power arms, like Jon Gray's—more than just about any other team in baseball.
Gray, a 23-year-old who stands 6'4" and checks in at 235 pounds, is a hard-throwing right-hander who struck out 8.2 batters per nine in his first full pro campaign last year after the Rockies selected him at No. 3 in 2013.
Colorado has plenty of bats in the bigs, as well as on the farm (David Dahl, Raimel Tapia, Ryan McMahon), but Gray has the goods to survive—and maybe even thrive—at hitter-haven Coors, so he's the least likely Rockies prospect to be traded. Not that they're looking to move any of the above, either.
Detroit Tigers: Steven Moya, OF
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The Detroit Tigers have the worst collection of prospects in the sport, and the team is in full-on win-now-at-all-costs mode, so really, no youngster can be classified as untouchable.
But the one who best fits the bill is Steven Moya, the massive, power-hitting outfielder who is listed at 6'6" and hit 35 home runs at Double-A last year.
Moya, though, isn't as highly regarded a prospect as that might lead one to believe, namely due to his plate discipline problems: He walked just 23 times in 549 trips to the dish in 2014.
He did, however, get a September cameo in Detroit and could factor in this season, putting him in line to take over for Yoenis Cespedes, if the Tigers don't sign him long term.
But if GM Dave Dombrowski needs to make a deal to strengthen his big league club between now and July, Moya would be his best chip—and DD wouldn't have a problem cashing it in.
Houston Astros: Carlos Correa, SS
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The Houston Astros brought back Jed Lowrie to handle short for now, but that's merely a short-term solution with Carlos Correa on the way.
In fact, Correa was on such a fast track last year, having hit .325/.416/.510 at High-A, that it seemed possible the top overall choice in the 2012 draft might put himself in position for a 2015 debut. Except the 20-year-old's season was cut short in late June when he suffered a broken leg while sliding.
That was a tough break (no pun intended) for both Correa and the Astros, who need their shortstop of the future to pan out, especially in the wake of 2013 No. 1 Mark Appel's mediocre pro career so far and their failure to ink last June's top choice, Brady Aiken.
Correa has franchise-altering potential, and Houston is desperate.
Kansas City Royals: Sean Manaea, LHP
12 of 30Many sites, including this one, have Raul Adalberto Mondesi as the Kansas City Royals' top prospect, but the 19-year-old shortstop is still very raw and has yet to put up impressive numbers in any of his three pro seasons. Plus, the Royals have Alcides Escobar taking care of things at the big league level.
On the mound, however, Kansas City is losing its ace, James Shields, who remains a free agent but isn't likely to return. While Sean Manaea isn't ready just yet to replace Shields, he could be by mid-2016—and the Royals could use Manaea to come through, since 2012 top pick Kyle Zimmer just can't stay healthy.
Manaea did his part so far, putting up a 3.11 ERA and 1.28 WHIP and whiffing 146 batters in 121.2 innings in his first minor league season, all of which he spent at High-A.
Here's Jim Callis of MLB.com, who picked Manaea to lead the minors in whiffs in 2015:
"Hitters have trouble making contact with Manaea's fastball. It has good but not great velocity at 90-96 mph and plays up because of his delivery, which features extension and downhill plane and adds life. Manaea doesn't have a second plus pitch, though his slider is a solid offering that improved over the course of last season. His changeup is an average third pitch with some fade.
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The 22-year-old proved why he was worth being taken in the supplemental round in 2013 now that he's over his hip injury that caused him to drop in the draft.
Los Angeles Angels: Andrew Heaney, LHP
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Andrew Heaney makes for an easy choice. Not only is he the best prospect in a weak Los Angeles Angels system, the lefty, who was just acquired from the Dodgers in exchange for Howie Kendrick (by way of the Miami Marlins, who originally drafted him), also could crack the Opening Day rotation for the Angels.
The Angels need the 23-year-old, who dominated the high minors (3.28 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 9.4 K/9) but didn't have a great showing in his first brief taste in the majors (5.83 ERA) in 2014—and they need him now. He's not going to be traded again.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Corey Seager, SS
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Julio Urias also would be a perfectly fine choice here, but when in doubt go with the position player, so Corey Seager is the call.
Plus, whether Seager—a 20-year-old who hit like crazy across High-A and Double-A last year (.349/.402/.602 with 50 doubles)—winds up at short or shifts to third base because of his size (6'4"), the Los Angeles Dodgers have a bigger need for a long-term solution on the left side of the infield than they do on the mound.
Miami Marlins: Tyler Kolek, RHP
15 of 30Tyler Kolek is the selection because, well, there aren't really any other untouchable prospects in the Miami Marlins farm system, which has graduated a number of youngsters in recent years and otherwise has been used in trades.
Besides, the Fish cannot trade Kolek, the 19-year-old big-bodied, flame-throwing right-hander who was No. 2 overall pick last June, until next June anyway—unless they did so as a player to be named later.
Milwaukee Brewers: Orlando Arcia, SS
16 of 30The Milwaukee Brewers don't really have an "untouchable" prospect, but if forced to pick one, it's Orlando Arcia.
The other options considered were Tyrone Taylor, Clint Coulter and 2014 second-rounder Monte Harrison, but those three all play outfield, which the Brewers have well covered with Carlos Gomez, Ryan Braun and Khris Davis.
Thus, as the player who plays the premium position of shortstop—a spot manned by the much less secure Jean Segura, who had a terrible season—Arcia gets the nod. The 20-year-old will begin 2015 at Double-A after going .289/.346/.392 with 31 steals at High-A last year.
Minnesota Twins: Byron Buxton, OF
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When a player was the consensus top prospect in the sport a year ago—and arguably still is, even after a season wrecked by multiple wrist injuries and a scary collision that resulted in a concussion—you don't trade him.
That's Byron Buxton, the 21-year-old who lost almost an entire year of development in 2014, having played but 31 games in the minors due to all the ailments. But the athletic, sinewy-strong center fielder has all kinds of tools, including incredible speed, top-notch defensive prowess and a strong approach at the plate.
Trading Buxton would mean unloading him at his lowest point, and that's not going to happen. Frankly, the idea of trading him itself is silly. The Minnesota Twins are counting on Buxton to get and stay healthy and then help lead their return to relevance in 2016 and beyond.
New York Mets: Noah Syndergaard, RHP
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Given the New York Mets' abundance of arms and relative lack of bats, it would make sense to choose one of their top young hitters here. Thing is, while Brandon Nimmo, Amed Rosario, Dilson Herrera, Kevin Plawecki, Dominic Smith and 2014 first-round Michael Conforto are solid prospects, none of them looks like a can't-miss, first-tier type at the moment.
So the choice is Noah Syndergaard. The 22-year-old pitched all of 2014 at Triple-A, and even though his 4.60 ERA was high—blame the Pacific Coast League and his home park in Las Vegas—Syndergaard struck out 145 in his 133 innings against just 43 walks.
The 6'6", 240-pounder is an elite arm ready for the majors right now, which is why he's been mentioned as a piece that could help the Mets trade for Troy Tulowitzki to upgrade at shortstop, per Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. That might make it seem like Syndergaard isn't considered untouchable, but he should be.
New York Yankees: Aaron Judge, OF
19 of 30Some will argue for Luis Severino here instead, but there's not a huge gap (if any) between the right-hander and Aaron Judge, an athletic 6'7", 230-pound, power-hitting outfielder who could be the New York Yankees' best hope at developing an impact position player for the first time since, uh, Brett Gardner (who was drafted in 2005).
The 22-year-old Judge, selected in the first round in 2013, triple-slashed .308/.419/.486 with 17 homers in his first taste of pro ball, reaching High-A along the way.
Because their current roster is filled with aging, overpaid former stars, the Yankees should give the monstrous Judge every opportunity to put it all together and become their next star.
Oakland Athletics: Franklin Barreto, SS
20 of 30OK, let's get this out of the way to start: Absoltuely no player in the Oakland Athletics organization—big leaguer or prospect—is untouchable, as general manager Billy Beane has shown by trading away so many this very offseason.
But if one prospect is going to get that tag, it's Franklin Barreto, who actually was the top youngster Beane acquired this winter, as part of the Josh Donaldson trade.
Barreto is only 18 years old and has a long way to go—he played 2014 at Low-A—but he hit .311/.384/.481 with 33 extra-base hits and 29 steals in the Northwest League. Barreto's upside is exciting, and after dealing fellow infielders Addison Russell and, most recently, Daniel Robertson, the Athletics might want to hang onto Barreto for a while.
Philadelphia Phillies: J.P. Crawford, SS
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The Philadelphia Phillies have started the process of undergoing a much-needed franchise rebuild. In many ways, it started with the trade of longtime shortstop Jimmy Rollins to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
That leaves J.P. Crawford, a 20-year-old taken in the first round in 2013, as the heir apparent to the club's all-time hits leader at short, likely at some point in 2016.
Crawford slashed .285/.375/.406 with a good mix of pop and speed at two levels of A-ball in 2014.
If he pans out, Crawford could be what Rollins was to this club a decade ago as a talent that helps transform a downtrodden franchise into a winner for an extended period.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Tyler Glasnow, RHP
22 of 30As a small-market franchise, the Pittsburgh Pirates simply can't pay premium prices for top pitchers in free agency, so they have to try to grow their arms from within. That's why Tyler Glasnow, a 6'7", 21-year-old right-hander with incredible raw stuff and ace potential, is the pick here.
Glasnow dominated for a second straight season in 2014, compiling a 1.74 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 157 strikeouts in 124.1 innings at High-A.
That kind of performance has Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com predicting that Glasnow will be the one to lead the minors in whiffs in 2015:
"At times, Glasnow has been his own worst enemy, and he's the first to admit it. While his walk rate did drop in 2014, from 4.9 the previous year to 4.1, he knows he has to throw more strikes in order to succeed as he moves up. Glasnow is virtually unhittable—he had a .174 batting average against in 2014, after a .142 BAA during his first full season in 2013. Over the course of his career, he's allowed a measly five hits per nine innings.
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The Pirates have a borderline top-five farm system dripping with talent, but of all of the prospects Glasnow is their most untradable asset.
San Diego Padres: Austin Hedges, C
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Hunter Renfroe works, too, but the San Diego Padres outfield is pretty well-stocked at the moment after trades for Matt Kemp, Justin Upton and Wil Myers. Not to mention, Cameron Maybin and Rymer Liriano are in the mix and Will Venable and Carlos Quentin still are hanging around, too.
Plus, there's a chance Renfroe's power plays down in spacious Petco Park, so he might not be quite as impactful.
Austin Hedges, meanwhile, is just the kind of young player the Padres need. Yes, they did just bring in 2014 All-Star Derek Norris (also via trade), but he's more of an offensive-minded catcher, whereas Hedges has the tool set behind the plate to be elite on D.
Even if he never hits much, the 22-year-old Hedges' agility, arm and working relationship with the pitching staff could be borderline invaluable in a pitchers-haven like Petco.
Of course, the latest rumors have the Padres being interested in Phillies lefty Cole Hamels, which could cost them both Hedges and Renfroe and perhaps righty Matt Wisler, too, as Jon Heyman of CBS Sports speculates. When a team goes as bold as San Diego has this offseason, no prospect is untouchable.
San Francisco Giants: Andrew Susac, C
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On one hand, it seems odd to suggest that a young catcher would be the most immovable prospect for the San Francisco Giants, who already have baseball's best backstop in Buster Posey.
On the other hand, though, the Giants don't have all that much in the way of untouchables on the farm, as the others considered are all non-elite pitchers, including Kyle Crick, Adalberto Mejia and 2014 first-rounder Tyler Beede.
Plus, it might be a good idea for San Francisco to consider using Susac at catcher more often starting in 2015 (and beyond) as a way to keep Posey's bat in the lineup more (at first base) and prolong what is the start of a Hall of Fame career. As everyone saw during the Giants' World Series-winning run last October, Posey looked completely gassed by postseason's end and wound up going 17-for-69 (.246) with nary an extra-base knock.
Susac isn't a stud, but he's rather valuable to this franchise, of which Posey is the face.
Seattle Mariners: D.J. Peterson, 1B/3B
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Alex Jackson checks in as the runner-up, but since 2014's No. 6 overall pick can't be traded officially until next summer—not that he's going to be moved, anyway—the prospect the Seattle Mariners can't afford to part with is D.J. Peterson.
Peterson, 23, has a big bat that smacked 31 homers and as many doubles between High-A and Double-A in 2014. The 12th overall take in 2013 is close enough to help the M's, who are built to win in 2015 and 2016 and need all the offense they can get.
Peterson is staying in Seattle.
St. Louis Cardinals: Stephen Piscotty, OF
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Stephen Piscotty is the St. Louis Cardinals' most untouchable top prospect, but that's mainly because they still have all kinds of young talent on the mound, from Michael Wacha, Trevor Rosenthal and Carlos Martinez in the majors to Marco Gonzales, Alex Reyes and Rob Kaminsky in the minors.
That's not to say Piscotty, 24, isn't a highly regarded prospect—he's the Cards' No. 1 in B/R's rankings as well as Baseball Prospectus'—but his skill set makes him more likely to be a steady regular than a star-caliber player.
That will work for St. Louis, though, since the club doesn't have a definite long-term answer in right field. Sure, they traded for Jason Heyward, but he could walk after 2015, and, sadly, Oscar Taveras no longer is with us.
Tampa Bay Rays: Willy Adames, SS
27 of 30It's been a period of major transition for the Tampa Bay Rays over the past six months, especially with a new front office and manager in place after GM Andrew Friedman and manager Joe Maddon left for other opportunities.
All of this started, it seems, with the trade of lefty David Price, the Rays' longtime ace and 2012 AL Cy Young winner. That's why Willy Adames is the prospect Tampa Bay can least afford to trade. After all, the 19-year-old Adames, a shortstop who hit .271/.353/.459 at two levels of A-ball in 2014, was the primary prospect acquired when the Rays moved Price to the Tigers last July.
To justify that return, which also included lefty Drew Smyly and infielder Nick Franklin, Adames has to perform well in the minors and make his way to St. Petersburg to be part of the club's rebuilding process at some point in the future.
Texas Rangers: Joey Gallo, 3B
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For now, the Texas Rangers can let Joey Gallo, possessor of perhaps the most raw power in the minors ater having hit 40-plus home runs the past two seasons, develop at his own pace.
With Adrian Beltre locked in at the hot corner through 2016, there's no need to rush the 21-year-old 2012 first-rounder, whom many first encountered when he blasted an absolute bomb during last summer's Futures Game during the All-Star break.
Here's a take on Gallo's showing during those festivities from Jim Callis of MLB.com, who has chosen the slugger as the 2015 minor league homer leader:
"Gallo stole the show, both before the game and during it. The Rangers third baseman smoked 15 homers in batting practice, including six that reached the third deck in right-center at Target Field and three more that carried over the right-field stands and onto the concourse. One of those latter shots smashed the windshield of a pickup truck parked there as part of a promotion.
Gallo delivered during the Futures Game, too. He turned around a 95-mph fastball from Astros right-hander Michael Feliz, blasting it into the second deck in right field for a two-run homer that provided the decisive runs in a 3-2 United States victory.
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Gallo looks like Beltre's heir apparent at third base, and his ridiculous power will play up even more in Texas. The chances that Texas trades him? Next to nil.
Toronto Blue Jays: Dalton Pompey, OF
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Aaron Sanchez and Daniel Norris are equally good selections for this spot, but Dalton Pompey is the call for the simple fact that he's in line to be the Toronto Blue Jays' Opening Day center fielder in 2015.
Pompey, 22, had a true breakout campaign last year, playing across four levels, including the majors, where he debuted in September and played in 17 games, going 9-for-39 (.231) with a mammoth homer off none other than Felix Hernandez. In the minors, the switch-hitter batted .317/.392/.469 with 40 extra-base hits and 43 stolen bases.
"He's a special kid," manager John Gibbons said of Pompey late in the season. "He carries himself like a pro, and he flew through the system this year."
Remember, Toronto made its big moves this offseason by signing catcher Russell Martin to an $82 million contract and trading for third baseman Josh Donaldson, a deal in which GM Alex Anthopoulos gave up a number of prospects, including young shortstop Franklin Barreto and big league-ready arms Sean Nolin and Kendall Graveman—but not Pompey.
Washington Nationals: Lucas Giolito, RHP
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The Washington Nationals have arguably the best rotation in baseball, but a pair of starters could be gone between now and next winter, as Jordan Zimmermann and Doug Fister are free-agents-to-be. Losing one or both via trade or free agency would be a big hit, but the Nationals have another front-of-the-rotation arm on the way in Lucas Giolito.
The club's top pick in 2012, Giolito is a well-built power right-hander at 6'6" and 255 pounds. He fell to Washington at No. 16 that year because of concerns over his elbow, which required Tommy John surgery soon after he was drafted.
Now that he's fully recovered, though—the Nats have a great track record of coaxing pitchers, like Stephen Strasburg and Zimmermann, through the recovery process—Giolito is positioned for a huge 2015 on the farm.
He made 20 starts in 2014, his first full pro season, throwing 98 innings and allowing just 70 hits and 28 walks against 110 strikeouts. Yes, he did all that work in A-ball, but he could move very quickly, considering his repertoire and how polished his mound makeup is.
A late-season call-up, maybe to pitch out of the pen, wouldn't be out of the question, and by mid-2016 Gioliot could be ready to take the majors by storm.
Statistics are accurate through the 2014 season and courtesy of MLB.com, Baseball-Reference and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.
To talk baseball or fantasy baseball, check in with me on Twitter: @JayCat11.

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