2015 MLB Rookies Who Are Being Hyped Up Too Early

When we evaluate, project and rank prospects, we are essentially hyping them up. It’s just part of the process.

Every player that reaches the major leagues is a special talent and worthy of a degree of excitement, but when a highly touted prospect races through the minor leagues and draws glowing reviews along the way, he quickly becomes a huge deal.

Many of these promising young players are given a chance to prove they belong at the highest level every year, and many fail to meet what are usually lofty expectations. For this article, we’re interested at guys who are safe bets to reach the major leagues in 2015. But please keep in mind that in no way does a player being “hyped too early” mean he’s “overrated” or a “bust.” Basically, we’re looking at players already receiving entirely too much hype.

With that being said, here are five notable 2015 rookies being hyped too early.

Micah Johnson, 2B, Chicago White Sox

John Locher/Associated Press

Micah Johnson was named the White Sox’s 2013 Minor League Player of the Year after batting .312/.373/.451 in his full-season debut, with 106 runs, 46 extra-base hits and 84 stolen bases in 131 games across three levels.

In 2014, the 24-year-old second baseman showed better plate discipline and made more consistent contact, batting .294/.351/.403 between Double-A and Triple-A, but he also took a step backward on the basepaths, stealing 22 bags in 35 attempts.

Johnson’s carrying tool is his speed, as he’s a 70-grade runner who shows excellent range at second base and profiles as a top-of-the-order hitter.

Johnson was a strong candidate for a September call-up last season, especially after the White Sox traded Gordon Beckham, but a hamstring injury in late August ended his season ahead of schedule.

Fully healthy for spring training, Johnson is competing for the starting second base job with Beckham, Carlos Sanchez and Emilio Bonifacio. However, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times believes Johnson is the favorite for the gig.

“I think so,” assistant general manager Buddy Bell said, via Van Schouwen. “It depends on what he does here. But he’s smart. He’s a little different than most young guys. He has a good mix. He sees the game, he can slow it down and he knows how to make adjustments and knows how to survive.”

It's so early in camp that Bell’s proclamation doesn’t carry a lot of weight, especially considering the White Sox want Johnson to make strides defensively before awarding him the Opening Day job.

“Some days I take more ground balls than are planned on the schedule because that day I didn’t feel a certain way,” Johnson said, via Doug Padilla of ESPNChicago.com. “Right now it’s about being real picky and meticulous with your work. If you’re slightly off a little bit, focus-wise, just get back out there and finish what we didn’t accomplish.” 

Whether Johnson begins the season in Chicago or back in Triple-A, the White Sox seem prepared to offer the 24-year-old ample opportunities to succeed in 2015.

Steven Matz, LHP, New York Mets

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

The New York Mets selected Steven Matz in the second round of the 2009 draft, but the left-hander underwent Tommy John surgery after signing and didn’t make his professional debut until 2012. Since then, however, the 23-year-old has made up for the lost time with a dominant ascent through the Mets system.

Matz started receiving rave reviews last spring in major league camp, which was when members of the organization began discussing him in the same sentence as top prospect Noah Syndergaard. His performance between the High-A and Double-A levels only brought on more hype.

Matz pitched to a 1.28 ERA with 48 strikeouts and nine walks over his final 42.1 innings (seven starts). He struck out a season-high 11 batters over 7.1 innings Sept. 12 and helped the B-Mets capture the Eastern League crown.

The 6’2”, 200-pound left-hander uses a heavy, low- to mid-90s fastball to both miss bats and generate ground balls, while his curveball and changeup each have the potential to become above-average pitches with refinement.

The endless praise of Matz has continued to roll in during the offseason, with Mets Triple-A manager Wally Backman proclaiming the left-hander the best pitching prospect in the system. Meanwhile, two other coaches within the organization went so far as to compare him to greats such as Clayton Kershaw and Madison Bumgarner.

From John Harper of the New York Daily News:

"

Certainly there is something about Matz that inspires visions of greatness. Last year Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen compared him to another lefty, one Clayton Kershaw, raving about how explosively the ball comes out of his hand.

And now Frank Viola, the Mets’ Triple-A pitching coach whom Matz credits for teaching him the mental part of pitching when they were both in Class-A Savannah in 2013, invokes the name of the lefty who all but singlehandedly won the World Series for the Giants last season. Yep, Madison Bumgarner.

"

Hyperbole aside, there’s no question that Matz’s future is bright. He won’t break camp in the starting rotation, but given his progress and success over the last two years, Matz should finish the season taking the ball every fifth day for the Mets.

Eddie Rosario, OF, Minnesota Twins

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Eddie Rosario’s 2014 campaign began with a 50-game suspension after testing positive for a banned substance for a second time. Then, after working his way back to Double-A New Britain, Rosario once again had his makeup called into question when the then-22-year-old was suspended for four games in early August.

Twins Director of Minor League Operations Brad Steil described Rosario's absence as a "team situation" and said that Rosario was not injured, per the (St. Paul) Pioneer Press' Mike Berardino.

In addition to those issues, the 23-year-old struggled in his return to the Eastern League, batting .237/.277/.396 after slashing .284/.330/.412 there in 2013. Rosario was also transitioned to the outfield last season after being developed as a second baseman, logging 50 games in center field compared to only 18 at the keystone.

Rosario rebounded in this year’s Arizona Fall League to bat .330/.345/.410 with six extra-base hits and 10 stolen bases in 100 at-bats, not including his four-hit performance in the AFL title game.

I have never liked Rosario’s setup and load in his swing; he starts low with his hands and nearly locks out into an arm bar, appearing to fight against his natural momentum while getting through the baseball. It will make him too vulnerable to inner-half velocity as well as quality breaking balls at higher levels, meaning the left-handed hitter will need to make adjustments along the way.

All that said, Rosario makes the swing work thanks to preternatural bat-to-ball skills and a flat barrel path, driving the ball from line to line, and he also picks up his share of infield hits.

Rosario’s average speed and range are best suited for left field—he could handle center field (or second base) in a pinch, but not on an everyday basis—but his lack of power doesn’t profile favorably at the position, which typically is reserved for bat-first players with average power frequency.

Therefore, Rosario’s realistic role in the major leagues is that of a fourth outfielder, though he could also become a quality utility player if the Twins continue to give him occasional time at second base.

Dariel Alvarez, OF, Baltimore Orioles

Elsa/Getty Images

Signed by the Orioles late in the 2013 season, Dariel Alvarez’s first full season in the states was an across-the-board success. Appearing in 135 games between Double-A and Triple-A, the 26-year-old batted .306/.330/.472 with 37 doubles, 15 home runs and a 62-21 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 564 plate appearances.

But despite his strong campaign, there are still questions about whether Alvarez’s aggressive approach and fringy pitch recognition will produce enough contact to be an everyday player.

As Orioles player development director Brian Graham noted, per Eduardo A. Encina of The Baltimore Sun:

"

You hear people say he swings at bad pitches. He doesn't swing at bad pitches as much as he doesn't recognize the pitch. As he settled in a little more, then he calmed down offensively. I think his pitch recognition has improved, and he's gained more confidence. He showed you that he doesn't mind going to two strikes to hit. A lot of times he got to those two strikes by swinging, but if you look at his percentage of strikeouts, and percentage of walks it's impressive.

"

Alvarez stands out for his 70-grade arm on the other side of the ball, and the 26-year-old saw significant time in center field last season after playing mostly right field in his pro debut. That being said, his fringe-average range and speed should eventually shift him to a corner spot full-time.

Alvarez is expected to receive a long look this spring in his first big league camp, and it’d come as a surprise if he began the season anywhere other than Triple-A Norfolk. He still has plenty to prove at the plate, but Alvarez is a safe bet to crack Baltimore’s lineup at some point in 2015.

Christian Bethancourt, C, Atlanta Braves

David Goldman/Associated Press

After playing 31 games with the Braves last season and batting .248 in 117 plate appearances, prospect Christian Bethancourt is finally ready to take over as the team’s everyday catcher.

The 23-year-old has long been considered one of the top defensive backstops in the game, as his combination of 80-grade arm strength, sound footwork and catch-and-throw skills generates consistent pop times around 1.8 seconds.

Bethancourt’s bat is easily his weakest tool, as he still employs an overaggressive approach and tends to swing at anything around the zone. And while his solid bat-to-ball skills aid his ability to make consistent contact, the right-handed hitter frequently gets himself out by either pulling off the ball or putting a weak swing on something away.

However, Bethancourt’s struggles at the plate don’t bother manager Fredi Gonzalez.

"There's a lot of stuff that we're doing to help him prepare to handle a major league staff. We really are. We're exposing him to a lot of stuff. Somebody asked me the other day, 'Is he going to hit?' I don't care," Gonzalez said, via Zach Dillard of Fox Sports South.

"We're preparing him to handle a major league staff and three to four years down the road, or however long it takes, for him to be running those meetings."

Bethancourt looks like he should hit for regular power, with a physically strong 6’2”, 205-pound frame. However, he only shows it in games on inner-half offerings, when he’s able to clear his hips and turn on the ball. More specifically, Bethancourt has hit 34 home runs to go along with a 26 percent extra-base hit rate in 2,189 plate appearances spanning seven minor league seasons.

Bethancourt’s approach and hit tool might always leave something to be desired, but he’s a game-changing defender behind the plate and ready for an everyday role.