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ANALYSIS: Aaron Nola was the Phillies' first round pick in the 2014 draft. He's always been considered something of a "safe" player, one with a limited ceiling but a high floor. Those types are typically more desirable assets to real MLB teams than they are to fantasy owners. This season, though, Nola is working to prove he has more upside. His 4.50 ERA through four starts is largely due to a strand rate below 60 percent and belies the improvement in his peripherals.
Most intriguing is his newfound penchant for punchouts. Nola rose quickly through the minors despite posting only a modest 7.5 K/9. In 2016, he's got that mark up to 10.38, and has actually lowered his walk rate simultaneously. Like the rest of the Philadelphia rotation, Nola is relying on his curveball to great effect so far. Home runs are likely to be an issue as long as he continues to attack the upper half of the zone, but if he can maintain even most of the gains he's made in the strikeout department, Nola will be plenty useful for fantasy owners this season.
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