Hello and welcome to another edition of the prospect call-up watch. I am Brady Grove writing live from McDonald's because the wifi in my condo isn't working. Today we will be discussing four young guns on the move (for better or worse), their opportunity, and how this affects fantasy baseball managers.
All of the prospects discussed today are available in nearly every fantasy league. I have listed them in my order of preference. Shall we?
Editor’s Note: to read about even more MLB prospects, rookies and potential call-ups, be sure to check out our MLB prospects for fantasy baseball homepage which has lots of great weekly analysis.
MLB Prospect Updates & Recent Call-Ups - Week 20
John Lamb (SP, CIN, Owned in 1% of fleaflicker leagues)
John Lamb was the sleeping giant behind Brandon Finnegan in the Johnny Cueto deal with Cincinnati. Michael Lorenzen was recently sent to Triple-A Louisville by the Reds and Lamb got the call up - for good reason. In 2015 while pitching in the minors, Lamb accumulated a 2.67 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 0.6 HR/9, 2.9 BB/9, and 9.5 K/9 in 111 and one-third IP. Lamb got roughed up in his debut after giving up a three run homer to Adrian Gonzalez, ending with a 7.50 ERA. Lamb's spot in the Cincy rotation is still very safe however, as he finished his debut with seven strikeouts in six IP and ended with a 3.94 FIP despite all the earned runs. He can be trusted by fantasy baseball managers to produce heavy strikeout volume and quality starts.
Tyler Duffey (SP, MIN, Owned in 1% of fleaflicker leagues)
Phil Hughes hit the DL and as a result the Twins decided to give Tyler Duffey another try. Duffey responded in a big way by pitching six innings against the Indians, allowing only one hit, zero ER, an uncharacteristic five walks, and seven strikeouts on a 8/3 GB/FB ratio. Duffey doesn't have the safest spot in the league, but given the fact that the Twins have had rotation issues and are still in the wildcard race, he has a chance to secure more starts if he proves himself on Thursday. If Duffey earns a more permanent role by the time Phil Hughes returns, he offers fantasy baseball managers a widely available streaming option with upside potential in strikeouts.
Vincent Velasquez (SP/RP, HOU, Owned in 2% of fleaflicker leagues)
The Astros sent down Josh Fields and recalled Vincent Velasquez from Double-A Corpus Christi. In the majors, Velasquez has a 3.67 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 3.06 FIP, 0.6 HR/9, 3.2 BB/9, and 9.3 K/9. Velasquez would be very valuable if he had been called up to join the rotation. However, seeing as how he has been brought up for bullpen depth, he is mainly a prospect for fantasy baseball managers to keep their eye on. If Velasquez gains a more prominent role in Houston this season, he offers fantasy owners an interesting plug in with high strikeout volume and the potential to pick up wins for the AL West leading Astros.
Chi Chi Gonzalez (SP, TEX, Owned in 5% of fleaflicker leagues)
The Texas Rangers have once again made Chi Chi Gonzalez do the Cha Cha Slide back to Triple-A (They didn't actually make him do that, I'm sure that violates the Union agreement). Gonzalez was sent down to make room for Derek Holland, who looks to have a pretty solid rotation spot in Texas after making his return. He pitched six and one-third IP, allowing eight hits, two ER, and producing six strikeouts. If for some reason Gonzalez is able to return as a starter, fantasy baseball managers beware: Gonzalez has a 4.87 FIP to go with his 2015 major league ERA of 4.25 with a 1.27 WHIP, 0.8 HR/9, 4.1 BB/9, and 4.3 K/9. Gonzalez offers little to no strikeout upside and his control isn't good enough to counteract the HR and walks he allows.
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