5 Players to Watch in 2015

5 Players to Watch in 2015

I’ve decided to do some analysis on a few guys that I’ve watched play a fair amount and seem to be trending upward in terms of development. To make the list these players needed to fit a couple of criteria, make very little money (<5 mil) and be under the age of 27. It’s widely accepted that a player’s peak occurs in their late 20’s and into their early 30’s so these players will effectively be just reaching their respective peaks next year. I’m not considering anyone that’s already made a big splash in the media such as Oscar Taveras, Gregory Polanco, or Javier Baez… but you should check them out just the same. These are players some know of and some don’t, probably the most popular on this list is Brock Holt who has had a great season and since he makes the league minimum I think he deserves a mention.

Adam Eaton, Chicago White Sox, Centerfield (Age: 25, Salary: $500,000)

Per FanGraphs, he’s currently slashing .310/.377/.413 and has 60 runs, 33 RBI, and 13 SB. As I’m writing this he’s 2 for 3 with a run scored and a stolen base against Max Scherzer. He’s a great leadoff hitter given his speed and consistency at the plate. Some might say he’d literally run through a wall for his teammates, but he wasn’t very successful. This is his first full year in the big leagues so it’s still a limited sample size at a position that has a pretty large amount of turn over year to year.

Ken Giles, Philadelphia Phillies, Relief Pitcher (Age: 23, Salary: $500,000

Currently he’s 3-1 in 33.2 innings pitched. He regularly hits triple digits on the radar gun and his slider is absolute filth. 1.34 ERA and 12.83 K/9 make him a great successor to Jonathan Papelbon who probably should have been trade bait for other young talent with Giles clearly ready to take the throne. Outside of Philadelphia, no one knows this name, but they should. As long as the Phillies can avoid the temptation to make him a starter he looks poised to be the back end guy they need. Similar approach to Craig Kimbrel, let’s just hope he doesn’t go all Daniel Bard and fight to become a starter only to be forgotten a couple years later.

Jorge Soler, Chicago Cubs, Rightfield (Age: 22, Salary: 9 years, $30 million)

So, he’s the first guy on my list who isn’t on a minimum deal. He defected in 2011 and just got called up this past week. So far he’s 8 for 16 with three bombs, three runs, and seven RBI. He’s already breaking out in a big way and from my perspective looks like he’ll be a candidate to hold out for a bigger deal in about year three of his colossally small contract. Right now the Cubs are young, powerful, and athletic. Give them three good top of the rotation guys, a reasonably consistent Rondon on the back end of their bullpen and we might be talking title contenders. Soler had a multi-homerun game Friday night just to further define his arrival to the bigs, pay attention, the lovable losers are about to turn things around.

Dellin Betances, New York Yankees, Relief Pitcher (Age: 26, Salary: $500,000)

He’s been around, but in his time he’s posted a 2.21 ERA and a 13.45 K/9 ratio. This year he has five wins, 13.38 K/9, and a 1.50 ERA in 78 innings. He’s the logical next choice to close games with David Robertson currently filling that role and posting a 2.98 ERA and 13.50 K/9. Betances has, like Giles, has broken triple digits with his fastball but regularly rests in the 94-96 range. He’s another young player with an great opportunity to become a big time player, especially while playing in New York.

Brock Holt, Boston Red Sox, Utility (Age: 26, Salary: $500,000)

He’s hitting .292, he’s come up in a few of our other posts, and by all measures he can play any position. I’m pretty sure he’s appeared everywhere but on the hill or behind the dish defensively so he’s got value. He has ten steals, 65 runs, and 27 RBI which is respectable on a team that’s going nowhere fast this year. I’m not expecting he remains on this team because all signs point to a very spirited pursuit of Giancarlo Stanton this off season. In any case, he’s worth watching wherever he goes. It’s a shame that a scrappy player that has worked his way up over the last 4+ seasons to play in Boston will likely be in another uniform next year.