It has been a slow week for fantasy news, but we are in the midst of one of the busiest times in baseball. With the MLB Draft taking place this week, teams are selecting players who could be fantasy sleepers or prospects over the next few seasons.
Bryce Harper
No prospect has gotten more hype than Harper. The 17-year-old catcher made the cover of Sports Illustrated during his sophomore year of high school. Since, he elected to get his GED and then enroll at the College of Southern Nevada in order to get to the Major Leagues more quickly. This bold decision allowed Harper to enter the draft this season, rather than waiting another two years. Harper will need time to develop, but the duo of Harper and Strasburg could spell a resurgence for the lowly Washington Nationals. It doesn't look like we will see a Strasburg-Harper battery though, as the Nationals may move Harper to the outfield in order to allow him to focus on his offensive game.
Delino DeShields Jr.
The younger DeShields hopes to follow in his father's footsteps. The elder DeShields enjoyed a 13-year Major League career and amassed 463 stolen bases while playing for the Expos, Dodgers, Cardinals, Orioles and Cubs. His son, committed to LSU on a partial scholarship, looks to be an easily signable prospect who viewed college as merely a backup plan. DeShields hit .415 with nine home runs and 29 stolen bases during his senior year of high school at Woodward Academy (Atlanta). The Astros, who took DeShields with the No. 8 overall pick, hope his speed will translate to the Major Leagues, much like his father's did.
Yasmani Grandal
The Cincinnati Reds were surprised this stud prospect was still around at the No. 12 overall pick, so was I. The top college catcher and ACC Player of the Year, who was projected to go as high as No. 4 overall to the Royals, slipped down to the Reds. The switch-hitting catcher is batting .412 with 14 home runs and 56 RBI's in his junior campaign with the Miami Hurricanes. Grandal was drafted out of high school by the Red Sox but opted for the University of Miami instead. His time in college paid off; Grandal was just a 27th round selection in 2007, but was a unanimous first rounder in 2010.
Tonight we will also witness the arrival of two of this year's top prospects Stephen Strasburg and Michael Stanton. Strasburg will be pitching for the Nationals as they take on the Pirates at 7:05 Eastern. He will be limited to 100 pitches tonight and around 100 innings for the rest of the year, but he is a potential star in just his first Major League season. Stanton will be starting in right field for the Florida Marlins as they take on the Philadelphia Phillies, also at 7:05 Eastern. Stanton should bat out of the seventh spot tonight, but look for him to move up in the order as he adjusts to Major League pitching.
Feel free to email me at sandlotsabermetrics@gmail.com with fantasy questions to feature in my weekly Help Me Help You blog.
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