Reviewing my 2018 Breakout Predictions

Before the season, I wrote about "one breakout star to watch" for each team, with one article for the AL and one for the NL. I'll go team by team and review each pick. Unfortunately, while I had some hits, many of my breakout picks flopped and three had Tommy John surgery before the season even started, so overall I am a little disappointed in the way this list turned out. If I still have time, I'll try again for the 2019 season.

Baltimore Orioles: Chance Sisco (2 HR, .181/.288/.269, 1 SB, 59 wRC+, 0.0 fWAR)
As with all things Orioles related in 2018, this didn't quite work out. Sisco's bat proved to be overmatched by major league pitching, and he struck out in 35.9% of his plate appearances while slashing .181/.288/.269 over 63 games. He turns 24 in February so he is still plenty young and will try again next year, but so far, not so good for Sisco.

Boston Red Sox: Rafael Devers (21 HR, .240/.298/.433, 5 SB, 90 wRC+, 1.0 fWAR)
While Devers didn't exactly flop in 2018, his .240/.298/.433 line was still somewhat disappointing after he slashed .284/.338/.482 in a smaller sample size last season. While the power was pretty good, he struggled to get on base and a .298 OBP won't exactly cut it unless you're hitting 30+ home runs. He did slash .294/.351/.382 in the postseason and picked up some timely hits, and having just turned 22 during the World Series, he has plenty of time to move past his moderately disappointing 2018.

New York Yankees: Miguel Andujar (27 HR, .297/.328/.527, 2 SB, 128 wRC+, 2.7 fWAR)
Here's one that I definitely got right. There was an opening for Andujar at third base and he took it, clubbing 76 extra base hits in 149 games and holding down a critical lineup spot for one of baseball's better teams. While his 4.1% walk rate cut into his production and left him with a pedestrian .328 OBP, it's hard to ask for more out of a 23 year old rookie than what Andujar gave in 2018.

Tampa Bay Rays: Brent Honeywell (did not play - injured)
Shortly after I picked Honeywell as the Rays' breakout star to watch, he tore his UCL and had to miss the season. My runner up was Jake Bauers, who slashed .201/.316/.384 with eleven home runs in 96 games and was more in the Rafael Devers boat of "not necessarily disappointing, but not great either."

Toronto Blue Jays: Teoscar Hernandez (22 HR, .239/.302/.468, 5 SB, 107 wRC+, 0.3 fWAR)
While Hernandez didn't exactly light the world on fire, he did break out for 22 home runs in his first full season. Overall, 58 extra base hits in 134 games is pretty good, and a 107 wRC+ meant he was an above average hitter despite a low .302 OBP. I'll consider Hernandez a success here, though with his poor defense he was barely above replacement level.

Chicago White Sox: Yoan Moncada (17 HR, .235/.315/.400, 12 SB, 97 wRC+, 2.0 fWAR)
Put Moncada in the same category as Rafael Devers. He was very inconsistent in 2018, slashing as high as .274/.361/.516 in April and as low as .197/.242/.350 in June. Overall, though, his numbers turned out quite decently: 17 home runs, a .235/.315/.400 line, and 2.0 fWAR. He hit the ball hard, but his 33.4% strikeout rate kept him from sustaining hot stretches and kept his overall production more pedestrian. Let's see what happens in 2019.

Cleveland Indians: Bradley Zimmer (2 HR, .226/.281/.330, 4 SB, 63 wRC+, 0.3 fWAR)
Zimmer was limited to just 34 games in 2018 due to injuries, so his big breakout did not come. However, he's just about to turn 25 and Michael Brantley, Rajai Davis, and Brandon Guyer are all free agents, so Zimmer does have a good chance to make 2019 the year.

Detroit Tigers: Jeimer Candelario (19 HR, .224/.317/.393, 3 SB, 95 wRC+, 2.5 fWAR)
Candelario hit 19 home runs, walked at a healthy 10.7% clip, and played good defense in 2018 as a 24 year old near-rookie, but a .224 batting average limited his overall slash line. While expectations may have been a little higher, his 2.5 fWAR shows he was more than solid, and the Tigers should feel comfortable moving forward with him as their starting third baseman.

Kansas City Royals: Adalberto Mondesi (14 HR, .276/.306/.498, 32 SB, 114 wRC+, 2.8 fWAR)
Before the season, I asked "could 2018 finally be Mondesi's year?" and as it turns out, the answer was yes. Mondesi was on the MLB.com top fifty prospect list way back in 2013, and now the 23 year old is finally producing after disappointing 2016 and 2017 seasons in the majors. This year, he slashed .276/.306/.498 with 14 home runs and 32 stolen bases in just 75 games, putting up 2.8 fWAR in less than half a season. Honestly, even I didn't realize Mondesi has that good of a year. His future was in doubt for a while, but now it looks like he can take over at shortstop for the departing Alcides Escobar.

Minnesota Twins: Byron Buxton (0 HR, .156/.183/.200, 5 SB, -3 wRC+, -0.4 fWAR)
Well...whoops. I was hoping Buxton would finally take the step forward into stardom or at least semi-stardom after slashing .300/.347/.546 in the second half of 2017, but he was hurt on and off in 2018, spent time in the minors, and ultimately never got anything going. It's hard to believe after four up and down years in the majors, he's still just 24 years old and has plenty of time to make things click, but he'll likely never become the superstar the Twins envisioned when they drafted him second overall in 2012 or when he was widely considered the game's top prospect after slashing .334/.424/.520 with 12 home runs and 55 stolen bases at Class A and High A in 2013.

Houston Astros: David Paulino (1-0, 1.35 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 6/2 K/BB, 6.2 IP)
Paulino's prospect status is still intact after pitching parts of three seasons in the majors, and he's still just 24, but ultimately 2018 was not his year after he ended up sitting out much of it with injuries. Traded to the Blue Jays for Roberto Osuna, he'll give it another try in 2019.

Los Angeles Angels: Shohei Ohtani (22 HR, .285/.361/.564, 3.31 ERA, 63/22 K/BB, 3.8 fWAR)
Aside from the Tommy John surgery, 2018 could not have gone much better for Ohtani. He became baseball's first legitimate two-way star since Babe Ruth, both hitting and pitching at All Star levels. It's so, so awful that he won't get to pitch in 2019 due to the surgery, but Ohtani was everything even his wildest optimists hoped for in 2018, at least on a per-game basis.

Oakland Athletics: Jharel Cotton (did not play - injured)
Like Honeywell, Jharel Cotton did not appear in 2018 due to Tommy John surgery, and it looks like Matt Chapman would have been a better pick for this spot. My #2 pick behind Cotton, Franklin Barreto, played just 32 games and slashed .233/.253/.493, with his power looking great but his horrid plate discipline holding him back.

Seattle Mariners: Marco Gonzales (13-9, 4.00 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 145/32 K/BB, 166.2 IP)
Hey look, a success that wasn't necessarily an obvious pre-season choice like Ohtani. After battling injuries for years, Gonzales was finally healthy in 2018, and he responded in a great way by going 13-9 with a 4.00 ERA, a 1.22 WHIP, and a very solid 145/32 strikeout to walk ratio in 166.2 innings. He was pretty inconsistent start to start, but when he was on, he looked like the future ace the Cardinals thought they drafted in the first round (19th overall) out of Gonzaga back in 2013.

Texas Rangers: Willie Calhoun (2 HR, .222/.269/.333, 0 SB, 55 wRC+, -0.6 fWAR)
Ah, another bust (at least for now). For the second straight season, Calhoun struggled to catch on in the majors, and we'll have to wait another year to see whether his power is the real deal. Among rookies expected to make an impact in 2018, Calhoun was among the biggest disappointments.

Atlanta Braves: Ronald Acuna (26 HR, .293/.366/.552, 16 SB, 143 wRC+, 3.7 fWAR)
I don't think the prediction that Acuna would break out was a particularly novel one, and Acuna certainly lived up to the hype by slashing .293/.366/.552 with 26 home runs as a 20 year old. Before the season, there was plenty of praise heaped on him as a future superstar, and so far he has only made those claims stronger. Acuna will be one of the game's better outfielders, if not one of the best, for a long time.

Miami Marlins: Lewis Brinson (11 HR, .199/.240/.338, 2 SB, 56 wRC+, -1.0 fWAR)
On the flip side, Lewis Brinson sucked, to put it frankly. Though he had occasional outbursts of power, he struggled to make contact and only got as much playing time as he did because the Marlins just plain needed him there. I'd rank him ahead of Calhoun as the biggest disappointment of the season just because of his higher pre-season expectations, but the 24 year old can try again next year.

New York Mets: Amed Rosario (9 HR, .256/.295/.381, 24 SB, 85 wRC+, 1.5 fWAR)
While Rosario's numbers don't pop out, good defense at shortstop and better performance later in the season helped him put up an admirable year for a 22 year old. I expect Rosario to continue to develop in 2019 and may then have the breakout we're all waiting for.

Philadelphia Phillies: J.P. Crawford (3 HR, .214/.319/.393, 2 SB, 96 wRC+, 0.3 fWAR)
While Crawford finally began to get some regular playing time after years of being a top prospect, his .214/.319/.393 line over 49 games is still well short of expectations. There's talk that the Phillies might bring in Manny Machado, but if they decide to stick with Crawford, he'll have another opportunity to prove himself next year. He turns 24 in January so he's still young, but he has been stagnant for long enough that some doubt is beginning to creep in.

Washington Nationals: Victor Robles (3 HR, .288/.348/.525, 3 SB, 131 wRC+, 0.5 fWAR)
Victor Robles was supposed to do what Juan Soto did this year, but an arm injury in April knocked him out for three months and by the time he returned, Soto was basically already Babe Ruth. Still, once he was called up for 21 games in September, he looked very good, slashing .288/.348/.525 with three home runs and playing his trademark great defense. It's not Robles' fault he was hurt for much of the season, and I see no reason to think he can't challenge for the 2019 NL Rookie of the Year Award.

Chicago Cubs: Eddie Butler (2-3, 5.62 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 29/19 K/BB, 49.2 IP)
I picked Butler as the Cubs' best breakout candidate, though I did note at the time that the roster was pretty much set and nobody was really likely to have a breakthrough season. Butler couldn't make it work in Chicago and was ultimately sent to Texas in the Cole Hamels deal, where he has been a mediocre reliever.

Cincinnati Reds: Luis Castillo (10-12, 4.30 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 165/49 K/BB, 169.2 IP)
So no, Castillo didn't break out, with his 3.12 ERA and 1.07 WHIP from 2017 being better than this year's marks of 4.30 and 1.22, respectively, though he did only throw 89.1 innings in 2017. However, Castillo looked much better in the second half, going 5-4 with a 2.44 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP over 11 starts, striking out 69 and walking 14 in 66.1 innings. He's perfectly capable of maintaining that over a full season, and I would not be surprised if next year was the big breakout.

Milwaukee Brewers: Josh Hader (6-1, 2.43 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 143/30 K/BB, 81.1 IP)
I was a little bit disappointed when the Brewers did not end up using Hader as a starter, but he was so good in relief this year (143 strikeouts...really??) that it's hard to regard 2018 as anything but an absolute success. Hader went from intriguing upside prospect to bullpen monster in one year, and he's likely not going anywhere.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Tyler Glasnow (2-7, 4.27 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 136/53 K/BB, 111.2 IP)
So Glasnow didn't exactly break out in 2018, but he did have consistent major league success for the first time in his career, so this is should be regarded as a partial success. I think the Rays will be a good place for him and that he could continue to build on his success next year.

St. Louis Cardinals: Miles Mikolas (18-4, 2.83 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 146/29 K/BB, 200.2 IP)
I don't think 2018 could have possibly gone better for Mikolas. He was very mediocre in his first three seasons in the majors from 2012-2014, but after three years in Japan from 2015-2017, he came back looking like an ace. He didn't overpower hitters, but he hit his spots and induced weak contact to make the NL All Star Team.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Taylor Clarke (did not play - spent year in AAA)
So Clarke did go 13-8 with a 4.03 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP in 2018 - at AAA Reno. He never got his shot in the Arizona rotation in 2018, so he'll try again in 2019, when he'll be 26.

Colorado Rockies: Ryan McMahon (5 HR, .232/.307/.376, 1 SB, 68 wRC+, 0.0 fWAR)
So he got his first significant MLB playing time, but ultimately he could not hang onto the first base job and slashed just .232/.307/.376 in 91 games. At this point, I'm not as confident in McMahon's ability to hold onto a first base job, with Ian Desmond currently getting time there and Grant Lavigne looking to make a quick run through the minors.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Walker Buehler (8-5, 2.62 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 151/37 K/BB, 137.1 IP)
Buehler had a fantastic rookie season in 2018, putting up a 2.62 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP over 24 games (23 starts) before dominating in the postseason. That marks three straight seasons in which a rookie put together not just a good but a great season, following Corey Seager and Cody Bellinger. Buehler looks like an ace in the making and will likely remain in the LA rotation for a long time.

San Diego Padres: Dinelson Lamet (did not play - injured)
Okay so in all, I lost three of my breakout picks to Tommy John surgery. That's unfortunate, because I was really looking forward to what Lamet could do in 2018 after striking out 28.7% of his opponents as a rookie in 2017. My second pick, Luis Perdomo, wasn't much better: 1-6, 7.05 ERA, 1.88 WHIP, 39/22 K/BB.

San Francisco Giants: Chris Stratton (10-10, 5.09 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 112/54 K/BB, 145 IP)
The numbers weren't great, but on the positive side, Stratton pitched a full season for the first time in his career and even threw a complete game, two hit shutout on September 14th against the Rockies. He'll never reach the potential the Giants thought he had when they took him in the first round (20th overall) out of Mississippi State in 2012, but he looks like he could be a moderately useful back-end starter.

One 2018 Breakout Star to Watch for Each Team: AL

At this time last year, your typical baseball fans knew little of Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, Joey Gallo, Robbie Ray, Andrew Benintendi, and Matt Olson. Now, that's a pretty impressive list of names. Looking forward to 2018, here is one player on each AL team that could break out and be a star by the end of the season. Age for the 2018 season is given in parentheses, NL edition coming soon.

Baltimore Orioles: C Chance Sisco (Age 23)

MLB: 2 HR, .333/.455/.778, 0 SB, 220 wRC+ in 10 games

AAA: 7 HR, .267/.340/.395, 2 SB, 107 wRC+ in 97 games

First off, it is much easier for a guy with a name like Chance Sisco to catch the media's attention than for someone like Brad Hand (you're doing great in San Diego, Brad), but Sisco is much more than his cool name. He obviously will never match the numbers he put up in that brief stint in Baltimore in 2017, but if he knocks incumbent Caleb Joseph off of catcher, he could compete for a Rookie of the Year Award. Good enough to stick behind the plate at the major league level, Sisco has a very good feel for hitting, as he has shown with high on-base percentages throughout his career, buoyed by a 10.4% walk rate. That should help him transition well to major league pitching, and with Camden Yards' short fences, his average power could play up. Catchers who can hit are hard to come by, so Sisco should be a very familiar face in Baltimore by the end of the season.

Others: OF Austin Hays, RHP Gabriel Ynoa, OF D.J. Stewart

Boston Red Sox: 3B Rafael Devers (Age 21)

MLB: 10 HR, .284/.338/.482, 3 SB, 111 wRC+ in 58 games

AA/AAA: 20 HR, .311/.377/.578, 0 SB, 159 wRC+ in 86 games

Devers had 92 too many at bats in 2017 to be considered a rookie for 2018, but that doesn't mean he won't be in the spotlight. After demolishing AA pitching (18 HR, .300/.369/.575) and AAA pitching (2 HR, .400/.447/.600), Devers earned a call up to Boston at just 20 years old, and he kept hitting. In 58 games, he knocked ten home runs and slashed .284/.338/.482, firmly establishing himself as a future star for the Red Sox. If he merely continues those rates over a full season in 2018, he'll end up with more than 20 home runs while putting his name into All Star consideration. If he builds on them, we could see a 30 home run season with on-base percentages north of .350, thrusting him into the "star" category at 21 years old. The next wave of talent is very much here in Boston, and it will be led by Devers, Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Jackie Bradley Jr., and Andrew Benintendi.

Others: 1B Sam Travis, LHP Jalen Beeks, C Blake Swihart

New York Yankees: 3B Miguel Andujar (Age 23)

MLB: 0 HR, .571/.625/.857, 1 SB, 298 wRC+ in 5 games

AA/AAA: 16 HR, .315/.352/.498, 5 SB, 132 wRC+ in 125 games

The Yankees have a chance to have back to back AL Rookies of the Year. Miguel Andujar hit well at AA Trenton (7 HR, .312/.342/.494) and better at AAA Scranton Wilkes-Barre (9 HR, .317/.364/.502), then had just about the best eight plate appearance MLB debut you can possibly have (two singles, two doubles, walk, stolen base, no strikeouts). An eight PA sample doesn't mean much, but it does show that Andujar at least won't be overmatched at the major league level, and the Yankees realize that. By trading Chase Headley, the Yankees have opened up a lane for Andujar to play and make an impact, which says a lot about what they think about the young man.
Others: RHP Chance Adams, SS Gleyber Torres, RHP Domingo German

Tampa Bay Rays: RHP Brent Honeywell (Age 23)
AA/AAA: 13-9, 3.49 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 172/35 K/BB, 136.2 IP in 26 starts
The Rays have a ton of players who could break out next year, particularly in the middle infield and starting pitching departments, but perhaps none have a better chance to make an impact than Brent Honeywell. The 22 year old seems like he has been a top prospect forever, and he seems ready after 24 successful starts at AAA Durham (12-8, 3.64 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 152/31 K/BB). With a good spring training, Honeywell and his famous screwball can crack the Tampa Bay rotation, and from there he could win 15 games in 2018 (not that wins accurately reflect his performance).
Others: OF Jake Bauers, SS Christian Arroyo, SS Willy Adames, RHP Jose De Leon
**Update: Honeywell tore his UCL and will miss the season, so scratch that

Toronto Blue Jays: OF Teoscar Hernandez (Age 25)
MLB: 8 HR, .261/.305/.602, 0 SB, 132 wRC+ in 27 games
AAA: 18 HR, .265/.351/.490, 16 SB, 120 wRC+ in 105 games
The Blue Jays have lots of depth, but the good news for Hernandez is that aside from Kevin Pillar, nobody looks to really have a lock on a starting spot in the outfield. Hernandez got some MLB exposure this past season and he made the most of it, slashing .261/.305/.602 with eight home runs and six doubles in just 27 games. The 36/6 strikeout to walk ratio leaves a bit to be desired, but the 102/47 ratio at AAA is a little better and he can hopefully get it going in 2018. The power he showed was very promising as he finally looks to be getting the most out of his lanky, 6'2" frame, and he could go 20-20 in 2018 if everything breaks right and he snags a starting spot. With a name like Teoscar Hernandez, he'll get noticed sooner rather than later.
Others: OF Anthony Alford, LHP Ryan Borucki, LHP Thomas Pannone

Chicago White Sox: 2B Yoan Moncada (Age 22-23)
MLB: 8 HR, .231/.338/.412, 3 SB, 104 wRC+ in 54 games
AAA: 12 HR, .282/.377/.447, 17 SB, 130 wRC+ in 80 games
With the White Sox' excellent farm sytem, there are plenty of young players who could make names for themselves in 2018, but the top has to be Yoan Moncada. The Cuban got his first extended MLB trial last year, slashing .231/.338/.412 with eight home runs in 54 games. Especially promising was the 12.6% walk rate, showing that he is ready to hit major league pitching and could be primed for a breakout. He also kicked it up a notch late in the season, slashing .299/.365/.517 with five of his eight home runs from September 9th onwards. In the minors, he has hit for contact and power while showing off plus speed, with some experience under his belt now, he can put that to good use in the majors.
Others: RHP Carson Fulmer, RHP Lucas Giolito, RHP Michael Kopech

Cleveland Indians: OF Bradley Zimmer (Age 25)
MLB: 8 HR, .241/.307/.385, 18 SB, 81 wRC+ in 101 games
AAA: 5 HR, .294/.371/.532, 9 SB, 149 wRC+ in 33 games
Bradley Zimmer played nearly a full season for the Indians in 2017, slashing .241/.307/.385 with eight home runs and 18 stolen bases in 101 games, but there is reason to believe that was only a sneak preview of what is to come in 2018. Zimmer showed pop, swatting 15 doubles and a pair of triples in addition to his eight home runs, as well as smart speed, getting caught stealing just once in nineteen attempts. While he does strike out a lot and will likely continue to do so throughout his MLB career, the rest of the tools point to him being a very productive player for Cleveland for a long time. That power/speed combination is hard to come by, especially from a 6'5" frame, and he has a very good chance of putting it all together in 2018 and becoming yet another young star on this Cleveland team.
Others: C/3B Francisco Mejia, LHP Shawn Morimando, 3B Yandy Diaz

Detroit Tigers: 3B Jeimer Candelario (Age 24)
MLB: 3 HR, .283/.359/.425, 0 SB, 111 wRC+ in 38 games
AAA: 15 HR, .265/.343/.484, 1 SB, 115 wRC+ in 110 games
A third baseman, Jeimer Candelario was blocked in Chicago by Kris Bryant, so trading him to Detroit and shifting incumbent third baseman Nick Castellanos to the outfield made perfect sense. Now, the 24 year old with a career .292/.374/.507 slash line at AAA finally has a shot, and he is looking to make the most of it. He brings power and patience to the batters' box, and with the spot open for him, he could put up a big season.
Others: OF Victor Reyes, IF Dixon Machado, OF JaCoby Jones

Kansas City Royals: SS Raul Mondesi (Age 22-23)
MLB: 1 HR, .170/.214/.245, 5 SB, 17 wRC+ in 25 games
AAA: 13 HR, .305/.340/.539, 21 SB, 119 wRC+ in 85 games
Could 2018 finally be Raul Mondesi's year? The shortstop has been a top prospect seemingly forever, cracking MLB.com's top 50 prospect lists in 2013 (#47), 2014 (#38), and 2015 (#33) before losing eligibility in 2016. Still just 22 years old, Mondesi is fast, a slick fielder, and competent with the bat. He figured out AAA in 2017, slashing .305/.340/.539, but he has yet to apply that to the majors, slashing a paltry .181/.226/.271 in 72 career games between 2016 and 2017. He was rushed through the minors, playing every level at a very young age, and it seems that that may not have been the best way to develop him, but if the AAA numbers are to be believed, he may have finally figured it out. The 14 home runs between AAA and the majors crushed his previous career high of nine, despite the fact that he posted the highest ground ball rate (46.6%) of his minor league career. Shortstop Alcides Escobar is back in Kansas City, but manager Ned Yost has stated that Mondesi has a shot at starting at second base.
Others: OF Jorge Soler, RHP Sam Gaviglio, RHP Trevor Oaks

Minnesota Twins: CF Byron Buxton (Age 24)
MLB: 16 HR, .253/.314/.413, 29 SB, 90 wRC+ in 140 games
AAA: 2 HR, .417/.462/.917, 0 SB, 283 wRC+ in 3 games
Once considered the top prospect in all of baseball, it has taken Byron Buxton's bat a little longer than anticipated to develop, but he showed hints of greatness despite the mediocre slash line. First off, Buxton is arguably the best defender in baseball, and his name absolutely deserves to be mentioned up there with Andrelton Simmons, Billy Hamilton, Nolan Arenado, and Yadier Molina already. That's already evident and fully proven. His base running is great, too, as he stole 29 bases in 30 attempts in 2017, giving him the third most stolen bases ever in a single season among players with zero or one times caught stealing. So he's already elite in two categories, but his bat is uninspiring at best. However, there is reason to believe the bat could come along in 2018, making him – honestly – an MVP candidate if it does, and it may already have. As of July 3rd, he was slashing .195/.272/.280 with just four home runs in 78 games. However, from the Fourth of July onwards, Buxton slashed .314/.359/.553 with 12 home runs in 61 games. Combine that with top notch defense and base running over a full season, and you absolutely have yourself an MVP candidate. If that second-half offensive outburst was for real, then Buxton could be a superstar.
Others: LHP Stephen Gonsalves, IF Nick Gordon, RHP Fernando Romero

Houston Astros: RHP David Paulino (Age 24)
MLB: 2-0, 6.52 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 34/7 K/BB, 29 IP in 6 starts
AAA: 0-1, 4.50 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 13/9 K/BB, 14 IP in 3 starts
Coming off a World Series Championship, the Astros are again arguably baseball's best team, so it will be hard for anyone new to break through and make an impact. That said, anything can happen, and former top prospect David Paulino would like to be one to make something happen. The 6'7" righty missed most of 2017 due to a PED suspension as well as bone spur issues, but he's expected to be ready for spring training. If Paulino can get his head in the right place (in addition to the 2017 PED suspension, he was briefly suspended in 2016 for "violating team policy"), there is immense talent here. He dominated the upper minors in 2016 to the tune of a 2.00 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, and a 106/19 strikeout to walk ratio in 90 innings, and if it hadn't been for the suspensions, he could have already established himself as a known major league commodity. The Houston rotation looks set with Dallas Keuchel, Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, Lance McCullers, and Charlie Morton, but watch out for David Paulino if any of those guys get hurt.
Others: OF Derek Fisher, RHP Francis Martes, 3B J.D. Davis

Los Angeles Angels: RHP/OF Shohei Ohtani (Age 23-24)
NPB Hitting: 8 HR, .332/.403/.540, 0 SB in 65 games
NPB Pitching: 3-2, 3.20 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 29/19 K/BB, 25.1 IP in 5 starts
This one is pretty straightforward. We all know who Shohei Ohtani is and it will be nearly impossible for him to live up to the incredibly lofty expectations placed on him, but he's going to try and we are more than excited to watch. Ohtani missed much of 2017 to injury, but back in a healthy 2016 season, he went 10-4 with a 1.86 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP over 21 starts on the mound while cracking 22 home runs and slashing .322/.416/.588 at the plate in Japan despite turning 22 halfway through the season. The general consensus is he is a better pitching prospect than hitting prospect, and I agree, and he'll likely post an ERA somewhere in the low to mid threes as a starter. At the plate, he does have strikeout issues which could make the transition a bit difficult, but he has 20 homer power and will be fun to watch as he looks to rack up numbers on both sides of the ball.
Others: LHP Andrew Heaney, RHP Jaime Barria, RHP Luke Bard

Oakland Athletics: RHP Jharel Cotton (Age 26)
MLB: 9-10, 5.58 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 105/53 K/BB, 129 IP in 24 starts
AAA: 3-0, 2.95 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 28/4 K/BB, 21.1 IP in 4 games (3 starts)
Jharel Cotton and his plus-plus changeup made a great first impression in a five game debut in 2016, going 2-0 with a 2.15 ERA, a 0.82 WHIP, and a 23/4 strikeout to walk ratio in 29.1 innings, but the going was a bit rougher in 2017. He was absolutely dominating at times (7 shutout innings on 2 hits, 3 walks, 6 strikeouts against the Royals on April 10th) and got blown up at others (gave up at least five earned runs in eight of his 24 starts), finishing 9-10 with a 5.58 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. He still possesses that wicked changeup and he commands everything fairly well, so if he can just get more consistent with his other pitches, Cotton could be the best starter on the A's this year.
Others: SS Franklin Barreto, RHP Daniel Gossett, RHP Paul Blackburn

Seattle Mariners: LHP Marco Gonzales (Age 26)
MLB: 1-1, 6.08 ERA, 1.75 WHIP, 32/11 K/BB, 40 IP in 11 games (8 starts)
High A/AAA: 8-4, 3.02 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 73/22 K/BB, 86.1 IP in 14 starts
The 19th overall pick of the 2013 draft out of Gonzaga, Gonzales missed chunks of 2015 with shoulder woes and all of 2016 to Tommy John surgery, then spent much of 2017 in AAA building himself back up. In them minors this year, Gonzales went 8-4 with a 3.02 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP over 14 starts, striking out 73 and walking 22 in 86.1 innings, all but six of which were in the hitter-friendly AAA Pacific Coast League. He was less effective in eight starts and three relief appearances in the majors, going 1-1 with a 6.08 ERA and a 1.75 WHIP in 40 innings. It's clear that Gonzales is immensely talented, but having been unable to keep his arm in commission for long stretches at a time, he hasn't really gotten a chance to get in his rhythm. Fully healthy for 2018, he could surprise as an effective starter for Seattle this year.
Others: 1B Mike Ford, RHP Andrew Moore, 1B Dan Vogelbach

Texas Rangers: OF Willie Calhoun (Age 23)
MLB: 1 HR, .265/.324/.353, 0 SB, 80 wRC+ in 13 games
AAA: 31 HR, .300/.355/.572, 4 SB, 133 wRC+ in 128 games
Last year, it was Joey Gallo posting a Texas-sized breakout season, and this year, Willie Calhoun looks like the most likely candidate to follow in his footsteps. Despite standing just 5'8", Calhoun packs a ton of punch for a little guy, crushing 70 home runs in his three pro seasons, with 11 in 2015, 27 in 2016, and 32 in 2017. He absolutely raked in the hitter-friendly AAA Pacific Coast League, cracking 31 home runs and slashing .300/.355/.572, walking in only 7.9% of his plate appearances but also striking out in just 11.4%. With nothing left to prove in the minors, there is space for him in the Rangers outfield to prove that he can translate that success to the majors, and he did slash a respectable .265/.324/.353 in a 13 game test. Again, in a small sample size, the 5.4% walk rate was low, but his 18.9% strikeout rate wasn't terrible for a 22 year old getting his very first taste of big league pitching. In a shallow Rangers outfield comprising of Calhoun, Nomar Mazara, Delino DeShields Jr., Ryan Rua, Drew Robinson, and occasionally Shin-Soo Choo (who will mostly DH in 2018), Calhoun will get every chance to snag a starting spot.
Others: LHP Yohander Mendez, 1B Ronald Guzman, OF Ryan Rua