The only thing fantasy baseball managers love more than drafting rookies is watching those players find success at the big league level. MLB’s new CBA will incentivize teams to let their youngsters cut their teeth in the majors, and the influx of talent has been a blessing to the fantasy community.
Jeremy Peña has made Astros fans forget about Carlos Correa, Matt Brash has been outstanding for the Mariners, and the Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki has easily lived up to the hype he came over with from Japan. In fact, their MLB debuts have been so strong, we already are salivating over the next wave. If you have the bench space to stash a player or two, another youth movement is headed your way.
The most obvious choice for promotion right now is Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman. Through 18 games and 70 at-bats for Triple-A Memphis, Gorman has a slash line of .343/.390/.800 with two doubles, 10 home runs and 15 RBIs, leaving many wondering why he hasn’t been called up yet.
St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Nolan GormanUSA TODAY Sports Paul DeJong and Edmundo Sosa, who currently share the shortstop work, are struggling both at the plate and in the field, so moving current second baseman Tommy Edman over to make room for Gorman seems like a no-brainer. Though manager Oliver Marmol isn’t ready to pull his veterans just yet, Gorman has little to prove at the minor league level and should get the call soon.
In Boston, it’s just a short matter of time before first baseman Triston Casas is promoted. The team has tired of Bobby Dalbec’s shortcomings and has already designated his platoon partner, Travis Shaw, for assignment. Though Casas has three doubles, four home runs and 12 RBIs through 71 at-bats at Triple-A Worcester, he is still honing his plate discipline, so the club is bringing up Franchy Cordero for now to serve as the lefty bat in a first base platoon. But anyone who has watched Cordero before knows he is nothing more than a bench player. Casas could be on his way before the end of May.
Both Gorman and Casas are considered top prospects within their respective organizations, so they are not going to fly under the radar. The key to being a successful fantasy manager is staying ahead of your competition, so don’t want to wait until they are promoted before adding them. It becomes more difficult in leagues with small rosters and short benches, but if you can shed some dead weight and stash them, you could be adding this season’s Rookies of the Year.
Howard Bender is the head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on Twitter @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy baseball advice.
