Anderson Espinoza

We didn’t see Espinoza pitch in 2017, and likely won’t see him pitch in 2018 either, as he underwent Tommy John surgery in late July/early August. The timetable could have been more favorable if he had gone under the knife when the forearm issue first popped up at the end of spring training, but the Padres exhausted all other options before sending one of their best pitching prospects for TJ. A 6-foot, 160-pound 19-year-old with ace-like stuff, Espinoza was always going to be coddled every step of the way, and that will only be exacerbated after this injury. He might not eclipse 100 innings again until 2020, at which point he could be knocking on the door of the majors, so expect lots of bullpen stints and shutdown periods in the years ahead. Frontline upside still exists, as he has the potential for three 70-grade pitches, but that is a projection -- he is far from a finished product. He should be kept in most dynasty leagues, but the road ahead will undoubtedly be long and arduous.

It is pretty rare for an 18-year-old pitching prospect to become a household name without really producing like a phenom above rookie ball. Espinoza has done just that, going from prized international signee in 2014, to hyped 17-year-old dominating the Dominican Summer and Gulf Coast leagues in 2015. His traditional numbers with Boston and San Diego's Low-A affiliates do not scream future frontline starter, but his FIP was just over 3.00 and he was almost four years younger than league average. He displayed a mid-90s fastball with late life, average command and signs that his curveball and changeup could develop into plus pitches. Espinoza is tricky to evaluate in dynasty leagues, because he could be the top pitching prospect in baseball at the All-Star break, but also carries all of the inherent risk that comes with undersized lower-level arms.

Espinoza, 18, was an international free agent signed in 2014 and made his organizational debut in 2015. The preternatural right-hander with a slight frame used his three-pitch mix (fastball, curveball, changeup) and mid-90s gas to blow away the competition in the Dominican Summer League and then the Gulf Coast League. He allowed five runs, 37 hits, and 12 walks while striking out 61 batters in 55 innings. The Red Sox think so highly of him, they gave Espinoza one start for Low-A Greenville. That start against the most advanced hitters he’s faced was predictably less successful, but Espinoza’s initial dominance has the organization thinking about an aggressive development path for him. He pitched in the Fall Instructional League, facing hitters several years older, and did not look out of place. His delivery is clean and repeatable and he keeps his fastball down in the zone. Espinoza will be a trendy pick in dynasty leagues, and while there is still significant lead time, he looks like he could be worth the wait.