Daniel Norris

The numbers down the stretch look pretty good and that's because Norris moved away from a traditional starting role; Detroit limited Norris to exactly three innings in each of his final nine outings. The lefty took well to the new gig, posting a 3.33 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 27:7 K:BB in those 27 innings, compared to a 4.76 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 98:31 K:BB in his first 20 starts (117.1 IP). It made perfect sense to shorten him up, as Norris for the season saw his ERA go from 2.84 the first time through the order to 4.41 the second time through, and from 4.41 to 9.26 the third time through. Without the worry of having to turn a lineup over multiple times, Norris could max out, lean mostly on his fastball and change and save his slider for more favorable counts. The Tigers will have to turn to Norris often again in 2020, but in this role Norris' upside is limited since it seems he will rarely factor into decisions.

Last season didn’t go as planned for Norris, who missed nearly four months with a groin injury and finished the campaign with a 5.68 ERA and 1.45 WHIP across 44.1 innings (eight starts, three relief appearances). His career-worst ERA was driven by a below-average walk rate (3.9 BB/9) coupled with a spike in his home-run rate. The southpaw also saw a slight dip in his velocity, with his fastball averaging 90.2 mph after sitting at 93.2 mph in 2017, though that could have been related to his injury. It wasn’t all bad for Norris, however, as the 25-year-old managed to post a career-best 10.4 K/9 despite the drop in velocity, offering a reminder of his upside. Norris might once again slot into Detroit’s starting rotation to begin the 2019 season and could be worth a late-round flier, though his inconsistency and recent injury issues make him tough to trust.

Expectations were high for Norris after he notched a 4-2 record with a 3.38 ERA over 13 starts in 2016. Unfortunately for the Tigers and fantasy owners, Norris struggled out of the gates this past season and failed to recreate the success he found in his first full year in the Tigers' organization. The 24-year-old was sidelined for nearly two months with a groin strain and finished the season with a disappointing 5.31 ERA over 101.2 innings. He still has some heat on his fastball, with an average velocity over 93 mph, and three quality offerings (slider, curveball, changeup) to complement his primary pitch. However, his strikeout and walk rates both went in the wrong direction last season, with his K-BB percentage falling from 16.2 percent in 2016 to 9.1 percent in 2017. Norris has now battled injuries in two consecutive seasons and thus shouldn't be counted on as more than a sixth or seventh starter on a fantasy staff.

Part of the haul from the trade that sent David Price to Toronto, who brought back both Matt Boyd and Norris (plus a lefty relief prospect). Norris enjoyed a nice 69-inning sample, but back and oblique injuries kept him from a larger inning count. Thankfully, he did log another 86 innings in the minors, so if performance and health allow it, he'll be ready for a full season in 2017. His 93 mph fastball was eighth-best among lefties who threw at least 60 innings as a starter ahead of luminaries like Clayton Kershaw, David Price, and Chris Sale. Of course, pitching is more than velocity, but it's a good start. The fastball needs to improve versus righties (too many homers) if he wants to cut into the 152-point OPS platoon split, but he showed enough with the slider, changeup, and curve to justify the No. 2/No. 3 starter upside he was tabbed with as a prospect. Buy.

Norris had a crazy season: a 25-man roster spot out of camp, a demotion, a trade, a FIFTY-FOUR pitch inning and then a cancer diagnosis at season’s end. By late-October, his thyroid surgery was declared successful and he was deemed cancer free. Obviously continued health will be the primary focus ahead of baseball, though an idea of his 2016 plan should be known by draft season. On the field he showed flashes of his top-notch upside, but also plenty of evidence that he’s far from a finished product. He tightened up the walk rate with Detroit, going from 4.6 to 1.7 BB/9, but the trade-off was more hittable pitches and a surge in homers allowed, suggesting he was exhibiting more control than command. Control is simply hitting the zone; command is placing it in the zone. This is the profile type to bet on because it could all come together in a big way, but do so with a late-round pick because it’s unlikely and if it goes south then you move on.

The Blue Jays were incredibly aggressive with Norris in 2014, as the 21-year-old southpaw climbed three full levels, finishing the season with a cup of coffee in Toronto. His strikeout rate in the minor leagues kept getting better as he faced more advanced hitting. Norris posted strikeout rates of 29 percent (66.1 innings), 31.6% (35.2 innings) and 44.7% (22.2 innings) at High-A, Double-A and Triple-A, respectively, and in turn, his prospect stock exploded. The curveball and slider will both work as finishing pitches against big league hitters (as long as he can locate his mid-90s fastball early in the count) and minor league hitters simply did not have a chance against his advance repertoire. Norris posted a 2.53 ERA and 1.15 WHIP, allowing just 96 hits in 124.2 innings across three levels. That said, he still profiles as more of a mid-rotation starter in the big leagues, with perhaps better-than-average strikeout totals. Norris has a chance to start the season at the back of the Blue Jays’ rotation.

Norris struggled in his first full professional season in 2012 going 2-4 with an 8.44 ERA in 42.2 innings (12 starts). The lefty spent most of his time in the Appalachian League and had a brief stint with short-season Vancouver (Northwest League). He did, however, post a strong 9.1 K/9 thanks to an electric fastball that occasionally reaches 96 mph. Norris' secondary pitches are still developing, but after a full offseason of work, the 20-year-old should see the opportunity to step up in 2013 with a full-season assignment to Low-A Lansing.

The Jays landed Norris in the 2nd round due to some contract demands but he rewarded the Jays nicely. A low-to-mid 90s fastball is complemented with a nice breaking ball and changeup and he could move quickly. He'll make his pro debut this season.