The Next Big Thing Continued…
So we’ve looked at Nolan Reimold and Dexter Fowler, but now it’s time to look at two other potential stars that could help you claim that coveted fantasy trophy. Don’t forget the lessons of Hanley Ramirez, Brian McCann, and Ryan Braun over the last couple of years. If you play your cards right, you can go out and pluck an available future mega-star.
Cameron Maybin – All you have to know is that he was the centerpiece of a trade that landed Detroit Miguel Cabrera. People have soured on him as of late because he has yet to hit big league pitching. The reality is that he’s barely 22 (as of April) and he has really attempted to refine his approach to hitting over the last couple of months in the minors. He’s striking out roughly once every six times up, which is a significant improvement from his 1:3 ratio last season. He’s hitting .323 with a .404 OBP and while the production has been poor, the new found approach coupled with his immense potential will likely translate to big numbers for the 6’4” versatile monster. He’s likely to get a call up in the next month and now would be the time to act if you want a potential break out star.
Madison Bumgarner – So you’re kicking yourself. You missed out on Tommy Hanson. Last season you pooped away your chances at Cueto. It’s time to start positioning your waiver position to get the next big thing in pitching (and it sure isn’t Stephen Strasburg). Bumgarner is an absolute freak. The fact that he’s 19 and 4-1 with a 2.13 era in AA is pretty impressive, but that’s not exactly a shocking development. He was the 9th best prospect as rated by Baseball America to start the year and if BA were to release a current list, he’d likely be a strong candidate for the second spot (behind everyone’s newest dreamy future bust). Noted prognosticator John Sickels has already gone on record that he thinks Bumgarner is better. I think he’s a better pickup than the next Paul Wilson (sorry Stephen) or even David Price (not that David Price is available), but if I were ranking my six potential second half beasts in order, he’d probably be number six. Still, the upside is there, but predicting it for a 20 year old isn’t always the surest bet.
