Saturday, November 25, 2017

Fantasy Focus: Impact Rookies- Walker Buehler

As if don't have a disgusting amount of talent already at the MLB level, they have more on the way, an in the near future.  The Bad Guys drafted Walker Buehler #24 overall in the 2015 draft out of Vanderbilt.  He pitched just 5 total innings between 2015 and 2016 due to Tommy John surgery.  He made up for lost time in 2017 and then some as he rocketed through 3 minor league levels with a callup to the majors in September.   In the process, he regularly made headlines with spectacular performances and frequent triple digit readings on the radar guns.

High A:  0-0, 1.10, 16.1 IP, 14.88 K/9, 2.76 BB/9, 53.6 GB%.
AA:  2-2, 3.49, 49.0 IP, 11.76 K/9, 2.76 BB/9, 51.2 GB%.
AAA:  1-0, 7.71, 9.1 IP, 11.57 K/9, 7.71 BB/9, 66.7 GB%.

Buehler's FB average a tad over 98 MPH in the majors and he threw it 70% of the time.  He backed that up with a curveball which he threw about 20% and a slider for the other 5%. Despite that repertoire he had a severe reverse L-R split at both AAA and MLB levels albeit in small samples.  He might need to develop a changeup if he wants to have a career as a starter at the MLB level.  I would think he starts 2018 in AAA and will likely be called up again sometime midseason.  I expect his results will be better the next time.  He will only be fantasy relevant in most formats if he either starts or closes games for the Dodgers next year.

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