Last season bought about one of the most talented rookie classes baseball has seen in some time. While the class was strong, Bryce Harper and Mike Trout were the two players who stood out as the future of the game. In 2013, another name joined their ranks. Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado churned out a fantastic sophomore season, which could earn him some low-end MVP votes. It’s fairly rare for players as young as Machado to be in the majors, let alone perform at a near-MVP level. Harper and Trout may have received all the headlines last season, but Machado has forced his way into that conversation after a strong 2013.

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Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury is in the middle of a resurgent season. It couldn’t come at a better time for Ellsbury, as he’s slated to be a free-agent once the playoffs end. Ellsbury may not add any more value to his regular season numbers, as a fractured foot threatens to keep him out until close to the playoffs. Even then, it’s tough to know whether he’ll be healthy enough to pad his free-agent case. Ellsbury should be an interesting case once he hits the market. The 29-year-old has flashed the ability to be one of the best players in the game, but injuries have limited his production over his career. Those issues make it difficult to determine how much Ellsbury will command on the market.

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Ian Desmond has come a long way. Two years ago, Desmond was in the conversation for worst regular in the majors. He couldn’t hit, rarely walked and didn’t even provide value on defense. At 25-years-old, it wasn’t as if Desmond was a young prospect figuring things out. Just when it looked like he was a lost cause, Desmond started to figure things out. Over the past two seasons, he’s taken himself from borderline starter to one of the best shortstops in the game.

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Few players have exceeded expectations more than Jonathan Lucroy. At age-24, Lucroy was forced into a full-time role with the Milwaukee Brewers. It showed, as Lucroy’s posted a .282 wOBA. Things improved slightly in year-two, but it was starting to look like Lucroy was a stop-gap defensive catcher. But something changed in 2012. Lucroy exploded out of the gate, hitting .320/.368/.513 before a broken hand prematurely ended his season. While there were some questions about Lucroy’s ability to continue playing at that level, he’s quieted the doubters this season. He’s managed to turn himself into one of the best all-around catchers in the game.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates are in a great position to end their 20-year playoff drought. The club showed a willingness to go all-in Tuesday, acquiring both Marlon Byrd and John Buck. There’s also some talk that team could also make a play for Twins first baseman Justin Morneau. The focus on offense shouldn’t come as a surprise, as the team has been led by strong pitching all year. Overall, Pirates pitchers rank fifth with a 3.49 FIP. Aside from Gerrit Cole, the team hasn’t seen major contributions from their young prospects yet. Instead, the team has seen huge payoffs from the most unlikely sources.

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One of best players of all time is available in nearly 40% of fantasy leagues. Alright, that’s not entirely fair. Alex Rodriguez has performed well in his brief stint this season, but his skills are greatly diminished. Still, based on what he’s done in the past, there’s no reason the 37-year-old should be available in so many leagues. On the opposite end, one youngster is getting his chance to make his mark in the majors. Avisail Garcia has only played 12 games with his new club, but he’s shown signs of life. Both players deserve to be owned more.

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We’ve officially reached the calm before the storm. With just a month and a half to go, the National League starting pitcher tiers have finally started to settle in. Once September rolls around, and teams start calling up prospects, it all goes to hell again. While the trading deadline has passed in most fantasy leagues, there’s still a chance to take stock of potential keepers, or cut dead weight for a potentially better player on the waiver wire. With Breaking Bad being such a topical subject, the tiers will be a ranking of the best characters on the show. Please keep in mind the players are tiered. If Homer Bailey and Shelby Miller are in the same tier, that means I value them about the same. It doesn’t mean whichever player is listed first is better. Enjoy.

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Chris Sale was far from a polished pitcher by the time he was drafted by the White Sox. Armed with two above-average pitches, some analysts believed he was bound for the bullpen. But in his brief time in the minors, Sale worked on a devastating slider. The pitch was so effective that Sale scrapped what many scouts believed to be his most dominant pitch, his changeup, during his stint in the club’s bullpen. The slider continued to be a dominant force in the rotation during Sale’s 2012 breakout, and has become the pitch most people associate as Sale’s best weapon. The slider may be what Sale is known for, but the changeup has always been his best pitch.

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Few prospects dominate the majors immediately. Ike Davis and Justin Smoak had so much promise once upon a time, only to see their stars dim in recent years. Coming into the season, Davis was still a somewhat promising player, whose struggled through an early illness in 2012. Smoak had already been written off as a bust. While the struggles continue for Davis, he’s starting showing signs of life after a recent promotion. Smoak is starting to show effectiveness in the majors for the first time in his career. There may still be hope for the former prospects.

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Few players can hold a candle to Bryce Harper. At an age where most kids are still in college, Harper has already emerged as one of the best players in baseball. After a strong rookie year, Harper has taken a step forward in year two. His walk rate is up, strikeout rate is down and his .378 wOBA is 20 points higher than last season. There is, however, one area where Harper has looked mortal. In his first season-and-a-half in the majors, Harper has shown a significant platoon split.

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