Top MLB Prospects for 2017: The Pitchers (Part 2 of 2)

During the past three weeks, I’ve been reviewing the 12 rookie hitters and 12 rookie pitchers that could make signifiant waves in Major League Baseball — and help your fantasy squad — in 2017. Last week, I took a look at the first six pitchers and today I’ll be reviewing the final six. You can also read Part 1 and Part 2 for the freshman hitters.

Potential Impact Rookie Pitchers for 2017 (part 2 of 2):

Anthony Banda, LHP, Diamondbacks: Arizona will likely trot out a starting rotation made up entirely of pitchers drafted, signed and developed by other organizations. Banda is another import — and was also a lesser known prospect until recently. A former Brewers draft pick, the southpaw has seen his velocity spike in the past year and he now sits far more consistently in the mid-90s. Add in a plus curveball and decent changeup and you have a pretty interesting arm. Banda has the stuff to dominate hitters and develop into a strikeout pitcher. He’s also shown his durability by compiling more than 150 innings in each of the past two seasons and could be set for 175+ innings in 2017. Banda, 23, will likely split the year between triple-A and the Majors but he’ll need an injury — or for another pitcher to stumble — before he gets his first shot at The Show.

Koda Glover, RHP, Nationals: The Nationals made some noise early in the offseason by acquiring outfielder Adam Eaton and then by adding veteran catcher Matt Wieters as spring training began. However, the club did not really address the bullpen needs and will possibly enter the season with an inexperienced closer — and it could come down to Shawn Kelley, Blake Treinen or Glover. The rookie hurler emerged from near obscurity in 2016 by playing at three minor league levels before reaching the majors for 19.2 innings. He has swing-and-miss stuff with a mid-to-upper-90s fastball and wipeout breaking ball. Glover’s command, though, has been inconsistent and it could stand between him and the closer’s gig. My money is on Treinen earning the first shot at closing for the Nationals in 2017 but I fully expect Glover to be the man no later than the ’18 season. If that’s the case, he could spend the coming year racking up strikeouts and holds as a set-up man for Washington.

Stephen Gonsalves, LHP, Twins: This lefty’s name is probably one of the least recognizable on the four lists I’ve compiled in recent weeks. Gonsalves was originally drafted in the fourth round of the 2013 draft and has methodically worked his way up through the Minnesota system. He had a breakout year in 2016 while splitting his time between high-A and double-A — where he had a 1.82 ERA with just 43 hits allowed in 74.1 innings. If he can get off to a quick start to ’17, he could be in the Majors in the summer. The Twins’ rotation should open the year with a mix of modest veteran arms and unproven younger players with varying ceilings. Gonsalves, 22, has a chance to be a solid mid-rotation arm if his command/control holds up and his four-pitch repertoire continues to develop.

Jeff Hoffman, RHP, Rockies: For many years, Rockies pitchers were to be avoided in fantasy baseball as many a heart has been broken. Now, though, there have been some breakthroughs with pitching in Colorado and the organization boasts an impressive collection of high-ceiling arms led by Jon Gray. Hoffman, 24, has been known to scrape 100 mph in the past but he’s far more effective when he’s pitching in the 93-96 mph range. He’s also becoming much more of a pitcher and could eventually end up with three or four better-than-average offerings. The former Blue Jays draft pick got his feet wet in The Show last year with eight starts (31.1 innings) so he has a strong shot at holding off both German Marquez and Chris Rusin for the fifth-starter’s gig — he just needs to do a better job of keeping the ball in the park after allowing seven homers during his debut.

Francis Martes, RHP, Astros: The Astros spent some coin in the offseason to improve the team but the focus was primarily on the hitters and less so on the pitching staff, save perhaps for Charlie Morton. As a result, Martes could be a busy man at the big league level if veterans Dallas Keuchel and Collin McHugh continue to struggle or Lance McCullers’ injury issues crop up again. Just 21, the right-hander spent all of last year in double-A and also showed well in the Arizona Fall League. He pitched a career high in innings and just missed 150 frames so he could be good for about 175 in 2017. Martes has two plus-pitches in his heater and curveball and the changeup shows flashes of also being an above-average offering.

Jared Miller, RHP, Diamondbacks: The 6-7 left-handed beast has taken to relieving like a fish to water — after originally starting his pro career as a starter. He had a breakout season in 2016 and pitched at four levels with 80 strikeouts in 61.1 innings. He then finished his season in the Arizona Fall League where he struck out 30 batters in 18.1 innings. Miller can reach the mid-to-upper 90s with his heat and also has a wipeout breaking ball but his command/control was a little inconsistent in the upper levels of the minors and, with only 6.0 innings of experience above double-A (unless you count the AFL stint), he’s perhaps the most unproven arm on this list. But the Diamondbacks bullpen also doesn’t have a ton of depth so he’ll likely earn a shot sooner rather than later and he has closer potential written all over him.