In 2011, there were rookies that turned into gold for speculative fantasy baseball owners. An impact rookie can either be a pleasant surprise or someone who was expected to flourish in the Show. Craig Kimbrel, Freddie Freeman, Jeremy Hellickson, and Mark Trumbo all had undeniably good rookie campaigns and took their talents to a different level last season.
Here are the top five rookies poised to make the most noise this season:
- Matt Moore, Rays, SP – For those who haven’t heard about Tampa Bay’s rookie sensation, expect to hear all about him this upcoming season. Last season, Moore made his first major league start in New York against the Yankees by throwing five scoreless innings and recording eleven strikeouts. The Rays have all the confidence in the world in Moore, evident by him starting Game 1 of the American League Divisional Series against Texas. Moore threw seven scoreless innings of two-hit baseball in that playoff debut and is about to earn his five-year, $14 million contract.
- Bryce Harper, Nationals, OF – The first overall draft pick in 2010 got off to a sensational start in Washington’s farm system last season. Harper batted .297 with 17 home runs and 58 RBI. He also swiped 26 bags to further prove his five-tool talent. The Nationals hope to soon have him in the middle of their lineup.
- Julio Teheran, Braves, SP – Last season at the trade deadline, Teheran was the number one target for other teams in discussions with the Braves. However, from the Braves perspective, he was off limits. Teheran had a 15-3 record along with a 2.55 ERA with Gwinnett last season. He was named the International League’s Most Valuable Pitcher. Teheran has the potential to pitch at the top of the rotation. If the Braves encounter any injury issues with Tim Hudson, Tommy Hanson, or Jair Jurrjens, Teheran may be the first person to get that welcomed phone call.
- Jesus Montero, Mariners, C – Fresh off the cusp of being traded to the Mariners for Michael Pineda, Montero enters Seattle with high expectations. Last season, he hit .328 with four home runs and 12 RBI in only 61 at-bats. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was quoted as saying “He may well be the best player I’ve ever traded.”
- Yu Darvish, Rangers, SP – Coming from Japan, Darvish enters the Major League Baseball season with both expectations and question marks. Due to the loss of CJ Wilson, Texas made Darvish a top priority and signed him to a six-year, $60 million contract. In Japan, Darvish posted a career record of 93-38 with an ERA of 1.99 with 1,259 strikeouts.