Recently, I wrote about hitters I liked as breakout performers. Let's do the same thing for pitchers.
There are obvious candidates like Julio Urias of the Dodgers, Jon Gray of the Rockies or Carlos Rodon of the White Sox. What's more difficult is finding the Dallas Keuchel of 2015 or the Kyle Hendricks or Aaron Sanchez of 2016, the guys who surprise everyone by turning into Cy Young candidates.
Here are a few to keep an eye on for 2017.
The former top prospects
Jameson Taillon, Pittsburgh Pirates
2016 indicator: Command
The more I study Taillon, the more I like him. He didn't pitch in 2014 or 2015 after Tommy John surgery in April of 2014 and then a hernia operation in July of 2015. Despite the layoff, his rookie season was a huge success as he posted a 3.38 ERA over 18 starts and 104 innings (after starting the season in Triple-A).
Despite the long layoff from game action, he had just 17 walks in 104 innings. That's the Kyle Hendricks factor. Among pitchers with at least 100 innings, he finished 17th in ground ball rate. That's the Dallas Keuchel factor. Here's the thing, however: Taillon has a much better arm than those two, clocking in at 94.2 mph with his fastball velocity, with a big curveball his primary off-speed offering.