Welcome to the first edition of a new series. This article will discuss recently promoted prospects and the fantasy impact that owners can expect to receive from them.

On weeks where there are no prospects promoted, I will discuss some sleeper prospects who have been in the majors for a bit who may be expected to have a bigger impact moving forward.

Editors Note: Check out all of RotoBaller's MLB prospects analysis here. You can also head over to the prospect rankings dashboard. Our Rankings Assistant is a handy free tool where you can find team-specific prospect breakdowns, tiered positional rankings, 500+ player outlooks, dynasty ranks and more - all in one easy place.

 

Week Five Fantasy Baseball Rookie Call-Ups

Michael Fulmer (SP, DET)

Own In: 10+ Team Leagues

The Detroit Tigers’ top prospect according to MLB.com, Michael Fulmer recently made his debut for the Tigers against Minnesota. The Twins did manage seven hits and a walk, but Fulmer limited their scoring to only two runs (both earned) and struck out four over five innings of work. Though his debut was far from perfect, Fulmer is a very intriguing prospect for most fantasy leagues.

The 23-year-old right-hander has shown throughout his Minor League career a propensity to strike out batters, having struck out 8.0 batters per nine innings at every level that he accumulated at least 50 IP. He has also demonstrated a respectable ability to throw strikes and prevent free passes (2.17 BB/9 in 2015, 3.10 BB/9 in 2014). As if things couldn’t get any better, Fulmer has also been very reliable at keeping the ball in the park (0.58 HR/9 in 2015, 0.73 HR/9 in 2014).

There is no question that Fulmer has the stuff to be a solid starting pitcher for the Tigers, but fantasy owners also need to understand that he is no future ace. At his ceiling, Fulmer is a fringe number two starter and likely profiles as a third starter. Since his ceiling is a bit limited, he serves as a desperation play for owners in 8 team leagues, but for leagues with 10 or more teams, he could be a real solid sleeper and provide some serious fantasy value.

 

Sean Manaea (SP, OAK)

Own In: All Leagues

Sean Manaea did not find nearly as much luck in his MLB debut as did the Tigers’ right-hander. He faced off against the Houston Astros and while he did last five innings and only surrendered four hits, he was touched up for four runs, mainly based on the strength of the four walks he provided the Astros, and only managed to strike out three. This should be viewed as an outlier, however, as Manaea is too talented to have too many bad outings.

Throughout his professional career, Manaea has displayed nothing but success and insane strikeout upside. He has a K/9 above 10.0 at every level and has kept his ERA below 3.70 at every level. The 24-year-old southpaw has been the furthest thing from an innings eater as he has only threw 100.0 IP last year and 121.2 the year before last, but that was largely the result of a minor injury and him shifting from several different levels. Many would believe that someone with as many strikeouts as Manaea, there would be concerns about command, especially after a rough 2014 saw him deliver a 3.99 BB/9. But Manaea made great strides in that area last season as he walked only 2.88 batters per nine.

Sure, his first outing was a bit rough, but Sean Manaea is still a must-own prospect by all regards. Generally regarded as one of the better left-handed pitchers in baseball (the number seven lefty according to MLB.com), Manaea has immense strikeout potential that many other pitching prospects (like Fulmer) cannot provide. Though he will occasionally have a clunker, the A’s’ lefty is worth owning in all leagues.

 

Jose Berrios (SP, MIN)

Own In: All Leagues

The first real true ace on this list, Jose Berrios is as talented as they come. It was widely speculated that Berrios might not see much time in the bigs until later with the Twins showing some reluctance to promote their young righty, but after placing both Kyle Gibson and Ervin Santana on the 15-day DL, it was Berrios’ name called to take a spot in the rotation. And though he was really kicked around in his first start against Cleveland (4.0 IP, 5 R (5 ER), 6 H, 2 BB, 5 K), he looked much sharper his second time out against Houston, delivering 5.1 innings of three-hit, two run baseball with eight strikeouts (the five walks should absolutely be considered an anomaly).

Jose Berrios is everything that fantasy owners would want in a starting pitcher. He has near elite command (2.05 BB/9 in 2015, 2.44 BB/9 in 2014), strikeout stuff (9.47 K/9 in 2015, 9.00 K/9), and has never allowed an opponent’s batting average over .260 in his MiLB career. Scouts praise his stuff, clamoring about his three above average pitches (his fastball and curveball are considered well above-average).

The soon-to-be 22-year-old has a very bright future and it starts this year. Berrios may have been promoted as an injury replacement, but the underlying assumption has always been that once promoted he will not return to the minors. He is in a good position to be the Twins’ first real ace since Johan Santana and should absolutely be owned in all leagues.

 

Aaron Blair (SP, ATL)

Own In: 12+ Team Leagues

Acquired from the Diamondbacks in the blockbuster Shelby Miller deal, Aaron Blair had turned in a sterling Braves AAA debut as he posted a 1.42 ERA and 2.34 FIP (largely the result of a 10.42 K/9). Many believed that he could be a guy with high strikeout upside in the majors, but so far has struggled to rack up gaudy strikeout totals for fantasy owners as he only owns a 3.18 K/9 in two starts already.

There is no denying that Blair is a talented prospect, but he is not as good as he has been hyped up to be. Fantasy owners expecting Blair to improve exponentially in the strikeout category will be largely disappointed as he has a track record of being more of a groundball pitcher than a high-caliber strikeout artist. Blair will not kill himself with walks (as evidence by a walk rate that has gone over 3.50 only once in his MiLB career), but last season he only mustered a 6.17 K/9 in Double-A and Triple-A. Blair is expected to remain in the Braves’ rotation and is nothing if not an innings-eater, but fantasy owners should not put expectations too high.

The 24-year-old right-hander looks very likely to reach his ceiling as a Mike Leake-type number three starter, but he is no elite fantasy baseball asset. He will have some value for owners in 12+ team leagues. Fantasy owners should not expect anything in the way of punchouts, but 150 IP of 3.40 ERA baseball with a 6.50 K/9 seems likely for him to be able to reach.

 

Tim Adleman (SP, CIN)

Own In: Deep/NL-only Leagues

Tim who?! Tim Adleman, a lesser known pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds who recently made his debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Adleman delivered 6.0 innings of two run, three hit baseball while walking only two and striking out six. With Raisel Iglesias out on the 15-day DL and delays in the rehabbing of both Anthony DeSclafani and Homer Bailey, owners can expect Adleman to be in the Reds’ rotation at least for a few more games.

Adleman has been nothing if not consistent throughout his professional career. Though he struggled in the early going with Baltimore and in High-A with Cincinnati, Adleman has since delivered back-to-back Double-A stints of sub-3.00 ERA seasons (2.64 in 2015 and 2.85 in 2014). His FIP has indicated that while he likely will regress, he can still be counted on for decent production. Much like Aaron Blair, Adleman should not be counted on for any strikeout production as his highest MiLB strikeout rate has been 7.86 in 79.0 innings in 2014 Double-A. What the 28-year-old righty will do is keep the ball in the yard (0.55 HR/9 in Double-A) and limit free baserunners (2.71 BB/9 in Double-A).

With little upside and an atrocious Reds bullpen that costs every starting pitcher a win, Adleman should not be considered owning in any fantasy league with fewer than 14 owners. He is best suited for deeper leagues and for NL-only leagues and only as a temporary fix since he will more than likely return to the minors or the bullpen upon the returns of DeSclafani, Iglesias, Bailey, and Lamb.

 

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