RADIO
It seems I have a thing right now for second base prospects picked in the 13th round. Just ask Micah Johnson. There haven't been many familiar names out of the top 300 picked in the 13th round these past ten years. The odds are not in favor of both Johnson and Devon Travis being successful. I'm here to tell you that, if I were a betting man, I'd take those odds.
In Travis' minor league career he's a .318/.383/.479 hitter. With a career average over .300 you'd think some people would pay attention. In fact, considering that Travis swatted 10 homers in only 237 at-bats in 2013, you'd think a lot more people would be paying attention.
That's the great thing about Travis' game. No one aspect defines him. He's an all around efficient player who has hit for average, a good amount of power, and a bit of speed throughout his minor league career.
Keep in mind that these numbers are only from Double-A, though. We all know the competition at that level doesn't come close to comparing to facing Major League pitching staffs. Another knock against Travis is he doesn't have the speed that some others may have at the position. While Micah Johnson once stole 86 bags in a year, the most that Travis has ever stolen is 16. That's not a bad total, but I'm sure many expect higher totals from a young second baseman.
However, just like his pal Johnson, Travis has a lot going in his favor. He's done enough this spring for Jays' manager Jay Gibbons to endorse him. Plus, if he does play, he'll be the every day second baseman in Toronto in light of Maicer Izturis pulling his groin. In other words, the stars are aligning for Travis to take the Jays' second base job and run with it.
Toronto's lineup is a great place to be a rookie. The likes of Josh Donaldson, Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista, and Jose Reyes will help carry you even if you struggle. Additionally, Rodgers Centre was among the top ten parks to hit in last year according to park factors. Simply put, if Travis can be a league average second baseman he'll have value due to the litany of other factors working to his favor.
This profile of Travis suggests the potential to be similar to another underrated second baseman in both the fantasy community and the MLB. Remember, Daniel Murphy was drafted in the 13th round as well. Yet he consistently puts up numbers and finds himself among the top at his position annually. I could easily see Travis developing into that type of player with his compact swing and high rate of contact.
I'd caution you not to expect those kinds of results right away. Travis will likely have the rookie ups and downs that many others do. Still, maybe he won't. He seems to defy all expectations and has ever since he was drafted. Why stop now?
