Fantasy Bio Blast: Tyler Glasnow to make MLB debut for Pirates
At long last, Pittsburgh Pirates top prospect, fantasy baseball star-in-waiting and the eighth-best prospect according to MLB.com, Tyler Glasnow will make his debut Thursday against the Cardinals.
Glasnow was 7-2 with a 10.59 K/9 and 1.78 ERA in 17 Triple-A starts this season. However, and Julio Urias owners can empathize, the pitching prospect has endured command issues to the tune of 4.88 walks per nine innings. Triple-A offenses don’t make you pay for walking them as much as patient major league hitters.
Glasnow will be the 12th starting pitcher 22 years old-or-younger to make their MLB debut this season. As you can see in the table below, I’ve included his teammates Jameson Taillon (now on the DL), Steve Brault and Chad Kuhl to stress Pittsburgh’s urgency to promote their top arms.
| Pitcher | Team | ER Allowed In Debut | Win Debut? |
| Robert Stephenson | Reds | 3 | Yes |
| Blake Snell | Rays | 1 | No Decision |
| Aaron Blair | Braves | 3 | No |
| Michael Fulmer | Tigers | 2 | Yes |
| Jose Berrios | Twins | 5 | No |
| Julio Urias | Dodgers | 3 | No Decision |
| Daniel Mengden | Athletics | 2 | No |
| Zach Eflin | Phillies | 8 | No |
| Cody Reed | Reds | 4 | No Decision |
| Lucas Giolito | Nationals | 0 | No Decision (Rain) |
| Steven Brault (24) | Pirates | 1 | No Decision |
| Jameson Taillon (24) | Pirates | 3 | No Decision |
| Chad Kuhl | Pirates | 3 | Yes |
The list also urges fantasy baseball owners expecting immediate impact to temper expectations. If you look at the list, it’s safe to say the Tigers' Michael Fulmer is the only arm to live up to lofty expectations of his prospect status. Guys like the Twins' Jose Berrios, Dodgers' Urias and Reds' Robert Stephenson experienced uber-growing pains jumping from the minors to the majors. Because starting pitching is at a premium on the waiver wire, Glasnow should be owned should he embrace his inner-Fulmber and produce at a positive level. It's just those walks that make me nervous to promote him as the next Sandy Koufax.
Speaking of MLB's Youth Movement
A lot was made last night about baseball’s unofficial changing of the guard and “Hello, world” moment for a new class of MLB stars.
For the first time in All-Star history, the American League infield and catcher are all 26 years old-or-younger. The starting shortstops, Red Sox Xander Bogaerts and Cubs Addison Russell, are both 24 years old – also a first.
On the bump, 46 pitchers, 24 years old or younger have made a start during the 2016 season with 19 of them making 10-or-more starts in the first half of the season. Ten of those who made 10-or-more starts own a K/9 rate higher than 8.00. This new generation of starter have a knack for punching out hitters, but also come with a higher risk of arm trouble as is evident around the league.
| 2016 Starting Pitchers 24 Years Old or Younger | |||||||
| Name | Age | GS | W | K/9 | ERA | WHIP | xFIP |
| Julio Urias | 19 | 8 | 1 | 10.90 | 4.95 | 1.54 | 3.77 |
| Lucas Giolito | 21 | 1 | 0 | 2.25 | 0.00 | 0.75 | 5.85 |
| Jose Berrios | 22 | 4 | 1 | 12.00 | 10.20 | 2.13 | 5.00 |
| Lance McCullers | 22 | 9 | 4 | 11.21 | 3.57 | 1.57 | 3.29 |
| Luis Severino | 22 | 7 | 0 | 6.94 | 7.46 | 1.69 | 4.01 |
| Zach Eflin | 22 | 5 | 1 | 4.60 | 4.30 | 1.16 | 4.73 |
| Jose Fernandez | 23 | 16 | 10 | 13.10 | 2.69 | 1.03 | 2.39 |
| Daniel Norris | 23 | 3 | 1 | 12.00 | 5.25 | 1.58 | 3.24 |
| Noah Syndergaard | 23 | 16 | 9 | 10.89 | 2.43 | 1.07 | 2.35 |
| Aaron Nola | 23 | 17 | 5 | 9.94 | 4.69 | 1.28 | 2.97 |
| Cody Reed | 23 | 4 | 0 | 9.90 | 9.00 | 1.85 | 4.23 |
| Archie Bradley | 23 | 10 | 3 | 9.31 | 4.81 | 1.40 | 4.04 |
| Daniel Mengden | 23 | 5 | 1 | 9.00 | 3.48 | 1.32 | 4.13 |
| Michael Fulmer | 23 | 12 | 8 | 8.92 | 2.17 | 1.09 | 3.82 |
| Carlos Rodon | 23 | 16 | 2 | 8.90 | 4.50 | 1.53 | 4.10 |
| Luis Perdomo | 23 | 6 | 2 | 8.90 | 6.75 | 1.74 | 3.33 |
| Taijuan Walker | 23 | 16 | 4 | 8.37 | 3.66 | 1.14 | 3.95 |
| John Gant | 23 | 4 | 1 | 8.20 | 3.38 | 1.18 | 3.84 |
| Joe Ross | 23 | 16 | 7 | 7.46 | 3.49 | 1.26 | 3.95 |
| Zachary Davies | 23 | 15 | 6 | 7.46 | 4.10 | 1.26 | 4.10 |
| Blake Snell | 23 | 5 | 1 | 7.01 | 3.86 | 1.71 | 5.32 |
| Matt Wisler | 23 | 16 | 3 | 6.79 | 4.20 | 1.27 | 4.84 |
| Henry Owens | 23 | 3 | 0 | 6.57 | 5.11 | 2.11 | 7.43 |
| Brandon Finnegan | 23 | 18 | 4 | 6.48 | 4.71 | 1.41 | 5.32 |
| Eduardo Rodriguez | 23 | 6 | 1 | 6.44 | 8.59 | 1.74 | 5.76 |
| Chad Kuhl | 23 | 2 | 1 | 5.73 | 4.09 | 1.36 | 5.73 |
| Robert Stephenson | 23 | 2 | 2 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 1.08 | 6.13 |
| Brock Stewart | 24 | 1 | 0 | 12.60 | 9.00 | 2.00 | 2.91 |
| Steven Brault | 24 | 1 | 0 | 11.25 | 2.25 | 1.50 | 4.26 |
| Vincent Velasquez | 24 | 14 | 7 | 10.78 | 3.34 | 1.24 | 3.58 |
| Robbie Ray | 24 | 17 | 4 | 10.53 | 4.78 | 1.55 | 3.61 |
| Jon Gray | 24 | 14 | 5 | 9.51 | 4.81 | 1.20 | 3.58 |
| Aaron Sanchez | 24 | 17 | 9 | 7.86 | 2.94 | 1.18 | 3.40 |
| Mike Foltynewicz | 24 | 8 | 2 | 7.50 | 4.29 | 1.31 | 4.50 |
| Cesar Vargas | 24 | 7 | 0 | 7.41 | 5.03 | 1.65 | 4.31 |
| Sean Manaea | 24 | 11 | 3 | 7.35 | 5.85 | 1.47 | 4.67 |
| Carlos Martinez | 24 | 16 | 7 | 7.04 | 2.90 | 1.13 | 3.92 |
| Jameson Taillon | 24 | 5 | 2 | 6.75 | 3.86 | 1.25 | 3.45 |
| Aaron Blair | 24 | 11 | 0 | 5.15 | 7.99 | 1.76 | 6.13 |
| Jon Moscot | 24 | 5 | 0 | 4.22 | 8.02 | 1.69 | 5.90 |
| Justin Nicolino | 24 | 11 | 2 | 4.15 | 5.34 | 1.55 | 5.05 |
| Dillon Overton | 24 | 2 | 1 | 4.15 | 11.42 | 2.31 | 8.42 |
| Edwin Escobar | 24 | 2 | 0 | 3.86 | 14.14 | 2.57 | 7.33 |
| Adrian Sampson | 24 | 1 | 0 | 3.86 | 7.71 | 1.93 | 4.75 |
| Chi Chi Gonzalez | 24 | 2 | 0 | 3.18 | 9.53 | 2.82 | 6.36 |
| Kendry Flores | 24 | 1 | 0 | 3.00 | 0.00 | 1.33 | 8.85 |