If the 2015 MLB season proved anything, it’s that prospects are capable of making an impact at the major league level sooner than they ever have.
With so much young talent entering the big leagues, the stakes have never been higher. Teams’ farm systems are ever-evolving, and prospects that can’t keep up with the pace are often passed by.
There are several high-profile prospects that are in danger of meeting that fate. Over the next few slides, we’ll take a look at a few youngsters that are entering make-or-break years for their development.
Byron Buxton, Mark Appel, Jon Gray and Dylan Bundy were all taken early in their respective drafts. Each of those prospects has the ability to develop into a star at the major league level and still has plenty of time to do so.
But those players aren’t exactly trending in the right direction. There are questions about Buxton’s ability to hit major league pitching, Appel has yet to flourish with the Astros, Gray can’t figure out his home ballpark and Bundy can’t stay healthy. For whatever the reason, the players on this list have seen their stock fall over the last year.
We’ll analyze why the following prospects have fallen on hard times and what they need to do to bounce back in 2016. Let us know if you agree or disagree with our selections in the comments section below.
There’s no exact science to scouting prospects. Here are a few youngsters already flirting with the bust label.