Each MMDA draft features its fair share of prospects with high ceilings, but some promising young players inevitably do not play enough to receive a card from Strat-O-Matic. That makes them ineligible for selection in the MMDA draft—we allow only carded players to be drafted—but just think how much better this year's rookie class would look with some of the following names.
To repeat: The following players made their big league debuts in 2014 but are not eligible for the MMDA draft in February.
The 21-year-old conquered three levels of the minors during the 2014 season, using three strong pitches to miss bats (minor league best 11.8 SO/9) and limit hard contact (.212 average).
Can Norris repeat this performance in 2015? Can he overcome lefty bias in a 20-team Strat league? Stay tuned.
2. Eddie Butler, rhp, Rockies. An injury-plagued season at Double-A in 2014 has lowered his stock, but Butler throws three quality pitches and could reestablish his 2013 level of dominance if he successfully rehabs back and shoulder injuries this offseason.
3. Jorge Polanco, ss, Twins. Minnesota favored the young, switch-hitting middle infielder's makeup and ability so much that they called him up as an emergency fill-in in mid-June, all the way from High-A Fort Myers. Polanco batted just eight times and started only one game, so nobody could have expected him to receive a card.
4. Steven Souza, rf, Nationals. He turns 26 early in the 2015 season, but Souza has an intriguing blend of power, speed, feel to hit and defensive value. Now if only he had a role on the 2015 Nationals.
5. Mike Foltynewicz, rhp, Astros. One of the hardest throwers in the game, Folty averaged nearly 97 mph on his fastball while working as a reliever in the majors. Called up in August, he worked 16 games and 18.2 innings, so his exclusion from the set has to rank as at least mildly surprising.
6. Steven Moya, rf, Tigers. The 6-foot-6 lefty slugger brandishes huge power, but also huge holes in his swing. He led the Double-A Eastern League with 35 homers in 2014, but he counterbalanced that with some of the worst strikeout (29.3 percent) and walk (3.8 percent) rates in the minors.
7. Kendall Graveman, rhp, and Sean Nolin, lhp, Athletics. GM Billy Beane has emphasized acquiring big league-ready starters in his trades of Josh Donaldson and Jeff Samardzija, but only righthander Chris Bassitt (from the latter deal with the White Sox) received a card in the 2015 set. Neither Graveman nor Nolin, former Blue Jays prospects both, have a true plus pitch, but they have the durability and fine SO/BB ratios that Oakland values.
8. Hernan Perez, ss, Tigers. He played shortstop more than ever before at Triple-A Toledo in 2014 and even led the International League in assists, double plays and fielding percentage (.970). Perez hasn't hit much in 73 big league at-bats (accrued mostly in 2013), but he has hit .287 over the past two seasons in the high minors.
9. R.J. Alvarez, rhp, Padres. The Cardinals' Sam Tuivailala probably is the hardest-throwing reliever to go uncarded, but Alvarez might be the most effective. He missed plenty of bats and didn't allow many hits during a 10-game cameo with San Diego in September, and his 95 mph fastball and 86 mph slider definitely will play in the majors.
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