Brent Honeywell, 2018 Fantasy Outlook

Can’t stop, won’t stop, making these bad boys all about fantasy baseball rookie hitters, but every once in a while you need to remove the blinders and look at a pitcher.  This doesn’t mean get totally enamored by pitchers.  Like Teddy KGB would say in a terrible Russian accent, “Nyet, nyet, nyet!  You sons of beeeeech, you tricked me, nyet!”  We must focus on hitters, but sometimes a great pitcher comes along, and we have to take a peeksie-poo.  Brent Honeywell is one such pitcher.  Three quick GIFs, from me to you.

I have a big takeaway from these GIFs.  Honeywell looks pretty low energy like Jeb!  Whether it’s the fastball in the first two GIFs or the bye-bye junk in the third GIF.  You gotta feel bad for the hitter when he gets to the third drop-off-the-table-snap-don’t-need-no-police-just-stay-off-my-back-or-I-will-attack-with-an-offspeed-pitch-that-you-won’t-smack pitch.  That’s only two pitches of his possible six pitches.  The last one, which I can’t stop watching, is just unhittable.  Looks like a circle change to me, but he’s got so many pitches in his repertoire — change, curve, fastball, screwball, cutter, knuckle-curve — who knows what he’s throwing, the hitters definitely don’t.  So, what can we expect from Brent Honeywell for 2018 fantasy baseball?

He’s thrown around 120 innings for three straight minor league years across different levels.  At each one, his K/9 has been above 10+.  Last year in Triple-A at 22 years of age, he had a 3.64 ERA, 2.77 xFIP with a 11.1 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 in 123 2/3 IP.  On an organization that promotes a bit more aggressively, he’d likely be on his 2nd year of the major leagues.  The Rays have dragged their feet on him so badly that his dynasty owners likely have a class action lawsuit pending if Honeywell isn’t promoted this year.  “Your honor, on behalf of Honeywell’s dynasty owners, we have lost two years of fantasy prize winnings because the Rays have not promoted Honeywell.”  Then later in the trial.  “Can you explain your relation to the Honeywell dynasty owner?”  “I’m his mother.”  “Okay, isn’t it true the plaintiff has not been able to move out of my basement because of missing out on his fantasy prize winnings, due to Honeywell’s lack of promotion?” Now that I write this out, how has no one sued yet because they lost their fantasy league due to a player’s performance?  Even if you’re like me, and you think an 11 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 becomes a 9.5 K/9 and 3 BB/9 in the majors, um, that’s still wonderful.  The Rays’ rotation as of right now is likely Archer, Odorizzi, Snell, Faria and Andriese.  The last one is the big question mark.  Instead of Andriese it could be Eovaldi or De Leon.  Honestly, I’m rooting for Honeywell to be their fifth man, but De Leon is 25 and should have that last spot.  That doesn’t mean at the first sign of injury or struggling Honeywell shouldn’t be promoted to their rotation.  Guessing it won’t be longer than early June when Honeywell is promoted with the chance for an April rotation spot.  For 2018, I’ll give him the projections of 7-2/3.55/1.17/110 in 102 IP with a chance for much more.