Okay, I cheated to come up with the rookies to do a fantasy outlook post on. I asked Prospect Mike for his top ten prospects that will impact fantasy baseball in 2016. I didn’t necessarily lean over and read off of PM’s test, but before the exam, I said, “Listen, Prospect Mike, we’re either gonna have words after school or you’re gonna let me look at your top ten fantasy baseball prospect list.” What was PM to do? Show me a PSA on bullying done by Chris Pratt? I’d bully Chris Pratt too if I had a chance, so I don’t listen to some PSA done by a celebrity in exchange for a reduction to their community service. Why now do I reveal my deck that is filled with 52 aces? Because I didn’t have a clue who Nomar Mazara was, but PM is hyped up on him like Lady Gaga gets hyped up about meat dresses. After doing some research, you could now say I… *pinkie to mouth* Nomar. Though I still think Mazara sounds like a character actor that would appear in a John Cassavetes film. If you’re like me and thinking, “Mazara? Did he co-star with Seymour Cassel?” Then, I’ll catch you up. Mazara came on this year like a contestant on Wipeout that doesn’t get knocked down once. A rare feat, I know. He hit 13 HRs and stole two bags in Double-A, while hitting .284. Bleh, whatever, right? Yeah, he was the 4th youngest player in Double-A. He’s only 20 years old. Then, in Triple-A after his promotion, he hit .358. Here’s what Prospect Mike said last year, “Now that Nomar’s arguably the best outfield prospect in baseball, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him taken in the later rounds of 2016 redraft leagues either.” The best outfield prospect in baseball? That gets me jacked like I just downed five Red Bulls without the resulting thyroid problems. Anyway, what can we expect of Nomar Mazara for 2016 fantasy baseball?
June 2016. Oops, that’s when we can expect him, not what we can expect from him. So, not to cool your jets like a Shark, but Mazara is way too young to expect right out of spring training. The Rangers aren’t afraid of promoting prospects quickly, so I do think Mazara has a chance for a June 2016 call up. There is a chance that we’re reading this again next November with Mazara not getting 130 ABs in the majors in 2016, but in deep leagues, I’m taking the flyer, and here’s why…*bass kicks in, Dre tells you to listen to Grey and now I get funky* Mazara isn’t like so many prospects that have power and speed with a huge bugaboo hiding behind Door #2. He won’t struggle to hit .220. He won’t be a liability anywhere. He kinda reminds me of a young Matt Holliday, though from the other side of the dish. I watched some of his YouTube highlights and he doesn’t struggle to hit balls a long way, but also doesn’t look like a fat turd that can’t make it to first. I’m no scout, but watching him makes me think this is what scouts call sexy. I’ve seen him compared to Miguel Cabrera. Okay, no one is Miguel Cabrera until they are Miguel Cabrera, if you catch my drift, but Mazara doesn’t look like a guy that is going to disappoint. .280 with 30 homers a season for many years, that’s what he profiles as, and someone that I’d be aggressive about in very deep redraft leagues (think 15+ mixed leagues and AL-Only), and I’d be all over him in keeper leagues. For 2016, I’ll give him the line of 24/7/29/.272/2 in 220 ABs, as he bounces between the minors and majors for most of the year like Joey Gallo this past year, with a chance for huge upside if he’s up early and sticks.
