Next wave of minor leaguers can yield creative solutions

The Houston Astros’ rotation ERA of 5.13 entering Monday wasn’t expected.

Nor was Chris Devenski, who made the team unexpectedly as a reliever, having a rotation-best 3.24 ERA after his first four starts. Devenski’s spotty minor league work says he has plenty to prove. But his 2016 performance has forced the Astros into a six-man rotation (for the time being) in their effort to jump back into the American League West race.

Devenski is an example of a not-so-obvious solution to an early-season issue. Almost one quarter of the way through the season, we can expect teams to begin to address their ongoing problems. It’s the time of year when a little research, anticipation and speculation can pay big fantasy dividends.

Along with their starting pitching woes, the Astros entered the week near the bottom in production at third base. At Class AAA, Colin Moran has struggled recently, but his .281 batting average and historically good plate skills suggest he’s only a hot streak away from offering an alternative to Luis Valbuena.

At Class AA, prospect Alex Bregman (.310 batting average, seven home runs, 13 strikeouts and nine walks through 84 at-bats) is hinting that his bat might be ready for an major-league debut this season. A shortstop by trade, Bregman played his first professional game at third base May 13, suggesting the wheels are turning in Houston’s front office.

The Tampa Bay Rays are last in the AL in runs and have a sinkhole at first base, where left-handed option Logan Morrison was hitting .125 after 80 at-bats. But switch-hitting Casey Gillaspie, with a .306/442/.565 (batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage) line and 28 walks against 26 strikeouts through 108 at-bats at Class AA, is looking like the Rays’ first baseman of the future.

The Pittsburgh Pirates rotation is among the National League’s laggards in ERA. But the win-now Pirates will likely only wait another few weeks and the passage of the “Super Two” date (affecting player service times) before they bring up Class AAA starters Tyler Glasnow and Jameson Taillon.

With 18 walks allowed through 39 innings, Glasnow is still working on his control. But a 2.13 ERA and 49 strikeouts suggest he might be able to thrive as a major leaguer while learning on the job.

In contrast, Taillon’s 43/5 K/BB rate and 2.08 ERA through 43 innings indicate he’s more polished and no less dominating than Glasnow. One or both should be up before the All-Star break.

The .319/.381/.464 line from Washington Nationals prospect Trea Turner suggests he is just toying with Class AAA pitchers as he waits his turn. In the meantime, the Nationals’ shortstop job is being manned by below-average hitters Danny Espinosa and Stephen Drew. Expect Turner to make his 2016 debut in the nation’s capital before the All-Star break. His running game — 14 stolen bases without being caught — should make an immediate fantasy impact.

The Nationals might have a problem in the ninth inning, though. Closer Jonathan Papelbon’s 11 saves and 3.45 ERA look decent on the surface, but his 6.3 strikeouts per nine innings (K/9) is down from 8.0 in 2015, and he’s suddenly walking more hitters than usual, as reflected in his 1.40 WHIP.

In contrast, Shawn Kelley has posted a 12.8 K/9 and a 1.4 walks per nine innings mark (BB/9) while tossing 13 scoreless innings. Despite some bad luck, Kelley has been putting up closer-worthy peripherals for the past three seasons, and he looks like terrific speculation over the rest of 2016.

Contending teams aren’t the only ones likely to make changes. The Los Angeles Angels bullpen is likely to be overtaxed in short order, thanks largely to a starting staff made up of back-of-the-rotation hurlers.

For a club likely to fall out of contention by June, closer Huston Street (currently on the DL) and interim closer Joe Smith will be prime trade candidates.

When the dust clears, one name that could benefit is Cam Bedrosian, whose stuff has always been capped by his wavering command and control — at least until this year. He has allowed one run and posted a 14/3 K/BB over his first nine innings. It’s a small sample, but Bedrosian looks like the Angels’ future closer.

Closer Glenn Perkins’ DL stint (strained shoulder) is only part of the Minnesota Twins’ disappointing start. Perkins’ ongoing physical woes and Kevin Jepsen’s ineffectiveness in his place suggests the Twins will consider alternatives.

Setup man Trevor May struggled with his control in April but has walked one batter over his first seven innings in May while throwing more first-pitch strikes. With a K/9 rate above 13.0 for the season, his velocity is beginning to tick up in his first full season as a reliever. In addition, keep tabs on Alex Meyer, now at Class AAA Rochester (N.Y.) but showing flashes of being able to harness the command and control that could make him a lights-out late-inning option.

Even the rampaging Chicago Cubs aren’t without immediate question marks, as the starts of Jorge Soler’s (.174 average) and Jason Heyward (.236, no HRs) suggest. Obviously, with his new contract, Heyward is not going anywhere. But in light of a possible minor-league refresher course for Soler, the big playing time winner might be left-handed-hitting Tommy LaStella.

The infielder has 18 hits in 54 at-bats (.333), and makes hard, line-drive contact. La Stella’s ability to play second base or third base, coupled with the Cubs’ option of using both Kris Bryant and Ben Zobrist in the outfield, mean that he and Javier Baez could benefit from a Soler demotion.

Rotation injuries and an uneven bullpen have plagued the Los Angeles Dodgers in the early going. Reportedly, the team is considering calling up top pitching prospect Julio Urias to work as a reliever.

Urias, 19, has a 1.25 ERA and 39 strikeouts against eight walks over his first 36 innings in the hitter-friendly Class AAA Pacific Coast League. Though those numbers give him a good shot at major league success right out of the gate, don’t sell him short as a rotation piece, either.

Clayton Kershaw and Kenta Maeda are the only starters with sub-4 ERAs, so this group will likely need help down the stretch. If Urias dominates out of the pen, he could get a starting opportunity at some point after the All-Star break, if not earlier.