Garrett Crochet, SP (CHW)
Alright, now you've got my attention, Mr. Crochet. One electric start to begin the season against Detroit is one thing, but following it up with another dominant outing (7 IP, ER, 8 K) against the Braves is worth a double take. Crochet's amazing spring is looking more legitimate after two starts with only two runs allowed, 16 strikeouts and one walk. This was a guy who had a 20% walk rate in 13 relief appearances last year. His control has been superb so far in 2024, and it hasn't come with any worse stuff. His fastball is still powerful, and he mixes in a capable slider and cutter. Those two pitches of movement generated a 45% CSW rate. His confidence is at an all-time high and it's hard to imagine you have better options than Crochet in your starting rotation.
Shane Bieber, SP (CLE)
Bieber delivered his second straight dominant start. After shutting out the lowly Athletics for six innings in the Guardians' season opener, the 28-year-old veteran stymied the Mariners for six scoreless innings while striking out nine. His 20/1 strikeout-to-walk ratio is magnificent, but it's also encouraging to see weak contact after a questionable 2023 season when opposing hitters posted a 91.6-mph average exit velocity. That number is down about three miles per hour through two starts in 2024. He's generating weaker contact and a lot of swings and misses with a subtle uptick in velocity. He is mixing up his pitches more this year and maintaining command. It's unlikely this extraordinary success continues, but his improvements should not be dismissed.
Brice Turang, 2B (MIL)
Ladies and gentlemen, less than one week into the season your National League stolen base leader is none other than Brice Turang. The Brewers middle infielder nabbed a pair of thefts in Milwaukee's 3-2 win over the Twins. He reached base three times and drove in one run. It was his third straight multi-hit game as he is now hitting .500 with a 1.176 OPS. It's an encouraging start to the season for the young speedster who struggled to hit the ball with much authority but showed off elite speed as a rookie in 2023. If he can maintain an improved hard-hit rate in order to reach first base enough, Turang has the potential to remain near the top of the stolen base leaderboard.
JJ Bleday, OF (OAK)
Bleday hit a towering 106-mph flyball out to the deepest part of the Coliseum on Tuesday for his first home run of the season. Although it was his only hit in the game, he did draw a pair of walks as well. The former first-round pick has struggled to build any momentum at the major league level, but he's off to a nice start this season, hitting .348 with four RBI's. Bleday's quality of contact has been lacking through his first two major league stints, and he has a pull-heavy flyball approach, but I'm still left to wonder if his .232 career BABIP is simply way too low to justify. A moderate boost to that number could lead to meaningful results. For now the 26-year-old is worth monitoring through the early part of the season.
Reynaldo Lopez, SP (ATL)
Lopez was excellent facing his former team, allowing one run on four hits and two walks in six innings. He settled for a no decision in his season debut while striking out five batters. The 30 year old shined during the preseason, which earned him a spot in the Braves rotation. Featuring his mid-90's 4-seam fastball combined with a low-to-mid 80's slider, Lopez induced eight swinging strikes and weak contact when the ball was put in play. As a member of the Atlanta rotation, Lopez's path to wins is high. He could develop into one of the steals of draft season.
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