NL East

Atlanta Braves: SP Max Fried

Acuna is the easy answer here.

However, with Preston Tucker (53 PA, .821 OPS, 5 XBH) off to a strong start and Acuna scuffling in Triple-A (51 PA, .182 BA, .567 OPS, 17 K), there’s no reason to rush one of the game’s most promising prospects.

Instead, the first opening could come in the starting rotation, where Max Fried has a strong case to be the next man up. The 24-year-old lefty turned heads in the Arizona Fall League with a 1.73 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 32 strikeouts in 26 innings, and he’s thrown well in his first two starts this season.

Luiz Gohara is also worth a mention, but he’s been nursing a strained oblique since spring training.

Miami Marlins: SP/RP Sandy Alcantara

Miami acquired the hard-throwing Alcantara from the St. Louis Cardinals as part of the Marcell Ozuna trade, and he immediately became one of the top pitching prospects in its thin system.

While his triple-digit fastball has good late life, his off-speed pitches lag. His slider and changeup both have a chance to be above-average pitches, nike nfl womens jerseys but his future may be in the bullpen.

That said, there’s every reason for the rebuilding Marlins to give him a chance to continue his development as a starter. And with Dillon Peters (6.75 ERA) and Caleb Smith (6.89 ERA) both struggling, his shot could come soon.

New York Mets: SP Corey Oswalt

A seventh-round pick in the 2012 draft, Oswalt enjoyed a breakout season in 2017 when he went 12-5 with a 2.28 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and a 119-40 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 134.1 Double-A innings.

The 24-year-old earned a brief call-up earlier this season, only to be demoted later that same day before he had a chance to make his MLB debut.buy nfl jerseys in bulk

MLB.com wrote: “Oswalt’s ceiling is somewhat limited to that of a back-end starter, but he’s very close to reaching that and impacting a big league rotation.”

The Mets have enjoyed good pitching health in 2018, but Oswalt is waiting in the wings if and when a spot opens on the starting staff.

Philadelphia Phillies: OF Roman Quinn

With 80-grade speed, enough of a hit tool to be a table-setter and the defensive chops to stick in center field, Quinn has the potential to be an impact player.nfl womens jersey

So what’s the issue?

As MLB.com explained: “Quinn has been dynamic, more often than not, when he’s been on the field. The main issue has been his inability to stay there, as a number of injuries have kept him from playing more than 100 games in any one season, the most recent one a damaged UCL in his non-throwing elbow that didn’t require surgery.”cheap nfl jerseys for women

The 24-year-old is healthy, and even with a crowded Phillies outfield, he’s capable of contributing in some capacity.

Washington Nationals: SP Erick Fedde

With Joe Ross recovering from Tommy John surgery, the Nationals have a hole to fill at the back of the rotation.

A.J. Cole got the first opportunity, making two starts and allowing 13 hits and 12 earned runs in nine innings. Now it’s veteran Jeremy Hellickson’s turn, as he signed a minor league deal during spring training and made his Nationals debut Monday when he allowed seven hits and two earned runs in 4.2 innings.nfl jersey online

Meanwhile, Fedde remains the team’s most MLB-ready pitching prospect. He threw the ball well this spring with a 2.45 ERA over 14.2 innings. If Hellickson falters or injury strikes, he’ll get the call.