Post-Hype Players- Those Who Worked and Those Who Didn't

[onejayhawk]

By post-hype, I mean still young players who are unlikely to be drafted in the top 250 but who had large amounts of fanfare when they hit the mid-minors. I give four who played roughly the same position and less than two years apart in age.

Brandon Marsh's August stat line is eye-popping (1.171 OPS, .235 ISO). After being a major disappointment for years, he has put up a solid season and just finished an electrifying month. Not bad for a player with an ADP around Massive Yahoo oversights.
Drafted a couple of rounds earlier was Jarred Kelenic. With an ADP of about #265, you got about what you paid for.
Drafted about #360, Alex Kiriloff was having a nice season when injury bit.
Jo Adell went mostly undrafted and is probably better that way.

None of these four OFs have yet turned 26. All were highly hyped and have disappointed dramatically. It turns out that Marsh was the one to own even without a ton of SB. Was there any reason a year ago to suspect that? Certainly, the naysayers about Adall had their way. Marsh happens to be the oldest by over a year.

What is your take on these four compared to your take a year ago? What players fit the same description--hyped at age 20-23 and disappointing by age 23-24. Who do you plan to throw a bone to in March?

[revo]

I took Josh Lowe in a couple of drafts this year in the last few rounds and he paid off handsomely. Triston Casas was written off by many after last year's poor showing. Josh Jung as well.

There were a lot of hyped prospects who came up this year and fell flat, oftentimes badly. But many fantasy players won't give them a look next year, or will only take them if heavily discounted. Those include many I discussed in that other thread of players who hurt their 2024 draft stock.

[Sharky]

CJ Abrams was just outside the top 250 in most. He was highly regarded as a prospect. Still has work to do but has clearly jumped up boards for 2024 and beyond.

[rhd]

Ryan O'Hearn and Brent Rooker are 2 guys I picked up in FAAB this year that I think qualify as post-hype, altho w limited upside. O'Hearn was a career .219 hitter coming into this year and he's hitting .300. Dont know what his future w the Orioles is w all the prospects they will be bringing up but for now you could do worse for a strong-side platoon player. Rooker's career BA was .200 to start the year. He's hitting .244 in 2023, which still is not great but the 23 HR are a nice power boost. He's R-R 1B/DH type and I dont know what his long-term playing time will be but for now he is playing everyday for the "Triple-A's".

[Sharky]

Should we be taking Royce Lewis here?

[onejayhawk]

Ryan O'Hearn and Brent Rooker are 2 guys I picked up in FAAB this year that I think qualify as post-hype, altho w limited upside. O'Hearn was a career .219 hitter coming into this year and he's hitting .300. Dont know what his future w the Orioles is w all the prospects they will be bringing up but for now you could do worse for a strong-side platoon player. Rooker's career BA was .200 to start the year. He's hitting .244 in 2023, which still is not great but the 23 HR are a nice power boost. He's R-R 1B/DH type and I dont know what his long-term playing time will be but for now he is playing everyday for the "Triple-A's".

Those two are pretty close to never hyped.

Should we be taking Royce Lewis here?

Again? He always looks good and almost always gets hurt.

[Sharky]

Again? He always looks good and almost always gets hurt.

I meant to type “should we be talking Royce Lewis here” (not taking). I think he has tremendous upside given likely cost. But maybe his recent hot streak put him on the map. I’m going to be a repeat buyer though.

[Ken]

I meant to type “should we be talking Royce Lewis here” (not taking). I think he has tremendous upside given likely cost. But maybe his recent hot streak put him on the map. I’m going to be a repeat buyer though.

Power is real. I still fear that average taking a dive though.

[Sharky]

Power is real. I still fear that average taking a dive though.

And surprisingly speed seems to be coming back a bit.