Fantasy Baseball Call Up Report: Kevin Gausman

Fun Fact: Kevin Gausman’s girlfriend is LSU cheerleader Taylor North.

Don’t those two kids look happy?

Kevin Gausman ranked number 26 on Baseball America‘s top 100 prospect list. As a reward the Orioles called him up this week. What can fantasy baseball owners expect the rest of the season?

The 6’3″ righty is thought to have the best changeup in the organization, which is high marks considering Dylan Bundy is his teammate. He adds a 96-98 MPG fastball to that, as well as the 3rd pitch, which is sort of like a slider..or a cutter.

Gausman is just 22, but is known for attacking hitters, belaying a confidence beyond his years. Drafted 4th overall in 2012, and having already throw 40+ pitches in 2013, it’s unlikely the Orioles hand him the ball for more than 100-120 more innings. Use him on your fantasy baseball squads while you can, kids.

He’s certainly ready for the MLB, although his first start may not have shown it. While he did strike out 5 in 5 innings, he also gave up 4 runs. The Ks will stay with him for his MLB career, but the runs will go away.

He actually pitched very well early, locating everything really well. That is until he gave up a homer off an inside fastball in the 5th. What’s more concerning is his 2nd start, which saw him serve up homer after homer.

To struggle later in your first couple Major League starts isn’t something that’s concerning and I think it’s safe to suspect he’ll settle into a sub-4 ERA and a 8+ K rate going forward. Still, he’ll need to to have a strong outing in his third start or he’ll get set down quickly.

Again, he’s probably has limited innings left this season, so his primary value won’t come in 2013. It will also take him a little while before he does his Matt Harvey or Shelby Miller impersonation, but that time will come soon enough.  He’s a great arm and will be on every fantasy baseball website’s hot/rising pitcher lists in 2014.

The Orioles have been unpredictable in the way they have used Triple A as a legitimate extension of their bench. The could shuffle him back and forth several times this season for all we know.  Still, there isn’t any getting around Gausman’s talent. I was fortunate to grab him in a keeper league I play in with the other Crackerjacks, and I’ll certainly be trying my best to keep a roster spot for him, both this season and in years to come.