Fantasy Baseball 2018 Sleeper: Brent Honeywell

The Rays do a good job at developing young pitchers. One more waiting in the wings could be a sleeper pick in 2018. What kind of pitcher will Brent Honeywell be?

The Tampa Bay Rays are an interesting team. They have some top players at some positions and young prospects. Yet, the team either trades or signs a veteran as a stop-gap measure, holding down the younger player. They have a sleeper in their farm system, pitcher Brent Honeywell.

Honeywell entered the Rays system at 19 years old, just three years ago. In his first full season the following year, Honeywell made 24 starts between Single-A and High-A ball. He posted a 3.18 ERA, 1.051 WHIP and 9-6 record. He also had an 8.9 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 in 130.1 innings.

The following year would be even better for Honeywell. In High-A and Double-A, he posted a 2.34 ERA, 1.032 WHIP and 7-3 record in 20 starts. Honeywell had a 9.1 K.9 and 2.0 BB/9 in 115.1 innings. The rise in the strikeout rate as he moved up through the Rays farm system is a good thing to see from a young pitcher.

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Honeywell’s move to Triple-A wasn’t as good, unfortunately. In 24 starts, he finished with a 3.64 ERA, 1.302 WHIP and 12-8 record. His strikeout rate went up again, 11.1 K/9, but so did his walk rate, 2.3 BB/9. In 123.2 innings, he gave up 130 hits and 31 walks.

Looking at his batted ball profile on Fangraphs, Honeywell saw a rise in his line drive rate and a decline in his ground ball rate from Double to Triple-A. Though, his fly ball rate dropped heavily from 52.1 percent in 2016 to 33.3 percent in Triple-A this season.

The Rays projected rotation is Chris Archer, Jake Odorizzi, Blake Snell, Jacob Faria and Nathan Eovaldi. Despite his track record, Eovaldi is not the oldest member of the rotation. That title belongs to Archer. And, Archer has been on the end of some trade rumors. I could also see Odorizzi on the trade block next season.

If either Archer or Odorizzi gets traded, Honeywell will have a guaranteed spot for the second half. Then again, injuries always happen. Just look at our injuries tab and see the amount we had to cover. If someone gets injured early in the season, I expect Honeywell to get the first call as a replacement.

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I think in keeper/dynasty leagues, Honeywell should be an early pick. In re-draft leagues, he should be left on the waiver wire. However, when it gets closer to August and trade deadline, I think Honeywell will be one of the top waiver adds in the final two months.

He is a great strikeout pitcher and if he can get a little more control on his pitches, the ratios will work themselves out.