Fantasy baseball: 4 SP sleepers to draft late after Gerrit Cole, Lucas Giolito and Justin Verlander injuries
By Joel Wagler
No. 2: Matt Manning, Detroit Tigers
It is always a good idea to look through the preseason Top 100 prospect lists for the last few seasons for players who were highly regarded but haven't quite gained a foothold as a star in the majors for whatever reason. Matt Manning of the Detroit Tigers fits that bill this season.
As recently as 2021, Manning was listed 25th on the MLB Top 100 Prospect list. Performance-wise, he has done nothing to counter to that lofty ranking. Health has been his issue, not skill. The talent level remains intact.
Over the past two seasons, he has a good ERA of 3.51, and a solid WHIP of 1.099. The problem is that those numbers were over just 27 starts, as he's missed more than half of his possible turns in those two years. Another sign is his lack of strikeouts. He's had just 98 in his last 141 innings.
He did, however, display the skill to strike out hitters in the minors. If 100 percent healthy, and if he can log regular innings in 2024, Manning might display that skillset again. He's a deeper sleeper than the others on this list, but the skillset that made him a top prospect still exists, and he won't cost much in auctions, and can be grabbed late in drafts.