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You know Mike Trout. You know Bryce Harper. Five-tool phenoms that have taken baseball by storm and are easily household names in the league today. These 20-year old’s are without a doubt the future of Major League Baseball.
But do you know Baltimore Orioles’ third baseman Manny Machado?
If you don’t, you better get familiar, and in a hurry.
Often overlooked due to the constant spotlight surrounding Harper and Trout, the 20-year old Machado deserves his fair share of recognition as well. Remember, this guy was the number three overall pick in the same year that Harper was drafted, so he certainly is no slouch himself. Through 35 games this season, Machado is batting an impressive .306, which is better than both Trout and Harper, with five home runs, 22 RBI and four stolen bases. He currently ranks as the number four fantasy third baseman in Yahoo! points leagues. Part of his first full season in the majors, Machado is really emerging as an all around hitter.
During his time with the Orioles last season, Machado swung at almost 30 percent of pitches landing outside of the strike zone. This year, he has lowered that percentage to 23 percent, indicating that he is becoming more disciplined at the plate. Also, with the pitches he is swinging at, Machado is making contact over 10 percent more of the time compared to 2012. In addition, Machado is also experiencing a bit more pop than in the past, sporting an improved HR/FB ratio of 14.3 percent. Not only is he hitting his fair share of home runs, but Machado is adjusting to pitches and pulling the ball into gaps. He is driving the ball where he wants it to go and where outfielders cannot get to it, and his solid BABIP of .342 reflects that.
Of course, all of these numbers reflect fantasy baseball, something that is near and dear to my heart. However, we haven’t even discussed perhaps Machado’s strongest asset, which is his glove. Mark Simon of ESPN’S Sweet Spot Blog named Machado his defensive player of the month of April, and for good reason. Per Simon, Machado notched six Web Gems, or flashy defensive plays and five defensive runs saved. Machado is making slow rollers down the third base line look like routine plays, as he snatches the ball with his bare hand and rips it over to first base. His tremendous glove will not only keep him in the lineup, regardless of how he is hitting, but will also make him a Gold Glove candidate, assuming he stays healthy.
With Trout coming off one of the best rookie campaigns in the history of the game and Harper also emerging as a star, it’s difficult for Machado to be considered in that same tier for some people. Seeing as this is his first full season in the pros, Machado still has plenty of time to make a name for himself. He has the skill-set, poise and maturity to become a future star in this league, and quite frankily…
It’s only a matter of time.
Adam Pfeifer is a featured fantasy sports columnist for Rant Sports.
You can follow him on Twitter @aPfeiferRS.
