Forget Strasburg, Let's Talk Mike Leake

[Another Blown Save]

Actually, I don't really know who he is and was curious as to what others thought of him
Here's what I know...

Drafted 9th overall in last years draft by the Reds
Pitched in the Arizona Fall League (19.2 IP, 1.37 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 3 BB/15 K)
Rated #72 prospect by Baseball America
Spring training stats of 18 IP, 3.00 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 4 BB/10 K
Just named the #5 starter for the Reds
Will be the first major league pitcher to skip the minor leagues since Darren Dreifort did it in 1994

[Y`s Guy]

Incredible stats at ASU. Made the team due to injury to Aroldis Chapman. Watch to see if Chappy goes to the DL. If so, perhaps short stsint for Leake, who may just get one start. Nice sleeper, tho.

Spring Training Leake

EDIT: Chapman was DFAed. Leake is it at #5!

[hybrid]

Oh good ole Dusty, he is showing us a new way to kill pitchers now ... have them not pitch in the minors at all while spiking their innings from year to year, really he is amazing.

[J35J]

Leake is similar to a Kevin Slowey type...not overpowering but plus command and a solid arsenal of pitches that he can locate well.

[mblax10]

Leake was very polished in college and put up ridiculous numbers in a hitter's park in a hitter's conference. He doesn't have 1 outstanding pitch, but throws 5 pitches with good command and control. Seems like a guy who should be a #3-4 MLB starter for a long time. I don't think this is that much of a rush.

[Syfo-Dyas]

By the time Yahoo adds him he'll be in the minors.

[CincyReds11]

I would not be too concerned with Leake's jump straight from college to the majors (excluding the AFL). As was mentioned earlier, he was well-regarded as an extremely polished pitcher coming out of ASU with a mechanically sound delivery. With that being said, he does lack the pure strikeout stuff of a Latos, a Chapman, or a Strasburg but his impeccable control will make him a more consistent contributor right away whereas Latos and Chapman will be more like riding a rollercoaster. In my opinion, this gives Leake some decent fantasy value, especially in keeper leagues, as a guy who should settle in somewhere between a 4.00-4.50 ERA with a 1.3-1.4 WHIP right away with the potential to become a Tim Hudson like pitcher in the future.

[Dave8603]

Sportsline profiled Leake the other day.

http://fantasynews.cbssports.com/fantas ... ainer:Mack

Apparently, they're very high on him. I'm in a 10 team league and I'm adding him more as a speculative add at this point. If you have the roster spot, I recommend you do the same. Especially this early in the season, it can only help you.

[Montana168]

use him while u can now...he'll have TJ surgery in about 2 yrs.

[k.k.]

I want to make a move and add him for Sunday's game, but I'm pretty firmly sitting on the fence right now wondering if it's worth messing around with a green rookie like Leake right now. I have one roster spot sort of in flux right now and am thinking it wouldn't hurt.