Pitching prospects are a strange bunch.  Even ones that dominate the minors can make you want to pull your hair out during their first handful of starts at the big league level.  Many will experience a spike in homers allowed, walks, and runs that puts a huge wet blanket on projections that formerly contained all kinds of promise and optimism.  If the adjustment takes too long, then a buying opportunity arises.  Others can fly under the radar even when they are developing at a perfectly normal pace.  Here are a few names that fit the bill.

At this point, Jeff Hoffman’s amateur pedigree and injury history are well documented so we’ll skip that stuff.  In my opinion, a TJ stigma, combined with his lack of bat missing ability thus far has dramatically reduced his price in fantasy circles.  The elephant is the room is also the proposition of calling Coors home.  I understand all of those concerns, but I’m not all that worried.  JHoff is dripping with talent, and talent typically wins out.  Hoffman’s scouting reports continue to glow with the promise of multiple plus pitches in his arsenal.  Per MLB Statcast, he has above average spin rate on all his pitches, with the rates on his offspeed pitches approaching plus territory.  Hoffman’s HR rate more than doubled during his time in the bigs when compared to his minor league career.  I’m chalking that up to nerves from a young player pitching against the toughest competition of his life, and should change as he adjusts to facing big league hitters. I am intrigued to say the least, and would not be surprised to see him make a Jon Gray-like jump in his 2nd season.