Fantasy Baseball: 5 MLB Prospects Who Could Break Out in 2017
Tom Murphy, C, Colorado Rockies
Why There's Breakout Potential
Well, Tom Murphy has flashed some big power and he plays for the Colorado Rockies. Wouldn't that do it for you? Here's what he did last year between Triple-A and the majors.
| Year | Level | PAs | Home Runs | Doubles | RBI | ISO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Triple-A | 321 | 19 | 26 | 59 | .320 |
| 2016 | MLB | 49 | 5 | 2 | 13 | .386 |
We've already discussed the Pacific Coast League and how it can benefit a hitter. The same goes for Coors Field, according to ESPN's Park Factors from last year, along with just about every year the stadium has been in existence.
It's easy to think that his environment is inflating those power numbers, and they are. However, in the seven different stops he made in the minor leagues, he's produced an ISO below .202 just once. That was .175 in 2012, which was his first year of professional ball.
Prospect gurus such as John Sickels of SB Nation's Minor League Ball and Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs both believe that his power is real.
Why it Might Not Happen
As long as the Rockies aren't tempted to make any more moves this winter (like signing Matt Wieters), the current catching mix will be Murphy and Tony Wolters. The only thing that could potentially prevent Murphy from regular time behind the plate would be his defense, which is an area where Wolters excels.
This is a good tandem in reality, but it could be a frustrating one for fantasy purposes. However, as long as he's passable with the glove, the upside of his power could be too tantalizing to resist -- especially given where he'd be playing his home games and the lineup he'd be in the middle of.
