Dewey's Sleeper Arms for '09

by Dewey Finn on Dec 25, 2025 2:48 PM EST

First of all, Merry Christmas to everyone and your loved ones!

Here are 3 sleeper pitching prospects worth keeping an eye on in 2009.

For those of you in deep keeper/dynasty leagues, take notice!

RHP Jordan Lyles (Born: October 19, 2025 - 6'4", 185 lbs)

2008 Stats (Appy/NYP):

4.23 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 55.1 IP, 68 Ks, 17 BBs, 1.04 GO/AO, .235 avg

-Clean effortless delivery

-Possesses low 90s fastball with added velocity expected

-Good command of FB, CB, CH

-Big strong athletic kid was 3 sport star in high school

RHP Randall Delgado (Born: February 9, 2026 - 6'3", 165 lbs)

2008 Stats (Appy):

3.13 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 69 IP, 81 Ks, 30 BBs, 1.57 GO/AO, .249 avg

-Has a loose and live arm with potential for more velocity

-Low 90s fastball, can touch mid 90s on occasion

-Needs to really improve offspeed stuff and control

-Strong groundball tendancies

RHP Jason Knapp (Born: August 31, 2025 - 6'5", 215 lbs)

2008 Stats (GCL):

2.61 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 31 IP, 38 Ks, 12 BBs, 0.82 GO/AO, .228 avg

-Clean mechanics

-Fastball sits in the 94-97 mph range

-Throws downhill, very heavy

-Secondary stuff needs work, must decide between CB or SL

In my opinion, there is a lot of potential in these arms.

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Comments

Why do you expect added velocity from Lyles?

I hadn’t seen that - do you have a link?

TheSouthWing.com - A Magazine of essays, prose and poems

by OldProspects on Dec 25, 2025 3:20 PM EST reply reply 0 recs

My bad

I should’ve have written he has “room in his 6’4 frame to add strength and velocity” (John Manuel - BA).

Now raise your goblet of rock. It's a toast to those who rock!

by Dewey Finn on Dec 25, 2025 3:38 PM EST up reply reply 0 recs

Knapp is a huge favorite of mine

by Bravesin07 on Dec 25, 2025 4:02 PM EST reply reply 0 recs

+1

by Navi's_Navy on Dec 25, 2025 7:01 PM EST up reply reply 0 recs

Also what do you think of Trey Haley, Dewey Finn?

I’m really intrigued by this kid 90-95 MPH fastball, Plus Curve, average change right out of high school.

by Bravesin07 on Dec 25, 2025 4:03 PM EST reply reply 0 recs

Well

With 2 plus pitches, there is definite reason to be excited about his potential. Hugh K upside?

I can’t remember where I read it, but I think he was compared to Clay Buchholz. I could be wrong tho.

Now raise your goblet of rock. It's a toast to those who rock!

by Dewey Finn on Dec 25, 2025 4:23 PM EST up reply reply 0 recs

he is compared to Buchholz

by Bravesin07 on Dec 25, 2025 5:12 PM EST up reply reply 0 recs

point of contention

are these players really sleepers? everyone knows they’re talented, and any 18 year old who throws 90 MPH deserves to be tracked, but i think of guys like this as being lottery tickets, not sleepers.

doesn’t every organization have 2 or 3 guys who are just as talented and just as likely to ever make an impact at the major league level?

for instance, i view eulogio de la cruz to be a sleeper because he’s a replacement level major league pitcher, with the potential to be significantly more. on the other hand, a guy like fautino de los santos is a lottery ticket, because, while he has just as much potential as eulogio, his likelihood of ever fulfilling it is much lower.

When they should be sacrifice bunting, they are buying effeminate designer jeans. When they should be fouling off pitches, they are masturbating. Always, they are masturbating.

by variablesdont on Dec 25, 2025 4:21 PM EST reply reply 0 recs

+1

Agree with what you’re saying about them being sleepers, though de los Santos has more upside I think than eulogio

www.thebaseballuniverse.blogspot.com

by prestonb1291 on Dec 25, 2025 11:49 PM EST up reply reply 0 recs

+1

Spot on. I mean, a Jeffry Antigua of the Cubs would probably rate similarly. I guess it comes down to how you view sleepers, but this is too far away for me.

by toonsterwu on Dec 26, 2025 1:35 AM EST up reply reply 0 recs

jeez these kids are only 18

ive played baseball my whole life and im 18 and these guys are pitching in the minor leagues haha thats crazy

"I think people in this state like BOTH teams," proclaims Nick Aliotti, the Ducks' defensive coordinator. "Except for our hard-core fans, I don't think most Duck fans would have been terribly upset to see Oregon State going to the Rose Bowl."

Another reason he needs to go.

by diehardoaklandfan22 on Dec 25, 2025 5:28 PM EST reply reply 0 recs

re

Dewey,
Stop recommending your own posts

Love,
Everyone

by blee1134 on Dec 26, 2025 2:29 AM EST reply reply 0 recs

FYI

You can’t recommend your own.

My guess is that either people really enjoy my content (NOT likely), or some people are playing a joke and think its funny to rec me so that my posts are at the top. Those of you that are doing it, please stop. Thx.

Now raise your goblet of rock. It's a toast to those who rock!

by Dewey Finn on Dec 26, 2025 3:01 AM EST up reply reply 1 recs

What impresses me more is how fast they are

Do people have some sort of RSS feed for everything that you write?

TheSouthWing.com - A Magazine of essays, prose and poems

by OldProspects on Dec 26, 2025 12:10 PM EST up reply reply 0 recs

Personally

I’d prefer if John could disable this feature.

My Howie Kendrick post is up to 6 recs. It’s F’ing BS.

Now raise your goblet of rock. It's a toast to those who rock!

by Dewey Finn on Dec 26, 2025 2:03 PM EST up reply reply 0 recs

New Theory

You write decent stuff. Your lists definitely deserved recommendation, and even this diary and the Kendrick one are pretty good.

Granted, people may be screwing with you, but that says a lot about them rather than you.

by demondeaconsbaseball on Dec 26, 2025 11:02 PM EST up reply reply 0 recs

Ranger's breakout candidate

Michael Main

http://minormoosings.blogspot.com/

by Goyogringo on Dec 26, 2025 3:04 PM EST reply reply 0 recs

that's not really a "sleeper" though

he was a first-round pick

"If you hit .440 with 20 bombs, you don't have to do s---. You don't have to bring a glove to practice, just hit and leave whenever you want. You can bring a 40 and smoke a cigarette and call me from the parking lot asking me what time the game is, and I'll tell you. You can even say 'F--- you, Steve!' Actually, don't say that, that wouldn't be very nice." -Steve Friend, Head Coach, Chabot College Gladiators Baseball

by flipgatey3 on Dec 28, 2025 1:59 AM EST up reply reply 0 recs

Look out for Daniel Thomas.

13th round pick out of South Florida. He’s had some injury issues in the past, but they say his fastball has been clocked as high as 98 MPH. His arm issues probably force him into the BP, but he’s got the potential to be a dominate late-inning reliever. Scout says he’s got a plus changeup and a big bending 12-6 curve that impressed. I actually like him quite a bit more than H-rod.

Never, Never, NEVER give up

by hero66 on Dec 27, 2025 3:39 PM EST reply reply 0 recs

Agreed on Dan Thomas is very under the radar

But I think the “sleeper” if you want to call a million dollar bonus baby a sleeper for the A’s is Brett Hunter.

I could see him in Overall Top 20 lists next year if he is healthy. I see a lot of simiularities to Arrieta and Hunter personally except if Hunters healthy he has a couple extra ticks on his FB

by Bud Light on Dec 27, 2025 6:22 PM EST reply reply 0 recs