Extreme early-season performances, whether positive or negative, are generally more scrutinized than a midseason hot or cold streak.
Simply put, that .100 or .400 batting average for a hitter, or the 1.00 ERA or 5.00 ERA for a pitcher, really stands out on the scoreboard during the first month of the year.
That often goes double for rookies, who are either looking to prove they belong at the big league level if they’re struggling or looking to prove their hot starts are sustainable.
With that in mind, what follows is a look at 10 rookies—five hitters and five pitchers—that are off to strong starts in 2015 and my thoughts on whether to buy or sell their performance so far.
To be considered for this list, prospects had to fit the following qualifications:
- At least 25 at-bats for a position player.
- At least two starts for a starting pitcher.
- At least five appearances for a relief pitcher.
Note: For the record, Jorge Soler is my NL Rookie of the Year pick and I 100 percent buy his hot start. In an effort to focus on more compelling “buy or sell” cases, he was not included among the following rookies.