When we evaluate, project and rank prospects, we are essentially hyping them up.
Every player that reaches the major leagues is a special talent and worthy of a degree of excitement, but when a highly touted prospect races through the minor leagues and draws rave reviews along the way, he quickly becomes a huge deal.
Many of these promising young players are given a chance to prove they belong at the highest level every year, and when they fail to meet what are usually lofty expectations, they are quickly labeled as “overhyped.” However, it’s important to keep in mind that prospects have age on their side and hopefully ample opportunities to stick in the major leagues. Therefore, it’s more appropriate to reflect on their former hype as prospects years down the line.
With being said, here are the five most overhyped young players in Major League Baseball.
*All stats courtesy of FanGraphs.com unless otherwise noted.
*All spring training stats courtesy of MLB.com.