SPECULATOR: Prospect paths to stardom
May 16 2018
The "A-Rod 10-Step Path to Stardom" has been a longtime staple in the Baseball Forecaster. It's our annual reminder that even the best prospects rarely hit the ground running. A more common path to stardom is filled with highs and lows; from a poor initial MLB cameo to a minor league demotion, to another crack in the majors; rinse and repeat.
Even Mike Trout spent some time on the Path with a .220/.281/.390 slash in his 2011 debut. Others, like Archie Bradley, Joey Gallo, or Luis Severino, needed a couple tries before it started to click. Heck, it took Justin Smoak nearly a decade to get to his .270 BA, 38 HR explosion in 2017.
This week, we'll pair a player with each of the 10 steps on the A-Rod Path to Stardom. Quick disclaimer: Just...
Almost!
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