BA top-10 Royals 2016
5. Bubba Starling, OF
Future Tools: 60 arm, 60 glove, 55 speed
Role: 50—Average regular in the outfield
The difference between the version of Starling on display in the Arizona Fall League in 2015 and 2014 was night and day, and multiple scouts said the same thing about his regular season. There’s still a lot of moving parts in his swing, but he shortened the path and added a slight leg kick as a timing mechanism, which led to more hard contact in 2015. His bat speed and natural strength give him above-average raw power, yet it plays down to solid-average—maybe a tick below—because of the moving parts and a lack of loft. The approach and pitch recognition appear to have jumped as well, though he remains too prone to whiffs for comfort.
Starling’s defense didn’t take a step forward in 2015, but it didn’t have to. He still has the plus arm that you see from plenty of ex-quarterbacks, and he’s an above-average runner who takes good routes in center field.
There’s still a lot of work to be done, but there’s no denying that 2015 was a massive step in the right direction. If he can take another one, he could be a top-of-the-order hitter who provides great value with the glove and enough value with the bat. If he doesn’t, he’s a fourth outfielder or platoon bat.
Bret Sayre’s Fantasy Take: Yep, that guy. Compared to a bunch of the other names on this list, Starling stands out as someone it may be worth a second look. The high-end five-tool profile isn’t quite there anymore, but there’s still 20-homer and 20-steal potential in there somewhere; and betting on upside is never a bad thing.
Major League ETA: 2017