Offseason Prospects Injury Update – Part Two

February 18, 2024 Dave Funnell FantasyBaseball, General, MiLB 0

Jasson Dominguez, 2022 Arizona Fall League. Photo credit Benjamin Rush, @BenRushPhoto on Twitter and @BenRushPhoto on Instagram
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One of the biggest pitfalls when playing fantasy baseball is when a player gets injured. A fantasy team can have all of the talent in the world on their roster, but if they’re not given the chance to produce on the field, they wind up being useless. That’s why knowing a player’s injury history can come in handy. Knowing what has happened in the past can aid in figuring out what to do in the future. Furthermore, how a player is recovering can give a fantasy owner an understanding of what lies ahead in a player’s future.

In Part One, I looked at prospects who had yet to debut in the major leagues. This time around, I look at prospects who have already made their debut but have since suffered an injury.

Jasson Domínguez

Domínguez has been one of the Yankees’ best and most promising prospects for quite some time. Thought of as “the next big thing,” he shot his way up the team’s organizational system before making his debut this past summer. He started his career off with a bang by hitting four home runs over 33 plate appearances while striking out just 24.2% of the time (down from his minor league numbers). Unfortunately for him, he started to experience inflammation in his left elbow, which is always a worrisome predicament. It was revealed that he would require Tommy John Surgery and would miss the rest of the 2023 season.

The expected timeline would lead us to believe that Dominguez can return around the All-Star Break in July. Later in the fall, Aaron Boone told reporters that he expects him to be at Spring Training and swinging a bat, as his rehab has been a success thus far. Additionally, he is on track to start a throwing program before the end of February, which is somewhat ahead of schedule. While his return doesn’t necessarily guarantee him a spot in center field, it’s still promising that he seems on track to be physically able to perform and be present when the Yankees start officially getting to work in February. Despite all of this optimism, the team has said many times that he is still expected back in the summer. Given how big of an impact he is expected to have on the future of this team, they will likely slow-play his rehab to keep him safe, healthy, and on track to continue for years to come.

Ronny Mauricio

Mauricio’s ascension to the Mets was delayed last season due to a change in direction by the team and their insistence on him improving defensively. When he finally got the call, he made an immediate impact by slugging two home runs and stealing seven bases. Still, he had some holes in his game, evidenced by his near 30% strikeout rate, so he wanted to utilize his time wisely in the offseason and get some in-game action. Playing in the Dominican League this winter offered that opportunity, but unfortunately for him, he injured his knee while running along the base paths. It was revealed that he would need surgery to repair a torn ACL and would miss significant time.

The Mets have since decided that they will look elsewhere to fill the third base position that Mauricio was going to compete to play. The timeline for recovery that was suggested does leave the window open for a late-season return. It’s important to note that the eight-month return date is considered to be the best-case scenario. As such, Mauricio would need to clear all hurdles with no setbacks at all. The Mets would also likely need to be in contention and need a bat of his abilities at his position to consider him an option. While both situations are possible, they’re also highly unlikely given the team’s admissions that they are looking to compete in 2025. Dynasty owners would be wise to monitor the situation and attempt to buy low for a 2025 return. He is a big part of their future and should be in the lineup every day next year.

Max Meyer

One of the most talented pitching prospects before his debut, Meyer was being groomed to be the future of the Marlins’ franchise. As a team known for getting the most out of their pitchers, the sky was the limit for the right-handed pitcher who tore through Double-A and Triple-A, giving a lot of hope to the team and their fanbase. He finally made his debut in July of 2022, and despite a rocky start to his career, the hope was still quite high. Unfortunately, shortly afterward, it was revealed that he would indeed need Tommy John Surgery.

It was a big blow to a rebuilding franchise, but Meyer has made significant gains since then. Eight months after the surgery, he was throwing a baseball at around 75 feet, which is quite significant. By the end of May, he was up to 135 feet but had yet to return to the mound. Over the summer, he suffered some renewed soreness which delayed any progression, but tests revealed that there was no significant damage. After resting for a month, he got back to what he was doing before: progressing toward a return. This offseason he had been throwing anywhere from four to five times a week as of the middle of December. He had also thrown twelve bullpen sessions with the anticipation and expectation to face live batters. His progress seems steadily trending in a positive direction with the hope of competing in Spring Training for a spot in the rotation. He seems to have the right mindset about getting back to where he once was: one of the best pitching prospects in baseball.

Quick Hits

Nationals’ pitcher Cade Cavalli entered the off-season by throwing a baseball back in September for the first time since having Tommy John Surgery in March. The plan for him was to throw throughout the winter. The Nationals are going to slowly ramp things up with him and have him progressively build up to the point of sustainability. Look for him to hit the mound this Spring and aim to return sometime in June, which has always been his goal…..Reds’ phenom Noelvi Marte suffered a hamstring strain this off-season while playing in the Dominican Republic. He is expected to be fully healthy for Spring training…..RHP Shane Baz will come to Spring Training after having thrown through a normal off-season while recovering from Tommy John Surgery in 2022. He expects to be a “full-go” once camp opens up and will do his part to make the rotation. He’s been working on his mechanics and tinkering with his change-up to help improve his overall repertoire. That said, given that it’s the Tampa Bay Rays, he will likely be on a pitch count or innings count to start the year or may even begin the year in the Minor Leagues.

Dave Funnell

Dave Funnell covers the Minnesota Twins minor leagues for Prospects1500. Located just south of Toronto in the city of Hamilton, he's an hour away from Buffalo (and the Bisons). He's been a fan of baseball his entire life and doesn't have a favorite team, which hopefully gives way for objectivty in analysis. Dave is in multiple keeper fantasy baseball leagues and is active on Twitter at @sportz_nutt51.

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