MLB: Did You Know These 5 Players Were Former Top Prospects?

Matt Moore, LHP, San Francisco Giants

Many may not know that Matt Moore was part of a debate concerning America’s top prospect. In 2012, it was debated whether Matt Moore, Bryce Harper or Mike Trout was the best prospect in baseball. Moore was a left-handed starter that showed plus attributes in just about everything. The lefty was consistently scouted as a future no. 1 starter in any rotation with the best fastball and breaking pitch of his college league. Now, Moore isn’t quite a true no. 1 but he is a top-of-the-rotation starter for most teams.

He began his career with the Tampa Bay Rays and quickly became one of the best pitchers in their system. Once reaching the majors, Moore performed well, earning himself an All-Star appearance in 2013. But in 2014 he only made two starts and in 2015 he only made 12 due to injuries.

This year, he began the season with the Rays and had a 4.08 ERA in 21 starts but was traded at the deadline to San Francisco. With the Giants, Moore has a 3.16 ERA through six starts and was recently robbed of a no-hitter by Corey Seager‘s bloop single in the ninth. On most rotations, he is a no. 2 and still has the potential to be an ace. But on the Giants he is positioned underneath Madison Bumgarner and Johnny Cueto.

Due to the 27-year-old’s injuries, it is tough to judge Moore’s ceiling. But even if Moore is not the unhittable lefty scouts once thought he would be, he is a very, very good pitcher. This is only Moore’s sixth season in the majors so it’s still very possible he reaches his full potential like his 2012 prospect counterparts Harper and Trout.

Next: A center fielder who returned to Detroit