MLB: Three Players to Watch in 2017
By Jason Burke
Gary Sanchez
For you rock dwellers out there, Gary Sanchez burst onto the MLB scene late last season and mashed 20 homers in 56 games which put him firmly in the AL Rookie of the Year discussion even with only roughly one-third of a season under his belt.
It’ll be just about impossible for Sanchez to continue that pace in 2017, because that would mean a season of ~60 dingers at the age of 24. He’ll still produce, but I want to see how much.
Steamer has him hitting 27 homers in 122 games while batting .268 and holding a 118 wRC+, which is a drop-off from the pace of 20 homers in 56 games while batting .299 with a 171. If his projections end up coming to fruition, that would still leave Sanchez in the running for most homers (Jonathan Lucroy led with 24 last season) and third in wRC+ behind Lucroy and Wilson Ramos.
It’s not hard to see Sanchez entering into the “best catcher in the game” discussions following 2017, if he can produce. How much he produces could also lead to the Yankees making a run late into the season for at least a wild card spot as well. There is a lot of pressure on Sanchez after he burst onto the scene, but he has removed himself from the World Baseball Classic to be with the Yankees all spring. This should help in a number of ways, most notably solidifying a leadership role on a young club, and getting extra work with the starting staff.
I’m excited to see what he has in store for an encore.