MLB: The Five Pitchers on the Brink of a Breakout in 2019

Every MLB season there are a few surprises performers, especially in the form of starting pitchers. They can be either young players with masses of unspent potential or guys with years of experience. Here are five candidates for the 2019 MLB season.

A break-out pitcher is a relative term that fluctuates from fan to fan and analyst to analyst. However, when broken down to the simplest possible components it has two essential truths. One is that this pitcher is firmly considered one thing, whether it be an average MLB pitcher or an unknown prospect. The second is that he utterly defies such expectations and posts numbers that most would see as surprising.

Such qualifications eliminate rising stars such as Kyle Freeland, German Marquez, Luis Castillo, and Trevor Williams. All of these pitchers are in the position to improve and become even better pitchers, such as Jacob deGrom did in 2018.

However, they have already defied previous expectations and thus their current expectations have rightfully been adjusted. Therefore, a rise in their stock is the norm and will not catch anyone off-guard.

The names on this list are a mixture of newcomers and established MLB pitchers, but they all have one thing in common the ability to raise their stock against current expectations. Here are the pitchers that will gain more experience this season and in doing so will refine their ability in the art of pitching.