Debate Team: Byron Buxton v. Nomar Mazara, Which Top Prospect do you Want?
Minnesota Twins OF Byron Buxton came into the season as the top prospect in baseball. Texas Rangers OF Nomar Mazara, less hyped but certainly no slouch, found himself called to the bigs earlier than expected because of OF Shin-Soo Choo's calf injury. Buxton has struggled while Mazara has done well. Who would you rather have in a standard fantasy league?
Jason Wilson: Small sample sizes be darned, I'm going with Mazara. Okay, so both are limited by small sample sizes, but Mazara has only 16 major league at-bats and already has a home run. That's one fewer than Buxton in 135 fewer at-bats.
Buxton is known far more for his speed, something Mazara is unlikely match. Mazara, instead, could blossom into a well-rounded power hitter who gets on base at an impressive clip. In Mazara's major league debut, he tallied three hits, including a home run off Angels SP Jered Weaver.
Other than a slightly off year in 2013 when he was just 18 years old, Mazara has seen his counting stats improve every season. He has been in the Rangers system for several years. He could be ready. Buxton struggled more at the higher levels of the minors until his abbreviated stay in 2015.
Esten McLaren: Buxton is essentially done with the minor leagues at the age of 22. He has nothing left to prove. It's time for him to demonstrate that he's a major league-caliber hitter. He's already shown he's more than good enough with the glove.
He just needs more time. He has struggled to begin the season, striking out in 50 percent of his plate appearances. He has just four hits - two singles and two doubles - with all four coming against right-handed pitchers.
As mentioned, his real asset is his speed, as he projects to steal upward of 30 bases per season in the majors. His manager hasn't been helping him out in that respect, as he's buried at the bottom of the Twins' batting order. With Minnesota hitting just .219 as a team thus far, it stands to reason Buxton could - and should - be moved up in the order.
Mazara stole just 12 bases in the entirety of his minor league career. As for power, Mazara's outburst came in the form of 13 home runs in 470 plate appearances at Double-A in 2014. Buxton hit six home runs in just 271 career plate appearances at the same level. He stole 101 bases over his minor league career.
Wilson: Essentially done doesn't mean actually done. While Mazara is expected by some to drop back to Triple-A at some point - no guarantee - the same could happen to Buxton if he scuffles through May. That, or he becomes the American League's Billy Hamilton, hitting at the bottom of the order as a seemingly overqualified utility man with speed.
No one is picking up Mazara for his stolen base potential, so Buxton's win in the speed category is moot. And while his power hasn't been shown long term, his batter's eye has steadily improved. In rookie ball, Mazara struck out nearly 30 percent of the time in 2012. At Single-A, the following year-plus, he reduced it to under 24 percent. He dropped it again at Double-A.
As Mazara ascends through the minor league ranks, his skills have improved. He has plus-contact skills and above average power. While Buxton has been toiling at the bottom of Minnesota's order, Mazara is getting the shake near the top. He's batted second in all four games.
Even in standard, redraft leagues, I'll take Mazara. He has way more protection in the form of DH Prince Fielder, 1B Mitch Moreland, and SS/OF Ian Desmond. Buxton may project better on the whole, but Mazara's situation is preferable. Until Buxton can translate his potential into results. I'd rather go with the question mark in a more stable scenario, even if it turns out to be short term.
McLaren: The path for Mazara to be sent back to minors is much more clear. Once Choo is healthy, he's back in the lineup. OF Delino DeShields will also remain in the lineup, as he's more than proven himself as a young player. Desmond's contract ensures his spot in the lineup as well.
The Twins' offense has vastly underperformed through a week and a half and though Buxton has been part of the problem, the struggles go well beyond him. Top prospect OF Max Kepler has been called up, but he's serving mostly as a fourth outfielder until OF Danny Santana can make his return from a hamstring injury.
Kepler is one year older than Buxton, but he's had just seven plate appearances at Triple-A. There's no need to rush him, and there's no one else to replace Buxton. He is the Twins' starting center fielder - for better or worse - for the foreseeable future, and his work with the glove will keep a hold on the job even if the bat takes a while to grow accustomed to major league pitching.
Wilson: The Rangers may have the best possible problem on their hands if Mazara plays well enough that they can't send him down. Obviously, that's a big if, but even though the season has barely started, the Twins didn't look like a threat to contend before the first pitch was thrown.
As long as Buxton hits near the bottom of the lineup and strikes out half the time, he's not worth starting in fantasy. Mazara has better value short-term and that could quickly expand through the summer if the chips fall correctly
McLaren: My choice for Buxton boils down to the difficulty in finding steals on the waiver wire of any given league. He has the ability to be an elite producer in one of the thinnest categories. He just needs his manager to buy in as well.
Take Buxton for the safety in playing time and the upside in production. Mazara owners should be trying to sell high after a hot start.