Word is Jimmy Nelson could enter the Brewers starting rotation as early as Saturday, replacing the beleaguered Marco Estrada. It's little more than speculation right now, but considering he's arguably the most anticipated pitching prospect yet to get an extended look in the majors this year, it might be reason enough to act.
Does that mean you should add him across the board? Maybe not. Look, he's no Taijuan Walker in terms of ability, but his exact upside is difficult to pinpoint with the kind of year he's had at Triple-A Nashville, going 10-2 with a 1.46 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 9.2 strikeouts per nine innings. And that's in the Pacific Coast League, which is widely considered to be one of the most hitter-friendly leagues in all the minors.
Coming into the year, Nelson was presumed to be little more than a mid-rotation type, but that's when he was plagued by control issues that have been nowhere to be found this year. He has issued just 2.6 walks per nine innings.
The raw stuff is good. He throws a mid-90s fastball with good sink, which all but assures he won't get burned by home runs in the big leagues, and he has enough of a secondary arsenal to miss bats with regularity. Plus, because of the time he spent in the majors last season, he's eligible at relief pitcher, which is huge in Head-to-Head points leagues.
So maybe he's not high-end enough to be must-add before he even arrives, but if he fills a need for you, why not take a flier?