Danny Hultzen

Hultzen missed the 2014 season after undergoing surgery in October 2013 to repair a torn labrum and rotator cuff in his pitching shoulder. The closest he came to throwing in a competitive environment last year was three instructional league outings. He wanted to pitch in the Arizona Fall League, but the Mariners held him out. Hultzen likely will need most of 2015 to regain his status as a top pitching prospect in the organization. Monitor his progress, but don't expect anything at the major league level until late in the year, at best, if not 2016.

Hultzen will miss the 2014 season after undergoing surgery in October to repair a torn labrum and rotator cuff in his pitching shoulder. He was limited to 35.2 innings in 2013, but impressed at Triple-A Tacoma over six starts before getting injured. While he's still a good prospect, Hultzen has lost a bit of his luster in the wake of a serious shoulder injury. At best, he'll show up in Seattle in the summer of 2015 if he proves healthy and effective once more after the procedure.

Hultzen's ascent to the majors did not go as quickly as most probably expected. The Mariners had no reason to push the 2012 second overall draft pick, though, and it turned out he needed a bit more seasoning than the conventional wisdom predicted. He mowed through Double-A Jackson with a 1.19 ERA and a 2.5 K/BB, but control issues cropped up when he arrived at Triple-A Tacoma after a midseason promotion - 43 walks in 48.2 innings. If he proves those walks were a fluke, he could land a rotation spot this spring as his mid-90s fastball allowed him to post a strong strikeout rate last season. Watch the situation closely in spring, and be ready to move if he lands a job because despite the Triple-A walks, his upside is still quite high.

The second-overall pick in the 2011 draft, Hultzen was one of the top college pitchers in nation last year at Virginia. The 6-foot-2 left-hander has excellent command and features two plus pitches with his changeup and fastball, which sits in the 93-95 mph range, and also throws a slider. Hultzen signed late, so his only professional experience came in the Arizona Fall League where he posted a 1.40 ERA in six starts with an 18:5 K:BB in 19.1 innings. Nevertheless, Hultzen goes to spring training with a shot at making the big-league club. It would surprise if he earned a rotation spot this early, though scouts say he's already major-league ready. He'll likely get some minor league seasoning before getting the call this summer. Keep an eye on his progress as he makes for a nice sleeper.