These 5 Breakout Pitchers Are (Probably) For Real
When May comes around, we can reliably count on at least three things: spring fully blooming, millennials posting a certain Justin Timberlake meme and MLB fans debating whether their new favorite players can maintain their hot starts. The phrase "small sample size" may be as ubiquitous as Mother's Day cards this time of year, but thankfully, we have the tools to decipher the noise and figure out -- or at least confidently opine on -- which ones may be the real thing.
On the pitching side of things, a number of factors can contribute to a shift in career trajectory. Sometimes, it could be as simple as a pitcher just figuring it out. Other times, it could be a complete retooling of a pitch arsenal or myriad mechanical adjustments. For these five pitchers, something has clicked in one way or another, as they represent not just the newest crop of young breakout pitchers but also the potential aces of the future.
Kyle Wright
There is no shortage of Kyle Wright breakout content on the internet these days. The fifth overall draft pick in 2017 out of Vanderbilt University, Wright quickly ascended through the minors and was expected to be part of the next great Braves rotation alongside the likes of Max Fried and Ian Anderson. While the latter two have stuck at the major league level, Wright has been up...