With the highly anticipated debut of top pitching prospect Paul Skenes scheduled for Saturday, people began thinking what other debuts were highly anticipated. Stephen Strasburg’s name was thrown around, as he dazzled with 14 strikeouts in his debut, along with superstars like Bryce Harper, who doubled and got the go-ahead RBI in the top of the 9th inning against the Dodgers.
While these debuts were hyped up greatly and lived up to it, there were many Major League debutants that flew under the radar and had phenomenal debuts. In this blog, I will talk about the three most underrated debuts in the last decade.
LHP Steven Matz: June 28, 2015 vs CIN
Though Matz was a highly ranked prospect outside the Mets farm system, his debut shocked even those who believed in him the most. Matz tossed 7.2 innings to go along with 6 strikeouts and only 2 earned runs. Despite his strong pitching performance, it is his hitting that gets him on this list. At the plate, Matz went 3/3 with two singles and a double, and drove in 4 of the Mets’ 7 runs. By putting together one of the most dominant two-way performances of all time (outside of Shohei Ohtani), Matz was able to put the league on notice, and he carried this momentum throughout the season, helping the Mets make the World Series that October.
RHP Daniel Ponce de Leon: July 23, 2018 vs CIN
Yes - Cincinnati for the second time. This time, against their arch rival St. Louis Cardinals, who had debutant Daniel Ponce de Leon on the mound. Ponce de Leon was a 9th round pick in the 2014 draft, but he quickly rose through the Cardinals’ ranks and made his debut in 2018 against the Reds. In his debut, Ponce de Leon dazzled, as he spun 7 no hit innings before departing with 116 pitches. Though Ponce de Leon burst onto the scene, he wasn’t able to replicate any of this early success, and he now pitches for the Diablos Rojos del México of the Mexican League.
LHP Kent Emmanuel: April 24, 2021 vs LAA
Emmanuel was a 3rd round pick in 2013 by the Houston Astros, and when he finally made it to the MLB, he was viewed as nothing more than a long reliever for the squad. That all changed, however, when starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi left the game with an injury after 0.1 innings pitched. He turned the ball over to Emmanuel, who seized the moment. Emmanuel pitched 8.2 innings, along with 5 strikeouts and only 2 earned runs. He continued his dominance for the next several games, as he had a 2.55 ERA until the injury bug struck. Emmanuel began dealing with left elbow soreness on and off from 2021-2023, to the point where he was unable to pitch at all during that time frame. This season, he joined the Marlins and has struggled so far, posting a 10.50 ERA in 2 appearances.
MLB debuts often get blown out of proportion, as there is heavy anticipation surrounding them. As seen from this article, however, an MLB debut does not dictate how one’s career will play out.
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