[highandoutside]

I have a player — Charles Battle — whom I drafted largely because I suspected he had unique physical tools that gave him elite potential. I play in a stats-only league, so this was based purely on his scouting reports and the eye-popping numbers he was putting up in the minors. He struck out a ton of guys, threw absolute fire, but was a little wild.

His minor league stats were downright intimidating, but I was never fully convinced it would translate to the majors. Turns out, he did have a flaw that major league hitters were quick to exploit: he gives up home runs. After several call-ups, where he’d dominate in the minors only to get shelled in the majors, I am now seriously considering trading him.

He has become a bit of a puzzle to me, which I actually enjoy. I can easily picture a guy like him — incredible raw talent that allows him to overpower minor league hitters, but that same arsenal just does not play the same way in the big leagues. He can't simply rely on his electric arm to overwhelm MLB hitters; he needs to develop the finer points of pitching to survive at that level.

Maybe what he really needs is a fresh start with another organization and a different coach who can help him unlock the next phase of his game — like how Tyler Glasnow “found it” in Tampa after leaving Pittsburgh. I don't know. But what I really appreciate is the bit of mystery here: how players translate across levels isn’t always predictable. It feels very true to life.