Who’s the Next Long Islander to Make the Big Leagues?

There’s a very real chance that the presence of Marcus Stroman, Nick Tropeano and Steven Matz in the big leagues has paved the way for several more Long Islanders to eventually make the show. There’s a bevy of them in the minor leagues on any given year, but the current crop seems to have a few players that have not only youth on their side but also an upward trajectory. Here’s five players that could be the next to debut.

Nick Fanti (Philadelphia Phillies)

If I had to bet, the Hauppauge grad has the best chance of the bunch. He’s still only 20-years-old and already has three terrific minor league seasons under his belt, two no-hitters and an appearance in the World Baseball Classic. Over 189.2 IP, he has compiled an ERA of 2.28 and has a sparkling record of 17-3. He is a southpaw that sits in the 88-90 MPH range but his command has been off-the-charts. He has 206 strikeouts and has yielded only 43 walks. He has the laid back demeanor of Steven Matz, which bodes well as the quality of competition and amount of attention increases in the next year or so. He’ll be 21 on Opening Day and he has the benefit of pitching in an organization that is in the midst of a full rebuild. I’ve watched Nick pitch and he is as composed as it gets on the mound. I would not bet against this kid.

Mike O’Reilly (St. Louis Cardinals)

The Shoreham-Wading River grad has been lights-out over his two-year professional career as well. He just turned 23-years-old, so he’s a bit older than Fanti but still young in baseball years. He’s 15-4 with a 2.37 ERA over 182.1 IP since he debuted in 2016. His WHIP is 0.95 and he has struck out 170 against only 25 walks. The Cardinals have a sterling track record when it comes to developing homegrown pitchers, which really works in his favor of his development. He also has already proven to be effective at High-A, so he could debut in Double-A in the early portion of 2018.

Kyle Young (Philadelphia Phillies)

Still only 19-years-old, the 6’10” southpaw is a unicorn in baseball. Not many functioning left-handed pitchers roaming around the big leagues with that combination of height and command. He is 10-2 with a 2.74 ERA over 92.0 IP with 91 strikeouts. The St. Dominic grad pitches with no nerves, always appears to be completely poised and now has the ability to command both sides of the plate. The Phillies got a real steal and the sky is the limit for him at this point.

Alex Robinson (Minnesota Twins)

The Holy Trinity grad made a name for himself in 2011 when he was named Gatorade Player of the Year. He went on to dominate at the University of Maryland before getting drafted in 2015. If not for his command issues (78 walks in 100 career innings), he probably would’ve been promoted already. But here’s the thing; he’s a 6’3″ lefty that touches 96 MPH and he’s fanned 145 batters and allowed only 72 hits and only five HRs over that span. So, that command could be the only thing holding him back.

Anthony Kay (New York Mets)

He is currently rehabbing from Tommy John Surgery that he underwent in October of last year, so he should be 100% recovered by the start of 2018. The good news is he is just one year removed from being a first round draft pick coming off a lights-out season at UCONN. The sobering fact, though, is that he has not yet appeared in a minor league game and he will be 23-years-old on Opening Day. Still, the organization will give every opportunity to develop a player that they invested $1.1 million in. His left arm still generates 90-94 MPH fastballs and he has command of his off speed pitches. Even if he’s not the next player of this group to make the big leagues, he certainly can still be one of them.