Kris Bryant tops Fangraphs’ list of 2015 Cubs’ top rookies

Sep 10, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Chicago Cubs pitcher Arodys Vizcaino (47) throws against the Toronto Blue Jays in the eighth inning at Rogers Centre. Toronto defeated Chicago 11-1. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

4. Arodys Vizcaino, SP

The hard-throwing right-hander was acquired from the Atlanta Braves two years ago, but has yet to reach the big leagues for an extended period of time with the Cubs. He did, however, make five appearances with Chicago in 2014, allowing three earned on five hits, while walking three and striking out four across the five innings of work.

"Vizcaino’s numbers here are prorated to a generic starter’s (as opposed to reliever’s) workload — and, indeed, Vizcaino appears to have the necessary repertoire to have success as a starting pitcher. What he’s lacked in recent years is the requisite health, however — the finer points of which it’s impossible for a projection system to integrate entirely."

The article goes on to say that several other scenarios outside of Vizcaino being healthy and ready to handle a full-time starting gig in 2015 are more likely, but in that role, he could be very valuable to the Cubs – a team with several question marks in its rotation heading into next season.

In 2014, the 23-year-old right-hander, who just two years ago was ranked as the 40th-best prospect in baseball according to Baseball America, split 40 appearances between Class-A Advanced Daytona, Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa, finishing the year with a 3.51 ERA and 9.2 SO/9. He allowed 38 hits in 41 innings of work, most of which came with Tennessee and Iowa.

Back in 2011, his only other big league season to-date, Vizcaino went 1-1 with a 4.67 ERA, a 1.442 WHIP and 3.54 FIP across 17 1/3 innings of work with Atlanta, where he was once a highly-touted arm in the Braves system.