Doug Nikhazy DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

The Cleveland Guardians have optioned left-handed pitching prospect Doug Nikhazy to Triple-A Columbus. Nikhazy was competing for a spot on the Opening Day roster but was unlikely to break camp with the major-league roster. Instead, Nikhazy will continue his development at the top level of the minor leagues. Last season, the former second-round selection began his season with Double-A before making his Triple-A debut. Across 48 1/3 innings at the Double-A level, the southpaw held a 3.17 ERA with a stellar 1.03 WHIP. He was then promoted to Triple-A Columbus where he posted a strong 2.87 ERA with a 1.13 WHIP across 75 1/3 frames. Across this stint, he held a 34:75 BB:K ratio. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progression at Triple-A as he should be in the mix for an early MLB debut.