You could make a pretty strong case that the Mariners' Taijuan Walker is the best pitching prospect in the minor leagues right now, so rumors that he could be on his way to the big leagues with Aaron Harang out of the picture have created a buzz in Fantasy.
But my response is resounding "meh," provided such a "meh" exists.
It has nothing to do with Walker's ability or major-league readiness and everything to do with innings. Already, he's at 141 1/3 this season, about 15 more than his previous high. For top pitching prospects, an increase of no more than 30-40 innings from one year to the next is preferred, and general manager Jack Zduriencik has mentioned 160 as a possible limit for Walker. Even if his next turn is in the majors, it might be one of only three starts he makes.
How many starts would you need to see from a newly summoned 21-year-old before you put him in your mixed-league lineup? I'm thinking at least two -- and that's if he dominates. Is one start from Walker really worth passing up a Marco Estrada- or Sonny Gray-type pickup? It just seems like a desperate move at this stage of the season.