Hultzen not letting walks hurt him: Mariners pitching prospect Danny Hultzen continues to cruise along at Double-A Jackson. He has had some hiccups along the road, including a seven-walk outing May 5, but he has had few obstacles thus far. Hultzen has won his last two starts to improve to 4-3 with a 1.81 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in eight starts. He also has 44 strikeouts and 24 walks in 44 2/3 innings. (Updated 05/22/2012)
Injury Report
No information available at this time (Updated 5/25/12).
Fantasy Analysis
You are starting to see why Hultzen was taken second overall in the 2011 draft. The former Virginia standout has begun his pro career at Double-A, which is a strong indication that the Mariners feel he will move quickly. The fact he has such impressive numbers this early is also helping his case. Hultzen is battling some control problems, but it doesn't seem to be costing him. He's already considered a polished pitcher that has good command of his fastball, changeup and slider. While he's off to a nice start in the minors, the Mariners are likely to give Hultzen some time to develop before bringing him up. That's not to say we won't see him when rosters expand later this year, but Hultzen has way more Fantasy value in long-term keeper formats than seasonal leagues. (Updated 05/22/2012).
02/29/2012 11:34 2012 Draft Prep: Top 50 Fantasy prospects
Which prospects should you circle on your Draft Day cheat sheets in 2012? Our Scott White unveils his Top 50 prospects and identifies which players will make an impact on your Fantasy teams this summer.
02/23/2012 10:11 M's camp report: Likes and dislikes
Scott Miller notes what he likes and dislikes about the Mariners heading into the season.
02/23/2012 09:59 Mariners camp report: With Jesus, Seattle seeks resurrection
After scoring the fewest runs in the majors last season, the M's find their savior: Jesus ... Jesus Montero. Scott Miller says it's a second-chance opportunity Seattle couldn't pass on, no matter the cost.
Danny Hultzen was one of three pitchers selected to kick off the 2011 amateur draft, and like Gerrit Cole and Trevor Bauer, his experience at the collegiate level should reduce his timetable for reaching the big leagues. Though a rotation spot out of spring training is a long shot considering he has yet to pitch in a minor-league game, Hultzen will at least get a look after making a good impression in the Arizona Fall League, where he allowed no runs on five hits with one walk and 11 strikeouts over his final 6 2/3 innings. If he's already able to dominate some of the game's top hitting prospects, how far away is he from handling major-leaguers? Assuming the left-hander doesn't have any hiccups in his race up the minor-league ladder, he could arrive at some point in 2012 and secure his place in the rotation for the next several years. Hultzen may never overtake Felix Hernandez or Michael Pineda as the staff ace, but he has plenty of upside in his own right and is worth drafting in AL-only and long-term keeper leagues. (Updated 1/5/12)
Actual 
AccuScore Projections) Note: Points are rounded down.
= probable start