Every now and again the MLB recognizes some projected stars based on their fantastic performance, talent, and athletic ability. Sadly, not all break-out stars remain stars. These types of players have grown to be named the “one-hit wonders” (no pun intended) of the baseball world. What requirements need to be met to become a one-hit wonder you may ask? Well, essentially you need to play outstandingly and then after you get drafted, you slowly start to decline. Now, let us not waste any more time and dive right into these “stars” who proved themselves to be a hoax.
Rich Hill
It took Rich Hill quite a while to figure things out.
Hill, of course, ended up being a huge bust or else he wouldn’t be on this list. The story of Rich Hill is a little windy for lack of better words, so let us begin. Hill entered the league in 2007 as a pitcher and has only pitched 100 innings from 2008 up until now. In those innings, he’s only managed to use two throws: fastballs and curveballs. His fastball speed was topped at only 90mph, which isn’t that great. What stood out about Hill was his ability to change arm slots, which changes the flight path of the pitches each time. However, Hill will be turning 37-years-old this year and has been in and out of the league during his whole career. Some players show greatness and experience in their old age, although Rich Hill will not be one of them.
Gary Sanchez
Sanchez can be a great player, and he may very well be, but for now he’s been nothing but a hoax. Sanchez can be a great power hitter, but once pitchers started to figure him out his stats and numbers took a huge dip. However, he did give everyone the impression that he would be a star last August. He hit 11 homers and 21 runs all in one month, along with a .389 batting average. As stated before, once pitchers started to figure out his technique he took a turn for the worst, striking out 35 times, and hitting only nine home runs in a 28-game stretch. It’s hard to judge this early in his career, but Sanchez will soon find out that the major leagues is a whole different beast.
Adam Duvall
The 28-year-old seemed to be the future of the Cincinnati Reds during its time when their older stars were on their way out. Duvall had a breakout season, raking in 33 home runs and 103 runs batted, making many Reds’ fans believe they can build a team around him. However, many power hitters seem to decline after their first big season, which most likely will be the case with Duvall. In addition, he has a very high strikeout rate, the 11th highest percentage to be exact. With the new 2017 season approaching, I’m sorry to say that the Reds will be disappointed.
