Reclamation Projects

jdunn

High School Draftee
With Maybin having a career year in what we hope is a new trend for him, who would you all say has been the better reclamation projects in MLB's modern history. The Braves have had a few of course, but who else stands out?

1. Rick Ankiel - went from highly touted pitching prospect to bust to starting over as an outfielder and having a solid career

2. Jaret Wright - came to Atl, learned to pitch rather than throw, yet thankfully the Yankees gave him the big contract

3. Bartolo Colon - former Cy Young winner, out of baseball, back and is still solid

4. Dwight Gooden - came back from bust to be solid for the Yankees

Who are some position players that stick out?
 
Jason Heyward, Cardinals 2015.

On a more serious note: a couple outfielders cut loose by the Braves went on to see their careers bounce-backs after their next team took cheap fliers on them. Gary Matthews, Jr in 2004 with the Rangers, after the Braves cut him in Spring Training; and Reggie Sanders* with Arizona (2001) after the Braves let him go following a fairly pitiful season in 2000.

Side note: Did you know Reggie Sanders is in MLB's pretty exclusive 300 HR / 300 SB club?
 
Depends on the criteria I suppose, but Jose Bautista seems to fit. Emerged from being a bench / platoon player to an all-star caliber player for multiple years.
 
Jason Heyward, Cardinals 2015.

On a more serious note: a couple outfielders cut loose by the Braves went on to have see their careers bounce-backs after their next team took cheap fliers on them. Gary Matthews, Jr in 2004 with the Rangers, after the Braves cut him in Spring Training; and Reggie Sanders* with Arizona (2001) after the Braves let him go following a fairly pitiful season in 2000.

Side note: Did you know Reggie Sanders is in MLB's pretty exclusive 300 HR / 300 SB club?

Reggie Sanders will always piss me off
 
We'll always have Quilvio Veras and Wally Joyner.

Veras at least had a few good moments... Joyner was a cheap flier and no one expected much at that point in his career anyways... Sanders was supposed to be a big offensive addition and didn't do crap. But was crazy productive pretty much everywhere else... thanks Reggie
 
Jason Heyward, Cardinals 2015.

On a more serious note: a couple outfielders cut loose by the Braves went on to have see their careers bounce-backs after their next team took cheap fliers on them. Gary Matthews, Jr in 2004 with the Rangers, after the Braves cut him in Spring Training; and Reggie Sanders* with Arizona (2001) after the Braves let him go following a fairly pitiful season in 2000.

Side note: Did you know Reggie Sanders is in MLB's pretty exclusive 300 HR / 300 SB club?

Yunel is probably the only ex-Braves player I dislike more than Sanders.
 
Justin Turner may fit that mold if he can play the full season this year.

The question for us should be who is next in line to make that leap?
 
I think that's possible if he can somehow get healthy. All we need is for him to bust out for the first half.

Or even Spring Training. Given a little extra time for the knees to get stronger and knock a little more of the rust off, it could happen.
 
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