In search of bring spots on the farm, one should certainly look at Packy Naughton.
We are only 4 starts (and 23 2/3 IP) deep into the season, but Packy took his solid peripherals from 2018 into elite territory on the young season.
Packy just turned 23 years old, so he was drafted at age 21 in the 9th round out of Virginia Tech. He never started a full season there and put up unsightly ERAs of 6.75 in 2016 as a sophomore and 6.24 in 2017 as a junior. Packy never had a BB rate under 4 for a season in college. The Reds still saw potential and signed him for $137,500.
His first season in Billings, Packy started 12 of the 14 games he pitched and put up a good ERA (3.15), but still had a FIP of 4.47 and xFIP of 4.48.
Last year in Dayton, some could get caught up in his poor record of 5 - 10 at Dayton and a mediocre ERA of 4.03, but Packy only walked 1.99 per 9 innings turning a weakness into a strength. He also cut his HR/FB from 11.4% to 6.1% bringing his FIP down to 3.48 and xFIP to 3.58.
2019 is where he has turned himself into one of the best hopes on the farm. He has a 10.27 K/9 and a BB/9 of 1.14 and hasn't allowed a HR all season. He eventually will allow a HR this season, but he should limit them with a 54.8% GB rate. This all adds up to a 1.90 ERA, 1.56 FIP and 2.13 xFIP.
Not bad for Redszone's #34 prospect.