One of my favorite times of the year is when teams begin to call up some young pitching prospects to help bolster a battered and beaten rotation.

In general, I prefer to take a flier on these guys nearly 100% of the time to, well, bolster my battered and beaten rotation.

I don’t trust these guys completely, regardless of pedigree, but I think you can find some tactical value.

Even if the pitcher is a “hyped” prospect, there won’t be as much familiarity from opposing Major League hitters.  There will be a learning curve, small or large, as the rest of the league begins to compile a more comprehensive scouting report on the young hurler.  Considering the adjustment factor alone, I think there is opportunity to throw a newly recalled rookie in for a spot fantasy start.  If you take a chance on 3 young starters and 1 of them emerges as a reliable starter for the last two months of the season, you should be awfully happy.

Here are the big 3 that should be on your radar.

Mike Minor

2010 AA-Mississippi: 2-5, 3.84 ERA, 82IP/103K

2010 AAA-Gwinnett:  4-1, 1.89 ERA, 33.1IP/37K

Jeremy Hellickson

2010 AAA-Durham: 12-3, 2.45 ERA, 117.2IP/123K

Aroldis Chapman

2010 AAA-Louisville: 8-6, 3.90 ERA, 87.2IP/110K