Nate Lavender

ANALYSIS
A relief prospect, Lavender appeared to be a likely candidate to make his MLB debut at some point in 2024 after he produced a 2.98 ERA while striking out 86 batters and walking 26 over 54.1 innings between Syracuse and Double-A Binghamton in 2023. After hitting the shelf with the elbow issue, Lavender sought a medical opinion earlier this weekend from renowned arm specialist Dr. Keith Meister, who determined that the southpaw was dealing with ligament damage. Lavender will visit with Dr. Meister this week before a determination is made whether the 24-year-old gets Tommy John surgery or is able to undergo an internal brace procedure, the latter of which would likely shave a couple of months off his recovery timeline. Either way, Lavender looks set to miss the rest of the 2024 season and likely the early part of the 2025 season.