Which is always my point.
I didn't declare S Gonzalez a ML pitcher, but he showed ML stuff, like many young pitchers he never built on it.
Eickhoff WAS a #3 starter last year 2.9/3.5 WAR (FG/BR) [2.0/1.3 WAR (FG/BR) this year] - if 3.2 WAR isn't a #3, your metric is nonsense.
Nola when he came back this year was pitching like a #1, can he sustain it? That's the $640K (with inflation) question? But 11 starts is a pretty large sample.
In 21 starts he's at 3.3/3.5 WAR, including his bad start, that prorates to 5 WAR, which is pretty darn close to a #1 starter.
Canelo was young for his league when he hit well, he's struggled since being promoted to Reading, you're the one who harps on age and ignores everything else. That's why they promote minor league players, to see if they can handle stiffer competition, some do, some don't.
Crawford had almost 700 PA in AAA, playing at a mediocre level (for a high #1 pick), before he turned it around the last month, which of course is still a SSS.
AAAA stuff is a FB 90 MPH or less without a plus secondary pitch and average command - Cloyd is a good example.
Plenty of successful ML starters throw 91 MPH, and some have lower velocity if they have at least one plus secondary pitch and above average command.
Doesn't mean they're #1 starters, but there's a lot of value to a team for a #4/#5 who can start 32 games and put up 1-2 WAR, because your sixth and seventh starter is often below replacement level.
