Bauer to the bigs? ESPN insider thinks so

Though the righty with the funky windup finished his first pro season with Double-A Mobile, there are some who think he'll be pitching at Chase Field this season.

ESPN's Keith Law, in an Insider story naming the top 20 impact prospects for 2012, placed the 21-year-old 11th.

Bauer could be in the top few spots on this list if he had a spot in Arizona's rotation, but he'll start the season in the minors barring an injury. That said, Joe Saunders isn't as good as Bauer, and Josh Collmenter is a novelty act whose deception won't cover his lack of stuff for much longer, and I think Bauer's ability to miss bats with multiple pitches will get him to the majors sooner rather than later. Teammate Tyler Skaggs also could be in line for a call-up, as the D-backs will be better off with Bauer and Skaggs in the No. 4-5 spots for the second half of the season than they would be with Collmenter and Saunders.

Bauer compiled a 5.96 ERA in seven games pitched last season, but that has done nothing to dampen how experts like Law view him. Of course, that probably has something to do with the 43 strikeouts over 25.2 innings pitched, showing that professional hitters have a tough time catching up with whatever Bauer is throwing their way.

After all, he was utterly dominant at the collegiate level and, with his stuff and makeup, should have little trouble being an effective member of the D-backs pitching staff -- either in the rotation our out of the bullpen -- at some point in 2012.