We are in an era when conventional wisdom is being tested like never before, with players tinkering and experimenting at unprecedented levels.
The most dramatic example is perhaps the second act of pitcher Rich Hill, his late-career comeback fueled by pivoting away from the traditional notion that the fastball must be the primary pitch. Hill's primary pitch is his best pitch, the curveball. Others have followed pitch-tracking technology, which is giving them the hard data to influence what pitches they use how often and changes in their pitch sequencing.
While some breakouts on the mound will still follow a more traditional route --a young talent maturing and better harnessing his stuff, for instance -- others will use data more and more to test conventional thinking and experiment. Which means that we might be in an era of more breakouts.
With that in mind, let's examine the pitchers who might have the stuff, or curiosity -- or both -- to reach another level in 2018, even ace-hood.