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25 Bold Predictions for the Baseball Season

Jose-Abreu-WhiteSox

 

Our popular – and often highly debated – bold predictions feature is back! The season is just around the corner and we all love to try and predict the future, so naturally we went ahead and asked our experts to do the same thing.

 

Keep in mind these are bold predictions for the 2014 fantasy baseball season so if you’ve seen our old posts (see: 2013 NFL & 2013 MLB), you know the experts tend to hold little back with their picks. Don’t expect to see predictions like Miguel Cabrera will win the batting title. Yes, that’s the same Miguel Cabrera who is the last person to hit for the triple crown.

 

The point is, the experts are taking a leap of faith in sharing some of the thoughts hidden in the back of their minds. As with each time these articles get published, there will be some experts who are trying to figure out ways to take down our site because of what they said. Now that the disclaimer has been put out, here are 25 bold predictions from the fantasy experts…

 
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Mark Teixeira has more HRs and RBIs than Paul Goldschmidt. To take Goldschmidt in Round 1 is the quickest way to destroy your fantasy team. To take him ahead of Chris Davis makes no sense either. Goldschmidt is a 30+ HR/100+ RBI player. He is on a bad team and plays in a lot of tough hitter ball parks in the NL West. Teixeira (Healthy) will be hitting cleanup on a stacked Yankee squad that could easily lead the MLB in Runs. He is going as late as the #39 1B option according to some experts. I have him projected with a cool 32 HR/117 RBI season in Bronx Bombville. I will wait at the 1B position and take the value on draft day.”
– Muntradamus (Beast Dome)

 

Madison Bumgarner finishes the season as a top 5 SP (ranked as a fringe top 10 player in most consensus rankings). He improved across the board last season and with a little more run support (he went 3-4 post All Star break last year despite a 2.36 ERA), the 24-year-old has great upside with limited risk. I’m thinking a sub 3.00 ERA with 15-plus wins and 200 strikeouts, numbers that should land him among the elite starters.”
– Kyle Soppe (FOX Sports Southwest)

 

Gerrit Cole will finish this season ranked in the top 10 at starting pitcher. Between his electric arsenal and pitcher friendly home ballpark, Cole has all the goods necessary to serve as a fantasy ace. The scary thing is that this season will just be the tip of the iceberg, and that makes the flame thrower one of the most desirable arms to own in dynasty and keeper formats.”
– Josh Shepardson (The Fantasy Fix)

 

Kevin Gausman, who currently holds a 417 ADP, finishes the season as the Baltimore Orioles’ most valuable fantasy pitcher. I don’t trust Ubaldo Jimenez’s high walk rate, especially now that he has relocated to the American League East. Chris Tillman derived most of his fantasy value from a fluky 16 wins and Tommy Hunter may not last as the closer past April, but Gausman’s 9.25 K/9 ratio, 2.45 BB/9 rate and 3.99 FIP during his first major league stint bodes well for him thriving as a starter or closer.”
– Andrew Gould (Bleacher Report)

 

Wil Myers will blast at least 30 home runs and swipe at least 15 bases en route to a top-12 finish among fantasy outfielders.”
– Greg Smith (The Fake Baseball)

 

Giancarlo-Stanton-Marlins

Giancarlo Stanton leads the National League in home runs. Given only three players hit 30 home runs last season and Stanton’s career high of 37 in 2012 would have been tops, it might not be so bold. The imposing youngster has 50 home run upside and is just entering his prime, if he gets in 140 games he’ll launch 40. His nine extra base hits this spring include five bombs and expect Stanton to continue the mash parade.”

– Neil Parker (The Fake Baseball)

 

“This will be the year that Giancarlo Stanton truly breaks out as baseball’s premier power hitter. Regardless of lineup or home ballpark, Stanton will stay healthy and go deep over 50 times. In 2012, Stanton hit 37 home runs in 449 at-bats while posting an ISO of .318. This year he is going to eclipse his home run total from that career year and post an even gaudier ISO. Bright days lie ahead for the Miami slugger–and your fantasy team–if you own him.”
– David Kerr (Fantasy Squads)

 

“Although it may have only been a one year phenomenon in a contract year, I believe that Joe Mauer will find his power and hit 20 Home Runs this season. The move to First base will give him more at bats, and better health. “

– Staff Rankings (DavidGonos.com)

 

Jason Heyward will be the top ranked fantasy outfielder in the National League in 2014. Something that Heyward has not been able to do for a full season in his young career is stay healthy. This season he does that, and with the health – and hopefully staying in the 1 or 2 spot in Atlanta’s order – he will hit .285+, with 30 home runs, 12 stolen bases, 90 runs, and 80 RBI. This will be the first of a few years that Heyward is put into the “elite” group of fantasy players.”
– Nate Springfield (Baseball Press)

 

Khris Davis will finish 2014 in the top 100 in roto. Last season it was all about Carlos Gomez, this year I have my eye on Khris Davis. As long as he doesn’t hit in the bottom 3rd of the lineup (which is a possibility), the RBI numbers should be there, and I expect to see 25-30 HR’s from the up and coming slugger.”
– KJ (Fantasy Team Advice)

 

Stephen Strasburg will win the NL Cy Young. To say Strasburg will be excellent is not a bold prediction. He’s now adjusted to his tweaked pitches, boasts a crazy K:9, and he will have no innings or start limits placed upon him. Plus, the Nats appear primed for a bounceback year, which should help him with the old-school wins crowd. The boldness here is predicting that Clayton Kershaw will not win. Nothing against Kershaw, and I have no reason to think he’ll struggle, but what’s a bold prediction if it isn’t an expected outcome?”
– Tim Young (MLB Soup)

 

Brad Miller is a top 10 fantasy shortstop in Seattle this year. I know many in the industry are high on him entering the 2014 campaign, but the fact that Fantasy Pros currently has him No. 19 in their overall shortstop rankings and he has an ADP as being the 23rd player taken at the position in ESPN drafts tells me there is still some educating to be done on the youngster. He’s a natural hitter with a bit of pop in his bat. If he can improve on his .294 BABIP and walk a bit more he will show some progression statistically. Look for him to approach hitting .300 with 15HR/10 SB potential.”

– Dan Clasgens (Get Sports Info)

 

Alex Cobb will lead the American League in ERA this season. Cobb throws an elite split-finger change up and a very good sinker. It’s well within the realm of possibility that these will lead to another 8+ K/9 rate and sub-3 walk rate, both of which would lead to an extremely low ERA.”
– Zach Jacobson (The Fake Baseball)

 

Zack Wheeler will be a Top 40 pitcher and near the Top 25. Matt Harvey’s success overshadowed the once higher-touted prospect in Wheeler. The major downfall to Wheeler’s ascension was his walk rate. Now that he’s taken the steps to correct that, Wheeler can carry a mid-3.00 ERA with around 170 strikeouts, and that’s great return on his cost.”

– Jake Ciely (RotoExperts)

 

Billy-Hamilton-Cardinals

Bryce Harper wins the National League MVP award and rank 1st overall in fantasy baseball in 2014! This happens as Harper cuts down on his

 wreckless abandon in the outfield and stays of the disabled list the entire season. Billy Hamilton finishes 2nd in NL MVP voting and steals 80 bases. “

– Jeff Boggis (Fantasy Sports Empire)

 

Billy Hamilton will steal more than 100 bases.”
– Dalton Del Don (Yahoo! Sports)

 

“My bold prediction is that the World Series will be won by a team that didn’t even make the playoffs a year ago. The leader in the clubhouse for that distinction is the Nationals, whose path to a division title was made much easier by the injuries to the Braves’ pitching staff. However, don’t count out the Angels, Rangers, Giants or even the Diamondbacks to grab a playoff spot and get hot in October.”
– R.J. White (Fantasy Baseball Cafe)

 

Nolan Arenado will be a top-10 third baseman: Arenado needs to improve on his plate discipline (14% strikeout rate, swung at 39.2% of pitches out of strike zone), but he’s young and should improve. He batted .299 after the All-Star break, and hitting in Coors Field can’t hurt.”
– Adam Pfeifer (Rant Sports)

 

Jose Abreu will lead the American League with 39 home runs. ”
– Steve Gardner (USA Today)

 

“In his first MLB season Cuban émigré Jose Abreu leads the American League in home runs. Obviously, it is a bit of low hanging fruit to hype up Abreu right now but this also counts on a regression from Chris Davis (career numbers, 2013 2nd half) and Miguel Cabrera (regression, loss of Fielder’s protection) among others. Abreu hit 74 Cuban home runs in 169 games from 2010-2012 and while the quality of competition represents an upgrade, the 27 year old slugger who says he expected the MLB to be more difficult hits 40+ this year.”
– Jon Collins (Fantasy Sports LR)

 

Jose Bautista will be healthy enough to get over 500 at bats and put up numbers like a mid first round pick. When healthy his On-Base %, Slugging%, Runs, and Home Runs will carry your team while he steals the occasional base. I would gamble on Bautista in the third well before gambling on Braun in the late first.”
– Dennis Esser (Coach Esser)

 

Ryan-Braun-Comeback

“Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun will finish in the top 10 as far as fantasy value is concerned.” – Josh Collacchi (eDraft)

 

Ryan Braun finishes as this years Fantasy Baseball MVP. Braun puts his past behind him and carries his hot Spring into the 2014 MLB Season.”
– Nick Williams (Legion Report)

 

“One bold prediction is that Chris Carter will have a Chris Davis-type of breakout this year in Houston. His hitting profile is very comparable to that of Davis and he will do the one thing he didn’t do last year- mash the ball at Minute Maid Park. Carter has hit 39 homers once in the minors and it is not crazy to think that he could have a Davis-type of season and hit over 40 homers this season, which for a guy who is currently the 51st OF off the board, will prove to be a superb value pick.”
– Matt Shetler (Fantasy CPR)

 

“Despite starting the season in the minor leagues, Houston’s George Springer will be a top-30 fantasy outfielder in 2014. He was almost a 40/40 guy in 2013, splitting his time between Double- and Triple-A, where he piled up 37 HR, 108 RBI, and 45 steals while hitting .303. I expect Springer to hit the ground running when he gets the call from the Astros, and fantasy owners will want to have him on their teams. ”
– Jason Willan (The Fake Baseball)

 

Albert Pujols will hit for less than 20 Home Runs for only the second time in his career and play in over 120 games. For 12 seasons straight Pujols hit for 30 or more Home Runs. Last year, albeit he had his share of injuries, he hit 17 in 99 games. 2013 was the worst year of his career but the writing was already on the wall from the previous season. In 2012 “The Machine” suffered career lows in AVG, OBP, SLG, and OPS and last year’s campaign set the bar lower. Given his age the regression should come as no surprise but has the pop in his bat left him as well? I say pencil him in for 19 Home Runs in 145 games (and that’s being generous).”
– Terrance Bridgett (FantasyTrade411)

 

Austin Jackson will post his first 20/20 season of his career and he and Ian Kinsler will both steal 30 bases. Tigers new manager Brad Ausmus has shown this spring that he will run both AJax and Kinsler every chance he gets.”

 

Danny Salazar of the Cleveland Indians will finish in the top three for Cy Young voting.”

 

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