Will Gerrit Cole be a top-10 pitcher in 2015?
Looking back on 2014, there were several unexpected events surrounding MLB. The Royals made it to the World Series, Corey Kluber was named AL Cy Young, and Clayton Kershaw led the NL in wins (just kidding on the last one). With the start of the season approaching, here are five bold predictions for the 2015 season.
Gerrit Cole will be a top-10 fantasy pitcher
The Pittsburgh Pirates have one of the best pitching staffs in baseball. Their bullpen should also rank near the top in the National League. The arm most eyes will be on is Gerrit Cole, the young flame-thrower. Cole is entering his second full season in the majors, and he’ll look to improve on his totals from 2014. Cole went 11-5 with a 3.65 ERA last season. He struck out 138 batters in 138 innings. I am predicting that Cole will be a top-10 fantasy pitcher this season.
The Miami Marlins will make the playoffs
The Miami Marlins have made several key offseason additions to bolster their pitching staff. They also have one of the best offensive weapons in the game in Giancarlo Stanton. Stanton will likely hit 30-plus home runs once again this season. You need to have Stanton near the top of your fantasy draft board because of his offensive prowess.
Another reason I think that the Marlins will make the playoffs is because of the pitching of young Jose Fernandez. Fernandez had an amazing rookie year in 2013, going 12-6 with a 2.19 ERA. However, he had to undergo Tommy John surgery last season after just eight games. While he’s not going to start the season in the Marlins’ rotation, he is likely to add a boost for Miami, and potentially your fantasy club, by mid-summer.
Pedro Alvarez will lead the majors in home runs
Pedro Alvarez led the National League in home runs in 2013 with 36, but he fell into a slump last season. Alvarez hit 18 home runs and only had 56 RBI. He also led the National League in errors by a third baseman. Coming into 2015 Alvarez has switched corners of the diamond, and by all accounts he is making the transition from third base to first base fairly well. I am predicting that Alvarez will have a new vote of confidence coming into 2015, and I look for him to regain his 2013 form and hit over 40 home runs.
San Diego will win the NL West
The San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers have controlled the NL West in recent years, but I think the Padres are going to overtake the division crown in 2015. The Padres went out and made a few huge trades this offseason. They dealt for Matt Kemp, Justin Upton and Wil Myers, among others. The Padres are loaded with pitching, and they have vastly improved what was the worst offense in the league last season. I look for San Diego to take the NL West crown in 2015.
The Pittsburgh Pirates will win the World Series
The Pittsburgh Pirates are coming off two consecutive postseason appearances after previously not having a winning season for more than 20 years. The Pirates are young and rejuvenated, and they have some of the best talent in the majors. Manager Clint Hurdle is embracing a new facet of baseball by using sabermetrics. This has translated into the shifts the team uses, which has become an effective part of their game plan.
Aside from strategy, a team has to have talent to win, and the Pirates aren’t short in that area. They have one of the best outfields in baseball, headlined by All-Star center fielder Andrew McCutchen. Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco are the other outfielders alongside McCutchen, and I look for these two players to have their best seasons yet. Marte is ranked in the top 50 by FantasyPros. While Polanco will be a lower pick, I predict he will provide great value in 2014.
McCutchen should be the No. 2 overall pick in your fantasy draft behind Mike Trout. He’s one of the most consistent players in baseball, and I believe he will lead the Pirates to their first title since 1979.
Caleb Luketic is a Correspondent for FantasyPros. For more from Caleb, check out his Profile or follow him @CalebOnSports.
