Spring is a time for position battles, over-excitement for every home run and a chance to start up hype trains heading into fantasy baseball drafts. It’s simply inevitable that people get amped up this time of the year so as a fantasy owner, it’s important to try and capitalize on potential breakouts before they happen, and more importantly, while it’s still cost-effective.

Bold predictions are a fun way to do that and we asked a panel of experts to provide their thoughts on what could happen this spring.

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Please give us one bold prediction that you believe could happen by the end of Spring Training

“Javier Baez, who currently projects as a bench player entering the season, performs so well in Spring Training that he forces the Cubs hand, as Chicago moves Jayson Heyward to center field. The move opens up a starting spot for Baez, which sends his draft stock soaring. Baez is a terrific defender and continues to show improved plate discipline, so he takes the starting job and never looks back, finishing the season as a top-10 fantasy second baseman. He’ll be a major difference maker for those who grab him in their drafts.”
– Dalton Del Don (Yahoo! Sports)

“About one week into Astros camp, Lance McCullers faced batters for the first time. That’s as good a sign as any that he’ll be ready to go by Opening Day, something I think he will prove this spring. Every pitcher comes with inherent risk, and the risk only increases for one who has elbow issues in his past. Still, McCullers shined as a rookie two years ago, and he has a legitimate Cy Young ceiling. Every time he takes the ball this spring, even if it’s on the back fields, his draft-day stock will increase. You want McCullers on your team this season.”
– Michael Beller (Sports Illustrated)

“By the end of Spring Training, Michael Conforto will have earned himself a starting role with the New York Mets. Even if Lucas Duda‘s back injury isn’t severe, the Mets will move Jay Bruce to first base full time to open up a spot for Conforto. You don’t have the type of rookie season that Conforto had with the pedigree that he has only to fall off in your second year like that. The wrist injury Conforto was a big reason for his fall from grace in 2016. Buy him cheap, and buy him now.”
– Michael Waterloo (RotoExperts)

“My eyes are going to be on Eric Thames. After hitting .348/.450/.720 in three seasons playing in the KBO, he could return stateside with some confidence, and I imagine he’s going to look great against the non-roster churn of pitchers that batters see through spring training. His ADP currently slots him in as the 59th OF on the board, but I think he’s a top-40 draftee by the end of the spring as owners warm to the idea of someone with his power potential in their third OF slot.”
– R.J. White (CBS Sports)

“Last season, Carter Capps was sidelined with Tommy John surgery, but that didn’t prevent aggressive GM, A.J. Preller from acquiring him in the midst of his recovery. This spring, Capps will begin pitching again and when he proves he is healthy, he will immediately be handed the keys to the closer job in San Diego. Before Capps was injured, there was no relief pitcher in the world that was more dominant. He struck out 58 hitters in just 31 innings with a 0.806 WHIP as a 24-year-old for the Marlins. Even 80% of that production with 30 saves in the mix would make him a top closer overnight.”
– Bobby Sylvester (FantasyPros)

“Remember the name, Blake Treinen. I believe he has the best chance to emerge as the closer in Washington. A textbook late bloomer without overpowering stuff, Treinen significantly reduced his H9 in his second full season in the bigs last year… from 8.2 down to 6.9. That dropped his WHIP from an ugly 1.39 down to a better-than-average 1.22. Another half-step forward this Spring and he snatches the job away from journeyman Shawn Kelley (who was excellent last year, by the way… that’s what makes this a bold prediction).”
– Dave McKay (The Fantasy Sports Brain)

“All spring long fantasy baseball players will be focusing on position battles, back end of the rotation battles for starters, and closers in waiting options. The way you jump ahead of the competition is you may have to grab a player without an outright position or way to innings or at bats before the competition is won. Brandon Drury of the Diamondbacks is in the lead for the everyday second base job, but most think it’s a bit unsettled as he tries to work on his agility. I have always liked Drury’s bat and we saw flashes last year of his power, but this year will be the breakout. Much like Jake Lamb last year, Drury is entering his age 25 season and looks to be in position to hit up and down a very solid Diamondbacks lineup in a hitters park. I have Drury projected to hit second against lefties and 6th against righties and to top 550 PAs this year. An uptick in walks would help his overall numbers and he could explode to become a top 6 second base fantasy option on his power numbers and BA. The lack of speed would have to be made up elsewhere in your fantasy lineups, but it’s easier to find speed on the waiver wire than power without taking a hit in BA.”
– Dennis Esser (Coach Esser)

“The Atlanta Braves are going to be Spring Training beasts that Fantasy owners will want shares of as the exhibition season goes on. Freddie Freeman, Julio Teheran and Matt Kemp are already in people’s draft queues, but SS Dansby Swanson will rise, along with guys like Ender Inciarte and Brandon Phillips are going to trend up on ADP as the month of March rolls on. Jim Johnson, a closer on a relatively weak team, will be a nice late-round bargain by season’s end.”
– David Gonos (SoCalledFanEx)

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