Fantasy Baseball Player Notes

Sports hernia surgery caused him to miss the 2020 season, but Haniger returned in a big way last year, posting career highs in home runs (39), RBI (100) and runs (110). There are some warning signs here, however. Haniger's strikeout rate has gone through the roof, and his on-base percentage has plummeted. His exit velocities suggest that he won't match last year's HR total. The good news is that Haniger's banner 2021 season hasn't driven his price sky-high. Still, some caution is warranted.

Winker's value drops with the move to Seattle, which has one of the most pitcher-friendly parks in MLB. He should still provide a solid batting average, but aspirations of 30 HR and 90 RBI now seem far-fetched. Winker is yet another player who deals with chronic injuries. He's a guy I usually pass on and regret it at least 21 nights of the season, but pat myself on the back the rest of the year.

Kelenic's season was shaping up to be an all-time disaster for a prospect, but a fairly strong final month, during which he hit seven homers and slashed .248/.331/.524, salvaged things a bit. He still batted just .180 on the year and struck out 28.1% of the time, but there's reason to believe he can put his year in the rear view mirror and start fresh. Kelenic has an advanced approach, and could pretty easily put up a 20-20 season without batting an eye if everything breaks right. With a stronger Mariners lineup batting behind him, Kelenic should be someone to target in fantasy drafts given his potential and strong close to the 2021 season.

Lewis is dealing with knee issues and likely won't be ready for Opening Day. When healthy, he's a talented but low-floor option, as he doesn't have a ton of speed or power and his strikeout rate (29.5% career) keeps his batting average in check. He's just 26 years old so, of course, there's upside for more. But the knee issues are enough of a reason to look elsewhere when you're considering a late-round outfielder.