2019 Fantasy Baseball ROS Rankings

Trout only played 140 games in 2018 due to a brief DL stint, but he still finished as the eighth-most valuable hitter in standard 5x5 leagues. It was the second straight season Trout missed time with injuries, but that is just about the only fault you can find in his fantasy game. Consistently excellent when he's on the field, expect him to once again approach 40 HRs with 20+ steals and a batting average over .300.

It may be tempting to snag Betts with the 1st pick over Trout, after the ridiculous season he just put together, but remember that he is just one year removed from batting .264 with 24 homers. There is a chance Betts outproduces Trout, but that isn't a risk you should gamble on.

Arenado might not feel like the sexiest pick at this stage because he isn't the hot new name, nor is he a five-category star, but there is nothing wrong with boring old reliability. He has averaged 40 homers, 125 RBIs and 100 runs while batting .297 over the last four seasons. Don't let him slip past this 5th pick in your drafts.

After several quietly productive seasons in Miami, Yelich was the biggest breakout star in MLB during his first season in Milwaukee, finishing tied with J.D. Martinez as the most valuable player overall in standard 5x5 roto/categories leagues. Yelich showed skills progression with a top-10 hard contact rate, was more aggressive on the base paths, and benefited from a major ballpark and lineup upgrade. His numbers were also driven by an unsustainable 35.0 percent HR/FB rate and a .373 BABIP that was a tad high even for a guy who generally excels in that metric. It's therefore prudent to expect Yelich to give back some homers and batting average, and he probably won't swipe quite as many bags either. But even if he goes .300-28-18 instead of .326-36-22, he can still be a top-five outfielder, especially when you consider the plus run production numbers he's sure to accrue in Milwaukee.

Looking for 18 wins, 220 innings and nearly 300 strikeouts? You can virtually lock it in with Scherzer. Not only that, be he has a 0.975 WHIP over the past six seasons. That is downright unfair. Don't hesitate to grab him late in the 1st round this year.

Martinez is a rare first-round hitter who rarely runs, but he'll make up for it in every other spot. While the 31-year-old probably won't win another batting title at .330, he's a .307 hitter since 2014's breakout who has exceeded .300 in three straight years. He boasts an MLB-high .655 slugging percentage in the past two seasons with 88 long balls. Last season, he placed within the 97th percentile or better in exit velocity, hard-hit%, xAVG, xSLG, and xWOBA. Hitting in the middle of Boston's lineup also makes him a strong bet to drive in and score over 100 runs. Limited fielding reps helped him stay healthy, but he played enough OF (25 games) to maintain fantasy eligibility, making him a strong four-category star.

Jose Ramirez may have been the best fantasy player in baseball last year, knocking 39 homers with 34 steals, 110 runs and 105 RBIs, but he is still 1-C behind both Trout and Mookie Betts because of their consistent production over the last three seasons

Talk about a debut. At just 20 years old, Acuna performed like a seasoned fantasy star, producing 26 HRs, 16 SBs, and a .293 average across his first 111 Big League games. Some batting average regression could be coming his way following last year's high BABIP and strikeout rate, but then again Acuna whiffed much less in the second half, so perhaps he's already made an adjustment that can make him a consistent batting average asset. Acuna trailed only Mookie Betts, Christian Yelich, J.D. Martinez, and Mike Trout in per game value in standard roto/categories leagues, and barring a sophomore slump, he should once again be a top-five outfielder.

deGrom was magical in 2018 and while there is a chance that continues into this season, we have to remember that the two prior seasons, he carried a 3.32 ERA with just 382 Ks and 22 wins. While that makes for a useful pitcher, the risk of him returning to that leaves him below Sale and Scherzer's tier

Bregman had 83 extra-base hits last season to go with 105 runs and 103 RBIs despite being just 24 years old. Chances are high that his fantasy value continues to trend north. With that said, he is currently recovering from elbow surgery so be sure to keep an eye on his progress before picking him up in the 1st round this spring.

After scaring fantasy owners with rumors that he could sign with the Giants, Harper ultimately stuck with the original plan and ended up in a great hitting environment in Philadelphia. The move is unquestionably a good one for his fantasy value, but there is still a lot of uncertainty about what kind of numbers to expect from Harper. Over the last four seasons, he has two years where he's hit over .315 and two where he's hit under .250. He's also hit as many as 42 HRs and as few as 24, and stolen as many as 21 bases and as few as four. Harper always contributes enough production to be a prized fantasy asset, but he only has one season on his resume where he's earned first round value. He could be a bit overrated now that he's signed with the Phillies.

Machado has four straight seasons with at least 33 home runs, and has finished as a top-20 hitter in standard 5x5 leagues in three of the last four years (he finished a still solid 42nd in 2017). The move to San Diego isn't ideal for his fantasy value, but Petco Park isn't nearly as much of a problem for hitters as it once was, particularly when it comes to right-handed power hitters like Machado. Padres manager Andy Green also sends runners much more frequently than the Orioles or Dodgers do, which could help Machado's stolen base totals.

Altuve is coming off a down year by his high standards, although he still finished just inside the top-60 players in standard 5x5 roto formats. Fantasy owners should expect a modest rebound, but it would be unwise to expect Altuve to fully return to the first round player he once was. His back-to-back 24 HR seasons in 2016 and 2017 always looked unsustainable based on his high ground ball rate, and while last year's 13 homers may be his floor in that department, fantasy owners shouldn't realistically expect more than 15-17. Meanwhile, Altuve's sprint speed is down and his stolen base attempts have declined for five straight years, suggesting that he may not steal 20 bases, let alone 30.

Story fits into a similar category of player as Francisco Lindor and Javier Baez: shortstops coming off of 30-20 seasons who have sky-high upside but also a bit of risk. The biggest risk for Story is that his elevated strikeout rate leads to some regression in last season's .291 batting average. But even if he hits closer to his .268 career average, Story's combination of power and speed should keep him among the top fantasy shortstops in 2019.

Judge had a down year in 2018 which means his OPS was merely .919. If he can get back to playing 150 games this year, fantasy owners can bank on 45 homers, 110 runs and 100 RBIs. That may have you ready to grab him in the first round, but he comes with more injury risk than anyone else in the top 20

Verlander has had a long and illustrious career, but he's actually been better than ever since he joined Houston late in the 2017 season. In particular, Verlander has experienced a major boost in his strikeout rate and a big drop in his walk rate since he became an Astro, to the point where he led the league with an absurd 7.84 K/BB ratio last season. If he can manage to perform that feat again, he could produce another season with a sub-3.00 ERA and sub-1.00 WHIP.

Goldschmidt was incredible over his last 100 games, posting a .334/.424/.608 line. You may think his stats will take a big hit moving out of Chase Field, but with the humidor in place, it was actually among the worst park for hitters last season. In St. Louis, he should continue his run of 30+ homers, 95+ runs and a .290+ batting average

Baez fits into a similar category of player as Francisco Lindor and Trevor Story: shortstops coming off of 30-20 seasons who have sky-high upside but also a bit of risk. The biggest risk for Baez is that his elevated strikeout rate leads to some regression in last season's .290 batting average. He also may not run quite as much after stealing just three bases in the second half last year. Still, Baez should be able to at least produce a .270-30-15 kind of season, which would be enough to keep him among the elite fantasy options at shortstop.

Blackmon doesn't receive the fanfare of guys like Bryce Harper and Giancarlo Stanton, but he's outperformed them in standard roto/categories leagues for three years running. Even though his numbers predictably tailed off considerably from his bonkers 2017 season, Blackmon still finished as a top-six outfielder and top-14 overall hitter last season. His stolen bases are on a three-year decline, but he should still be able to reach double digits, and there's not much evidence his skills are otherwise deteriorating at age 32. As long as his skills remain constant and he remains in Colorado, last season's .291 batting average is close to the floor for Blackmon, and another year above .320 is entirely possible.

First basemen isn't as deep as it once was so commodities like Freeman are well worth investing in toward the middle of the third round. He is a lock for 90 runs, 90 RBIs and a .300 batting average each year and that type of player doesn't grow on trees

The Astros unlocked Cole's ace upside by tabling a middling sinker for more sliders and curveballs. He also revamped his fastball, which yielded a .268 wOBA after allowing a .334 wOBA in his last year with the Pirates. As a result, his strikeout and swinging-strike rates skyrocketed to 34.5 and 14.1%, respectively. His contact rate dropped eight points to 71.5, and he earned his 2.88 ERA with a 2.70 FIP and 2.91 SIERA. Trust the breakout and treat the strikeout artist on a title contender as a borderline top-five hurler alongside teammate Justin Verlander.

Snell may have posted the single greatest second half of any pitcher in the last 50 years with a 1.17 ERA, .155 BAA and 12.7 K/9. There is a chance he finishes as the #1 fantasy pitcher this season, but both Scherzer and Sale are safer bets because of their sustained reliability

Bellinger was always due for some negative regression after he belted 39 home runs in just 480 at-bats during his rookie 2017 season, but he should now be due for a bit of positive regression after managing just 25 home runs last year. His hard hit rate tailed off a bit, but his exit velocity and launch angle remained unchanged, so he's a good bet to return to the 30-35 HR range this year. Bellinger promisingly trimmed his strikeout rate, indicating that he should be able to keep his batting average in the .260 range even if his BABIP drops a little, and the 10-15 steals he provides give him a leg up on most other 1B-eligible players. The fact he's unlikely to hit .280-.300 keeps him a notch below Freeman, Goldschmidt, and Rizzo, but he's already the next best thing and is still just 23 years old.

Rendon was the only third baseman to hit over .300 last season, and one of four third baseman to accomplish that feat in 2017. He's as good a bet for batting average as it gets at the position, and is also fully capable of delivering 25 home runs with good run and RBI totals. His stolen base totals have evaporated over the last couple years, but that shouldn't prevent him from again being a top-40 overall hitter in standard roto and categories leagues.

Bauer took a big step forward as a pitcher in 2017, and then last year he finally put it all together and performed like an ace. The big increase in his strikeout rate over the last two seasons is the biggest ingredient in his success, but he was also somewhat fortunate in terms of his home run rate last year after being unlucky in that regard the previous season. His walk rate is still a bit high, and he is a little risky just based on the fact that he had never produced a sub-4.00 ERA or sub-1.30 WHIP before last year, but the skills are certainly there for another strong season.

At 24 years old, Benintendi has yet to experience a major breakthrough in terms of home runs or stolen bases, but he's nonetheless settled in as a valuably reliable contributor across every offensive category. At this stage of his career, it's fair to expect more of the same -- close to 20-20 with an average in the .280-.290 range and strong run production numbers in Boston's loaded lineup. That was enough to make Benintendi a top-20 hitter in standard 5x5 formats last season, and should be again this year.

If there is one pitcher who can match Max Scherzer in terms of dominance, it's Sale, who is coming off a season in which he produced a 2.11 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and 13.5 K/9 rate. But those numbers came in just 158 innings, as Sale spent some time on the DL due to shoulder inflammation. Durability concerns add a little bit of risk to Sale's profile, as does the reduced velocity he showed in his first start of the season. Fantasy owners shouldn't panic here, but it will be worth keeping an eye on the radar guns for awhile.

Fresh off a 2017 season where he was the number one fantasy pitcher in all the land (not just Cleveland), Kluber wasn't quite as dominant in 2018, but he still finished as the seventh-best starter in standard 5x5 leagues. Kluber's strikeout rate came back down to Earth a little bit, but his walk rate remained truly elite and he was able to deliver a second straight season with a sub-3.00 ERA and sub-1.00 WHIP. The fact he's a workhorse also boosts his fantasy value -- Kluber has five straight seasons with 200+ innings, and has won at least 18 games in four of those seasons. He did lose a little velocity on his fastball, but there is no reason to overreact until we see it actually impact his results.

Rizzo's streak of four consecutive 30-HR seasons came to an end in 2018, but he's still working on a streak of four straight 100-RBI seasons, and his batted ball profile suggests he's still the same player he's always been. He's an asset in all five standard rotisserie categories, and has finished as a top-five fantasy first baseman in four of the last five seasons (he was eighth in 2016). With that level of high-end production and consistency, Rizzo belongs in the same breath as Freddie Freeman and Paul Goldschmidt as the top options at an increasingly-scarce position.

Originally expected to return from a calf injury in early April, Lindor suffered an ankle ailment while rehabbing. There's now no timetable for his recovery, and it's increasingly hard to see Cleveland letting him run once back on the diamond. Investors have little choice but to wait and hope for the best, but they shouldn't expect him to return first-round value.

With 30+ steals in five of the last six seasons and a batting average that is generally more useful than his on-base percentage, Marte is the definition of a roto league specialist. He also hit a career-high 20 home runs last season, and while that may be close to his ceiling for power, last season's .277 average is on the low end of what you can expect from him. While his HRs and average have fluctuated a bit from year to year, Marte has consistently been a top-50 player in standard 5x5 formats, and he should be so again in 2019.

Merrifield followed up his breakout 2017 campaign with another excellent fantasy season in 2018, hitting .304 with 12 homers and a league-leading 45 stolen bases. Fantasy owners shouldn't expect him to hit .300 again -- his .352 BABIP was among the league's highest -- but he should settle in at around .280-.285 and again produce 10-15 HRs. His run and RBI totals may not be great in a weak-hitting Royals lineup, but you're really paying for the steals, and Merrifield should again have the green light on the base paths early and often for a team that will need to manufacture runs.

At 25 years old, Hoskins has quickly established himself as one of the premier power hitters in the game, swatting an impressive 52 home runs through his first 728 Major League at bats. That power output should continue in 2019 and come with strong run production in a loaded Phillies lineup. Hoskins doesn't project to be a major asset in stolen bases or batting average, but his handful of steals and .250-ish average will hardly kill you. With a solid floor and tantalizing upside, Hoskins is right there with Cody Bellinger as the next generation of studs at the position.

Nola took another major leap forward last year, and while he may never be a 300 or even 250 strikeout guy like the handful of pitchers being drafted above him, 220+ with a sub 1.00 WHIP and 2.50 ERA will certainly warrant a third round pick

Bryant appeared to be on the verge of establishing himself as a perennial first round fantasy pick following his MVP 2016 season. Then his home run total dropped from 39 to 29 in 2017, but it seemed like an outlier as his production remained otherwise excellent. But the bottom really fell out last season, as Bryant struggled through a shoulder injury while producing a paltry 13 homers over 102 games. Bryant's strikeout rate grew and his hard contact rate declined, but he simply wasn't healthy -- he was actually off to a strong start before suffering the injury in mid-May. Bryant has pronounced himself fully healthy, and the fact the injury was a bone bruise rather than ligament damage is reason to believe he can make a full recovery. It wouldn't be the least bit surprising to see him rocket back into the first round of fantasy drafts by this time next year.

Soto breezed through the minor leagues and kept raking as a 19-year old rookie with the Nationals, hitting .292 with 22 home runs across his first 116 Big Leagues games. Perhaps most impressive of all, he walked nearly as often as he struck out, producing a .406 on-base percentage that proves he is more than comfortable at the Major League level. Soto hit the ball on the ground an awful lot as a rookie, so it remains to be seen if he is capable of delivering 30+ home runs, but at least 25 homers seems likely, and he should be a major plus in terms of batting average and run production while also providing at least a handful of steals. The kid is legit.

Although Cleveland doesn't pay him like it, Carrasco has been a true ace for five straight years, posting a sparkling 3.27 ERA with 193 Ks per season in that time. There is more upside with a pitcher like Syndergaard or Strasburg, but Carrasco's floor makes him one of the top 15 pitchers in this year's fantasy drafts

Looking for 40 homers? Draft Davis and write it in ink. He has knocked 133 over the last three seasons with 335 RBIs in that time. The floor is as high as you'll find in the first five rounds but the batting average is almost certainly going to be around .250 again

There is little doubt that Thor is a fantastic pitcher when healthy -- he has a 2.93 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 9.95 K/9 rate through 518 1/3 career innings. The issue, of course, is that Syndergaard has yet to reach 200 innings in a season, and has managed less than 155 innings in three of his four seasons in the Majors. As such, his value is very much format-dependent. He is significantly more valuable in a roto league with a low innings cap than he is in a points or categories league, and he's better suited to shallower leagues, where the replacement pitchers available on the waiver wire are better.

Bogaerts doesn't have the pure upside of some of the other top shortstops, but he is a steady across-the-board performer who has finished as a top-50 overall player in standard roto leagues in three of the last four seasons. With a strong approach at the plate and a terrific team situation, he is a good bet to again finish ahead of some of the other players drafted before him.

Stanton was never likely to match the 59 home runs he hit in 2017, even after moving from a pitcher's park in Miami to a hitter's paradise in the Bronx. Still, hitting 38 long balls -- while also topping the century mark in both runs and RBIs -- is nothing to sneeze at. Stanton's 2017 power output seems like a distinct outlier, but the fact remains that the park upgrade should help his chances of reaching the 40 HR mark in any given season. However, it's important to recognize that his reduced strikeout rate in 2017 is also an outlier -- he's unlikely to hit much better than .260 as long as he's striking out in nearly 30 percent of his plate appearances.

If you pro-rate Mondesi's 75 games to a full season, it comes out to 30 homers, 68 steals and 100 RBIs. I don't need to tell you that a season like that would put him above Mike Trout from a fantasy perspective. Granted, he is due for some regression, but don't hesitate to reach several rounds to get him on your roster.

With stolen bases increasingly hard to come by across MLB, Turner has seen his fantasy value soar. It certainly looks like he will be running even more often than last year, when he nabbed 43 stolen bases, and his peripherals indicate that he should improve on last season's .271 batting average, too. Even if neither happens, Turner's apparent floor of 40+ stolen bases makes him a very safe fantasy asset, especially in roto/categories leagues.

Correa has missed a significant chunk of time in each of the past two seasons, and while he struggled in 2018, don't forget that he is still just 24 years old and one year removed from being the MVP front-runner prior to his injury. There is major upside here and he may prove to be a league winner

It was a rough year for Springer Dingers, as the Astros outfielder deposited just 22 homers with a pedestrian .265/.346/.434 slash line. Thumb and quad injuries sapped his power late in the season and limited him to 140 games for the second straight year, and yet he managed over 100 runs for the third consecutive campaign. Caught stealing 21 times in 41 times, he's no longer a steals asset. He's looking more like a floor compiler who could underwhelm without a return to roughly 30 dingers.

Cruz has seen his batting average fall from .302 slowly down to .256 over the last four seasons, but the homers and RBIs are still firmly among the top of the league even despite his advanced again. You can rely on his durability and power in 2019 so don't hesitate to grab him in the 6th or 7th round.

Suarez was among the league leaders in hard contact rate last season, and the result was a career high .283 batting average, 34 home runs, and 104 RBIs. His BABIP and HR/FB rate were both a little inflated, so some regression should be expected to his average and power output. Look for him to hit closer to his .264 career mark, while hitting around 30 homers and again driving in plenty of runs in an improved Reds lineup.

Votto, now 35 years old, hit 12 homers last year after clubbing 36 in 2017. At least he maintained his stellar plate approach, tallying more walks (108) than strikeouts (101) while lacing MLB's second-highest line-drive rate (31.4%) behind Freddie Freeman. While still a commendable performer in OBP and points leagues, he'll need a power uptick to justify an early investment in roto and H2H category formats. A modest rise in last year's career-low 9.5% HR/FB rate should at least steer him closer to his .477 xSLG with 20-25 homers. That would make him a worthy bounce-back pick if paired with anything near his career .311 batting average.

Buehler lived up to the hype and more in his first extended stint in the Big Leagues, posting a 2.62 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 9.9 K/9 rate across 137 1/3 innings. His peripherals suggest his ERA is due to rise into the low-3.00s, but make no mistake, he is the real deal. The bigger question is how many innings the Dodgers will let him throw this season. Last season's total represented a big jump, and the Dodgers are notorious for rotating six or seven starters in and out of their rotation, so it is best to expect Buehler to throw around 150 innings and take anything beyond that as a bonus.

Corbin had a breakout season in 2018, and his peripherals suggest his 3.15 ERA should have been even better. He was not a mixed league asset in either of the previous two seasons, so there is a bit of risk in relying on him as your top starter, but he should be able to replicate his success as long as he can continue to miss bats with his slider like he did last season.

It can be easy to forget that as a rookie in 2016, Seager was not only the rookie of the year, but an MVP finalist. He was plenty useful in 2017 fantasy baseball too, but missed most of 2018 with Tommy John surgery and hip surgery. He should be ready to roll by opening day so while there is some risk, consider that he is still just 24 so we may not have seen his best yet

Cain didn't experience the power growth that many were expecting when he moved from Kansas City to Milwaukee, and his fantasy value was somewhat lessened by an absurdly low RBI count (38). But he did hit north of .300 for the fourth time in five seasons and collected a career-high 30 stolen bases. It's probably time to accept that he is not going to be a 20 HR guy, but he doesn't need to be one to be a top-50 hitter in standard 5x5 leagues. And he could be even better than that if everything clicks and he goes .300-15-30 with over 100 runs scored.

Albies is dripping with potential and there is no denying that after his 20 homer first half with 9 steals. With that said, his second half was dreadful, batting .226 with just 4 bombs. There is a chance he returns first round value, but the downside would torch your team if he returns to second half form.

Paxton has posted the fifth-best K% (30.4) and FIP (2.95) among all starters with at least 200 IP in the past two seasons. Yet last season's 160.1 IP comfortably set a personal high. He holds a career 3.87 ERA away from Safeco Field, so pitching in Yankee Stadium could offset the potential wins boost. Know your league before deciding whether to sacrifice quantity for quantity from a top-20 starter.

There is a top tier of three or four closers, but among them, Diaz is likely the best. He racked up 124 Ks in 73 innings last year, and while you can't bank on 57 saves again, 40 is well within question for a surprisingly good Mets team this year. His ratios will surely be stellar, but even so, with only 70 innings, they won't help you enough to warrant using a fifth or even earlier pick on him or any other closer.

Rosario has been remarkably consistent the past two years with a .290 and .288 batting average, 27 and 24 homers, 78 and 77 RBIs and 9 and 8 steals. Expect much of the same from him again this season, making him worthy of a 6th round pick in standard leagues.

Puig's career has been a bit of a disappointment, but even so, his last two seasons have been excellent. In that time, he has 30 homers and 18 SB per 162 games. If he is able to stay healthy, we could be looking at a further breakout to 35 and 20 thanks to a major ballpark upgrade in Cincy this year.

It's bad enough Strasburg, still yet to make 30 starts since 2014, threw just 130 innings in 2018. He also recorded the worst ERA (3.74) and FIP (3.62) of his career. Rises in hard-hit rate and exit velocity are concerning, but an elevated 15.7 HR/FB% ultimately did him in. Even if he bounces back to a 3.50 ERA or lower, investors can't reasonably bank on more than 150 innings, a mark he has met once in the last four seasons. Time is running out for the 30-year-old to reach his Cy Young ceiling.

Since Abreu joined the league, he is fifth in the majors with 288 RBIs and #1 among that group with a .295 batting average. As you know, he provides plenty of homers and runs as well. It may not feel interesting to draft Abreu, but with first base more shallow than years past, he is an excellent 6th round pick

After breaking out in 2017 with a .306 average, 23 HRs, and 25 SBs, Pham's numbers were down through nearly 100 games in 2018 before he was traded to Tampa, where he finished with a flurry. The end result was a perfectly respectable .275/102/21/63/15 roto line that was good enough to rank 16th among outfielders. Pham may strike out a bit too much to be a true .300 hitter, but he isn't a batting average liability, and there is no reason he can't again go 20-20 as long as the Rays continue to give him the green light on the base paths. He is a bit of an injury risk, but has shown he can make a big impact in 130-140 games.

The best pitcher of the last decade, Kershaw has seen his innings totals drop to 175 or fewer over each of the last three seasons. He's remained highly effective in those innings, but last year showed some more serious concerns, namely declining velocity and strikeouts. Kershaw remains in a highly-favorable pitching environment in Los Angeles, and given his mastery of the art of pitching, it would not be surprising to see him grit out another season with a sub-3.00 ERA. The question is how many innings he'll be able to throw and whether he can get his strikeout rate back up over a batter per inning. Given that he has already experienced arm soreness this spring, Kershaw is more boom-or-bust than ever.

Berrios' 2018 season was pretty similar to 2017. He made some strides in strikeout rate and WHIP, but it didn't help his ERA much thanks to a spike in home runs allowed. Berrios is a good but not great strikeout pitcher and his walk rate is just ok, so he'll need to make further improvements to live up to the hype he had as a prospect. That could certainly happen in his age-24 season, but it isn't guaranteed.

You may not love the idea of destroying your team's batting average with his .210 line, but you'll be hard-pressed to find 40 homers, and perhaps even 50 from anyone 50 picks early, let alone around the 9th round of drafts. If you combine him with Daniel Murphy in the 5th, you've got two players who combine for a .260 average with 65-70 homers. When you look at it that way, Gallo's value jumps off the page.

The always conservative Steamer projection model sees Vlad Jr. as a similar player to Nolan Arenado from the get-go with a .300+ BA, 30 homers and both 100 RBIs and runs over a full season's at bats. This issue, however, will be whether he gets those at-bats. You can gamble on him as early as the 4th round, but it may not be early enough to beat others to the punch

It might not feel sexy drafting Segura, but you can expect a .300+ batting average and 20+ steals for the fourth consecutive season from him. If he finally plays a full season, we may be looking at a 20/30 year with a .310 batting average which would make Segura a top 25 fantasy asset

Realmuto's .277 batting average with 21 homers and 74 RBIs doesn't seem all that impressive, but the fact of the matter is that he blew the rest of the catcher scene away with those numbers. Realmuto is as safe as it comes at the position and should produce far above the lousy replacement level once again. This is especially true now that he has been traded to a great hitter's ballpark in Philly. Don't hesitate to reach for him so you don't get stuck with an awful catcher

Flaherty's first full Major League season was an excellent one, as his 3.34 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 10.85 K/9 rate demonstrate. But his 3.52 walks per nine were high, and he averaged fewer than six innings per start, limiting his win potential. He also benefited from a .257 BABIP allowed that was low, even for a pitcher with great stuff like Flaherty. If more of those batted balls fall in for base hits, Flaherty may pay a greater price for the free passes this year. His long-term outlook is bright, but there could be some bumps along the way.

With 55 home runs over the last two seasons and now entering his age-26 season, Conforto has the makings of a consistent 30-HR guy, but he is unlikely to hit much higher than .250 and doesn't provide many stolen bases. Those limitations cap his upside, at least until he's able to make more consistent contact.

Torres isn't a big contributor in stolen bases, but he is plenty useful in each of the other four main categories. If you expand his rates out to a full season, Torres would have posted 32 homers, 101 RBIs and a .271 batting average. You would be thrilled to get that type of production out of your seventh round shortstop.

Over the last five years, Carpenter has a remarkable 468 walks, which obviously has contributed to his 483 runs. In that time, his power has steadily improved, all the way to 36 homers last year, and while that total may not be repeatable, 30 homers with 100 runs makes him well worth a sixth round pick in 2019 fantasy leagues

Greinke's age is now 35 and he did have a rough season three years ago, but besides then, he has been phenomenal since 2009. Expect plenty more of the same in 2019 with excellent ratios, about 15 wins and around 200 strikeouts. This makes him a top 20 starting pitcher for 2019 fantasy leagues

Although Haniger hasn't done it for as long as someone like Nelson Cruz or Justin Upton, he was better than both last year thanks to a .285 batting average on top of his 90+ runs, 90+ RBIs and power. Projection models are fond of him once again this year, but there is a bit more risk than the aforementioned annual powerhouses.

McCutchen might not be that first round pick he once was when we were getting 30 homers, 20 steals and a .320 batting average, but he is still a plenty capable fantasy asset. He is as durable as they come and has managed 20+ homers in 8 straight seasons. Not only that. but he still steals double-digit bags per year and is moving into by far the best ballpark of his career so don't be surprised if we get a resurgence.

Finally healthy after dealing with injuries and a cancer diagnosis, Taillon established himself in 2018 as a pitcher who can provide solid ratios, albeit it with a middling strikeout rate. He benefits from a very pitcher-friendly environment in Pittsburgh, boosting his fantasy floor, but he simply doesn't belong among the top-25 fantasy starters until he begins to pile up the Ks.

There is no getting past the fact that Sanchez was a train wreck last season., batting .186 with only 18 homers. With that said, he is still just 26 years old and we are talking about the fastest player to ever reach 50 homers in the MLB. Chance are high that he will bounce back in the batting average department, and if he can stay healthy, bank on 25 to 40 homers making him well worth a 7th or 8th round pick.

Batting average is difficult to come by after the first four or five rounds, but then there is Turner, who over the last five seasons, has racked up a .305 batting average which beats out plays like Trout, Yelich and Freeman. There isn't a ton in the way of homers or steals, but he won't hurt you in any category unless he deals with yet another injury. For that reason, he is a bit risky.

Ozuna's massive 2017 season seemed destined to go down as an outlier, and that's exactly what happened as he experienced a major drop-off in every offensive category last season. A shoulder injury reportedly impacted his performance last year, but the fact remains that Ozuna now has three full seasons where he has hit exactly 23 home runs with a batting average between .265 and .280 and 75-90 RBIs. That's the player we should expect in 2019, not the one that went .312-37-124 in 2017.

Treinen was simply phenomenal for Oakland last season, and he enters 2019 neck-and-neck with Edwin Diaz for the title of fantasy's number one closer.

Myers will play the outfield in San Diego this year, but will carry over third base eligibility from last season, making him one of the very few options for speed at 3B. He averaged 29 home runs and 24 stolen bases between 2016 and 2017, and was on pace to again go 20-20 last year if not for missing nearly half the season due to a host of different injuries. You can't expect Myers to do much better than his .253 career batting average, but his combination of power and speed makes him a sneaky contender to finish as a top-12 third baseman in roto/categories leagues if he can stay healthy.

What felt like a disastrous season for Jansen would have been great for most other relievers. He registered a career-high 3.01 ERA and career-low 10.3 K/9 substantially below his career average of 13.5. Health is his primary concern after undergoing heart surgery over the offseason, and he reportedly lost 25 pounds and is "ready to roll." Although no longer the premier closer in town, he's still a top-five option.

Robles has been somewhat overshadowed by Juan Soto in Washington, but he had success in a brief stint with the Nationals last year and looks poised to break out in 2019. The projection systems generally expect Robles to steal at least 25 bases with low-double digit home runs and a batting average in the .275 range, which would probably be enough to make Robles worth deploying immediately, even in three outfielder leagues.

While it may be appealing to draft incredible real-life players, there is a major difference between fringe AL MVP candidate and top 80 fantasy baseball player. Chapman's defensive prowess doesn't transfer over, unfortunately, so rather, we are looking at a mediocre power hitter with some batting average concerns.

Castillo was a trendy breakout pick last season, but instead his strikeout rate fell and he was victimized by the home run ball. However, just as many fantasy managers' attention turned to football, Castillo dominated his way through September, delivering a 1.09 ERA and 0.85 WHIP over the season's final month. In other words, there is plenty of post-hype sleeper appeal here as long as his draft price remains reasonable.

Encarnacion may be getting up there in age, but there are few hitters who have produced consistent power at the rate he has. There is little reason to expect a sudden drop-off but with that said, his RBIs and runs should take a hit with Seattle losing some of their best offensive pieces.

Prior to yet another injury, Pollock was among the best fantasy assets in baseball. He had 12 homers, 9 steals and 38 RBIs through just 186 at bats. The ceiling for Pollock is a 30/20 player with a batting average near .300, but he has only played more than 115 games just twice in his career so don't forget about the risk in drafting him.

Aroldis Chapman was his typical dominant self last season and enters 2019 as the clear closer in the Bronx. This shapes up as arguably the best bullpen in baseball, however, so the Yankees will have no shortage of potential replacements should Chapman struggle or get hurt.

Shaw has back to back seasons with 30 homers, and while his batting average may linger in the .240's again, that type of power is difficult to come by after pick 100, especially for someone who qualifies as a second basemen in most leagues.

Morton followed an improbable late-career renaissance with an even better 2018. In his most innings pitched (167) since 2011, he etched out a 3.13 ERA and 201 strikeouts. Yet he wore down as the season transpired, as his K rate dropped seven points to 24.2% after the All-Star break. Given his durability concerns and struggles when facing a batting order for the third time, the Rays will likely keep limiting him to five innings per start (or even have him follow an opener). Morton will perform on a per-inning basis, but investors should probably expect results closer to 2017's 3.62 ERA and 163 strikeouts in 146.2 innings.

Some investors spent the entire season wondering when a trade would cost Hand his recently gained closing role in San Diego. Although not a full-time closer for Cleveland, he recorded eight saves in 28 outings to finish with 32. Of course, it's the 2.75 ERA and 104 strikeouts-Dellin Betances is the only other reliever to record triple-digit Ks in each of the last two seasons-that make him such an attractive fantasy asset. While Terry Francona may want to use his best reliever in high-leverage spots a la Andrew Miller, he no longer has Cody Allen to handle the final frame. Even if he shares the spotlight occasionally, Hand makes a top-10 stopper on the strength of a seismic strikeout tally.

Jimenez may not be Vlad Jr. but most other years, he would be the consensus top fantasy prospect. His game is in the mold of Manny Ramirez where he could be a mainstay in the middle of a lineup, hitting 30 homers with 100 RBIs and a .290 BA every year. That might not all come right away, but from the moment he is called up, you can expect a top 30 fantasy outfielder.

Over the last two years, Donaldson has missed half of his team's games, but he has still be exceptional when he plays, with 41 homers, 101 RBIs and 95 runs in 165 games. If he is healthy, you've got a second round value, but that is a big if so proceed at your own risk.

Hader registered three fewer strikeouts (143) than Miles Mikolas last season and eight more than Kenley Jansen and Ken Giles combined. Although not Milwaukee's full-time closer, he notched 12 saves and six wins with a 2.43 ERA and 0.81 WHIP. He led all relievers in strikeout % (46.7) and swinging-strike rate (19.0%). Further boosting his stock, Corey Knebel's Tommy John surgery could clear a path to saves. (The Brewers have also been linked to Craig Kimbrel.) Hader is a top-five stud in saves-plus-holds format who may now garner that same elite status in all leagues if given the closer's role.

Castellanos was a disappointment for so long that it may still be hanging over his stock. The fact of the matter, however, is that he has been great the past two season, hitting .285 with 49 homers and 190 RBIs. He only qualifies as an outfielder now, but should be regarded every bit as high as someone like Justin Upton or Mitch Haniger.

Moustakas has been an excellent source of power for several years running now and doesn't have as much swing and miss in his game as you might imagine. Now that he qualifies at second base and is back in Milwaukee, there is a strong case for drafting him within the top 100 overall.

Cano isn't nearly the player he once was, but he's proven over the last several seasons that he is still fully capable of hitting 20-25 HRs with a batting average north of .280. He is 36 years old and coming off of a PED suspension, so the risk for a collapse exists, but it's worth noting that he was actually better following the suspension last season. The move from Seattle to the Mets should be fairly neutral in terms of both ballpark and lineup.

Muncy was a late bloomer, bouncing around the Athletics' and Dodgers' farm systems for six years before breaking out in a big way at 27 years old. In his first extended opportunity in the Big Leagues, Muncy smacked 35 home runs in just 395 at-bats. That was due in part to a 29.4 percent HR/FB ratio that was one of the highest in baseball, but Muncy was also among the league leaders in hard contact rate. Even if his HR/FB rate drops off, he can make up for it with more games played, making him a decent bet to again top 30 home runs. He won't be an asset in batting average or stolen bases, but he is another example of a big-time power source you can acquire relatively cheaply.

In 2018, Price completed his ninth straight season with a sub-4.00 ERA and WHIP of 1.20 or better. He's also averaged right around a strikeout per inning over the last five seasons, and his win potential in Boston is always good. While he's not the dominant fantasy ace it once looked like he would become, Price is a perfectly solid second or third fantasy starter.

Wheeler posted a mid-3.00s ERA for the third time in four years in 2018, proving that his rough 2017 season was the true outlier. His .279 BABIP allowed was somewhat fortunate, but he also significantly trimmed his walk rate, providing confidence that he can maintain some of the gain he made in WHIP last year. He doesn't strike out enough hitters to have ace potential, but fantasy owners can feel pretty good about Wheeler as their third starter in 12-team mixed leagues.

Marquez had a terrific strikeout-to-walk ratio last season, but still finished with an ERA of 3.77, which feels like a best-case scenario for a pitcher who calls Coors Field home. Marquez should provide plenty of innings and strikeouts and his fair share of wins, but he's not likely to be of much help when it comes to ERA and WHIP.

There is plenty of reason to be excited about David Dahl, as his upside is a true five-category contributor. With that said, he has been among the most injury-prone players in baseball so even 400 plate appearances is no guarantee.

Vazquez's surface numbers weren't quite as dominant last year as they were in 2017, but his FIP and xFIP were nearly identical, and his overall numbers as the Pirates' closer were still quite good. He should have plenty of job security after signing a four-year contract extension last year and is easily a top-10 fantasy closer this season.

After serving a suspension for a domestic violence charge, Osuna got traded to the Astros and was closing within a month. Those still comfortable drafting the 24-year-old should expect his 21.3% strikeout rate to rise back to his career 28.4% clip. A smaller sample size isn't as trustworthy, but he also maintained a 14.7% swinging-strike rate during that time. While there's fear that Ryan Pressly and a deep Astros bullpen will give him competition, Ken Giles had to pitch his way out of the ninth inning. Osuna, who owns a career 2.78 ERA and 0.97 WHIP, shouldn't lose the job for any on-field reasons.

Villar was a major disappointment in 2017 after being selected in the third, and even second round of fantasy drafts. As a result, he was an afterthought in 2018, and for the first half of the season, it was a good call. Once Villar was dealt to the Orioles, though, he took off. In those 54 games, he managed eight homers and 21 steals, which over a full season would have been 24 and 64, respectively. Think that type of production is impossible? Rewind to 2016 when he hit 19 with 62 steals and a .285 batting average. Villar still has that ceiling and you can get him in the middle of your drafts this year.

A popular candidate to win the NL batting title in Colorado, Murphy injured his hand less than a week into the season. He's going to the injured list with a fractured index finger, and he's meeting with a specialist to see if he has tendon damage. If the injury isn't too severe, remember how much he helped patient backers late last year after a knee injury held him out through June.

Peralta batted .293 with a .352 OBP and 14 homers in 2017, but drafters snoozed at his bounce-back campaign. Last year, he batted .293 with a .352 OBP … and 30 homers. And yet he's still fighting for a top-100 spot. Having previously never gone deep more than 17 times in a season, it's safe to project regression given his 29.2% fly-ball rate. An elevated hard-hit rate at least gives him hope of reaching 20 homers, which would make him a useful contributor with a high floor in batting average.

Moncada has both double-digit power and speed, but the batting average is lackluster. You can make the case that he has more potential as a former #1 overall prospect, but more likely, the holes in his game will prove too much for a big breakout to be a possibility.

Gordon is going to absolutely destroy you in two categories and his batting average isn't anything to write home about. With that said, the potential of 60 stolen bases makes him worth the price of admission toward the middle of drafts.

Doolittle only had 25 saves and 60 strikeouts last year, but he had an absurd 0.600 WHIP. That isn't a typo. With a full season, don't be surprised when Doolittle finishes in the elite tier of fantasy closers.

Bumgarner was one of the best fantasy starters out there until a couple of years ago, but he hasn't been quite the same since his 2017 dirt bike accident. He has remained a help in ERA thanks to his ability to limit base hits, but his strikeout rate has plummeted and last year his walk rate rose as well. Bumgarner's peripherals suggest he is playing with fire, even in a very pitcher-friendly environment in San Francisco. Still just 29 years old, a big bounce back season cannot be completely discounted, but there is no question that Bumgarner is a risk-reward player at this point.

Batting average tends to be an underrated ability in fantasy baseball, and that is an area in which Brantley excels. But durability is also an underrated commodity, and that has been Brantley's downfall for big chunks of his career. If Brantley can just manage to stay healthy, he should be able to contribute enough balanced production across all five roto categories to be a valuable third outfielder in mixed leagues.

Bieber is the rare pitcher who may throw too many strikes. His pinpoint control is helpful for his WHIP, and he's shown the ability to strike out close to a batter per inning, but he gave up so many hits as a rookie that his ERA ballooned to 4.55. That is due for quite a bit of positive regression, but Bieber's ERA may always trail behind his WHIP. For now, expect his ERA to settle in the mid-to-high 3s.

A former elite prospect, Glasnow couldn't quite get his act together in Pittsburgh, but things started looking up when he was moved to the Rays. He struggled mightily with the long ball during his brief stint in Tampa, but the much more important thing is that he nearly cut his walk rate in half. Glasnow can miss bats with the best of them, so if he can stop giving away so many free passes we could suddenly be looking at a pitcher who can provide solid ratios to go along with the elite strikeout numbers. He's an exciting breakout candidate.

One of last year's best sources of cheap speed, Smith stole the third-most bases (40) besides Whit Merrifield and Trea Turner. Among the 11 players with at least 30 steals, he was one of four (Merrifield, Mookie Betts, and Lorenzo Cain) to bat above .300 (.296). As a two-category contributor, he needs that average to stick, but a .249 xBA and Steamer's .263 projection aren't so optimistic. Yet the speed is legitimate, and the Mariners could slot him into the leadoff role. He could be a more competent Billy Hamilton.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, well, look at all those strikeouts. Fool me three times … but his FIP is still lower. Even though he missed over a month with an abdominal strain last year, Archer has amassed the sixth-most strikeouts (644) over the last three seasons. He has collected a 3.64 FIP and 3.54 SIERA during that span. His ERA also ballooned above 4.00 each year. How many times can we keep putting our hand on the hot stove? Archer's fastball has ceded a slugging percentage above .500 in each campaign, so he wields no other effective pitch beyond his slider. He's an elite source of strikeouts, but don't expect a positive ERA contribution.

Yates took over as the Padres' closer following the Brad Hand trade last July, and the team didn't skip a beat. Yates finished with an impressive 2.14 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and 12.86 K/9, so he should return as the unquestioned 2019 closer barring a surprise acquisition. Yates' fantasy value also gets a bit of a boost from the Padres signing Manny Machado, as it decreases the likelihood of Yates getting dealt to a contender at the trade deadline.

Mikolas had an incredible season in his first year back from pitching in Japan, posting a 2.83 ERA and 1.07 WHIP while winning 18 games for the Cardinals. His weak strikeout rate is a bit of a detriment in roto leagues with low innings caps, but it isn't too big a deal in points leagues. That said, he's due for a bit of a correction in his BABIP and HRs allowed, which should cause his ERA to rise at least into the mid-3.00s. He can still be a useful fantasy pitcher in most formats, but could be overvalued.

Tanaka was basically the same pitcher last year as he was in 2017, but he shaved a run off of his ERA thanks to slight improvements in BABIP allowed, home runs allowed, and left-on-base percentage. Still, home runs remain an issue for Tanaka, which explains why his ERA generally lags behind his WHIP. He's also never made it to 200 innings, so he's not exactly a workhorse. At this point we should just accept Tanaka for what he is: a solid third or fourth fantasy starter.

Having hit 20 homers in each of his first three MLB seasons, Mazara has yet to validate his high prospect pedigree as an above-average hitter. Drafters paying for upside instead keep receiving a boring compiler with a career .258/.320/.425 slash line. Last year, he needed a career-high 20.0% HR/FB rate on a career-low 26.6% FB rate just to reach his usual 20, half of which he notched in May. All of this points to a steady hand rather than an upside play, but Mazara only turns 24 in April. Although his upside hasn't expired just yet, don't overpay for unfulfilled hype.

Anderson was remarkable in the first half but really slowed down to close the season. Even still, he managed 20 homers and 26 steals. While he may be hard pressed to repeat that this year, 15 and 15 would make him a useful mid-round pick so long as his batting average doesn't plummet further.

After hitting .265 with 16 HRs in 279 at-bats in 2017, Aguilar got the chance to be a full-time player in 2018, and took advantage to the sweet tune of a .274/80/35/108 line that made him a top-three first baseman in standard 5x5 roto leagues. Aguilar is a zero on the base paths and he strikes out too much to be of much help in batting average, either, but the power is very real and his run production numbers should continue to be excellent in a loaded lineup and great home park. Call Aguilar a HR/RBI specialist if you must, but at least recognize that he is one of the better HR/RBI specialists in the game.

After back-to-back 30 HR campaigns, Odor managed to hit just 18 in 129 games last year, but there is little in his batted ball profile to suggest the power drop-off will be permanent. Of greater concern is the fact that Odor's strikeout rate has increased significantly over the last two seasons, and his stolen base success rate plummeted last season. Odor is certainly capable of producing a .250-30-15 season, but that outcome feels a little closer to his ceiling than his floor at this point. Still, unless he gets the red light on the base paths, Odor is a solid bet to again finish among the top-12 second basemen in standard 5x5 leagues.

Inciarte is not the kind of player that fantasy managers drool over, but he is a strong bet to steal 20 bases and hit 10 home runs while batting close to .300. If he does that again, he'll be well worth starting in standard 12-team mixed leagues.

Andrus went from 20 homers and 25 steals to six and five, respectively. The speed drop-off is especially jarring, as he had reached at least 20 steals in each of his last nine MLB seasons. The 30-year-old should bounce back a bit from an elbow injury that contained him to 97 games, but there's some concern since he attempted just eight steals in 2017's second half. While drafters shouldn't pay a significant price for a recovery, there's enough of a track record to bite as an inexpensive middle infielder.

Devers was somewhat disappointing in his first full Major League season, hitting just .240 and missing some time with a hamstring strain. But the low batting average was largely due to an unusually low .281 BABIP -- his batted ball profile was nearly identical to his promising 2017 debut. He also managed to produce 21 homers and five steals in just 121 games, not too shabby for a guy who was just 21-years old. The full breakout could be coming this year.

Piscotty waited to get dropped in most leagues before delivering a bounce-back season. After batting .160 in May, he hit .286 with 24 homers and a .386 wOBA (.365 wOBA) from June 1 onward. Given his down 2017 (.235, 9 HRs), drafters should seek a near repeat of 2018 rather than extrapolating his late surge to a full season. Last year's 27 homers already set a career high, so aim for 25 from a solid, mid-tier option.

Ray was an obvious regression candidate coming off his phenomenal 2017 season, and regress he did. While his strikeout rate remained elite, his walk rate ballooned to over 5.00 per nine innings, inflating his WHIP back up to 1.35. Ray is really hard to hit, so he's capable of keeping his ERA under 4.00, but the WHIP isn't likely to be pretty, which makes him hard to rely on as a weekly starter in standard mixed leagues.

Santana, who submitted 30 homers and 15 steals in 2017, once again has a regular role after getting shipped from Milwaukee to Seattle. He also struggled in scarce playing time last year, settling for five homers and 77 strikeouts in 235 plate appearances. Don't expect a full bounce-back to 2017; he was never going to sustain a 30.9% HR/FB rate. As a late pick for those who drafted before his two home runs in Tokyo, 20-25 long balls and a handful of steals would get the job done. But consider selling high if he stays hot in the U.S. in early April.

Reds manager David Bell said he wants to use Iglesias when a high-leverage situation arises rather than limiting his best reliever to the ninth. He could serve a role reminiscent to Josh Hader, which makes the southpaw unlikely to record another 30 saves. Yet he can still contribute if scattering some saves and wins with a high strikeout tally and low ERA over 70-75 frames.

With a full season as the Rays' closer, Alvarado could end up one of the top 10 closers in baseball. There is some more risk with him than the guys who have done it for years, but we could be looking at 90 Ks with excellent ratios and 35 saves which makes him a total steal late in drafts.

His success defies common convention, but how many times does Hendricks have to prove himself as a sustainable anomaly? He boasts a 3.07 career ERA in 789 innings, only once going over 3.45 (3.95 in 2015). He has made at least 30 starts in three of the last four seasons, and a stellar 5.4% walk rate led to a 1.15 WHIP in 2018. Despite his lacking velocity, The Professor typically records 160-170 strikeouts over a full season of work. He's a boring, but effective SP3 to pair with high-upside strikeout pitchers.

Alonso broke camp with the Mets and has flashed tremendous bat skills that validate the comparisons to Rhys Hoskins. While he might not hit 35 homers, 25 seems likely with a batting average that won't kill any roster.

Hill has developed into a high-end fantasy starter in his mid-30s, posting no worse than a 3.66 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and 10.18 K/9 over each of the last three seasons. Of course, he's never thrown more than 136 innings in any of those seasons, and we can't expect him to do it this year, either. But he's proven he can be a very valuable fantasy commodity in limited innings, particularly in leagues with a low innings cap.

Essentially the Blake Snell of relievers down the stretch, Leclerc allowed just nine hits and two runs-both on July 28-over his final 28 innings. If going two entire months without allowing a run wasn't impressive enough, he yielded one extra-base hit (a double) while stockpiling 29 strikeouts and six walks in his final 20 frames. The Rangers have accordingly committed to the 25-year-old as their Opening Day closer. If he can sustain last season's late command improvements, he could keep the role all year as a top-five stud with 100-strikeout capabilities. A career 16.0% walk rate and a lackluster Rangers squad present some significant pitfalls, but the sky-high upside makes him an alluring second-tier breakout option.

Darvish missed most of the 2018 season due to elbow and triceps injuries, and he was clearly not himself for the 40 innings he was able to pitch. Health has been a constant concern for Darvish, but he's been a consistently dominant strikeout pitcher, and last year was the first time in his Major League career that he's had an ERA over 3.90 or WHIP above 1.28. His team context in Chicago remains great, so the chance of a big bounce back season is there if he can just stay off of the IL.

It was a lost year for Dozier, and he still came out with 21 homers and 12 steals. That wasn't worth much when paired with a .215 batting average, but the second baseman said he was playing through a knee injury all season. In two seasons before the 2018 downturn, he hit .269 with a combined 76 blasts and 34 steals. Banking on a health-enabled rebound is an interesting risk for those who can risk a subpar average or play in an OBP/points league.

The Padres presented a pleasant surprise by including Tatis on their Opening Day roster. Arguably MLB's best prospect behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the 20-year-old shortstop batted .286/.355/.507 with 16 homers and steals apiece in 88 Double-A games last season. He also recorded a 27.7% strikeout rate, so expect some growing pains in his debut. An early slump could send him back to the minors, where Luis Urias will wait for another call-up. Like Yoan Moncada, Tatis could offer double-digit homers and steals with a low batting average, but he's certainly worth rostering just in case he breaks out sooner than expected.

After posting an ERA north of 4.00 in each of his first three seasons, Foltynewicz put up a shiny 2.85 ERA in 2018. Part of that was due to a fortunate BABIP allowed of just .251, but he also earned some of the gain by boosting his K/9 rate from 8.36 to 9.93. While some regression should be expected, the bigger concern is that Folty has complained of elbow soreness this spring and wasn't quite ready for Opening Day. That above all else should give fantasy owners pause.

Giles may have been an elite closer in 2015 and 2017, but his other two seasons have been disappointing for fantasy owners. Although he straightened is out with Toronto in his final 20 innings, we were still looking at a low K-rate and an ERA over 4.00. Plus, it isn't like there will be a ton of save opportunities in Toronto like he saw in Houston the past few years.

Braun isn't often healthy, but when he is on the field, he has continued to rake over the last three years. In that time, his per 162 game average is 30 homers, 18 steals and a .279 batting average. If he can finally stay on the field, fantasy owners will hit the jackpot this year.

Cabrera's 2018 season was cut short after just 38 games due to a torn biceps tendon, but in the limited sample size he looked more like the perennial .300 hitter he's been for most of his career than the guy who hit just .249 in 2017. It is hard to expect much more than around 20 HRs from Cabrera at this point -- his 38 HRs in 2016 is the major outlier of the last five seasons -- but even that kind of power output can be useful when it's accompanied by a strong batting average. He's nowhere near the player he once was, but his days as a mixed league asset aren't over quite yet.

Over his first three seasons with the Dodgers, Maeda has finished as the SP19, SP33, and SP49 in standard 5x5 rotisserie leagues, despite averaging just 145 innings pitched per season. He is a good bet to again produce an ERA around 3.80, a WHIP around 1.20, and better than a strikeout per inning. While it would be unwise to expect more than around 130 innings from Maeda this season, given how the Dodgers have handled Maeda and the rest of their pitching staff over the last couple years, he's proven he can be a solid mixed league asset even with a limited workload. He's particularly valuable in shallower leagues (10/12 team leagues with short benches) and leagues with multiple DL spots, since there will be decent fill-ins available for the starts he misses in those formats.

Davis was shaky at times in his first season in Colorado, but he led the National League with 43 saves, and a strong 10.74 K/9 and 1.06 WHIP offset his bloated 4.13 ERA. Expect his ERA and WHIP to move closer to his career marks of 3.50 and 1.25, respectively, though each may be a bit higher because of the Coors Field effect. Barring a total collapse, Davis should have plenty of job security and again be a top-20 fantasy closer.

The Pirates had him buried on their depth chart for what seemed like forever thanks to the presence of Andrew McCutchen, Gregory Polanco and Starling Marte. Now that he has been freed to Tampa Bay (with Tyler Glasnow) in the Chris Archer trade, we will finally get to see the kid shine. Meadows was once considered a future all-star, and while he likely won't venture into that territory any time soon, if at all, we are looking at someone who, even as a rookie, should hold a mediocre batting average while contributing in all four of the other roto categories.

Hamels displayed all the signs of a pitcher in decline during his three seasons in Texas, but he rebounded nicely upon joining the Cubs at midseason last year. It's hard to know exactly what version of Hamels we'll get at this point, but being in the National League should help. It's not unreasonable to hope for a sub-4.00 ERA, a WHIP in the low 1.20s, and close to a strikeout per inning in 2019.

Musgrove is quickly showing why he made the perfect late-round flier with sneaky upside. Last year, he displayed excellent control with an 11.5% swinging-strike rate and .281 xwOBA that matched Patrick Corbin. He has opened 2019 with 15 strikeouts over 15.1 scoreless frames, yielding no barrels while amplifying last season's late uptick in slider usage. The 26-year-old righty who looks like a legitimate SP3/4 who needs to be rostered in all leagues.

Regardless of how the league's host site manages the Ohtani dilemma, he'll only contribute as a hitter after undergoing Tommy John surgery last season. He won't be ready for Opening Day in that capacity either. The Japanese phenom exceeded expectations inside the batter's box, batting .285/.361/.564 with 22 homers and 10 steals (13 HRs and eight SBs over the final two months) in just 357 plate appearances. There's 25/10 potential, but enough health and playing-time concerns not to pay top dollar for it.

Paddack registered an absurd 120 strikeouts to eight walks in 90 innings between Single-A and Double-A last season. Following an equally dominant spring, the Padres put their prized prospect on the Opening Day roster. He has quickly proven he belongs, allowing three runs in as many starts. Paddack assumed a limited workload last season after undergoing Tommy John in 2016, so he still may not toss more than 145 major league innings. That's a problem to worry about later; the rookie needs to be owned in all leagues.

Happ massively out-performed his 2018 draft pick despite posting his highest ERA (3.65) since 2014. He now owns a 3.49 ERA and 8.45 K/9 over those past four seasons, and yet many drafters scoffed at him going around the pick-150 range. It seemed like a reasonable price for someone who accompanied his career-high 193 strikeouts with a career-high 10.3% swinging-strike rate and career-low 78.3% contact rate. Yet many the skeptics were right. The 36-year-old has coughed up 19 hits and 12 runs in 12.1 innings, which is especially concerning since he twice faced the Orioles. Despite losing a bit of velocity, he keeps striking out over a batter per frame. Give him at least one or two more chances to rebound before dropping him in standard mixed leagues.

Peraza was almost as good as Jean Segura last season and there isn't much reason to doubt he can do it again in 2019. He isn't as likely as Segura to post a .300 batting average, but .280-.290 is entirely within reach, and their stolen base totals should be very similar. Peraza is also capable of matching Segura's low double-digit home run output after significantly increasing both his hard contact rate and fly ball rate last season, and he should see an uptick in run production while hitting in an improved Reds' lineup.

Allen had accrued a sub-3.00 ERA and K/9 above 11.0 in four straight seasons before his ERA ballooned to 4.75 with 80 strikeouts in 67 frames (10.75 K/9) last season. A massive 50.6% fly-ball rate led to a career-high 11 home runs surrendered. Here's the good news: He still found a ninth-inning gig with the Angels. The gopheritis and alarming walk increase (4.42 BB/9) make him a ratio risk, but Allen offers a rare source of affordable saves.

Catcher's don't often get 450 trips to the plate, but Tadi has done it every year since 2008. As you can imagine, the runs and RBIs pile up with extra playing time, and it certainly helps that he increases your team's batting average and may add another 20 homers this season.

Rosario is a former top prospect but that doesn't mean he has much more upside with the bat that we have already seen early in his career. A dozen homers and a .260 batting average is likely his cap, but with 25 stolen bases, that makes for a decent depth piece.

McHugh was terrific in relief for the Astros last season and is now back in the starting rotation. This is a pitcher capable of helping in ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts, and the win potential is certainly there as well. He's underrated.

An intriguing option when healthy, Rodriguez took another step forward with a 3.82 ERA, 3.65 FIP, and 10.13 K/9 in 2018. Good luck, however, getting a full season out of the lefty. Knee and ankle injuries contained him to 129.2 frames, so he has yet to make 25 starts for more than 137.1 frames in a single season. He flaunted a high ceiling by mixing in fewer four-seamers in favor of a cutter, and he has reportedly spent the offseason working on his slider with help from Chris Sale and Pedro Martinez. Drafters must prepare to make up the lost innings elsewhere, but he's nevertheless the type of high-strikeout hurler worth rostering alongside sturdier rotation anchors. Investors can breathe a sigh of relief after he regained velocity in a bounce-back outing that followed two six-run debacles commencing 2019.

Through three starts, as of April 12, Boyd boasts an MLB-high 29 strikeouts. He also resides in the top five of contact and swinging-strike rate by relying heavily on his wipeout slider. This may not be a fluke, as he punched out a batter per frame in 2018's second half. Consider the Tigers southpaw a must-add who at least has the look of a top-50 starter.

Kimbrel still hasn't signed so wherever he plays will obviously impact his fantasy upside. Boston would offer plenty more save opportunities, of course, than somewhere like San Diego. You can bank on excellent ratios with nearly 100 Ks regardless, however, so don't hesitate to grab him toward the end of the top tier of closers once again.

Stripling may have faded toward the end of the season, but his start to the season was so absurd that he still managed to finish top five in xFIP among all starting pitchers with at least 120 innings. Stripling is like Mike Clevinger this time last year in that his dominant sample size is large enough to assume he can be a top 30 starting pitcher with a full season worth of work.

Hicks is the closer for St. Louis but with early struggles, it seems that he is on the hot seat, ready to be replaced by Alex Reyes or even John Brebbia. Keep an eye on this situation and scoop up his probable replacements if things go further south for Hicks.

Ramos missed most of 2017 and struggled while he was healthy, but that seems to be the outlier, as he was tremendous in both 2016 and 2018, batting over .300 both seasons with plenty of power. Ramos is one of the safest fantasy catchers and may have as much upside as anyone besides Sanchez and Realmuto.

Voit dominated (.322/.398/.671, 15 HRs) in 47 games with the Yankees. His .447 wOBA matched Mike Trout, and his .437 wxOBA topped every hitter with at least 150 plate appearances. He also, however, posted a 40.5 HR/FB% with an abysmal 68.9% contact rate, stats which respectively scream HR and AVG regression. Given the microscopic sample size attached to 2018's breakout, there's still a chance he falls into the short end of a platoon with Greg Bird. Yet the scorching contact suggests he could ward off some red flags and leverage Yankee Stadium into a 30-homer campaign. Weigh the risks and rewards before determining whether to swing for the fences.

Since joining the league, DeJong is fifth among shortstops in homers per trip to the plate. He is right behind Francisco Lindor and Trevor Story, who are being drafted in the first and second rounds. Granted, the speed is a major difference but the batting average isn't at .275, .267 and .263. If DeJong can stay on the field this year, consensus projections like him to produce a very similar season to Carlos Correa who is being drafted 140 picks higher.

If he stays healthy, Eaton could go down as one of 2018's biggest steals. Pun somewhat intended, as he swiped nine of 10 opportunities in just 95 games when not sidelined by an ankle injury. Probably more important to his stock, he hit .301 with a .394 OBP, giving him an average and OBP above .280 and .360, respectively, in each of the last five seasons. That has given him an early opportunity to bat ahead of Trea Turner, Anthony Rendon, and Juan Soto atop Washington's lineup. If his body cooperates, he'd become 2019's Michael Brantley.

Hernandez's production has risen (67, 92, and 118 wRC+) along with playing time (244, 342, 462 PAs) over the past three seasons. The latter trend will at least continue, as he will open 2019 as the Dodgers' starting second baseman. He no longer needs to hide in a platoon after popping 12 homers and a 123 wRC+ against righties last season. His strikeouts also continue to decline, so the featured role could lead to a solid average with 20-25 homers. The 27-year-old is also eligible at least three positions (2B, SS, and OF), making him a useful spark plug to pluck off the waiver wire.

Even Nimmo may not maintain his smile if his brutal start continues. On the heels of a breakout campaign, he is 3-for-29 with 17 strikeouts through nine games. The slump could threaten the on-base fiend's leadoff role, which will drastically hinder his steal and run-scoring potential. It'd be nice to see some signs of life before trying to buy low, but it'd be awfully hard to ignore someone who posted a .385 wOBA in 2018 if shoved onto the waiver wire.

After posting back-to-back 25 HR seasons, Hosmer managed just 18 long balls in his first season in San Diego and does not appear likely to return to the 25 homer range if he continues to hit the ball on the ground so frequently. That said, last year's .253 batting average seems due for some major improvement, both because his BABIP was a tad low and because last season's high strikeout rate looks like an outlier for a player that is still in the prime of his career. Hosmer could again be a sneaky source of steals on a team that likes to run, and his run and RBI production should improve along with the Padres' lineup as a whole. He won't blow you away with his production in any one category, but should make steady across-the-board contributions.

Some believers are still dreaming of what Schwarber could be rather than accepting who he is: a left-handed Evan Gattis with more walks and strikeouts. Both burly sluggers, unfortunately, no longer have catcher eligibility. While Schwarber can contribute in OBP or OPS leagues, the career .228 hitter is an average liability who won't make up for the glaring weakness if the Cubs keep limiting his playing time. If lucky, drafters will get a .240, 30-homer outfielder, which is nothing special.

 

Once deemed a future superstar, Buxton spent most of 2018 in Triple-A after batting .156 with a -3 wRC+ in 94 dreadful big league plate appearances. It's understandable to write him off, but he remains an elite defender who posted Statcast's highest sprint speed. While his 20-homer, 40-steal hasn't vanished, it's an increasingly less likely dream that would get accompanied by a minuscule batting average.

A quiet difference-maker down the stretch, Laureano batted .288/.358/.474 with five homers and seven steals in 48 games with the A's. He's unlikely to sustain that average with a 28.4% strikeout rate, and his .388 BABIP is likely to fall in a larger sample. He also had no answer for major league breaking balls (.188 wOBA), a weakness pitchers should attack after getting a better scouting report. Yet the 24-year-old outfielder, who offered 14 homers and 11 steals in Triple-A before last summer's promotion, offers an intriguing power-speed repertoire as an OF4 or 5. His glove should also keep him on the field. He hits the ball hard enough to reasonably draft for a .260, 15/15 output while hoping for more.

Bell has shown us a .273 batting average before and another year he swatted 26 homers with 90 RBIs. Last year was a little bit in between, but he has the potential to do both one day and perhaps this year.

For a guy who just tallied 27 homers and 11 steals in 137 games, Hicks wasn't getting much love before a back injury gave drafters a reason to back away. The 29-year-old started 2019 on the IL, and there's no clear timetable for him rejoining the Yankees. Since his cost always baked in some injury risk, he could still lead investors to profit if coming back to a leadoff role in April.

Grandal's batting average may not seem all that appealing in the .240s range, but that is actually at replacement-level for the position so he won't hurt you there. He will definitely help in HRs, RBIs and runs, though. Over the last three seasons, he trails only (the injured) Salvador Perez in homers, and that was before he moved from an awful park for hitters in L.A. to a hitter's have in Milwaukee.

 

Over the past two seasons, only Scherzer, Sale, Verlander, deGrom and Kluber have a better ERA and more strikeouts than Severino, who is quickly becoming a true durable ace. He doesn't belong in that first tier, but may already lead the next group.

Ryu was terrific when healthy last season, posting a 1.97 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and 9.73 K/9 across 15 starts. You can never expect more than around 100 innings from Ryu, but they'll be good innings -- think a 3.50 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 9+ K/9.

Let's hope furious drafters looked at Chicago's schedule before dropping Quintana when the Brewers burned him for eight runs on April 5. He has since tossed seven scoreless innings against both the Pirates and Marlins, accumulating 18 combined strikeouts and one walk. After posting an ERA above 4.00 in consecutive years, it's nice to see the 30-year-old southpaw dominate anyone. He may at least return to top-50 SP form as someone to use confidently in the right matchups.

Pivetta was a popular breakout pick this year thanks to his promising peripherals, but he's failed to live up to the hype yet again and is now back in the minors. Pivetta is an elite bat misser, but he's been consistently victimized by a high BABIP, low strand rate, and lots and lots of home runs. It is looking more and more likely that he's the next in a line of pitchers who don't quite live up to their peripherals.

Profar finally got a full chance last year for Texas and posted 20 homers and 10 stolen bases. He takes a hit in projections moving from Texas to Oakland's ballpark, but keep in mind that he just turned 26 years old and very likely hasn't hit his prime yet.

Kikuchi's numbers from Japan translate to an MLB pitcher similar to Zack Wheeler last year, and like Wheeler, Kikuchi's arm could potentially blossom into much more to fantasy owners. He is by no means similar to Ohtani or Darvish before him, but 370 Ks and a 2.45 ERA in his last two seasons is nothing to sneeze at.

You won't get much help from Semien in terms of batting average, but he is a good bet for 15 homers and 15 steals, plus last season he provided fantasy owners with 89 runs scored. Expect more of the same from this durable and reliable depth piece.

Always one of baseball's hardest-throwing starters, Eovaldi finally parlayed his high-90s heater to a career-high 22.2 K% supported by a 10.7% swinging-strike rate. He also lowered his walk rate to a career-low 4.4%, leading to a 1.13 WHIP, 3.60 FIP, and 3.23 Deserved Run Average (DRA, per Baseball Prospectus). After re-signing with the Red Sox, he would have been one of the spring's top breakout picks if not for glaring durability and inconsistency concerns. He has showcased the volatility early, allowing 14 runs in 15 frames with 10 strikeouts and walks each. His outside-swing rate has alarmingly dropped over 10%, and his 49% hard-hit rate is an eyesore. Nobody would blame you for moving on in a shallow mixed league.

For a guy batting .224 through 19 games, Reyes' season couldn't have started much better. The 23-year-old has significantly slashed his strikeout rate while enhancing his walks. He's making more consistent and louder contact along with plenty of more fly balls. The Statcast data (.351 xBA, .482 xwOBA as of April 17) say he's in store for a massive breakout. The Padres must realize this, as they continue to play him over Hunter Renfroe and Franchy Cordero. If he's still available, scoop him off the waiver wire for game-changing power.

Smith doesn't have much competition for saves at this point, but he hasn't exactly been the most durable reliever. More importantly, he will be a valuable trade chip mid-season as a lefty setup man, so take the saves while you can with Smith, but know they might not stick around all year.

 

Beginning his rehab assignment on April 13, Polanco could return from a shoulder injury by the end of the month. If already dropped, now is the time to snag a 27-year-old outfielder who tallied 23 homers and 12 steals with a career-high .353 wOBA in 130 games last season. Just be patient, as he'll likely show some rust at first.

Upon returning from an 80-game PED suspension, Polanco sustained 2017's late progress by batting .288/.345/.427 with six homers and seven steals. Although he doesn't hit the ball with much authority, the 25-year-old shortstop makes contact regularly (85.3%) and rarely whiffs (6.1%). Perhaps drafters don't see enough upside to drive up his price, but he's a strong candidate to hit for a steady-to-strong average with around 15 homers and steals apiece. That could especially make him a middle-infield bargain since a power-heavy Twins lineup has no better fit for the leadoff role.

Anyone would be forgiven for giving up on Gray, who continually fails to transfer his FIP (3.68) to a strong ERA (4.65). Coors can't take the full blame; he posted a 5.34 ERA on the road last season. Demoted during the season, he threw out a triumphant July return (1.66) by yielding 35 runs in his final 58.2 frames. With a four-seamer rocked to a career .326/.401/.512 slash line, Gray might never escape this purgatory, at least not with the Rockies. Then again, at least he's cheap now. Given the elite strikeout stuff, he might be worth a dart throw in shallower leagues. Investors, however, must be willing to pull the cord if his Jekyll and Hyde profile persists.

A rising star came crashing down when Contreras cratered to .249/.339/.390 with 10 homers in 544 plate appearances. He again hit ground balls on over half of his batted balls, but this time it came with fewer hard hits (28.9%) and more pop-ups (10.3%). A terrible second half (.264 wOBA) derailed this season, so it wasn't even a full year of regression. Even if not anticipating a full revival, the catching pool gets bleak enough to secure him as a top-eight option at worst.

Simmons gets slept on because he doesn't stuff a single category, but don't overlook his contact skills. His microscopic 7.3% strikeout rate bested all qualified hitters last season, resulting in a .292 batting average. Yet a rise in value hit rate (10.3%) led xStats to ascribe an even higher .313 xBA. Having stolen 19 bases in 2017, last year's 10 represents a floor rather than the ceiling. He's a boring player to roster during the season, but he'll end up delivering a positive ROI with a high average flanked by around 10 homers and 10-15 steals.

Schoop takes a hit this season in home ballpark factor, but even still, has been a consistent enough source of power that fantasy owners can accept his .233 batting average from last year. Keep in mind, also, he carried a .293 mark in 2017 so the upside is there for a big season again.

After dominating in a smaller 2017 sample size, Clevinger took it up another notch in 2018, this time with 200 innings of proof. He might not win 16 games or strikeout 240 batters like some of the top tier aces, but his ratios and 200 Ks put him firmly in the 6th-8th rounds of this season's drafts

Kepler's incremental raises in home runs (17, 19, 20) and wOBA (.313, .315, .316) suggest he's still a boring player not progressing nearly rapidly enough to target in most mixed leagues. Yet he made some significant gains in 2018 that point to more significant development. The outfielder improved his walk (11.6%) and strikeout (15.7%) rates to personal bests while also making notable leaps in fly balls (46.2%) and hard hits (37.1%). These gains should yield a higher batting average than last year's .224 with the potential for 25 homers if given another 611 plate appearances. Most drafters have already closed the book on Kepler as a meddling depth piece after three full seasons, but the 26-year-old could finally expedite his growth with a full-fledged breakout.

While Smoak fell off from 2017's 38 homers and 133 wRC+, he still chipped in 25 homers and a 121 wRC+ with help from a stellar 14.0% walk rate in 594 plate appearances. He also dealt with a wrist injury early in the season while maintaining impressive hard-hit (41.5%) and barrel (10.5%) rates. With an ADP outside the top 200, he merely needs to repeat 2018, preferably with some better run production in more games. Yet 30 homers is still in play, in which case he'll make a great corner-infield bargain.

Peacock has been very effective as both a starter and reliever for the Astros over the last two seasons and is opening the season in Houston's rotation this year. While it's possible he's eventually pushed out by Josh James or Forrest Whitley, Peacock can be nearly as valuable as a reliever, particularly in innings-capped roto leagues. He's well worth owning.

The routinely ignored Choo keeps hitting at age 36. While an unsustainable BABIP above .400 has fueled his hot start, he remains an unheralded OBP and runs asset in five-outfielder formats.

There was speculation that Brasier might take the Red Sox open closer role, but he was passed over for Matt Barnes. While there is a chance that doesn't last all season, you can safely drop Braiser for now.

Although Greene had a rough 2018 season, he comes into this year as the expected closer for Detroit. Joe Jimenez might take over before long, but as long as Greene continues to offer saves and strikeouts, he deserves a roster spot.

Hours after the Yankees placed Giancarlo Stanton on the IL on April 1, Andujar joined him with a right shoulder strain. He provided a rare blend of elite contact (.297 BA) and power (27 HRs) as a rookie, but a 4.1% walk rate was far from ideal. While he may require season-ending surgery, wait for an official verdict before dropping him.

Jon Lester had 18 wins with a 3.32 ERA in 2018, so everyone seems to just assume he is still an ace. That couldn't be further from the truth, however. His skill-indicative ERA was 47th out of 57 qualified pitchers and he was a disaster in the second half. Like his former teammate, Jake Arrieta, things can fall apart quickly even for those who were once at the top of the game. He shouldn't be touched until at least the 13th round in a standard sized redraft league this year.

After surrendering 19 runs (14 earned) through three dreadful starts, Porcello could soon find himself on the wavier in shallower leagues. The durable righty has endured such dreadful outings over the years, but he'll at least take the ball every turn and compile 180-190 strikeouts. He could be a valuable buy-low addition in deeper leagues and viable matchup play in standard mixed leagues.

Franco has always had plenty of potential, but has yet to put it together for a full season. Over his final 350 at-bats last year, he was excellent and now that the Phillies bulked up their lineup, it is possible that Franco could break out for a .280, 25 homer, 100 RBI season.

Matz had allowed five runs through three combined starts before ceding eight runs (without recording a single out) at Philadelphia on April 16. His ERA jumped from 1.65 to 4.96. That catastrophic risk comes with the territory for the Mets southpaw, who allowed seven runs in a similarly disastrous turn at Washington last year. An 8.7% swinging-strike rate doesn't support his early 26% strikeout rate, so he's a fringe option better saved for streaming in the typical 10- or 12-team mixed league.

Colome has been named the White Sox's closer to begin the 2019 season. While he isn't quite the dominant pitcher he appeared to be back in 2016, he did get his strikeout rate back over a batter per inning last season and has tended to slightly outperform his peripherals. Perhaps most importantly, he's shown he can handle the ninth inning. It's not a lock that he'll hold the job all season -- a mid-season trade is very possible -- but in the meantime he could be a sneaky source of saves with serviceable ratios.

Smith may be the most exciting of several excellent young Marlins pitchers. Granted, he won't get to even a dozen wins but 200 Ks is a distinct possibility since he has regained his excellent strikeout numbers from prior to his injury that ended the 2018 season.

Gausman will begin 2019 on the IL with a minor shoulder injury, but he could return as soon as April 5. He's still a sneaky post-hype sleeper whose strikeout rate dipped to 19.1% despite a career-high 11.3% swinging-strike rate. Once freed from Baltimore, he boasted a 2.87 ERA in 10 starts with the Braves.

Santana had some of the worst BABIP luck in baseball last year so you can expect his batting average to jump back into the .250s this year to go with his usual 20+ homers and 80+ runs. That makes him a quality late-round corner infielder as always.

The latest byproduct of Cardinal Devil Magic, Bader broke out with 12 homers, 15 steals, and a 3.5 fWAR in 138 games. He was in the midst of a sophomore slump (.179/.347/.359, 2 HR, 0 SB in 13 games) before landing on the IL with a hamstring strain. Because of his elite defense in center field, the 24-year-old is in no danger of losing playing time upon his concern. Yet an exit velocity (82.2 mph) in the bottom-five percentile makes him an average risk, and he may not run as much until creating some separation from this injury.

Although Posey isn't likely a .300 hitter anymore, his .280s batting average is the equivilant of a .310 hitter when compared to the replacement-level at his position. Add in a dozen homers, if he can stay healthy this year, and you've got yourself a boring, yet extremely useful top 8 fantasy catcher.

Desmond has now gone 20/20 in five of his last six healthy seasons. His .236 batting average isn't what you'd hope for, but keep in mind that he batted .285 and .274 the previous two seasons so he should jump back in 2019.

Barnes collected Boston's first save of 2019, and while he isn't likely to serve as the Red Sox's full-time closer, he is the early favorite to garner the most saves when the dust settles. Barnes is coming off an impressive 2018 campaign in which his 14.01 K/9 was fourth-highest among all pitchers who threw at least 60 innings. His struggles with command (3.85 career BB/9) should keep his ERA north of 3.00 and WHIP above 1.20, but he can still be a pretty significant mixed-league asset if he's earning most of the team's saves.

Mancini's batting average dropped 50 points last year, but much of that was due to a rough BABIP. While he likely won't bounce-back up to the .290's his batting average likely won't kill you while he provides another 25 homers for fantasy owners.

Up until this year, Upton was the definition of a boring-but-reliable fantasy producer, with six straight seasons of at least 26 HRs, eight stolen bases, solid run production, and a middling batting average. But while consistency had been his calling card, that is out the window this year following a toe injury that will keep him out of action for 8-12 weeks. Upton is certainly worth stashing in leagues with IL spots, but fantasy owners who drafted him can now only expect half a season of his typical steady production.

We have seen enough from Marte to know he will never produce useful batting averages or the speed he teased as a prospect. There is something to be said for an everyday player in terms of counting stats, but outside of that, he is replacement-level.

 

 

It was easy to forget how great Robertson is since he only managed 19 saves over the past two seasons. He has racked up 88 Ks per season and excellent ratios over the last 8 years, however. With plenty of save opportunities in store, we could see him return to being a top 10 closer this year.

Strop is currently serving as the Cubs' primary closer while Brandon Morrow recovers from an elbow injury. With a 2.61 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 10.1 K/9 over the last five seasons, Strop could well be a top-10 closer if he were able to hold onto the job all year. That uncertainty puts a bit of a damper on Strop's fantasy value, but he has proven he can be a fantasy asset in many formats even when he isn't closing games.

After getting shelled by the Cubs, Skaggs went on the IL with a sprained ankle. He's expected to only miss one start, and investors can only hope he returns looking like the breakout hurler they anticipated. Losing a tick on his heater, his swinging-strike rate fell from 11 to 9%. His 5.14 FIP is even worse than his 4.20 ERA. The IL placement might make it easier to stash Skaggs and watch his return outing from a distance.

 

Minter was supposed to be in the heat of the competition for saves in Atlanta, and while that may happen down the road, an injury setback for him has handed the job over to Vizcaino. Unless you play in a deeper league, this should make Minter undraftable, but worth keeping an eye on in free agency.

Nelson was top five in xFIP prior to his injury that has taken much longer to recover from than expected. There is a chance he will return in May, but even if he does, it doesn't necessarily mean he will return to form right away or even ever.

After lighting the world on fire as a rookie, Olson's small sample size didn't translate to the monster power numbers some were banking on in 2018. With that said, he still offers loads of power for a 10th round pick, and while the batting average isn't ideal, it won't kill you like Joey Gallo's.

 

Although Bauers was awful last year with a .201 batting average, there is plenty of reason for optimism. Bauers should provide 15 to 20 homers with double-digit steals and a significantly better batting average in 2019.

 

Despite posting a 4.66 ERA last season and struggling to reach 90 mph in spring, Holland will open 2019 as Arizona's closer. Best-case scenario: He keeps the job and records 30 saves with an ugly ERA like Brad Boxberger last season. He could just as easily lose the job to Archie Bradley or Yoshihisa Hirano in April, so he's best deployed in deeper leagues.

The Pirates placed Dickerson on the IL with a right posterior shoulder strain on April 4. There's no timetable for his return, and he doesn't brandish enough of a ceiling to stash in shallowed mixed leaguers. Deeper competitors, however, should hold onto the underrated outfielder on the heels of a .300 campaign.

 

Hernandez may be about as boring as it gets, but you should be glad to welcome 15 homers, 20 steals and 90 runs onto your roster. That is the production he gave fantasy owners last year and you may want to keep in mind that he had a .294 batting average the two previous seasons.

 

 

Gurriel isn't going to mash 25 homers like many of the others going in his late-round range, but he is a sure-bet to boost your batting average which is difficult to find as the draft comes to a close.

 

Hamilton is going to give you no power, of course, and his batting average will almost certainly drag you down, but 50 steals will more than make up for both of those problem spots. If you are low on steals in the middle of your draft, Hamilton can quickly solve that problem.

 

 

 

 

Reports were suggesting that Vizcaino was in a closer battle with A.J. Minter, but now that Minter is banged up, it seems as though Vizcaino will open the season as the closer for a playoff contending team. That should make him worthwhile to draft, but that doesn't exactly mean he will hang onto the job for long if he slips up.

 

Steven Souza's season-ending knee surgery will likely clear up a starting spot for Jones, who still hit .281 with 15 homers in a down 2018. The durable veteran has averaged 151 games played over the past nine seasons, and he had gone seven straight seasons with at least 25 long balls before last year's decline. He's a boring depth piece who can help fill an injury void in deep leagues. Just don't overreact to his hot start.

While providing plenty of power (.596 slugging as of April 17) when given the chance, Renfroe isn't receiving consistent playing time in San Diego's outfield. With Franmil Reyes on the cusp of a breakout, his teammate may need an injury to matter in shallow mixed leagues. There's undeniable pop when Renfroe is in the lineup.

While he won't help much in batting average, Cron did hit 30 homers in just 140 games last season. He may see a further bump with full playing time and a ballpark upgrade from Tampa to Minnesota.

With LeMahieu now away from Coors, you can't expect him to hit .348 again, or even .300. His stolen bases have essentially disappeared over the past few seasons and we aren't likely to get double-digit homers either. At this point, LeMahieu is a replacement level fantasy asset.

 

Now that Cabrera is with the Rangers and expected to play every day, we can feel comfortable grabbing him late in drafts as a reliable source of power to go with a decent batting average.

Urias doesn't qualify as a rookie but if he were, we might be talking about the best rookie pitcher in baseball. He looks tremendous to start the year and will carry fantasy owners as long as the Dodgers allow him to remain in the rotation.

With Corey Knebel out for the season and Josh Hader arguably best utilized in a flexible multi-inning role, a path has opened up for Jeffress to serve as Milwaukee's closer once he's recovered from the shoulder soreness that landed him on the Injured List to begin the year. He is an excellent stash for saves, and Jeffress also proved last season that he can help enough in other areas (Ks, ERA, WHIP) to be worth rostering in many formats even if he isn't closing.

 

Keuchel will open 2019 without a team. Even if he signs, don't get too excited. Remember how a prolonged free agency worked out for Alex Cobb, Lance Lynn, and Greg Holland last year? After posting a 3.74 ERA and 1.31 WHIP with an underwhelming 153 strikeouts in 204.2 innings, the 31-year-old lefty isn't particularly alluring in shallow mixed leagues anyway. Drafters shouldn't feel too guilty about dropping him in a 10- or 12-team mixed league with limited bench slots.

 

Although prone to waning command on a start-to-start basis, Martinez had offered year-to-year consistency for three durable seasons before a shoulder injury limited him to 119.2 innings last season. He allowed three runs in 18.1 innings as a reliever down the stretch, which reportedly had the Cardinals considering a bullpen role even before shutting him down with a shoulder setback. The 27-year-old righty, who owns a career 3.37 ERA and 8.82 K/9, may no longer be available to open 2019 in the rotation. Daring drafters could snag him at an even cheaper price, but the health and usage risks alongside last year's 11.5% walk rate make him far from a lock to rebound.

After Parker signed with the Twins, many assumed he will be the closer, but it seems as though Trevor May is the favorite. In fact, Parker is likely the third-best reliever in this bullpen behind May and Rogers so beware on draft day.

Wood seems to be a perennially underrated fantasy option. He's compiled a strong 3.29 ERA and 1.21 WHIP through 803 1/3 innings since 2013, most of them coming as a starter. He will call a hitter-friendly ballpark home for the first time this year, but his ability to generate ground balls should help mitigate the damage. Wood will begin the season on the IL due to back stiffness, but he isn't expected to miss more than a couple weeks of action. He also won't have to fight for a rotation spot like he did in Los Angeles, meaning a boost in innings could ultimately be in store.

Drafters slept on Bruce after a down 2018 (.223/.310/.370). While still not hitting for much contact in Seattle, he has already scorched six long balls through 11 games. This is a slugger who belted at least 25 homers in seven of the last nine seasons and 36 in 2017, so it'd hardly be a surprise to see him tally 25-30 long balls with a regular gig. He's worth a look in five-outfielder formats, but the average will likely hurt too much to trust in shallower formats.

 

 

Kang may not open the season as the starter in Pittsburgh, but with the way he is playing this spring, you'll want to keep a close eye on him. After all, we've seen Kang be a useful fantasy piece in years prior.

 

Strahm was a favorite sleeper candidate but has been dreadful to open up the season, likely because of a surprising dip in velocity. You can drop him but may want to hold on for another start or two just in case he rights the ship and returns value the remainder of the year.

Pressly isn't expected to pick up more than a save or two this season because of Roberto Osuna's presence, but if Osuna were to suffer an injury, Pressly would likely take over the job and be a top 10 closer right away.

 

Sano, who has never recorded 500 plate appearances in a big league season, is unlikely to reach that mark in 2019. After injuring his heel during the offseason, he's not expected to be ready until May, at the earliest. There's still the matter of him hitting .199/.281/.398 with a 38.5% strikeout rate last season. While he makes too much hard contact to again bat below the Mendoza line, all the punchouts make him unlikely to climb much higher than his career .244 clip. Because of these holes, drafters should be able to stash a 25-year-old with a high walk rate and top-shelf power on the cheap. Only take him in five-by-five drafts if needing power and getting a steep discount.

If you play in a deeper league, Castillo can be a ratio master that racks up plenty of saves, or better yet, if you employ the Marmol Strategy, Castillo qualifies as a starting pitcher so you can plug him on days where you don't have enough starters going.

 

Bradley isn't a 90 strikeout guy, nor should we expect an ERA south of 2.00, but he is the heavy favorite to get saves in Arizona, which certainly counts for something. Granted, they won't win 80 games, but even 35 saves is plenty to warrant a late-round pick.

 

 

The signing of Daniel Murphy should cause Hampson's ECR to drop another 50 spots, as that transaction shifts Ryan McMahon over to second base. Hampson could force the Rockies hands with a strong Spring, but more than likely, he won't get the call until someone hits the DL. At that point, McMahon could slide over to first, third or the outfield. If it is Story that goes down, Hampson would fill the gap. He could eventually be a better version of D.J. LeMahieu offensively, posting a batting average near .300 with more power and speed. Right away, he will merely hold his own in the batting average department while contributing nearly 30 steals per 162 games.

Belt still hasn't surpassed 20 homers in any season and over the last two seasons, his batting average has dropped down below .255. If he can stay healthy for once, however, Belt may reach 25 homers if he keeps up his HR-rate.

James missed out on his chance at the rotation because of a quad injury and landed in the bullpen instead where he is unsurprisingly dominant. Don't be shy about picking him up with expectations for him to perform similarly to Delin Betances.

 

It appears most drafters are mistakenly throwing in the towel on Zimmerman. Following 2017's unexpected return to stardom, an oblique strain limited him to just 85 games. While his batting average fell from .303 to .264, he still delivered when healthy. Per Statcast, only Joey Gallo, J.D. Martinez, and Khris Davis garnered more barrels per plate appearance than Zimmerman's 9.9%, which tied Mookie Betts. Only Aaron Judge hit a higher percentage of his batted balls at least 95 mph than the first baseman's 52.8. This thunderous contact yielded results when he batted .295/.374/.538 in 52 games after returning from a lengthy injury absence. Forget a 2017 repeat; drafters simply need a higher average in around 115 games when purchasing him off the clearance rack.

 

The Blue Jays sent Pillar to the Giants, who opened 2019 with Steven Duggar as their starting center fielder. After producing 31 homers and 29 steals over the past two seasons, Pillar could pair another sneaky 15/15 campaign with a higher runs tally atop San Francisco's lineup. He's an underrated depth option in larger leagues.

 

Adames broke onto the scene last year as a 22-year-old posting a 19-homer, 11 stolen base pace with a .278 batting average. It was a limited sample size, however, and there are still some holes in his swing. Think of him on the same terms as Dansby Swanson who also had a nice rookie campaign before everyone realized he had quite a bit to go offensively.

 

 

 

Senzel can't catch a break. Shortly after getting optioned to Triple-A, he suffered a sprained ankle that will sideline him for a few weeks to start the season. That derails his chances of replacing the injured Scooter Gennett (groin) at second base. Most scouts believe the 23-year-old can make an immediate mark, but injuries and a crowded Reds lineup could continue to delay his anticipated debut. The latest setback makes it tougher to stash him in standard mixed leagues.

The Cardinals acquired Miller this offseason, but they appear unlikely to use him exclusively in the ninth inning. Still, Miller is the definition of the kind of dominant reliever who belongs on fantasy rosters in many leagues even if he isn't closing.

Among all catchers with 200 plate appearances, Cervelli corralled the second-highest wOBA (.355) behind Wilson Ramos. His modest 12 homers comfortably cleared his previous high of seven, but concussions limited him to 404 plate appearances. He's unlikely to turn into a big bopper during his age-33 season, but Cervelli is a fine placeholder while healthy.

It sounds as though Morrow is going to miss the start of the season. That could very well turn into multiple months as we've seen with "minor" pitching injuries many times before. It is a dangerous game to draft based on injury optimism, even if the closer does have considerable upside.

 

Betances is merely a closer in waiting, but besides Josh Hader, the best in the game. He is a sure bet for 90+ Ks, with upside ranging to nearly 130. Likewise, his ratios will be terrific each year and you can even rely on a handful of wins and saves too.

Lowrie gave fantasy owners a surprising boost in power last season in Oakland and always offers a decent batting average. He might start the season on the DL with a knee injury, but once he returns, Lowrie should be owned in every league.

 

 

 

Although Baltimore may only win 50 games, Givens is one of the closers who has no competition for saves on his team. Even 25 save opportunities is better than what someone like Josh Hader or Zach Britton will get. Pair that with another 80 strikeouts and respectable ratios and we are looking at a top 30 fantasy reliever.

Alonso wasn't especially impressive last year with a .250 batting average and just 23 homers, but he is just one year removed from posting an .866 OPS with Oakland and Seattle so don't discount a big bounce-back campaign.

 

Already in danger of losing playing time in a deep Tampa Bay infield, Wendle went on the IL with a hamstring injury. He hit .300 with 16 steals as a 27-year-old rookie, but a shallow mixed-league manager can move on if in a roster bind. The versatile infielder could return to a timeshare alongside Brandon Lowe and Daniel Robertson.

Richards carried a 4.42 ERA with 4 wins last year and formerly played independent baseball after going undrafted. It helps, however, that he has the best changeup in baseball. Richards' changeup is Trevor Hoffman-esque. It carried a 41.2% whiff rate with a .214 xWOBA. It certainly helped his performance when he adjusted by throwing it 38% of the time instead of 23% of the time at the start of the season. In those closing months, hitters were so focused on his filthy change-up that his slider suddenly became even more deadly than the changeup. With two of the most useful pitches in baseball, Richards could breakout this year in Miami much like Jake Peavy did in in 2004 after a rough start to his career.

 

The fantasy community largely gave up on Swanson after hitting .235 with 20 combined home runs in 2017 and 2018. Perhaps the former No. 1 pick isn't a finished product at age 25. He has hit four long balls early in the season with noticeable rises in walks, exit velocity, and hard hits. Compared to Derek Jeter when entering the big leagues, he could provide double-digit homers and steals with a strong batting average as the ultimate post-hype lottery ticket. Swanson should be rostered everywhere in case this early spark is legit.

Gennett will miss two to three months to start 2019 after spraining his groin at the end of spring training. Those who drafted the second baseman who stash him beyond the shallowest of mixed leagues, as he was one of eight players to bat at least .300 with 50 homers through the past two seasons. Yet the Statcast data remains skeptical. No hitter with a least 350 plate appearances had a wider gap between wOBA (.362) and xwOBA (.311) in 2018.

Ottavino might be stuck behind Chapman, Betances, Britton and Chad Green for the closer job, but he is a force of nature who could strike out 100 batters this season to go with sparkling ratios and a handful of wins. Don't hesitate to add him late in drafts to boost you in three categories.

Newcomb got optioned to Triple-A after issuing eight walks to five strikeouts through his first three starts. The lefty allowed a ghastly 90.3% contact rate while generating just nine swinging strikes. Drop him in all leagues.

 

Following a rocky return from Tommy John surgery, Heaney made major strides by submitting 180 strikeouts in as many innings last season. Since he also issued just 45 walks, a 3.74 SIERA hints at improvement from last season's 4.15 ERA. The spotty health history and mediocre sinker present concerns, but he flashed ace upside with five double-digit strikeout gems. Don't sleep on Heaney as a borderline top-40 starter with breakout appeal. Early elbow discomfort, however, will push back his 2019 debut.

The Dodgers will oddly relegate Taylor to a super-utility role after recording 7.9 fWAR over the last two years combined. Although he didn't fully repeat a breakout 2017, he was still a productive starter (113 wRC+, 3.1 WAR) in 2018. He's versatile enough to still play more often than not, and an injury (or poor performance from Enrique Hernandez as the full-time second baseman) could propel him right back into an everyday role. He's droppable in shallow mixed leagues with three starting outfielders and no corner/middle infielders, but everyone else should stand pat.

 

There is nothing sexy about drafting Candelario, but you can anticipate his batting average coming up 20 points this year, as he was among the most unlucky hitters in that department last year. Along with that, fantasy owners should get around 20 homers from him.

While far from a sure thing, Jansen is easily the best option for drafters who miss out on the top-eight catchers. He held his own (.247/.347/.432) during 31 late games with the Blue Jays after posting a 146 wRC+ with only five more strikeouts (49) than walks in Triple-A. He even stole five bases before his big league promotion, and simply repeating that tally would represent a major boost at the bleak position. He has the plate approach to hit for a higher average with decent power, and the Blue Jays should give him the neophyte regular reps after shipping Russell Martin back to the Dodgers. The only concern is a lack of catching depth forcing drafters to reach for Jansen once the likes of Willson Contreras, Buster Posey, and Yadier Molina fall off the board.

 

Steckenrider missed out on the Marlins' closer role, so while he may provide 90 strikeouts, there is no point in owning him if you play in a standard-sized mixed league.

 

 

 

 

Longoria had a rough season for fantasy owners in 2018, but the batting average was held back by an abnormally low BABIP and his power was right on track for another 20 to 25 homers had he been healthy for the full season. In deeper leagues, his reliability is exactly what you should be targeting.

 

 

 

 

Catcher was bleak enough before losing Salvador Perez, so Castillo stands out as a fine choice for those who punt the position. An avalanche of injuries led him to post a middling .308 wOBA in 49 games, but he clobbered 53 homers over the previous three seasons. The career .259/.318/.427 hitter could combine a solid average with 15 long balls.

McMahon may have struggled in a limited sample last year, but there are countless fantasy baseball studs with that on their resume as rookies. The fact of the matter is that the dude can hit. In 125 Triple-A games, he has tallied 68 extra-base hits with a .337 batting average. Over a full season, that would have been close to 90! Not only that, but he should steal double-digit bases as well while qualifying for potentially every position except shortstop and catcher. If the Rockies make room in their lineup for him, we are looking at one of the biggest breakout candidates of 2019.

 

You may not feel great about drafting Lamb after his trainwreck 2018 season, but he is just one year removed from 30 homers and 105 RBIs so don't sleep on him bouncing back. With that said, the move to the humidor in Arizona makes it seem as though his ceiling is a bit lower than what we saw from him in 2017.

 

 

Despite finishing top 10 in both strikeouts per nine innings and batting average against, Peralta is somehow not a lock to make the Brewers' rotation. If he pitches well enough in spring training, we've got one of the favorite candidates to break out this season. He'll have to earn his shot first.

 

Expected to serve the short side of a platoon, Walker has instead demolished righties early in the season. A quad injury to Jake Lamb secures the 28-year-old righty regular playing time at first base, so it could be worth riding the hot hand. He's likely still just a long-term power piece in deeper leagues.

Castro went from one of the best ballparks to the worst possible offensive ballpark last season and it showed in his stats as he dropped from a .300 batting average and 20 homer pace to 12 homers and just a .278 average. More than likely, that is the mediocre type of production fantasy owners will get this year.

Available for cheap because of playing-time concerns last year, Martinez immediately hit his way into a regular role. Not this year. Paul Goldschmidt has first base on lock, and the Cardinals don't want to expose Martinez's limited defense in the outfield. He has started just two of seven games this season, meaning managers can move on in standard mixed leagues. Just be prepared to jump back on board if a job opens up for the career .305/.367/.472 hitter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

May and Parker are seemingly in a batter at the top of Minnesota's depth chart, but Rogers is the type of guy who could find himself in the role at some point, and if it were to happen, he would dominate.

The 25-year old Alfaro has the kind of raw power that can play in any ballpark, even pitcher-friendly Marlins Park. He's off to an excellent start in 2019 and has been absolutely crushing the ball. The problem is that Alfaro also swings and misses at a ridiculous rate, meaning he could be a major drain on batting average in the long run. Right now it looks like Alfaro could be on the Mike Zunino career path, but the fact remains that young catchers with offensive upside are hard to find, particularly ones who are playing anywhere close to everyday.

 

 

Surprisingly demoted to Triple-A, Happ will open 2019 on many waiver wires while working his way back to the majors. Despite his strikeout woes, the 24-year-old has displayed a strong batting eye and solid pop for the Cubs. There's a good chance he'll quickly work his way back to the bigs, so monitor closely in shallow leagues and keep him stashed in deeper formats.

 

The legend of Astudillo will only continue to grow. Brandishing a stat page more in line with a 1918 player, the contact machine recorded 85 walks and 81 strikeouts in 2,461 career minor league plate appearances. After turning heads with eight homers in the Venezuelan League, he opened camp by taking Twins ace Jose Berrios yard. Although he hasn't opened the season as the starting catcher, he has made the most of rare playing time. The Twins aren't going to be able to justify sitting him much longer.

Barnhart doesn't have the best bat, but his elite defense will keep him on the field for nearly 500 at-bats again. In a killer Red's lineup, that should be plenty to get him the counting stats he needs to be draftable.

Reyes threw all of four innings in his return from Tommy John surgery before suffering a shoulder injury that knocked him out for the rest of the 2018 season. He enters 2019 as a total wildcard who isn't likely to be in the Opening Day rotation, but the talent is obvious. He could easily be a huge difference-maker for fantasy owners in the season's second half, if not earlier.

 

Green wasn't as electric in 2018 as the year before, but he still registered 94 strikeouts with excellent ratios and 8 wins. He isn't the closer, nor does he have a path to saves, but you can certainly make a case for drafting him even in standard sized leagues.

 

 

 

Gomes' 2018 (.266, 16 HR, 48 RBI, 52 runs) was enough to make him a top-10 catcher last season. Yet he's now going to split time in Washington with Kurt Suzuki, who posted similar numbers (.271, 12 HR, 50 RBI, 45 runs) in a timeshare for the Braves. That makes both of them solid second catchers who can fill is as a one-catcher stopgap if the other one gets hurt.

 

Most depth charts have Shane Greene slotted into the closer role for Detroit but this job is up in the air. Jimenez was an all-star last season, and while he pitched poorly down the stretch, don't sleep on him winning the job this spring.

 

Zunino killed his fantasy teams in batting average last year, but he was up at .251 the year before so you'd have to think he will settle somewhere in between this year. When it comes with 20 homers and 50 RBIs at the catcher position, the batting average is much easier to swallow.

 

Chirinos' 35 home runs over the last two seasons ranks eighth at the catcher position, and it has translated to back-to-back seasons in which Chirinos has finished as a top-12 fantasy catcher in 5x5 roto leagues, including a top-seven finish last year. He appears to be starting about 2/3 of the games behind the plate in Houston after signing a one-year deal in the offseason, and while he'll likely bat at the bottom of the order, Chirinos should benefit from a good hitting environment and a lineup that is strong from top to bottom. He's likely to be a drain on batting average considering his high strikeout rate, but the pop is legit.

After hitting four home runs in 100 games last year, Barnes blasted two in 2019's opening series. Not far removed from posting an .894 OPS in 2017, he could work his way into starting status in one-catcher mixed leagues.

 

 

 

Herrera was presumably signed to close for the White Sox, but they also added Alex Colome who has closing experience. This one is too close to call for now so you may want to add both in a late round just to make sure you get some saves.

A popular preseason sleeper, May has not received any of Minnesota's three save opportunities. He also hasn't solidified a strikeout in three innings. The ninth-inning role remains far from settled, but it appears Blake Parker and Taylor Rogers have surpassed him in a righty-lefty timeshare. He's droppable if another saves source is available.

 

 

 

Wild in his brief big league audition last year, Alcantara opened 2019 with no walks in eight scoreless frames against the Rockies. Wielding a mid-90s heater, the 23-year-old righty possesses immense upside if he continues to harness his command. Undrafted in most leagues, give him an April test run to see if there's anything to his strong first impression.

 

 

 

Crawford is never going to steal bases or hit for a great average, but you can count on him to play 150 games which will add up in the RBIs and runs department, plus he is good for a dozen homers every year.

 

Initially an intriguing post-hype flier, Calhoun lost a roster spot to Hunter Pence following a dreadful spring. After getting held in the minors because of his glove, his bat (.602 OPS) didn't keep him in the majors last season. The 24-year-old still carries considerable contact and power upside, but managers can't afford to wait on him in smaller mixed leagues.

Boxberger is expected to hold off Peralta for the Royals' closer job, and while it may not be the most envied role, he should still be able to compile 20 to 25 saves if he can hang onto the job. His ratios won't be ideal, but he does offer some K-upside as we've seen before.

Narvaez was well off the fantasy radar prior to 2018, but then he hit .275 with nine home runs in just 280 at-bats for the White Sox. Now in Seattle, Narvaez is one of only 5-10 catchers who are playing anywhere close to everyday. He is off to another decent start offensively, and is a sneaky bet to finish among the top-10 fantasy catchers with that kind of usage.

 

On a 162-game pace, Gurriel was a 27 homer hitter with a .281 batting average and 87 RBIs. He may not keep up that pace with a full season's worth of at bats, but you can argue that is his upside which would make for an exceptional value late in drafts.

 

 

 

Catcher is so bad that prospect pedigree has kept Mejia in top-10 consideration despite batting .176 (12-for-69) in the majors. Even his Triple-A production dipped (.279/.328/.426) after getting traded from Cleveland to San Diego, where Austin Hedges is still clamoring for reps behind the plate. Contact and power upside still makes the 23-year-old Mejia a viable dart throw for anyone who missed out on the big names. Those in one-catcher leagues, however, should move on quickly if he doesn't receive consistent playing time.

 

Opening 2019 in Triple-A after the Padres surprisingly gave his spot to uber-prospect Fernando Tatis Jr, Urias quickly made his way back to the majors. As a contact-orientated hitter, he doesn't elicit as much excitement from a fantasy perspective. Dynasty players should try to use the messy start as a buy-low opportunity.

Kemp is not playing nearly as often as those who drafted him had hoped. While there is a chance that changes, he can be safely released in standard-sized leagues until he begins getting regular at-bats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kipnis has been around forever and reached his peak long ago, but he is still just 32 years old and has plenty of baseball left in him. Unfortunately for fantasy owners, it will come without any speed or a quality batting average. Still, 20 homers and 70 RBIs will do the trick as a late-round pick.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cozart may miss time at the start of the season with a mild calf strain, and after his 2018 performance, it is fair to forget about him, but don't be so quick to forget how excellent he was in 2017 with the Reds, knocking 24 homers with a .297 batting average in just 122 games.