2018 Fantasy Baseball ROS Rankings

There is no getting around the fact that Mike Trout is the best and most consistent player in all of fantasy baseball. You can pick and choose the numbers, but regardless of who you are, Trout will be your #1. Don't overthink the 1st overall pick.

Not only has Altuve hit at least .338 in three of the last four years and stolen 30+ bases in now six straight seasons, but he is so durable that you can also expect 100+ runs from him to go along with 20+ homers. He is the clear-cut #2 player in fantasy baseball right now.

If you are looking for the safest option in the first round, Arenado is your guy. He has hit 37+ homers, driven in 130+ runs and batted at least .287 in all of his previous three seasons. Lock him in for another monster season.

If anyone in the National League is going to win the Triple Crown, we know Harper would be the guy. With that said, he had been too unreliable throughout his career to use a top 5 pick on. He's only hit 30 homers once, has never driven in 100 runs and can't seem to stay healthy. If you pick him, realize it is a major risk.

Perhaps you didn't notice, but Mike Trout wasn't the top overall fantasy player last season. It wasn't Altuve either. Blackmon was the top player, knocking 37 bombs, driving in 104 runs and even stealing 14 bags while leading the league in both runs and batting average. He is still just 31 and ought to be drafted in the top half of the first round.

We saw Mookie's absolute floor last year thanks to unbelievably bad BABIP luck. Even his floor had him as a top 25 fantasy hitter. He is a near lock to go 20/20 with 100 runs and may just bat .320 once again too. Don't be shy about taking him in the first round.

Only six players in baseball stole 30 or more bags in 2017, so when you've got a player who has a real shot at 80 all by himself this year, you've got to be drooling over him in fantasy. When you add in the fact that he will knock 15 to 20 homers, score 100+ runs and bat .280 to .300, well then you've got yourself a top 5 pick.

The D-Back's superstar is about to see a significant drop in power, runs and RBIs this year thanks to Chase Field's new humidor. You can still expect a batting average near .300 and 15 to 20 steals, but the humidor will cause enough problems that he may not be a top 10 pick any more.

Let's not forget that Stanton was widely known as an injury-prone player going into last year's dominant performance. With that said, he also has the ability to hit 70 homers and drive in 140 runs this season so you shouldn't be too afraid of the injury risk to take him in the first round.

After dominating the first half, Scherzer saw a steep drop in production, posting an ERA 1.14 points higher and a WHIP a full 0.32 points higher. While he is still clearly an ace, that should be enough to concern you out of using a late first rounder to select him.

Kershaw seems to be making a case to be the best pitcher of all time. With that said, he has dealt with injuries each of the past two seasons and we almost have to expect them to resurface in 2018. He will dominate the ratios for you while he is on the mound, but you would be better off getting an extra 50 innings from Kluber and Sale who are right up there with him in efficiency.

It is easy to forget that the Astros' star is still just 23 years old. He has been an elite fantasy player now for three seasons already and keeps getting better. Don't be surprised if he claims the AL MVP award for himself in 2018.

There is plenty to like about the Cubs' charismatic young star, but the hype may have gone a little too far. He is not going to bat .300, swat 40 homers or drive in 110 RBI so is there much of a difference between him and Votto or Freeman who could each do all three?

Clayton Kershaw is no longer the best pitcher in baseball and it actually has nothing to do with his injury concerns. Rather, Kluber is just that good. Last year he led the league in wins, WHIP and ERA while striking out 265 hitters. Don't hesitate to add him at the end of your first round.

If it hadn't been for Freeman's injury, we may all be talking about him as the defending NL MVP. He was on pace to swat 40+ homers while hitting over .300. Draft him as though he is that player, because there is nothing suggesting a fluke injury will happen again.

Machado may not be shortstop eligible yet, but it is coming in a matter of weeks and when it does, his value will rocket into the top 10. His batted ball numbers suggest last year's numbers were a fluke and that we can expect the batting average, RBIs and HRs to rise to a career high so long as he maintains health throughout the season.

30+ homers? Lock it in. 100+ runs? Lock. 320 batting average? Lock. You can't say that about anyone else in baseball. He is a stud and can confidently be selected in the early second round of standard leagues.

Three hundred and eight strikeouts. Does much more really need to be said? That's over 100 more than Kershaw! It also helps that his career ERA is below .300 and he should win 15+ games in front of a stacked Red Sox lineup.

Martinez swatted 45 homers last year, but let's not forget that he missed 40 games with an injury too. He is among the handful of most efficient hitters in baseball over the last four seasons and ought to be drafted as such.

Lindor lit the baseball world on fire two years ago as a breakout rookie. He stumbled to begin the 2017 season, however, with a BABIP driven .252 batting average and just 4 stolen bases. He surged back in the second half showing his true colors with a .298 average, 11 stolen bases and a whopping 19 homers. Don't be shy about adding the MVP candidate in the late second round this spring.

Judge was phenomenal in the first half, but as is often the case with rookie phenoms, the league begins to figure them out and they slump. Many never bounce back to the level they held for several months. Judge seems likely to be one of those cases, as he was dreadful in July, August and October, batting .203 with 14 homers, 31 RBI and 107 Ks in 227 at bats. If you pro-rate that to a full season, we are talking about Todd Frazier numbers (plus 80 strikeouts). Granted, no one should expect him to continue that pace, but it is typically not a good idea to select anyone in the first two rounds who even has the possibility of three month stretches like that.

Rizzo offers fantasy owners durability and consistncy with 90+ runs, 100+ RBI and 30+ HR each year. The batting average is steady and he even steals so bags too. If he qualifies at 2B, he is a top 10 player, if not, he's a quality second rounder.

After breaking out in 2016, many figured Ramirez would fall back down to earth, but he actually took it up to a whole new level, batting .318 with 29 homers, 56 doubles and 17 stolen bases. He is a great add late in the second round of standard leagues this season.

Last year, Springer kicked up his production another notch, knocking 34 bombsand driving in 85 runs despite missing 20 games to injury. Don't be surprised if he goes for 40 and 100 this year on top of a solid .280 batting average.

Donaldson has been around for a while so it is easy to think he is older than just 32. He didn't exactly fall off last year either. In fact, it may have been his most efficient season of his career, he just happened to miss 40 games to injury so the counting stats took a hit.

When he is healthy and pitching his best baseball, you can put him in the same tier of Kershaw, Sale, Kluber and Scherzer. He really is that good, but he's also inconsistent and appears to be injury prone so beware of the risk at hand.

While Dozier did take a step back last season, 34 homers, 16 steals, 100+ runs, 90 RBI and a .270 batting average is nothing to sneeze at for a middle infielder. He remains a solid third round pick in standard leagues.

It has somehow become a public opinion that Bellinger fell off into some bum in the second half. That isn't true in the least bit. He was good each and every month, stroking 39 bombs in just 132 games. In fact, he even stole 10 bags under-the-radar. He is a great pickup at the 2nd/3rd round turn.

Abreu is the league's quietest star. Each and every year he offers fantasy owners 30+ homers, 100+ RBI and a .290 to .320 batting average. Expect more of the same which means he is a high-end third round pick in standard leagues.

Good catching is so difficult to come by that even using a late second-round pick to secure Sanchez may prove to be a steal. He is a virtual lock for 30+ homers and a .260 BA.

We are looking at one of the best inning for inning pitchers in baseball over the past three seasons. With that being said, he has yet to throw 200 innings in a season and the injury concerns should carry over into 2018 so you shouldn't yet be willing to throw him into the first tier of pitchers.

Seager had a down year, which is actually hilarious considering he batted .295 with 22 homers at shortstop. As a 24-year-old this year, he is among the front runners to be NL MVP and is well worth a second round pick this spring in fantasy leagues.

We now the homers and RBIs will be missing but 60+ steals and a .300 batting average with near 100 runs is a safe investment in the 3rd round.

While he my not be winning 20 games any time soon in front of this Mets' offense, you can rely on him to put up quality ratios while striking out 200+ once again this year.

It took long enough, but the phenom finally broke out 10 years later. Last season, Upton went for 35 homers, 100+ runs, 100+ RBI and 14 steals. In fact, he got better as the season went on so don't be surprised to see him repeat his stellar campaign.

We saw a glimpse of power a few seasons ago, but that appears to be gone, so at this point we are looking at 40 to 50 steals and a useful, but not great batting average. That is a helpful fantasy player, but not a top 40 pick as many are suggesting.

Cruz is now 37 years old so you might be inclined to think his career is well on the downturn, but he was actually superb again last year. He now has 40+ HR, 100+ RBI, 90 R and a .287 or higher average in 3 of the last 4 seasons.

Last year the knock on Carrasco was durability. Well, he posted 200 innings and was dynamite throughout the season. There is nothing holding him back now from being one of the top 10 pitchers in baseball.

While EE may be old, he's still got it. He has now swatted 34 or more homers with 98+ RBI in six consecutive seasons. He plays nearly every day and won't kill you in batting average either. That type of consistency makes him a safe pick despite his age getting up there.

We saw flashes of a true ace in 2015, and last year Severino proved he has the makings of a perennial Cy Young candidate. While he isn't on the same level as Kluber and Sale, it may only be a matter of time before he reaches them.

Ozuna may have been the breakout player of the year, driving in an extra 50 runs from the previous season, batting 45 points higher and hitting for substantially more power. Another bump could come this year now that he is out of the Marlins' pitcher-friendly park.

Benintendi was abysmal in the second half, but still managed to finish with 20 HR, 20 SB, 80+ runs and 90+ RBI and a solid batting average. He should get even better as a 23 year old this year and could break out into a top 10 fantasy player.

Verlander was sensational once he moved to Houston, but doing that over a full season at the age of 35 is another story. While is a clearly a top 10 fantasy pitcher in drafts, his ceiling seems to be last among the group.

Yelich will get a significant boost in power this year with his move from Miami to Milwaukee's hitter-friendly park. We may be looking at a 25-15 guy who bats .290 and scores 100+ runs. That is a sure-fire top 50 fantasy player.

Hoskins was elite last year in a small sample size. There is no denying, however, that he has some holes in his swing. Regardless, the ceiling is huge and his floor for HR, RBI and R are all enough to warrant a top 70 pick.

Fantasy owners were in panic after he started the season hitting just .256 with a handful of homers and steals. We saw the true Bregman in the second half, however. He batted .315 with 11 bombs and 9 steals to go with 48 runs and 44 RBIs. The former top-five prospect will look to further improve on his breakout in the 2018 season and may potentially be a first-round pick this time next year.

Greinke is never going to strike out 270 hitters like some of the other top pitchers in baseball, but with the humidor now in Chase Field, you should move him a good 20 spots up your rankings and expect him to compete for the NL Cy Young again like we saw in 2015.

Unless you are in an OBP league or found a way to give out points for stellar defense, Rendon is much more valuable in real life than fantasy. That isn't to say 20+ homers and a .290 BA from the hot corner can't help you, but it does mean he isn't a top 50 fantasy player.

Somehow Davis has now batted exactly .247 each of the previous three seasons. That won't kill you if he repeats in 2018. This is among the most reliable sources for power and RBI, so put 40 HR and 100 RBI in ink if you add him.

Sure, Darvish struggled at times last year, but let's not forget that he has a career 3.42 ERA, is durable, and leads all pitchers in MLB history with 11 K/9.

Unfortunately for Myers, his ceiling is capped by playing half his games in San Diego. His batting average will probably never climb above .265, but you can bank on 25+ homers and 20 steals once again if he stays on the field.

Pollock is not the same top 20 fantasy player that we saw three seasons ago, but a 20-30 season seems probable even with the humidor in Chase. Even with a mediocre batting average, that power/speed combo makes him a top 50 asset.

Cano might not be the .320 hitter he was for most of his career, but you can still bet on .280 with 20+ homers and a bunch of runs and RBI. That should be enough to tempt you into snatching him in the first 70 picks.

After showing flashes of being a fantasy relevant asset in limited sample sizes, Pham completely broke out to begin 2017. Many expected him to fall off steeply in the second half, but he actually took it to another level, swatting 12 homers, swiping 14 bases and batting .313 with 53 runs scored and 39 RBI. If you pro-rate that to a full season, you'll see why he was one of the top five fantasy hitters in that time (28 HR, 33 SB, 134 R, 92 RBI, .313 BA). His batted ball rates and Statcast measurements indicate that it is no fluke. So long as he can stay healthy, we are talking about one of the top 15 hitters in fantasy baseball this season.

If you are going to draft a closer early, of course it ought to be Jansen. He has been the best closer in baseball for years running. With that said, why not wait 100 picks and grab 85% of the production from Archie Bradley or Sean Doolittle?

Last year, Cespedes was an easy top 50 pick thanks to a stellar 2016. Believe it or not, he was actually better last season, but only played 81 games so no one noticed. He will prove to be one of the top values in fantasy baseball this year.

Hosmer's stock has dropped now that he will be playing half of his games in Petco Park, which is death to hitters. With that said, we may not have seen Hosmer's ceiling, so he could very well still bat .300 with 25+ homers and that type of upside is worthy of a 6th round pick in standard lagues.

Last season Car-Mart was quietly dealing with a lawsuit. As you might expect, it seemed to have impacted his performance, raising his ERA 60 points and takings a handful of wins from his 2016 total. The issue is still not resolved so don't be so quick to assume a bounce back year.

With the trip from Kansas City to Milwaukee, Cain may see the biggest ballpark upgrade of anyone this season. Don't be surprised if he bumps his career high to 20 homers while continuing his trend of stealing 25 bags and hitting .300.

You can say what you want about Archer's talent, and you may be right seeing that he has 230+ strikeouts in three straight seasons, but he also has never won more than 12 games and is coming off back to back seasons with an ERA north of 4.00 so make of that what you will.

It seemed as though it would never happen, but Braun seems to have finally hit a wall. He finished last year with just 17 homers, 52 RBI and a .268 batting average because of multiple lingering injuries. If he can stay healthy, he may bounce back, but your expectations ought to be closer to what we saw last season.

After a disappointing 2016, Kimbrel bounced right back to being among the best relievers in the sport. His 126 Ks a 0.681 WHIP are virtually video game numbers. He is a top 3 closer in baseball again this year.

Paxton has shown hints of being an ace, but in the second half last season, he emerged as one of the best arms in baseball. If he can finally stay on the mound for more than 150 innings, we may be talking about a Cy Young contender. Think Carlos Carrasco this time last year.

Nola may be the games most underrated pitcher in the public opinion. He is an elite groundball pitcher and whiffs hitters at a rate that suggests he may be primed to jump into the top 10 pitchers in baseball this season.

For the second consecutive year, Murphy competed for the batting crown while hitting over 20 homers and driving in 90+ runs. While he is getting older, there are no signs that he will slow down.

Statcast has a metric used as a method to determine a player's luck called xwOBA-wOBA. Miguel Cabrera had his worst season ever, but it wasn't because he is "done". Rather, he continued to crush the ball. Sure, he took a step backward, but please consider that his xwOBA-wOBA was a whopping 0.060. Second through 4th place were all between 0.032 and 0.036, so his lack of luck was unprecedented. Sure, the metric isn't perfect because it doesn't account for shifts or speed, but with that sort of distinction between first and second, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize he is due for significant positive regression.

While there may be much more depth at second base this year than in years past, the second tier is a bit bare. Schoop leads the pack thanks to elite power for the position and a reliable batting average from year to year.

Everything Cole gains in picking up likely 5 more wins with the Astros is cancelled out with the hit his ratios should see moving way from Pittsburgh's pitcher-friendly environment. Expect a near repeat performance from him as a borderline top 100 overall player this year.

Shaw has gone mostly unnoticed in fantasy baseball circles despite hitting 31 bombs and driving in 100 runs last season. He also stole some bases and while he isn't a lock to repeat that stat-line, he isn't a bad mid-round investment at 3B.

Segura seems to be a steady .300 hitter all of a sudden the past few years. If he had stayed healthy all year, he likely would have hit 15 homers with near 30 steals. That is a quality middle infielder in a time where offensive shortstops don't grow on trees.

Last season, Ray became one of the premier pitchers in baseball. Granted, he only threw 162 innings, but if he can bump that up to 200 with the new humidor in Phoenix, he may crack the top 5 fantasy arms.

You cannot find five hitters in all of baseball with more power than Sano. We haven't seen it fully realized quite yet, but he is still just 24 and hasn't played more than 120 games in his career. If he does this year, don't be startled if he knocks 45 out of the yard with a healthy batting average and a load of RBIs.

McCutchen was unbelievably good in the second half, but before you jump up and proclaim he is a top 40 fantasy player again, keep in mind that he now plays his home games in San Francisco and may see a dip in power.

You may be impressed by his reputation and the 2.90 ERA accompanied by 14 wins. His WHIP is solid as always, but the strikeouts are non-existent and let's not forget that he had a rough 2016. His ceiling is capped by the K's and his floor is actually a bit risky.

While it's true that Aroldis is officially a human, that doesn't mean we should expect his disappointing season to repeat in 2018. Rather, he looks like a safe bet for 30+ saves and 100+ Ks on top of solid ratios.

If Ohtani wasn't coming off an injury riddled season and expected to be capped in his usage, you could make a case for him being similar to Luis Severino. With that said, the question marks are there so don't jump out of the seat of your pants expecting a Cy Young right away. His bat is unlikely to be ready, so maybe .260 with a dozen homers in 200 to 300 at bats.

Many were proclaiming Buxton to be the breakout player of the year. It just so happens that he needed a few months to figure the league out like another former top overall prospect, Mike Trout. Now clearly Buxton is not nor will ever be on Trout's level, but he was superb in the second half, batting .300 with 11 homers, 13 steals, 40 runs and 35 RBIs in just 207 at bats. We have not even seen the youngster in his prime. Perhaps this year he stretches it out to 25 HR and 40 stolen bases.

Xander started to turn it around at the end of the season, but the final numbers looked quite bad. We have, however, see him hit .320 and score 115 runs with 20+ homers, so the potential is there for a top 20 fantasy season and he still is young enough to have not reached his full potential.

While Contreras has impressed in each of his first two seasons, there is reason to believe that we have yet to see the best from him. The big battle will be playing time, and if he gets 450+ at bats, he might just knock 30 homers.

While Quintana saw his ERA finally rise a full run to where his underlying stats indicated they should be, his K/9 jumped nearly two batters per game. The ERA may stay the same, but at least you are getting 200 Ks now with 12 to 15 wins for the Cubs.

Buster has been the model of consistency over the years, and should be in the hunt for the NL batting title once again, but that lousy Giants' offense won't warrant many RBIs or runs, plus Posey's power has dipped substantially in the last few seasons.

Every year, there are a handful of quality starting pitchers who completely bust for whatever reason. Last year, it seemed as though Tanaka would be another example when he posted a 5.47 ERA in 102 first half innings. In the second half, however, everything turned around. Sure, his 3.77 ERA was pedestrian, but his underlying metrics lined up with the best in all of baseball. In fact, his 2.83 xFIP was third behind only Corey Kluber and Chris Sale. While there is a chance Tanaka falls back into whatever funk he was in a 10 months ago, you've got to be encouraged as a potential fantasy owner at the filthy metrics he posted to close the season.

Osuna's ERA ended at 3.38 last year which is not ideal, but he is among the best closers in baseball and still just 23 years old. You can count on him for a stellar WHIP , 35+ saves and 80 Ks.

At this point, it seems as though the now 39-year-old Beltre might play until he is 50. He is still cruising along with a .312 batting average and a pro-rated 30+ HR, 100+ RBI rate over a full season. Draft away still in the top 100.

Didi won't steal you any bases, but shorstops with 20+ HR and a .275+ batting average don't grow on trees and that's what he'll give you.

Seager went from being the most consistent hitter in all of fantasy baseball to the most consistent hitter with an odd BABIP-induced drop in his batting average. Expect his usual 25 HR, .270 BA and 90 RBI this season.

Yes, the batting average is disgusting and will almost certainly remain that way, but you can't easily replace the 40 to 50 homers we should expect this year. Plus, we have to consider that he got substantially better each year in the minors so growth in the BA department can't be ruled out.

You may have missed this one, but Whit actually led the American League with 34 steals last season. He also added some power to his game to accompany a .286 career average. If you are waiting on second base, Whit will be a great option.

We saw an amazing hitter at times and a 20-year-old who wasn't ready at others. I can't quite tell you which Devers we will see in 2017, but know that the upside is that of a superstar and the floor is that he gets sent back down to the minors for more tuning up.

We've seen Arrieta at his ceiling and it was magical with 22 wins and a 1.77 ERA. With that said, he has gotten worse from there each of the last 2 seasons and it was correlated with a steep drop in velocity which should concern fantasy owners.

Odor's .204 batting average was appalling to fantasy owners. Still, that was his floor and any time you can get a 2nd basemen with 30 homers and 15 steals, you've got to be thrilled. Odor should surpass both of those numbers this year in his age-24 season.

Castellanos has consistently been a batted ball outlier in the fact that his data screams for positive regression. For whatever reason, it hasn't quite happened yet, but a 30 HR, .290 season with 100+ RBI may be right around the corner.

Wood is an interesting case study because everyone was screaming for regression after his 10-0 start with a 1.67 ERA, .173 BAA and 10.9 K/9 in the first-half. When the regression came (3.89 ERA, .262 BAA and 6.8 K/9), no one seemed to notice because the final numbers were those of an ace. The second half ought to concern you enough that you don't even consider taking him within the first 10 rounds.

Puig had the best fantasy campaign of his career in 2017 and it wasn't even close with 28 HR and 1 SB. In fact, batted ball numbers indicate his BA may further climb in 2018.

While DJ oddly doesn't hit many homers in Coors, you can bet on a .300 batting average and 90+ runs. His ceiling may be limited, but that's a quality fantasy player.

If you draft Santana, just know that the Brewers may trade him to a team like the Rays, who's ballpark would be a big blow to Santana's production. If he stays in Milwaukee, we are looking at a potential repeat of 30 HR and 15 SB with plenty of R and RBI.

Until last year, the MLB record for most HRs in less than 200 at bats was 18. Olson shattered that, hitting 24 and actually led all of baseball in HR/AB. He may just be the steal of the draft in 2018 swatting near 50 homers if he can keep his batting average above .220 and stay on the field.

Over his last 175 innings, there may not have been a better pitcher in all of baseball and that is not hyperbole. With that said, don't expect much more than 120 innings this year and a dozen wins. Those innings should be dominant though.

Albies has a historically good season for a 20 year old in the majors, but that came without many homers or RBI. Repeating that efficiency as a sophomore will be a challenge, but he does possess 20 HR/40 SB upside and may end up the breakout of the season.

While Ender won't exactly provide power or RBIs, you can expect a .290 BA with 20+ SB and seeing that he was one of only nine players who did that last year, it's fair to say he is a solid 10th or 11th round pick.

While the Cubs, righty may have a career 2.94 ERA, his underlying numbers and merely mediocre stuff scream for a substantial drop-off this season. He doesn't help much in strikeouts either.

You can give up on the idea that the player we saw in the first two months of Story's career are who we will ever be. That doesn't mean we have to apply the full 2017 bummer to his future either though, in fact, he was quite good in the second half.

Adam Jones does not steal bases anymore, but he is one of the games most durable players and a safe source of power and a useful batting average.

While there is no doubt about it that Acuna has MVP type upside, he is still extremely young and his swing has too many holes in it. The hype has gone too far and we shouldn't expect a Cody Bellinger type season from Acuna. Plus, he is starting the season in the minor leagues.

Lamb was superb in the first-half last year, but really fell off in the second-half. With the humidor now in place, don't expect 30 HR or 100 RBI again this year. That .250 BA won't seem as manageable without all the power in place.

Everyone has waited ages for Polanco to finally break out. It hasn't happened yet, and last year he was abysmal, but Polanco is still just 26 years old and has huge upside.

We only got to see 23 games from Eaton last year, but he looked as good as ever before. With a full season in 2018, we can expect 10 to 15 homers, 15 SB and a quality average to go with plenty of runs scored.

For a while, Moose seemed like a bust, but he has been improving each year lately and suddenly became a 38 HR masher in 2018. With him finally signing, he becomes a fringe top 100 pick. It would have been substantially better had he landed in the Bronx.

After struggling for the first 7 years of his originally highly-hyped career, Smoak finally performed last year, blasting 38 homers and batting .270. Major regression is possible considering how the rest of his career has gone, but perhaps the breakout was no fluke at all.

As is true with most closers, Diaz has gone through some rough spells, but overall, the 23-year-old has been spectacular and may only get better from here.

Andrus has now gone nine consecutive seasons stealing at least 20 bases. He is a near-lock to play 150+ games and pile up the runs scored while helping you quite a bit in batting average. Even the power came on last season!

Desmond only played 95 games last year and saw a big power drop off despite playing in Coors. He is a safe source for 15+ homers and 20 steals with a quality batting average. His ceiling may be closer to 25/25 which would make him a top 20 fantasy hitter.

In on-base percentage leagues, Santana's value takes a major leap, but in standard leagues, he is merely a mediocre three-category asset. He can be relied upon as a consistent player, however, so feel free to snag him in the middle of drafts.

Don't expect the Pirates to offer Rivero 40+ save opportunities this season, but Rivero is a safe investment if you want 25 saves and killer ratios from a mid-round closer.

Allen has been the same pitcher now for five straight seasons so we have a pretty strong idea of what to expect: 30+ saves, 2.70 ERA and 90+ Ks. That's a clear-cut top-10 closer.

The Cardinals have made it clear that Carp will be batting 3rd this season in what looks to be a strong lineup. His batted ball numbers indicate that his BA should jump back toward .270 to go with his usual 20+ HR and 90+ runs.

If Lance McCullers wins the pitching triple crown, it would likely surprise no one. With that said, we saw how terrible he can be at times. Just be sure you realize the risk you are taking if you add him in fantasy drafts this year.

Zim has always produced when he is on the field and this year will be no different. The key words here are "on the field". If you draft him, you are gambling on a rough injury history and a big-time ceiling like we saw in 2017.

Last year, Lester went from being the most consistent pitcher in baseball not named Kershaw to being a disappointment who might just be over the hill. While we might not see him compete for a Cy Young again, his floor is higher than most in the middle of drafts.

This may be the biggest lottery pick of the fantasy season. If his shoulder injury lingers, it will be a waste of a pick, but we are looking at a player with .280/40/100 potential if he gets a full season.

Hand has been lights out in back to back seasons, posting stellar WHIPs with over 100+ Ks in each season. This year, he should have the closer job full-time too so he has top-5 reliever upside and a fairly safe floor.

Iglesias took another big step forward last season, seeing his K/9 jump 1.4 and both of his fantasy ratios improve. While he may not get many save opportunities, Iglesias is safe this season as a fantasy asset.

Bruce has produced 30+ HR and 85+ RBI in 5 of his past 7 seasons including last year which was the best of his career. You can expect more of the same in 2017 which makes him a boring, but safe mid-round pick in standard leagues.

If we knew Billy Hamilton would have a job all year, it might make sense to add his 60 steals and just deal with the crummy batting average and power numbers, but he has been so bad that 400+ at bats is nowhere close to a guarantee.

Price struggled at times last year, but he nearly matched his career ERA, WHIP and K/9 so don't be so quick to assume he is done. We may again see the top 10 pitcher he once was.

Mazara hasn't found his potential yet, but he is still just 22 years old and drove in 101 runs last season. Don't be shocked if he swats 35 out of the yard this year with a .270 batting average.

Bell's batting average was only .255 last season but could very well rise to .290 in his sophomore campaign. That with 25+ homers would make for a great mid-round addition. The runs and RBI may drop, however, since Pittsburgh now has one of the worst lineups in baseball.

Berrios was not a dominant fantasy asset last season, but he has shown enough that it is not out of the realm of possibility for him to pull a Luis Severino on the AL this season as a 24-year-old.

Kinsler is a bit old and his batting average plummeted, but the batted ball rates indicate he should be back around .270 this season, which when paired with 20 HR, 15 SB is a quality second basemen.

You may not have noticed, but Castillo was positively dominant last season in his 90 inning debut. If he were to sustain that production over 200 innings, we'd be talking at a top 10 fantasy baseball pitcher.

The first 250 at-bats of Taylor's career were uninspiring, but he had always been a solid hitter in the minors. A repeat of his 21/17 season seems unlikely, however, so don't draft him as the top 50 hitter he was in 2017.

Giles had a rough 2016, but bounced rigt back to being one of the top 5 closers in baseball last year. His WHIP likely won't be under 1.00, but you can bet on 80+ Ks and 30+ saves.

It is easy to forget that Baez is still just 25 years old and that we likely haven't seen his prime yet. That may be 30 HR and 10 SB with a .280 average. For a middle infielder, that is well worth a top 100 pick.

Rosario has been generating some hype around the industry and for good reason. He knocked 27 homers and stole 9 bases with a .290 batting average last season and likely hasn't reached his ceiling. He is a quality mid-round pickup this season.

You may look at Bauer's 5.24 ERA in the first-half and see that he went 10-2 with a 3.01 in the second-half, but he was actually every bit as good in the first-half in terms of underlying metrics. Rather, he just had some bad luck. This may be the year we finally get a top 30 starting pitcher out of him with 220+ Ks.

Many are wondering if Godley is a fluke, but the underlying data backs up his breakout as legitimate. Add a humidor and we may see him kick it up another gear this season.

Mad Bum is out for two months with a broken pinky after being hit by a line drive. He will likely retain top 10 starting pitcher value when he returns, but at this point, his draft value plummets to a fringe top 100 player.

Luke Weaver, was a smashing success to close 2016, this proceeded to begin the year in Triple-A in 2017. Everyone was excited for him to be called back up, but few beyond his own mother perhaps, expected him to finish 6th in xFIP in front of the likes of Justin Verlander, Jacob deGrom, Carlos Carrasco and Luis Severino. His 11.0 K/9 were elite, as was virtually every other underlying metric. The Cardinals have a legitimate ace on their hands, and you can too with just an 11th round pick this year.

Davis has been a top 3 closer in baseball over the past four seasons. With that said, moving to Colorado should bump his ERA north of 3.00 and WHIP up above 1.2 so he is only a fringe top-10 fantasy closer this year.

Gardner was one of many examples of the fly ball revolution that took place last year. He jumped from 7 to 21 homers while retaining his streak of 5 straight seasons with 20+ steals. While the batting average is merely mediocre, that power-speed combo will help out in the mid rounds of drafts.

If we can guarantee Happ a full season worth of at-bats, we'd be looking at a middle infielder with 35 homers and double-digit steals. The problem is that the Cubs are so loaded that he will probably only see 400 at-bats unless an injury opens up full playing time.

Bour continued to improve his game last season, posting a .902 OPS with 25 homers and 83 RBI. The issue, however, is that he didn't play 110 games once again, nor should he be expected to in 2018.

The most similar pitchers to Cueto according to Baseball Reference are Peavy, Milwood, Beckett, Appier, Drabek and Weaver. How many of them had a single decent season after they turned 31? Zero,. Cueto appears to have hit the same wall in 2017.

For two straight seasons now, Duvall has hit 30+ HR and driven in 99+ runs. The batting average isn't pretty, but won't single-handedly kill your team in that category.

You might not know much about Doolittle because he took over as the closer for Washington mid-season, but he is the real deal and should see 40+ save opportunities this year, making him a likely top 10 fantasy reliever.

Turner broke his wrist in Spring Training when he was hit by a pitch. He is slated to miss several months, but is still worthy of a mid or late round draft pick if your league has DL spots available.

The batted ball data suggests that Dejong's power is legitimate. He does have holes in his wing, however, and may see the batting average drop to around .255. Still, with 30+ homers and at shortstop, that is a quality mid-round pick.

Tailon had a remarkable recovery from cancer last season and pitched extremely well considering the circumstances. He possess more upside that we've seen to this point in his career, so don't be surprised if he breaks out this season into a Marcus Stroman type pitcher.

There is significant bust potential with Schwarber, who struck out 150 times in just 129 games while batting .211. With that said, he may be the only catcher besides Gary Sanchez with a shot at hitting 40 bombs. If you want to buy a lottery ticket, Schwarber is your man.

Familia missed most of last season with an injury but even when he was going, we weren't talking about the same old Familia. Be careful about expecting him to return to old form, but the potential is of course still there.

Morton had a surprising start last year (3.82 ERA, .250 BAA, 9.7 K/9), but he never regressed back to his mediocre level we had seen for years. In fact, he kicked it up a few more notches, posting a .210 BAA with 10.3 K/9. In fact, he was among the best pitchers in the playoffs as well. He is going for cheap, but may just be one of the top 25 pitchers in all of baseball.

Many were pleasantly surprised by Mancini's .293 BA and 24 homers last year, but he always mashed in the minors, so try not to think of his rookie numbers as a fluke. We may see his BA drop down to .270 or .280, but don't be shocked when his homers bump near 30.

Stroman somehow only has 37 wins in his career despite always throwing a ton of innings and offering solid ratios. That number may come up, but his strikeouts are likely capped at 160, making him a safe play without much upside.

Gray had a miserable 2016 season, but bounced back admirably last year with a 3.55 ERA and 153 strikeouts. While he likely won't ever be more than a #3 SP again, those kind of numbers could net him 15 wins pitching in front of that Yankees lineup.

Bundy's ERA wasn't where fantasy owners would have wanted to see it, but over the course of the season, his peripheral numbers looked more and more like the #2 pitcher the Orioles were hoping he would eventually become.

Longoria was fantastic in 2016, so his 2017 season may have seemed like a major disappointment. The fact is, however, that it was very much in line with what he did in both 2014 and 2015, so don't be banking on a bounce-back.

Long gone are the days where Choo will bat .300 or even help you at all in average, but he is still swatting 20 homers a year with double-digit steals and near 100 runs every season. That is well worth a mid-round price.

At this point, it is quite clear that Herrera will give us a .280 batting average with a hint of power and speed. It is nice to have a reliable asset like that later on in drafts, but his upside is limited.

Anderson traded batting average for some pop last season and offers fantasy owners 20/20 potential this year in the middle infield.

Richards hasn't pitched much in the last few years, but he is among the best in the game at getting soft contact and may just offer a low 3's ERA for a full season this year.

Margot played more than expected last season, but didn't put up nearly the counting stats fantasy owners hoped for. His upside is that of a 20/35 power/speed combo, but virtually all projections have him performing near the mediocre stats he put up in 2017.

There are some major holes in Moncada's screen, as indicated in his 54 game sample size last year, but his ceiling is enormous. We could be talking about a 20/40 fantasy player if he realizes his potential. There is substantial bust-potential, though, so draft at your own risk.

While Realmuto showed last season that his .303 batting average from 2016 was a fluke, he did tack on 6 more homers and 17 extra RBIs. He is also the most stolen base friendly catcher, so depending on the makeup of your team, you may want to target him toward the middle of your drafts.

Nunez was an all-star two years ago, but was actually better last season, driving his batting average up to .313 and swatting 12 homers with 24 steals in just 114 games. He may reach 20 and 35 this season if he can stay healthy.

 

After a terrific rookie campaign, Maeda took a small step backward last year. It wasn't for lack of efficiency, however, considering he improved all over the board. Rather, it was an innings issue which again is the concern for 2018.

Last season, Gattis only managed to play 84 games and saw a hefty dip in his power figures. This year, he may see more at-bats as a DH, which should afford a quality bounce-back season for fantasy owners.

Another season with a .300 batting average seems unlikely, but Molina is still chugging along at the age of 35 and should swat another 15 homers with a quality batting average if he can stay healthy.

Colome led the AL with 47 saves last year, but the ratios were mediocre and he doesn't strike many batters out. Seeing that the Rays are forfeiting their season, 40+ saves seems unlikely in 2018.

Last season, Haniger got off to a great start, but he missed 60 games and many appear to have lost of impressive he is. The struggled in Spring Training have only multiplied that, but he should be a reliable source of power and average late in drafts.

The Cubs are intent on using Morrow as their closer and believe he can be one of the best in the game. His ratios were stellar last season and that should be a ton of save opportunities so don't hesitate to reach for him over his ADP.

Anderson lept from being a #4 starting pitcher in the majors to posting a 2.74 ERA and 1.09 WHIP through 141 innings last season. Don't count on a repeat performance, however, as his underlying metrics remained the same season to season, suggesting loads of luck last year.

While it seems clear that Neris is the best reliever in the Phillies bullpen, his role as the closer may not be a lock. He is worth owning regardless, but make sure to keep tabs on the news coming out of camp, as it would effect his draft stock nearly 100 slots.

Alonso wasted away to begin his career in San Diego after being recognized as a top prospect. He joined the fly ball revolution last season, swatting 28 homers and scoring 70 runs. Now that he is out of a pitcher's park and into Cleveland, which plays just fine for hitters, we may just see 30+ bombs from him.

Gio resurged last year for the Nationals, winning 15 games with a 2.96 ERA in 201 IP. His peripheral numbers suggest much of it was luck driven, however, so don't be naive to expect a repeat performance in 2018.

Marwin broke out in the first-half last season with a top 10 OPS in all of baseball. He took a step backward after the all-star break but was still more than a quality fantasy asset. The concern will be playing time, as Derek Fisher and others are breathing down his neck.

Outside of Kenley Jansen, there has been no better reliever in all of baseball over the past few seasons. He is a near-lock to strikeout 90+ with unbelievable ratios, but don't expect more than 5 saves.

Duffy has shown flashes of being an excellent pitcher at times in his career. Last season, he was merely mediocre however, so realize there is a bit of risk with this pick and a small ceiling in regards to wins.

Simmons is without question the best defensive shortstop in the world, but his bat was also quite good last season. He batted .278 with 14 homers and 19 stolen bases. He is just now coming into the prime of a hitter's career so don't be so quick to dismiss him as a fluke.

Hanley hasn't done much in 2 of the past three seasons, but he has what it takes to pull a Ryan Zimmerman this season. Apparently, he is expected to bat third for the great Red Sox lineup, which would substantially help his counting stats if he can stay on the field.

Fulmer may produce solid ratios, but the strikeouts are non-existent and you can't even bank on 10 wins considering the Tigers' lineup he will be pitching in front of.

Last season, Shark led the league in losses and had a disappointing 4.42 ERA. There may have been no pitcher in baseball who suffered more in the way of bad batted ball luck, however. He is likely to have a major bounceback in both ERA and W this year. Beware, however, as he is starting the season on the disabled list and might not be back for a few weeks.

We all rememeber how phenomenal Thames was to start last season, but don't forget that he only hit 8 homers and drove in 20 runs in the second half last year. That isn't to say he will be a complete flop, but be advised that his 2018 numbers are unlikely to mirror his 2017 breakout.

Fowler puts up quality numbers whenever he is on the field, but he has only played more than 125 games once in the past five seasons. If he can stay healthy, we can bet on 20 HR, 10 SB and 90 runs, but that is a big if.

Reddick has been consistently improving his batting average each season, all the way up to the .314 he gave us in 2017. The issue with him is whether the Astros will hold of Derek Fisher for his behalf. If they do, Reddick may be a draft day steal.

Zimmer ended the season batting ust .241 with a .692 OPS, but he showed flashes of the type of fantasy player he can be. While he may be risky, don't be shocked if he posts a .270 BA with 20 HR and 35 steals as this year's breakout player of the season.

Souza certainly won't help you in the batting average department, but he is a quality source of homers and steals. Bonus points if you play in an OBP league.

For the second straight season, Pomeranz posted an ERA below 3.40. He isn't going to strike out 220 batters, nor will his WHIP be a major help, but in front of that Red Sox lineup, he should be a reliable source of wins.

Suarez doesn't offer much in the way of batting average or stolen bases, but he is useful in the other three main categories and makes for a reliable mid-round third basemen.

Ok, so maybe Car-Go isn't quite a stud anymore, but he is significantly better than his overall 2017 numbers indicated. Apparently, he was playing through an injury to start the season, but once he got right, we were looking at the same ole' numbers. He batted .314/.390/.531 over the second half, thanks primarily to a September in which he was the best hitter on the planet. We may get a top 50 fantasy player 150 picks later if he can stay on the field for the Rockies.

Peralta is as good of a bet as you will find in the middle of drafts to bat .290, but he might not even provide a dozen homers with the humidor now in action.

Herrera used to be among the best relievers in baseball, but last season he was merely mediocre. He may be the lock at closer, but the Royals might not even provide 30 save opportunities this season.

You might not have noticed, but Garcia batted .330 last season with 18 homers. While those numbers will certainly be difficult to attain again in 2018, it is worth noting that he improved as the season went on so it may not have been a fluke.

Dickerson's batting average bounced back up last season to his career line of .280 and the power stayed despite playing his home games in Tampa. He should have no trouble repeating his 25 HR, .280 BA output in Pittsburgh if he can stay healthy.

It is amazing what Gray was able to do at Coors Field last year (3.13 ERA, 4 HR allowed), but we've never seen anyone sustain that type of success over a full season for the Rockies. He may strike out 200 and win 15 games, but don't bank on useful ratios again this season.

After being dealt to the A's Treinen was quietly a superb reliever. He currently has little competition for the job, and while there might not be many save opportunities, every save counts. The ratios and Ks should be solid as well.

Vizciano traded some of his amazing k-rate last season for substantially better control, and as a result, posted a 2.83 ERA and 1.10 WHIP. He may still strike out 80 hitters this season with those ratios and 30+ save opportunities for the Braves. If they opt to sign Holland, however, he would be ranked near RP50.

It is rare for a reliever to have such a dominant season (1.78 ERA, 126 Ks in 76 IP) and fall apart the next year outside of an injury. Expect more of the same from the Brewers' star closer in 2018.

Three years ago, Perez transitioned from a career .300 hitter into a consistent source of power. Now, he has quietly posted 20+ homers in three consecutive seasons and once again enters the year as one of the most reliable assets in all of fantasy baseball.

Villar may have been the biggest non-injury bust in fantasy baseball last year. You may be sensing a trend here, as Villar is like many of the other names on this list having put up a terrible first-half. He still finished the season with double-digit homers and 20+ steals, which is a far cry from the 20/60 line he put together in 2016. With that said, it isn't crazy to think he can cut the difference in half going 15/40 with the .280 batting average he put together after the all-star break and throughout both 2015 and 2016. That, folks, is a top 30 fantasy hitter, and worth far more than just a few bucks.

Franco has been around long enough that you may think we know exactly who he is, but he's still just 24 years old and could break out into a 30 HR, .270 BA type of monster any time. If you need a lottery ticket late in drafts, Franco fits the description.

Snell's strikeout rates dropped last season and his ERA went up, but that doesn't mean he is a bust. Rather, let's try to remember that he was recently the minor league pitcher of the year and has substantial untapped potential that may show it's face this season.

There may have been no starting pitcher who killed more fantasy teams last year than Gausman in the first-half. In the second, however, he was right in line with the top 15 starting pitchers in baseball and that would also be his upside this season.

Semien missed half the season and still managed double-digit steals and homers. While he likely won't bat .260, getting both power and speed from a shortstop is a rare combo.

Ramos did not do much in the 60 games after he returned from injury. With that said, he is just one year removed from hitting .307 with 22 homers and 80 RBI. There is a chance we see that sort of production last year, and it isn't as though the floor is all that scary either.

It is remarkable how far Kipnis has fallen after batting .275 with 23 HR, 15 SB, 90+ runs and 80+ RBI in 2016. Just know that while last year was a disaster, he isn't far enough removed from those numbers to discount a significant bounceback. Plus, he has been killing it in Spring Training, which may not mean much, but has to be a little encouraging.

Clevinger is officially in the rotation to start the season and may just be the steal of fantasy drafts this year. He was a top 15 pitcher when he was on the mound for 21 starts last season and might strikeout 220 this year if he has the chance from Cleveland.

Until last season, Morrison had never topped 500 at bats or 25 homers, but he earned himself a full-time gig and broke out for 38 homers. Even if he takes a step backward, 30 homers with a .240 batting average is nothing to sneeze at with a late pick, and his power might actually improve with the home ballpark change.

It took Gurriel a while to get going after a few seasons away from baseball, but he ended the season batting .299 with enough homers, RBIs and runs make him a worthwhile mid-round first basemen if he can get off the disabled list quick enough to get 450+ at bats.

After two productive seasons to begin his career, Piscotty's numbers dropped off last season as he dealt with personal issues. Now that he is in the Bay Area with his sick mother, don't be surprised if he returns to 20+ homers, a .270 BA and 80+ runs and RBI.

Faria was impressive in his 86 inning big league debut, but there is much more potential to be tapped into. Last season before his call up, Faria was striking out an unbelievable 12.9 batter per nine innings. He' got 200 K upside with a low-3's ERA if he gets enough innings.

Corbin's WHIP was dreadful last season, but he did throw 190 decent innings and won 14 games. Now that he'll be pitching with the humidor in place, we can expect the ERA to drop to near 3.50 this season while the wins likely remain in place.

Kingery has the skill-set to push the envelope. If he ends up slated to start opening day, consider him a top 200 overall fantasy player, otherwise he is merely a draft and stash play for deeper leagues.

Manaea looked sharp in the first ha;f and has showed a great deal of promise at times in his career. Taking the wrong medications derailed his season, though, so you'll be able to get a discount on draft day for a quality pitcher.

Everyone remembers the hitting streak and that many were calling for him to be a future star, but he's got a career batting average of .239 and his best tool is his mediocre power so be careful with the lingering hype surrounding him.

You may not have noticed, but Cozart broke away from his typical .250 BA and lackluster power to become a .300 hitter with plenty of pop last season. He won't be playing in the Great American Ballpark this year, and he is now a third basemen, but should still be worth rostering in fantasy leagues.

Brantley finally looked healthy last season and while another injury might be right around the corner, he offers .310 BA upside with 15 homers and 15 stolen bases which is a near-impossible combo to find late in drafts.

Davis batted under .225 for the second straight season and he only hit 26 homers, but that was with missing 30 games. He may just knock 40+ if he can stay on the field this year, but don't expect the batting average to improve.

With Byron Buxton roaming around in centerfield, Lynn has the potential to see his ADP jump to make him a top 60 fantasy SP.

We don't know where Holland will sign yet, but we can count on him being the closer wherever he ends up. He should see a major improvement in his ratios pitching away from Coors this season.

At times, Grandal has appeared to be one of the best offensive catchers in baseball. The problem is that he always slumps several times during the season and ends with a sub-par batting average. This year, the Dodgers may end up leaning on Austin Barnes even more than last season so it isn't exactly safe to rely on Grandal as a late-round safety net.

The strikeouts suddenly disappeared for Hamels last year, and without them, the ratios dropped as well. At the age of 34, it seems unlikely that he will be able to return to form, but much crazier things have happened so consider Hamels as a flier.

 

Belt's batting average dipped last season as he struggled to stay healthy, but if he can get on the field this year, we know Belt should return to delivering a .275 BA with 15 to 20 HR, 65+ RBI and 70+ runs. That isn't a great fantasy player, but it is a useful bench asset for sure.

Last season, Frazier saw his power, speed and batting average all take substantial hits, but he is still young enough that we could potentially see him return to 35 HR with 10 SB even playing half his games at Citi Field.

Everyone and their grandma knew Danny Salazar had front of the rotation stuff, but he had a rough first half thanks to a sore shoulder in June. When he came back, he was as good as ever, placing second in baseball with 12.8 K/9 over the second half and a 3.00 ERA. There is plenty of risk if you draft him, but the upside is that of a Cy Young winner, and I don't throw that term around lightly.

The Rangers appear to be set on DeShields opening the season as a starter. If he can stick around in the lineup, 40+ steals is a virtual certainty. He won't provide a lick of power, but the batting average will be above league average.

Bird was so electric in Spring Training that everyone figured he would be the Yankee's Aaron Judge. Then Bird got hurt and Judge took over the show. Don't be surprised if Bird breaks out with health on his side this year. With that said, he is not as safe as a Jay Bruce type.

It may not feel good to draft a boring arm like J.A. Happ, but the matter of the fact is that if you need a safe source of wins and low ratios, he might be your best option late into drafts. He should provide a mid 3's ERA with at least a dozen wins.

If we knew Brach was certain to be the closer, he would be a top 30 reliever, but Buck Showalter suggests Givens or even O'Day might be the Orioles closer. Draft Brach late since he is the favorite for the job, but be careful to not reach in case you get burned.

Grichuk's ribs are banged up, but even if he misses opening day, he should be back and ready to go in no time. He possesses 30+ home run type of pop if he can stay in the Blue Jays' lineup all season.

Arcia may be a defense first shortstop, but he also offered fantasy owners 15 homers, 14 steals and a .277 batting average last year. Even a repeat would be welcomed in fantasy lineups, but he was just 22 years old last year so perhaps he takes another step or two forward.

Castro does take a sizeable ballpark factor dip this season which could knock his HR, RBI and R down, but let's try to not be so quick to forget that he batted .300 last season and was on pace for over 20 homers for the second straight season if it weren't for his injury.

There is much to love about Kiermaier's game as a whole, but it doesn't quite carry over to fantasy baseball. Sure, he could steal 25 bases, but without much in the way of power, plus he carries just a .262 career batting average. On top of that, he plays reckless enough that injuries seem to follow him around.

While the 25 homers were a pleasant surprise, let's not pretend to ignore the fact that his career batting average is still just .209. Drafting Zunino comes with the risk that he could regress and destroy your season-long batting average in roto leagues. It is entirely possible, however, that the breakout was legitimate and he hits .250 again with 30+ homers.

While it is reasonable to expect Scooter to take a major step back after last year's major breakout, even regression would leave him as a .270 hitter with 20 homers which is a plenty useful fantasy middle infielder.

With the move to Camden Yards, everyone expected a breakout, and while Castillo proved to have elite power for the position, he also played just 96 games. His career high is 113 so don't let your expectations get the best of you in 2018, especially now that he is playing for the White Sox.

McMahon batted .355 with 69 extra-base hits and 11 steals in just 119 minor league games last season. He offers elite rookie potential playing half of his games in Coors if he can earn the starting job out of Spring Training.

We won't pretend it is likely that Pujols will bounce back as a 38 year old, but it is entirely possible considering he hit 31 and 40 homers in two of the past three seasons. Even if he just sustains his recent production, 100+ RBI, 20 HR and a .240 BA is well worth owning in fantasy baseball.

Kemp can still mash, but his durability and defensive liabilities may keep him out of the lineup for a third of the season. The .275 BA with 20 HR and 65 RBI he gave us last year is about what we should expect in 2018.

It may seem like a boring pick to you, but Hernandez has now hit over .290 in consecutive full seasons and scored 85 runs last year. He won't hit for much power, but the 15 to 20 stolen bases certainly help.

Calhoun isn't a sexy pick by any means, but he always provides 75+ runs, 75+ RBI and 17+ HR with a batting average that won't kill you. You could do much worse late into drafts.

For four consecutive seasons, Melancon was a dynamite closer. After signing the huge contract with San Francisco, however, he had a terrible season. He's got dibs at the save opportunities, but the ratios aren't a guarantee to bounce back.

Peraza is certainly no source of power, but he is a .277 hitter through his MLB career thus far and averages 34 stolen bases per 162 games played. He is a safe source of steals late into drafts as we can virtually guarantee he holds onto the starting job all season even if he struggles a bit.

The Rangers have not given a conclusive answer as to who their closer will be, but it is seeming more and more likely that Kela, the best man for the job, will be handed the role. If it happens, he would immediately become a top 15 reliever in baseball with even larger upside.

Chapman is not only one of the league's best young defenders, but he's got some pop in his bat too. If you extend his 14 homers out to a full season, he would have knocked 27 with 75 runs and 77 RBI. The batting average will obviously hurt some, but the power more than makes up for it.

Hader is a former top prospect for the Brewers who was stuck in the bullpen last year. Now, that may happen again, but even if it does and he doesn't find a way to steal the closer job from Corey Knebel, Hader is dominant enough to be owned in even standard leagues. Over the second half of the season, he was better than Craig Kimbrel, Edwin Diaz and a host of other top closers. This season, you can expect him to strike out near 100 hitters with a great ERA and WHIP. Don't sleep on the idea that he ends up as the Brewers closer if Knebel stumbles, or better yet, gets his crack in the rotation where he just may be a future ace.

Most will flock to Giolito after posting a sparkling 2.38 ERA and sub 1.00 WHIP in 45 innings last year. After all, he was a former top 5 prospect, right? While that is true, it is not necessarily accurate to regard him as such at the time he re-entered the majors. Giolito may be 6'6" and 255 pounds, but he has lost several ticks off his fastball and no longer has the stuff to strike out 200 hitters in a season. In fact, last year his 6.8 K/9 was in the same range as Clayton Richard and Jason Vargas, which is a far cry from Cy Young territory.

After being dealt to Baltimore last summer, Beckham broke out to hit .306 with 10 HR in 50 games. No one is expecting him to keep that pace, but if he bats .280 with 20 homers, that would be well worth a late-round pick.

We knew Taylor possessed fantasy potential for a while, but he finally put it together last season. In less than 400 at-bats, he posted 19 homers and 17 SB with a solid .271 BA. Pro-rated to a full-season, we could be looking at a 25/25 type of player.

Over the past three seasons, Morales has averaged 27 homers, 95 RBI and a .265 batting average. If he can come close to maintaining that in his age 35 season this year, you've got yourselves a steal to fill your bench late in drafts.

Kepler has crazy potential but hasn't quite put it together yet. You may get the .243 BA with limited power and speed we saw last year, or he may end up as the top breakout of the season. He is a risky pick, but there isn't much to lose by drafting him late.

It was once thought that Wacha would compete each year with Matt Harvey to be the NL Cy Young. That clearly isn't the case anymore, but he does seem to be a reliable mediocre pitcher at this point in his career, and it never hurt anyone to add an arm like that at the end of their drafts.

The Braves' veteran struggled last year as his ERA ballooned from 3.21 to 4.49 in just one season, but he has been superb in Spring Training. Teheran won't provide much in the way of strikeouts, but he is a durable pitcher who shouldn't kill your ratios.

Harrison's power has been up and down over the last few seasons, but you can be sure he will get you a .270 batting average with double digit steals and around 60 runs scored. The homers may or not be there, but that is a quality late-round utility player.

Russell is more well known as a result of the Cubs' success and his wizardry in the field than for his offensive prowess. The potential for 25 HR is there for the youngster, but his .240 career batting average tells the story about his limits.

Lew was beyond abysmal in his cup of coffee last year, batting .106 with just 1 steal, but in the long-run, that is not who he is. More likely, we are looking at a .250 hitter with both power and speed in the same mold as Carlos Gomez or Michael Taylor.

After starting his MLB career with a bang in 2016, Swanson has a rough 2017, batting .232 with just 6 homers and 3 stolen bases. The bat will come along eventually, but it may not be this year. With that said, the upside is there for him to be a top 12 shortstop if he puts it all together in 2018.

Sanchez was only able to throw 36 innings last season and they weren't all that good. He does have a career 3.01 ERA, however, so if he can stay on the mound, we might get a big-time surprise late in drafts.

Healy had a nice season for the A's and now averages 28 HR, 84 RBI, 75 R and a .282 batting average over his career per 162 games played. The problem here, is that he might start the season on the DL with a hand injury. If he is healthy, you'll end up with a late-round steal.

Hicks hasn't been able to play more than 400 plate appearances once in his 5-year career, but last season showed plenty of fantasy upside. He hit 15 homers and stole 10 bases in just 301 at bats. If he can stay healthy, we are looking at a 25/20 player.

 

Calhoun has the pop to win AL Rookie of the Year if the Rangers are wise enough to call him up some time soon. It is a risk to draft him and let him sit on your bench while you wait, but a risk worth taking at the end of your fantasy drafts.

After struggling in the rotation through 34 career starts, Arizona made the decision to move Bradley to the bullpen where he was lights out last season. He posted stellar ratios and struck out nearly 10 hitters per 9 innings. If the Diamondbacks do name him the closer, we would be looking at a top 10 reliever in baseball.

The Twins are planning on using Rodney as their closer and saves are saves so go ahead and draft him late if you need to fill the category. That doesn't mean his role will last long, however, as Rodney is one of the worst closers entering the season.

While Jordan Montgomery was not a big prospect, he possesses enough swing and miss stuff that he could take another leap forward this season. His ceiling isn't huge, but he is a safe bet to be a fantasy relevant pitcher and we just might get more.

For most of his career, Roark offered nothing in the way of strikeouts, but that has changed suddenly. The issue is that his ratios have suffered at the same time. He isn't safe, but there is always a chance you get that 2.83 ERA with 16 wins that we saw in 2016.

 

Somehow, McCann has now hit 18 or more homers in 12 consecutive seasons. You are practically guaranteed a .230 to .250 batting average if you draft him, and the Astros may only give him 350 at bats again, but if you are drafting McCann, you are buying his safety.

Bouncing back to Cy Young form is extremely unlikely for Porcello, but his 4.65 ERA last season and 17 losses were the product of much bad luck. He should return cloer to his career norm of a low 4's ERA with 12 to 15 wins.

It may be tempting to assume Trumbo's career is on the backend and that his 23 HR, .234 BA are now the new expectation, but don't be so quick to forget that he led baseball with 47 homers in 2016 and a bounceback, while not likely, is by no means out of the question.

 

Ryu only threw 126 innings last year, but they were useful innings for a fantasy team. His career ERA is 3.41 and while he may have had a terrible spring, a full season with that type of ERA is a legitimate possibility.

Jedd has 50 HRs in his last 825 at bats and batted .272 last season. If he remains the starter, fantasy owners will have a bargain utility player late in drafts.

Estrada has always had trouble preventing homers, but last year it was taken to a whole nother level, inflating his ERA from 3.48 to 4.98. He's got the upside to post strong numbers, but it comes with significant risk too.

Cobb has had trouble staying healthy through his career, but he did rack up 180 innings last season and the Orioles paid him a pretty penny this spring. He won't strike out too many hitters, but you can rely on useful ratios as always from Cobb.

 

There is a little too much hype surrounding the offensively raw rookie who hit just .248 with no power last season. Sure, he batted .328 in Triple-A, but Las Vegas is the minor league equivalent to Coors Field, and the power was still absent. He may steal 20 bags in the Bigs this season, though.

Mikolas is a total question mark. He started the spring as a disaster, but has rebounded and has many thinking he could be another Lance Lynn type pitcher for the Cardinals this season.

The Cardinals are starting Flaherty in the minors despite a terrific spring from the youngster. It might only be a matter of time before he gets called up and when he does, he should be picked up in all formats.

Davies won't strike out 150 hitters for you, but he should provide ratios that you can live with and is a good bet to win a dozen games in front of that Brewers' lineup/

If you are looking for a cheap source of steals late in drafts, look no further than Mallex who will be starting and batting leadoff with Dickerson out of the equation. He's got 40 steal upside and shouldn't kill your team batting average.

Betances likely won't be saving more than a handful of games, but even in last year's down season, he still managed 100 Ks and solid ratios. You can bet on the safety late in drafts if you need help in those three categories.

 

If you are looking for upside, you've come to the wrong place, but in terms of a floor, you won't find a better middle infielder late into drafts. He is a strong bet to hit 15 homers with a solid batting average and both runs and RBI help for your fantasy squad.

The former top prospect is flying under the radar despite offering 25 homer potential with a near 300 batting average. He will even steal some bags for you.

Apologies to Kenley Jansen, but Green was the best reliever in baseball during the second half after a rather dominant first half. Batters hit just .147 off him over the entire season and struck out in 45% of their at-bats. That is not a typo! The Yankees finally got wise and decided to put him in the rotation for 2018. There is, of course, some risk here, but he is going undrafted in most leagues. Buy yourself a lottery ticket and maybe just maybe you will end up with this year's breakout starter of the year.

 

We've seen Altherr go white-hot for an extended period of time so thee is definitely upside to be found here, but the second-half did not paint a pretty picture so proceed with risk in mind.

It seems as though the Astros will be forced to leave Peacock out of the starting rotation to open the season, but even with that being the case, he was so dominant out of the pen last year that he ought to be drafted. He also provides that rare SP eligibility for a relief pitcher than essentially gives you free quality innings.

Soler is a former top 10 prospect who has struggled in and out of injuries to start his career. He is still young, though, and swatted 6 homers in Spring Training so don't rule out a post-hype breakout. He is an excellent flyer late in drafts.

The Twins' opening day starter struggled through the second half of last season, but he is healthy now and set to return to posting the quality numbers we saw throughout his career. If you need a safe pitcher late into drafts, Odorizzi fits the bill.

Had Solarte played a full season last year, he likely would have hit 22 or 23 homers. That was in Petco, so imagine what he may do playing his games in Toronto. 30 is a distinct possibility, and coming with a .267 career batting average, that is a very useful late-round fantasy pick.

 

Lucroy has dealt with injuries the last few seasons and although he is leaving Coors Field for Kansas City, he should still offer fantasy teams a quality batting average and mediocre pop making him a top-end second catcher in two-catcher leagues.

Long gone are the days where Felix will pitch 240 innings, winning 20 games, but if he can remain healthy, 14 wins and useful ratios are a real possibility. His floor is high enough that drafting him late is hardly a risk at all.

Senzel may not make the big leagues out of Spring Training, but he is the top draft and stash candidate in fantasy baseball. He should help in all five categories from the moment he arrives in Cincy.

The Angels seem to be going with the inferior Bedrosian as their closer to begin the season, but if he slips up one bit, you can bet on Parker taking over again. If and when he is the closer, he is a top 15 reliever in baseball.

It is hard to believe that a 6'3" lefty who has touched 100 MPH was able to go overlooked as a minor league prospect, but he was somehow barely scratching the top 100 in most lists when he made his debut as a 20-year-old despite carrying a 2.62 ERA and 147 Ks in just 123 innings this season. Luiz Gohara didn't finish the season well, but he is the ultimate late-round lottery ticket for next season.

Dahl has five-tool upside and could very well turn into another Carlos Gonzalez for the Rockies. The issue here, is that the Rockies are expected to start him in the minor leagues and he'll have to knock off an established major leaguer or two to get his crack at big league at-bats.

 

Newcomb's final numbers weren't all that pretty, but he flashed the makings of a strong fantasy starter. He is a hoss that can pile up the innings and may just reach 200 Ks this season with a decent ERA.

 

 

 

 

Many seem to think Reyes will become the closer when he returns from the DL, but Matheny has made it clear that Reyes belongs in the rotation. He is well worth a DL draft and stash as he may end up becoming the Cardinals ace sooner than later.

You may not like the .233 batting average that he offered fantasy owners last season, but he did knock 30 homers and there is no subsitute for that kind of late round power.

Maybin nearly led the AL in stolen bases last season with 33 of them. He offers more power than speed-only guys like Deshields and Mallex Smith too. If he can get that average back up to .260 this year, we'll be looking at a total steal late into drafts.

The top-notch velocity isn't quite back and may never be, but it has improved since last season and Harvey has looked just fine in Spring Training. Don't buy him on upside, but if you want a decent pitcher, the Dark Knight might offer you just that.

Soria is slated to start the year as the White Sox closer, and while he was solid last year, Zack Burdi will be breathing down his neck in no time. Plus, Chicago shouldn't offer much in the way of save opportunities so his upside is limited.

Mauer won't hit homers or steal any bases, but he offers a likely .290 BA once again with 65+ runs and 65+ RBI. He doesn't qualify at catcher anymore, but that is plenty useful if you need a safe option to fill out your bench.

If you are respecting a repeat of Santana'a mostly luck-driven 3.28 ERA and 16 wins, you are in for a rude awakening. He can still be a quality fantasy arm, however, when he returns to the Bigs off the DL in 2 months.

Renfroe did not provide a useful batting average last year, but he does have 30 to 35 homer pop if he gets enough at-bats. With that, obviously, comes plenty of runs and RBIs.

Marte has now hit just 8 homers over his first three seasons, but he won't hurt you in batting average and could steal 20 bases if he gets a full season of playing time in Arizona this year.

 

You won't see the 24-year-old drafted in most standard leagues this year, but you can bet he will be a hot pickup after a few weeks of starting for the Tigers. Prior to last season, he was a top 100 prospect who always hit well in the minors. He was dealt to the Cubs and most people seem to have forgotten about him because he had a BABIP driven .265 BA in Triple-A before he was called-up. While Jeimer isn't a star in the making, Detroit may have another Travis Fryman on their hands.

 

The Brewers' new-found ace may not pitch until mid-season, but he is without question worth drafting. When he returns, you might just get a top 20 pitcher in baseball for the rest of the season. Store him on the DL until the time comes then rake in the rewards for your patience.

 

 

Lopez was not impressive last season with a 4.72 ERA and just 30 Ks in 47 innings, but he offers considerable upside so if you are in a deep league, feel free to draft him as a late flier.

The former shutdown closer is expected back in the first few months of the season but even when he comes back, he will need to be eased back into the closer role. Just know that if you draft him, you better be willing to keep a non-closer on your bench for muiltiple months and he might not even be the same pitcher after surgery.

Walker is still looking for a big league team to join, but he is a quality enough player that one will eventually pay up to get him in the starting lineup. From there, we can expect him to continue his trend of hitting .260 over higher with about 15 runs.

 

With Crawford's power keeping him below 15 homers and his lack of steals, Crawford's fantasy impact will be dependent on whether his batting average ends up around the .275 mark we got two years go or the .250 mark that he has sat at virtually his entire career. The RBIs and runs will be there, but without the average, he is only a fringe fantasy asset.

There is plenty of reason to be excited about Gleyber, who is a consensus top 5 prospect. With that said, he has just 81 at-bats above Double-A and is coming off of a significant injury so it might make sense for the Yankees to let him take his time in development before they call him up.

 

Rodon struggled with his command after his return from injury, but eventually ironed it out. He's got top 20 starting pitcher upside this season if he can stay healthy and maintain that command all season.

Crawford was once a top 20 prospect and many considered him a favorite to eventually take over as number one overall. He has struggled in the minors, however, but the tools are not gone. The Phillies' new long-term shortstop is your classic case of a big-time boom or bust rookie. Invest at your own risk.

 

The Red Sox aren't expected to get E-Rod back by the start of the season, but when he does return, they might have one of the sneakiest fantasy baseball pickups. At times, Rodriguez has shown SP #2 type upside and if he puts it together for a full season, he might strike out 200 batters with 15 wins and quality ratios some day.

 

Ziegler has had a great run in this league and still has plenty to offer big league teams, but he doesn't provide loads of strikeouts and may have trouble holding off Kyle Barraclough should he improve his command this season.

The Angels have been grooming Bedrosian to be the closer from some time and he has shown considerable potential, but is not nearly as polished as Blake Parker who seems to be the best reliever in their bullpen. Apparently, Bedrosian is the favorite for the job though. Don't draft him as though it is locked into place, nor that if he has the job, he is bound to hang onto it for too long with Parker breathing down his neck.

 

 

Leake has now given fantasy owners an ERA under 4.00 in four of his last five seasons. The strikeouts won't be there, but if you need a durable volume guy, Leake will do the trick.

 

 

Duda's batting average killed fantasy owners last year, but he has managed 27+ homers in each of the last three seasons that he stayed healthy. That makes up for the batting average deficiencies and makes him a worthwhile fantasy bench bat.

 

 

 

 

 

Matz was truly terrible last season, but we know the type of pitcher he could be if he stays healthy and puts it all together. He had a rough spring, but is getting his crack in the rotation so Matz might be worthy of a flier.

 

Robertson is the number three reliever for the Yanks so saves aren't in the cards, but he has been so good for quite a while that you can still rely on him to provide loads of strikeouts and both a terrific WHIP and ERA.

Oh, you actually believed the rumor that Luke Gregerson (4.57 ERA, 13 HR allowed) was going to be the Cardinals closer over Leone? It is only a matter of time before the entire fantasy baseball community catches wind of the fact that Leone is far and away the best reliever in St. Louis. Over the second half, he morphed into a force of nature for the Blue Jays, posting a 2.05 ERA with 11.5 K/9 and a .205 batting average against. This is the cheapest closer you can find right now, and he may just end up top 10 at the position this year.

The Angels are experimenting with a six-man rotation so don't expect much in the way of innings, but Skaggs still has untapped potential and could take a big leap forward this year if he can stay on the mound.

 

 

Shoemaker broke out at the end of 2016 and was supposed to be a great late-round addition this time last year, but he only started 14 games and wasn't all that impressive. The upside is still there, but it comes with some risk.

 

 

 

 

Pence was once a player who never missed a ballgame, but over the past three seasons he has been struggling through injuries. He still has 20 homer upside with a solid batting average but the steals are gone.

 

Galvis is never going to hit for average, and now that he is moving from Philly to the Padres, his power should dip, but there is still fantasy value in a shortstop who knocked 32 homers and stole 31 bases over the past two seasons with plenty of runs and RBIs.

 

 

 

The Dodgers used Barnes and Grandal in a platoon type situation last year. That doesn't mean Barnes is guaranteed at-bats, however, in 2018. If he does, it is safe to expect him to take a step back well outside of the top 12 at his position.

Brandon Morrow has more of a locked down closers job than many others, but if he were to falter, Edwards might just be a top 5 closer from that point on. He has elite strikeout stuff and will be a tremendous help with both ERA and WHIP regardless of whether or not he sees save opportunities.

Through his career, Flores has only given fantasy owners 350 or more at bats once. If he can compile 500 at-bats, we should see 25 to 30 homers to go with his steady .260 batting average. It further helps that he qualifies at three positions.

Eickhoff has a lat strain and should miss the first month or two. When he returns, we might see the lousy 4.71 ERA that he gave fantasy owners last season, but remember that his career ERA is below 4.00 and he can strikeout quite a few hitters as well.

 

To begin Spring Training, Mike Matheny said Gregerson would be the Cardinals closer, but as it stands now, Dominic Leone is looking more and more like the guy. Don't give up on Gregerson altogether, but at this point he isn't worth drafting in standard leagues.

 

 

The Mets are expected to give Familia the job back, but if he isn't quite his old self, don't be surprised if they hand the keys over to Ramos who would then become a top 25 relief pitcher. In deeper leagues he is worth owning just for the strikeout and ratio help.

 

There is a reason Robles is among the top prospects in baseball. Not only does he carry all five tools, but his stats have been downright amazing in the minors against much older competition. It is only a matter of time before he forces his way into a big league lineup and when he does, you will want to own him quickly.

 

It may seem as though Heyward will never hit sufficiently again, but it is easy to forget that he is still young. There is untapped upside here so feel free to take a flier, especially in a an OBP league where even his floor isn't worthless.

 

The Braves and many around the industry seem to think Minter may be the next Craig Kimbrel. We haven't seen enough yet to warrant owning a project reliever, but he is worth keeping an eye on even if he isn't notching saves for another year. He might be able to be a big help in three categories.

Winker is the player who will slip under the radar despite being a former top 40 prospect then proceeding to rake in the majors after his debut. In 47 games, he batted .298/.375/.529, which if extended to a full season, compares favorably to George Springer and Andrew McCutchen. Now, he won't steal more than a handful of bases, but even without it, he is likely to be vastly overlooked.

The power and speed are apparently gone for Pedroia at this stage in the career, but he was playing through an injury. With that said, he will miss the start of the year on the DL. When he returns, expect a batting average up near .300, plenty of runs and not much else.

 

 

 

 

Barraclough needs to work on his command so that he can bring the ratios down to a more favorable level for fantasy teams, but he is a good bet to rack up 75+ strikeouts and happens to be second behind one of the shakiest closers in baseball.

 

If you've got a deep bench, Mejia is a terrific late-round flier to take a shot on. He's got the talent to force his way onto the Indians' opening day roster, and if he does, he will likely get 3B at bats while qualifying at catcher. Some have said he can bat .280 as a rookie with decent pop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If Wong could stay on the field for a full season, we would see that he has 15 HR, 15 SB upside to go with his .285 batting average from last season. With that said, he has only managed even 420 at bats just twice in his career so a full bill of health may be a pipe dream.

 

 

 

 

With the Yankees having traded for Brandon Drury, it seems unlikely that Andujar will arrive in Yankee Stadium for a few months. With that said, he has enough talent to push the envelope so make sure to watch his progress just in case he steals the job outright.

Wieters never quite lived up to his lofty potential and struggled to stay healthy for a while, but at this point in his career, we have a pretty good idea that he will offer us a lackluster batting average and enough pop to be serviceable as a C2.

 

 

Polanco was suspended 80 games for PED use on 3/18 which means he should be avoided in drafts.

 

 

 

Pederson made the Dodgers' roster and they are teaching him to play some first base. He might not get 300 at-bats once again this season, but he if can find a way on the field, his upside is tantalizing.

 

 

While Forsythe is much better in on-base percentage leagues, you've got to recognize that his .224 BA last year must have been a fluke. He hit .281 and .264 the previous seasons with 27 combined homers and 15 combined stolen bases. That is much more in line with what his 2018 expectations ought to be.

 

 

Pivetta's second-half looked like a disaster, but his underlying numbers suggest he could be in line for significant improvement. Keep an eye on him in case we start to see hints of that breakout.

 

If you whiffed on your top catching targets, there is no need to fret, you can get Avila late and he may just be a top five catcher this year. Last season, his batted ball rates were through the roof. Even with Chase Field adding the humidor, he may be in for a breakout campaign.

 

Tomas has tremendous upside and has flashed it for half a season before his 2017 injury. The issue is that the D-Backs have a loaded outfield so he will fight for playing time. If he gets plugged into the starting lineup, you should pick him up immediately.

Sean Doolittle should have no trouble hanging on to the coveted Nationals' closer job which should yield 40+ save opportunities. With that said, Madson is next in line and well worth owning even without the saves considering how absolutley dominant he was in the second-half last year.

 

 

He is a former top 20 prospect who despite already having two major league seasons under his belt, is still just 22 years old. He has struggled thus far in less than 200 MLB at-bats, but in that time he has stolen a base 30% of the time he got on. To put that into perspective, that is the same rate as Trea Turner and barely behind Billy Hamilton. While it won't matter much if Mondesi never gets on, it is worth noting that he did bat .305 last year in Triple-A. That isn't all though, Mondesi also carried a .234 ISO which measures raw power. Anthony Rizzo had the same exact .234 line in the bigs. Mondesi is a legitimate power/speed threat like his old man who was a multi-time 30/30 guy.

 

 

 

 

 

Tulo missed nearly 100 games last season and struggled while he was on the field, but try to remember that he managed to swat 24 homers and drove in 79 in just 490 at-bats during the 2016 season. If he can stay healthy are return to form, he still possesses top 10 fantasy upside at the shortstop position.

 

 

 

There is no doubt about it that Zobrist is on the last leg of his career, but after hitting .270 or higher for five consecutive years, his .232 line screams positive regression. Zobrist will still hit double-digit homers and tack on both runs and RBI for you.

 

We will more than likely get something in the neighborhood of the 5.13 ERA Velasquez posted last season, but try to remember that it was just two years ago when he lit the world on fire, striking out 152 batters in 131 innings with manageable ratios.

 

Glasnow may have been the worst pitcher in the big leagues last year because he struggled with his command. He also happened to be the best pitcher in the minors last year too with video game numbers. Expect a major bounceback, and while he may may not be an ace right away, he does offer that type of upside.

 

 

 

 

You may be surprised to see this, but Colby Rasmus nearly had a .900 OPS last season. Granted, he didn't play all that much then retired, but the bat is still there and if he can stay on the field for the Orioles, he may prove to be a quality late-round investment.

Broxton is a quality fantasy asset, having it 20 homers and swiped 20 bases last year, but his batting average is low plus the Brewers don't have room for him to play. At this point, he is merely a stash or a waiver wire watch.

Reyes is far removed from hitting .337 with near 80 stolen bases, but he does still offer 20+ steals to go with a sudden on-surge of power that can help your fantasy team from multiple positions late into drafts.

 

 

Unless you are in a 15-team league or there is some odd manager hoarding catchers, there isn't much of a draw to select Martin because of how limited his ceiling is.

 

 

Heaney has only given L.A. 27 innings over the past two seasons because of injury and is again nursing an elbow injury, but if he can get on the bound, we may see an ERA around 3.5 with quite a few wins.

 

 

 

 

 

We saw Garrett jump out to a hot start to begin his career, but then it all came tumbling down. He finished the season with terrible numbers, but it turns out he was pitching at less than 100% most of the season. Garrett is healthy now, however and his velo has spiked 4 MPH, so don't be shocked if he breaks out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephenson had a terrible start to the season, but closed the year with a strong second-half. He's got some potential so monitor him so you can pick him up before any kind of breakout takes place.

 

 

 

 

Last season, Suzuki was suddenly among the most efficient hitters in all of baseball. If you are counting on that in 2018, you are in for a wake-up call, but that doesn't mean he can't produce as a fringe C1 if the Braves continue to feed him at-bats.