2014 Batter Profiles: A – B

by
February 10, 2014

Tony Abreu

Debut: 2007 |  BirthDate: 11/13/1984 | Team: Giants | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 74 18 1 0 15 5 .257 .284 .357 .279 -4.0 -0.4 -0.2
’13 147 37 2 0 14 21 .268 .301 .442 .319 0.8 -2.4 0.3
’14 101 26 1 2 10 10 .270 .302 .393 .303 -0.6 -2.9 -0.1

Profile: Abreu was signed by the Giants to fill a utility infield role in 2013 and that is exactly what he did. He started 22 games at second base (30 appearances in total) while Marco Scutaro was injured and filled in over at both third and shortstop sporadically. However, defense is Abreu’s game, as evidenced by his two home runs and zero stolen bases over 147 plate appearances, so his usefulness is the fantasy game is almost nil. He’ll fill the exact same role in 2014, so fantasy owners can simply bypass him altogether. Yes, even in the deepest of leagues, he has no value. (Howard Bender)

Quick Opinion: Abreu will fill the Giants’ utility infielder role once again in 2014 which means fantasy owners can once again omit him from their lists. With no stick and no speed on the bases, he offers about as much value as Joe Buck has doing sports commentary.

Jose Abreu

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 1/29/1987 | Position: 1B
’14 498 119 31 8 79 74 .276 .362 .546 .390 25.2 -9.1 3.5

Profile: The numbers in Cuba were eye-popping for the new White Sox first baseman. In 2011, he hit .453/.597/.986. Yes, that’s a .986 slugging percentage. In 2010, that slash was .399/.555/.822 in a bigger (286 at-bat) sample. He hit 30 home runs that year in what would be little over half a big-league season. Translating Cuban stats is terribly hard — the sample of players that have played in America is tiny, the sample of American players that have played in Cuba doesn’t exist, and the ballpark factors intense in a league where each team plays in an average of four or five parks by the end of the season (and some are band boxes with potholes in the outfield). Clay Davenport’s translations had Abreu’s 2010 as a .321/.446/.660 major league equivalency, but Brian Cartwright’s translations looked a lot more like the .280/.333/.480 major league line put up by Kendrys Morales so far. Considering where Abreu landed — The Cell inflates righty power more than any other park in the league — the answer looks like it’s somewhere in between. Since he’s likely to be a productive first baseman, he’ll be fantasy-worthy this year, but the bar for excellence is high. Will you be willing to spend a top-25 pick on a first baseman if there’s risk he ends up like Morales? (Eno Sarris)

Quick Opinion: The risk and reward are fairly high for perhaps the greatest Cuban slugger to make the jump to America. He’ll likely be a good hitter, but the bar at first base is really high. Will he combine a nice batting average with plus power to be a top five first baseman? Or will he struggle against better pitching and be merely a top-twelve guy with an expensive price tag?

Dustin Ackley

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 2/26/1988 | Team: Mariners | Position: 2B/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 668 137 12 13 50 84 .226 .294 .328 .274 -17.0 5.7 1.1
’13 427 97 4 2 31 40 .253 .319 .341 .296 -5.6 -3.7 0.5
’14 553 122 9 6 51 61 .250 .328 .368 .309 -3.4 -8.8 0.7

Profile: Dustin Ackley has a solid beard, but outside of his facial hair he’s been frustrating as a pro. After breaking out in 2011 with a strong rookie campaign, Ackley sucked a big-time in 2012 to the tune of a .274 weighted on-base average. Ackley sucked again for most of 2013, but he hit .313 (.368 batting average on balls in play) over the season’s last two months. Ackley’s last two months coincided with a change in his swing, so there’s a chance that a chunk of his improvement was real and repeatable. Ackley is no longer at second base, so owners have dual 2B/OF eligibility to play with in 2014. Best case, Ackley continues to smack liners all over the field and draws some walks, making him a fringe starter at second base this year. Ackley is worth taking a chance on if you’ve got a bench spot in an AL-only league, especially one that considers walks. (Zach Sanders)

Quick Opinion: Dustin Ackley sucked for far too long for this author’s liking, but he ended 2013 with a bang, and his pedigree should keep him on your radar.

Matt Adams

Debut: 2012 |  BirthDate: 8/31/1988 | Team: Cardinals | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 91 21 2 0 13 8 .244 .286 .384 .292 -3.0 -2.5 -0.3
’13 319 84 17 0 51 46 .284 .335 .503 .365 11.9 -5.6 1.7
’14 541 134 24 3 77 65 .270 .321 .477 .345 12.9 -10.2 2.1

Profile: Adams seems intent on challenging Prince Fielder for the largest belt size among Major League first basemen but it hasn’t yet hurt his hitting. If Allen Craig is healthy enough to play the outfield, it will open up a spot for the younger player to see regular playing time in 2014. In limited playing time in ’13, Adams showed the ability to hit for both average and power. He could potentially hit 25-30 home runs with regular at-bats and the lineup around him should provide him with an opportunity to drive in 100 or more runs. If it looks like he’s going to have the everyday first base gig in 2014, snatch him up in NL-only leagues and consider him as an inexpensive (potential breakout) option for mixed leagues. If the hype gets too intense, remember he’s a pull hitter that was shifted more late in the season. The shifts plus the strikeouts might pull the average down. Plus, he had trouble with lefties. There’s upside here, and risk. (Marc Hulet)

Quick Opinion: Adams has a chance to be an impact bat in 2014 if he can keep his weight in check and handle lefties. Between that concern and the lack of a proven track record you might be able to steal the sophomore first baseman in later draft rounds while avoiding spending early picks or significant cash on the better-known sluggers.

David Adams

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 5/15/1987 | Team: Indians | Position: 3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 152 27 2 0 13 10 .193 .252 .286 .243 -9.9 3.2 -0.2
’14 53 12 1 0 5 5 .251 .317 .373 .307 -0.3 0.3 0.2

Profile: In 152 plate appearances last season Adams was one of the worst hitters in baseball, putting up a .243 weighted on-base average. That wasn’t enough to dissuade the Indians from giving him a major league contract this winter, where his upside is probably a role serving as the utility infielder. (Erik Hahmann)

Quick Opinion: Terrible-hitting middle infielders with a decent-to-good glove seem to grow on trees in baseball. Adams is just a face in the crowd.

Jim Adduci

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 5/15/1985 | Team: Rangers | Position: 1B/DH/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 34 8 0 2 0 2 .258 .324 .290 .281 -0.5 -0.5 0.0
’14 20 5 0 1 2 2 .255 .322 .370 .306 -0.3 -0.2 0.0

Profile: After years languishing in the minors with the Marlins and Cubs, Adduci spent most of 2013 on the Rangers’ Triple-A team before getting a brief look in September. During the first part of the off-season, Adduci might actually have been projected to be on the Rangers’ major league depth chart behind Michael Choice in left field, but that probably has gone by the wayside after the signing of Shin-Soo Choo. Moreover, the Rangers may still add outfield depth. Adduci’s numbers in Triple-A were pretty good, but it was the Pacific Coast League and he was 28 years old. Even if he somehow makes it onto the Rangers’ Opening Day roster, Adduci is the sort of player you can wait to pick up off of waivers if he seems to be sniffing playing time. (Matt Klaassen)

Quick Opinion: After the Rangers signed Shin-Shoo Choo, Adduci became a fantasy afterthought. If they hadn’t, well, Adduci still would have been a fantasy afterthought.

Brandon Allen

Debut: 2009 |  BirthDate: 2/12/1986 | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 22 2 1 0 3 3 .100 .182 .250 .196 -1.9 0.1 -0.1
’14 31 6 1 0 3 3 .231 .308 .404 .311 0.0 -0.8 0.0

Profile: #FreeBrandonAllen has taken a whole new meaning recently. As in, Brandon Allen has been available for practically no cost for some time now. The Rays and Padres have given him a chance, and now the Mets have extended the slugger a minor league invite. He’s 28 now, and though his major league strikeout rate (35.2%) is way too high for him to succeed, it’s amazingly only come in 389 plate appearances. With so many major league first basemen in New York, it’s hard to see how this works, but funny things can happen in baseball. At least we know Allen has power. Let’s see what happens if ever gets the right opportunity. (Eno Sarris)

Quick Opinion: The Mets will need to trade a first baseman and also see an injury at the position before Allen gets a shot. Stranger things have happened, but they’re not worth betting on.

Zoilo Almonte

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 6/10/1989 | Team: Yankees | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 113 25 1 3 9 9 .236 .274 .302 .257 -7.5 2.7 -0.1
’14 102 24 3 2 12 11 .262 .314 .415 .319 -0.4 -0.6 0.3

Profile: Zoilo Almonte had a nice little debut in 2013, garnering a surprising 113 plate appearances for the Yankees. The 25-year-old has been a solid player in their farm system for a number of years now. He has a little speed and a little power and can play either outfield corner. That profile isn’t enough to start for a first division club, but he could carve out a profile as a fourth outfielder. The Yankees right now have a glut of outfielders, so Almonte probably won’t carry any fantasy value in 2014. (Al Skorupa)

Quick Opinion: Almonte got a little run with the Bombers in 2013, but profiles best as a backup/fourth outfielder. The Yankees have a glut of outfielders ahead of Almonte on the depth chart.

Abraham Almonte

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 6/27/1989 | Team: Mariners | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 82 19 2 1 9 10 .264 .312 .403 .312 0.8 -2.6 0.1
’14 522 117 10 18 51 59 .251 .321 .376 .308 -4.1 -0.1 1.4

Profile: Until the December acquisitions of Corey Hart and Logan Morrison, Almonte was a candidate to become both a compelling and also quite relevant part of the Mariner outfield in 2014. He remains compelling, but appears unlikely now — especially with rumors at press time of a possible Nelson Cruz signing in Seattle, as well — to become very relevant to the club’s immediate future. Given an opportunity to play, Almonte has a real chance, it seems, of becoming a David DeJesus sort — which is to say, productive in the least conspicuous way. Nearly league-average offensively, slightly better than that defensively: that’s what both the numbers and the reports regarding Almonte suggest, even if there’s little chance of him ever recording big home-run or stolen-base numbers. As a fourth outfielder, is how’s projected to be deployed in 2014. (Carson Cistulli)

Quick Opinion: Almonte’s future is probably as a David DeJesus-type — which is to say, inconspicuously productive. That’s probably not his present, however, as Seattle keeps signing giant, lumbering corner outfielders.

Yonder Alonso

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 4/8/1987 | Team: Padres | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 619 150 9 3 62 47 .273 .348 .393 .323 1.6 -8.2 1.4
’13 375 94 6 6 45 34 .281 .341 .368 .311 -1.6 -3.8 0.6
’14 548 131 11 5 60 58 .270 .344 .403 .327 5.2 -8.9 1.4

Profile: With the starting first base job in hand to open the 2013 season, Alonso proved his worth by hitting .284 with six home runs, 29 RBI and three stolen bases over the first two months of the season. Things looked even more promising as the lefty was taking advantage of PetCo Park’s new right field dimensions, belting four of those six homers at home. However, a broken hand suffered at the end of May landed him on the disabled list through mid-July and even after he returned, the lingering effects of the injury had an obvious impact on his power production. He failed to go deep the rest of the way. He did manage to improve his plate discipline, though, as he more than doubled his walks per strikeout after the injury, taking it from a 0.47 to a 1.13. That certainly improves the outlook for 2014 as Alonso returns to finish what he started last season. He’s the unquestioned starter at first for the Padres and will return to the heart of the order. Should his power return and he maintains the proper plate discipline, there’s little reason to think he can’t put together a season of 15-18 home runs while offering value in batting average and on-base percentage. (Howard Bender)

Quick Opinion: A broken hand put the kibosh on a promising season for Alonso as he failed to hit for any sort of power upon his mid-season return. He did manage to greatly improve his plate discipline though so there is hope for a stronger season in 2014. He’s a mid to low-end option at first base, but he’ll make for an outstanding corner infield play, particularly in leagues that use on-base percentage.

Jose Altuve

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 5/6/1990 | Team: Astros | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 630 167 7 33 37 80 .290 .340 .399 .325 6.4 -11.3 1.6
’13 672 177 5 35 52 64 .283 .316 .363 .297 -10.0 -0.7 1.3
’14 650 173 9 29 62 79 .288 .331 .400 .321 1.6 0.3 2.5

Profile: While miniature second baseman Jose Altuve isn’t much of a real-life player yet, the cute little guy is a solid fantasy option. At just 22 years of age in 2012, Altuve stole 30 bags, scored 80 runs, and hit .290 with an above-average on-base percentage, making him one of the top pivots in all of fantasy land. In 2013, Altuve was much less cuddly, but one of his issues stemmed from a lack of production around him in Houston’s lineup. Altuve still hit .283 and stole 35 bases, but he only crossed home 64 times, and his OBP dropped below the league average. With a continuation of a paltry offense around him, Altuve is going to be a fringe starter in standard leagues. If you’re at the end of your draft and realize you need steals, draft Altuve, but his overall value isn’t going to be as high as other second baseman when analyzed in a vacuum. (Zach Sanders)

Quick Opinion: Jose Altuve’s 2012 breakout didn’t carry over into 2013, and now he looks like a fringe option in standard leagues. Draft him later if you need steals, but don’t expect an all-around contribution.

Pedro Alvarez

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 2/6/1987 | Team: Pirates | Position: 3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 586 128 30 1 85 64 .244 .317 .467 .335 9.9 -7.0 2.3
’13 614 130 36 2 100 70 .233 .296 .473 .330 8.4 1.8 3.1
’14 563 122 28 2 80 67 .243 .317 .468 .339 10.7 0.9 3.1

Profile: Pedro Alvarez has no aversions to swinging. His 30.6% strikeout rate and 8% walk rate mark about as high and low of either those statistics you’ll find among major league regulars. But Pedro, despite his .235 batting average and .306 on-base percentage, hits the ball and hits the ball very far. His 36 homers in 2013 tied for the NL lead, and overall, the fact that his weighted offense was 11% better than league average makes him a great play in linear weights leagues. The low plate discipline and contact skills definitely hurt his usefulness in more traditional leagues, but most any roster can find a place to put a 30+ homer player. (@BradleyWoodrum)

Quick Opinion: He has the deadly duo of almost no on-base or contact skills and killer Powah. The combination makes him more valuable in a linear weights league, but even an on-base percentage or batting average team should be able to find a spot for a 30+ homer hitter.

Alexi Amarista

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 4/6/1989 | Team: Padres | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 300 66 5 8 32 36 .240 .282 .385 .288 -4.5 -1.7 0.4
’13 396 87 5 4 32 35 .236 .282 .337 .274 -10.7 -8.6 -0.8
’14 284 65 3 5 25 26 .246 .291 .355 .285 -5.8 -8.0 -0.6

Profile: Left-handed utility man Alexi Amarista appeared in a career high 146 games in 2013 for the San Diego Padres. In addition to time at both of the middle infield positions, Amarista found himself chasing down flyballs in the depths of Petco Park, providing potential owners in deep NL-Only formats much needed position flexibility. But what appears to be a crowded depth chart for the Friars at the time of this writing could make it difficult for the 5-8, 150 pounder to get enough at-bats to be fantasy worthy. Even when Amarista does get to the plate, his career .232/.275/.350 slash in the bigs doesn’t play all that well for fantasy purposes and should keep him floating on the waiver wire in mixers. (Alan Harrison)

Quick Opinion: Small things from a small dude — Amarista doesn’t quite do enough anywhere to claim a full-time job for himself, which makes him hard to own in fantasy baseball.

Robert Andino

Debut: 2005 |  BirthDate: 4/25/1984 | Position: 2B/SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 431 81 7 5 28 41 .211 .283 .305 .265 -20.0 -1.5 -0.8
’13 85 14 0 0 4 5 .184 .253 .237 .226 -5.4 0.6 -0.2
’14 32 7 0 0 3 3 .234 .290 .325 .275 -1.0 0.0 0.0

Profile: Robert Andino couldn’t keep a backup job with the Mariners last season, so that says plenty about his talent level. Andino isn’t likely to even be in the majors this year, so why the heck are you even reading this? (Zach Sanders)

Elvis Andrus

Debut: 2009 |  BirthDate: 8/26/1988 | Team: Rangers | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 711 180 3 21 62 85 .286 .349 .378 .322 0.0 14.7 4.0
’13 698 168 4 42 67 91 .271 .328 .331 .296 -7.3 10.1 2.8
’14 662 162 5 29 57 82 .274 .341 .363 .315 -2.3 10.1 3.2

Profile: Texas’ Elvis has become a known predictable commodity with little down- or upside. His range over his first five season has been fairly consistent: zero to six homers, .265 to .286 batting average, 21 to 42 stolen bases, 145 to 158 games. So Bad Andrus would be zero home runs, a .265 AVG and 21 steals while Best Andrus would be six home runs, .286 AVG and 42 SBs. He has been a fixture at the top of the Rangers lineup and I don’t expect his role to change anytime soon. Additionally, he will put up those stats over an entire season since he is has been able to maintain his health. While I think he is a safe bet, I am going to pick at his game a bit. His walk to strikeout ratio has been declining the past two seasons from .76 to .59 to .54. The decline can be attributed at least partially to a decline in contact outside the strike zone (74% to 72% to 69%). Teams have figured out they need to pitch him outside and he is chasing. It would be nice to see this trend end. He should be owned all formats with his ability to put up good numbers from the shortstop position, but be careful how much you spend. There isn’t much upside here. (Jeff Zimmerman)

Quick Opinion: Elvis Andus has been the picture of consistency since he has joined the league. I would expect a .275 batting average, 30 stolen bases and few home runs, which just about describes his production every season so far.

Rick Ankiel

Debut: 1999 |  BirthDate: 7/19/1979 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 171 36 5 1 15 15 .228 .282 .411 .294 -5.2 -1.2 -0.1
’13 136 24 7 0 18 13 .188 .235 .422 .285 -3.1 -5.2 -0.4
’14 1 0 0 0 0 0 .212 .275 .364 .280 -0.0 -0.0 -0.0

Profile: Perhaps the game’s final six-true-outcome player, Rick Ankiel is either an oddity or an inspiration, depending on how inspired you are by oddities. Sure, the guy was capable of striking out on two pitches by the end of his career, but how many other players can you think of who hit 25 home runs one season and struck out 175 batters in another? None, thanks to that arbitrary demarcation I just put out there for you. Ankiel will get enjoy one more spring training somewhere in 2014, teaching impressionable youngsters how to uppercut. That will probably be the extent of the damage he does in the majors this year, unless he decides to become a pinch-running specialist. (Patrick Dubuque)

Quick Opinion: Ankiel is the sort of guy you enjoy seeing in the majors, particularly if he’s playing for some other team.

Norichika Aoki

Debut: 2012 |  BirthDate: 1/5/1982 | Team: Royals | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 588 150 10 30 50 81 .288 .355 .433 .344 10.2 -5.7 2.5
’13 674 171 8 20 37 80 .286 .356 .370 .326 -0.6 -3.5 1.7
’14 623 164 7 20 54 82 .296 .361 .401 .338 6.8 -6.8 2.2

Profile: The trade from Milwaukee to Kansas City improved Aoki’s fantasy outlook in 2014 because it secures him more regular playing time than he projected to receive with the Brewers. He should also bat leadoff for what should be an above-average Royals offense. That would continue to make the 32-year-old outfielder a solid source of runs and stolen bases. However, Aoki has separated himself from guys like Denard Span and Michael Bourn by his potential for double-digit home runs. Miller Park played a significant part in his 18 homers over the past two seasons. A move to Kauffman Stadium should dial the power expectations back, and we’re now grouping him with Span and Bourn (unless we’re talking an on-base percentage league, where Aoki is more valuable). He projects to hang around the top-50 outfielders once again. Fantasy owners should simply be sure to factor in the probable power decline when evaluating him for the 2014 season. (JP Breen)

Quick Opinion: Moving away from hitter-friendly Miller Park should make Aoki’s power output rather negligible, but he still projects as a borderline top-50 outfielder, providing batting average, runs and steals. Keep in mind that players with his skill set can be overlooked, so don’t be afraid to stash him in your back pocket on draft day.

Oswaldo Arcia

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 5/9/1991 | Team: Twins | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 378 88 14 1 43 34 .251 .304 .430 .322 0.8 -17.0 -0.4
’14 504 119 19 4 65 59 .261 .322 .452 .337 7.1 -11.1 1.4

Profile: Arcia looked overmatched at times in the big leagues in 2013, but that’s probably okay. On a healthy, or otherwise decent Twins team, he probably doesn’t even debut until 2014. But injuries and ineffectiveness on the Twins cast the 22-year-old into nearly full-time duty despite fewer than 300 plate appearances above Hi-A entering 2013. Though he mashed at every level since signing as a 16-year-old back in 2007, and finally forced his way onto the top-100 prospect lists prior to 2013, he proved raw in the big leagues. For instance, he hit just .254/.274/.386 versus lefties, with a ghastly 36-2 strikeout to walk rate. Sometimes he’d miss pitches by feet as he was clearly fighting his way through struggles on the game’s biggest stage. Through it all, Arcia posted a .322 weighted on-base average. Only four players in Twins history had better age-22 seasons by this measure: Kent Hrbek, Joe Mauer, Tom Brunansky, and Delmon Young. Outside of Young, that’s a pretty solid stick to be measured by. That’s better than Rod Carew’s age-22 season. Tony Oliva was playing D-ball at age 22. Harmon Killebrew had a poor season in Triple-A at age 22. Kirby Puckett was in Rookie ball at age 22. None of which is to say that Arcia is destined to be some kind of legend, but he’s already showed a pulse in the big leagues at age-22. That’s some pretty amazing territory to be in. He could be a masher for years to come. (Brandon Warne)

Quick Opinion: Arcia was young and raw in 2013, and it showed. But he’s mashed at every level he’s played at, even if it’s taken a second exposure for him to fully take root. The big leagues are a completely different animal, but it’ll be interesting to see how much he’s grown in the offseason. He looks to have a very good future in front of him as a hitter.

Nolan Arenado

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 4/16/1991 | Team: Rockies | Position: 3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 514 130 10 2 52 49 .267 .301 .405 .308 -12.7 22.6 2.7
’14 608 156 17 3 75 67 .277 .319 .446 .331 -3.6 10.8 2.8

Profile: Arenado entered pro ball as a good-hit, poor-glove prospect. His rookie season in the majors, though, was the complete opposite — he won a gold glove but performed at a below-average rate at the plate. The 22-year-old third baseman always hit in the minors so he should eventually become a two-way threat. Arenado has the potential to hit for a high batting average but his power output has been inconsistent throughout his pro career. He could eventually have a few seasons where he hits more than .300 with 20+ home runs, however he’s never been an overly patient hitter. The sophomore player is projected to hit out of the two-hole and if he can get on base at a respectable clip he could score a lot of runs with a healthy Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez hitting behind him. (Marc Hulet)

Quick Opinion: Arenado’s vast improvements in the field speak to his drive to succeed so don’t be surprised if his offense really picks up in 2014 — especially with the Colorado effect. His immense value on defense won’t help fantasy managers so don’t count on him as your starting third baseman until he starts to show signs of his offensive breakout.

J.P. Arencibia

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 1/5/1986 | Team: Rangers | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 372 81 18 1 56 45 .233 .275 .435 .304 -6.5 5.2 1.1
’13 497 92 21 0 55 45 .194 .227 .365 .259 -25.2 3.6 -0.6
’14 361 74 16 2 48 41 .222 .271 .420 .300 -8.4 5.8 1.0

Profile: One would think it would be surprising that a relatively young catcher who had averaged about 20 home runs over three seasons would be non-tendered in his cost-controlled years, but when the Blue Jays let J.P. Arencibia go, there were no heart attacks. Arencibia simply brought nothing else to the table — he has a career on-base percentage of .258. He strikes out in almost 30% of his plate appearances, while walking in about five percent of them. On defense he is below average at best. Despite this, the Rangers have signed him to a one-year deal, presumably to be Geovany Soto’s backup. Arencibia should not be a primary target, but in traditional category leagues, he does have value. If he is the backup, he will not get that many plate appearances, so his batting average (even in Texas, he probably will be lucky to hit .240) will not kill you too badly if you can carry it. Even in a half-season worth of playing time, he might hit double-digit homers. That might be useful. This is not to say Arencibia should be a priority, but that his real world awfulness does not preclude him being a useful second catcher in deeper category leagues. (Matt Klaassen)

Quick Opinion: There is no need to belabor how bad J.P. Arencibia has been in real baseball. As a part-timer for the Rangers, though, his homers give him some value as a second catcher in deeper category leagues.

Joaquin Arias

Debut: 2006 |  BirthDate: 9/21/1984 | Team: Giants | Position: 3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 344 86 5 5 34 30 .270 .304 .389 .296 -3.9 0.5 0.8
’13 236 61 1 1 19 17 .271 .284 .342 .273 -5.0 3.7 0.6
’14 255 63 3 3 25 24 .264 .296 .370 .291 -3.4 -6.6 -0.3

Profile: Once known as a minor league speedster, Arias hasn’t done anything his major league career worthy of being owned on a fantasy team. Unless you’re playing in a minor league sim format, Arias should not appear on your draft chart. There are replacement level middle infielders, 50 feet of roto crap, and then there is Arias. Got it? (Jason Collette)

Quick Opinion: There are replacement level middle infielders, 50 feet of roto crap, and then there is Arias. Got it?

Cody Asche

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 6/30/1990 | Team: Phillies | Position: 3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 179 38 5 1 22 18 .235 .302 .389 .299 -2.5 -3.3 -0.0
’14 419 101 11 6 46 42 .263 .313 .415 .317 -0.4 0.2 1.3

Profile: The Phillies originally signed veteran Michael Young to man the hot corner in Philadelphia in 2013 but he was also asked to fill in at first base and was later traded to the playoff-bound Dodgers. That opened up playing time for rookie Asche, who performed at an adequate level. The left-handed hitter performs much better against right-handed pitching than against southpaws and his power output is below-average so far (with a chance to become fringe-average) for the position so he’ll likely work his way into a platoon or part-time gig at some point. He’s always hit for average in the minors but he’ll probably have to trim his strikeout rate to see similar success in the majors. Asche enters 2014 as the odds-on-favorite for the majority of playing time at third base but top prospect Maikel Franco — who also applies his trade at the hot corner — could open the year in Double-A or Triple-A, may be about a half-season away from challenging for playing time, and has a much higher ceiling. (Marc Hulet)

Quick Opinion: Asche could have a few respectable months as the Phillies’ starting third baseman but Maikel Franco is the superior prospect and isn’t too far away. At this point, Asche should only be considered in NL-only leagues and his window of opportunity is pretty narrow.

Alex Avila

Debut: 2009 |  BirthDate: 1/29/1987 | Team: Tigers | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 434 89 9 2 48 42 .243 .352 .384 .327 -0.7 9.2 2.4
’13 379 75 11 0 47 39 .227 .317 .376 .310 -3.9 -3.3 0.6
’14 420 88 12 2 48 50 .246 .345 .412 .334 3.1 5.4 2.4

Profile: Do you, the intelligent reader, remember when Alex Avila was a superb offensive catcher and top-notch fantasy option? Yeah, me too, and that was all the way back in 2011, and he hasn’t been worth a darn in fantasy leagues since. Avila hit .295 with 19 homers in that glorious season, but he smacked down to a .227 average last year with only 11 dingers, and that makes me sad. Avila is somehow only in his age-27 season now, so there’s still a chance he figures some of it out again and manages to be a fringe option thanks to the team around him. Hopefully Avila is still an option this year in on-base percentage leagues, but I wouldn’t bet on anything. (Zach Sanders)

Quick Opinion: Alex Avila was a sexy fantasy catcher all the way back in 2011, but those days seem long gone. Still just in his age-27 season, there’s the hope that Avila will be a solid option in on-base percentage leagues this year.

Mike Aviles

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 3/13/1981 | Team: Indians | Position: 3B/SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 546 128 13 14 60 57 .250 .282 .381 .288 -13.1 9.7 1.5
’13 394 91 9 8 46 54 .252 .282 .368 .284 -7.9 -2.1 0.3
’14 220 52 5 5 24 24 .255 .293 .382 .296 -2.9 1.9 0.7

Profile: In a full season, as a full-time player, there is reason to think you could get a 15-15 year out of Mike Aviles. After a 13 homer, 14 bag campaign in Boston in 2012, he put up nine homers and eight stolen bases in just 394 plate appearances in Cleveland. The problem is Aviles still doesn’t appear to have an everyday job. There was talk the Tribe could trade Asdrubal Cabrera and let Aviles handle short until prospect Francisco Lindor was ready to take over. But with Jhonny Peralta signing in St. Louis, perhaps Cabrera’s most logical destination, it looks like Aviles is going to play a super-utility role again. And for fantasy owners, the lack of playing time is a real concern. If he ends up playing daily or close to it, he’s not a terrible option for a middle infield slot, particularly in deeper leagues. (Chad Young)

Quick Opinion: When he has played, Aviles has produced. Nothing huge, but enough to be on your radar if he gets an everyday job. There isn’t one for him as of today, but if Asdrubal Cabrera gets moved, Aviles gets a big boost.

Erick Aybar

Debut: 2006 |  BirthDate: 1/14/1984 | Team: Angels | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 554 150 8 20 45 67 .290 .324 .416 .321 9.0 8.6 3.7
’13 589 149 6 12 54 68 .271 .301 .382 .299 -4.2 -0.4 1.6
’14 592 150 8 15 58 68 .274 .313 .389 .308 -0.5 4.0 2.5

Profile: There was good news and bad news for Erick Aybar owners in 2013. The bad news was it was a subpar year for the Angels shortstop. The good news is it was a subpar year for a lot of shortstops, meaning Aybar did arguably finish close to the bottom of the top-ten list of shortstops. But there is reason to believe his run and RBI totals will improve, as Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton should be better this season (Aybar was spread all around the batting order). Betting for a bounce-back in stolen bases is probably folly, though — he’s 30, that stat does not age well, and those numbers have been drying up steadily over the last three years. Projections figure he’ll once again be near the bottom of the top ten shortstops in fantasy value, and the upside belongs with other younger shortstops around him in the rankings — he may fail, once again, to crack 20 home runs plus stolen bases in 2014. (Steve Staude)

Quick Opinion: Figure Aybar to have fantasy relevance in most leagues, with some chance of stolen base upside. But not much of either.

John Baker

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 1/20/1981 | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 214 46 0 2 14 17 .238 .310 .280 .266 -7.8 1.4 0.1
’13 46 6 0 0 2 0 .150 .261 .150 .206 -3.8 2.8 0.0
’14 13 3 0 0 1 1 .223 .303 .320 .280 -0.5 0.2 0.0

Profile: Thirty-two-year-old John Baker agreed to a minor league deal with the Cubs during the offseason. He’s a career .258/.342/.364 hitter, but has failed to hit better than a .250 average or hit a big league home run in 118 big-league games since 2009. The journeyman catcher may add some depth behind the plate for the Cubbies at some point in 2014, but he likely won’t be relevant in fantasy leagues. (Alan Harrison)

Jeff Baker

Debut: 2005 |  BirthDate: 6/21/1981 | Team: Marlins | Position: 1B/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 201 45 4 4 25 18 .239 .279 .378 .283 -6.6 -6.6 -0.7
’13 175 43 11 1 21 21 .279 .360 .545 .389 5.8 -7.6 0.4
’14 235 52 7 2 26 24 .247 .309 .405 .312 -1.8 -4.6 0.1

Profile: For one shining spring back in 2009, Jeff Baker held the interest of sleeper-hungry fantasy owners nationwide. He fathered this not through accomplishment but by combining three factors: a .201 isolated slugging percentage, a Rockies uniform, and second-base eligibility. Only one of those remains. So instead, Baker wanders the earth as a utility guy and an anti-LOOGY. He’ll get his 200 plate appearances and perhaps crack double digit homers again, and he’s a great fallback for wounded teams, but he’s useless for fantasy purposes. (Patrick Dubuque)

Clint Barmes

Debut: 2003 |  BirthDate: 3/6/1979 | Team: Pirates | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 493 104 8 0 45 34 .229 .272 .321 .260 -23.3 16.6 1.0
’13 330 64 5 0 23 22 .211 .249 .309 .244 -17.4 13.1 0.6
’14 78 16 1 0 7 7 .223 .274 .334 .267 -2.8 1.5 0.1

Profile: Oh hi there, Clint Barmes. You appear to still be playing baseball. Whelp, cya later! This is how you must conduct yourself, dear Fantasy Owner, when you encounter a Clint Barmes in the tall grass or in a one-on-one confrontation. Use professionalism and courteousism, and immediately identify all viable exits. If by chance you find a Barmes on your roster, perhaps with a sticky note that says, “Hey, he’s a shortstop who hit 23 homers in 2009!” just remember that the you who wrote that sticky note is not the you that you are now. There is always time to change. To improve. To recognize a shortstop with no base stealing talent and only double-fringe power when you see it. And together — the now you and the old you — will get through this thing. (@BradleyWoodrum)

Quick Opinion: If you are very lucky, Barmes will not only get some playing time, but he will also hit about average for a shortstop. If you are not very lucky, if you posses Normal Human Luck — and you do — then don’t bother with Barmes.

Brandon Barnes

Debut: 2012 |  BirthDate: 5/15/1986 | Team: Rockies | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 105 20 1 1 7 8 .204 .250 .265 .232 -7.2 5.6 0.2
’13 445 98 8 11 41 46 .240 .289 .346 .283 -12.1 6.9 1.0
’14 209 48 5 6 22 23 .253 .304 .402 .310 -4.5 1.9 0.4

Profile: At the age of 27, Brandon Barnes played his first full major league season in 2013, when he manned center field for the Astros. He will most likely start 2014 as part of the center field solution for the Rockies. While the move to Colorado boosts any hitter’s fantasy potential, he is coming off a .240/.289/.346 season. Barnes has always had issues with striking out, and virtually no on-base skills to speak of. That’s the bad. The good is that he showed some power in the minors and stole 11 bases last year (though at a mere 50% success rate). In a full season in Colorado, it’s possible, though not a given, that he posts homer and steal totals in the low- to mid-teens. This will likely be accompanied by a poor batting average, few RBI, and low runs totals. Still, this makes him worth consideration late in NL-only leagues, as long as he beats out Charlie Blackmon and Drew Stubbs for playing time. Mixed leaguers can stay away. (Derek Ambrosino)

Quick Opinion: Barnes showed his warts in 2013, particularly a lack of on-base skills and problems making contact. He stole 11 bases, but at a very poor success rate. The move to Colorado should help, and despite hitting only eight home runs last season, his minor league history indicates there may be a tad more power on the horizon. Barnes is roster-worthy in NL-only leagues if he carves out some playing time, but mixed leaguers can stay away.

Darwin Barney

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 11/8/1985 | Team: Cubs | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 588 139 7 6 44 73 .254 .299 .354 .287 -14.2 17.0 2.3
’13 555 104 7 4 41 49 .208 .266 .303 .252 -27.8 14.7 0.4
’14 536 122 6 5 44 48 .248 .300 .344 .285 -14.3 8.3 1.1

Profile: Simply put, Barney is not a player you look for in drafts; he’s a player you settle for. He’s manned second base for the Cubs for the last three seasons and seems to have topped out at seven home runs and roughly half a dozen stolen bases. Unfortunately, his batting average has dropped steadily in each of those three seasons thanks to a career .270 batting average on balls in play, coupled with a 47.7% ground ball rate. His glove keeps him in the lineup though, so while he doesn’t contribute heavily on the offensive front, he still plays regularly and will provide you with minor offerings in the counting stats. He could easily be supplanted in 2014 should Luis Valbuena show some consistency or if someone like Mike Olt or Josh Vitters push Donnie Murphy off the hot corner, but for now, the job is his to lose. He’s a late-round grab in deeper leagues and can be left to the waiver wire in mixed leagues with 12 or fewer teams. (Howard Bender)

Quick Opinion: Barney has held onto the Cubs starting second base job for the last three seasons, but with a declining batting average and little or no hope for improvement in the counting stats, his hold on the job is tenuous at best. He doesn’t have much in the way of power or speed, so his fantasy upside is minimal and he’s more of a middle infield option you settle for rather than seek out in drafts.

Daric Barton

Debut: 2007 |  BirthDate: 8/16/1985 | Team: Athletics | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 136 23 1 1 6 8 .204 .338 .292 .294 -1.7 0.3 0.3
’13 120 28 3 0 16 15 .269 .350 .375 .325 1.1 1.2 0.7
’14 268 57 5 2 26 31 .254 .362 .379 .333 3.7 -3.9 0.9

Profile: Remember back in 2010, when Barton hit .273/.393/.405 and was nearly a five-win player? Since then, he’s seen more time in Triple-A than he has in the majors. The 28-year-old is strictly a first baseman, and doesn’t have the pop to be relevant in even deep AL-only leagues; he’s hit just four home runs in his last 536 major-league plate appearances dating back to 2011. (Scott Strandberg)

Quick Opinion: Pushing Barton even further into irrelevancy is the question of whether he has a spot on the major-league team. With Brandon Moss and Nate Freiman around, it’s entirely possible Barton starts off 2014 back in Triple-A.

Jose Bautista

Debut: 2004 |  BirthDate: 10/19/1980 | Team: Blue Jays | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 399 80 27 5 65 64 .241 .358 .527 .378 19.3 -3.5 3.0
’13 528 117 28 7 73 82 .259 .358 .498 .372 22.3 -0.5 4.2
’14 581 127 33 6 90 88 .262 .375 .519 .385 29.1 -5.0 4.7

Profile: If you were expecting Jose Bautista to keep replicating his monstrous 2010 and 2011 performances, the last two seasons have been quite disappointing. Wrist and hip injuries have cut into his playing time, and when he has been on the field, he simply has not been the offensive force of of 2010 and 2011. At 33, Bautista may be no longer a first round fantasy pick, but he is still a top tier outfielder in most leagues. Despite missing substantial playing time in 2012 and 2013, he still hit almost 30 home runs in each season. Selling out on fastballs for power may have caught up with his batting average, but his overall plate discipline remains very good, and he still walks almost as much as he strikes out — and he is good in both categories. Something like .260/.370/.510 (with about 30 home runs over even 130 to 140 games) may not make him one of the top picks in your league, but he is still one of the better-hitting outfielders in baseball. Don’t let the drop off from monstrosity let him fall too far in your draft. (Matt Klaassen)

Quick Opinion: Jose Bautista is no longer the terrifying hitter of 2010 and 2011, but his power and plate discipline still makes him one of the better-hitting outfielders in baseball.

Mike Baxter

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 12/7/1984 | Team: Dodgers | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 211 47 3 5 17 26 .263 .365 .413 .337 4.8 -1.1 1.1
’13 155 25 0 5 4 14 .189 .303 .250 .262 -6.6 -4.1 -0.7
’14 55 12 1 1 5 6 .244 .329 .378 .314 0.1 -1.4 0.0

Profile: Baxter finds himself in sunny Los Angeles this season after signing a one-year deal with the Dodgers, but that doesn’t mean his outlook is any brighter. He figures to slot into a bench spot with the Dodgers as a pinch-hitter against righties and occasional spot-starter. The 29-year-old can’t hit lefties at all, with a career .445 on-base plus slugging against them, and his .708 career OPS against right-handers isn’t enough to warrant even a platoon role on a team with outfield depth like Los Angeles. (Scott Strandberg)

Quick Opinion: Baxter will likely only see significant playing time if both Carl Crawford and Andre Ethier get hurt, and even then he won’t produce enough to be fantasy relevant in even the deepest of leagues.

Jason Bay

Debut: 2003 |  BirthDate: 9/20/1978 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 215 32 8 5 20 21 .165 .237 .299 .240 -11.5 -4.6 -0.9
’13 236 42 11 3 20 30 .204 .298 .393 .306 -2.1 -7.5 -0.2
’14 1 0 0 0 0 0 .219 .307 .374 .302 -0.0 -0.0 0.0

Profile: When the Seattle Mariners brought Jason Bay to Spring Training, it seemed like a decent buy-low option in an attempt to find lightning in a bottle. Bay, once a highly productive outfielder with the Pittsburgh Pirates and briefly the Boston Red Sox, was coming off a particularly miserable run with the New York Mets from 2009 to 2012, and his fantasy value was essentially nil. And when he was done in Seattle, his fantasy value was no better. Bay managed to hit just .204/.298/.393 and you can’t say “it’s over” more aptly than being released by a team in desperate need of offense. Bay’s future is probably more uncertain than at any time in his career, and it remains to be seen if he lands a major league assignment in 2014. If there was anything to be optimistic about, it’s that his isolated slugging percentage was at a three-year high at .189, and it’s not completely ridiculous to think a club will give him a shot in a friendlier environment to hit other than Seattle. But even if Bay lands somewhere, it’s likely to be in a bench role and therefore not at all useful to your fantasy squad. (Michael Barr)

Quick Opinion: Jason Bay hasn’t been a good baseball player since 2009. He’s 35 and he doesn’t currently have a job. Pray you don’t need him on your fantasy team.

Gordon Beckham

Debut: 2009 |  BirthDate: 9/16/1986 | Team: White Sox | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 582 123 16 5 60 62 .234 .296 .371 .295 -14.4 3.7 0.9
’13 408 99 5 5 24 46 .267 .322 .372 .306 -5.5 1.0 1.0
’14 398 91 9 4 41 45 .255 .317 .392 .313 -3.4 0.4 1.1

Profile: Beckham actually hit really well before a wrist injury sidelined him for nearly two months. Through the first three months of the season, he batted over .300. Most of that was batted-ball-luck-fueled, of course, but it was promising to see Beckham finally hit in the majors again. His numbers took a huge fall once he returned. Beckham hit .240 in August, and .210 in September. It’s tough to know how much of that was due to the injury, and how much was batting average on balls in play decline. Given that he hasn’t been a useful fantasy asset since 2009, he’s not going to draw a lot of attention on draft day. Given he isn’t projected for more than 14 combined homers and steals or a good batting average, that’s probably wise. (Chris Cwik)

Quick Opinion: Beckham did show some promise last season, but it’s unclear how legitimate his gains were. A wrist injury completely sapped him of any hitting ability, and makes him a big question mark heading into 2014.

Tim Beckham

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 1/27/1990 | Team: Rays | Position: 2B/SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 8 3 0 0 1 1 .429 .375 .429 .333 0.3 0.1 0.1
’14 1 0 0 0 0 0 .242 .298 .342 .285 -0.0 0.0 0.0

Profile: The former No. 1 overall draft pick, Tim Beckham, had a chance to spend the 2014 season as a part of the Rays’ infield rotation, collecting at bats against lefties when Ben Zobrist shifted to right field, perhaps. But his ACL injury during the offseason just about spoiled those hopes. Despite the pressure the Rays front office must be feeling to get production out of a player selected ahead of Buster Posey, Beckham’s good-to-strong defense at second and ability to hit left-handers makes him a near duplicate of Sean Rodriguez, who’s occupied the utility platoon man role for several seasons so far. If and when an injury or trade opens up a position in either the infield or the outfield (because Zobrist will likely slide into either opening), Beckham would have been the player on speed dial. As a 23-year-old infielder, Beckham hit a solid .276/.342/.387 in the International League (Triple-A), and he has shown some knack for stealing bases. But until he’s healthy and made it onto the 25-man roster again, his fantasy value is virtually nothing. (@BradleyWoodrum)

Quick Opinion: Beckham has a chance to become a full-time starter for the Rays, but the former number one draft pick will first need to supplant Sean Rodriguez as the right-handed utility man — and recover from his offseason ACL tear. Once Beckham does make the roster, though, he might be worth stashing on the bench in some deeper leagues. Maybe look his way again near the end of 2014.

Brandon Belt

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 4/20/1988 | Team: Giants | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 472 113 7 12 56 47 .275 .360 .421 .339 8.7 -8.1 1.7
’13 571 147 17 5 67 76 .289 .360 .481 .365 24.8 -5.0 4.0
’14 541 131 16 7 68 65 .278 .362 .464 .359 20.7 -8.2 3.1

Profile: Belt took a tremendous step forward in 2013 as he improved offensively almost across the board in his second full season in the majors. His walk rate took a slight dip, but fewer strikeouts and a repeat of his .351 batting average on balls in play from 2012 helped him push his batting average even higher while maintaining his fantastic .360 on-base percentage. Meanwhile, his isolated slugging percentage rose from .146 to .193 and his power totals jumped to counter his loss of stolen bases. While the BABIP is a bit high, he has a level swing and has been improving his strikeout rate — there are ways he can be just as successful with a lower BABIP. He’s just entering his prime, turning 26 near the end of April, and, based on his growth trajectory (including his excellent minor league numbers), he should continue to improve, particularly in the power department. Breaking through the 20-home run barrier can be expected. Should he do so, he’ll make for a solid option at first base or, even better, at your corner infield position. (Howard Bender)

Quick Opinion: There’s little reason to believe that Brandon Belt can’t take yet another step forward here at age-26. He’ll make for a great mid-round selection if you choose not to invest in a top-tier first baseman, or an even better corner infield option if you do.

Carlos Beltran

Debut: 1998 |  BirthDate: 4/24/1977 | Team: Yankees | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 619 147 32 13 97 83 .269 .346 .495 .355 16.1 -4.5 3.3
’13 600 164 24 2 84 79 .296 .339 .491 .359 22.4 -21.4 2.0
’14 537 133 21 4 73 71 .277 .343 .473 .352 10.9 -10.6 2.0

Profile: Beltran refuses to let the effects of aging cripple him, as he enjoyed another strong performance at the plate. And the Yankees took notice, signing the veteran and bringing him back to the Big Apple. But Beltran’s speed is now gone and his walk rate has tumbled, proving that there are indeed some chinks in the armor. After some health issues in previous years, Beltran has remained on the field at a surprisingly high clip. Unfortunately, heading into his age-37 season, the risk of collapse increases greatly. He should remain fairly productive while on the field though, and the move to the significantly more hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium will help. Since he should hit in a good spot in his new lineup, his runs scored and runs batted in totals should remain at respectable levels. But age could take its toll at any time, which could cut into both his performance and his playing time. (Mike Podhorzer)

Quick Opinion: Beltran continues to remain productive at the plate despite his advanced age. A move to the second-best home run park for left-handers will curb the downside, but with his speed disappearing, he’s a serious risk for fantasy owners to take on.

Adrian Beltre

Debut: 1998 |  BirthDate: 4/7/1979 | Team: Rangers | Position: 3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 654 194 36 1 102 95 .321 .359 .561 .388 29.6 9.5 6.3
’13 690 199 30 1 92 88 .315 .371 .509 .379 25.9 -0.7 5.2
’14 633 172 28 1 101 85 .296 .347 .504 .365 17.6 3.3 4.5

Profile: Adrian Beltre should be showing some signs of decline, but he just had another career season. While the 35-year-old no longer has any stolen base speed, he can hit for average and power. He has averaged 33 home runs, a .312 batting average and 100 RBIs over the past three seasons. Going over all his stats, only one shows him in decline. Most of core traits which lead to overall decline — contact rate, strikeouts per walk, line drive and swing percentage — all improved from 2012 to 2013. The one exception was his home run per fly ball rate, which went from 17.0% to 13.5%. Don’t be too worried about the drop since his fly ball and homer distance actually improved. If Beltre declines in 2014, it might first show in his power peripherals (HR/FB% and FB&HR distance). Otherwise, he is a known commodity who should give his owner at least a .290 AVG, 28 HRs and 180 Runs+RBIs production — and could do better. (Jeff Zimmerman)  

Quick Opinion: Adrian Beltre has been a consistent producer for the past few seasons with no signs of decline.

Engel Beltre

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 11/1/1989 | Team: Rangers | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 42 10 0 1 2 7 .250 .268 .275 .244 -3.5 1.5 -0.1
’14 167 39 2 6 17 17 .253 .295 .361 .289 -5.2 1.1 0.2

Profile: Engel Beltre will probably start the season on the Rangers’ Triple-A team as their center fielder. Currently, he is just not as good as the Rangers regular center fielder, Leonys Martin. The 24-year-old Beltre could be considered the major league team’s sixth outfielder. So if injuries do happen, what can be expected of him? First, he is rarely going to walk, so he will be reliant on the batted ball luck dragon to get him on base. Over his seven minor league seasons, he has only hit .264. He is likely to hit worse in the majors, so an average near .250 is probably the expectation. He showed some minor league power in 2012 (13 homers) and 2013 (seven HRs) which never really existed before then. Finally, he thinks he can steal bases, but he struggled to do so in 2013. He attempted 27 steals and was caught 12 times (55% success rate) in Triple-A. In the majors, he was only one-for-three. He thinks he has more of a speed tool then seems to actually exist. If someway, somehow through injuries or the like, Beltre gets to start in center field for the Rangers, the only possible stat he may provide is steals — and those have become more suspect as he has aged and/or reached the higher levels of baseball. (Jeff Zimmerman)

Quick Opinion: Engel Beltre will need a lot to go wrong with the Rangers in order to play a major role with his limited skills.  

Lance Berkman

Debut: 1999 |  BirthDate: 2/10/1976 | Position: DH
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 97 21 2 2 7 12 .259 .381 .444 .354 3.2 -3.9 0.3
’13 294 62 6 0 34 27 .242 .340 .359 .313 -4.9 -6.5 -0.2
’14 1 0 0 0 0 0 .259 .361 .433 .346 0.0 -0.0 0.0

Profile: It rarely ends well. After a miniature renaissance in 2011 with the Cardinals, Berkman looked to be taking advantage of the Ballpark at Arlington until June, when his knees announced their retirement. After that, his power vanished, and his only skill remaining was to crouch in the box with a still bat and a heavy heart. After realizing that in baseball, as in love, some wounds don’t heal, Berkman will move on to low-impact activities like jazzercise, eating fried-egg-white sandwiches, and converting his VHS collection to DVD. (Patrick Dubuque)

Quick Opinion: Instead of thinking about fantasy baseball, go look at Berkman’s player page for a second. Seriously, just take in the numbers. They’re really good numbers. Enjoy them.

Roger Bernadina

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 6/12/1984 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 261 66 5 15 25 25 .291 .372 .405 .341 6.4 1.2 1.7
’13 250 41 4 4 11 26 .181 .250 .295 .245 -13.3 0.7 -0.5
’14 1 0 0 0 0 0 .238 .307 .371 .300 -0.0 -0.0 0.0

Profile: Over his 1,400 career plate appearances, Roger Bernadina has hit 27 home runs, and stolen 57 bases. So, he’s no bopper, but he does have a little speed. Those steals would be useful to fantasy leaguers if Bernadina could ever win a full-time job, but he hasn’t been able to for two reasons. First, while capable of playing all three outfield positions, Bernadina’s defense is not a full-time solution in center. This is exacerbated by his second flaw: a sometimes pitifully low batting average that simply won’t fly in left or right field. His issue reaching base wasn’t helped by a career high strikeout rate, and a low batting average on balls in play of .234 last season. Bernadina is unsigned as of this writing, and he will probably latch on as a fourth outfielder somewhere, but it shouldn’t be with your fantasy team. (Jack Weiland)

Quick Opinion: Bernadina flashes speed that could be useful from time to time, but he’s never been able to land a full-time gig. He shouldn’t land one on your team until he does.

Doug Bernier

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 6/24/1980 | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 64 12 0 2 5 9 .226 .339 .283 .285 -0.4 2.1 0.4
’14 1 0 0 0 0 0 .229 .297 .311 .273 -0.0 0.0 0.0

Profile: Bernier is a nice story and one heck of a good guy. He actually owns and operates a website called Pro Baseball Insider where he reviews products and gives tips and drills on how to become a better baseball player. Prior to 2013, Bernier had just four big league plate appearances, and had yet to reach base. And to Bernier’s credit, he did hold a solid .339 on-base percentage in his brief time with the Twins. Unfortunately, it comes in the middle of an otherwise uninspiring .226/.339/.283 slash line. Bernier can hack shortstop well enough to be a 25th man somewhere possibly, but at 33 years old the prospects grow bleaker by the day. (Brandon Warne)

Quick Opinion: Bernier re-signed with the Twins on a minor league pact in the offseason, and will provide organizational depth for the club as a utility guy.

Quintin Berry

Debut: 2012 |  BirthDate: 11/21/1984 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 330 75 2 21 29 44 .258 .330 .354 .305 1.5 -4.4 0.8
’13 9 5 1 3 4 5 .625 .667 .1.000 .705 3.4 0.1 0.4
’14 71 14 1 4 5 7 .222 .301 .304 .275 -2.5 0.0 -0.0

Profile: Now on the Orioles, Quintin Berry’s fantasy relevance hinges on his opportunities on the basepaths. Boston’s postseason pinch-running speedster posted a weak .191/.309/.257 slash at three Triple-A stops in 2013 (Detroit, Kansas City, Boston organizations). His 24% strikeout rate is high for a slap hitter with wheels, so even though he projects to an above-average batting average on balls in play, his batting average will likely struggle to top his current career mark of .268. He just doesn’t put the ball in play enough. The only time he may be rosterable in fantasy is if he gets a stretch of a week or two of fairly consistent at bats. If you can stomach the hit in most categories, he might provide a handful of steals. Otherwise, leave him on the wire. (Colin Zarzycki)

Quick Opinion: Berry continues to be a weapon on the basepaths, but that’s about it. The owner of 24-for-24 stolen base success rate will only have fantasy value if he can cobble together a few weeks of consistent at bats, and that will likely only happen if injuries crop up.

Yuniesky Betancourt

Debut: 2005 |  BirthDate: 1/31/1982 | Position: 1B/3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 228 49 7 0 36 21 .228 .256 .400 .280 -9.1 -8.0 -1.0
’13 409 83 13 0 46 35 .212 .240 .355 .257 -21.5 -7.5 -1.8
’14 1 0 0 0 0 0 .233 .266 .367 .276 -0.0 0.0 0.0

Profile: Yuniesky Betancourt is the opposite of baseball. Obviously I was not forceful enough last year in my appraisal of Mr. Betancourt’s talents. Through a combination of necessity and insanity, the Milwaukee Brewers wrote Yuniesky’s name into their lineup card nearly ninety times this season, starting half of them at first base. That’s right: not only will he back next year, he’ll have lost all middle infield eligibility. And he will be back: we are assured this by his agent as well as the fickle, hateful universe. So, to approximate (for even with a thesaurus, describing Yuniesky Betancourt is like looking at infinity): Yuniesky Betancourt is getting a charlie horse while bending down to put your baby in her crib to sleep. Yuniesky Betancourt is getting out of the house ten minutes late to work and then getting stuck behind the school bus on the one-lane road. Yuniesky Betancourt is Deadly Towers for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Yuniesky Betancourt is gum in hair. He is hair in gum. He is the inevitable heat death of the universe, the astronaut who comes home from light speed travel to find his son dead of old age, a can of Bud Light Clamato. (Patrick Dubuque)

Quick Opinion: Yuniesky Betancourt is.

Wilson Betemit

Debut: 2001 |  BirthDate: 11/2/1981 | Position: DH
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 376 89 12 0 40 41 .261 .322 .422 .324 -0.7 -6.0 0.6
’13 10 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 -2.5 -0.5 -0.3
’14 66 15 2 0 7 7 .247 .315 .399 .313 -0.1 -1.7 0.0

Profile: Wilson Betemit largely had the year off in 2013, amassing just 79 plate appearances across five levels. In short, it took him five months to recover from a sprained right PCL (knee) and then he was quickly released when the Orioles needed his 40-man roster spot for someone else. That ends a three-year stretch of being at least a league-average bat in a reserve’s playing time. While he didn’t homer at any level this year, Betemit has consistently flashed power that would net 15-20 homers if given a full workload; at 32, that may never happen, and the only team rumored to be interested is Miami, providing a very unfriendly environment. He’s not on your draft radar but he could become a short-term add in the deepest of leagues if he accidentally lands atop a depth chart. (Blake Murphy)

Quick Opinion: Wilson Betemit missed almost the entire season recovering from a knee sprain and was DFA’d shortly after returning. He has pop in his bat but has never received consistent playing time, making him a watch list candidate at best.

Christian Bethancourt

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 9/2/1991 | Team: Braves | Position: PH/PR
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 -0.2 0.0 -0.0
’14 103 24 2 3 10 10 .252 .284 .368 .286 -2.5 -2.7 -0.2

Profile: For the first time since 2005, Atlanta will be without Brian McCann, now the property of the New York Yankees, behind the plate. Atlanta will look to pair veteran backup Gerald Laird with a pair of no-glove-all-hit players in Ryan Doumit and Evan Gattis. The all-glove-no-hit Bethancourt will be on the outside looking in while acquiring some further (and much needed) offensive refinement in Triple-A. The young native of Panama has the defensive skills to be an impact player in the field but that’s not going to help fantasy managers. His offense will likely never be more than fringe-average to average in his prime. Unless something drastic changes, the young catching prospect is nothing more than a back-up contributor in fantasy baseball for the foreseeable future. (Marc Hulet)

Quick Opinion: Bethancourt will probably never produce a good on-base percentage or hit for much of an average but he’ll be good for some extra base hits, a few home runs and even a handful of stolen bases. He will have value in NL-only leagues and deep mixed leagues at some point.

Jeff Bianchi

Debut: 2012 |  BirthDate: 10/5/1986 | Team: Brewers | Position: 3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 76 13 3 0 9 8 .188 .230 .348 .250 -3.7 1.1 -0.0
’13 252 56 1 4 25 22 .237 .272 .292 .252 -12.9 12.7 0.8
’14 324 74 4 7 29 28 .248 .294 .341 .282 -9.5 -6.8 -0.7

Profile: The 27-year-old has negligible power, iffy defense, and swung at 41% of pitches outside the strike zone last year. Oh, Yuniesky Betancourt also started ahead of him for much of the season and somehow performed better than him at the plate. Please, just log off his page already. (JP Breen)

Charlie Blackmon

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 7/1/1986 | Team: Rockies | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 121 32 2 1 9 15 .283 .325 .407 .321 -2.0 7.8 1.0
’13 258 76 6 7 22 35 .309 .336 .467 .350 6.4 -6.7 0.8
’14 177 44 3 4 18 20 .273 .324 .416 .324 -1.8 -4.9 -0.1

Profile: Players who lack patience and lack power are in abundant supply on the Rockies these days. Blackmon separates himself slightly from the pack of players such as Charlie Culberson, Jordan Pacheco, DJ LeMahieu and Jonathan Herrera because he is able to produce more power in his at-bats. At the major league level, his power is likely right around league average, which is a nice thing to have in an outfielder who can man all three positions. The question with Blackmon is whether or not he can actually handle center field in the bigs. Thanks to its sheer girth, Coors Field has a less forgiving center field than most ballparks, but that is the hand that Blackmon has been dealt, and initial results show that he can’t handle it. Not only were his UZR and DRS poor in his first (albeit very limited) sample of center field defense, but his fielding percentage was also pretty low. Sometimes the old measures do tell the story. Center field defense isn’t necessarily a concern for fantasy players in a vacuum, but if Blackmon continues to struggle there, it may/should impact his playing time. League-average power or not, there aren’t a lot of uses for a 28-year-old backup outfielder who can’t reliably man center field, as there are only so many bench spots to go around in these modern times of 12- and 13-man pitching staffs.

Quick Opinion: It took Blackmon until his age-27 season to see a decent chunk of playing time in the majors, and he didn’t produce enough to be overly optimistic about his chances in 2014. If the Rockies trade Dexter Fowler, he could wind up starting, but Blackmon is unlikely to ever be better than a fourth outfielder in real life, and waiver wire fodder in the realm of fantasy baseball.

Gregor Blanco

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 12/24/1983 | Team: Giants | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 453 96 5 26 34 56 .244 .333 .344 .302 -0.3 7.2 2.3
’13 511 120 3 14 41 50 .265 .341 .350 .307 0.5 10.3 2.8
’14 357 77 3 12 28 39 .249 .333 .349 .305 -0.5 -0.7 1.0

Profile: While Blanco managed to cut down on the strikeouts and improve both his batting average and on-base percentage last season, his overall contribution to the fantasy realm was still a bit disappointing. Not that he’s playing for his offensive output though. Blanco is much more known for his defensive ability and speed on the bases, although he swiped just 14 bags in 2013, a dozen fewer than the year before. Based on the Giants offseason moves, Blanco could be headed for more of a reserve role than that of a platooner, depending on how things pan out. He’ll be the primary back-up to Angel Pagan in center and a best-case scenario would find him opening the year in a platoon with newly-signed Michael Morse in left. However, should Morse return to the power hitter he was prior to his wrist injury, Blanco could find himself more in the role of a late-game defensive replacement. And let’s not forget the days that Buster Posey moves from out behind the plate to first base which could push Brandon Belt out into left as well. He’s probably not someone to target outside of the deepest NL-only leagues, and even then, his contributions will be limited to how much playing time he really gets. (Howard Bender)

Quick Opinion: As part of one of the lightest-hitting left field platoons in all of baseball, Blanco doesn’t contribute much to the fantasy realm outside of stolen bases. His role in 2014 could diminish even more, based on the Giants offseason moves, so unless you’re playing in a very deep NL-only league, consider him more of a short-term replacement with some speed upside.

Henry Blanco

Debut: 1997 |  BirthDate: 8/29/1971 | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 67 12 1 1 7 6 .188 .224 .281 .223 -5.1 2.2 -0.1
’13 150 19 3 0 14 11 .142 .228 .246 .220 -11.9 2.7 -0.5
’14 45 9 1 1 4 4 .218 .287 .348 .281 -1.7 0.6 0.0

Profile: Blanco recently inked a minor-league deal with the Diamondbacks, but the 42-year-old catcher shouldn’t even approach fantasy radars. He hasn’t received more than 150 plate appearances since 2009 and has failed to eclipse the Mendoza Line in each of the last two years. In short, Henry Blanco makes Jeff Mathis look like a reasonable fantasy option. Please pass. (JP Breen)

Kyle Blanks

Debut: 2009 |  BirthDate: 9/11/1986 | Team: Padres | Position: 1B/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 6 1 0 0 0 0 .200 .333 .200 .262 -0.2 -0.1 -0.0
’13 308 68 8 1 35 31 .243 .305 .379 .302 -1.4 -4.6 0.3
’14 260 56 8 2 30 27 .240 .312 .410 .316 1.3 -7.0 0.2

Profile: Flashes of power have surfaced from time-to-time, but injuries and playing time seem to keep the 6-6, 265-pound first baseman/outfielder from reaching his potential. Blanks is a free-swinger with below-average career contact rates (69.5% Contact%), contributing to a disappointing .228/.312/.404 triple slash in just under 800 plate appearances in the majors. But 2013 seemed to tell a different tale for the right-hander, who was having a career year in just about every offensive category, until Achilles tendinitis sent him to the disabled for the majority of July and August. Upon his return from the disabled list, Blanks slashed .197/.258/.213 with 12 hits, zero homers, one double and one RBI in 66 plate appearances. Additionally, he saw a 15% jump in his strkeout rate — from 24.4% K% to 39.4% K% — which once again raised questions about his health. The Padres’ depth chart won’t be so Kyle Blanks friendly again in 2014, so for all intents and (fantasy) purposes, he should only be considered in NL-Only formats due to his position flexibility and lack of depth in the player pool. (Alan Harrison)

Quick Opinion: Power, patience, and whiffs — but all in small sample sizes due to poor health. A full healthy year would be a first for Kyle Blanks, but with the depth chart getting more crowded, it’s hard to say how many plate appearances are there for the big man.

Willie Bloomquist

Debut: 2002 |  BirthDate: 11/27/1977 | Team: Mariners | Position: 2B/SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 338 98 0 7 23 47 .302 .325 .398 .314 -3.9 -3.0 0.4
’13 150 44 0 0 14 16 .317 .360 .367 .325 -0.3 0.7 0.5
’14 179 43 1 4 14 19 .262 .306 .344 .289 -4.3 0.2 0.2

Profile: The 2013 season was a lost one for Bloomquist who, due to an oblique injury, didn’t make his debut until June. Then a hit-by-pitch at the end of the month resulted in a disabled list stint that lasted until the final week of August. He managed to squeeze out 150 plate appearances, but even with a .317 average, his impact was negligible. He signed a two-year deal with Seattle during the offseason and returns to the city where his career began in his usual utility role. How much playing time he actually receives, though, is in question. With the moves the Mariners made in the offseason, it would appear that Bloomquist’s biggest opportunity would be at shortstop where second-year player Brad Miller resides. Bloomquist’s speed and experience could get him some additional playing time, but he’s not going to post much in the way of value unless the team is hit with significant injuries or he gets a ridiculous number of pinch-running opportunities. (Howard Bender)

Quick Opinion: After an injury-plagued season for Arizona, Bloomquist returns home to Seattle to work as a utility infielder, a role to which he’s grown accustomed over the years. His speed always offers some fantasy potential, but unless the team is hit hard by injuries, the Mariners’ depth will likely limit his opportunities.

Brennan Boesch

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 4/12/1985 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 503 113 12 6 54 52 .240 .286 .372 .288 -12.8 -17.5 -1.5
’13 53 14 3 0 8 6 .275 .302 .529 .357 0.6 -4.1 -0.2
’14 1 0 0 0 0 0 .255 .315 .416 .319 -0.0 -0.0 0.0

Profile: Brennan Boesch has trended down since his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2010. The Yankees released him in September, and he has yet to find a new team. In his best seasons, Boesch hit around 15 home runs and, on average, 60 runs and RBI. His .260 career average is more-or-less average for an outfielder these days. Unfortunately, Boesch’s lack of a platoon split makes him less useful in fantasy without a clear plus matchup. His poor outfield defense (-20 Defensive Runs Saved in nearly 2,000 career innings in right field) makes him better suited to designated hitter, where his bat is further underqualified. (Scott Spratt)

Quick Opinion: Boesch does not excel in any category, and his defensive deficiencies and moderate numbers versus right-handed pitching may make it difficult for him to find a job as a fourth-outfielder.

Xander Bogaerts

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 10/1/1992 | Team: Red Sox | Position: 3B/SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 50 11 1 1 5 7 .250 .320 .364 .304 -0.4 0.2 0.2
’14 558 130 14 8 64 65 .261 .325 .413 .325 -0.1 6.9 2.7

Profile: The 20 year old Aruban burst onto the baseball scene with an electric 2013 season. Bogaerts forced his way from being one of the youngest players in Double-A to helping his team win the World Series. He has a potent bat with fierce bat speed and power to spare for a middle infielder. Whether he plays the middle infield in 2014 is still a question mark with the team’s continued pursuit of Stephen Drew. In either case, Manager John Farrell has seemed to indicate that Bogaerts will play plenty in Boston this year — likely at the expense of Will Middlebrooks if Drew is brought back. Bogaerts has the talent to be an asset at third base or shortstop. Help in home runs, RBI’s, a strong batting average (though his strikeout rate may have a say in this matter) and five-to-ten stolen bases are all possible from one of the brighter young talents in the game. Eligibility at third and short is a nice bonus as well. (Al Skorupa)

Quick Opinion: Bogaerts seems poised to be a significant fantasy contributor in four or five categories as a 21-year-old. Whether at third or short, Bogaerts is a dangerous bat in the most prolific run-scoring lineup in baseball last year.

Brian Bogusevic

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 2/18/1984 | Team: Marlins | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 404 72 7 15 28 39 .203 .297 .299 .271 -14.8 1.6 -0.0
’13 155 39 6 2 16 18 .273 .323 .462 .339 2.0 2.4 1.0
’14 132 28 3 4 13 13 .242 .321 .371 .307 -1.1 -1.0 0.2

Profile: After working his way through the Astros system for six seasons, including one underwhelming major league campaign, Bogusevic signed a minor league deal with his hometown Cubs last season, and earned a callup after David DeJesus was traded to the Rays. In 47 games he posted a downright respectable .273/.323/.462 triple slash. But remember: you can’t spell Bogusevic without ‘bogus.’ Of his 155 plate appearances last season, all but 16 came against right-handed pitching. The .528 point difference in his OPS from one side to the other is more than his career breakdown in that regard, but not grossly so. Bogusevic plays capable enough defense and is strong enough against righties to potentially carve out a career as a platoon center fielder, or fourth outfielder, but from a fantasy perspective his ceiling is low. (Jack Weiland)

Quick Opinion: Bogusevic’s partial season triple slash of .273/.323/.462 hides an extreme platoon split that eats up most of his value. Even if he wins a job in Miami in 2014, he remains little more than a short-term replacement, considering the direction of the team and his age.

Emilio Bonifacio

Debut: 2007 |  BirthDate: 4/23/1985 | Position: 2B/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 274 63 1 30 11 30 .258 .330 .316 .290 -0.9 -4.1 0.4
’13 461 102 3 28 31 54 .243 .295 .331 .279 -9.7 0.2 0.6
’14 1 0 0 0 0 0 .257 .319 .339 .294 -0.0 0.0 0.0

Profile: Bonifacio was a cheap source of speed for the last three seasons as he stole 98 bases in just 352 games. But he’s going to have a difficult time getting to the plate enough to use his speed this year. The Royals signed Omar Infante to play second base which prompted the team to designate Bonifacio for assignment. It was possible that in addition to spelling Infante on occasion, Bonifacio could also spell Mike Moustakas at third from time to time. But the Royals also traded for Danny Valencia. Valencia, a right-handed hitter, has a career weighted offense that’s 40% better than league average against lefties. He makes for a very good platoon partner with Mike Moustakas and even if third base doesn’t end up being a straight platoon, Valencia is going to get the extra starts at the position. Prior to the Valencia trade, Steamer had Bonifacio projected for 277 plate appearances and 18 steals. But those numbers can’t even really be his upside with Valencia in town, and there’s no obvious starting role waiting for him elsewhere in the league. So it would seem that Bonifacio’s days of limited fantasy relevance may be over. (Brett Talley)

Quick Opinion: Bonifacio has been a cheap source of speed going on three years, but he’s going to have a hard time getting to the plate enough to use his speed this year. There just won’t be enough starts to go around in the Kansas City infield for Bonifacio to steal enough bags to be fantasy relevant, and it’s unclear what other starting role could be found for him around the league.

Julio Borbon

Debut: 2009 |  BirthDate: 2/20/1986 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 118 21 1 7 3 11 .200 .282 .276 .257 -5.2 -2.0 -0.4
’14 1 0 0 0 0 0 .258 .313 .359 .298 -0.0 -0.0 0.0

Profile: Former Texas farmhand Julio Borbon makes his way to Baltimore for the 2014, after he was selected during the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft from Chicago, where he posted a remarkably terrible .202/.284/.279 triple slash. With Adam Jones and Nick Markakis firmly entrenched in center and right, Borbon will likely be nothing more than a fourth outfielder for the O’s. Even if he somehow lands a larger role, he hits for a low average and very little power. He has speed, but doesn’t steal enough bags to make up for his other shortcomings. (Jack Weiland)

Quick Opinion: Borbon will likely be nothing more than a fourth outfielder for the O’s. Even if he somehow lands a larger role, he hits for a low average and very little power, and doesn’t steal enough to split the difference.

Jason Bourgeois

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 1/4/1982 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 66 16 0 5 5 10 .258 .303 .323 .278 -3.8 -3.4 -0.5
’13 18 3 1 0 2 2 .188 .278 .375 .292 -0.2 -0.9 -0.1
’14 14 3 0 1 1 1 .260 .310 .355 .295 -0.3 -0.2 -0.0

Profile: With his great speed, solid fielding, and not-the-worst hitting, Bourgeois makes for a solid fourth or fifth outfielder candidate on many teams. He spent his 2013 season mostly in the minors, where his .290/.343/.368 slash did him no big favors. But 22 steals and a reputation for good defense across all three outfield positions could result in some serious time on a 25-man roster. However, he’d need to land on a roster desperate for outfield depth in order to collect any serious playing time. Keep on an eye on him in a deep league. He might provide just enough steals to make it worth your while. (@BradleyWoodrum)

Quick Opinion: If your league is deep and your steals coffer is lacking, Bourgeois might be the ticket to some waiver wire success. But make sure he’s actually on a big league 25-man roster before you bother adding him to yours.

Peter Bourjos

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 3/31/1987 | Team: Cardinals | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 195 37 3 3 19 27 .220 .291 .315 .272 -4.8 16.9 1.9
’13 196 48 3 6 12 26 .274 .333 .377 .317 3.2 0.4 1.1
’14 533 123 11 12 56 58 .254 .312 .399 .313 1.3 6.9 2.6

Profile: Peter Bourjos is a phenomenal defensive talent who hasn’t shown a lot of offensive ability to date. However, in 2013, he was putting up weighted offense that was 40% better than league average before being hit on the wrist by a pitch at the end of June. That injury resulted in an extended stay on the disabled list, and never really healed, requiring surgery in early September. Injuries have been the story of Peter Bourjos’ past two seasons, but they give hope that a healthy Bourjos still has a good offensive upside waiting to emerge. The speed necessary to steal a lot of bases is certainly there, but for some reason the steals have not emerged out of it. Seeing that the Cardinals were ranked second-to-last in the majors with 45 steals in 2013, one has to wonder if his new team will nurture his ability to steal bags at all; how much of that poor stolen base output was due to management philosophy, as opposed to personnel issues? Projections are not particularly optimistic about Peter’s 2014, figuring him to be around the 100th-best fantasy outfielder. (Steve Staude)

Quick Opinion: Bourjos has a significant chance of exceeding expectations, mostly based on his ability to stay healthy. He has the potential to steal a good number of bases, but might not be in the right environment to do so.

Michael Bourn

Debut: 2006 |  BirthDate: 12/27/1982 | Team: Indians | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 703 171 9 42 57 96 .274 .348 .391 .326 10.4 25.6 6.2
’13 575 138 6 23 50 75 .263 .316 .360 .300 -2.0 1.2 2.0
’14 640 148 6 31 48 80 .260 .329 .361 .307 1.2 5.1 3.0

Profile: There are fantasy players who don’t believe in paying for speed and there are those who think that if you can get your speed along with a solid average and a bunch of runs, you go for it. Those owners probably went after Michael Bourn this year and boy were they disappointed. Bourn stole only 23 bases this year, the first time he failed to crack 40 in the category since 2007. He also added on his lowest average (.263) since 2008, and his fewest runs (75) since that same year. Bourn posted one of his worst defensive years ever, which doesn’t matter to fantasy owners but is awfully concerning to Indians fans. Bourn did show a .338 batting average on balls in play, despite a down-turn in his line drive rate, so that wasn’t the problem. But his strikeout rate hit a career high, his stolen base success rate dropped a ton, and there is good reason to believe that things may get worse. His K% has risen three straight years and the combination of worse defensive and lower SB% suggests his speed is starting to leave him. He may bounce back, but I’d expect another mid-20s SB effort with other numbers that look more like 2013 than the rest of his career. (Chad Young)

Quick Opinion: Bourn put up a much worse season than fantasy owners expected, and his real value dropped even more than his fantasy value. With fewer steals (and a lower success rate) and a higher strikeout rate, you have to wonder if Bourn’s days as an elite fantasy speed option are over.

Jackie Bradley

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 4/19/1990 | Team: Red Sox | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 107 18 3 2 10 18 .189 .280 .337 .279 -3.0 -2.3 -0.2
’14 424 95 9 11 45 51 .256 .336 .402 .326 0.6 0.4 1.6

Profile: The fight over whether or not the Red Sox should have stashed Jackie Bradley, Jr. to push back his arbitration clock seems like it happened ages ago. Riding a tidal wave of positive articles from beat writers desperate to sell someone fresh who would help fix Boston’s fried chicken culture, Bradley opened 2013 at the big-league level. He showed impressive plate discipline, posting a 10% walk rate (not bad for a 23-year-old), but was otherwise uninspiring at the dish. Now with Jacoby Ellsbury out of the picture, things get a little more interesting in 2014. Bradley will compete for a starting job in spring training and, with weighted offense that was 37% better than his Triple-A league last year, may have a good shot at getting one. Unfortunately for redraft owners, he currently projects to be one of those guys more valuable in real life than fantasy. While Ben Cherington may covet above-average defense and a solid batting eye, Bradley’s low-teens home run and mediocre stolen base projections are serviceable, but unexciting for fantasy owners. He’s a nice hold in keeper/dynasty leagues, especially those that reward on-base skills, but don’t overpay thinking you’re gambling on an elite ceiling in standard leagues. (Colin Zarzycki)

Quick Opinion: Jackie Bradley, Jr. should be a serviceable third or fourth outfielder in mixed leagues if he wins a job in Boston’s outfield in 2014, but don’t overpay looking for a big-time ceiling from the soon-to-be 24-year-old that isn’t projectable.

Michael Brantley

Debut: 2009 |  BirthDate: 5/15/1987 | Team: Indians | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 609 159 6 12 60 63 .288 .348 .402 .322 4.5 1.1 2.7
’13 611 158 10 17 73 66 .284 .332 .396 .320 6.4 -10.8 1.7
’14 538 135 8 12 55 61 .278 .338 .396 .322 4.0 -7.1 1.6

Profile: If you ask an Indians fan, you will get a glowing review of Michael Brantley — he’s a clutch hitter with solid defense who is more than the sum of his parts. Ask his fantasy owners, and you will probably hear much the same. A .284 average is not great, but it’s solid. Ten home runs aren’t game changing, nor are 17 stolen bases, but as a combination, they are not half bad. Add in 66 runs and 73 RBI, and you end up with the #34 overall OF even though none of the individual numbers will blow you away. Looking forward, there is nothing in the batted ball profile that scares you away. In fact, for three straight years, his batting average on balls in play has sat below his expected number, suggesting there may be room for improvement in the overall line. Brantley is an underrated fantasy asset and should be on your radar on draft day. (Chad Young)

Quick Opinion: Michael Brantley out-earned Bryce Harper this year. That is probably the last time I’ll be able to type that sentence, but it does give you a sense of how much value Brantley created compared to his cost. Undervalued assets are where fantasy is won, and Brantley is a prime example.

Rob Brantly

Debut: 2012 |  BirthDate: 7/14/1989 | Team: Marlins | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 113 29 3 1 8 14 .290 .372 .460 .358 4.0 -2.2 0.6
’13 243 47 1 0 18 11 .211 .263 .265 .238 -16.7 2.2 -0.8
’14 32 7 0 0 3 3 .240 .291 .338 .278 -1.0 0.4 0.0

Profile: Brantly entered last season with a chance at the starting catcher slot for the Marlins. He didn’t quite snag it, but all was not lost. Brantly walked a tiny bit (6.2%), didn’t strike out at an outrageous clip (21.8%) and played passable major league defense. That said, he could stand to walk more, strike out less, and improve his anemic 2013 level of power (.054 isolated slugging percentage). With Jarrod Saltalamacchia in the fold for 2014, his opportunities will be fewer, and a change of scenery may be necessary for him to have value. There’s skill worth keeping an eye on if he moves, however. (Jack Weiland)

Quick Opinion: Brantly wasn’t all bad in 2013, but with Jarrod Saltalamacchia in town this season he will have far less opportunity. It may take a change of scenery for him to have value, but he’s at least worth keeping an eye on.

Ryan Braun

Debut: 2007 |  BirthDate: 11/17/1983 | Team: Brewers | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 677 191 41 30 112 108 .319 .391 .595 .413 52.7 -2.3 7.6
’13 253 67 9 4 38 30 .298 .372 .498 .370 10.4 -2.4 1.7
’14 576 149 25 16 82 79 .293 .367 .513 .377 27.3 -8.5 3.9

Profile: Even if steroids can’t help you with the hand-eye coordination that is behind many of baseball’s core skills, it’s hard to believe that they can’t help you play baseball better. At the very least, they can help you build mass, and mass plus force would affect exit velocity on a batted ball. If you follow the physics, you could reduce Braun’s home runs per balls in play anywhere from 30-70% in your 2014 projections. If you take a measured approach, you’d probably still pencil him in for 25+ home runs. In a lost 2013, Braun only attempted nine stolen bases and was only successful four times, but his long history of speed suggests that double-digit stolen bases shouldn’t be a problem. So even with pessimism in hand, you’re still talking about a player that could hit .280 with 25 homers and 15 stolen bases. And you’ve assumed that he’ll stop taking performance enhancing drugs now that he’s been caught… twice. If he (once again) finds a way to ingest useful chemicals without being caught, who is to say he won’t return to his old ways. That would be a bane for moralists but a boon for his fantasy owners, who are usually a pragmatic bunch. All of this makes Braun a high-risk, high-reward player that will require anywhere from a top-10 to top-30 investment on draft day this season. (Eno Sarris)

Quick Opinion: How much risk can you stomach? Because the reward with Ryan Braun — owner of two .300/30/30 seasons and once a perennial top-three fantasy player — is obvious. If you take all of his worst fantasy finishes in each category, you get a .285/25/14 player on a decent offense. Call that your floor, maybe.

Reid Brignac

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 1/16/1986 | Position: 3B/SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 22 2 0 0 1 1 .095 .136 .095 .112 -3.5 -0.3 -0.3
’13 98 17 1 0 6 5 .185 .219 .261 .210 -9.1 0.8 -0.6
’14 19 4 0 0 2 2 .219 .275 .316 .264 -0.8 0.2 -0.0

Profile: Once a highly-regarded prospect with the Rays, Brignac has never hit enough to make him a useful fantasy asset. His strikeout rate (24.6%), walk rate (4.8%), and isolated slugging percentage (.089) all leave too much to be desired. Brignac signed a minor league deal with the Phillies over the winter, and will likely compete for a utility infield spot during spring training. Even if he wins one, he doesn’t figure to have much use for fantasy purposes. (Jack Weiland)

Quick Opinion: Major league utility guy, fantasy league waiver wire guy.

Domonic Brown

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 9/3/1987 | Team: Phillies | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 212 44 5 0 26 21 .235 .316 .396 .309 -4.5 -6.1 -0.4
’13 540 135 27 8 83 65 .272 .324 .494 .351 14.8 -15.9 1.6
’14 585 143 23 8 78 68 .272 .336 .470 .348 13.3 -12.4 2.0

Profile: The Phillies finally gave Domonic Brown a full-time gig, and were rewarded with a strong offensive performance. It’s unclear if we should expect some improvement from Brown moving forward. Is there growth in his .287 batting average on balls in play? The number is in line with his career figures, but those have all come in a small sample. Can we expect him to have another 19.3% home run rate? Again, we can’t be sure due to small sample issues. And complicating matters is a big change to his swing mechanics before his 2013 breakout. Are the old numbers even that relevant? Has he set a new baseline? It feels comfortable to predict a similar average, but maybe expect slightly fewer home runs. Even if that’s the case, Brown should be a valuable player. He shouldn’t be viewed as a breakout candidate, but more of the same seems possible. (Chris Cwik)

Quick Opinion: Brown proved that all he needed was playing time in order to become fantasy relevant. He’s not a breakout candidate, but is totally capable of repeating last season’s success.

Andrew Brown

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 9/10/1984 | Team: Mets | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 126 26 5 2 11 14 .232 .302 .429 .315 -3.6 1.8 0.2
’13 165 34 7 1 24 16 .227 .288 .400 .304 -0.2 -4.2 0.1
’14 157 34 5 1 18 17 .243 .309 .417 .318 0.8 -1.8 0.4

Profile: Andrew Brown spent several years as a powerful minor league bat and first made it to the bigs in 2011 at the age of 26. His 165 plate appearances with the Mets in 2013 were the most of his career. While he was mediocre from a general production standpoint, he did flash some power, sporting a .173 isolated slugging percentage. Brown played both corner outfield positions last season, but is more at home in right field, which is slated to be manned in 2014 by the newly acquired Chris Young. Young is far from reliable in either the health or production department. Further, despite some rumors that Ike Davis and/or Lucas Duda may be headed out of Flushing, they are both still Mets, which means that Duda can’t move to first and likely remains the first to inherit an outfield job if one becomes available. Brown definitely has the potential to be a moderate NL-only asset if he could find regular playing time, and maybe even a bench player or an injury replacement in mixed leagues, simply because he’s capable of 20 home runs. But, it seems that multiple things would have to happen for him to find that playing time. So, for now, he remains irrelevant. (Derek Ambrosino)

Quick Opinion: It took Brown until he was 26 to reach the majors, and three years later he still has only 313 plate appearances. He does have some power, which would be good enough to make a him modest NL-only asset with regular playing time. However, he does not currently project to have a job, nor is he even the likely first heir to one in Flushing.

Jay Bruce

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 4/3/1987 | Team: Reds | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 633 141 34 9 99 89 .252 .327 .514 .352 11.8 -11.6 2.2
’13 697 164 30 7 109 89 .262 .329 .478 .344 14.0 2.8 4.1
’14 552 124 28 6 81 70 .255 .335 .488 .351 13.4 -3.5 2.9

Profile: There’s not a whole lot of mystery left in Jay Bruce, is there? Over the last three seasons, he’s hit 30-34 homers, scored 84-89 runs, driven in 97-109, hit between .252-.262 and stolen eight, nine, and seven bases, respectively. That’s not at all a bad thing, because only ten big leaguers hit 30 homers and drove in 100 last year, and he’s only headed into his age-27 season. It’s not necessarily wonderful that his walk and strikeout rates are trending in the wrong direction, but he’s making up for it with increased line drive rates. Bruce remains one of the safest bets in the game, and should continue to produce along these lines for the next several years. (Mike Petriello)

Quick Opinion: If you like production without a whole lot of risk, Jay Bruce is your man. Pencil him for 30 homers, 90 runs scored and driven in, and don’t give it a second thought.

John Buck

Debut: 2004 |  BirthDate: 7/7/1980 | Team: Mariners | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 398 66 12 0 41 29 .192 .297 .347 .284 -13.4 9.5 0.9
’13 431 87 15 2 62 39 .222 .288 .365 .287 -7.0 8.8 1.6
’14 132 25 4 1 14 14 .219 .297 .369 .293 -2.8 2.7 0.5

Profile: John Buck started 2013 on fire, hitting nine home runs in the first month of the season. And that was pretty much it for John Buck’s 2013. After six up-and-down years with Kansas City, Buck rebuilt his value with a nice 20 home run year for the 2010 Blue Jays. He then signed with the Marlins, where he was actually okay-ish, providing his usual blend of intermittent patience and power, a lot of strikeouts, and general friendliness. His 2012 and 2013 (the latter split between the Mets and Pirates) were pretty bad, but Buck has always seemed to be too good to be just a journeyman backup even if he is not good enough to be a starter. The former no longer really seems true. Buck is a free agent and without a team as of this writing. If he finds one, he is only of interest in deeper AL-only leagues. Particularly in those leagues that require two catchers, though, he might be of help in the home run department for categories leagues if you can take the hit at average, which is not going to be good for most backup catchers, anyway. (Matt Klaassen)

Quick Opinion: John Buck is easy to root for, but unless you must have a fantasy team full of good guys, he is only of interest in very deep AL-only leagues requiring two catchers at this point, depending on where he finds a job.

Nick Buss

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 12/15/1986 | Team: Dodgers | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 20 2 0 0 0 0 .105 .150 .105 .123 -3.1 0.4 -0.2
’14 13 3 0 0 1 1 .240 .289 .358 .286 -0.3 0.1 0.0

Profile: Chili Buss’ age-26 season went surprisingly well, turning his debut season at Triple-A into 57 extra base hits, a PCL All-Star appearance, and a cameo with the Dodgers in September. Of course, that came with the usual Albuquerque splits (.447 weight on-base average at home, .293 on the road [!]) and you might have heard that the Dodgers have something of an outfield glut. To paraphrase a famous saying, Buss will be 27 in 2014 with an excellent chance of turning 28, but probably not a whole lot more than that. If he carves out a career as a fifth outfielder with some speed, it will count as a success. (Mike Petriello)

Quick Opinion: Any time a former 35th round pick can get a taste of the bigs, it’s notable, but Buss is more likely to spend his age-27 season putting up inflated Albuquerque stats than he is having any place on a fantasy roster.

Drew Butera

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 8/9/1983 | Team: Dodgers | Position: C/1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 122 22 1 0 5 7 .198 .270 .279 .250 -7.1 1.8 -0.1
’13 10 1 0 0 0 0 .100 .100 .100 .089 -1.8 0.3 -0.1
’14 32 6 0 0 3 3 .200 .251 .293 .243 -1.8 0.6 -0.0

Profile: Drew Butera is one of the worst hitters in the history of baseball. If that’s hyperbole, it’s only slightly so; of the 4,143 non-pitchers with at least 500 career plate appearances since 1900, Butera’s .222 weighted on-base average is the fourth-lowest. Sure, he’s got a reputation as a stellar defensive catcher who handles pitchers well, but no amount of glove can make up for that. Needless to say, even Mrs. Butera wouldn’t consider having him on her fantasy roster. (Mike Petriello)

Quick Opinion: Butera isn’t just one of the worst hitters in the game today, he’s one of the worst hitters in the game, ever. I imagine it goes without saying that he’s not someone you want on your fantasy team.

Billy Butler

Debut: 2007 |  BirthDate: 4/18/1986 | Team: Royals | Position: DH
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 679 192 29 2 107 72 .313 .373 .510 .377 23.9 -18.7 2.9
’13 668 168 15 0 82 62 .289 .374 .412 .345 7.2 -16.1 1.4
’14 648 166 20 1 88 84 .293 .373 .467 .363 17.2 -16.7 2.4

Profile: Billy Butler will look to try to rebound from a disappointing 2013 season. All five of his fantasy categories saw worse production. Most importantly, his home runs basically halved (29 to 15). His 2012 homer total looks to be the outlier now, though. In his previous three seasons (2009 to 2011), he averaged ~18 home runs a season. I see other signs I don’t like. His ground-ball-to-fly-ball ratio has increased the last two seasons (1.3 to 1.6 to 2.0) so that means fewer home runs and more ground ball outs. Additionally his fly ball and home run distance dropped to his lowest value in five years. Finally, heavy players do not age well and the 28-year-old Butler could already be feeling the effects of that decline. Besides the loss of power, in 2014 he will not start the season eligible at first base in most leagues (seven games). I would expect a 18 homers, a ~.290 average, 160 runs+RBI, and zero steals from him, which is valuable in just about any league. Owners, especially in leagues with just one utility spot, don’t like to take a designated-hitter-only player early. Butler’s production vs. cost could be decent for a team who can afford to fill their utility spot with him. (Jeff Zimmerman)

Quick Opinion: Billy Butler’s declining production and roster inflexibility should drop his draft day fantasy value. A shrewd owner may be able to pick him up as a bargain.

Marlon Byrd

Debut: 2002 |  BirthDate: 8/30/1977 | Team: Phillies | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 153 30 1 0 9 10 .210 .243 .245 .216 -15.0 0.4 -1.0
’13 579 155 24 2 88 75 .291 .336 .511 .364 24.0 -3.7 4.1
’14 478 115 14 3 57 50 .260 .308 .424 .319 -0.6 -5.2 0.9

Profile: Byrd has had a rather tumultuous career the past few seasons that has seen him suspended and playing in Mexico because he couldn’t get a major league deal. He came back to the US on a minor league deal and decided to trade in contact for power, and it paid off for him well as he landed a two-year deal with Philadelphia. The ballpark is a nice fit for him, but he will have to hope that the recipe he used last year continues. He also turned 15% of his flyballs into home runs with his approach last season, a rate that was nearly double what he did from 2009 to 2011. The future results on trading in contact for power have been a mixed bag of results in recent seasons. He is 36 years old with two decent fantasy seasons out of his past five. The odds of that becoming three out of six are against him. (Jason Collette)

Quick Opinion: The future results on trading in contact for power have been a mixed bag of results in recent seasons. He is 36 years old with two decent fantasy seasons out of his past five. The odds of that becoming three out of six are against him.





 

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