2014 Batter Profiles: S – T

by
February 10, 2014

Jarrod Saltalamacchia

Debut: 2007 |  BirthDate: 5/2/1985 | Team: Marlins | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 448 90 25 0 59 55 .222 .288 .454 .319 -2.2 5.5 1.9
’13 470 116 14 4 65 68 .273 .338 .466 .349 10.1 7.3 3.6
’14 425 86 14 3 47 42 .226 .297 .399 .305 -4.4 5.1 1.5

Profile: Just when fans in Boston (and snarky Rotographs writers) were figuring how to spell his name, Jarrod Saltalamacchia bolted the world champion Red Sox for the perennial powerhouse known as the Miami Marlins. While he gets the key benefits of $21 million and the chance to watch the world’s greatest home run sculpture in action, he’s probably on the road to regression (not one of AC/DC’s more well-known hits) in 2014. Aside from the less favorable park factors, he is unlikely to reproduce a .372 BABIP, so expect his batting average to look more like his career .246 mark. He has positive three year running trends in BB% (up) and K% (down), so he should remain a fantasy-average catcher, just be aware that you’ll have to endure some frustrating up-and-down stretches, thanks to both the strikeout-friendly Salty and the rest of the lineup that surrounds him. (Colin Zarzycki)

Quick Opinion: Jarrod Saltalamacchia posted career best offensive marks in 2013, although a lot of his rates were buoyed by an impressive (but unsustainable) .372 BABIP. Now in Miami, he figures to get dinged a bit for league, park, and surrounding lineup, so he’s not an ideal value play in drafts.

Hector Sanchez

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 11/17/1989 | Team: Giants | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 227 61 3 0 34 22 .280 .295 .390 .296 -3.5 1.8 0.6
’13 140 32 3 0 19 8 .248 .300 .349 .290 -3.1 -0.9 0.0
’14 98 23 2 1 11 10 .257 .305 .384 .302 -0.6 1.3 0.4

Profile: The double-edged sword that faces the Giants — giving Buster Posey less time behind the plate means giving Hector Sanchez more time behind it. He’s a one-category contributor and relies on batting average on balls in play fluctuation to produce in that category. Your fantasy team is better off leaving an injured player in the roster spot than swapping said player out for Sanchez. (Jason Collette)

Quick Opinion: Your fantasy team is better off leaving an injured player in the roster spot than swapping said player out for Sanchez.

Angel Sanchez

Debut: 2006 |  BirthDate: 9/20/1983 | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 2 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 -0.5 -0.1 -0.1
’14 1 0 0 0 0 0 .251 .310 .329 .286 -0.0 0.0 0.0

Profile: Sanchez has no power, and can’t hit. He wouldn’t have any fantasy value even if he somehow lands a full-time role. (Chris Cwik)

Gaby Sanchez

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 9/2/1983 | Team: Pirates | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 326 65 7 1 30 30 .217 .279 .341 .272 -12.2 -1.2 -0.3
’13 320 67 7 1 36 29 .254 .361 .402 .338 5.2 -7.3 0.8
’14 545 120 14 3 61 60 .254 .343 .406 .331 7.0 -10.0 1.4

Profile: Sanchez has done a solid job reigniting his career in Pittsburgh as the most luxurious use for a roster spot: The first baseman platoon partner. Collecting only pinch hit showings and a good 300 plate appearances in anti-lefty duty, Sanchez blasted seven homers with a .254/.361/.402 slash, good enough to help any on-base percentage or linear weight team looking for a right-handed platoon partner. Unfortunately, the right-handed first baseman is not only a luxury in the majors, it’s a luxury — and a tediousness — in fantasy. For owners willing to commit heavily to a first base platoon, Sanchez should be a good fit — and super cheap, too. But for most teams, Sanchez will only take up space. (@BradleyWoodrum)

Quick Opinion: Have a first baseman who desperately needs a platoon partner? Gaby Sanchez could be your man. He’s cheap and effective against lefties, but the usefulness end there.

Tony Sanchez

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 5/20/1988 | Team: Pirates | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 66 14 2 0 5 9 .233 .288 .400 .302 -0.9 -1.9 -0.1
’14 66 14 1 0 7 6 .240 .306 .369 .299 -0.8 1.1 0.2

Profile: The Pirates selected Sanchez fourth overall in the 2010 draft, and although the former Boston College backstop made his major league debut in 2013, he doesn’t stand to see regular playing time for at least another year. Russell Martin was revelatory in helping the Pirates make the playoffs for the first time in 1,500 years, and will be back to log another heavy workload. If an injury befalls Martin, Sanchez does come with stirring defensive reviews, and he has a strong minor league walk rate of 9.8%. He also hit for a .215 isolated slugging percentage in his age-25 season at Triple-A, after a .175 mark at the same level in 2012, so he does have power potential as well. (Jack Weiland)

Quick Opinion: Should injury befall Russell Martin in 2014, Sanchez makes an intriguing option to replace him. He comes with stirring defensive reviews and a strong minor league walk rate. He will likely never be elite, but he could have value.

Pablo Sandoval

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 8/11/1986 | Team: Giants | Position: 3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 442 112 12 1 63 59 .283 .342 .447 .338 7.8 2.4 2.6
’13 584 146 14 0 79 52 .278 .341 .417 .331 6.4 -2.8 2.3
’14 632 164 21 2 86 79 .289 .352 .478 .358 22.8 0.7 4.6

Profile: With no hamate bones left in his hand to break, Sandoval had a relatively solid year with respect to health in 2013. He played in 141 games and while he posted peripherals fairly close to his career averages, he only hit 14 home runs and posted a career-worst .139 isolated slugging percentage over 584 plate appearances. There was nothing out of the ordinary with his swing rates and he was actually making more contact than he had in the four season prior. There wasn’t even anything out of line with his batted ball data. So where did the power go, and more importantly, will it ever return? You’d like to think that maybe the weight issues, which are rectifiable, are are the reason, but then how do you explain such meaty greats as Mo Vaughn and the Fielder family? For Sandoval though, the weight is a detriment as evidenced by the two seasons in which he hit 20 or more home runs. He was much lighter in both those seasons which seemed to help with his bat speed and ability to turn on pitches with greater power. If he can get back onto a weight-control program and show up to spring training in better shape, then there’s definitely hope for him to return to the days of a .200-plus isolated slugging percentage. If he remains the larger guy he’s been, then you should probably expect something more in the 15-homer range with an average hovering somewhere between .275 and .280. Perhaps a daily reminder that he’s in a contract year will help keep him from loitering around In-and-Out Burger. (Howard Bender)

Quick Opinion: Over the last five seasons we’ve seen a Tale of Two Pandas. There’s the (relatively) svelte Sandoval who his for a .300 average with 20-plus homers and then there’s the bigger one who hits fewer than 15 home runs with an average that sits at least 20 points lower. Given the fact that this is a contract year, the hope is that 2014 sees the former. If he’s smart, then he’ll take the extra poundage off, have a strong year and cash in next offseason with a big free agent contract. After that, he’ll have more than enough dough (literally and figuratively) to keep himself happy.

Carlos Santana

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 4/8/1986 | Team: Indians | Position: C/DH
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 609 128 18 3 76 72 .252 .365 .420 .344 9.6 1.8 3.3
’13 642 145 20 3 74 75 .268 .377 .455 .364 21.0 -9.2 3.6
’14 630 133 20 4 78 79 .252 .366 .435 .352 16.9 10.8 5.2

Profile: Carlos Santana is just about all you could ask for in a fantasy catcher. Which is good, because he leaves something to be desired when he is behind the plate instead of standing next to it. His decent (.268) average and excellent (.377) on-base percentage come along with solid counting stats, as long as you were not expecting a bunch of speed out of your backstop. Santana will celebrate his 28th birthday just after Opening Day and with the Indians planning to turn over the keys to the catching position to Yan Gomes, there is no reason to think Santana won’t put up another solid season. He ranked sixth among catchers in our end of season rankings, and with a couple of the guys ahead of him “graduating” from their catcher eligibility, Santana should be one of the first catchers off the board in all leagues. Obviously he takes a little bit of a hit in dynasty and keeper leagues. (Chad Young)

Quick Opinion: Santana is a Black Magic catcher with a Smooth stroke who creates Lightning in the Sky when he makes solid contact. If you play in an OBP league, his walk rate gets you even closer to Winning. There are few, if any, catchers I’d rather have in 2014.

Ramon Santiago

Debut: 2002 |  BirthDate: 8/31/1979 | Position: 2B/3B/SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 259 47 2 1 17 19 .206 .283 .272 .253 -14.6 2.7 -0.4
’13 234 46 1 0 14 27 .224 .298 .288 .268 -10.0 4.5 0.2
’14 1 0 0 0 0 0 .242 .307 .333 .287 -0.0 0.0 0.0

Profile: There was a time where Ramon Santiago’s free agency might have been eagerly anticipated by at least one General Manager out there. After 2010, perhaps, when he had an average walk rate, made a ton of contact, and with average batted ball luck and (perhaps) believable defensive numbers, he was an average major league ball player (two wins) in only 367 plate appearances. Since that time, though, he’s never once cracked 300 plate appearances again, his walk rate has been inconsistent, and his defense settled back in as above-average instead of superlative. He’s been worth one combined win in the three years since. If only he had any power, or added anything on the basepaths, he might make sense as a cheap starter for a team that was stacked elsewhere. Steamer thinks he could be worth a win in full time even as he is. But at 34, we know who he is, and what his faults are. At this point, he’s a perennial waiver wire pickup in deep leagues when the starter in front of him goes down. That starter, and his team, are TBD, but that hardly matters much. (Eno Sarris)

Quick Opinion: Maybe, just maybe, it will matter where Ramon Santiago ends up. If it’s on a team with an oft-injured starter, he could be interesting at some point in 2014. But not during the draft.

Omir Santos

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 4/29/1981 | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 10 1 0 0 1 0 .125 .111 .125 .098 -1.8 -1.1 -0.3
’13 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 -0.2 0.1 -0.0
’14 1 0 0 0 0 0 .229 .265 .327 .261 -0.0 0.0 0.0

Profile: Omir Santos has spent parts of eight seasons in the minors and parts of five in the majors. In 349 career MLB at-bats, the journeyman catcher has wracked up seven homers, a .248/.280/.363 slash, 29 runs and 41 RBI. This is roughly similar to Wellington Castillo’s 2013, but with a much lower batting average. The dual problem here is that Castillo was the 20th ranked catcher this year and that the vast majority of Santos’s MLB plate appearances (306 of them) came with the Mets in 2009. His 2013 line with the Indians? Oh for one. Santos may not be ready to hang up the cleats, but there is unlikely to be a major league job waiting for him. In fact, if you are still reading this, you have already put more thought into Santos than most major league teams will this year. (Chad Young)

Quick Opinion: Omir Santos has accrued 349 MLB PA in his career, but only 33 since 2009. Unless you are in a triple-A fantasy league, you probably don’t want Santos on your roster (you probably don’t want him on your roster in that league either, actually).

Dave Sappelt

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 1/2/1987 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 78 19 2 0 8 8 .275 .351 .449 .345 1.0 4.2 0.8
’13 78 18 0 3 4 6 .240 .269 .280 .246 -5.1 -1.8 -0.5
’14 1 0 0 0 0 0 .263 .313 .377 .304 -0.0 -0.0 0.0

Profile: Seventy eight plate appearances. That’s how much major league time Dave Sappelt saw in Chicago in 2012, and it’s exactly how much he saw in 2013 as well. What he did with them is another story. 2012: .275/.351/.449. 2013: .240/.269/.280. 2012: 0.8 WAR. 2013: -0.5 WAR. One difference, year over year? Sappelt’s absurd .455 batting average on balls in play against lefites in 2012 dropped to a more reasonable .279. With it most of his other numbers crashed as well. A number of similar characters already exist on the roster, so the Cubs releasing Sappelt was hardly a surprise. He does not have a major league job at the time of this writing. Until he does, it’s safe to ignore for fantasy purposes. Even then… (Jack Weiland)

Quick Opinion: He’s got some speed and defense, but only one of those show up in the fantasy box score, and the combination is not one that demands playing time.

Josh Satin

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 12/23/1984 | Team: Mets | Position: 1B/3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 -0.3 0.0 -0.0
’13 221 53 3 1 17 23 .279 .376 .405 .346 3.9 1.5 1.3
’14 93 21 2 1 9 10 .253 .337 .376 .318 0.3 -2.3 0.1

Profile: Josh Satin was one of several Mets who got their first extended taste of the show at an advanced age. Satin did show some skills, however. He played both first and third base and displayed gap power and on-base skills. This performance was consistent with the type of production he showed in the minors, where he consistently posted a high doubles rate and an on-base percentage around .400. First base is crowded for the Mets, though both Ike Davis and Lucas Duda have been mentioned in trade rumors, and third base is locked up by David Wright. So, without a position change (he played a good amount of second base in the minors) Satin looks more like a utility infielder and bat off the bench if he remains in Flushing. If he lands somewhere with a path to 400 at-bats, he’d be worthy of consideration in deep leagues, AL-/NL-only leagues, and leagues that count OBP. (Derek Ambrosino)

Quick Opinion: While there isn’t an exciting ceiling to his game, the 28-year-old Satin appeared to be competent hitter with gap power and above average on-base skills – talents he showed throughout his minor league career. With a logjam at first base and David Wright at the hot corner in Flushing, he’s probably looking at a bench role, though.

Michael Saunders

Debut: 2009 |  BirthDate: 11/19/1986 | Team: Mariners | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 553 125 19 21 57 71 .247 .306 .432 .320 9.5 -7.6 2.1
’13 468 96 12 13 46 59 .236 .323 .397 .315 0.4 -5.3 1.2
’14 510 103 14 14 53 58 .231 .315 .383 .309 -3.2 -0.8 1.4

Profile: With the Seattle Mariners going for broke in 2014, one gets the sense is put up or shut up time for Michael Saunders. “The Condor,” 27, has shown flashes of his potential in his career in Seattle, even sniffing a 20/20 season in 2012, his best campaign yet. He was hampered by injuries early in 2013, and if there’s anything to take away from his underwhelming season, it is his second half split. A shoulder sprain set him back in April, and word is he played through pain for a considerable amount of time, impacting his swing. Perhaps healthy later in the summer, his second half slash line of .251/.350/.440 with 13 doubles and six home runs over 175 plate appearances is enough to raise a curious eyebrow. He was walking at almost a 13% clip and striking out less frequently going from 27% to a 23% strikeout rate. After improving his hitting versus left handed pitching in 2012, he badly regressed in 2013, managing just a .211/.293/.361 slash line and it’s likely he finds himself in a platoon role for 2014. (Michael Barr)

Quick Opinion: If Saunders could somehow manage to fix his platoon splits, he’d be an interesting flier in your draft for 2014. His second half of 2013 was actually a promising .251/.350/.440 but he’s more likely to be cast in a platoon role going forward. Going into his age 27 season, there’s potential for a breakout, so maybe a bench stash in a deep league is warranted. But don’t put your first born on the table.

Logan Schafer

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 9/8/1986 | Team: Brewers | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 25 7 0 0 5 3 .304 .320 .522 .347 0.7 2.4 0.4
’13 337 63 4 7 33 29 .211 .279 .322 .269 -11.6 1.5 0.0
’14 355 80 6 8 34 35 .249 .307 .373 .300 -5.2 -2.6 0.3

Profile: Schafer is a lovely defensive specialist who can handle all three outfield positions, but he proved to be overmatched at the plate (.269 weighted on-base average) in his rookie season. While the 27-year-old can swipe a few bags, he offers nothing else of value offensively and should be nothing more than the fourth-or-fifth outfielder in Milwaukee. (JP Breen)

Jordan Schafer

Debut: 2009 |  BirthDate: 9/4/1986 | Team: Braves | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 360 66 4 27 23 40 .211 .297 .294 .266 -14.7 -2.7 -0.6
’13 265 57 3 22 21 32 .247 .331 .346 .303 0.5 0.2 0.9
’14 360 71 4 21 26 38 .225 .303 .320 .279 -9.7 0.9 0.2

Profile: Schafer is an interesting fifth outfield type who isn’t known for particularly good defense. His skill set is mostly built around speed despite tepid defensive marks, which makes him mildly useful to fantasy owners when he plays. He’s managed to accrue over 950 plate appearances in the past three seasons, and posted his best offensive season in 2013. A career best weighted offense just nine percent below league average was accompanied by a .348 batting average on balls in play, which will likely decline back towards his career .316 mark. The high BABIP is really the only positive change in his profile and might explain away his good season. Schafer does walk a lot for a punchless batter, and he can swipe bases with aplomb. Fantasy owners were able to leverage him down the stretch last season to bulk up on steals. His solid 2013 probably earned him another shot at around 250 plate appearances, but he’s only one poor season away from signing a minor league contract. He may once again provide cheap, waiver wire steals for owners in deep leagues 2014, just be sure you don’t need any other category from him. (Brad Johnson)

Quick Opinion: Schafer can swipe bases, but lacks any other notable skill. Despite his speed, even his defense is suspect, which makes his grasp on a major league job tenuous. Most teams want their backup outfielder to have a slick glove or power, but Schafer has neither.

Nate Schierholtz

Debut: 2007 |  BirthDate: 2/15/1984 | Team: Cubs | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 269 62 6 3 21 20 .257 .321 .407 .314 -1.1 -3.8 0.4
’13 503 116 21 6 68 56 .251 .301 .470 .331 3.5 -5.1 1.4
’14 490 114 15 6 59 54 .256 .314 .432 .324 0.6 -6.8 0.9

Profile: It didn’t grab many headlines, but Schierholtz may have been one of the best bargain signings of last offseason. Signed for just over $4 million, Schierholtz snagged an everyday(ish) role for the Cubs and swatted a career high 21 home runs while triple slashing .251/.301/.470. That he accomplished this despite a battting average on balls in play thirty percentage points below his career average is even more impressive. All but two of his home runs went to right field in 2013, and while they had enough distance to leave most yards, Schierholtz’s dead pull style may be a factor as pitching adjusts to him in 2014. He also flashes much more power against right-handed pitching than he does against lefties (career isolated slugging percentages of .102 and .173) but not enough for it to be a major concern. He’s a solid, steady late round fantasy option who walks, makes contact, can chip in power, and won’t break the bank. Just make sure you’re in a daily league and can platoon him like his major league team does. (Jack Weiland)

Quick Opinion: Schierholtz was a superb value signing for the Cubs last winter. He rewarded the team with a career high 21 home runs, despite signs that he was somewhat unlucky last season. He’s a strong depth outfield pick for 2014 in leagues that are friendly to platoons.

Jonathan Schoop

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 10/16/1991 | Team: Orioles | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 15 4 1 0 1 5 .286 .333 .500 .364 0.5 -1.4 -0.0
’14 276 62 7 3 29 29 .243 .294 .376 .295 -6.0 0.6 0.4

Profile: Schoop appeared to be on the fast track as a he was hustled through the minors before a stress fracture in his back cost him a big chunk of the season. The Curacao native did return and even got a cup of coffee in the majors at the end of the season. Schoop is a big, athletic infielder with bat speed and pop in his bat. He’s got a strong arm, but is too stiff for shortstop. He could wind up as a power-hitting second baseman or perhaps third baseman. Where he fits on the Orioles isn’t clear, but the addition of Jemile Weeks would seem to indicate 2014 will be another developmental year in the minors for Schoop. (Al Skorupa)

Quick Opinion: A year lost to a stress fracture in Schoop’s back caused the Orioles to look outside the organization for their need at second base (Jemile Weeks). He appears ticketed for a return to Triple-A, but could be a contributor in average and homers if injuries strike.

Skip Schumaker

Debut: 2005 |  BirthDate: 2/3/1980 | Team: Reds | Position: 2B/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 304 75 1 1 28 37 .276 .339 .368 .310 -0.9 -1.3 0.8
’13 356 84 2 2 30 31 .263 .332 .332 .301 -5.8 -14.2 -1.0
’14 438 101 4 4 36 40 .258 .322 .343 .297 -8.6 -13.9 -1.0

Profile: In theory, a lefty swinger who can play both second base and all three outfield spots is a pretty intriguing piece to have. In practice, Skip Schumaker is a below-average hitter without speed or power who is barely playable at second and is mediocre at best in the outfield. His offensive numbers for the last four seasons have been very consistent — always between zero and five steals and homers, always a batting average between .265-.285 — and it’s unlikely to expect improvement at 34. There might be a reason for Cincinnati to want him on the bench, but there’s just no fantasy utility here. (Mike Petriello)

Quick Opinion: Schumaker doesn’t hit homers, steal bases, or hit for a high average, and his defense certainly isn’t keeping him on the field. Unless your league has a spot for “position players who can pitch,” he’s not worth fantasy consideration.

Luke Scott

Debut: 2005 |  BirthDate: 6/25/1978 | Position: DH
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 344 72 14 5 55 35 .229 .285 .439 .308 -0.5 -9.4 0.1
’13 291 61 9 1 40 27 .241 .326 .415 .326 1.5 -8.2 0.3
’14 1 0 0 0 0 0 .238 .313 .419 .319 0.0 -0.0 0.0

Profile: In 2013, injuries once again sabotaged Luke Scott’s usefulness. He mustered only 291 plate appearances, and though he hit rather well (.241/.326/.415 with nine homers), his cold finish to the season pushed him to the bench even when he reached full health. His prospects for 2014 were dim, so he went to Korea. Before you look for him to produce for your fantasy team, make sure his even on a North America team. He could maybe have landed a minor league deal and maybe could be back in 2015, but do not be surprised if he decides to thank all his doctors one last time and just call it a career. (@BradleyWoodrum)

Quick Opinion: Luke Scott’s three year run of injuries make him a nearly toxic asset for an MLB club, so he’ll play in Korea in 2014. Fantasy owners, don’t bother with Scott.

Marco Scutaro

Debut: 2002 |  BirthDate: 10/30/1975 | Team: Giants | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 683 190 7 9 74 87 .306 .348 .405 .329 -0.7 -2.0 2.0
’13 547 145 2 2 31 57 .297 .357 .369 .325 7.8 0.6 2.7
’14 580 150 6 4 50 68 .286 .341 .385 .322 5.3 0.6 2.5

Profile: While he managed to appear in 127 games and garner 547 plate appearances, Scutaro’s 2013 can be best summed up with the phrase “injury-plagued.” In addition to his 38-year old back continuously acting up, the veteran second baseman was hit on the hand with a pitch in June and while he didn’t seem to miss significant time, it was the obvious culprit when looking for a reason behind a career-low .072 isolated slugging percentage. Scutaro did manage to improve both his walk and strikeout rates from the year before, but considering the rest of his offensive shortcomings, those improvements had little or no impact in the grand scheme of things. He was eventually shut down in September when surgery to repair a pinky tendon was necessary and he’ll look to pick things up again in 2014. He walks in as the Giants starting second baseman once again and should see a general improvement across the board. However, he’ll need to stay healthy to do so, and at his age, that could be a tough task to complete. (Howard Bender)

Quick Opinion: Injuries got the better of Scutaro in 2013 and Father Time is showing the veteran second baseman little mercy here in the twilight of his career — health is stealing plate appearances and effectiveness from him, slowly. Given the mediocre depth at the position, he’ll still provide a decent value if he remains healthy, but he’s only a late-round target after the younger players with higher upside have been drafted.

Kyle Seager

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 11/3/1987 | Team: Mariners | Position: 3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 651 154 20 13 86 62 .259 .316 .423 .321 6.1 7.0 3.6
’13 695 160 22 9 69 79 .260 .338 .426 .337 10.3 -1.3 3.4
’14 638 149 18 8 76 75 .262 .332 .419 .331 5.7 1.8 3.1

Profile: Kyle Seager is the only Mariners’ hitter that has performed well both of the past two seasons, and there’s no reason to think he’ll stop now. However, due to the lack of anything consistently above-average around him, Seager’s value has been overblown a bit. The left-handed hitter is a pretty good real-life player, but in fantasy baseball, he’s “eh.” Seager hit 22 homers last year, with a batting average clocking in at .260 and an on-base percentage of .338. He failed to score 80 bases or drive in 70 runs, but we can blame most of that failure on the lack of support around him. With Robinson Cano, Corey Hart, and Logan Morrison now in the mix with a full season of Brad Miller, Seager should be able to score 80 times and drive in 80 runs, depending on where he bats in the lineup. Third base isn’t always pretty, so consider Seager a relatively un-sexy starting option. (Zach Sanders)

Quick Opinion: Kyle Seager is one of the lone bright spots from the M’s past, and he’ll continue to be a less than sexy option, but worth starting at third base in all leagues.

Jean Segura

Debut: 2012 |  BirthDate: 3/17/1990 | Team: Brewers | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 166 39 0 7 14 19 .258 .315 .325 .278 -4.4 -2.4 -0.1
’13 623 173 12 44 49 74 .294 .329 .423 .329 7.1 5.3 3.4
’14 611 158 11 33 58 72 .281 .324 .407 .319 0.2 6.0 2.6

Profile: Segura sprinted out of the gate, posting .424 and .394 weighted on-base averages in April and May, respectively. He cooled significantly as the season progressed, ultimately finishing the year with .258 and .248 wOBAs in August and September. His late-season struggles were ascribed to fatigue — which probably carries some truth — but fantasy owners should be more concerned that his ground-ball rate spiked after the month of April. Five out of the last six months featured a ground-ball percentage over 59%. His power numbers fell accordingly. At his core, Segura is a high-average, high-steal shortstop with the potential to reach double-digit homers. That’s very valuable in all fantasy formats. Prior to 2013, I said Segura could be a Jose Altuve type option at shortstop, and I think that comp remains relevant. With Hanley Ramirez, Jose Reyes and Troy Tulowitzki returning to the fold, though, it’s not clear he’s a top-five shortstop, especially if he continues to beat the baseball into the ground. Don’t overpay on draft day. (JP Breen)

Quick Opinion: Segura stormed the league in April and May and became the number-one fantasy shortstop in 2013. However, the overall ranking belies his significant struggles in the second half and the power is now a huge question mark. He’s probably still a top-five shortstop, but that’s not a given.

Marcus Semien

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 9/17/1990 | Team: White Sox | Position: 3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 71 18 2 2 7 7 .261 .268 .406 .291 -2.8 1.5 0.1
’14 200 44 5 5 22 23 .248 .320 .401 .318 -1.1 0.8 0.7

Profile: Along with Garin Cecchini (Boston), Maikel Franco (Philadelphia), and Danny Salazar (Cleveland), Semien produced in 2013 one of the most excellent overall performances among those players who’d entered the campaign absent from any of the more notable preseason top-100 prospect lists. Unlike Salazar, however, he’s unlikely to begin 2014 regarded as an integral part of his parent club’s roster; and, unlike Cecchini or Franco, he probably won’t be found within the top half of 2014’s preseason top 100 lists. A lack of pedigree is perhaps to blame for the oversight, or a lack of one notable tool. Regardless, from what Semien demonstrated in the high minors last season, he appears to be the sort of player who, in the not very distant future, will provide something like league average production both offensively and defensively. The White Sox’ offseason acquisition of Matt Davidson from Arizona suggests that Semien probably won’t be the club’s opening-day third baseman. His overall skill set, however, suggests that he could be of some use to a major-league team. (Carson Cistulli)

Quick Opinion: Given his combination of offensive and defensive skills, Semien is a candidate to be a league-average player starting now. Following the acquisition of Matt Davidson, however, he’ll likely start the 2014 season in Triple-A Charlotte.

Kelly Shoppach

Debut: 2005 |  BirthDate: 4/29/1980 | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 245 51 8 1 27 23 .233 .309 .425 .316 -2.4 5.5 1.2
’13 127 21 3 0 9 11 .193 .288 .339 .280 -4.9 2.3 0.2
’14 130 23 4 1 13 12 .204 .281 .347 .279 -4.5 2.5 0.2

Profile: Back in his prime, Shoppach was capable to providing strong power and a low batting average at a tough position. The power is gone now, and the batting average has fallen to unusable levels. He’ll need a few injuries in front of him in order to take on a full-time role again. (Chris Cwik)

J.B. Shuck

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 6/18/1987 | Team: Angels | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 478 128 2 8 39 60 .293 .331 .366 .308 -0.4 -10.5 0.5
’14 347 86 2 8 28 39 .276 .335 .353 .307 -1.6 -6.1 0.4

Profile: Shuck landed a surprising 478 plate appearances in 2013, but his late-season swoon and non-prospect status mean he will cede his playing time to 26-year-old Kole Calhoun. One must imagine Shuck would, however, resume a large-side platoon role if the Angels suffer a spate of outfield injuries. Shuck has decent on-base skills for a player with limited power potential, and he can grab a few stolen bases, possibly double digit steals with full playing time. In an on-base percentage or batting average league, a full-time Shuck can be a dandy tool on the bench. (@BradleyWoodrum)

Quick Opinion: Shuck has batting average and on-base talents that make him alluring as a bench player, but only in deep league or in the instance where injuries put Shuck back into the daily lineup will he really have any fantasy value.

Moises Sierra

Debut: 2012 |  BirthDate: 9/24/1988 | Team: Blue Jays | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 157 33 6 1 15 14 .224 .274 .374 .285 -5.0 -5.6 -0.6
’13 122 31 1 1 13 11 .290 .369 .458 .359 1.7 -3.1 0.3
’14 134 30 4 2 15 14 .245 .301 .394 .305 -2.1 -2.8 -0.1

Profile: Moises Sierra did not really turn any heads in his 2012 major league debut, but in 2013 he looked decent at the plate, hitting .290/.369/.458 (albeit over a near-meaningless sample of 122 plate appearances). Sierra is 25, so there is might be some room for growth. But while his minor league numbers are not bad, they do not exactly scream “future star” or even “future major-league regular.” Nonetheless, with Melky Cabrera coming off an injury-filled year, and the Blue Jays reportedly interested in trading Colby Rasmus (putting Anthony Gose into the starting center fielder role), there may very well be playing time for Sierra in Toronto in a backup role. The team might also utilize him as a platoon partner for Adam Lind. None of this means Sierra should be a target on draft day, but if you have bench space in deep leagues at the end of the draft and are looking for a bat, Sierra would not be a bad choice. (Matt Klaassen)

Quick Opinion: Sierra does not have tons of upside, but as a bench bat choice at the end of a draft in deep leagues, he might fit.

Andrelton Simmons

Debut: 2012 |  BirthDate: 9/4/1989 | Team: Braves | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 182 48 3 1 19 17 .289 .335 .416 .324 2.1 13.2 2.2
’13 658 150 17 6 59 76 .248 .296 .396 .303 -8.1 31.6 4.7
’14 625 152 13 10 62 69 .267 .318 .408 .318 0.9 18.4 4.1

Profile: The excellent-fielding Simmons entered 2013 with some hope for an offensive breakout. He mashed the ball in the World Baseball Classic and spring training. While it’s dangerous to put too much weight on exhibition performances, they can signal improvements in skill set. Simmons was a bit of a let down with the bat, but he still had a pretty strong year. He swatted 17 home runs, stole a handful of bases, and cut his strikeout rate down to a stingy 8.4%. Simmons also suffered through a low .247 batting average on balls in play that projects to be much closer to league average in future seasons, especially if he can iron out the infield fly balls. Simmons might fall as a post-hype sleeper in some leagues due to his poor .248/.296/.396 batting line, but just with regressed BABIP alone, he projects to something around .270/.320/.410. That line, from a full time shortstop with over 20 home runs plus steals, is a solid performance. There is a small chance for a true breakout too. While it doesn’t help fantasy owners, Simmons has been ridiculously effective in the field with 35.6 runs saved per Ultimate Zone Rating and 60 runs saved per Defensive Runs Saved in a little over one season of work. (Brad Johnson)

Quick Opinion: Simmons is more than a slick fielder as he possesses the ability to pop a dozen or more home runs and contribute a little in the four other categories too. From an outfielder, his offensive profile would be waiver bait, but as a shortstop he’s a solid mid-tier asset.

Grady Sizemore

Debut: 2004 |  BirthDate: 8/2/1982 | Team: Red Sox | Position: OF
’14 169 37 4 2 18 19 .240 .301 .389 .303 -3.0 0.6 0.4

Profile: Grady’s ladies will have to move a bit north next year. Or maybe Sizemore doesn’t have a fan club anymore. He hasn’t had a plate appearance since 2011, and he was pretty bad that year in most facets of the game. By that time, his walk rate was worse than average, his strikeout rate was bottom-five bad, his speed had evaporated, and his power wasn’t enough to make up for the fact that his glove was getting worse, too. Even his Best Shape of His Life game is off: he arrived at camp admitting he wasn’t necessarily in great baseball shape, but was in good physical shape. Huh. Let’s say we aren’t optimistic that he can even hit his mediocre projections for sparse playing time with a bad batting average and a little bit of power and speed. That said, with Jacoby Ellsbury gone, the Boston outfield features one 33-year-old no-doubter in Shane Victorino, and two open spots that can be filled with some combination of surprise contributor Daniel Nava, platoon bat Jonny Gomes, rookie Jackie Bradley, and the reclamation vet Sizemore. There’s some opportunity here, just not enough promise to bet on in anything but the deepest of leagues. (Eno Sarris)

Quick Opinion: In 2008, Grady Sizemore went 30/30 and played dazzling center field. Three seasons later, he was out of baseball. That upside is gone, but that downside remains, making him an opportunity play in the deepest of leagues at best.

Scott Sizemore

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 1/4/1985 | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 6 1 0 0 0 0 .167 .167 .333 .212 -0.5 -1.2 -0.2
’14 234 52 5 4 24 27 .254 .334 .397 .324 0.2 0.6 0.9

Profile: After missing the entire 2012 season with a torn left ACL, Sizemore lasted all of six plate appearances in 2013 before tearing it again, forcing him to miss the rest of the year. Now signed to a minor-league deal with the Yankees, he’ll be fighting an uphill battle to make the roster against Kelly Johnson, Brian Roberts, Eduardo Nunez and Brendan Ryan. (Scott Strandberg)

Quick Opinion: Sizemore was pretty decent in 2011, with a .245/.342/.399 slash over 429 plate appearances. Unfortunately, that was two torn ACLs ago. It would be a great story for Sizemore to be relevant again, but don’t count on it.

Kyle Skipworth

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 3/1/1990 | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 4 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .250 .000 .173 -0.5 0.1 -0.0
’14 1 0 0 0 0 0 .203 .258 .343 .264 -0.0 0.0 0.0

Profile: Skipworth? How about “skip him, he’s worthless”? Once a potential catching prospect for the Marlins, Skipworth proved incapable of hitting with any sort of consistency and has little or no plate discipline of which to speak. Through Single to Triple-A, he’s never posted a strikeout rate below 30% and while he’s flashed some power potential at times, it’s too difficult to see any remote positives through all those whiffs. The Marlins actually gave up on him after last season and outrighted him off the 40-man roster in December. He’ll languish in the minors as organizational depth and has very little chance of ever making it to The Show. Fantasy owners need not even glance his way. Ever. (Howard Bender)

Quick Opinion: Skipworth has zero redeemable value in fantasy circles and you’ve probably just wasted the last ten seconds of your life just reading about him.

Seth Smith

Debut: 2007 |  BirthDate: 9/30/1982 | Team: Padres | Position: DH/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 441 92 14 2 52 55 .240 .333 .420 .325 5.0 -7.6 1.2
’13 410 93 8 0 40 49 .253 .329 .391 .318 2.5 -5.9 1.1
’14 292 60 7 1 29 30 .234 .317 .376 .304 -1.3 -7.7 -0.0

Profile: After enjoying two mildly successful seasons in Oakland, Seth Smith is off to San Diego to play for the Padres. Smith wasn’t a fantasy option for each of two seasons out of Coors, and now he’s stuck behind four other outfielders on the Padres depth chart. Smith will likely be asked to pinch-hit against righties and provide insurance should Carlos Quentin and Cameron Maybin fall to injury. With playing time in question and calling a less than ideal ballpark hame, Smith should not be touched in drafts, but you should certainly keep an eye on his playing time and the possibility of a waiver wire pickup in mid-season. (Zach Sanders)

Quick Opinion: With playing time in question, Smith isn’t worth drafting, but he’s worth keeping an eye on in case he runs into more at-bats in San Diego.

Justin Smoak

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 12/5/1986 | Team: Mariners | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 535 105 19 1 51 49 .217 .290 .364 .288 -13.8 -8.6 -0.5
’13 521 108 20 0 50 53 .238 .334 .412 .331 0.3 -13.9 0.4
’14 577 115 21 1 68 66 .231 .328 .404 .323 -0.5 -11.1 0.8

Profile: If you’re staring at your screen surprised that Justin Smoak was an above-average offensive player last year, then you should be ashamed of yourself for not paying attention to how far the league’s average offense dipped down last year. Smoak finally delivered on just a tiny bit of the promise he displayed in the minors, but he still hit .238 with only a .412 SLG at first base, so that’s not so much fun. The Mariners have grown tired of Smoak, and acquiring both Corey Hart and Logan Morrison pushes the switch-hitting first baseman to either deliver or get shipped out of town for a bucket of balls. Smoak was a decent platoon bat for roto owners last year, hitting .260 with a .361 OBP against righties, but those still aren’t the numbers you’re going to want from your first baseman. If Smoak can get out of Safeco, he’ll be much more interesting, otherwise he’s a sad excuse for a fantasy first baseman. (Zach Sanders)

Quick Opinion: Justin Smoak will be much more intriguing if he can get out of Safeco, but until that time, he’s a pretty poor option if you’d like to come anywhere close to winning a title.

Travis Snider

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 2/2/1988 | Team: Pirates | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 185 41 4 2 17 23 .250 .319 .378 .307 -1.3 -1.8 0.3
’13 285 56 5 2 25 28 .215 .281 .333 .271 -10.9 -3.3 -0.6
’14 396 91 11 7 45 45 .257 .323 .423 .325 3.2 -10.5 0.5

Profile: It may feel like a distant memory nowadays, but Snider was once considered among the very best prospects the game had to offer — peaking at sixth on the Baseball America’s Top 100 in 2009. He’s evolved from hyped prospect, to post-hype breakout candidate, to whatever he is today. Snider was Bad Travis again for the Pirates in 2013, hitting .215/.281/.333. He only faced lefties 25 times last season, and yet still managed to strike out in more than half of those at-bats. He still has the talent that once made general managers drool, and may be a mechanical fix away from cashing in those chips, but to date has not shown (at any point) that he can be a capable major league hitter. With Gregory Polanco on the way, Snider’s faults might make Jose Tabata the full-timer in right field, aka Mr. Soon To Be Irrelevant. (Jack Weiland)

Quick Opinion: Once an elite prospect, Snider struggled again at the major league level in 2013, and may be running out of time to make good on his considerable promise. He hits like a pitcher against southpaws, and only marginally better against righties.

Brandon Snyder

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 11/23/1986 | Position: 3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 69 18 3 0 9 11 .277 .309 .446 .327 0.5 -1.3 0.1
’13 52 9 2 0 7 5 .180 .212 .360 .250 -4.5 -0.2 -0.3
’14 33 7 1 0 4 4 .243 .293 .392 .300 -0.7 0.1 0.1

Profile: Brandon Snyder appears destined for yet another season of riding the Triple-A-to-MLB bench shuttle. Unless your league awards bonus points for miles traveled between Boston and Pawtucket, don’t bother. (Colin Zarzycki)

Eric Sogard

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 5/22/1986 | Team: Athletics | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 108 17 2 2 7 8 .167 .206 .275 .212 -8.2 4.0 -0.1
’13 410 98 2 10 35 45 .266 .322 .364 .303 -4.1 2.8 1.3
’14 287 68 4 8 27 31 .263 .324 .370 .307 -1.7 1.7 1.0

Profile: Nerd Power! Harry Potter! Glasses! No, I’m not talking about my typical Friday night, but instead Eric Sogard. Last season saw Sogard set a career high in both games played and plate appearances. He spent most of his time at second base, however he did log time at shortstop and third base. With Alberto Callaspo, Nick Punto, Jed Lowrie, and Josh Donaldson all figuring to get playing time, Sogard may be on the outside looking in for a starters role. Unless you happen to play in a 20-team AL-Only league, Sogard shouldn’t figure into your fantasy plans. He is a solid utility player, but doesn’t have a real role in the muggle, errr, I mean roto world. (David Wiers)

Quick Opinion: Sogard performed admirably in 130 games last season, however one should look elsewhere for help on one’s fantasy squad.

Donovan Solano

Debut: 2012 |  BirthDate: 12/17/1987 | Team: Marlins | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 316 84 2 7 28 29 .295 .342 .375 .314 1.1 -0.7 1.1
’13 395 90 3 3 34 33 .249 .305 .316 .277 -15.4 3.8 0.0
’14 270 65 2 2 22 25 .261 .310 .351 .293 -5.6 0.8 0.4

Profile: With little power and speed, even a full-time job starting at second base for the Fish is unlikely to pay dividends for fantasy owners. Solano does make respectable contact and with a history of above-average batting average on balls in play marks, he should be a slight contributor in batting average. However, playing for a weak offense and possessing a power/speed upside that looks like five home runs and five steals means that he could be safely ignored outside of NL-Only leagues. (Mike Podhorzer)

Quick Opinion: Solano is your prototypical light-hitting, solid-fielding middle infielder who ends up on your fantasy team only as a last resort. If your starting second baseman or middle infielder is named Donovan and he plays for the Miami Marlins, you know you did something wrong.

Alfonso Soriano

Debut: 1999 |  BirthDate: 1/7/1976 | Team: Yankees | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 615 147 32 6 108 68 .262 .322 .499 .350 9.0 5.2 3.6
’13 626 148 34 18 101 84 .255 .302 .489 .340 8.1 -0.4 2.9
’14 558 122 23 10 76 65 .238 .293 .434 .315 -5.5 -14.1 -0.1

Profile: 2011 – “This is the year Soriano declines.” Nope. 2012 — “OK, this is the year he declines.” Nope. 2013 — OK, THIS will be the year he declines!” Nope. Soriano continues to defy the critics but hitting more and more home runs — his total has increased each of the previous five seasons, just as his home run per fly ball ratio has. He has given up a bit of contact to fend off the power decline, and his walk rate is as log as it ever has been. He showed a lot more patience with the Yankees (8.6% walk rate) than he did with the Cubs (3.9% walk rate) but split his homers evenly between the two teams. He is still primarily a pull hitter, but can hit home runs to all parts of the ballpark as his power has not waned much. He will be 38 years old in 2014; to date, there have been just 30 outfielders who have spent most of their time in the outfield in that season at that age since 1990 and only Raul Ibanez has done so with the strikeout rate that Soriano exhibits. This will be the year Soriano declines. I say that with 50% certainty. (Jason Collette)

Quick Opinion: He will be 38 years old in 2014; to date, there have been just 30 outfielders who have spent most of their time in the outfield in that season at that age since 1990 and only Raul Ibanez has done so with the strikeout rate that Soriano exhibits. This will be the year Soriano declines. I say that with 50% certainty.

Neftali Soto

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 2/28/1989 | Team: Reds | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 13 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .077 .000 .056 -3.2 -0.1 -0.3
’14 107 24 4 1 13 11 .241 .287 .409 .304 -1.4 0.4 0.2

Profile: Neftali Soto has a pretty large Votto-shaped roadblock on his way to playing first base for the Reds, and until that’s resolved — likely via trade, because an attempt to move back to third in the minors didn’t prove he could handle it in the bigs — his value is limited. Either way, he hasn’t been able to follow up his big 2011 Double-A season, because after 30 homers that year, he has just 29 in the two seasons since. A .313 Triple-A on-base percentage hardly gives confidence, nor does a declining isolated power number. He’s only headed into his age-25 season, but he’s in a tough spot — no clear path to the majors, a bat that might not play at first, and a glove that may not play anywhere else. (Mike Petriello)

Quick Opinion: Neftali Soto has an intriguing power profile, but he’s blocked in Cincinnati by Joey Votto and may not be able to handle any other position defensively. Until he’s moved one way or another, his fantasy value is limited.

Geovany Soto

Debut: 2005 |  BirthDate: 1/20/1983 | Team: Rangers | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 361 64 11 1 39 45 .198 .270 .343 .271 -14.9 6.1 0.3
’13 184 40 9 1 22 20 .245 .328 .466 .348 -1.5 4.7 1.0
’14 327 65 11 2 38 37 .226 .310 .398 .312 -5.2 6.6 1.3

Profile: After a bit of “every other year-itis” in Chicago, Soto’s two poor seasons in a row in 2011 and 2012 (the latter of which included a trade to Texas mid-season) seemed to place him firmly as a backup catcher, a role he filled in Texas during 2013. Texas elected to let A.J. Pierzynski go to Boston, where he will undoubtedly be embraced by the Town That Brought Us the Dropkick Murphys. Rather than go out and look for another starter or a timeshare for Soto, Texas signed Toronto non-tender J.P. Arencibia, a player one would hope (for the sake of the Rangers and their fans) is not intended to be a regular. Soto was actually pretty good when he played in 2013. He hit .245/.328/.466, a good line for a catcher even with the most hitter-friendly home park in the American League. He only had 184 plate appearances, though. He walked at his highest rate since 2010, which was a good sign, but he also had the highest strikeout rate of his career. His home run power also returned. Soto would probably be better served as a platoon player, something he sort of did for Texas in 2013, but even with regression, he hits well enough to be a starting catcher in the majors — something like .230/.310/.400 is fine these days from a catcher in real baseball. In fantasy leagues, it depends on the depth and settings of your league. (Matt Klaassen)

Quick Opinion: Soto is no longer the stud he seemed to be years ago for the Cubs, but he is slated to be the primary catcher for the Rangers, whose home park is very favorable. He is not a starter in all fantasy leagues, but he should be drafted in the deeper ones.

Denard Span

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 2/27/1984 | Team: Nationals | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 568 146 4 17 41 71 .283 .342 .395 .325 6.2 9.4 3.6
’13 662 170 4 20 47 75 .279 .327 .380 .313 0.2 12.4 3.5
’14 597 144 5 16 42 68 .266 .323 .363 .305 -4.4 5.0 2.0

Profile: It has become increasingly clear that Span will never duplicate his 2008-2009 production, when he posted a .361 weighted on-base average over two seasons. He’s been an entirely different player since then; while he sustained a .390 on-base percentage over the course of ’08-’09, his best mark in the last four seasons was just .342. Span’s fantasy value has always been tied to his ability to get on base enough to steal bases and score runs, and he can’t do it like he used to. Span’s walk rate took a sharp dive last season, from 8.3% to 6.3%, but it’s been trending downward ever since his rookie season, when he had a healthy 12.2% walk rate. These days, Span is what he was last year: A .275 hitter who will steal 15-20 bases and score 70-80 runs. That’s not without value in fantasy, it’s just not very exciting either. (Scott Strandberg)

Quick Opinion: At the end of the day, there’s probably a bench spot for Span in 12-team mixed leagues, and he’ll be a fringy starting option in leagues with 14-16 teams. He’s a high-floor, low-ceiling fantasy outfielder; he won’t be terrible, but he won’t be great either.

Giancarlo Stanton

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 11/8/1989 | Team: Marlins | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 501 130 37 6 86 75 .290 .361 .608 .405 34.1 3.7 5.7
’13 504 106 24 1 62 62 .249 .365 .480 .368 19.4 -13.1 2.3
’14 550 128 35 3 89 79 .272 .371 .564 .398 32.1 -5.6 4.6

Profile: Shoulder issues and a hamstring injury limited Stanton to just 504 plate appearances, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if that shoulder also played a role in his disappointing power output. Both his isolated power and home run per fly ball rates finished at career lows, but his average home run and fly ball distance actually increased, though. So the power was still in there somewhere. On an historically weak Marlins offense that easily scored the fewest runs in baseball, it was no surprise that Stanton was only able to muster 62 runs scored and batted in. Extrapolating those marks over 600 at-bats would result in totals of just about 88, which would be quite low for someone who was on a pace for 34 home runs. Given his issues making contact, he should continue being treated as the new peak form version of Adam Dunn — any batting average above Dunn is then bonus. (Mike Podhorzer)

Quick Opinion: Though Stanton’s power output was down at career worst levels, his batted ball distance increased, suggesting no real decline actually occurred. But with continued contact issues and a weak surrounding lineup hampering his counting stats, fantasy owners might want to rein in the expectations.

Max Stassi

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 3/15/1991 | Team: Astros | Position: C/DH
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 8 2 0 0 1 0 .286 .375 .286 .312 -0.0 -0.2 0.0
’14 67 15 2 1 8 7 .243 .294 .405 .306 -0.6 1.2 0.3

Profile: Stassi was one of the most heralded prep catchers in the 2009 Draft class but his star dimmed over a number of injury-plagued and ineffective seasons. He finally put things together in 2012 in the California League. Sent to Houston last winter for Jed Lowrie, Stassi continued to get better and a .277/.333/.529 line in Double-A has established him as one of the better catching prospects in the game. With the potential for solid power numbers, Stassi could be at least a middle of the road fantasy option at catcher and has the potential for more. (Al Skorupa)

Quick Opinion: Stassi continues to improve and profiles as a power-hitting everyday catcher. He represents a solid option for fantasy teams.

Chris Stewart

Debut: 2006 |  BirthDate: 2/19/1982 | Team: Pirates | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 157 34 1 2 13 15 .241 .292 .319 .272 -4.7 4.0 0.5
’13 340 62 4 4 25 28 .211 .293 .272 .261 -18.5 11.9 0.5
’14 126 26 2 2 11 12 .230 .302 .328 .283 -3.2 2.2 0.3

Profile: Traded to the Pirates in the wake of the Brian McCann signing, Stewart’s only real skill is framing pitches. (Okay, his arm is nice.) He’s never posted an on-base percentage above .300 and has little to no power. He’ll backup former teammate Russell Martin in Pittsburgh. (Erik Hahmann)

Quick Opinion: Backup catchers are rarely ownable in fantasy leagues, especially ones as bad as Stewart.

Drew Stubbs

Debut: 2009 |  BirthDate: 10/4/1984 | Team: Rockies | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 544 105 14 30 40 75 .213 .277 .333 .271 -16.6 9.1 1.1
’13 481 100 10 17 45 59 .233 .305 .360 .296 -2.0 -6.3 0.8
’14 414 92 11 16 43 50 .251 .323 .402 .320 -3.5 1.6 1.1

Profile: It really was not that long ago that Drew Stubbs was a significant fantasy asset. From 2010-12, Stubbs clubbed 51 homers with 100 stolen bases. Over that period, only 18 players stole even 75 bases and only four of those guys cracked 50 HR — Ryan Braun, Andrew McCutchen, B.J. Upton and Stubbs. The strike outs were high, the average was low, but you can survive that with those counting stats, particularly in leagues that require a center fielder. In 2013, the counting stats dropped (10 HR and 17 SB) but that is more a result of opportunity than production. Now Stubbs — a player with good speed and good power and a serious deficiency hitting curveballs — has been shipped off to Colorado — a park that should give him plenty of chances to hit doubles, triples and homers, and will make all those dastardly curveballs just a bit less dastardly. But before we go calling Stubbs a sleeper and heralding this trade as a panacea for his fantasy value, remember that Colorado (even sans Fowler) has a crowded outfield and that Stubbs has a sizable platoon split. As with so many things in life, fantasy production is all about opportunity. If Stubbs gets his, he could turn a tidy profit at a low cost (if you can live with a weak average). More than likely, though, he is the small side of a platoon, or perhaps a fourth outfielder, though still useful in deep leagues with daily lineups. (Chad Young)

Quick Opinion: Stubbs’s power-speed combo puts him in elite company but his playing time is less-than-elite. If he gets a chance to play every day, he could impact your team, if you can live with his poor batting average, so watch the news surrounding Rockies OF.

Kurt Suzuki

Debut: 2007 |  BirthDate: 10/4/1983 | Team: Twins | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 442 96 6 2 43 36 .235 .276 .328 .264 -21.8 13.5 0.6
’13 316 66 5 2 32 25 .232 .290 .337 .271 -11.8 5.7 0.4
’14 354 78 8 2 36 36 .244 .304 .374 .296 -6.5 5.3 1.1

Profile: For the second straight season, Suzuki failed to recapture his power stroke. Most teams have figured out that he’s not a full-time option anymore — but not the Twins, who named him their starting catcher despite having more exciting younger options in house. He hasn’t hit higher than .242 since 2009, and has clubbed just 11 home runs over the past two seasons combined. Suzuki has a reputation as a player who works well with pitchers, so perhaps his real-life skills make the decision a solid one for the Twins. Even if he does keep the starting job all year, though, there’s no reason to start him on your fantasy team. (Chris Cwik)

Quick Opinion: Suzuki’s days as a low-upside catcher are over. Well, he’s still a low-upside catcher, but now the downside is so low that it’s just not worth it.

Ichiro Suzuki

Debut: 2001 |  BirthDate: 10/22/1973 | Team: Yankees | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 663 178 9 29 55 77 .283 .307 .390 .300 -5.3 6.1 2.3
’13 555 136 7 20 35 57 .262 .297 .342 .281 -14.0 5.5 1.1
’14 353 92 4 12 32 38 .280 .315 .368 .298 -6.5 -0.8 0.5

Profile: Ichiro recently turned 40, but he continued to play most days in 2013. That may not continue now that Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran have joined the Yankees, although he would have suitors if the team decided to trade him. Ichiro has lost speed his last two seasons. He stole 40-plus bases in both 2010 and 2011, but that fell to 29 and 20 the last two seasons. The loss of speed has likely also driven his declining batting average, which has fallen below .300 the last three seasons (with a .294 batting average on balls in play) after not doing so in any of his first 10 seasons when his BABIP was .347. Ichiro is no longer a guarantee to provide a boost in average, but he is unlikely to do damage there, and he still adds decent speed. Avoid trying to platoon Ichiro. He has a reverse platoon split in his career and hit almost 100 points higher versus lefties than righties in 2013. (Scott Spratt)

Quick Opinion: Ichiro may lose his role as an everyday player in 2014, even if the Yankees trade him. He is a source of a little speed and a meh batting average, but a reverse platoon split makes him difficult to spot start.

Ryan Sweeney

Debut: 2006 |  BirthDate: 2/20/1985 | Team: Cubs | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 219 53 0 0 16 22 .260 .303 .373 .295 -3.4 2.5 0.7
’13 212 51 6 1 19 19 .266 .324 .448 .337 0.4 3.1 1.1
’14 261 63 4 2 26 26 .269 .331 .401 .322 -0.4 -1.8 0.6

Profile: Once upon a time, in a land far, far away (Boston), Ryan Sweeney was a top prospect. His star has fallen in recent years, however, and last April he signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs. In a modest revival of that career, he found himself starting 41 games in center field. This season he figures to form a platoon with new Cubs outfielder Justin Ruggiano, who should be in the lineup in against lefties. Against right-handers, Sweeney will probably earn the lion’s share of the playing time. He has a career .750 OPS against right-handed pitching, and even performed well against lefties last year. He may not be the five-category stud once envisioned, but he does walk, and make contact, and hit for a small bit of power. (Jack Weiland)

Quick Opinion: Sweeney signed a minor league deal with the Cubs in 2013, and started 41 games in center field. He figures to split time there again in 2014 with new Cub Justin Ruggiano, and against right-handed pitching should perform along the lines of his career .750 OPS platoon split.

Nick Swisher

Debut: 2004 |  BirthDate: 11/25/1980 | Team: Indians | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 624 146 24 2 93 75 .272 .364 .473 .363 19.4 -3.4 3.8
’13 634 135 22 1 63 74 .246 .341 .423 .336 11.3 -9.8 2.4
’14 629 137 23 2 79 82 .255 .354 .446 .351 16.6 -11.0 2.9

Profile: Remember 2008? Nick Swisher played his lone season on the South Side and the White Sox did not get what they expected. A career low batting average on balls in play was matched by career lows in the triple-slash stats. Even with 22 home runs, Swisher was panned as a disappointment, the Sox moved on, and the Yankees benefited. In 2013, Swisher has his lowest BABIP since 2009, and his lowest numbers in all the rates since 2008. The parallel isn’t perfect — Swisher is now 33 years old, not 28; he is not about to get dropped into a new offense — but the lesson remains. Swisher has been incredible consistent over his career, and his batted ball profile in 2013 was in line with his career, just a few fewer fly balls and a few more line drives. I wouldn’t expect much more power, but the rates should bounce back. After all he was dealing with a shoulder injury for much of last year. If you can pay a price based on 2013 you could easily get production closer to (although not quite matching) 2012, and that would be a nifty profit. (Chad Young)

Quick Opinion: A solid player for a full decade now, Swisher is likely entering the decline phase of his career, but the underlying numbers suggest he isn’t done yet. I’d bet on 2014 being better than 2013.

Jose Tabata

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 8/12/1988 | Team: Pirates | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 374 81 3 8 16 43 .243 .315 .348 .296 -9.8 -7.3 -0.5
’13 341 87 6 3 33 35 .282 .342 .429 .340 4.7 -4.5 1.1
’14 576 141 8 13 52 67 .275 .342 .400 .328 6.7 -9.2 1.6

Profile: The departure of Garrett Jones could very well open the door for more playing time for the once promising, still promising Jose Tabata. Though he entered the league with the reputation of a speedster, as most any 21-year-old might have, his 12-caught-stealing season in 2012 appears to have put the kibosh on his running game. His almost perfectly neutral platoon split thus far in his career makes him a seemingly safe bet for steady playing time in 2014, and given his career .274/.339/.385 slash, he could make for solid bench outfielder in most any league. (@BradleyWoodrum)

Quick Opinion: Tabata should see a playing time boost and makes for a good bench outfielder in deep leagues. His neutral platoon split should also make him a capable platoon partner for either hand.

Kensuke Tanaka

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 5/20/1981 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 34 8 0 2 2 4 .267 .353 .267 .290 -0.4 -1.3 -0.1
’14 1 0 0 0 0 0 .296 .359 .404 .336 0.0 -0.0 0.0

Profile: This is not the Tanaka you are looking for. This Tanaka is a speedy but light-hitting, low level outfielder who should open the 2014 season for the Rangers Triple-A affiliate at Round Rock. His 2013 campaign at Triple-A Fresno was a solid one as he slashed .329/.400/.397 and swiped 22 bases, but he only saw a short call-up when the team was dealing with injuries to their already established speedy, defensive-minded outfield. He simply did not have the bat to break through and stay. He’ll get the opportunity to compete for a bench job during the spring, but given some of the Rangers offseason improvements, his chances of rising up the depth chart seem remote. Even if he does get some time, he will also need to improve on his 68.8% stolen base success rate if he’s ever going to be entrusted with a green light. (Howard Bender)

Quick Opinion: After signing a minor league deal with the Rangers in the offseason, Tanaka will likely open the season at Triple-A Round Rock and end up as organizational depth.

Michael Taylor

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 12/19/1985 | Team: Athletics | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 21 3 0 0 0 2 .143 .143 .190 .144 -2.9 0.2 -0.2
’13 25 1 0 0 0 0 .043 .120 .043 .091 -4.4 -1.3 -0.5
’14 112 25 3 2 12 13 .251 .324 .391 .317 0.2 -1.4 0.3

Profile: Michael Taylor has some power and some speed, but at age 28, the hopes of him blossoming into a full time player are growing ever dim. He could very well spend steady time on the 25-man roster, possibly in a platoon role for the Athletics. In extra deep leagues, he could provide some homers and steals — especially if he gets some steady playing time — but he’s projected to have an unimpressive batting average and on-base percentage. Until he gets at least a steady platoon job, Taylor will be best left on the waiver wire. (@BradleyWoodrum)

Quick Opinion: Taylor might collect a few homers and steals, but unless he’s getting steady or semi-steady playing time, he’s only an option in the deepest of deep leagues, and then only for a bench job.

Taylor Teagarden

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 12/21/1983 | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 64 9 2 0 9 4 .158 .226 .316 .240 -5.2 0.5 -0.3
’13 62 10 2 0 5 3 .167 .180 .300 .209 -6.3 1.3 -0.3
’14 19 4 1 0 2 2 .215 .278 .358 .281 -0.5 0.4 0.1

Profile: Taylor Teagarden is good enough defensively that he should find a home as a free agent this winter, probably as Triple-A catching depth, but the contact skill is lacking enough that the Orioles DFA’d him in September. Now 30, Teagarden has 518 plate appearances over six partial seasons, slashing .206/.266/.390 and striking out 35.3% of the time. Only Chris Carter struck out that much this year and anybody else striking out at that rate posted far more power than Teagarden, who has 20 career home runs. Even if the power catches your eye, Teagarden hasn’t played enough the past two seasons to really get a grasp on his current skill level; backing up Matt Wieters and spending 147 days on the disabled list has limited him to 57 games, including minor league action. The Mets will give him a shot to be the backup to Travis d’Arnaud, but that doesn’t mean you should spend too much time thinking about him. (Blake Murphy)

Quick Opinion: While there was once promising power in his bat, Taylor Teagarden would have better luck making extraterrestrial contact than contact with a baseball. He has signed as catching depth wiht the Mets but won’t play enough to warrant fantasy consideration.

Mark Teixeira

Debut: 2003 |  BirthDate: 4/11/1980 | Team: Yankees | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 524 113 24 2 84 66 .251 .332 .475 .345 7.1 1.4 2.7
’13 63 8 3 0 12 5 .151 .270 .340 .262 -3.0 -0.7 -0.2
’14 566 121 26 3 80 74 .247 .341 .465 .350 10.6 -8.3 2.3

Profile: It was a lost season for Teixeira, who sustained a wrist injury while training for the World Baseball Classic. Rather than undergoing surgery right away, he decided to rest and allow the tendon to heal. When he came back in June, all Teixeira could muster was 63 at-bats before re-injuring his wrist and undergoing season-ending surgery. His .161 batting average and three homeruns should be thrown out because he was playing hurt and never really got going. However, it would be foolish to expect him to return to his pre-2012 type of production. He will be 34 years old in April and is coming off of two consecutive injury-marred seasons. Before the injuries started piling up, Teixeira’s batting average and on-base percentage were in consistent decline over the course of his tenure with the Yankees. With all of the question marks surrounding the Yankees’ this offseason, Teixeira will need to stay healthy and anchor their lineup. Maybe his cost has dropped enough to make him a value in your league. (Michael A. Stein)

Quick Opinion: Teixeira could be a sleeper in 2014 because there are so many questions about his health and his declining numbers over the past several seasons. If he stays healthy, he should hit 25 home runs and drive in 100 runs. But he is a .250 hitter now and there is no denying it anymore.

Miguel Tejada

Debut: 1997 |  BirthDate: 5/25/1974 | Position: 2B/3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 167 45 3 1 20 15 .288 .317 .378 .305 -1.2 -0.9 0.4
’14 1 0 0 0 0 0 .257 .296 .352 .284 -0.0 0.0 0.0

Profile: Miguel Tejada had a somewhat respectable season as a utility player for the 2013 Royals. He hit .288 with three homers in 167 plate appearances after not playing in the majors in 2012. The 41-year-old will need two events to happen first before he has any fantasy value going forward, though. First he needs to sign and make the roster of a major league team. Easier said than done. Then he has to serve another sixty-plus days of suspension he incurred for testing positive for Adderall. Is he cooking yet? Last, he needs to hope the team’s starter goes down with an injury so he can get some regular playing time. Even if all those stars line up, he will probably only be useful in AL- and NL-only leagues or the deepest of leagues. Maybe he could be used a plug-and-play candidate to help raise a team’s batting average. I just don’t see him contributing in any useful fantasy way without a several “ifs” happening. Plus, there’s the fact that most expect him to retire. (Jeff Zimmerman)

Quick Opinion: Miguel Tejada has no fantasy value unless several unlikely events occur.

Ruben Tejada

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 10/27/1989 | Team: Mets | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 501 134 1 4 25 53 .289 .333 .351 .304 -5.1 5.8 1.8
’13 227 42 0 2 10 20 .202 .259 .260 .236 -12.8 2.7 -0.3
’14 524 123 3 6 38 50 .260 .317 .339 .293 -7.6 7.0 1.6

Profile: Tejada had the worst season of his career at the plate in 2013 by a wide margin, but even when he hits in the .280-.290 range, as he did in 2011 and 2012, he doesn’t possess enough power or speed to be fantasy-relevant. The 24-year-old’s career isolated power mark is just .060, not surprising given the fact that he has two home runs in 1,359 plate appearances in the majors. Add in the fact that he only has 13 steals over that span, and you have a player who doesn’t have much to offer fantasy owners. (Scott Strandberg)

Quick Opinion: Even in deep NL-only leagues, Tejada just doesn’t have any value. No power, no speed, inconsistent hit tool…nothing to see here, folks.

Blake Tekotte

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 5/24/1987 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 15 2 0 1 0 0 .133 .133 .133 .118 -2.1 -0.4 -0.2
’13 36 7 1 1 2 4 .226 .306 .355 .295 -2.6 0.6 -0.1
’14 1 0 0 0 0 0 .232 .296 .378 .297 -0.0 -0.0 -0.0

Profile: With the acquisition of Adam Eaton, the White Sox now have four legitimate starting outfielders. Tekotte was already low on the team’s depth chart, and likely doesn’t have much of a role in 2014. (Chris Cwik)

Joey Terdoslavich

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 9/9/1988 | Team: Braves | Position: 1B/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 92 17 0 1 4 11 .215 .315 .266 .266 -3.5 -1.6 -0.2
’14 51 12 1 1 6 5 .254 .308 .410 .314 -0.1 -0.6 0.1

Profile: Terdoslavich has some nice pop in his bat but he profiles best as a major league bench player — particularly a National League corner infield / corner outfield guy. His glove doesn’t really profile well anywhere but first base, and he’s stuck behind Freddie Freeman there while Justin Upton and Jason Heyward hold down the outfield corners. He could be a solid power source with multiple position eligibility if injuries strike the Braves. (Al Skorupa)

Quick Opinion: Terdoslavich appears set to start the year at Triple-A Gwinnett, but could emerge as a solid power source with multiple position eligibility if injuries strike the Braves.

Josh Thole

Debut: 2009 |  BirthDate: 10/28/1986 | Team: Blue Jays | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 354 75 1 0 21 24 .234 .294 .290 .257 -19.6 7.5 -0.1
’13 135 21 1 0 8 11 .175 .256 .242 .231 -10.8 2.1 -0.5
’14 32 7 0 0 3 3 .245 .318 .349 .295 -0.8 0.3 0.1

Profile: Back in 2010 and perhaps even 2011, Thole looked like he might be a solution at catcher for the Mets. However, his bat never really progressed, and he was not exactly being confused for Yadier Molina behind the plate, either. He ended up being part of the big Mets – Blue Jays trade prior to the 2013 season. For the Blue Jays, he was actually third on the depth chart and did not get much playing time in 2013, but 2014 looks like it might be different. Thole is currently slated to back up Dioner Navarro, so a couple hundred plate appearances are a possibility. While that is good news for Thole’s major league career, it really shouldn’t matter to fantasy owners all that much. Thole arguably hits enough to be a major-league average player given that he is a catcher, but that is a stretch. In deeper leagues that require two catcher, a .250/.320/.360 line might not kill you, but outside of those leagues, don’t concern yourself with Thole, even if he does use Major Lazer’s crowd-pleasing “Bubble Butt” as his walk-up music. (Matt Klaassen)

Quick Opinion: Thole looks like he might get a bit more playing time for the Blue Jays in 2014, but he is still slated to be a backup catcher. He might be on the high end for backup catchers, but, well, enough said.

Clete Thomas

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 11/14/1983 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 29 4 1 0 4 3 .143 .172 .286 .200 -2.5 1.3 -0.0
’13 322 62 4 1 13 39 .214 .290 .307 .270 -12.1 5.1 0.4
’14 33 7 1 1 3 3 .221 .281 .351 .280 -1.0 0.1 0.0

Profile: If one wanted a concise summation of what kind of year the Twins offense had, consider this: Clete Thomas played in nearly 100 games, and got 322 plate appearances. Thomas hit .214/.290/.307, and struck out in 28.6% of his plate appearances. But with Aaron Hicks’ arrested development, and injury woes aplenty, the Twins were left with little choice to try capitalize on the hot season Thomas was having down in Triple-A (.296/.385/.576). The Twins wisely outrighted Thomas off the 40-man roster after the season, and he has since landed with the Phillies on a minor league deal. He can hack centerfield, and can run into one if/when he makes contact. But he’s no better than a fourth outfielder who should really only play sparingly, and preferably only versus righties. And probably not for your fantasy team. (Brandon Warne)

Quick Opinion: Thomas probably needs a Domonic Brown trade to crack the roster, unless the Phillies aren’t comfortable with John Mayberry as a backup centerfield option. Still, Thomas will likely see a lot of Lehigh Valley.

Yorvit Torrealba

Debut: 2001 |  BirthDate: 7/19/1978 | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 218 44 4 1 14 19 .227 .293 .330 .278 -10.3 0.4 -0.3
’13 196 43 0 0 16 10 .240 .295 .285 .259 -12.3 6.2 -0.0
’14 1 0 0 0 0 0 .263 .318 .379 .307 -0.0 0.0 0.0

Profile: Once upon a time, Torrealba was a good … no, sorry, he was never a good hitter. He has not posted an OPS better than league average since 2002, and then his .752 OPS was only four points better than league average. Also, 2002 was like 4,000 years ago. His defense gets mixed reviews depending on your metric of choice, but the reports are never overwhelmingly positive. Just about the best thing Torrealba had going for him has been his durability. Despite never being a starter, he has caught at least 400 innings in every season since 2003, and he hasn’t missed significant time since he had a biceps injury back in 2006. However, he is getting on in years, which is demonstrated by the minor surgery he had on his right knee at the season’s conclusion. If he isn’t able to don the tools of ignorance at will, there won’t be much reason to roster him anymore. Only time will tell. In the meantime, look elsewhere for your catchers in fantasy baseball.

Quick Opinion: Torrealba has always been a light-hitting catcher who had a temper that easily flares as well as having a flair for the dramatic. He is a card carrying backup catcher, and there is a good chance he’ll latch on with some team in 2014. But he shouldn’t latch onto your fantasy team.

Andres Torres

Debut: 2002 |  BirthDate: 1/26/1978 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 434 86 3 13 35 47 .230 .327 .337 .297 -4.4 3.6 1.4
’13 300 68 2 4 21 33 .250 .302 .342 .285 -5.3 3.2 0.8
’14 1 0 0 0 0 0 .245 .321 .378 .309 0.0 -0.0 0.0

Profile: 2010 was fun. It was also three seasons ago. Torres’s production has declined like the comedic value of How I Met Your Mother. There are still entertaining moments, but they come too few and far between to hold our interest.

Quick Opinion: Feel free to draft if you are playing a 2010 sim league. Otherwise, do not draft.

Wilfredo Tovar

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 8/11/1991 | Team: Mets | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 19 3 0 1 2 1 .200 .294 .200 .212 -2.1 1.2 -0.0
’14 100 22 1 2 8 8 .238 .287 .314 .268 -3.5 1.2 0.1

Profile: The 22-year-old Tovar enjoyed his cup of coffee with the Mets, getting 19 plate appearances at the end of September while manning the shortstop position. He has a bit of speed and makes excellent contact, but rarely walks and possesses little power. His rather low minor league batting average on balls in play marks also offer limited optimism that he’ll provide any type of positive value with the bat. Having nary an at-bat at the Triple-A level, it’s unlikely that he becomes part of the team’s plans in the near future, even despite the fact that the organization is lacking in quality young shortstop options right now. (Mike Podhorzer)

Quick Opinion: Tovar’s limited offensive skills and lack of Triple-A experience make him highly unlikely to contribute anything of value to the Mets. If he’s not good enough for the Mets, he’s probably not good enough for your fantasy team.

Chad Tracy

Debut: 2004 |  BirthDate: 5/22/1980 | Position: 1B/3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 105 25 3 0 14 7 .269 .343 .441 .331 -0.6 2.3 0.5
’13 136 26 4 0 11 6 .202 .243 .326 .252 -9.0 -0.6 -0.6
’14 1 0 0 0 0 0 .246 .298 .390 .300 -0.0 0.0 0.0

Profile: It seems like Tracy’s been hanging around the league forever, so it might be surprising to learn that he’s just entering his age-34 season. He was demoted to bench work early in his career — back in 2007 with the Diamondbacks — so he’s well-established as a pure backup. As such, his fantasy value is nonexistent. Tracy may also have trouble finding a major league contract in 2014 due to an across the board decline in his primary and peripheral statistics. If he profiled as a better defensive third baseman, some team might take a chance on his .220 batting average on balls in play regressing. At this point, his best trait is his veteran grit.

Quick Opinion: Tracy will need to lean on his intangible charms in order to land a major league contract this offseason. He’s not somebody that fantasy owners need to follow.

Carlos Triunfel

Debut: 2012 |  BirthDate: 2/27/1990 | Team: Mariners | Position: 2B/SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 24 5 0 0 3 2 .227 .261 .318 .255 -0.8 2.0 0.2
’13 47 6 0 0 2 1 .136 .152 .159 .140 -6.5 -1.3 -0.7
’14 26 6 0 0 2 2 .244 .283 .342 .277 -0.9 0.1 0.0

Profile: Carlos Triunfel would have been an excellent keeper recommendation if we were headed into the 2008 season. Today, he’s not only buried on the depth chart in Seattle, but he may not have a future with the organization at all. At best, Triunfel was seen as kind of a super-utility guy, but his bat hasn’t demonstrated any life in his brief opportunities on the big stage. Now that Nick Franklin has ostensibly assumed super-utility with some guy named Cano in town, Triunfel might very well fall off the 40-man in short order. Don’t draft him. (Michael Barr)

Quick Opinion: Carlos Triunfel was once the darling of the Seattle Mariners farm system and their shortstop of the future. He now fights for his spot on the 40-man roster and appears extremely unlikely to have a future at all with Seattle. He has hit well enough at Triple-A to hang around as organizational depth, but even if he fell into some kind of regular playing time in the Major Leagues, it’s extremely unlikely you could use him on your fantasy team.

Mike Trout

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 8/7/1991 | Team: Angels | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 639 182 30 49 83 129 .326 .399 .564 .409 61.4 13.0 10.0
’13 716 190 27 33 97 109 .323 .432 .557 .423 69.6 3.3 10.4
’14 663 173 27 31 89 109 .308 .403 .533 .404 50.7 7.4 8.6

Profile: How do you follow up on a 10-win season? How about 10.4. While some in fantasy circles might have grumbled about fewer steals, Mike Trout managed a more valuable season by way of wins above replacement via on base percentage in large part due to a spike in his walk rate to over 15%. There’s really no use showering him with accolades here, because you know all about him. Most reasonable projection systems suggest Trout ought to be able to hit something in the ballpark of .315/.410/.540 with near 30 home runs and over 30 steals to go along with 100+ runs and 90+ RBI. And if he “only” does that, it would be his worst production to date. Amazing. (Michael Barr)

Quick Opinion: What can you possibly say about Mike Trout that hasn’t already been said? He’s either the first or second player off the board in most reasonable fantasy formats. He’s a five-category fantasy star, and he probably will be for a decade.

Mark Trumbo

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 1/16/1986 | Team: Diamondbacks | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 586 146 32 4 95 66 .268 .317 .491 .346 14.7 -12.4 2.2
’13 678 145 34 5 100 85 .234 .294 .453 .322 4.0 -3.6 2.5
’14 560 129 27 5 82 68 .254 .312 .474 .338 6.2 -8.1 1.6

Profile: Mark Trumbo is now an established 30-HR producer, and with his tremendous power, he’s a legitimate 40-HR threat. The move from Anaheim to Arizona is expected to help his chances of improving his home run totals, with a home run park factor for right-handed batters that’s about eight percent higher. That translates to an expectation of about two to three extra home runs for him, before you get your hopes too high. He may also be due for a little bit of positive regression in his batting average on balls in play, which was pretty low in 2013 for a man with his power and average-ish speed. His walk rates have risen steadily over the course of his career, and were actually respectable in 2013. Meanwhile, his strikeout rates have gotten worse, as he’s gotten worse at making contact on pitches in the zone. He needs to correct the holes in his swing, and needs to take advantage of his power by hitting more hard fly balls. Easier said than done. But he’s an intelligent guy who is aware of his problems, and has shown the ability to overcome them. All told, Trumbo looks like a fairly solid 20ish outfielder or 12ish first base pick, with more upside than downside. (Steve Staude)

Quick Opinion: Trumbo is a premier home run producer, and a solid 12th pick at first base or 20th at outfield, with more upside than downside. Be careful not to over-rate his move in home parks.

Matt Tuiasosopo

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 5/10/1986 | Team: Diamondbacks | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 191 40 7 0 30 26 .244 .351 .415 .342 0.8 0.2 0.8
’14 27 5 1 0 3 3 .228 .316 .369 .306 -0.4 0.1 0.1

Profile: Matt Tuiasosopo has solid raw power and isn’t afraid to take walks, but he strikes out far too often and then hits the ball on the ground he isn’t whiffing. He did beat my high school alma mater in the state football playoffs while I was in attendance, so he’s got that going for him, which is nice. (Zach Sanders)

Troy Tulowitzki

Debut: 2006 |  BirthDate: 10/10/1984 | Team: Rockies | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 203 52 8 2 27 33 .287 .360 .486 .364 4.7 1.3 1.3
’13 512 139 25 1 82 72 .312 .391 .540 .400 24.3 11.9 5.6
’14 600 158 28 3 94 85 .300 .376 .534 .391 24.3 8.4 5.5

Profile: In five of the last seven seasons, Tulowitzki has hit at least 24 homers. In the other two, he didn’t even reach double figures.The reason is that he can’t stay on the field for a full campaign. In his seven seasons as a starter, Tulowitzki has averaged just 121 games. He has only played 150 or more games in a season twice, and the last time he did so was 2009. Health is a skill, and at this time, it is one in which Tulowitzki is lacking. Injuries have not only robbed him of his durability, but also his speed. Both his stolen base totals and speed score have dropped drastically. But there’s one thing that Tulowitzki still does exceptionally well, and that is hit (he’s not so bad at fielding either, actually). He is just one of six shortstops in the Integration Era (1947-present) to post multiple .400 wOBA seasons. He did this just last season, when he posted a .400 wOBA in 512 plate appearances. He should be just as good this season. Early in the offseason, Steamer projected Tulowitzki to post the fifth-best wOBA in the game, and easily the best among shortstops. Really the only question when you’re evaluating Tulowitzki is whether or not you are willing to take the risk that he might not play the entire season. Because he probably won’t.

Quick Opinion: Tulowitzki quietly put up an MVP-caliber season in 2013. Perhaps it would have been louder if he had been able to suit up for the whole season, but that was unfortunately not the case. How you value Tulowitzki depends entirely on your threshold for that ongoing health risk, as he is just not a safe bet to play 150 or more games in a single season.

Justin Turner

Debut: 2009 |  BirthDate: 11/23/1984 | Position: 3B/SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’12 185 46 2 1 19 20 .269 .319 .392 .312 -0.9 -2.9 0.2
’13 214 56 2 0 16 12 .280 .319 .385 .309 -1.4 -0.0 0.5
’14 195 46 2 2 18 20 .259 .316 .366 .302 -1.5 0.2 0.5

Profile: Justin Turner spent the last few seasons proving himself as a perfectly serviceable major league utility man, playing all four infield positions in 2013. In early December, the Mets non-tendered him. Turner should have little trouble catching on someplace else, but most likely in a similar role. Wherever he lands, he would likely need an injury to be in-line for regular starts. Turner is an aggressive hitter with good contact skills, little patience, and little home run power. His value is in his versatility. If he were to find regular at-bats he could be a useful swiss army knife in AL-/NL-only leagues. Otherwise, he’s forgettable. (Derek Ambrosino)

Quick Opinion: Justin Turner is a proven big league utility man currently without a team. He’ll catch on somewhere, but will likely need another player to get hurt to clear a path to regular playing time. Owners needn’t pay him any mind unless such a situation presents itself.





 

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