2015 Batter Profiles: A – B

Jose Abreu

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 1/29/1987 | Team: White Sox | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 622 176 36 3 107 80 .317 .383 .581 .411 42.3 -14.4 5.3
’15 611 154 35 3 100 86 .285 .358 .537 .385 30.2 -13.9 4.0

Profile: Abreu put to rest any concerns of not being able to catch up to velocity in his first year stateside, handily winning the Rookie of the Year award with his monster offensive production. Abreu performed like one of the best power hitters in the league in 2014, and he showed no signs that he will slow down in 2015. You may expect some regression in the batting average department, but Abreu demonstrated tremendous ability to make adjustments as pitchers changed their approach to him throughout the year. Not only does he possess top of the scale power, he also is a solid pure hitter, getting hits all over the field rather than having to sell out to hit homers. Expect more of the same this year. (Dan Farnsworth)

Quick Opinion: Abreu stepped into the league and immediately produced like one of its best all-around hitters. 2015 may bring a slightly regressed batting average, but he has the makeup needed to make pitchers pay even when they properly gameplan against him. Another triple crown-caliber season could be in the works if he continues to carry a solid approach into each at bat as he did in 2014.


Bobby Abreu

Debut: 1996 |  BirthDate: 3/11/1974 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 155 33 1 1 14 12 .248 .342 .338 .309 -0.6 -6.8 -0.3
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .240 .331 .348 .306 -0.0 -0.0 -0.0

Profile: Abreu retired at the end of the season after a stellar career, hanging on long enough to get his 400th stolen base. He hit .350 in May — and an impressive .360/.473/.507 during a midsummer trip to the minors — but despite retaining his on-base skills, his power vanished over the past three seasons and he offered no value on defense. He has expressed interest in becoming a hitting coach, and if he can teach players to hit like he did, there should be a line of teams ready to hire him. (Jeremy Blachman)


Dustin Ackley

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 2/26/1988 | Team: Mariners | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 427 97 4 2 31 40 .253 .319 .341 .296 -4.3 -3.7 0.7
’14 542 123 14 8 65 64 .245 .293 .398 .305 0.2 1.0 2.1
’15 591 134 13 8 59 67 .252 .318 .387 .312 2.3 -5.0 1.8

Profile: While Dustin Ackley hasn’t turned into the player that the Mariners hoped they were drafting second overall in 2009, he’s made himself into a legitimate big league left fielder, and has a lock on the job heading into spring training. Coming out of college as a patient hitter with a terrific eye and quick wrists, Ackley looked like an organizational building block in his 2011 debut, but struggled to put together any sustained periods of success in 2012 and 2013. Ackley struggled in the first half of 2014, as well, but then he changed his approach and his numbers began to rise. He became more aggressive at the plate, attacking hittable pitches instead of letting them go in an effort to work the count. Ackley hit .269 and slugged .476 in the second half of 2014, though he did struggle down the stretch in September. He ended the year with 14 homers and eight steals, and although he’s now entering his prime years, it’s hard to expect more than 15 bombs and 10 stolen bases over a full season. If that’s all he does — hit .270 with 15 homers and 10 steals — he’ll be a boring but effective mixed league outfielder. Ackley was worth $8 in standard mixed leagues last year, but odds are you’ll be able to snag him for $5 or so. (Zach Sanders)

Quick Opinion: Ackley isn’t the stud that many projected him to be coming out of North Carolina, but he’s transformed himself into a legitimate MLB outfielder, both in real life and in fantasy baseball.


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
’13 319 84 17 0 51 46 .284 .335 .503 .365 11.4 -5.6 1.6
’14 563 152 15 3 68 55 .288 .321 .457 .337 8.6 -7.5 1.9
’15 507 126 19 3 69 57 .268 .312 .455 .334 7.3 -8.0 1.6

Profile: The power didn’t come in his first full season in the majors, but Matt Adams put up a second consecutive season with a batting average over .280. That’s an extremely positive sign for a left-handed player who has started to see frequent defensive shifts. His all-fields approach may have been somewhat responsible for his limited power output, but Adams also cut his ground-ball rate by nearly 10% from his previous levels. Entering his age-26 season, Adams still has 25 home run potential. With his success and the Cardinals’ trade of Allen Craig, Adams has no threats to his playing time. Expect a slight downtick in average and a slight uptick in power and another season in the top 20 among first basemen. (Scott Spratt)

Quick Opinion: Adams hit just 15 home runs in his first full season in the majors, but the potential for 25 home runs is there. That, plus his back-to-back .280 average seasons, makes him a solid top 20 first baseman.


Nick Ahmed

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 3/15/1990 | Team: Diamondbacks | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 75 14 1 0 4 9 .200 .233 .271 .227 -5.4 0.2 -0.3
’15 130 28 1 3 10 10 .231 .276 .320 .267 -5.5 1.3 -0.0

Profile: Ahmed is a defensive whiz, but he just doesn’t offer enough with the bat to make him an interesting fantasy piece. He’s blocked at shortstop by Chris Owings — a darn good defender in his own right, who offers far more upside offensively. Even if Owings gets hurt (or performs miserably), Ahmed would only be worth a look in the deepest of NL-only formats. He doesn’t hit for power, and his speed isn’t enough for him to steal a high volume of bases at the game’s higher levels. Case in point: Ahmed stole 40 bases in High-A, followed by 26 in Double-A the next year, then just 14 in Triple-A. (Scott Strandberg)

Quick Opinion: Even if he somehow gets significant playing time, he’s not the type of player who can help a fantasy team in any facet.


Arismendy Alcantara

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 10/29/1991 | Team: Cubs | Position: 2B/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 300 57 10 8 29 31 .205 .254 .367 .275 -8.9 1.8 0.2
’15 230 50 6 8 22 24 .236 .285 .379 .294 -4.1 0.5 0.4

Profile: An infielder by trade, the Cubs’ depth forced Arismendy Alcantara into the outfield in 2014. He made 48 starts in center field compared to 25 appearances at second base. The 23-year-old athlete had just 11 games of outfield experience under his belt prior to playing the position in the majors and he went through some rough patches. Even if he doesn’t end up in the outfield long term, Alcantara also has experience playing shortstop and third base, so he could offer some real versatility to fantasy managers if he hits well enough to warrant regular playing time. The switch-hitter struggled to keep his batting average above .200 in 70 games, and he struck out 93 times, compared to just 17 free passes. If he can tighten up his approach, he might start hitting the ball out of the yard more consistently after showing some pop in his debut his double-digit home runs. Alcantara’s debut showed that he still needs a fair bit of polish so he’s best left to the keeper league folk for now but his versatility could make him relevant in all formats if (when) he starts to hit. (Marc Hulet)

Quick Opinion: Alcantara offers some pop to go along with stolen base potential but his most intriguing asset could be ability to play all over the diamond — especially if he can produce a decent batting average. He’s not someone to target at the beginning of 2015 but he’s worth monitoring for improvements as the season moves along.


Abraham Almonte

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 6/27/1989 | Team: Padres | 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 1.0 -2.6 0.1
’14 220 47 3 4 15 19 .230 .275 .333 .272 -7.6 9.2 0.9
’15 44 9 1 1 4 4 .233 .295 .348 .287 -0.7 -1.2 -0.1

Profile: The most interesting thing about Abraham Almonte is probably that he’s one of only three players named ‘Abraham’ to play at the big league level — and the other two were both named Abraham Nunez. As for the writing of this piece in late December, the Padres had 11 outfielders on their 40-man roster after holiday shopping spree that saw them add Wil Myers, Matt Kemp, and Justin Upton… to go along with the likes of Carlos Quentin, Cameron Maybin, Will Venable, and Seth Smith. Even with Smith gone, Almonte, 25, doesn’t have much of a future in San Diego… or perhaps even the MLB, given his modest production. He certainly isn’t of much interest to fantasy owners due to his modest bat and lack of power. If he starts running again and ends up in an organization with weak outfield depth, he might become somewhat relevant for a short period of time in deep single-league leagues. (Marc Hulet)

Quick Opinion: Unless you’re playing in a quad-A fantasy league (Wouldn’t that be kind of cool?), Almonte is probably a name you don’t need to know… until something goes terribly wrong for one of the 30 big league clubs and he somehow manages to luck into 400+ at-bats.


Zoilo Almonte

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 6/10/1989 | Team: Braves | 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 36 5 1 1 3 2 .139 .139 .222 .158 -4.0 -0.7 -0.4
’15 424 94 13 6 46 41 .240 .288 .387 .298 -6.0 -5.8 0.1

Profile: The Braves signed Almonte, 25, in November to a one-year deal to add some outfield depth. He’s amassed just 149 plate appearances over parts of two years with the Yankees, but owns a .275/.333/.431 slash line in 173 Triple-A games. As a switch-hitter in the minors, he’s been far more productive from the left side of the plate (.834 on-base plus slugging percentage) than the right side (.688) and smacked 18 home runs for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last year. Still, he’s of little use in fantasy for the time being, although his name has been floated around as a possible Plan B option to platoon in Atlanta’s centerfield if B.J. Upton stumbles through another season. (Karl de Vries)

Quick Opinion: There will be an opportunity for Almonte in Atlanta this year, but what will he do with it? A little bit of power and a little bit of speed in a platoon role seems to define his upside. 


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
’13 375 94 6 6 45 34 .281 .341 .368 .311 -1.2 -3.8 0.7
’14 288 64 7 6 27 27 .240 .285 .397 .299 -0.1 -1.4 0.8
’15 545 130 14 7 60 56 .265 .331 .410 .326 6.2 -6.7 1.7

Profile: For the second straight year, Alonso’s season was cut short by a hand/wrist injury. After 2013, some argued that the injury sapped him of his power, but any power he was sapped of was only potential power because we’ve never seen much out of him. His career isolated slugging percentage is .125 (major league average is around .145), and it was .120 in his first full season in 2012. He did have a .157 ISO last year, but it’s hard to buy that he can improve on that all too much, even after surgery to repair the injury. Alonso will once again have the chance to deliver on his promise as about the only position the Padres didn’t attempt to strengthen via trade was first base. He could be a value in NL-only leagues if he delivers some of the power promise some seem to think he has. But with the depth at his position, it’s hard to see him having mixed league value. (Brett Talley)

Quick Opinion: Alonso will once again have the first base job in San Diego all to himself, and he had surgery to repair the hand issue that cut his last two seasons short. But unless he drastically improves in the power department, he’s nothing more than an NL-only option.


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
’13 672 177 5 35 52 64 .283 .316 .363 .297 -10.5 -0.7 1.2
’14 707 225 7 56 59 85 .341 .377 .453 .363 34.2 -10.1 5.1
’15 666 184 9 35 62 84 .299 .341 .411 .331 10.5 -3.0 3.2

Profile: Jose Altuve was incredible in 2014, ending the year as the league’s third best fantasy player while hitting just seven homers. He hit .341 while stealing 56 bags, and an improved Astros offense allowed him to cross home 85 times. While Altuve may now be the league’s greatest contact hitter, it remains to be seen whether his .341 average is close to repeatable — the right-hander hit between .276 and .290 in his three previous seasons — and that average will drive a good deal of his value. Altuve doesn’t walk much, so he’ll need to hit for a high average to get on base enough to steal bags and score runs. When Altuve was hitting below .300, he was still worth $8-$12 in standard leagues, but a .341 hitting Altuve is worth upwards of $35. Odds are Altuve will fall somewhere in between his 2013 and 2014 numbers, making him worthy of being taken by the end of the second round. If you’re in a league that utilizes an extra middle infielder, consider Altuve at the end of the first or early in the second. (Zach Sanders)

Quick Opinion: Altuve was one of fantasy baseball’s top five players last year, but odds are he won’t repeat. Just 25 years old, Altuve should be off the board in the second round even with regression factored in.


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
’13 614 130 36 2 100 70 .233 .296 .473 .330 8.7 1.8 3.1
’14 445 92 18 8 56 46 .231 .312 .405 .316 -1.8 -13.4 -0.2
’15 528 113 24 5 70 61 .242 .316 .447 .333 7.6 -8.0 1.7

Profile: Kerplunk. That’s the sound of the fall from grace Alvarez has experienced, from top tier power hitter to strict platooner. Alvarez’s home run total was cut in half, his isolated sluging dropped below .200 and he eventually lost his starting job. But it wasn’t all bad news. His walk rate jumped to a career high, clearing the 10% plateau for the first time, and his strikeout rate dipped to its lowest ever rate, marking a significant improvement from previous seasons. Now the challenge is sustaining that step forward in plate discipline while also hitting for power at prior levels. It won’t be an easy feat, but does provide the path to a career fantasy year. He’ll be moving across the diamond to serve as the Pirates new starting first baseman, but will likely open the year in a platoon role, taking a seat against southpaws. That’s going to cut into his counting stats, but should benefit his batting average. With his perceived value at an all-time low, he should be a profitable purchase in NL-Only leagues and good gamble for your mixed league team’s bench. (Mike Podhorzer)

Quick Opinion: It was a season to forget for Alvarez, as his power waned and he eventually lost his starting job. But career bests in both walk and strikeout rates suggest he wasn’t totally lost at the plate, and they could be the fuel needed to drive a rebound.


Alexi Amarista

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 4/6/1989 | Team: Padres | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 396 87 5 4 32 35 .236 .282 .337 .274 -10.3 -8.6 -0.8
’14 466 101 5 12 40 39 .239 .286 .314 .265 -13.2 7.4 0.9
’15 445 98 6 8 38 39 .240 .287 .343 .279 -9.9 2.5 0.6

Profile: With either Matt Kemp or Wil Myers likely to man center field, it’s obvious that the Padres aren’t supremely concerned with defense. But after non-tendering Everth Cabrera, they are going with their best defensive option at short in Amarista. That’s not saying Amarista is great with the glove, either. Amarista played quite a bit last year and didn’t do anything with his bat, either. He’s not worth much fantasy consideration. Anyone getting at-bats in NL-only leagues is worth a look, but that’s the extent of Amarista’s value. (Brett Talley)

Quick Opinion: A career .234/.279/.336 hitter, Amarista is barely worth considering in even NL-only leagues.


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
’13 698 168 4 42 67 91 .271 .328 .331 .296 -7.1 10.1 2.8
’14 685 163 2 27 41 72 .263 .314 .333 .291 -12.6 2.1 1.3
’15 662 161 4 28 53 76 .269 .327 .345 .303 -5.9 10.7 2.9

Profile: Andrus’ stolen base totals have jumped up and down since 2011, and 2014 proved to be another one of those downturn years. He posted the lowest success rate of his career, he hit just one triple and his speed score fell to a career low. It all suggests that the 26-year-old’s speed has waned and a return to the 40+ steal level of 2013 is looking like a longshot. A healthy Shin-Soo Choo back in the leadoff spot should help Andrus’ runs batted in total rebound, as he was stuck behind Leonys Martin and his sub-.310 OBP while Choo was absent. Andrus’ whiff and strikeout rates have been remarkably consistent, but his walk rate has dipped for four straight seasons. A rebound in OBP back into the .340 neighborhood would boost his stolen base attempts and give him a better chance of stealing 30+ bases again. For a hitter whose value almost solely relies on his willingness to steal and success rate in doing so, he comes with risk, especially if his days of stealing 30 bases is indeed over. (Mike Podhorzer)

Quick Opinion: Andrus’ main fantasy asset — his speed — appears to be waning, given declines in several telling metrics. His batting average should rebound somewhat after a career low mark, but he’s a one-trick pony with the risk that comes along with such a reliance on speed.


Dean Anna

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 11/24/1986 | Team: Cardinals | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 25 3 1 0 3 3 .136 .200 .318 .228 -1.7 0.3 -0.1
’15 101 21 1 1 9 10 .234 .313 .336 .294 -1.6 0.8 0.2

Profile: Anna doesn’t have any exciting tools, but he has upside as a smooth-swinging lefty hitter with a keen eye at the plate. He will be behind some talented infielders in St. Louis, but is capable of filling in with a solid batting average at each of the infield positions. Don’t discount his abilities too much because of his age and minor league environment. (Dan Farnsworth)


Nori Aoki

Debut: 2012 |  BirthDate: 1/5/1982 | Team: Giants | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 674 171 8 20 37 80 .286 .356 .370 .326 -1.6 -3.5 1.6
’14 549 140 1 17 43 63 .285 .349 .360 .320 2.6 0.2 2.3
’15 564 140 5 17 41 64 .277 .341 .365 .317 3.4 -6.2 1.5

Profile: Strictly from the standpoint of entertainment (and by “entertainment,” think “comedy”), one could argue that Nori Aoki is one of the most entertaining players to watch in baseball. Diving over the plate, taking circuitous routes in the outfield, getting hit in the lower extremities by fly balls — Aoki has it all. What he does not have as of this writing is a job with a major league team. However, despite being frustrating in many ways, it is hard to believe Aoki will not find a role on a team. He gets to enough balls despite his, um, interesting, routes, and more important for fantasy owners, he has valuable offensive skills. He makes bad base running decisions, but he he can still put up around 20 stolen bases a year. He has almost no power, but is so difficult to strike out that it is tough to imagine him not hitting .280. Assuming he finds a full-time job, the average and steals are enough to make him a good outfielder in almost all AL or NL leagues and in deeper mixed leagues. (Matt Klaassen)

Quick Opinion: Nori Aoki’s game may not be pretty, but assuming he finds a starting job somewhere, he hits for a good enough average and steals enough bases to have draft day value in all but the shallowest of leagues.


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 0.4 -17.0 -0.4
’14 410 86 20 1 57 46 .231 .300 .452 .328 4.5 -9.1 0.9
’15 539 126 24 4 74 65 .258 .320 .469 .345 12.7 -12.6 1.9

Profile: Arcia enjoyed a decent sophomore campaign in 2014, showing off his easy plus-plus raw power in the relatively difficult confines of Target Field. Though he may be a bit too pull-heavy at this point in his career, he’s a safe bet for at least 20 homers with the potential for 10-15 more if he can learn how to keep his lower half from committing as early. The same change could help improve the platoon issues he has demonstrated in his young career. The contact rates are likely to stay below average for the foreseeable future, but the power still makes him a weapon at the plate capable of hitting .250-.260 with some tightening up of his approach. The recurrent nagging injuries carry the risk of sidelining Arcia for longer periods as he racks up at bats, which could conceivably sap him of his defining tool at some point. Or, he could figure out he doesn’t need to swing max-effort to hit the ball out of the park and things will fall into place. It’s too early to tell which path he’ll take, but he’s a safe bet for power and driving in runs, especially as the Twins young players develop around him and provide more opportunities. (Dan Farnsworth)

Quick Opinion: Arcia has some holes in his game, but still carries a profile similar to a less-refined Brandon Moss, albeit with more raw power and slightly lower contact rates. Improvements to his legs and/or plate discipline will make him one of the better pure power hitters in the game.


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 -13.9 22.6 2.6
’14 467 124 18 2 61 58 .287 .328 .500 .359 6.8 7.6 3.1
’15 615 160 20 3 81 72 .282 .326 .461 .344 1.5 14.8 3.8

Profile: On the heels of a Gold Glove rookie campaign, Rockies’ third baseman Nolan Arenado took the next step toward being one of the premier hot corner players with his follow-up sophomore season. Arenado failed to play a full season’s worth of games due to a chest contusion and pneumonia, but the 23-year-old managed to slash .287/.328/.500 with 18 homers, 61 RBI and two stolen bases in 111 games (467 plate appearances) on the diamond. From 2013 to 2014, the right-hander improved his OPS, OPS against left-handed pitchers, OPS against right-handed pitchers, OPS at home and OPS on the road by more than 100 points each. But that’s not it. Arenado also made slight improvements in both his walk (5.4% BB%) and strikeout rates (12.4% K%) as compared to his rookie efforts (4.5% and 14% respectively) and won himself a second consecutive Gold Glove. He’s quickly making a big name for himself on the league and you won’t want to miss out on this production in ‘15 and beyond. (Alan Harrison)

Quick Opinion: Nolan Arenado is quickly becoming one of the premier third baseman in all of baseball. In addition to two consecutive Gold Glove seasons to start his career at the hot corner, Arenado displayed incredible growth in almost all measured areas while at the plate from his first to second season. Don’t be afraid to reach a bit on draft day to ensure this rising star is on your starting roster in March.


J.P. Arencibia

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 1/5/1986 | Position: C/1B/DH
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 497 92 21 0 55 45 .194 .227 .365 .259 -25.7 3.6 -0.6
’14 222 36 10 0 35 20 .177 .239 .369 .270 -9.5 -8.6 -1.2
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .212 .259 .391 .286 -0.0 0.0 0.0

Profile: J.P. Arencibia refuses to regress to your %$#@! mean. In 2011, he looked like a young catcher with promise. Sure, his defense was shaky and he struck out at a pretty crazy rate. But he had some real power (.219 isolated slugging percentage, 23 home runs in 486 plate appearances), and if he did not walk all that much, he was not all that far from average. His batting average on balls in play was probably always going to be low, but you took that when the fly balls kept leaving the park. Arencibia’s power has stayed pretty much intact since then, but just about everything else has gone to pot. His walk rate has been under five percent, he still strikes out more than 27% of the time, and, alarmingly, his BABIP seems to be getting worse. Maybe that is luck, but it is not getting any better. Arencibia was so bad at everything but hitting home runs in 2014 for the Rangers that he actually had almost as many plate appearances in Triple-A as he did in the majors. Texas outrighted him after the season and he elected free agency, so let the bidding war begin! For all Arencibia’s faults, it is tough to imagine him not latching on with some team in a backup role. While his issues as a defender do not directly matter in fantasy, they will impact his role on a team in real baseball. Still, if he does latch onto a team, Arencibia cannot be completely ignored. In even half a season worth of plate appearances, he can hit 10-15 home runs. If you can live with the hit to your team’s batting average, that has value at catcher, particularly in deeper two-catcher leagues. (Matt Klaassen)

Quick Opinion: J.P. Arencibia might not be worth having in real baseball, but if a team gives him playing time, he can help in deep two-catcher leagues because he can hit home runs. Owners just have to be able to eat a Mendoza-esque batting average.


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
’13 236 61 1 1 19 17 .271 .284 .342 .273 -4.8 3.7 0.6
’14 204 49 0 1 15 18 .254 .281 .301 .255 -8.4 0.5 -0.2
’15 408 96 3 3 35 33 .252 .285 .335 .274 -10.2 -5.9 -0.4

Profile: I think what Jason Collette wrote about Arias last year still applies: There are replacement level middle infielders, 50 feet of roto crap, and then there is Arias. Got it? (Brett Talley)


Erisbel Arruebarrena

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 3/25/1990 | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 45 8 0 0 4 4 .195 .244 .220 .213 -3.9 -1.9 -0.5
’15 13 3 0 0 1 1 .203 .248 .287 .240 -0.7 0.1 -0.0

Profile: Just one year after signing him to a five-year, $25 million contract, the Dodgers designated Arruebarrena for assignment, dropping him from their 40-man roster and opening him up for possible waiver claims. No team claimed him and he was outrighted. Even if the team says he’ll be a non-roster invitee to camp, he can be written off completely for 2015. Arruebarrena is a defensive whiz with nearly nothing to offer at the plate, so even if he finds a way to get regular playing time, he’ll almost certainly still be detrimental to fantasy teams. (Scott Strandberg)

Quick Opinion: Arruebarrena’s defensive prowess could earn him a spot in the majors — most likely as a backup infielder. Even in that scenario, his bat won’t earn him a spot on your fantasy team.


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 -2.3 -3.3 -0.0
’14 434 100 10 0 46 43 .252 .309 .390 .308 -4.4 -4.9 0.4
’15 361 83 11 3 39 35 .254 .310 .413 .318 0.2 -1.8 1.0

Profile: Cody Asche is about to enter his third big league season in 2015 but he’s more of a stopgap measure than a true a building block in Philadelphia. He’s been more or less a league-average player over the past two seasons and Maikel Franco could threaten to steal time from the incumbent in 2015, dependent somewhat on what happens with first baseman Ryan Howard. The rebuilding Phillies have already dealt away Jimmy Rollins so it’s not out of the realm of possibilities that the veteran first baseman could be jettisoned to allow Franco (a third baseman by trade, but with modest defensive skills) to settle into the vacated role. If Howard stays, Franco is more likely to steal at-bats from Asche at third base. That’s a very convoluted way of saying: “Avoid Asche.” He’s just not that good, and he may not even have a job by mid-season. (Marc Hulet)

Quick Opinion: Asche’s grasp on a big league role with the rebuilding Phillies is tenuous at best due to his modest production and the looming threat of Maikel Franco. Move along in your search for a fantasy third baseman, even in deeper NL leagues.


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
’13 379 75 11 0 47 39 .227 .317 .376 .310 -3.8 -3.3 0.6
’14 457 85 11 0 47 44 .218 .327 .359 .311 -10.7 15.3 2.1
’15 392 77 10 2 40 43 .230 .331 .374 .317 -1.2 10.5 2.4

Profile: Avila is quickly becoming a second tier catcher because of his inability to repeat his 2011 home run total of 19. After that season, his home run totals have been 9, 11, and 11 in order. The problem with the power hasn’t been his home run per fly ball rate, which has always hovered around 14%-15%. The problem has been his inability to make contact (33% strikeout rate) and put the ball in the air (1.5 ground balls per fly ball). Ten home runs is probably about right for a 2015 projection. Additionally, his average is on a four-year decline (.295 to .243 to .227 to .218) which corresponds to a four-year rise in his strikeout rate (24% to 24% to 30% to 33%). With some regression, a .230 average with a 30% K% should be the projection here. He hasn’t stolen a base in two seasons, so expect none in 2015. The biggest issue with Avila will be his health after missing days to concussions the last two seasons. Even healthy, though, a .230/10/0 catcher is not that valuable in most leagues. (Jeff Zimmerman)

Quick Opinion: After becoming a fantasy darling a few season back, Alex Avila’s inability to make contact has destroyed his fantasy value.


Mike Aviles

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 3/13/1981 | Team: Indians | Position: 2B/3B/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 394 91 9 8 46 54 .252 .282 .368 .284 -8.4 -2.1 0.3
’14 374 85 5 14 39 38 .247 .273 .343 .272 -8.5 -6.2 -0.3
’15 306 70 5 8 29 30 .243 .277 .352 .279 -6.9 -2.0 0.1

Profile: Mike Aviles is a super-utility man with an 80-grade personality. For those two reasons, and those two reasons alone, the Indians picked up his $3 million option for 2015, despite his replacement-level performance over the last two seasons. Aviles’ bat used to be nice for a utility man, but four consecutive seasons of declining power combined with a nonexistent walk rate makes him pretty useless at the plate. At 34, it’s tough to see the power coming back, and Aviles will struggle to reach the ~400 plate appearance he’s been given the last two years on a deep roster in Cleveland. (August Fagerstrom)

Quick Opinion: Aviles will serve the same role he has the last two seasons as a super utility man in Cleveland, but likely in a more limited role. His declining power and terrible on-base skills make him easy to pass over in fantasy.


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
’13 589 149 6 12 54 68 .271 .301 .382 .299 -3.6 -0.4 1.7
’14 641 164 7 16 68 77 .278 .321 .379 .308 1.9 14.6 4.1
’15 621 156 8 15 59 66 .271 .312 .378 .305 0.9 7.1 3.1

Profile: Erick Aybar consistently hits for average and steals some bases, and at shortstop, that is enough to make him a borderline top ten player at the position for 2015. Aybar has been amazingly consistent in his career. He has hit between .271 and .290 each of the last four seasons with between 6-10 home runs and 12-30 steals. In truth, the 30 stolen bases are probably never coming back. He’s stolen between 12 and 20 in the three seasons since and is now on the wrong side of 30 years old. Still, even with 15 steals, Aybar can be a starter at a weak position. (Scott Spratt)

Quick Opinion: Aybar is a consistent .270 hitter who will approach 10 home runs and 20 steals, and even though his 30-steal upside from earlier in his career is likely gone now that he is past 30 years old, he does enough at a weak position to land at the back end of the top 10 at the position.


Javier Baez

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 12/1/1992 | Team: Cubs | Position: 2B/SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 229 36 9 5 20 25 .169 .227 .324 .248 -11.5 -3.0 -0.8
’15 589 119 27 14 67 72 .221 .276 .418 .304 -6.3 1.8 1.4

Profile: Javier Baez has oodles of power potential and oodles of strikeout concerns. Behold this list of players who have maintained a strikeout rate above 40% across at least 200 plate appearances: Javier Baez. Oh, and that list includes all players since 1901, and that’s only because we don’t have reliable strikeout rate data before then. In other words, no known team has awarded a 40% strikeout rate player more than 200 PA in a single season since basically forever. Javy better be good. Because, wow. He struck out 95 times and reached base via hit or walk only 45 times. That’s 1.8 strikeouts per every time he reached base — worst in the league among those with 200 PA. Second place goes to fellow Cub Mike Olt with a 1.6 ratio. Only 38 players out of 349 had a ratio higher than one. And only three players were worse than 1.3. I’m saying he struck out a lot. A lot a lot. So don’t go sparkle-eyed when Steamer projects 23 homers for a 22-year-old second baseman. Yeah, he’s going to flex a lot of power in his career, but the rest of his hitting game is a massive work in progress, so be ready for some rough times. (Bradley Woodrum)

Quick Opinion: Javier Baez is probably going to be good, if not great, very soon. But in the meantime, his performance in 2014 suggest he will struggle a lot in 2015. Barring a huge step forward, expect lots of power and nothing else from the 2015 Baez.


Jeff Baker

Debut: 2005 |  BirthDate: 6/21/1981 | Team: Marlins | Position: 1B/2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 175 43 11 1 21 21 .279 .360 .545 .389 5.9 -7.6 0.4
’14 225 55 3 1 28 27 .264 .307 .394 .306 -1.8 -6.8 -0.2
’15 170 39 3 1 17 16 .248 .299 .382 .301 -2.6 -3.4 -0.1

Profile: Baker’s sole use at this point is being a decent, cheap option to use in daily contests versus left-handed pitching. Baker’s abilities are known, at this point, and the things he can’t do are well known, too. He’ll perform versus lefties, but there simply aren’t enough at-bats for him in that role to be of any use in most leagues. (Landon Jones)


John Baker

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 1/20/1981 | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 46 6 0 0 2 0 .150 .261 .150 .206 -3.8 2.8 0.0
’14 208 35 0 0 15 9 .192 .273 .231 .230 -15.8 0.8 -1.0
’15 30 5 0 0 2 2 .197 .269 .263 .242 -1.6 0.4 -0.0

Profile: The FanGraphs+ profiles are usually about fantasy value. So the real question is: Why are you bothering to read the FG+ profile on John Baker? Perhaps you’ve stumbled upon this page by accident, or maybe your mouse or touchscreen is not working properly. Consider resetting the computer or mobile device. If the problem persists, visit Jonathan Lucroy’s page. Perhaps it is just John Baker that isn’t working. If so, don’t bother reporting the error to FanGraphs personnel. I mean, John Baker is a great guy and all, but you’re the first person to visit this page. It’s just not a priority. (Bradley Woodrum)

Quick Opinion: John Baker may not be a good hitter anymore, but at least he’s slow and bad at defense.


Clint Barmes

Debut: 2003 |  BirthDate: 3/6/1979 | Team: Padres | Position: 2B/SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 330 64 5 0 23 22 .211 .249 .309 .244 -17.3 13.1 0.6
’14 116 25 0 1 7 15 .245 .328 .294 .280 -3.2 2.8 0.3
’15 259 50 4 2 21 20 .212 .265 .305 .254 -11.1 3.9 0.1

Profile: The defensive wizard continues to get chances despite a career .294 weighted on base average, and this time he takes his slick fielding, no bat skills to San Diego to act as a utility infielder. Even if injuries thrust him into full-time duty, there’s little offensive upside for the soon-to-be 36-year-old. Kindly move along. (Mike Podhorzer)


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
’13 445 98 8 11 41 46 .240 .289 .346 .283 -12.4 6.9 1.0
’14 313 75 8 5 27 37 .257 .293 .425 .315 -6.2 -2.5 0.1
’15 141 32 3 3 15 15 .248 .295 .390 .303 -3.9 -1.5 -0.1

Profile: Charlie Blackmon and Corey Dickerson broke out in 2014; Drew Stubbs had his best year since 2010; Carlos Gonzalez still projects (god willing and the creek don’t rise) as the Rockies best outfielder going into 2015. This leaves Barnes buried on the depth chart as he enters his age-29 season. He swings too much, misses too much, doesn’t draw walks, and isn’t very efficient at stealing bases despite above average speed. He hit a few balls a long way in 2014, but seven of his eight home runs were at Coors, and he probably won’t see enough playing time or make enough contact for that sell-out power to matter overall. (Robert J. Baumann)

Quick Opinion: If he happens into a lot of playing time, Barnes might reach double digit homers. Not worth the risk on draft day.


Darwin Barney

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 11/8/1985 | Team: Dodgers | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 555 104 7 4 41 49 .208 .266 .303 .252 -26.7 14.7 0.5
’14 262 57 3 1 23 24 .241 .300 .342 .285 -5.8 7.8 1.1
’15 81 17 1 1 6 7 .232 .282 .315 .267 -2.5 0.1 0.0

Profile: If defense were the only category in fantasy baseball, then Darwin Barney would be a perennial first round pick. But instead, his breadstick bat does little more than burst into flecks of unuseful parmesan, so neither real teams nor fantasy teams have found much use for Barney lately. The Dodgers have Barney under contract for 2015, but with options still remaining, he will likely languish in Triple-A until injuries force him onto the Dodger bench. And even when that does happen, your fantasy team still won’t need him. (Bradley Woodrum)

Quick Opinion: Barney might be a great defensive infielder, but he has almost no fantasy value. Only in a league where you want a decent batting average and nothing else would Barney — playing at full time capacity — be a worthy investment.


Tucker Barnhart

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 1/7/1991 | Team: Reds | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 60 10 1 0 1 3 .185 .241 .241 .215 -5.1 3.2 -0.0
’15 31 6 0 0 2 2 .221 .284 .311 .268 -1.2 0.8 0.1

Profile: Barnhart is an excellent defensive catcher. However, he offers virtually nothing offensively. He has no power or speed, and he’s a career .259 hitter in 1,618 minor-league plate appearances. (Scott Strandberg)

Quick Opinion: With Devin Mesoraco and Brayan Pena holding down the position on the major-league roster, it would take an injury to one of them to find Barnhart a spot on the 25-man. Even if/when that happens, his bat will be a fantasy albatross.


Jason Bartlett

Debut: 2004 |  BirthDate: 10/30/1979 | Position: DH/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 4 0 0 0 0 3 .000 .250 .000 .181 -0.4 -2.1 -0.3
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .229 .288 .308 .270 -0.0 -0.0 -0.0

Profile: Bartlett’s cup of coffee with the Twins in 2014 was shorter than most haircuts, with the highlight being a hilarious sequence where he made left field in Cleveland look like the Super Aggro Crag from Nickelodeon’s Global Guts television program. He retired shortly thereafter. (Brandon Warne)

Quick Opinion: For some reason the Twins thought Bartlett could handle being their fourth outfielder. Only God knows why.


Daric Barton

Debut: 2007 |  BirthDate: 8/16/1985 | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 120 28 3 0 16 15 .269 .350 .375 .325 1.0 1.2 0.7
’14 64 9 0 0 5 7 .158 .234 .175 .197 -6.1 -0.7 -0.5
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .243 .339 .355 .315 0.0 -0.0 0.0

Profile: The once highly touted prospect — he rated in Baseball America’s top 100 four straight seasons — has continued to fail to produce. Barton’s on-base percentage is tolerable, however his poor power for a first baseman torpedoes his value. (David Wiers)


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
’13 528 117 28 7 73 82 .259 .358 .498 .372 21.7 -0.5 4.2
’14 673 158 35 6 103 101 .286 .403 .524 .402 41.5 -5.8 6.3
’15 653 145 36 5 99 99 .267 .380 .517 .389 35.1 -8.2 5.3

Profile: Since his 2010 emergence, baseball fans have been treated to two varieties of Jose Bautista seasons: a) he stays mostly healthy and is awesome; b) he misses time with injury, and is still pretty awesome when he plays. After two good but injury-marred seasons in 2012 and 2013, in 2014 Bautista played in 155 games (his most since 2010) and reminded the league just how much of a badass he is, hitting .286/.403/.524 with 35 home runs. Now in his mid-30s, it would be unfair to expect Bautista to repeat that effort, even if he did improve his strikeout and walk rates over 2013. Given his age and his past, there should be some concern over Bautista’s health, but really, what 2012 and 2013 show is just how reliable he is even when he is struggling. (How many teams would kill to have a player that “struggled” like Jose Bautista?). Jose Bautista is a pretty safe bet. Even regressing back to something like .270/.380/.510, a 30+ home run hitter like Bautista is one of the top fantasy outfielders after Mike Trout, Giancarlo Stanton, Andrew McCutchen, Yasiel Puig, and a few others. He really only helps in three categories, but he dominates them. (Matt Klaassen)

Quick Opinion: Even when Bautista has a down year, he is still a very good fantasy outfielder fantasy baseball. In 2014, he showed that when he is healthy, he dominates in three categories, put him just outside the exalted ring. 


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
’13 408 99 5 5 24 46 .267 .322 .372 .306 -5.5 1.0 1.0
’14 483 101 9 3 44 53 .226 .271 .348 .273 -15.2 -1.8 -0.2
’15 371 81 7 3 36 39 .241 .295 .361 .292 -7.7 -0.0 0.5

Profile: When you come into the league as a 22-year-old and post an above-average season when judged by wins above replacement, you’re given a lot of opportunities to succeed. Beckham’s rookie campaign is the high water mark of his career, but he’s only 28 years old. Moreover, his peripherals are almost an identical match for a much better player — Daniel Murphy. He’s back with the White Sox, who still haven’t yet figured out second base. If he’s lucky, he’ll figure out how to post the .320 batting average on balls in play that have made Murphy a valuable major leaguer — that would help him beat out favorite Micah Johnson and backup plans Carlos Sanchez and Emilio Bonifacio. (Brad Johnson)

Quick Opinion: The poor man’s Daniel Murphy, Beckham needs to figure out how to squeak out a few more hits before he can make good on the promise he flashed in 2009. Until then, he’s a utility infielder.


Vince Belnome

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 3/11/1988 | Position: DH
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 14 1 0 0 1 1 .100 .286 .200 .205 -1.1 -0.4 -0.1
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .228 .319 .347 .300 -0.0 -0.0 0.0

Profile: Belnome will start the season in Triple-A Durham, and it’s hard to see him doing anything of note in the majors. He has plenty of experience at third and second, but he’s spent most of his time as a first baseman in recent years. It would take a rash of injuries to get Belnome to the majors in 2015, as he’s not even on the 40-man roster. (Scott Strandberg)

Quick Opinion: Even if he finds a way to the majors in 2015, there’s no reason to give fantasy consideration to a first baseman who hit .245/.358/.383 in Triple-A last year.


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
’13 571 147 17 5 67 76 .289 .360 .481 .365 25.4 -5.0 4.0
’14 235 52 12 3 27 30 .243 .306 .449 .330 1.8 -1.9 0.7
’15 591 139 20 7 73 68 .268 .346 .454 .350 18.8 -5.3 3.4

Profile: After somewhat of a breakout 2013 season, Belt was a huge disappointment last year. He struck out more, walked less and was unable to sustain an elite line drive rate that had fueled a well above average batting average on balls in play the prior two seasons. But injuries undoubtedly had an effect on Belt’s performance. He was out from early may to early July with a broken thumb after being hit by a pitch. He had started a little slow prior to the injury but appeared to be turning it around as he raked in a handful of May at-bats. After returning from the hand injury, he missed good chunks of the remainder of the season with a concussion, and finally returned for good in mid-September. From that point on, playoffs included, Belt triple slashed .292/.409/.449. Maybe the power is lower than you’d like to see (although it’s in line with his career average), but the average and OBP are excellent, and he appeared to be himself again. It’s not unreasonable to think Belt can bounce back to what he was in 2013. You won’t have to pay the same price you had to pay after his 2013 season, so he’s potentially a very nice value. (Brett Talley)

Quick Opinion: Belt regressed from a 2013 breakout season, but injuries played a big role in his struggles. After he returned in mid-September, Belt looked like himself throughout the playoffs triple slashing .292/.409/.449 after his return. His price will be depressed after a disappointing season, so he could be a nice value given he has a decent chance to bounce back.


Carlos Beltran

Debut: 1998 |  BirthDate: 4/24/1977 | Team: Yankees | Position: DH/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 600 164 24 2 84 79 .296 .339 .491 .359 21.5 -21.4 1.9
’14 449 94 15 3 49 46 .233 .301 .402 .310 -5.6 -13.4 -0.5
’15 461 108 17 3 58 56 .260 .324 .438 .334 4.3 -11.8 0.8

Profile: It’s never easy to watch formerly great players decline, but that’s exactly what 2014 looked like for Carlos Beltran. After signing a three-year deal with the Yankees, Beltran limped around the outfield and posting some of the worst numbers of his career. His .233/.301/.402 line in just 449 plate appearances features similar walk and strikeout rates to his 2013, only without all the power. Pitchers worked him more and more with hard stuff, suggesting he owned a slower bat. As always with an older player, there is injury information to weigh. Beltran had surgery to remove bone spurs and loose bodies from this right elbow, a painful injury that surely inhibited his ability to drive the ball. When he was mostly healthy in 2013, he was a different player than Beltran at his peak. He walked less, struck out more, and didn’t glide around the field as a bulkier corner outfielder. The what ifs are considerable with a player with this track record and mileage. Beltran can produce well above average, hitting for power from both sides of the plate. Or he could miss chunks of time and look every day of his 38 years as he struggles to hit premium velocity. This is the tantalizing nature of veteran players — you aren’t alone if you fall under their spell. (Drew Fairservice)

Quick Opinion: Slowed by injuries and age, is there anything left in Carlos Beltran’s bat?


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
’13 690 199 30 1 92 88 .315 .371 .509 .379 26.0 -0.7 5.2
’14 614 178 19 1 77 79 .324 .388 .492 .380 27.9 4.7 5.8
’15 634 171 24 1 94 82 .297 .354 .484 .363 18.9 9.4 5.3

Profile: The 35-year-old finally showed some signs of decline after enjoying consistent production since departing the Mariners in 2009. A career high batting average on balls in play somewhat masked a drop in power, as his isolated slugging and home run per fly ball rates both fell to five-year lows. He also posted the second-lowest fly ball rate of his career, which could just be a one year blip or it could be signaling a loss of ability to lift the ball. Assuming his fly ball rate does rebound mildly, he should return to the 20 homer plateau. The good news is that he’s not swinging and missing more often and he posted his highest walk rate since 2000. A swift decline seems unlikely given how well his skills have held up, but we can never really predict when a mid-30s hitter is going to suddenly lose it. Since he remains in a good home park and lineup that should have much better luck on the health front, he should once again be a top third baseman, with the risk that age could catch up at any time. (Mike Podhorzer)

Quick Opinion: Beltre’s skills have held up amazingly well given his age, but we may have seen the first chink in his armor as both his ISO and HR/FB ratio fell to five-year lows. However, a spot in the middle of what should be a much healthier lineup and stable skills aside from the power should ensure he remains one of the better fantasy third basemen.


Engel Beltre

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 11/1/1989 | 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
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .240 .280 .346 .278 -0.0 -0.0 -0.0

Profile: The 25-year-old Beltre elected to become a free agent after a leg injury that required surgery limited him to just 56 plate appearances. He has limited power and above average speed, but an inability to take a walk means his upside might be just a fourth or fifth outfielder — wherever he ends up. (Mike Podhorzer)


Roger Bernadina

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 6/12/1984 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 250 41 4 4 11 26 .181 .250 .295 .245 -13.3 0.7 -0.6
’14 80 11 1 2 9 5 .167 .304 .258 .269 -3.4 -0.8 -0.2
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .211 .288 .321 .275 -0.0 -0.0 -0.0

Profile: Did you come to Bernadina’s page looking for a fantasy sleeper? No, probably not. Most likely, your team has just re-called Bernadina to fill in for temporarily injured outfielder X. Don’t worry, Bernadina will contribute something approximating replacement level for 10 or 25 plate appearances before moving to the next organization in need of a couple spot starts. These types of players are a necessary part of reality, but it’s awfully hard to get excited to see them cross the radar. Once upon a time, he showed flashes of five average tools. Now he’s entering his age 31 season —  we can forget about the fairy tale that was once The Shark. (Brad Johnson)

Quick Opinion: Bernadina will probably flash across the transaction ticker a couple times in 2015 as teams try to patch a gaping roster hole. Better options will follow.


Doug Bernier

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 6/24/1980 | Position: 2B/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 -0.5 2.1 0.4
’14 9 2 0 0 0 2 .286 .444 .286 .355 0.3 -0.1 0.1
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .243 .303 .329 .284 -0.0 0.0 0.0

Profile: Bernier won the MVP award for Triple-A Rochester, and got a September call-up to the Twins for being a good soldier. At 35, that’s about it for the utility infielder who has seen time in the minors with four different organizations. Bernier re-signed with the Twins on a minor-league deal, but he is in no way a candidate for a utility role with the big club. (Brandon Warne)

Quick Opinion: Bernier is a 35-year-old org guy. That’s it.


Quintin Berry

Debut: 2012 |  BirthDate: 11/21/1984 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 9 5 1 3 4 5 .625 .667 .1.000 .705 3.4 0.1 0.4
’14 2 0 0 1 0 3 .000 .000 .000 .000 -0.1 0.0 -0.0
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .232 .310 .318 .286 -0.0 -0.0 -0.0

Profile: In the time it takes you to read this sentence, Quintin Berry will steal a base, strike out, and be released by yet another major league team. If your Triple-A fantasy team needs some stolen bases, he is a fine pick. Any hope for major league playing time is unclear at this point. (Jeremy Blachman)


Christian Bethancourt

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 9/2/1991 | Team: Braves | Position: C
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
’14 117 28 0 1 9 7 .248 .274 .274 .247 -6.7 1.8 -0.2
’15 431 97 9 6 41 35 .238 .266 .346 .271 -14.6 8.5 0.7

Profile: Bethancourt got buzz almost as soon as he signed out of Panama at age 16 because of his athleticism and ridiculous arm strength that is nearly elite. He steadily made progress with adding strength and making contact, and broke though at age 20 in Double-A in 2013. He performed similarly well in Triple-A last year, but struggled in 117 major league plate appearances. The Braves chalk that up to being fatigued. A 40 bat with 45 power and 60 defense/arm is a 50 future value guy and one of the top 30 catchers in baseball, depending on health. Bethancourt should be in that range this year and may never get higher than that. He isn’t patient at the plate and that limits his in-game power, but he has improved in both areas. Bethancourt has good feel for the bat head that gives him enough offensive potential to rely on everyday, but his carrying tools are on defense. He’s quick behind the plate and has a quick release that helps him post pop times in the high 1.7s or 1.8s. Bethancourt has made progress in recent years with the finer points of catching, especially in working with pitchers on a plan to attack hitters. Even at his peak, he may not be much of a fantasy asset. (Kiley McDaniel)

Quick Opinion: Bethancourt will get a chance to be the starting catcher for the Braves this year after long being called the catcher of the future. A.J. Pierzynski will be there as a backup in case Bethancourt’s bat falters, but his defense allows him to learn on the job.


Mookie Betts

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 10/7/1992 | Team: Red Sox | Position: 2B/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 213 55 5 7 18 34 .291 .368 .444 .361 9.5 0.6 1.9
’15 388 98 8 16 41 52 .284 .353 .422 .344 8.4 0.6 2.4

Profile: Selected in the fifth round of the 2011 draft out of a Tennessee high school, Betts was omitted from Baseball America’s top prospect list entering the 2012 season. And also the 2013 season. And then finally appeared 75th on it before the 2014 campaign. Work by Kevin Creagh and Steve DiMiceli reveals that a hitting prospect ranked 75th on BA’s annual list produces, on average, between four and five wins above replacement (WAR) over the first six years of his major-league career. To get a sense of where Betts fits within that model, consider that, were he to match exactly his Steamer projection for 2015, Betts would finish his <i>second</i> major-league season with roughly 4.5 career WAR. This isn’t to suggest that BA’s methodology is flawed, but rather to note the degree to which Betts has exceeded expectations. He does little at an elite level, but nearly everything — including make contact, play defense, run the bases — at an above-average one. Even his power at this point profiles as close to major-league average — surprising, that, considering his diminutive frame. The most pressing question for Betts in 2015 concerns his defensive home. He’s played second base in the minors, but Dustin Pedroia does that in the majors. Right field appears to be the position at which he’ll receive the majority of his early season starts. If he hits, though, manager John Farrell et al. will find him a regular role of some sort. (Carson Cistulli)

Quick Opinion: A diminutive fifth-round pick unable to play a league-average major-leauge shortstop, Betts was never considered a top prospect. He has average or better skills in nearly all facets of the game, however, and is likely too valuable <i>not</i> to have a regular role with Boston this year.


Jeff Bianchi

Debut: 2012 |  BirthDate: 10/5/1986 | Position: 3B/SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 252 56 1 4 25 22 .237 .272 .292 .252 -13.3 12.7 0.7
’14 74 12 0 0 6 4 .171 .203 .186 .178 -8.6 -0.5 -0.8
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .232 .275 .317 .265 -0.0 0.0 -0.0

Profile: The Brewers outrighted Bianchi to Triple-A in October. He declined, and has been a free agent ever since. The 28-year-old is a .216/.251/.283 hitter in 402 career major-league plate appearances. (Scott Strandberg)

Quick Opinion: He’s still a free agent, and even if he had somewhere to play, it sure wouldn’t be on your fantasy team.


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
’13 258 76 6 7 22 35 .309 .336 .467 .350 5.8 -6.7 0.7
’14 648 171 19 28 72 82 .288 .335 .440 .339 3.1 -4.4 2.0
’15 644 161 15 22 64 81 .274 .324 .417 .326 -5.5 -6.9 0.7

Profile: Blackmon’s 2014 season began about as well as one could hope. In April, he recorded both a strikeout rate (7.1%) and isolated slugging percentage (.242) among the top 10% of all qualified batters — this, while making the majority of his defensive starts for the Rockies in center field. The result was one the league’s top Wins Above Replacement (WAR) figures over the course of the month. The remainder of the season, meanwhile, would prove to be less impressive. Not entirely disappointing; just, less ecstatic than that first (ultimately unsustainable) month. The outcome, in the end, was an almost precisely league-average season, including a league-average batting line (100 wRC+) and league-average WAR (2.0 WAR). With regard to 2015, “league average” — or something approximating it — appears to be another likely outcome. The raw numbers will suggest something a little better than that because of Coors Field’s inflated run environment, of course. Even without the benefit of his home park, though, Blackmon has evolved into a useful starter despite a pedigree that would normally portend a less capable outcome. (Carson Cistulli)

Quick Opinion: An absurdly productive April coupled with Coors Field’s inflated run environment conspired to produce an attractive offensive line for Blackmon. Adding regression and adjusting for park still reveals something like an average major-league starter, though.


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
’13 511 120 3 14 41 50 .265 .341 .350 .307 1.0 10.3 2.9
’14 444 102 5 16 38 51 .260 .333 .374 .317 3.6 1.7 2.0
’15 290 63 3 9 23 29 .248 .327 .346 .302 -0.6 -0.3 0.8

Profile: Blanco is slated to be part of the Giants’ left field solution with Nori Aoki, but even the prospect of him getting more than a half-season’s work isn’t all that exciting. The last time he got that much work in 2013 he hit .265 with 14 steals and three home runs. He did steal 16 last year in fewer plate appearances, so it’s possible he could swipe 20 bags. But 20 steals as opposed to 15 appears to be the only upside he has in any category. He’s certainly worth consideration in NL-only leagues, but he doesn’t produce enough to be considered by mixed leaguers. (Brett Talley)

Quick Opinion: Pagan is slated to be one of the primary left fielders for San Francisco, but his upside is pretty limited. A decent batting average and a little speed make him worth a look in NL-only leagues, but that’s about it.


Andres Blanco

Debut: 2004 |  BirthDate: 4/11/1984 | Position: 3B/SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 53 13 1 0 3 4 .277 .306 .447 .322 -0.6 1.9 0.3
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .231 .280 .327 .270 -0.0 -0.0 -0.0

Profile: A career minor leaguer who debuted in the majors back in 2004, Blanco has no fantasy value, even if he does make a major league roster. (Zach Sanders)


Kyle Blanks

Debut: 2009 |  BirthDate: 9/11/1986 | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 308 68 8 1 35 31 .243 .305 .379 .302 -1.2 -4.6 0.4
’14 66 17 2 0 7 10 .309 .409 .436 .379 3.6 -1.0 0.5
’15 168 38 6 1 21 20 .254 .325 .437 .336 2.1 -4.2 0.4

Profile: Blanks was once a promising power bat in the Padres system, but injuries have derailed his career. Now 28, Blanks has struggled to translate his minor league power to the majors. However, he did succeed in a brief audition with the A’s last season. In 56 plate appearances, he hit .333/.446/.489 with a .419 batting average on balls in play. Luck certainly played a role, but there is some tiny sample evidence that he could work as a platoon hitter. His first shot in 2015 appears to be with the Rangers, who have signed him to a split contract. If he can establish a regular role, he might become a viable streaming target against left-handed pitchers. (Brad Johnson)

Quick Opinion: Injuries have torpedoed the former sleeper, but he’s still young enough to carve out a major league career. Walks and power (mostly against lefties) are Blanks’ trademarks.


Willie Bloomquist

Debut: 2002 |  BirthDate: 11/27/1977 | Team: Mariners | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 150 44 0 0 14 16 .317 .360 .367 .325 -0.2 0.7 0.5
’14 139 37 1 1 14 15 .278 .297 .346 .282 -3.0 -0.8 0.1
’15 282 68 2 4 22 28 .258 .295 .333 .279 -6.8 -1.0 0.1

Profile: You have to admire the defensive versatility of Willie Bloomquist, as he’s played every position other than catcher and pitcher — and he’s not half bad at most of them either. But you don’t have to admire his bat, which hasn’t been particularly useful, since, well, forever. Look kids, Big Ben, Parliament. (Michael Barr)


Brennan Boesch

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 4/12/1985 | Position: DH/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 53 14 3 0 8 6 .275 .302 .529 .357 0.6 -4.1 -0.2
’14 79 14 2 3 7 6 .187 .203 .293 .211 -5.2 -2.9 -0.6
’15 123 27 4 2 14 13 .242 .292 .411 .308 -1.0 -3.7 -0.1

Profile: Boesch is starting to look like a Quad-A stud thus far, but he made some solid improvements to his swing that led to an awesome year in the PCL. He may surprise people this year if he continued down the path this offseason to make himself more balanced at the plate, instead of a dead-pull mistake hitter. (Dan Farnsworth)


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
’14 594 129 12 2 46 60 .240 .297 .362 .294 -10.3 -4.8 0.4
’15 546 126 15 5 62 64 .256 .319 .406 .321 1.4 -0.2 2.1

Profile: As a spritely 21-year-old, Bogaerts’ numbers were in line with the league average across the board. Even his defense at shortstop rated near average in an 800-inning sample. If he didn’t improve at all, he would still be a wildly valuable piece for a contending team. Those expecting him to put up elite offensive numbers at the position were disappointed this year, though his pedigree and minor league numbers still point toward a much brighter future at the plate. His swing underwent some slight changes this year that made him less able to drive the ball to the opposite field, as well as limiting the damage he could do when he got the ball in the air. He has dynamite in his bat, and he’s so young that you have to bet on him rediscovering the swing that made him such an all-fields threat in the minors. With only a little physical maturation he profiles as at least a 20 homer bat with a .270 average, assuming he realizes what made him successful before this season. His 2014 numbers are the floor for what he can do, and it’s not crazy to see him making Hanley Ramirez envious within the next year or two. (Dan Farnsworth)

Quick Opinion: It may take another year to really see the brilliance in his offensive potential, but Bogaerts should be expected to be one of the best offensive shortstops this season. There is a decent risk that he fails to make adjustments right away and continues where he left off in 2014, but the upside more than makes up for the concerns.


Emilio Bonifacio

Debut: 2007 |  BirthDate: 4/23/1985 | Team: White Sox | Position: 2B/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 461 102 3 28 31 54 .243 .295 .331 .279 -9.9 0.2 0.6
’14 426 102 3 26 24 47 .259 .305 .345 .289 -4.4 10.8 2.1
’15 478 106 4 26 36 51 .245 .304 .327 .284 -9.8 -1.3 0.5

Profile: Still the owner of a top 25 Speed Score, Bonifacio is projected by Steamer to steal 29 bases in the upcoming year. So he’ll have value in many leagues, as flawed as he is. No power, no patience, no glove — Bonifacio does not make for a great sleeper, even on a White Sox team without another veteran second baseman on the roster. With Carlos Sanchez and Micah Johnson in the fold, though, the south-siders have enough upside to look past Bonifacio at second. Considering the collapse possible in Conor Gillaspie’s line, maybe he sneaks into more regular work at third. Most likely, the Good Face will back up second, third, and in the outfield. That would mean some value in deep batting average leagues as a plug-and-play steals source, but not much beyond.  (Dan Schwartz)

Quick Opinion: As a useful but flawed super utility man on a team with question marks at second and third, Bonifacio has a little bit of daylight left in his fantasy relevance. The team would probably rather the 30-year-old stays in the utility role, though, so don’t overpay. 


Justin Bour

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 5/28/1988 | Team: Marlins | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 83 21 1 0 11 10 .284 .361 .365 .325 -0.7 -0.8 0.1
’15 159 35 4 1 17 16 .245 .304 .387 .302 -2.0 -3.2 -0.1

Profile: Bour has three things going for him: he has decent pop, a decent approach, and he’s left-handed. Unfortunately, he’s 27 and has not yet garnered many plate appearances at the major league level, which also says a good deal about his ability. In Miami, though, he could be good enough to carve out a niche, thanks to their dearth of production at first base in 2014. With Bour, there isn’t a ton to dream on, but there’s enough to see a competent player. One that could help in times of dire need, but not offer much beyond that. (Landon Jones)

Quick Opinion: Michael Morse gets hurt often enough that Justin Bour might be relevant on deep league waiver wires this year.


Jason Bourgeois

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 1/4/1982 | Team: Reds | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 18 3 1 0 2 2 .188 .278 .375 .292 -0.2 -0.9 -0.1
’14 34 8 0 0 1 5 .242 .265 .303 .252 -1.6 0.9 0.0
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .250 .293 .332 .279 -0.0 -0.0 -0.0

Profile: Bourgeois hasn’t logged more than 66 major-league plate appearances in any of his past three seasons. It looks like that could be set to change in 2015, as the 33-year-old is in the running for a bench spot with the Reds. Still, there’s really no reason to consider him for fantasy, even in deep NL-only leagues. Even if he does break camp with the major-league squad, his role will likely be that of a pinch runner and defensive replacement. (Scott Strandberg)

Quick Opinion: If several Reds outfielders get hurt at the same time, Bourgeois could probably supply some cheap speed in very deep NL-only formats. How’s that for a ringing endorsement?


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
’13 196 48 3 6 12 26 .274 .333 .377 .317 3.4 0.4 1.1
’14 294 61 4 9 24 32 .231 .294 .348 .287 -3.8 10.0 1.6
’15 265 56 5 6 25 26 .235 .295 .363 .293 -3.4 4.6 1.0

Profile: Peter Bourjos has had a lot of chances to establish himself offensively because his defense is exceptional, but injuries have limited his playing time through much of his career. Now entering his second season in St. Louis, Bourjos will likely back up or platoon with Jon Jay in center field. The one time Bourjos did make it through a full season as a starter—back in 2011 with the Angels—he stole 22 bases, and he has swiped bags at a similar rate in recent seasons. Apart from the speed, there is little in the way of fantasy value for Bourjos to hang his hat on. He will turn 28 years old near the start of the 2015 season. It’s probably time to move on from him as an annual fantasy sleeper. (Scott Spratt)

Quick Opinion: Defensive value makes him a valuable real-life player, but speed is the only major skill Bourjos brings to a fantasy team. With an extensive injury history and a likely backup roll with the Cardinals in 2015, he has little fantasy relevance.


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
’13 575 138 6 23 50 75 .263 .316 .360 .300 -2.7 1.2 1.9
’14 487 114 3 10 28 57 .257 .314 .360 .300 -4.5 -7.8 0.4
’15 602 137 5 19 43 69 .253 .313 .349 .296 -3.5 0.8 1.8

Profile: Michael Bourn appears to be losing the one thing that once made him a fantasy asset: his speed. When he came over to Cleveland in 2013, he was a year removed from stealing 42 bases and two years removed from stealing 61. In two years with the Indians, he’s swiped just 33 combined, and been thrown out 18 times. His 2014 Speed score was the lowest of his career, and his rate of infield hits has plummeted. He’s dealt with two unrelated injuries to his left hamstring in those two years, and at 32 years old, it’s hard to see the days of 40+ steals coming back. Without the stolen bases, Bourn becomes a singles hitter, now past his prime, who strikes out too much and doesn’t get on base enough for a leadoff hitter. Manager Terry Francona likes him in that spot, so as long as he’s healthy he’ll rack up at-bats, which come along with runs, but if he ever gets moved down in the order it would be hard to find anything appealing about him — for fantasy purposes. Bourn’s ceiling is probably something like an empty .270 batting average with 25 steals and 85 runs. (August Fagerstrom)

Quick Opinion: Bourn used to be a solid fantasy pick because of his steals, but hamstring injuries and aging have sent his speed into a rapid decline, as well as his fantasy value. He’ll still lead off for the Indians when healthy and rack up at-bats and runs, but Bourn is no longer the fantasy asset he once was.


Jackie Bradley Jr.

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 -3.1 -2.3 -0.2
’14 423 76 1 8 30 45 .198 .265 .266 .243 -29.4 15.1 -0.1
’15 64 14 1 1 6 7 .235 .304 .348 .293 -1.5 1.3 0.2

Profile: Unless an injury occurs, Jackie Bradley Jr. may have missed his opportunity for regular playing time in Boston. The sophomore outfielder has been displaced by free agents Hanley Ramirez and Rusney Castillo, not to mention fellow youngster Mookie Betts who enjoyed much more success in his first taste of big league action. Bradley Jr. still has enviable skills, especially on defense, but he may need a half season in the minors to clear his head and forget about his ugly struggles (.198 average and a strikeout rate of 29% in 127 games). Once that happens and he’s rebuilt his value, though, he’s more likely to be trade bait. He has enough pop to produce double-digit home runs and he could turn some of his raw speed into 15-20 steals in a full season. Historically, he’s also controlled the strike zone much more effectively. He’s not likely to be fantasy relevant until 2016 at the earliest. (Marc Hulet)

Quick Opinion: As long as he remains in Boston, there is no clear path to playing time for Bradley Jr. He’s more likely to spend time in the minors rebuilding his trade value before being jettisoned in a summer deal to fill a more pressing need. With that said, things could happen if injuries strike the likes of Hanley Ramirez or Shane Victorino.


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
’13 611 158 10 17 73 66 .284 .332 .396 .320 5.7 -10.8 1.6
’14 676 200 20 23 97 94 .327 .385 .506 .389 48.8 -10.4 6.6
’15 643 168 14 14 73 76 .290 .350 .427 .342 17.5 -9.4 3.2

Profile: For the first several years of Michael Brantley’s career, he was just a player who was average at everything. In 2014, he became a player that was great at everything. If you want to talk about five category production, look no further than Brantley last year. Arbitrary endpoints be damned, he came just the 26th player in the history of baseball to have a season with a .325+ batting average, 20+ HR, 20+ SB, 90+ R and 95+ RBI. He has always been a line drive hitter, but he took it to new heights last year, and added in dingers for the first time ever — for good measure. The home run per fly ball rate stands out as a pretty stark outlier, and will probably regress a bit, but the stroke and the approach are real. Brantley makes contact as often as nearly anyone in the MLB, and when he does, he hits line drives as often as anyone. That’s a good combo. Don’t expect Brantley to have another MVP season, but he’s about the definition of a “pure hitter,” which makes him an incredibly safe top-20 fantasy outfielder in 2015. (August Fagerstrom)

Quick Opinion: Brantley is about as safe of a pick as they come, for several reasons. He’s only ever had one DL stint in his career, and it was for a hamate bone. He’s a lock to produce above-average in all five traditional roto categories. He’ll play every day at the top of lineup and his swing is as smooth as eggs. Brantley may not be the MVP candidate he was in 2014, but he’s got a high floor, and we all just saw what his upside is.


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
’13 253 67 9 4 38 30 .298 .372 .498 .370 10.1 -2.4 1.6
’14 580 141 19 11 81 68 .266 .324 .453 .340 6.2 -12.8 1.2
’15 610 151 24 13 80 79 .278 .345 .480 .358 18.5 -12.1 2.7

Profile: Entering his age-31 season and (presumably) PED free, one has to suspect Ryan Braun is declining. Not just in production either, but in health. In 2013, he missed almost a month with a nerve injury in his hand. In 2014, he missed a half month with an oblique strain. One has to wonder how much of this player into his career-low weighted offense, which was only 14% better than league average. Granted, that’s still a fine year for most outfielders, but Braun has established a higher bar for himself. It’s not time to drop Braun, but the age of drafting him in the first round might be over. Steamer and ZiPS (.358 weighted on-base average and .367 wOBA) both project Braun to be the best hitter on the Brewers team, but both also expect a considerable decline from his career .393 wOBA. (Bradley Woodrum)

Quick Opinion: Don’t expect Ryan Braun to be his super slugging best in 2015, and maybe he’ll surprise you with a rebound year. But spend a first round draft pick on him, and Braun will probably sting you. He is coming off a four year decline and is entering his age-31 season. He’s still a good hitter, but maybe not a great one anymore.


Bryce Brentz

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 12/30/1988 | Team: Red Sox | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 26 8 0 0 2 5 .308 .308 .385 .304 0.0 -1.2 -0.0
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .248 .299 .420 .316 -0.0 -0.0 0.0

Profile: Brentz repeated Triple-A in 2014, and hit about the same as he had in 2013, which probably wasn’t good enough. In theory, Brentz could hit well enough to hold down a platoon role, slipping into the lineup against left-handed pitchers. But even after trading Yoenis Cespedes, the Red Sox still have too many outfielders at the major league level, and Brentz is going to be squarely on the outside looking in. Now heading into his age-26 season, it appears as though the best chance that Brentz has for major league success will be with a different organization. (Paul Swydan)

Quick Opinion: Bryce Brentz is probably capable of holding down a major league job. But he will probably not get the chance to do so in Boston.


Gary Brown

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 9/28/1988 | Team: Giants | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 7 3 0 0 1 1 .429 .429 .429 .382 0.6 1.6 0.3
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .224 .272 .321 .266 -0.0 0.0 0.0

Profile: Once a top prospect in the Giants’ system, Brown failed to produce at even a league-average rate during his second go-around at Triple-A. San Francisco rewarded his perseverance with a late-season call-up, but the future for Brown remains unclear. Can he hit enough to play a corner outfield spot? His .234 /.281/.330 Steamer projected slash line says otherwise. Brown features some shiny stolen base totals as a minor leaguer, but his success rate leaves much to be desired, not to mention the limited utility of base stealing for a player unable to get on base much. (Drew Fairservice)

Quick Opinion: As Brown’s prospect sheen wears off, the light-hitting center fielder waits for a shot to prove he can hit enough to play in the big leagues.


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
’13 540 135 27 8 83 65 .272 .324 .494 .351 15.3 -15.9 1.7
’14 512 111 10 7 63 47 .235 .285 .349 .280 -15.7 -14.9 -1.7
’15 402 93 14 5 47 41 .255 .315 .424 .324 2.0 -11.9 0.2

Profile: After a breakthrough 2013 (.272/.324/.494, 27 home runs in 540 plate appearances), Domonic Brown basically tanked last season (.235/.285/.349, 10 HR in 512 PA). He’s no longer seemingly clueless or unsure at the dish, but there’s still work to do. The shortened swing that helped him to that breakthrough seemed to dissipate, and he drove the ball a lot less often (.114 isolated slugging, .243 ISO to right field in 2014; .164, .357 lifetime). Surely, as a result, he again became vulnerable to fastballs, as pitch-type linear weights indicate. Perhaps Brown was just unprepared to make adjustments or too passive in his attempt to make them. Maybe he was just fortunate to see a ton of waist-high pitches in 2013, as his heatmaps show, and lucky, period. Whatever the reason, soft singles the other way don’t compensate. The left-handed hitter has shown that he can better than he was in 2014 on offense, though, even if he remains one of the worst outfield defenders in the league. (He probably will.) The good news: Pretty much all the 2013 shine has worn off, so he should again come at something close to a flier’s price in mixed leagues. His development path has hurt his chances to be more than a platoon player, but if he rediscovers a willingness to turn on stuff middle-in this year, he could earn a profit. Investors will need a little faith and want some encouraging news. (Nicholas Minnix)

Quick Opinion: Brown isn’t the hitter who belted 27 homers in 2013, but he’s better than the one who managed a meager 10 last year. The lanky outfielder again needs to refine his delicate swing and turn on fastballs more often in order to turn a profit for those in mixed leagues who take a flier, though.


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
’13 697 164 30 7 109 89 .262 .329 .478 .344 14.0 2.8 4.0
’14 545 107 18 12 66 71 .217 .281 .373 .288 -12.4 -13.6 -1.1
’15 543 116 23 8 70 62 .239 .313 .441 .327 3.2 -6.6 1.4

Profile: What went wrong for Bruce in 2014? Perhaps the better question: What didn’t go wrong? He hit .214. His .288 weighted on-base average lagged behind the likes of Adeiny Hechavarria. His 18 home runs marked a career low and were particularly worrisome for a guy in his peak age range. Although there’s no clear explanation, there are several possibilities: for starters, he missed three weeks in May to repair torn meniscus cartilage in his right knee, so it’s possible he wasn’t completely healthy, even though he didn’t miss any significant time after he returned and ended up stealing a career-high 12 bases. What’s certain is that his fly ball percentage plunged, accelerating what had been a worrisome trend in recent years, while his average batted ball distance fell about 10 feet off his career norm, taking his home-run-to-fly-ball rate down with it. Meanwhile, his line drive rate evaporated and his ground ball rate spiked to 45.2%, all in a season when teams shifted against him more frequently than in recent years. His approach at the plate also is worsening; 2014 marked the fifth straight season in which his strikeout rate climbed, and the third straight in which his walk rate fell. Perhaps the loss of key teammates led Bruce, who was slotted into the cleanup spot more often than he ever had in his big league career, to press at the plate, as his swing rate on pitches outside the strike zone surged. But whether his problems were mental or physical, Bruce’s disastrous 2014 was easily the worst season of his career — and given the long-term roots of some of his problems, it’s not altogether apparent that he’ll instantly return to form in 2015. (Karl de Vries)

Quick Opinion: Bruce had been consistent enough in his career to merit some confidence that he can sort out his issues, but also keep in mind that his down year wasn’t exactly a fluke, either. Owners who invest in him should do so only after the first 25 outfielders are off the board.


John Buck

Debut: 2004 |  BirthDate: 7/7/1980 | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 431 87 15 2 62 39 .222 .288 .365 .287 -6.6 8.8 1.6
’14 97 20 1 0 6 9 .225 .289 .281 .262 -3.6 -0.5 -0.1
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .219 .289 .341 .282 -0.0 0.0 0.0

Profile: Sequencing can save a career. Or at least extend one. Buck was looking mighty marginal back in 2013 before he posted the April of his life. The 11 months of baseball since April ’13 have been mighty miserable for Buck at the plate. His pitch framing grades out as thoroughly below average too, so it’s no surprise he hasn’t found regular action since his tenure with the Mets.(Brad Johnson)

Quick Opinion: Buck has used up all of the good will he engendered by blasting nine home runs in April of 2013. Somebody will sign him to compete for the backup job, but there are more defensively able options out there.


Billy Burns

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 8/30/1989 | Team: Athletics | Position: DH/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 6 1 0 3 0 4 .167 .167 .167 .149 -0.7 -1.5 -0.2
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .229 .295 .297 .269 -0.0 0.0 0.0

Profile: To describe Billy Burns and his speed, it is time to quote Futurama: “Wow. That guy makes Speedy Gonzalez look like Regular Gonzalez.” Spread across Double and Triple-A, as well as a brief stint in the majors, Burns recorded 57 steals last year while being caught a mere seven times. In 2013 he recorded 74 steals across two minor league levels against seven caught stealings again. The kid can run and he knows how to work the count to draw a walk — however, that is the upper limit of his skill set. Burns’ power is nearly non-existent, hitting a total of two home runs spread out over his four-year minor league career. His highest isolated slugging at any level was a whopping .093 back in High-A in 2011. It’s hard to imagine Burns getting more than 300 plate appearances at the big league level, but he may still have the speed to make enough pinch running appearances to have some value. Burns’ great track record of being able to steal bases with efficiency makes him a potential source of very cheap steals. Keep an eye on him in case of an injury with the big league club — looking at you, Coco Crisp and Josh Reddick — as Burns’ value will be on the base paths more than at the plate and he can rack up steals in a hurry. (David Wiers)

Quick Opinion: Though he profiles a pinch runner or fifth outfielder, Burns has the speed to be worthy of a pick up. Drafting him in anything but a very deep format would be rash, however be mindful of Burns if you find yourself looking for cheap steals on the wire this year.


Drew Butera

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 8/9/1983 | Team: Angels | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 10 1 0 0 0 0 .100 .100 .100 .089 -1.8 0.3 -0.1
’14 192 32 3 0 14 16 .188 .267 .288 .252 -9.5 5.3 0.2
’15 120 21 2 1 10 10 .196 .254 .287 .244 -5.9 2.9 0.1

Profile: Last year in these same electronic pages of FanGraphs+, I wrote that Drew Butera “is one of the worst hitters in the history of baseball.” That feels harsh. It may have been harsh. But then Butera went out and hit .188/.267/.288 in 192 plate appearances for the Dodgers in 2014, and the resulting 60 weighted runs created plus — which is awful — was considerably above his career mark of 39. (!) In one sense, that’s improvement! In another, far more real sense, of the 4,156 non-pitchers in baseball history to amass 700 career plate appearances, only nine have a worse mark than Butera. There are now as many words in this paragraph as there are hits in Butera’s five-year major league career. (Mike Petriello)

Quick Opinion: Long known as one of the worst hitters in the big leagues, Drew Butera did nothing to change that perception in 2014, and he’s still living entirely on his reputation as a “good defensive catcher,” though the numbers don’t always agree. But hey: Two appearances as an emergency pitcher provide hope for a career alternative when teams stop employing him as catching depth.


Billy Butler

Debut: 2007 |  BirthDate: 4/18/1986 | Team: Athletics | Position: 1B/DH
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 668 168 15 0 82 62 .289 .374 .412 .345 7.8 -16.1 1.5
’14 603 149 9 0 66 57 .271 .323 .379 .311 -7.5 -14.5 -0.3
’15 633 155 16 1 76 73 .274 .346 .420 .337 9.4 -16.7 1.4

Profile: The Billy Butler Era in Kansas City was clearly coming to an end by mid-2014, when he just could not get going. What was surprising was the beginning of the Billy Butler Era in Oakland this offseason, as he signed a three-year deal with the As. Perhaps Butler’s ground ball tendencies are meant to offset Oakland’s fly ball hitter-heavy lineup and its troubles against fly ball pitchers as Eno Sarris has suggested. Even if Butler was of average athleticism for a major-league player (and not even his most fervent defenders would give him that), at 29 years old he is in his decline phase. That does not mean he is likely to be worse than in 2014. Simple regression to the mean, not to mention his paste performance, indicate that he is like to be better. Still, his 29 home run season in 2012 was, in retrospect, more random variation than an indication of a new level of power. His true talent is likely more of the 15 homer-per-season variety than 20-25. More troubling in 2014 was his career-low walk rate due to an increased rate of swings at bad pitches. The Royals’ park played to his strengths, and the As’ park generally does not. Still, Butler should be expected to be useful in 2015 in fantasy leagues, especially AL-only leagues. He is slated to play some first base for the As, although check your leagues’ eligibility rules and his draft-day status. Butler is not a star in either fantasy or real baseball, nor is there much upside. Don’t expect a repeat of the 2014 disaster, but it is a possibility. All that being said, his likely line of something like .270/.340/.420 with about 15 home runs over a full season is not all that bad for a 1B/DH these days. Butler should be drafted and start in most AL-only leagues, and has use in shallower leagues as well. (Matt Klaassen)

Quick Opinion: Although his horrible 2014 probably was due in some part to bad luck, Billy Butler is clearly in decline, and will now be playing in one of the least hitter-friendly parks in baseball. But his past performance and playing time suggest he will be a viable 1B/DH option in most AL-only leagues despite his flaws.


Joey Butler

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 3/12/1986 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 15 4 0 0 1 3 .333 .467 .500 .426 1.3 0.8 0.3
’14 6 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .167 .000 .115 -0.9 -0.1 -0.1
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .250 .332 .370 .316 0.0 -0.0 0.0

Profile: Butler is a Quad-A bat who whiffs far too often to be seen as a major league asset. He’ll turn 29 next season and has only 21 major league plate appearances. The Cardinals sold him to Japan’s Orix Buffaloes last season. It’s unclear if he’ll return to North America or remain in the Far East. (Brad Johnson)


Marlon Byrd

Debut: 2002 |  BirthDate: 8/30/1977 | Team: Reds | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 579 155 24 2 88 75 .291 .336 .511 .364 24.5 -3.7 4.1
’14 637 156 25 3 85 71 .264 .312 .445 .330 1.9 -3.2 1.9
’15 553 125 17 3 63 55 .245 .294 .400 .304 -7.2 -6.6 0.3

Profile: As FanGraphs’ Jeff Sullivan wrote in July 2014, Marlon Byrd basically became an all-or-nothing slugger before the 2013 season, and he’s resurfaced as a valuable baseball player – real as well as fantasy – since. In those two years, he’s traded ground balls (career, 46.0%; last two, 38.1%) and contact (78.1%; 71.8%) for fly balls (33.2%; 38.7%) and strikeouts (19.3%; 27.1%). The byproduct has been, obviously, more power (.149; .199 isolated slugging), and – so far – not much lost in the department of batting average (.278; .277). Of course, at this right-handed hitter’s age (37), he’s far from guaranteed to continue to reap such robust rewards and unlikely to continue to pay such a small price for his aggressive approach, as even last season showed. He keeps himself in excellent shape, however, for what it’s worth. Cincy bet a fringe prospect that Byrd would continue to produce, and their park won’t hurt his chances. Skepticism because of his age and previous shortcomings still persists, so there’s a chance that he’ll be profitable again, and if he’s not, fantasy owners probably won’t have lost a lot on him. (Nicholas Minnix)

Quick Opinion: Byrd has essentially evolved into a swing-and-miss, swing-for-the-fences type, and he’ll probably have to pay for it sooner or later, at least in batting average. If the crowd remains dismissive and he lasts into the latter half of mixed league drafts, though, he could easily be profitable for fantasy owners again.






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