2015 Batter Profiles: I – L

by
February 9, 2015

Chris Iannetta

Debut: 2006 |  BirthDate: 4/8/1983 | Team: Angels | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 399 73 11 0 39 40 .225 .358 .372 .330 3.2 3.4 2.1
’14 373 77 7 3 43 41 .252 .373 .392 .343 10.6 4.2 2.9
’15 416 78 10 3 40 46 .224 .339 .358 .315 2.1 8.8 2.7

Profile: Chris Iannetta may be in for a bump in playing time now that Hank Conger is in Houston, and that could turn Iannetta into a useful catcher in OBP leagues. Iannetta’s greatest offensive attribute is his career 14.2% walk rate which has translated into an OBP north of .350 each of the last two seasons. Even if he surpasses 400 plate appearances for the first time since 2008, Iannetta is likely capped at around 10 home runs and 50 RBI and runs. Meanwhile, he has a .236 career batting average. Even in two-catcher leagues with standard roto categories, Iannetta falls a bit short of draftable. (Scott Spratt)

Quick Opinion: A possible increase in playing time with Hank Conger in Houston makes Chris Iannetta an intriguing deep league option in OBP leagues. In standard formats, he’s more of a mid-tier third catcher.

Raul Ibanez

Debut: 1996 |  BirthDate: 6/2/1972 | Position: DH/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 496 110 29 0 65 54 .242 .306 .487 .344 8.9 -23.6 0.2
’14 280 41 5 3 26 23 .167 .264 .285 .253 -14.9 -3.3 -1.0
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .226 .293 .375 .297 -0.0 -0.0 -0.0

Profile: What can you say about Raul Ibanez? You could say that he hit .167/.264/.285 last year, he turns 43 in June, and he’s looking for a coaching job. But that seems kind of rude. (Michael Barr)

Jose Iglesias

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 1/5/1990 | Team: Tigers | Position: 3B/SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 382 106 3 5 29 39 .303 .349 .386 .327 -0.1 4.1 1.8
’15 474 112 5 11 42 47 .257 .304 .341 .289 -10.0 7.4 1.4

Profile: After a lost season due to faulty shins, Iglesias looks to regain a starting shortstop role with the Tigers in 2015. He is gifted enough defensively that he could lose a step and still be a plus-plus defender at short, so worry not about the long-term effects of his injury on his glove once he’s healthy. As for his stick, do not expect a .300 average without many, many sacrifices to the batting average on balls in play gods. Though he has improved his swing appreciably each year since he was signed out of Cuba, he still lacks the same athleticism in the box that oozes from him out on the field. He may end up hitting for a decent average, but with nothing besides pull power on mistake pitches due to his hands rushing to the ball in his swing. While a .280 average with 5-10 homers is within his grasp, don’t count on him for more than .260 and 5 marks for 2015. He’s had a lot of time off and still has some kinks to work out before he can be any kind of asset at the plate. (Dan Farnsworth)

Quick Opinion: Despite hitting .303 in 2013, Iglesias remains a question mark followed by a sad answer in the batter’s box. His defense is better than you remember, so enjoy seeing that again this season.

Ender Inciarte

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 10/29/1990 | Team: Diamondbacks | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 447 116 4 19 27 54 .278 .318 .359 .303 -5.4 19.0 2.9
’15 469 110 5 18 33 48 .254 .298 .343 .286 -12.7 3.6 0.5

Profile: Inciarte figures to split time with David Peralta in left field for Arizona, but Inciarte is projected to get a few more plate appearances, in part because he’s the guy who will likely spell A.J. Pollock in center. Inciarte has a more definite fantasy skill in his speed. He stole 19 bases in 447 plate appearances last year and is a good bet to steal 20+ if he gets 500+ PA as Steamer projects him to do. He doesn’t walk a ton, but he also makes a lot of contact, and should be able to maintain a decent batting average because of his contact skills and speed. Both Inciarte and Peralta feel like guys you add when you have to replace an injured player in 12-team mixed leagues. But Inciarte is the type of guy you add once the season gets going and you realize you’re a little light on speed. In deeper leagues, Inciarte is a nice later round target for steals. (Brett Talley)

Quick Opinion: Inciarte will split time in left field for Arizona, but Steamer projects him to get around 500 plate appearances. With that much work, Inciarte should be able to top 20 steals, which makes him an option in mixed leagues if you end up light on speed.

Omar Infante

Debut: 2002 |  BirthDate: 12/26/1981 | Team: Royals | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 476 144 10 5 51 54 .318 .345 .450 .346 9.1 3.8 3.1
’14 575 133 6 9 66 50 .252 .295 .337 .280 -13.4 -0.4 0.5
’15 516 132 7 7 49 54 .273 .311 .376 .304 -4.3 1.1 1.5

Profile: After spending years as a decent utility man, Omar Infante turned himself into something like a viable everyday second baseman and had a career-best season on offense in 2013. It was just in time, as he was going into free agency. Since Johnny Giavotella and Christian Colon were not panning out, and the Royals were done with the Chris Getz Experience, they signed Infante to a four-year contract. However one looks at it, Infante bombed in his first season in in Kansas City. Much of his 2013 success was due to a high batting average on balls in play, and the pendulum swung the other way in 2014. More troubling was his drop in power. Infante dealt with shoulder problems all season, so if one thinks they were the source of his difficulties and could clear up, there may be some hope. Any possible positive regression is mitigated by the fact that the player is 33. The Royals might be looking to move him and his contract, so playing time is not a given, depending on the situation he gets traded into. Christian Colon might not be any better, but he would be cheaper. Infante probably needs a bit of luck to hit .280/.320/.390 in 2015 and play 140 games, but it is possible. Given the playing time and decent health, 5-10 steals and 5-10 homers are reasonable. Given the talent pool at second base these days, if Infante is slated to start, he’s good enough to be a low-end starting option in AL-only leagues at least, and has utility and bench potential in shallower leagues. Watch for news on his shoulder, though. (Matt Klaassen)

Quick Opinion: Omar Infante is in his thirties, coming off shoulder problems and his worst offensive season in years. But if he has a starting job as of draft day, he’s still good enough to be a useful second base or middle infield option in AL-only leagues.

Travis Ishikawa

Debut: 2006 |  BirthDate: 9/24/1983 | Team: Giants | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 20 2 0 0 1 0 .105 .150 .105 .123 -3.1 -0.6 -0.3
’14 119 27 3 0 18 9 .252 .311 .393 .308 0.5 0.9 0.5
’15 65 14 1 0 6 6 .237 .306 .364 .298 -0.5 -0.9 0.1

Profile: When the Giants entered the 2014 postseason with Ishikawa as their primary left fielder, I said “this will never work” out loud, to myself. He had his share of outfield adventures, but for the most part it did work. And by hitting .256/.326/.385 with seven RBI, he carried his share of the offense. Do I think his postseason signals a new phase of the 31-year-old’s career? No, probably not. He’s a replacement level player who might have the barest hint of versatility to his name. He does feature steep platoon splits, so he might be worth starting against right-handed pitchers if he’s getting regular at bats. Otherwise, 2014 was a good chapter in a Quad-A story. (Brad Johnson)

Quick Opinion: Ishikawa was perhaps the unlikeliest postseason hero (unless we count the entire Royals roster for reaching the World Series). While his defensive adventures caused excitement and indigestion, don’t expect to see him featured as a starting left fielder any time soon.

Maicer Izturis

Debut: 2004 |  BirthDate: 9/12/1980 | Team: Blue Jays | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 399 86 5 1 32 33 .236 .288 .310 .269 -18.9 -14.3 -2.2
’14 38 10 0 1 1 3 .286 .324 .314 .289 -0.6 1.1 0.2
’15 203 47 2 3 18 21 .256 .309 .353 .296 -3.6 -1.6 0.2

Profile: After years spent on the Angels looking like a backup infielder who could start for many teams, Maicer Izturis had a poor 2012, hit free agency, signed with Toronto, and has been even worse since. When he has been healthy, his never-really-good hitting has gotten even worse, as his walk rate and power have both dropped. In earlier seasons, he managed double-digit steals in even limited playing time, but that seems to have dropped off of the radar as well. The only thing Izturis, who missed almost all of 2014 with a knee injury (never a good sign) has to recommend him is that the Jays are already going to be paying him for 2015 and do not have any obviously superior options for backup middle infielders. Still, avoid him on draft day unless playing time opens up for him due to injury, and then he still only has a tiny bit of value in deep AL-only leagues. (Matt Klaassen)

Quick Opinion: A few years ago Maicer Izturis did just enough at the plate and on the bases to be a useful fantasy middle infielder. Injuries, age, terrible performance, and a lack of playing time have put his fantasy value down to almost zero since then.

Austin Jackson

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 2/1/1987 | Team: Mariners | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 614 150 12 8 49 99 .272 .337 .417 .332 10.7 -1.8 3.1
’14 656 153 4 20 47 71 .256 .308 .347 .292 -6.1 -6.3 1.0
’15 634 145 9 15 51 75 .256 .322 .371 .310 2.1 -0.8 2.4

Profile: 2014 was the year of two half seasons for Austin Jackson. Starting the season with the Tigers, Jackson was his normal self, hitting .273, mashing four homers and stealing nine bags in in 100 games. After being traded to the Mariners at the trade deadline, Jackson hit just .229 and slugged .260 in 54 games, stealing 11 bases. Jackson’s strikeout rate rose during his time in Seattle, and he struggled to make hard contact and punch the ball out of the infield, causing his drop in batting average. Jackson will have the opportunity to work all spring with former hitting coach Lloyd McClendon, now the Mariners manager, giving him a good chance of working out his kinks to return to normal. Jackson will start the season as the leadoff man for the the Mariners, a role he could lose if he if repeats his 2014 escapades, but a role that will afford him with plenty of chances to steal bases and score runs. At his best, Jackson was an $20 outfielder who contributed to three and a half categories. In 2015, Jackson is likely to be be worth closer to $12, which is nothing to sneeze at, but nothing to get excited about, either. (Zach Sanders)

Quick Opinion: Jackson was a mess after he was traded to the Mariners, but there’s plenty of reason to think he’ll bounce back. At his best, Jackson was a $20 standard league outfielder, but don’t shell out more than $10 for him on draft day in mixed leagues.

Brett Jackson

Debut: 2012 |  BirthDate: 8/2/1988 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 5 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .200 .000 .138 -0.7 -0.6 -0.1
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .208 .283 .354 .285 -0.0 0.0 0.0

Profile: A former top prospect of the Cubs and a 2009 first round draft pick, Jackson looked pretty good in the low minors, but his game fell apart at the Triple-A level (not to mention in the major leagues). His massive strikeout rates became a real problem and he also stopped producing strong walk rates once he hit the upper levels of the minors. A former 20-20 threat, he hasn’t stolen double-digit bags since 2012, and he failed to surpass six homers in each of the past two minor league seasons. Traded to the Diamondbacks towards the end of the ’14 season, Jackson was later dropped from the 40-man roster and plucked by the Giants during the Rule 5 draft in December. It’s possible that he could squeeze in a few more big league at-bats before calling it a career, but they’re not likely to be memorable ones. (Marc Hulet)

Quick Opinion: The move to a new organization with few upper level outfield prospects means Jackson could see some big league at-bats in 2015. Unfortunately, he’s not likely to do much with them… outside of strike out about 33% of the time.

John Jaso

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 9/19/1983 | Team: Rays | Position: C/DH
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 249 56 3 2 21 31 .271 .387 .372 .345 5.5 -2.8 1.2
’14 344 81 9 2 40 42 .264 .337 .430 .339 6.7 -4.1 1.5
’15 406 87 9 3 39 46 .246 .334 .382 .322 4.1 -3.2 1.5

Profile: For the second consecutive year, John Jaso managed to post a batting line 21% better than league average. Part of that is his above average walk rate — though his 8.1% in 2014 was his lowest mark — and part of it is being utilized properly. The left-handed hitting catcher slash designated hitter hit right-handed pitching with a .272/.344/.449 line with nine home runs in just 283 plate appearances. A concussion forced him to miss the last week of August as well as the entire month of September, though Jaso still managed to make it into 54 games as catcher. No no longer batting Derek Norris for playing time, expect Jaso to see time behind the plate and continue his catcher eligibility if his health and defense allow. As a second fantasy catcher, Jaso’s bat is a useful piece in just about any format, or as a primary backstop in on-base percentage leagues. With his career .359 OBP, Jaso can quietly shine in the right setting. Another under-rated aspect of Jaso is his lineup positioning, as he hit second for the vast majority of his PAs. Factor in his walk rate, and Jaso could be a surprise in the runs scored total. (David Wiers)

Quick Opinion: Jaso makes for an excellent second catcher or primary guy in any league that credits his strong on-base skills. He hits opposite-handed pitchers very well and should be a fixture in the Tampa lineup at the two-hole, granting excellent run scoring chances for a catcher.

Jon Jay

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 3/15/1985 | Team: Cardinals | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 628 151 7 10 67 75 .276 .351 .370 .319 2.8 -5.1 1.8
’14 468 125 3 6 46 52 .303 .372 .378 .336 5.9 3.2 2.5
’15 534 132 6 8 47 56 .278 .345 .379 .322 3.8 -2.9 1.8

Profile: Jon Jay has limited potential in terms of both his power and his speed. That makes him extremely reliant on a high batting average to have fantasy value. Jay has delivered in that respect so far, hitting at least .297 in four of his last five seasons and bottoming out at .276 in 2013. However, he has maintained an extremely high batting average on balls in play over the same period. For his career, Jay’s .345 BABIP is close to 50 points higher than league average. Typically, one would expect those numbers to regress, but Jay has been so consistent for so long, it’s difficult to expect anything different. Jay does have several tendencies that support a high average. He has moderate speed and a high 24.1% career line drive rate. In fact, Jay rarely puts the ball in the air. All together, Jay seems like one of the players most likely to hit .280 or better in baseball. It is enough to make him a clear top 100 outfielder, but the lack of counting stats and a possible platoon with defensive standout Peter Bourjos renders him undraftable in standard formats. (Scott Spratt)

Quick Opinion: Jon Jay is a batting-average-only fantasy option, and that limits his potential in standard fantasy formats. He could approach 10 home runs and 10 steals with a full season of at-bats, but he will likely yield some time to defense standout Peter Bourjos.

Desmond Jennings

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 10/30/1986 | Team: Rays | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 602 133 14 20 54 82 .252 .334 .414 .330 13.6 -3.7 3.2
’14 542 117 10 15 36 64 .244 .319 .378 .313 6.4 6.3 3.3
’15 662 141 14 20 58 79 .241 .318 .377 .311 5.6 -0.1 2.9

Profile: Jennings’s 2011 magical half season still haunts fantasy players. And a solid age-26 season in 2013 had fans and fantasy owners alike hankering for breakout. Alas, Des took a step back in 2014, suffering significant reductions in every traditional fantasy stat and across his triple slash. He even fell below the 20 stolen base mark for the first time since 2010 (in which year he logged all of 24 plate appearances). He missed the last week or so of the 2014 season with a knee injury, which isn’t supposed to be serious. But combined with the low SB total and his lowest Speed Score to date, the injury leads to concerns about how much he will run in 2015, or at least how successful he will be when he does run. Jennings is still selective at the plate, and makes a decent amount of contact, but he doesn’t make great contact, as evidenced by his low-ish line drive rates and higher than average infield fly ball rates. These things have led to a consistently below average number of hits on balls in play, despite his above average speed. Des is still in his prime years as a hitter (he turned 28 in October); a full healthy season will help him return to usefulness in terms of runs scored, and if nothing else, he can be platooned in daily leagues: his .833 on-base-plus slugging against lefties was much better than his overall production, and is indicative of his career splits. (Robert J. Baumann)

Quick Opinion: It’s been difficult for fantasy owners to give up on Jennings, but his 2014 production makes him a shaky as anything other than a platoon bat in daily leagues.

Derek Jeter

Debut: 1995 |  BirthDate: 6/26/1974 | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 73 12 1 0 7 8 .190 .288 .254 .247 -3.8 -3.9 -0.6
’14 634 149 4 10 50 47 .256 .304 .313 .279 -18.8 -4.0 -0.3
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .264 .313 .339 .293 -0.0 -0.0 0.0

Profile: El Capitan, Captain Clutch, heck, the 21st century’s Pride of the Yankees … whatever you want to call Jeter, it’s your right — just make sure also to refer to him as one of the game’s all-time great shortstops whose retirement after the 2014 season, not surprisingly, was marked by dignity and grace. Sure, his defense has been much maligned over the years, and there are those who believe he was overrated, but there’s no getting around numbers like 3,465 hits, by far the most in the Yankees’ storied history, the career .310 average or the 73.5 wins above replacement. Fantasy-wise, he performed at a superior level for nearly two decades despite playing in an era marked by unusually high production at shortstop; from 1996 through 2011, he averaged 21 steals, 110 runs and 15 home runs a season. Most of all, however, Jeter has long been synonymous with Yankee excellence; he was a key member of five World Series-winning teams, and gained a reputation early in his career for coming through when it mattered most, achieving an .838 on-base plus slugging percentage over 158 postseason games. In his final season at age 39, Jeter’s production slipped — he finished 18th among shortstops in Zach Sanders’ end of season fantasy rankings — but he was still capable of the occasional moment of Jeterian magic; his heroics in the final home game of his career provided a fitting farewell for a man who, by the time he retired, had justly become the face of baseball. (Karl de Vries)

Quick Opinion: Fare thee well, El Capitan. 

Luis Jimenez

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 1/18/1988 | Team: Brewers | Position: 3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 110 27 0 0 5 15 .260 .291 .317 .271 -4.7 7.4 0.7
’14 41 6 0 0 2 3 .162 .205 .216 .194 -3.1 0.2 -0.2
’15 66 15 2 1 7 6 .237 .272 .383 .288 -1.6 0.3 0.1

Profile: The Brewers acquired Jimenez earlier this offseason to serve as a backup at the non-shortstop infield positions. Jimenez has shown five category production at the Triple-A level, including 21 home runs, 12 steals, and a .286 average in 501 plate appearances last season with the Angels. Unfortunately, his brief work at the major league level has revealed plate discipline and contact issues. Jimenez may be an ultra-stealthy breakout candidate — the kind you might look to in an unusually deep NL-Only format. More likely, he isn’t worth your attention. (Brad Johnson)

Quick Opinion: Jimenez has provided intriguing minor league production, but his brief work at the major league level betrays flaws in his game. He should earn little more than a bench role from the Brewers.

Kelly Johnson

Debut: 2005 |  BirthDate: 2/22/1982 | Position: 1B/3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 407 86 16 7 52 41 .235 .305 .410 .314 1.7 -3.8 1.2
’14 297 57 7 2 27 29 .215 .296 .362 .296 -4.1 -0.8 0.5
’15 68 13 2 1 7 7 .225 .303 .369 .300 -0.8 -0.5 0.1

Profile: Kelly Johnson has built a nice little career as a guy who can play just about anywhere on the field while providing the promise of double digit home runs and steals. But it’s been four years since he hit north of .235, and now at 33 years old, the speed has dried up and the power isn’t likely far behind. He’s a nice guy to have around in real baseball given his versatility and that priceless intangible veteran presence, but his opportunity for regular playing time has probably passed, and thus can be ignored in nerdy not real baseball. (Michael Barr)

Quick Opinion: With Jace Peterson, Alberto Callaspo, and Chris Johnson slated for second and third base this year for the Braves, there’s a window of opportunity for Johnson to be relevant again. Then again, the Braves only gave him a minor league contract, so that window isn’t any bigger than a porthole, even on the sinking ship that will be the Braves offense.

Dan Johnson

Debut: 2005 |  BirthDate: 8/10/1979 | Position: 1B/DH
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 5 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 -1.3 -0.2 -0.1
’14 48 8 1 0 7 8 .211 .333 .342 .306 -1.6 -2.2 -0.2
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .223 .324 .395 .320 -0.0 -0.0 0.0

Profile: The Great Pumpkin lives! Dan Johnson signed a minor league deal with the Astros in December. One can only suppose that the Astros figure they are going to have a late-season match up with the Red Sox with playoff implications and want Johnson on hand to perform his legendary BoSox-slaying antics. Johnson is 35 and keeps hanging around, crushing the minors, and getting a few plate appearances in the majors here and there. It would be a fun story if he could do something, but don’t bet on him being the next Steve Pearce. If he somehow sneaks onto the Astros’ Opening Day roster, he still projects to have very little value, even in deep AL-only leagues. (Matt Klaassen)

Quick Opinion: Hey, if Steve Pearce can do it, so can Dan Johnson. Heck, the Royals went to the World Series. Also: make sure and bet on Billy Butler to win a Gold Glove in 2015.

Reed Johnson

Debut: 2003 |  BirthDate: 12/8/1976 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 136 30 1 0 11 13 .244 .311 .341 .294 -2.3 0.1 0.2
’14 201 44 2 0 25 24 .235 .266 .348 .272 -6.6 -5.8 -0.7
’15 131 31 2 2 12 13 .254 .292 .364 .291 -2.7 -2.3 -0.1

Profile: Reed Johnson hasn’t provided much more than “veteran presence” (or presents if PFTcommenter is around) in quite some time. Even in his prime, fantasy owners could rather safely ignore the utility outfielder. Just do that again in 2015 if he pops into your mind. (Landon Jones)

Chris Johnson

Debut: 2009 |  BirthDate: 10/1/1984 | Team: Braves | Position: 3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 547 165 12 0 68 54 .321 .358 .457 .354 14.3 -5.2 2.7
’14 611 153 10 6 58 43 .263 .292 .361 .289 -12.3 -1.4 0.5
’15 435 108 9 2 45 39 .265 .304 .390 .305 -4.1 -7.4 0.2

Profile: Johnson’s 2014 struggles were to be expected. His .321 average the season prior was entirely driven by batted ball luck, and there is just not much else there for Johnson offensively to rely on. He has little power, as he hit just 10 home runs last year despite coming to the plate over 600 times, and his average dropped down to .263 despite a still above average batting average on balls in play of .345. He is also extremely heavy footed, although he was able to somehow nab six stolen bases in as many opportunities. I would not bank on him repeating that number, nor would I bank on his average suddenly rising back near his 2013 highs — and that is what he would need to have happen if he is going to be valuable in standard fantasy formats. The Braves gave Johnson a contract extension after his impressive 2013 season but with Alberto Callaspo on the roster and top prospect Jose Peraza close to joining the big club, Johnson will need to get off to a hot start to ensure he is the regular third baseman all season. While there is not that much risk in drafting Johnson on a down year, there just is not that much projectable upside either. (Ben Duronio)

Quick Opinion: Johnson struggled in 2014, as was expected by nearly anyone who looks at advanced metrics. There is little reason to expect him to get back to his 2013 numbers, and that is what he needs to be useful in standard fantasy formats.

Garrett Jones

Debut: 2007 |  BirthDate: 6/21/1981 | Team: Yankees | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 440 94 15 2 51 41 .233 .289 .419 .309 -4.3 -11.0 -0.2
’14 547 122 15 0 53 59 .246 .309 .411 .316 -2.4 -12.0 0.2
’15 342 77 14 1 45 41 .250 .311 .448 .332 2.6 -9.1 0.5

Profile: First, the good news: Yankee Stadium is heaven for left-handed batters. Garrett Jones is a left-handed batter and he now calls the Bronx home. The bad news: Jones is a platoon hitter but he isn’t particularly good against right-handed pitchers, posting roughly league-average numbers with the platoon advantage over his last ~900 plate appearances. Among lefties to earn 800 plate appearances against right-handed pitchers over the past two years, only nine were worse by weighted offense (wRC+). His home run total puts him more firmly in the upper middle class of righty mashers but the outs really start to add up. In other words, Jones is a reliable if unsexy option and the move to Yankee Stadium is sure to help him. But the fight for designated hitter plate appearances is one he might not win, with Alex Rodriguez, Carlos Beltran, and even Brian McCann possibly squeezing Jones out of the picture. A player who must be used in a specific situation without the guarantee of playing whenever that situation arises? Suddenly Jones doesn’t appear as appealing an option on draft day. For the Yankees, he’s an insurance policy against higher-priced players missing time to injury. For you? About the same. (Drew Fairservice)

Quick Opinion: His status as a righty masher might be overstated, but there is some intrigue and some value in Garrett Jones’ platoon abilities.

James Jones

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 9/24/1988 | Team: Mariners | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 328 78 0 27 9 46 .250 .278 .311 .262 -7.6 -12.3 -1.0
’15 28 6 0 1 2 3 .233 .277 .325 .269 -0.9 -0.3 -0.0

Profile: A former pitcher, James Jones proved parts of his scouting profile right in his big league debut. He flew around the field thanks to his superb athleticism, but looked relatively raw at the plate and in the field. Picking up 328 plate appearances over 108 games, Jones stole 27 bases and hit .250, but was a well below replacement-level player. The Mariners see Jones as a more valuable, however, and he’ll pick up some steals as a pinch-runner and get the occasional start to give the team’s outfielders rest. If pushed into regular duty, Jones could be a speedy asset in AL-only leagues, but not so much in formats that count OBP. (Zach Sanders)

Quick Opinion: A fourth or fifth outfielder, Jones is better in fantasy leagues than he is in real life, but that’s not saying much. Stay away unless he’s pressed into starting duty and you’re in need of steals in an AL-only league.

Adam Jones

Debut: 2006 |  BirthDate: 8/1/1985 | Team: Orioles | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 689 186 33 14 108 100 .285 .318 .493 .350 21.2 -4.9 4.2
’14 682 181 29 7 96 88 .281 .311 .469 .340 17.2 10.2 5.4
’15 651 167 27 7 91 79 .274 .312 .463 .338 12.8 -1.8 3.5

Profile: Adam Jones is pretty amazing. Despite an approach that seems destined to fail, he succeeds. After a slow start, Jones did what most expected of him, combining nearly thirty home runs with an average in the .280s, adding value in the counting categories, too. Jones’s consistency is remarkable. His batted ball profile hasn’t jumped around much in recent years, and neither have his walk and strikeout rates. As always, though, you have to wonder when the bottom is going to fall out, because it just seems inevitable, right? He’s getting older, so we should expect some decline, especially in the stolen base department, but until he actually shows any major cracks, what are you gonna do? His contact rate hasn’t moved. Nor has his swinging strike rate — even though it scares more than any part of his game — it’s rather consistent; most of his plate discipline stats are consistently bad, but he makes the approach work. And he rarely, if ever, misses time, which seems a little more important every year. He might not be a great player, but the total sum of the parts is still pretty valuable. (Landon Jones)

Quick Opinion: Jones just keeps beating the odds. It isn’t pretty, but it works. He’s getting older, so some decline should be expected, but until the projected decline actually rears its head it’s hard to bet too boldly against him.

Caleb Joseph

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 6/18/1986 | Team: Orioles | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 275 51 9 0 28 22 .207 .264 .354 .275 -12.2 10.3 0.8
’15 148 30 4 1 14 14 .222 .271 .345 .274 -5.1 4.5 0.5

Profile: In lieu of Matt Wieters being able to catch, the Orioles have a crop of mediocre options to be their regular catcher entering the upcoming seasion. As of now, Caleb Joseph has the inside track, likely due to the fact that his defense seems to set him apart from the pack. A big August — in which Joseph slashed .317/.348/.603 — might have made some fantasy owners take notice in 2014, but his production that month was propped up by unsustainable peripherals, including batting average on balls in play (.375) and home runs per fly ball (21.7%) well above his numbers for the rest of the season. To boot, his moderate success in the minors is severely mitigated by the fact that he has always been old for his level. He might have a bit of a career ahead of him as a defense-first backup, but take no note of him in drafts this spring; Wieters is still the Orioles catcher to own in fantasy leagues. (Robert J. Baumann)

Quick Opinion: There’s a possibility that Joseph will enter 2015 as the Orioles’ primary catcher, but he’ll lose that role as soon as Matt Wieters is ready to catch again. His batting production will probably be pretty negligible in the meantime, so he shouldn’t be on your draft list unless you play in a deep AL-Only league.

Matt Joyce

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 8/3/1984 | Team: Angels | Position: DH/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 481 97 18 7 47 61 .235 .328 .419 .330 7.2 -6.9 1.7
’14 493 106 9 2 52 51 .254 .349 .383 .325 8.8 -7.3 1.9
’15 488 102 13 5 53 56 .241 .333 .395 .324 7.2 -11.8 1.2

Profile: A solid first half of 2014 –– in which Joyce logged 33 runs scored, 39 runs batted in, and a .270 batting average in 304 plate appearances –– gave way to an awful second half. Some of that might have been due to batted ball luck, but he was probably slightly lucky in the first half as opposed to being unlucky in the second half when he still posted a batting average on balls in play above both career and league norms. He’s hit right-handed pitching pretty well over years, and fantasy owners might still get some value out of him as a platoon flyer for daily leagues. But his ever-decreasing batted ball distance, his drooping fly ball rate, and his severe platoon splits make it unlikely that he’ll ever break that 20-homer threshold. Traded to the Angels in the offseason, he’s unlikely to increase his playing time, as he figures to platoon with C.J. Cron in the designated hitter spot. More and more, he’s getting by on his still-excellent plate discipline and that alone means little in most fantasy formats. (Robert J. Baumann)

Quick Opinion: A bounceback in his fly ball rate and home run-to-fly ball ratio –– both of which dropped significantly in 2014 –– would help to reestablish Joyce as the solid platoon guy he has been in years past. Since he’s at an age when gains in those areas are uncommon, approach with caution.

Ryan Kalish

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 3/28/1988 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 130 30 0 3 5 13 .248 .295 .347 .282 -3.6 -7.5 -0.8
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .237 .293 .358 .290 -0.0 -0.0 -0.0

Profile: After a long layoff due to shoulder and neck surgeries, 2014 was finally the chance for Kalish to get regular at bats. The only problem was that the Cubs decided to make him a bench player for the first month of the season. Considering he hadn’t seen live pitching since 2012 and regular playing time since 2010, Kalish put up a respectable comeback season between Triple-A and the majors. Given more time to put his injuries behind him, look for Kalish to at least be an interesting fourth outfield option with recovering-to-solid tools across the board. Formerly the prospect who made Brandon Moss and Josh Reddick seem expendable, he will still only be 27 years old this spring, giving him an outside chance at fulfilling some of his hype if he can manage to stay healthy. He took a lot of swings this year that seemed less dependent on tightening up his repaired upper body, leaving hope that he could still have a 20-20 type of ceiling hidden in there. Playing half his games at Rogers Centre shouldn’t hurt his cause if he makes the Jays roster. Plus, the Jays have a bit of a need in the outfield right now. (Dan Farnsworth)

Quick Opinion: Kalish comes with high risks associated with his long injury timeout, but he still has the tools to back up his former reputation as a potential multiple-threat first-division outfielder.

Munenori Kawasaki

Debut: 2012 |  BirthDate: 6/3/1981 | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 289 55 1 7 24 27 .229 .326 .308 .290 -5.4 3.0 0.8
’14 274 62 0 1 17 31 .258 .327 .296 .286 -5.9 0.8 0.4
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .239 .305 .308 .278 -0.0 0.0 0.0

Profile: Last year I wrote that Kawasaki might have some value if he “somehow” latched onto an MLB roster. He then went on to play 82 games in a dream season for the Blue Jays putting up a career highs in both batting average (.258) and on-base percentage (.327) while tearing the cover off the baseball with a .286 slugging percentage. This is only a bit offset by him only stealing one base after burning up the base paths with seven in 2013. In my face. Kawasaki, who will turn 34 next June, is, of this writing, rumored to still be trying to latch onto some club, perhaps on a minor-league deal. This is after exploring possible options in Japan. I mean, objectively, things look pretty bleak for any playing time, but again, that’s what I thought last winter. Let’s be daring, though: even if he does hook up with some team, you can probably get Kawasaki or the equivalent on waivers at any time during the season if you are really desperate. (Matt Klaassen)

Quick Opinion: The horrible utility infielder that won’t go away: Munenori Kawasaki. I hope to still be writing fantasy previews about him in 2025, because the universe is just that way.

Don Kelly

Debut: 2007 |  BirthDate: 2/15/1980 | Position: 1B/3B/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 251 48 6 2 23 33 .222 .309 .343 .292 -4.3 -3.7 0.0
’14 185 40 0 6 7 24 .245 .332 .288 .285 -4.5 -4.7 -0.4
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .234 .307 .338 .291 -0.0 -0.0 -0.0

Profile: It’s still amazing that Kelly continues to get plate appearances. He got 185 last season! And what a career season it was the 35-year-old. His .245 batting average was his highest since 2009. His six stolen bases were a career high. And somehow the Tigers released all that ability. While his average and stolen bases where up, his power numbers where non-existent: seven RBI, no homers, and a .043 isolated slugging percentage. While Kelly should have been done half a decade ago, time looks like lack of talent has finally caught up with the weak hitting outfielder. (Jeff Zimmerman)

Quick Opinion: Why are you looking at Don Kelly profile unless you are a family member? There are so many better players in the majors and minors right now to take a chance on. If you are a family member, I apologize for the comedy jokes. 

Matt Kemp

Debut: 2006 |  BirthDate: 9/23/1984 | Team: Padres | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 290 71 6 9 33 35 .270 .328 .395 .316 2.6 -15.3 -0.4
’14 599 155 25 8 89 77 .287 .346 .506 .369 25.0 -26.5 1.8
’15 556 132 20 8 70 64 .266 .336 .452 .343 14.7 -14.2 1.9

Profile: Matt Kemp started the year on the disabled list, but stayed healthy enough to take more than 500 plate appearances for the first time since 2011, so that alone counts as a big win. Even more encouraging, after a decent first half (.269/.330/.430, eight homers, 117 weighted runs created plus) he exploded in the second half (.309/.365/.606, 17 homers, 170 wRC+) to become one of the most productive hitters in baseball. Far from being a batting average on balls in play mirage, Kemp’s resurgence was more fueled by improved health and changes in his hitting mechanics. That also helped punch his ticket out of Los Angeles, however, because suddenly an albatross contract became one with enough value for the Dodgers to extract three players out of San Diego. Kemp sure looked like the hitter we remembered in the second half, but the move to Petco rarely helps any hitter look good. (Mike Petriello)

Quick Opinion: Kemp finally looked healthy and very productive in the second half, but now he’ll need to prove it in the hitter’s graveyard of Petco Park, all while avoiding the endless injuries that have plagued him for several seasons.

Howie Kendrick

Debut: 2006 |  BirthDate: 7/12/1983 | Team: Dodgers | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 513 142 13 6 54 55 .297 .335 .439 .336 4.3 3.9 2.7
’14 674 181 7 14 75 85 .293 .347 .397 .328 11.0 8.8 4.6
’15 551 139 9 8 58 55 .275 .323 .397 .316 2.1 3.2 2.4

Profile: Does anybody remember when Kendrick was a perennial injury risk? The narrative used to be that Kendrick was a batting champion in the making — he just couldn’t stay on the field. The 31-year-old has managed nearly 3,000 plate appearances in the last five seasons, but he’s also never put up a .300 average in a full season. Both narratives are dead and gone. Instead, look to the new Dodger for decent production at a shallow fantasy position. While no batting champ, he hits for a good average, reaches base at a reasonable rate, and can chip in a few home runs and steals. Last season was a career year with the Angels, and he should benefit from another strong supporting cast. Kendrick received a lot of opportunities to hit in the middle of the Angels lineup. Unfortunately, those same chances might not exist with the Dodgers. (Brad Johnson)

Quick Opinion: Kendrick was traded from the Angels to the Dodgers over the offseason. His new home should allow him to generate plenty of fantasy value as he prepares to enter real world free agency.

Kevin Kiermaier

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 4/22/1990 | Team: Rays | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 0.0 0.0 0.0
’14 364 87 10 5 35 35 .263 .315 .450 .333 7.7 15.5 3.8
’15 491 111 9 13 48 52 .248 .303 .377 .301 -1.6 7.0 2.3

Profile: Kevin Kiermaier’s greatest asset — his defensive skill in the outfield — isn’t of benefit to fantasy managers. However, he showed solid growth with his offensive skills in 2014 leading to optimism that he can be more than a fourth outfielder. His on-base percentage wasn’t great in 2014, but he showed more power than expected to go with a little speed. He could eventually develop 15-15 potential to go with his above-average defense. With a significant price paid in the off-season to acquire rookie outfielder Steve Souza Jr., the newcomer will be given every opportunity to play regularly in right field. Kiermaier may have to hope veteran left-fielder David DeJesus spends a good chunk of his time as the designated hitter. Brandon Guyer is another threat but his ceiling is limited. Monitor the situation in Tampa Bay and if Kiermaier projects to play every day, view him as a potential asset in AL-only leagues — especially if the power continues to develop. (Marc Hulet)

Quick Opinion: If he receives regular playing time, Kiermaier could be a solid addition as a starting outfielder in AL-only leagues and a potential bench bat (with helium) in mixed leagues. If the power continues to develop, he could eventually turn into a solid starting player in all formats.

Roger Kieschnick

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 1/21/1987 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 95 17 0 0 5 6 .202 .295 .226 .237 -5.6 -0.1 -0.3
’14 41 8 1 0 2 2 .195 .195 .293 .214 -2.8 -2.5 -0.5
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .225 .276 .368 .284 -0.0 -0.0 -0.0

Profile: Kieschnick will head into Spring Training as a non-roster invitee of the Angels. He is absolutely buried on the organizational depth chart, and is not on the 40-man roster. Furthermore, the 28-year-old has demonstrated a complete lack of ability to hit major-league pitching. His career .200/.265/.248 slash in the majors — albeit limited to just 136 plate appearances — should tell you all you need to know about his lack of fantasy relevance. (Scott Strandberg)

Quick Opinion: He might hit well in Triple-A, because he usually does. Don’t let that fool you though, Kieschnick is the very definition of a Quadruple-A player.

Ian Kinsler

Debut: 2006 |  BirthDate: 6/22/1982 | Team: Tigers | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 614 151 13 15 72 85 .277 .344 .413 .334 2.9 -0.3 2.5
’14 726 188 17 15 92 100 .275 .307 .420 .319 10.8 15.4 5.4
’15 674 163 16 14 67 87 .266 .322 .413 .325 7.2 6.9 3.9

Profile: Kinsler will probably do what he has done that last few seasons: hit around 15 homers; have an average between .250 and .275; steal 15 bases. He has a enough of a track record to estimate his 2015 value. Even with the consistent play, a couple of major dents are emerging. The first is a halving of his walk rate. It went from 8% to 4%, which corresponds to a drop in OBP from .344 to .307. Diving into his plate discipline stats, he is just swinging at more pitches than ever before. In 2013 he swung at 40% of all pitches. In 2014, that rate jumped to 47%. His value will be significantly different in average and OBP leagues. The second issue is his power. His home run per fly ball rate has gone from 12% to 6% while his average homer and fly ball distance has gone from 276 ft to 269 ft. Looks like there’s less thunder in his bat these days. (Jeff Zimmerman)

Quick Opinion: Ian Kinsler has been a steady producer over the years and he should be that again in 2015. He has been showing some decline in his walk and home run rates recently, though.

Jason Kipnis

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 4/3/1987 | Team: Indians | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 658 160 17 30 84 86 .284 .366 .452 .357 23.7 -4.2 4.4
’14 555 120 6 22 41 61 .240 .310 .330 .289 -2.6 -6.6 1.0
’15 612 137 13 20 62 71 .253 .330 .386 .320 6.1 -3.0 2.5

Profile: How much you trust Jason Kipnis heading into the 2015 season is based almost entirely on how much you believe his oblique injury contributed the down year he had in 2014. After a breakout sophomore season, Kipnis was a consensus top five option at second base. Now, it’s unclear where he stands. Kipnis hit the disabled list with the oblique injury on April 30 — just 28 games into the season — and played through the injury for the rest of the season. His power production dropped immensely. He stopped hitting the ball to the opposite field — previously his bread-and-butter — and his production on fly balls to the pull field plummeted. Unable to pull the ball with authority, he ended up rolling over a lot of grounders on the right side of the infield into the shift. His production on ground balls was among the ten worst in the MLB, a list otherwise exclusively populated by catchers and aging first baseman. Kipnis, a young, speedy second baseman, is the absolute outlier on that list, which screams bounceback. As for how much power will return, that’s contingent on how much you think the oblique zapped his power. At the very least, Kipnis is a lock for 25+ steals. If the power returns with a healthy oblique, he could end up being a major steal if others owners are wary of his 2014. (August Fagerstrom)

Quick Opinion: Kipnis was a major disappointment to fantasy owners in 2014, but a lot of his troubles could be attributed to an oblique injury he dealt with for nearly the entire season. His abysmal production on ground balls simply isn’t sustainable, and the oblique is a reasonable explanation for his power to the pull field disappearing. As long as he starts the season with a healthy oblique, which he should, Kipnis could wind up being a nice little sleeper pick.

Jeff Kobernus

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 6/30/1988 | Team: Nationals | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 36 5 1 3 1 8 .167 .306 .267 .273 -1.5 -0.4 -0.1
’14 8 0 0 0 0 2 .000 .250 .000 .176 -0.8 0.9 0.0
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .250 .302 .332 .283 -0.0 -0.0 -0.0

Profile: Jeff Kobernus has some wheels. That’s pretty much it, though. His work at the plate leaves room for desire, and he road to playing time in Washington is littered with more talented players. Kobernus shouldn’t see many plate appearances. If he does, things have gone terribly wrong in Washington, and if you have to use him, things have probably took a turn for the worst on your roster. (Landon Jones)

Quick Opinion: Kobernus is just too buried on the depth chart to expect any fantasy relevance, and there’s not a discernible skill that will help him surpass those names ahead of him.

Paul Konerko

Debut: 1997 |  BirthDate: 3/5/1976 | Position: 1B/DH
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 520 114 12 0 54 41 .244 .313 .355 .298 -18.9 -15.1 -1.8
’14 224 43 5 0 22 15 .207 .254 .317 .257 -11.9 -5.9 -1.2
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .248 .312 .385 .309 -0.0 -0.0 -0.0

Profile: The White Sox are selling jars of “authenticated dirt” from Paul Konerko’s final game at U.S. Cellular Field on September 28th. Looking at Konerko’s 2014 stats (.207/.254/.317), perhaps they should be selling jars of something else. That’s not fair to Konerko, who staved off Father Time until age 37, but his final two years were hopefully not spent on your fantasy team. (Jeremy Blachman)

George Kottaras

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 5/10/1983 | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 126 18 5 1 12 13 .180 .349 .370 .324 0.8 1.3 0.7
’14 38 7 3 0 5 4 .233 .351 .533 .381 2.2 -0.8 0.3
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .200 .298 .363 .297 -0.0 0.0 0.0

Profile: Kottaras, 32 next season, has bounced around the majors since 2008. The backup catcher really bounced last season, briefly suiting up with three clubs. A patient approach at the plate and decent power have allowed him to be league average with the bat so far in his career. His .215 average and very high strikeout rates in recent seasons are enough to prevent him from getting an opportunity for regular starts, though. Catcher framing measures available on StatCorner estimate that he loses about one to two calls per game. Generally, backup catchers live on elite receiving rather than league average hitting. He should continue to filter around the league as a third string option, but don’t expect more. (Brad Johnson)

Quick Opinion: Kottaras offers plate patience, surprising pop, and mediocre receiving skills. Most clubs want their third catcher to be a defensive specialist, but he should still land somewhere.

Kevin Kouzmanoff

Debut: 2006 |  BirthDate: 7/25/1981 | Position: 3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 51 17 2 0 10 8 .362 .412 .617 .442 4.7 -1.4 0.5
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .255 .294 .392 .302 -0.0 0.0 0.0

Profile: Kouzmanoff lit it up as a sub for Adrian Beltre for two weeks on the Rangers in 2014. It was his first action in the majors since 2011 and unfortunately could be his last as back issues could force the 33-year-old into retirement. (Scott Spratt)

Pete Kozma

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 4/11/1988 | Team: Cardinals | Position: 2B/SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 448 89 1 3 35 44 .217 .275 .273 .241 -25.8 11.4 -0.1
’14 26 7 0 0 0 4 .304 .385 .435 .365 1.4 0.7 0.3
’15 257 52 3 4 22 21 .226 .287 .321 .272 -8.3 3.4 0.3

Profile: Kozma is a sub-standard utility infielder. He has played everywhere in the Cardinals infield besides first. Also, he has spent time in the outfield. Which is nice. The problem with Kozma is he can’t hit worth a lick. In seven minor league seasons, he posted a .238/.311/.348 slash line. His major league line is about the same: .236/.297/.320. He has minimal power with a possible max of five home runs in a full season. His stolen base total would end jup just one or two higher than that. He is a .230 hitter that wouldn’t crack double-digits in homers or steals, even if you gave him 600 plate appearances. With those numbers, and no real position for him on the major league club, there is no reason to own him in any format. (Jeff Zimmerman)

Quick Opinion: Lack of talent and opportunity make Pete Kozma unownable at this point.

Marc Krauss

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 10/5/1987 | Position: 1B/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 146 28 4 2 13 11 .209 .267 .366 .279 -2.9 -4.6 -0.3
’14 208 36 6 0 21 16 .194 .279 .323 .275 -8.2 -6.4 -0.9
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .226 .310 .384 .309 -0.0 -0.0 0.0

Profile: Marc Krauss had his chance to start for the Astros, and he didn’t perform well. Krauss has no fantasy value in 2015. (Zach Sanders)

Jason Kubel

Debut: 2004 |  BirthDate: 5/25/1982 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 290 56 5 0 32 21 .216 .293 .317 .267 -13.7 -10.8 -1.7
’14 176 35 1 1 13 12 .224 .312 .295 .278 -4.3 -11.2 -1.1
’15 373 73 10 2 38 37 .221 .300 .363 .294 -7.2 -10.8 -0.7

Profile: Kubel’s reunion tour with the Twins got off to a good start, as the former top prospect slashed .288/.360/.425 in April. The 29.2% strikeout rate should have been a harbinger however, and the rest of his Twins tenure was a disaster. From May 1 on, Kubel hit just .158, with no extra-base hits and 33 strikeouts in 87 plate appearances before the Twins mercifully designated him for assignment. Kubel opted for free agency, and free agency willingly obliged. At 32, Kubel is essentially done. (Brandon Warne)

Quick Opinion: Kubel is coaching his kids and isn’t seeking employment in Major League Baseball as a player. Major League Baseball was not available for comment.

Tommy La Stella

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 1/31/1989 | Team: Cubs | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 360 80 1 2 31 22 .251 .328 .317 .292 -10.5 -0.9 -0.1
’15 170 41 2 2 15 17 .270 .341 .365 .316 -0.8 -0.7 0.4

Profile: There was a point last year where it looked like Tommy La Stella could be a long term answer for the Braves at second base. Dan Uggla struggled out of the gate and La Stella was performing admirably at Triple-A, but after a hot start, the left-handed hitter struggled and was eventually put into a platoon with Phil Gosselin. Now, the Braves have traded him for their old friend Arodys Vizcaino and La Stella will compete for plate appearances in a heavily talented Cub infield. Combine La Stella’s lesser skillset compared to his other teammates, along with his lack of positional flexibility and generally iffy defense, and it looks like La Stella will only be getting a chance to play regularly if an injury occurs. He does possess some solid plate discipline and bat control, but he does not have enough pop or speed to be useful in fantasy formats. (Ben Duronio)

Quick Opinion: La Stella got off to a nice start at Triple-A last season, but struggled in the majors and has now been traded to a team with a plethora of middle infield talent. TLS has some nice offensive skills, but most of those skills do not show up on a fantasy stat sheet.

Juan Lagares

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 3/17/1989 | Team: Mets | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 421 95 4 6 34 35 .242 .281 .352 .275 -11.1 25.4 2.9
’14 452 117 4 13 47 46 .281 .321 .382 .310 1.3 20.2 3.8
’15 583 135 8 12 49 52 .249 .291 .352 .285 -10.7 16.4 2.5

Profile: Gold Glove center fielder Juan Lagares had an excellent September and is enough of an offensive asset to display him in center field for as long as possible. His batting average could still drop 25 points next year. We should see something close to a .260 BA with five homers and 15 stolen bases or so — the team did ask him to steal more bases, so there’s some give in that last projection. If the Mets trade Daniel Murphy, it’s possible we could see Lagares consuming the leadoff spot at times – especially against lefties — and that would up the counting stats. (Dan Schwartz)

Quick Opinion: Lagares is a defense-only number eight hitter. Any offense he provides his gravy. These things make him a deep-league play at best.

Gerald Laird

Debut: 2003 |  BirthDate: 11/13/1979 | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 141 34 1 1 13 12 .281 .367 .372 .333 0.8 2.8 0.8
’14 167 31 0 0 10 12 .204 .275 .257 .241 -9.3 3.1 -0.1
’15 66 14 1 1 5 5 .232 .297 .327 .279 -2.3 1.4 0.1

Profile: Laird was very bad last year and is now 35 years old. He is currently a free agent and will be a backup catcher at best if a team does pick him up. (Ben Duronio)

Junior Lake

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 3/27/1990 | Team: Cubs | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 254 67 6 4 16 26 .284 .332 .428 .335 1.4 2.8 1.3
’14 326 65 9 7 25 30 .211 .246 .351 .264 -12.5 -6.0 -1.0
’15 137 30 3 4 14 14 .234 .279 .373 .289 -3.1 -0.8 0.0

Profile: Junior Lake teased Cubs fans and prospect watchers alike for years with his toolsy but raw profile. He was in line for significant playing time in left field in 2014 but saw his playing time plummet in July and he earned a demotion to the minors in mid-August. With the development of so many good young players in Chicago — including Jorge Soler and Arismendy Alcantara — it may be difficult for the Dominican native to re-establish himself as a key piece of the club’s future. The best hope for Lake is probably a trade but even likely can’t save him from himself and his overly-aggressive nature (14-110 walks to strikeouts in 108 games). There are a lot safer options for fantasy baseball. Move along, nothing to see here. (Marc Hulet)

Quick Opinion: It’s possible that Lake could still figure things out and become relevant at the big league level, but he’s entering his ninth professional season and not going to suddenly “get it” now. It’s time for him to renew his passport and look to Japan.

Andrew Lambo

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 8/11/1988 | Team: Pirates | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 33 7 1 0 2 4 .233 .303 .400 .311 0.1 -2.5 -0.2
’14 39 10 0 0 1 3 .256 .256 .359 .269 -1.3 1.3 0.1
’15 178 40 7 2 22 20 .249 .304 .429 .320 1.1 -3.3 0.3

Profile: A breakout 2013 season in the minors wasn’t enough to earn Lambo significant playing time at the big league level and now he’s stuck behind an exciting young crop of outfielders in Pittsburgh. He possesses serious power potential, but with nowhere to play, he could use a change of scenery, at which point he’d make for an interesting sleeper. (Mike Podhorzer)

Adam LaRoche

Debut: 2004 |  BirthDate: 11/6/1979 | Team: White Sox | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 590 121 20 4 62 70 .237 .332 .403 .321 0.7 -13.3 0.5
’14 586 128 26 3 92 73 .259 .362 .455 .356 12.5 -15.4 1.6
’15 591 120 25 2 76 73 .239 .343 .434 .341 7.2 -12.8 1.5

Profile: After a down year in 2013, LaRoche returned to form in 2014, crushing 26 homers and 92 RBIs en route to finishing 11th among first basemen, according to Zach Sanders’ rankings. His season was another entry in a career largely underappreciated for its consistency, only this time, the 35-year-old produced the best on-base percentage and walk rate of his career, while posting his lowest strikeout percentage since 2005. As David Wiers noted, LaRoche’s strike zone judgment has improved as he’s gotten older, but he still possesses solid power, evidenced by a healthy home run rate on fly balls and average batted ball distance. Now playing in U.S. Cellular Field, a place that inflates offense more than Nationals Park, LaRoche likely will continue to offer power to owners, though he’s slated to be the team’s designated hitter while Jose Abreu mans first base. That could eat up some plate appearances as well as subject him to the dreaded designated hitter penalty, and there’s no question that as he gets older, he’ll be less of a guarantee to provide elite-level production in home runs and RBIs. But even a slight drop in his overall numbers — Steamer forecasts 25 dingers and 76 RBIs —would still make him useful in fantasy. (Karl de Vries)

Quick Opinion: LaRoche’s advancing age makes him a tough bet to finish among the top 12 first basemen again, but he’s still worth a late mid-round pick as a source of power.

Ryan Lavarnway

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 8/7/1987 | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 82 23 1 0 14 8 .299 .329 .429 .331 0.6 -0.4 0.3
’14 10 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 -2.4 0.4 -0.2
’15 12 3 0 0 1 1 .246 .317 .379 .310 -0.1 0.2 0.1

Profile: If Ryan Lavarnway is going to maintain a major league job, he’ll have to do so as a catcher. The only problem is that he may not be much of a catcher. The other problem is that he is either the third- or fourth-string catcher on the Orioles, who were the fourth team to get their meathooks on Lavarnway this offseason. Whether he is the third- or fourth-string catcher depends entirely on the health of Matt Wieters. Once Wieters is ready to suit up, Lavarnway will be packing his bags for sure, be it to Triple-A Norfolk or points unknown. That may be the route even if Wieters is not healthy, as the team has little reason to carry three catchers, and both Steve Clevenger and Caleb Joseph are already more familiar with the Orioles’ staff than is Lavarnway. If there is an upside for Lavarnway, it’s that neither Clevenger nor Joseph is much of a hitter. Should Orioles manager Buck Showalter want to try to glean any offense from the position until Wieters’ return, Lavarnway would be his best bet. During his 2013 trial, Lavarnway managed to hit at a league average clip — though in a very small sample — and there is a chance he may do so again. But right now the odds are long on him having the opportunity to do so at the major league level, and until those odds improve you would be wise to avoid adding him to your fantasy team. (Paul Swydan)

Quick Opinion: After landing with his fourth team in one month, Lavarnway has landed in a situation where he could emerge as an offensive-minded catcher in a bench role. That doesn’t mean you should target him for your squad, but there are worse fates in life.

Brett Lawrie

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 1/18/1990 | Team: Athletics | Position: 2B/3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 442 102 11 9 46 41 .254 .315 .397 .314 -2.8 0.1 1.3
’14 282 64 12 0 38 27 .247 .301 .421 .320 1.2 5.0 1.7
’15 548 130 17 7 65 64 .263 .324 .427 .332 9.9 7.1 3.8

Profile: Can Brett Lawrie still be Canadian Hero Brett Lawrie if he is playing for Oakland? His insane quarter-season run in 2011 seems like a million years ago, forgotten after injuries, mediocre power, and dropping walk rates. In 2014, Lawrie did manage 12 home runs in only 282 plate appearances, which is probably more of a positive than his rising strikeout rate was a negative, but he also had a career-low walk rate. His numbers will drop in Oakland, since it’s a tough park, but that is only a consolation if you are in a rare fantasy league that adjusts for park factors. Lawrie also did not steal any bases in 2014. Lawrie is just 25, still not over the hill if not the upside-laden youngster of so many hoser dreams. Assuming he stays healthy, .260/.320/.420 with 15 homers and a few steals is pretty good for a third baseman (second baseman in some leagues) these days, even in fantasy ball, but stardom seems pretty unlikely. He’s draftable in just about every league, and startable in most, but, although one should never say never, Lawrie is not really a stud in waiting any more. Hey, at least he isn’t Mike Moustakas. (Matt Klaassen)

Quick Opinion: Now-former Blue Jay and current Athletic Brett Lawrie probably feels like a disappointment relative to the expectations of a few years ago, and that is fair. He is still a good-but-not-great fantasy third baseman in most leagues.

DJ LeMahieu

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 7/13/1988 | Team: Rockies | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 434 113 2 18 28 39 .280 .311 .361 .295 -14.4 7.6 0.7
’14 538 132 5 10 42 59 .267 .315 .348 .292 -20.4 12.1 0.8
’15 531 137 5 14 48 52 .279 .321 .371 .305 -14.2 6.4 0.9

Profile: LeMahieu ended up being mixed-league relevant in 2014, mostly thanks to the number of plate appearances he accrued. He was the 16th-most valuable second baseman in Zach Sanders’s end of year rankings, but only Aaron Hill ranked lower than LeMahieu while having more trips to the plate. The value that he accrued in 2014 came from plugging away with counting stats. He’s a prototypical slap hitter, making contact at a rate above league average, while also hitting a higher percentage of ground balls (he was tenth among qualified hitters in GB%). Steamer seems to like those things, along with his historically more robust average on balls in play, and projects LeMahieu for a nice .285 batting average and 14 steals to boot. That definitely plays as a back end mixed league middle infielder, as it would provide a season more in line with what Daniel Murphy did this year. Yet, because LeMahieu’s speed is mediocre and his power is nil, I’d actually take the under on his Steamer-projected average for next year. On the other hand, with Josh Rutledge gone, and Trevor Story a ways away (and still a shortstop), there’s no obvious contender for LeMahieu’s role. Sometimes vanilla works. (Robert J. Baumann)

Quick Opinion: If LeMahieu’s second base job looks secure to start the season, he can be drafted to occupy a middle infield spot in mixed leagues. He won’t wow in any way, but he won’t hurt you too badly.

Adam Lind

Debut: 2006 |  BirthDate: 7/17/1983 | Team: Brewers | Position: 1B/DH
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 521 134 23 1 67 67 .288 .357 .497 .368 14.6 -15.5 1.8
’14 318 93 6 0 40 38 .321 .381 .479 .376 14.9 -11.1 1.6
’15 560 136 21 1 73 65 .272 .339 .451 .346 9.6 -13.2 1.4

Profile: Adam Lind looked like he was toast just a few years ago. After a monster 2009 season at the plate, he had three straight years of worse-than-league-average production, especially galling for a first baseman type. In 2013, though, he pretty much saved his career. A quick glance at his slash line in 2014 seems to indicate that he was just as good. However, Lind played in only 96 games due to injuries to his back and foot. And although he had a higher average and on-base percentage in 2014 than the prior season, that was mostly due to a career-high .369 batting average on balls in play (career .304). Most troubling was the drop in power from 2013’s .209 isolated slugging percentage to 2014’s .159. Breaking that power down into components reveals more problems: Lind’s power was mostly from a high rate of doubles and triples on balls in play, something subject to even more random variation than overall BABIP. His rate of home runs on contact, a metric which stabilizes more quickly, was actually the lowest of his career. This is not to say that Lind can’t help your fantasy team, he can. He has been traded to Milwaukee, where he is the primary option at first base as of this writing. It is not clear that Lind has a platoon partner at this point; if he is not platooned, that will hurt his rate stats, but will help his counting stats. Lind is 31 and the injuries are troubling, so be careful. However, Even if he only manages about 120 games, something like .270/.340/.450 with 20 home runs or makes him a starter in any NL-league and in most deep leagues. Lind is far from being a scrub, but bid with caution. (Matt Klaassen)

Quick Opinion: Lind’s superficially good rate stats in 2014 masked some potential trouble spots, particularly with respect to his power. However, after being traded to Milwaukee, Lind is still a useful if unexceptional first baseman in most NL leagues.

Jose Lobaton

Debut: 2009 |  BirthDate: 10/21/1984 | Team: Nationals | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 311 69 7 0 32 38 .249 .320 .394 .316 0.2 2.7 1.4
’14 230 50 2 0 12 18 .234 .287 .304 .266 -9.5 7.8 0.6
’15 116 24 2 1 10 10 .234 .303 .340 .289 -2.7 0.9 0.2

Profile: Lobaton’s value comes from the fact that he plays behind Wilson Ramos, who has spent a lot of time on the disabled list the past couple of seasons. Lobaton won’t hit for a high average, but should walk at a decent clip. He shouldn’t be started in most leagues even if he gets the job due to injury. (Chris Cwik)

Steve Lombardozzi

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 9/20/1988 | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 307 75 2 4 22 25 .259 .278 .338 .269 -12.7 -3.2 -0.7
’14 74 21 0 1 2 6 .288 .297 .329 .278 -2.6 -2.5 -0.3
’15 33 8 0 1 3 3 .259 .294 .339 .281 -0.8 -0.0 0.0

Profile: Lombardozzi can play a couple different positions on the field, but that’s about the extent of his value. He doesn’t walk, and gives you no power, but he also won’t strike out a ton. That combo can sometimes make for a useful 25th man, but it doesn’t translate well in a starting role. (Chris Cwik)

James Loney

Debut: 2006 |  BirthDate: 5/7/1984 | Team: Rays | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 598 164 13 3 75 54 .299 .348 .430 .339 10.3 -5.0 2.7
’14 651 174 9 4 69 59 .290 .336 .380 .318 0.7 -13.4 0.9
’15 600 149 11 3 62 61 .271 .325 .386 .314 2.1 -5.9 1.7

Profile: Veteran left-hander James Loney has played in at least 144 games in each of the last seven seasons and is coming off another quiet, yet consistent 2014. Loney didn’t walk or hit for power — that’s not how he earns his paychecks — but he did strikeout less (12.3% K%) than league average and hit for for a better average (.290) than the league. Due to the lack of power (.090 isolated slugging percentage), Loney primarily relies on base hits, with some doubles and a few homers sprinkled in. Since this is what he’s been doing his entire career, it’s probably safe to say we can expect more of the same in ‘15. Look to Loney late in your auctions or drafts for stability in the batting average category, then celebrate if/when he chip in with any of the other four categories. (Alan Harrison)

Quick Opinion: James Loney may not be the power hitter some maybe be looking for out of their first base or corner infield position, but he provides valuable stability to the batting average category for owners taking risks in that area elsewhere on their team.

Evan Longoria

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 10/7/1985 | Team: Rays | Position: 3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 693 165 32 1 88 91 .269 .343 .498 .360 24.8 15.3 6.8
’14 700 158 22 5 91 83 .253 .320 .404 .316 6.7 1.2 3.4
’15 641 145 25 3 85 77 .256 .334 .446 .340 16.6 12.1 5.4

Profile: From an offensive production standpoint, Evan Longoria is coming off the worst season of his major league career. Longoria appeared to be more aggressive at the plate in 2014 than during the earlier stages of his career. He swung at more pitches (47.8% Swing%) both in (65.2% zone swing rate) and out (30.7% reach rate) of the zone than in the past. Career lows in walk rate, OBP, slugging percentage and isolated slugging percentage contributed to the .243/.320/.404 season with just 22 home runs, 91 RBI and five stolen bases. Despite said decline, Longoria still managed to finish in the top five among third basemen in home runs, runs batted in and runs scored. Although Longoria is now on the wrong side of 30, he still has the pedigree to fill up the stat sheets and could become a value play on draft day with many owners reaching for the young guns at the hot corner. (Alan Harrison)

Quick Opinion: Although Evan Longoria is coming off the worst offensive season of his career and is on the wrong side of 30, he managed to finish the season with 22 homers, 83 runs scored and 91 RBI — all of which placed him among the top five third basemen in those categories. Due to recency bias and the emergence of some young guns at the hot corner, Longoria could be a safe value play for owners on draft day.

David Lough

Debut: 2012 |  BirthDate: 1/20/1986 | Team: Orioles | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 335 90 5 5 33 35 .286 .311 .413 .316 -0.2 11.2 2.4
’14 197 43 4 8 16 31 .247 .309 .385 .309 1.6 9.1 1.9
’15 413 97 8 11 40 43 .254 .299 .375 .298 -5.2 0.7 1.0

Profile: Things that don’t bode well for David Lough’s place with the Orioles: Steve Pearce’s breakout 2014 campaign, Alejandro de Aza’s presence on the team’s 40-man roster, and the Orioles’ acquisition of Travis Snider. Lough could make the team as a fifth outfielder due to his average-to-very-good defense at all three outfield positions, but that would leave him with few plate appearances and no fantasy value. Given that he’s out of options, a trade or release seems more likely. If he manages to find an opportunity to start or at least platoon with another team, he could provide value in daily leagues. For one thing, he has above average Speed Scores, but Baltimore ranked dead last in stolen base attempts in 2014, so more playing time with a team that runs more could result in around 15 stolen bases. He also makes a decent amount of contact (83.8% career contact rate), and solid contact (22.3% career line drive rate), and limits his pop-ups to around a league average rate, which indicate that he could hit for a decent average if given the chance, too. (Robert J. Baumann)

Quick Opinion: He’s never going to be a fantasy stud, but if Lough catches on with a team that can offer him regular playing time, he has the ability to be a fine platoon option in daily fantasy leagues. His speed and contact ability give him a decent floor from which to contribute intermittent counting stats.

Jed Lowrie

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 4/17/1984 | Team: Astros | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 662 175 15 1 75 80 .290 .344 .446 .345 14.1 -3.3 3.5
’14 566 125 6 0 50 59 .249 .321 .355 .300 -7.5 6.0 1.8
’15 562 130 12 1 58 62 .258 .325 .397 .319 1.9 -0.6 2.1

Profile: Although Jed Lowrie has lost his second base eligibility in many formats, he maintains his shortstop eligibility. While it’s hard to imagine seeing him play in 150 games, Lowrie does have a touch of offensive upside. After posting back-to-back 15+ home run seasons in 2012-13, last year Lowrie managed a mere six dingers in 566 plate appearances. The move from the Coliseum and its distant outfield fences to the cozier Minute Maid Park should help the switch-hitting Lowrie considerably. Last year saw Lowrie’s home run per fly ball rate get cut in half from 6.8% in 2013 to a meager 3.2%. For his career, he’s managed to hit right-handed pitching better, though last season Lowrie saw more success against southpaws. Lowrie likes to hit the ball in the air — his 31.8% ground-ball rate since 2012 is fifth lowest in baseball — and that leaves him vulnerable to posting a low batting average. Presuming his fly ball tendencies continue, expect more of them to clear the outfield walls in Houston, adding to Lowrie’s value. He is probably more of a later round flier than a primary fantasy shortstop, but if he goes undrafted, keep an eye on him. (David Wiers)

Quick Opinion: While not a fantasy cornerstone by any means, Lowrie does have potential in his bat, particularly in the scarce power shortstop department. With only 13 shortstop hitting at least 15 home runs since 2012, if Lowrie’s power returns it could be a difference maker.

Ed Lucas

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 5/21/1982 | Position: 2B/SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 384 90 4 1 28 43 .256 .311 .336 .289 -7.6 2.5 0.7
’14 189 45 1 1 9 19 .251 .283 .296 .261 -7.8 3.6 0.1
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .237 .285 .330 .275 -0.0 0.0 -0.0

Profile: Lucas’s profile is admirable. He’s not extremely talented, but he plays all over the diamond, and according to defensive metrics, he does a decent job doing so. At the plate, though, he’s a wreck. Even if given the chance to garner extended plate appearances, he’s more likely to hurt your team than help it.

Quick Opinion: Lucas shouldn’t garner interest in most leagues, and even in the deepest of NL-only leagues, he’s only a warm body to plug in during times of misery.

Jonathan Lucroy

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 6/13/1986 | Team: Brewers | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 580 146 18 9 82 59 .280 .340 .455 .345 5.1 10.2 3.5
’14 655 176 13 4 69 73 .301 .373 .465 .368 23.4 14.6 6.3
’15 582 147 14 5 66 67 .282 .348 .432 .344 9.4 7.3 3.7

Profile: In 2014, Victor Martinez was one of the season’s standout stars. Quietly, Lucroy had a Martinez-lite season. VMart blasted 65 extra base hits, while Lucroy managed 68 in 14 more plate appearances. While they diverge — Martinez had 32 home runs and Lucroy skewed to doubles with 53 in that category (setting the record for doubles as a catcher) — they still had things in common. Lucroy features good plate discipline with strong contact skills like the Tiger, including a 5% swinging strike rate, 10.1% walk rate, and 10.8% strikeout rate. The combination allows him to bat around .300 with a strong on base percentage. There is definitely upside for more home runs from Lucroy’s bat. His position in the heart of a Brewers lineup that features Ryan Braun, Carlos Gomez, and Aramis Ramirez should also mean plenty of run opportunities for the highly rated catcher. (Brad Johnson)

Quick Opinion: Extra base power, plate discipline, and plenty of lineup support make Lucroy a stalwart among a thin class of catchers.

Ryan Ludwick

Debut: 2002 |  BirthDate: 7/13/1978 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 140 31 2 0 12 7 .240 .293 .326 .277 -6.4 -4.9 -0.8
’14 400 87 9 0 45 28 .244 .308 .375 .304 -8.5 -9.2 -0.6
’15 237 52 6 1 26 25 .243 .308 .388 .309 -3.2 -5.9 -0.2

Profile: After a dislocated shoulder cost him the majority of the 2013 season, Ryan Ludwick performed as a worse-than-league-average hitter for the third time in the last four seasons. In fact, except for a seemingly random surge in 2012, Ludwick hasn’t been much better than league average for the last six years. His power has been absolutely shot ever since the shoulder surgery, and the power’s all he ever had. Ludwick’s 36 years old now, and is without a team as of this writing, so his future of 2015 doesn’t look too bright. It’s possible he could bounce back and provide decent power as a part-time designated hitter or corner outfielder in a hitter’s park, but that’s a best case scenario. (August Fagerstrom)

Quick Opinion: Ludwick has been a good source of power in the past, but that power has been totally zapped ever since he dislocated his shoulder in the first game of the 2013 season. He’s currently 36 and without a team, so the upside doesn’t look too high for Ludwick, even if he does still have some pop left in his bat.

Donald Lutz

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 2/6/1989 | Team: Reds | Position: 1B/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 59 14 1 2 8 5 .241 .254 .310 .249 -2.4 0.6 0.0
’14 54 9 0 0 1 2 .176 .222 .255 .207 -4.6 -0.0 -0.3
’15 32 6 1 0 3 3 .217 .264 .362 .275 -1.0 -0.7 -0.1

Profile: Tell the story of Donald Lutz as a young first baseman struggling to put together his best contact rates with his best power outcomes, and you’re not going to make many headlines. The 25-year-old is blocked at the major league level by a pretty good first baseman on a big contract, and so it’ll be tough for him to make his name there. His outfield play has been good enough that he could be considered for platoon work in a corner spot if the right-handed Marlon Byrd takes a step back in his age. He needs to make more contact before he can even show off his power, though. Either way, it’s much more compelling to tell the tale of the first German-developed baseball player to collect a major league paycheck. So geht es manchmal. (Eno Sarris)

Quick Opinion: Wenn man Donald Lutz einen Erster-Sacker nennt, dann wird man ein bisschen deprimiert. Es gibt ein guter Erster-Sacker im Reds Uniform, und mit seinem Vetrag wird Joey Votto im Cincinatti wahrscheinlich lang bleiben. Aber Lutz kann auch im Outfield spielen, und dort könnte er der Mannschaft vielleicht ein bisschen Leistung geben.





 

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