2015 Batter Profiles: S – T

by
February 9, 2015

Jarrod Saltalamacchia

Debut: 2007 |  BirthDate: 5/2/1985 | Team: Marlins | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 470 116 14 4 65 68 .273 .338 .466 .349 10.0 7.3 3.5
’14 435 82 11 0 44 43 .220 .320 .362 .304 -5.2 4.6 1.3
’15 428 83 13 2 45 41 .220 .301 .377 .301 -5.3 3.7 1.2

Profile: Jarrod Saltalamacchia stretched the limits of Three True Outcome production in 2014, striking out at a career-high rate while walking more than ever before. Putting fewer balls in play, Salty saw his offensive value dip far below that which he produced in Boston as his power dried up, hitting just .220/.320/.362 with only 11 home runs. Saltalmacchia swung more freely than ever before, whiffing on more pitches and seeing significant drops in his contract rates inside and outside the strike zone. Moving to spacious Marlins Park from cozy Fenway, Salty lost more than 100 points of slugging percentage and, after posting a sky-high average on balls in play in 2013, he hit far more balls on the ground and saw his batting average drop. Pitchers challenged Saltalamacchia with more fastballs than ever before (65% of the pitches he saw were classified as ‘hard’ by Brooks Baseball, up from 57% the year before) and he couldn’t respond, as his meager numbers suggest. If his bat is slow, it’s trouble for the power hitting catcher. If a midseason concussion cost him at the plate and he can bounce back to the league-average hitter from a power-starved position, then it’s sunny days in Miami for the Marlins starting catcher. (Drew Fairservice)

Quick Opinion: After a disastrous season full of whiffs, ground outs, and injury, it’s up to Jarrod Saltalamacchia to prove he can still get around on big league heat.

Hector Sanchez

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 11/17/1989 | Team: Giants | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 140 32 3 0 19 8 .248 .300 .349 .290 -3.0 -0.9 0.0
’14 177 32 3 0 28 8 .196 .237 .301 .237 -9.3 0.5 -0.4
’15 31 6 1 0 3 3 .224 .272 .335 .270 -0.9 0.5 0.1

Profile: More people know what a Dirty Sanchez is than what a Hector Sanchez is. He’s potentially Buster Posey’s backup, that’s what he is. And now with rookie Andrew Susac on the way, we’re not even sure he’s that. (Brett Talley)

Carlos Sanchez

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 6/29/1992 | Team: White Sox | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 104 25 0 1 5 6 .250 .269 .300 .253 -6.3 0.6 -0.3
’15 232 53 2 6 19 22 .248 .295 .328 .279 -7.0 0.7 0.1

Profile: The White Sox made a number of off-season upgrades to both the pitching staff and the offense, but second base remains Carlos Sanchez’s for the taking. Prospect evaluators have been all over the map with the young second baseman, but here you’ll find someone that believes he can be a solid regular at the position for the next few years and will get the most out of his modest tools. From a fantasy perspective, he should provide a solid batting average, a handful of home runs and 10-15 stolen bases. It’s possible, though, that he could score a lot of runs thanks to the offense that will feature the likes of Jose Abreu, Melky Cabrera, and Adam LaRoche. In other words, Sanchez could be a respectable but unspectacular second baseman in fantasy baseball and a great little player to target in later rounds while focusing on other areas of need earlier in your drafts. (Marc Hulet)

Quick Opinion: Sanchez appears to be in line for the starting second base gig in Chicago in 2015. With a new-look lineup with some added firepower, Sanchez could be a solid, low-cost sleeper who could potentially score a bunch of runs if he consistently gets on base.

Gaby Sanchez

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 9/2/1983 | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 320 67 7 1 36 29 .254 .361 .402 .338 5.4 -7.3 0.8
’14 290 60 7 2 33 31 .229 .293 .385 .301 -3.8 -6.1 -0.1
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .242 .320 .382 .313 0.0 -0.0 0.0

Profile: Cut loose by the Pirates, Sanchez used to be a reliable platooner, hitting lefties well, but being helpless against right-handers. Unfortunately, a .328 weighted on base average against southpaws in 2014 as a first baseman fails to excite, which means he’s no longer a sure thing to even earn another platoon role. (Mike Podhorzer)

Tony Sanchez

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 5/20/1988 | Team: Pirates | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 66 14 2 0 5 9 .233 .288 .400 .302 -0.9 -1.9 -0.1
’14 80 20 2 0 13 3 .267 .300 .360 .294 -2.1 -0.5 -0.0
’15 61 12 1 0 6 6 .225 .290 .356 .289 -1.1 0.9 0.2

Profile: When Russell Martin signed with the Blue Jays, the immediate assumption was that the former fourth overall pick in the 2009 amateur draft would take over starting catching duties. But the Pirates decided to go get Francisco Cervelli instead, which likely keeps Sanchez in backup duty. GM Neil Huntington has talked of potentially using Sanchez as Pedro Alvarez’s platoon partner at first base, which would give him a nice boost in plate appearances. Between platooning and catching every so often, perhaps he could rack up 300 plate appearances, allowing for the potential to earn some NL-Only league value. The 26-year-old has shown some respectable power in the minors and the willingness to take a walk, but neither of those skills has translated to the majors just yet. The playing time is key, of course, but he could be a strong $1 play as a second catcher in deep leagues. (Mike Podhorzer)

Quick Opinion: While he is unlikely to act as the Pirates starting catcher now, he could still earn enough playing time to be an asset in deeper formats. His power and patience have yet to appear in the majors, but he deserves another chance given his paltry 146 plate appearances.

Pablo Sandoval

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 8/11/1986 | Team: Red Sox | Position: 3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 584 146 14 0 79 52 .278 .341 .417 .331 7.0 -2.8 2.3
’14 638 164 16 0 73 68 .279 .324 .415 .323 3.3 5.3 3.0
’15 597 158 18 1 83 76 .291 .347 .464 .353 13.9 2.0 3.9

Profile: One of the biggest free agent signings of the off-season, Pablo Sandoval moves from the vast confines of AT&T Park in San Francisco to cozy Fenway Park, joining a stacked lineup and offering hope for his beleaguered right-handed swing. The looming Green Monster figures to save Sandoval some outs, turning lazy fly balls into singles and doubles as only the Monster can. With the Panda, it is always a question of how long his free-swinging approach can hold up. The notorious bad-ball hitter needs to bounce back after a season in which he posted a career low walk rate (6.1%) and career low power numbers (.136 isolated slugging and .415 slugging percentage). His new park surely will help, and the Red Sox robust lineup will pad his baseball card stats, but there is reason for concern that he’s trending in the wrong direction. The dire state of the third base position right now offers a different view, as Sandoval is still just 28 and offers and one of the four or five best offensive options at the hot corner. He won’t come cheap but Sandoval offers the same 5×5 rewards as always. (Drew Fairservice)

Quick Opinion: The new Red Sox third baseman is tons of fun for fans but concerns about his free-swinging shelf life are founded. His move to a friendly offensive environment helps paper over an otherwise worrisome decline.

Jerry Sands

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 9/28/1987 | Position: DH
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 22 4 1 0 4 1 .190 .227 .333 .251 -1.0 -0.8 -0.1
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .216 .289 .367 .293 -0.0 -0.0 0.0

Profile: Once upon a time, Sands looked like a possibly interesting piece. He put up good numbers in the minors in 2012 and 2013, but did so at an advanced age. He’s never really received a fair shake in the majors, but it’s not like any team is out there actively seeking to give him a shot. Sands will probably fill his now usual role as a organizational depth outfielder with Cleveland. (Chris Cwik)

Carlos Santana

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 4/8/1986 | Team: Indians | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 642 145 20 3 74 75 .268 .377 .455 .364 20.3 -9.2 3.5
’14 660 125 27 5 85 68 .231 .365 .427 .353 21.6 -14.6 3.1
’15 619 126 22 4 77 78 .245 .367 .435 .356 20.2 -14.4 2.8

Profile: It’s a shame that Adam Dunn has retired, but at least we still have Carlos Santana. Okay, so Santana doesn’t have prime Adam Dunn power, and he never will, but they did have the exact same isolated slugging percentage last season, and when you factor in the walks and strikeouts, he’s one of the closest things we have to an Adam Dunn today. 40% of Santana’s plate appearances last year ended in a strikeout, walk or home run, one of the top “three true outcome” percentages in the league. Leading that category, of course, was Dunn. You can ignore Santana’s batting average, just like you always have Dunn’s. You’re here on FanGraphs, so you probably already know that, but it bears repeating. Santana just put up one of the best sub-.240 average seasons ever, and at 29 years old, there’s no reason to think the discipline or power are going away anytime soon. Despite the batting average fluctuation, Santana has actually been quite consistent over the last four seasons. Given he qualifies at a now quite weak third base position in your league, he may very well be the safest third base option in baseball, depending on how much you like Josh Donaldson. (August Fagerstrom)

Quick Opinion: Santana’s been as durable as they come the last four seasons — just one of 23 players to accumulate more than 2,500 plate appearances in that span — and he’s been consistently above average. Despite the low batting average, Santana’s elite combination of power and on-base skills make him an elite fantasy option at third base, with strong value even at first.

Danny Santana

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 11/7/1990 | Team: Twins | Position: SS/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 430 129 7 20 40 70 .319 .353 .472 .362 19.7 -4.3 3.2
’15 519 126 7 18 42 58 .261 .298 .371 .296 -6.6 4.1 1.6

Profile: Behold, regression candidate number one from last year’s pretty good Minnesota Twins offense. Santana posted a slick .319/.353/.472 batting line while shuttling between center field and shortstop. He also stole 20 bases and had 41 extra-base hits in one of the finest rookie performances from a Twin in recent seasons. But he also did it with a .405 batting average on balls in play — the second-highest BABIP by a player with at least 400 plate appearances since Santana himself was born in 1990. Simply put, it isn’t sustainable, and regression could be particularly ugly to the young speedster with a career minor-league batting line of .273/.317/.391. Santana will almost certainly open the season batting leadoff and playing shortstop, but where he ends the season is certainly a mystery. (Brandon Warne)

Quick Opinion: Santana is bound to regress considerably from last year’s fantastic numbers. Shortstop depth is such that a risk on him could still be merited, but don’t expect a repeat.

Ramon Santiago

Debut: 2002 |  BirthDate: 8/31/1979 | Position: 2B/3B/SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 234 46 1 0 14 27 .224 .298 .288 .268 -10.0 4.5 0.2
’14 214 44 2 2 17 20 .246 .343 .324 .307 -3.8 1.8 0.5
’15 33 7 0 0 3 3 .230 .301 .315 .280 -1.0 0.1 0.0

Profile: Ramon Santiago actually had the second-best offensive season of his career last year! And at age 34! Problem is, that was a season in which he hit .246 with two homers and two steals. That pretty much tells you all you need to know about Ramon Santiago. He’s cracked 300 plate appearances just twice in his 13-year career, and has only stuck around because of his versatility and defense. He’s an adequate replacement at second, short or third, so he’s always an option to fill in when someone goes down, but his complete lack of average, power or speed make him the epitome of “waiver wire fodder” in fantasy terms. (August Fagerstrom)

Quick Opinion: If it feels like Ramon Santiago has been around forever, it’s because he has, but it’s not because of his bat. He’s a versatile defender, which doesn’t mean much in fantasy baseball, so his 200 annual at-bats shouldn’t mean much to you.

Luis Sardinas

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 5/16/1993 | Team: Brewers | Position: 2B/SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 125 30 0 5 8 12 .261 .303 .313 .279 -2.4 -1.2 0.0
’15 65 15 0 2 5 5 .242 .275 .310 .262 -2.9 0.3 -0.1

Profile: The Rangers are not lacking for young middle infielders. Luis Sardinas might be behind Elvis Andrus, Rougned Odor, and Jurickson Profar, on the depth chart but really, this does not look like his year. The Rangers are said to have hope he can be an everyday player, although others see him as a future glove-first utility player. He will turn 22 in May, though, so there is a ways to go. Whatever one might think of his defensive prowess, Sardinas really has not hit all that well in the minors, and his minuscule walk rate and lack of power are not encouraging on that front. If Sardinas looks like he might get significant playing time in the majors due to injuries, he is worth a low end flyer, but he really does not look ready to hit yet. Given his youth, he could be worth a low-end flyer if you have the roster space in long-term keeper leagues, although there are probably higher-upside prospects for fantasy purposes. (Matt Klaassen)

Quick Opinion: Even if a combination circumstances somehow grant Luis Sardinas decent playing time in 2015, nothing in his minor-league resume indicates that he can hold his own against major-league pitching now. Given his relative youth, though, he is worth keeping an eye on for the future.

Josh Satin

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 12/23/1984 | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 221 53 3 1 17 23 .279 .376 .405 .346 4.2 1.5 1.3
’14 43 3 0 0 3 2 .086 .256 .143 .210 -3.9 -0.2 -0.3
’15 114 24 2 1 11 11 .246 .331 .372 .316 -0.4 -1.6 0.1

Profile: Josh Satin joins a handful of current and former Mets as Triple-A mashers: Satin, Allan Dykstra, Andrew Brown and Mike Jacobs all have weighted on-base averages north of .370, which rank them in the Pacific Coast League top 20. In fact, in 2013, Satin had a top 10 rate with a .411 wOBA, and five of the names above him were Scott Van Slyke, Kole Calhoun, George Springer, Corey Dickerson and Stephen Vogt — all of whom were important role players this past season. The real issue is his age. Satin will be 30 next year, struggled last year in 43 plate appearances and at best is competing for a Cincinnati Reds’ reserve role next year. (Dan Schwartz)

Quick Opinion: The 30-year-old Satin may find himself in a reserve role for the Reds, but that’s not likely to produce fantasy value. 

Michael Saunders

Debut: 2009 |  BirthDate: 11/19/1986 | Team: Blue Jays | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 468 96 12 13 46 59 .236 .323 .397 .315 1.8 -5.3 1.3
’14 263 63 8 4 34 38 .273 .341 .450 .346 7.9 1.0 1.9
’15 477 104 14 10 54 58 .248 .328 .420 .330 5.5 -4.4 1.8

Profile: Michael Saunders gets a fresh start with the Toronto Blue Jays, who won’t likely see him as just a platoon option the way the Seattle Mariners treated Saunders during his tenure there. Always seemingly dinged up, Saunders was (perhaps improperly) tagged with the “injury prone” label by his management and sent packing to his home country for J.A. Happ. In just 78 games in 2014, Saunders hit a very respectable .273/.341/.450, reducing his strikeout rate to 22% while maintaining a solid 10% walk rate. His power was there too — a .177 isolated slugging percentage trumped his career .153 by a good margin, even if his counting stats didn’t reflect much that would grab your attention in the small sample. He does possess pretty standard platoon splits, but his ability to rough up right-handed pitchers ought to keep him on the field enough to net 550 plate appearances. Of course, because of his injury history, he’s only done that once in his career. But if he can avoid the trainers’ table, it’s entirely possible he finally realizes his potential at the age of 28 — and that potential is probably something in the .260/.340/.465 range with 20+ home runs and 20+ stolen bases. Keep a pulse on how Toronto plans to use him, he could be a really valuable third or fourth outfielder in standard formats. (Michael Barr)

Quick Opinion: The Seattle faithful shed a tear when the Mariners sent Michael Saunders packing, knowing the sweet swinging Condor might fulfill his potential elsewhere. Saunders has flashed his ability on many occasions, but his inability to stay healthy has always undercut his final line. With a change of scenery, Saunders could be poised for a big year.

Jordan Schafer

Debut: 2009 |  BirthDate: 9/4/1986 | Team: Twins | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 265 57 3 22 21 32 .247 .331 .346 .303 0.4 0.2 0.9
’14 240 50 1 30 15 26 .238 .310 .305 .279 -2.8 -1.4 0.4
’15 270 55 2 22 20 29 .227 .302 .311 .278 -6.5 -2.3 -0.0

Profile: Schafer had a decent little run with the Twins after the Braves cast him off, but ultimately his skillset is that of a nice fourth outfielder. When he gets everything going he looks like Jason Tyner with a little pop — but what is that, really? Sam Fuld 2.0? He’s hit just .229 in his career spanning just under 1,400 plate appearances, rendering his otherwordly speed mostly useless. He can hack the corners but isn’t very good in center, and he can walk a little bit. His best-case scenario is stealing playing time in center while the Twins figure out what the hell they’re going to do with Aaron Hicks. Stay away. (Brandon Warne)

Quick Opinion: His best bet is to be the next Sam Fuld. That’s a nice player, but not someone you as a fantasy player need on your team.

Logan Schafer

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 9/8/1986 | Team: Brewers | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 337 63 4 7 33 29 .211 .279 .322 .269 -12.0 1.5 -0.1
’14 136 21 0 2 8 13 .181 .278 .276 .246 -7.7 2.5 -0.1
’15 210 43 3 4 18 19 .229 .293 .339 .282 -6.0 -1.2 -0.1

Profile: Schafer is a career .209/.283/.320 hitter in 503 major-league plate appearances. There are very few things we can be certain of in this life — aside from death and taxes, of course. One of those few certainties is Logan Schafer’s fantasy irrelevance. It’s strangely comforting. (Scott Strandberg)

Quick Opinion: The only way Logan Schafer ends up on any fantasy teams this year is if an owner mistakes him for Jordan Schafer. Even then, I’ve still got questions.

Nate Schierholtz

Debut: 2007 |  BirthDate: 2/15/1984 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 503 116 21 6 68 56 .251 .301 .470 .331 4.5 -5.1 1.5
’14 383 69 7 4 37 32 .195 .243 .309 .246 -22.1 1.5 -1.0
’15 221 49 7 3 26 24 .241 .292 .405 .306 -2.6 -2.9 0.2

Profile: The Phillies had Laynce Nix and Nate Schierholtz prior to the 2013 season and decided to bet on Nix (whoops). Schierholtz chose that season to breakout as a viable starter with 21 home runs. The success did not carry over to 2014, though, so the Phillies aren’t super mad or anything. He had a negative value season and may have trouble making a major league roster out of spring training. As a career .253/.302/.419 hitter against right-handed pitching, he should get a shot at a fifth outfielder job somewhere, though. (Brad Johnson)

Quick Opinion: Schierholtz broke out in 2013 and collapsed again in 2014. He looks like a fifth outfielder at best, but he does have a 21 home run season in his recent past.

Jonathan Schoop

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 10/16/1991 | Team: Orioles | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 15 4 1 0 1 5 .286 .333 .500 .364 0.5 -1.4 -0.0
’14 481 95 16 2 45 48 .209 .244 .354 .265 -17.0 7.2 0.6
’15 507 105 15 5 53 52 .226 .273 .366 .284 -12.2 3.7 0.9

Profile: Jonathan Schoop had a dreadful 2014 season at the plate when he was rushed to the majors due to a lack of depth in the Orioles system. He posted an OPS below .600, mainly due to an ugly walk to strikeout ratio of 13-122. A lack of off-season improvements to the roster leave the second base gig in the second-year player’s hands. He has the talent to be a better-than-average player but the organization is potentially stunting his growth by limiting his development time in the minors. When he learns to make more contact, Schoop could be a consistent 20-homer guy. Don’t expect much from the 23-year-old infielder in 2015 but keep him on your watch list as a guy that could eventually provide above-average offense at second base, assuming the club develops him properly going forward. (Marc Hulet)

Quick Opinion: Schoop has the raw talent to be an above-average middle infielder but his development was stunted in 2014. He was clearly not ready for The Show, and a lack of action in the off-season has the young infielder once again pencilled in as the starting second baseman. Avoid him for now.

Skip Schumaker

Debut: 2005 |  BirthDate: 2/3/1980 | Team: Reds | Position: 2B/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 356 84 2 2 30 31 .263 .332 .332 .301 -5.9 -14.2 -1.0
’14 271 58 2 2 22 22 .235 .287 .308 .269 -10.0 -9.5 -1.3
’15 315 69 3 3 24 26 .241 .301 .320 .280 -10.0 -5.8 -0.7

Profile: If you thought Skip Schumaker had the lowest wins above replacement total in baseball over the last couple years like I just did before writing this blurb, you wouldn’t be far off. Skip has actually been a decent hitter for most of his career — it’s the defense and baserunning that have killed him — but even the offense fell off a cliff last year. He struck out more than ever, walked as little as ever, and stopped spraying line drives all over the place like he used to. His versatility and track record likely land him a spot on the Reds opening day roster, but at 35 years old, it’s hard to imagine too rosy a comeback. There’s a chance Schumaker ends up contributing something down the line if someone goes down, but he shouldn’t be on your radar until it happens. (August Fagerstrom)

Quick Opinion: Skip Schumaker might be a better fantasy option than a real life option, which says a lot about Skip Schumaker. He was one of the worst players in baseball last year, and while it’s unlikely he’s that bad again, he’s got very little upside as a 35-year-old bench guy.

Xavier Scruggs

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 9/23/1987 | Team: Cardinals | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 18 3 0 0 2 0 .200 .333 .267 .287 -0.9 -0.8 -0.1
’15 66 13 2 1 7 7 .225 .303 .380 .305 -0.5 -1.3 0.0

Profile: Scruggs has some legitimate pop in his bat, as he’s coming off his fourth consecutive 20-homer season in the minors. In addition, his isolated power has never dipped below .200 for a full season since his debut year, back in 2008. Unfortunately for the 27-year-old, he plays for the Cardinals, who have the first baseman blocked by Matt Adams and Mark Reynolds. Also, his minor-league numbers have to be taken with a grain of salt, due to the fact that he repeated both High-A and Double-A. (Scott Strandberg)

Quick Opinion: As much as we would all love for a guy with a name like Xavier Scruggs to be fantasy-relevant, it’s highly doubtful that will be the case in 2015.

Marco Scutaro

Debut: 2002 |  BirthDate: 10/30/1975 | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 547 145 2 2 31 57 .297 .357 .369 .325 8.3 0.6 2.7
’14 13 1 0 0 0 1 .091 .167 .091 .132 -1.5 -0.6 -0.2
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .263 .316 .343 .296 -0.0 -0.0 0.0

Profile: Scutaro has had an unexpectedly useful career, but he’s 39 years old and in the offseason had back surgery to fuse together two vertebrae. In other words, he will be the starting shortstop for the Mets in 2016. (Jeremy Blachman)

Kyle Seager

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 11/3/1987 | Team: Mariners | Position: 3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 695 160 22 9 69 79 .260 .338 .426 .337 12.3 -1.3 3.7
’14 654 158 25 7 96 71 .268 .334 .454 .346 16.4 12.9 5.5
’15 630 147 21 7 78 75 .262 .330 .433 .337 12.7 4.4 4.1

Profile: The hardly heralded North Carolina infielder was drafted in teammate Dustin Ackley’s shadow, but Kyle Seager has been the model of consistent improvement at the big league level. Seager has improved his batting average and slugging percentage in each of his four seasons, and he’s hit a couple more homers each year, as well. If those improvements continue, he would be an amazing fantasy asset, but it seems more likely that he’ll level out. He hit 25 homers last season with a .268 batting average, driving in 96 runs and even stealing seven bags. Entering his age-27 season in 2015, it’s hard to argue that Seager’s numbers will decrease in any meaningful way; he was the fifth best third baseman in standard leagues last year, and odds are he’ll land somewhere in the top six once again. If you’re a Seager owner and have a bench spot to spare, considering investing in a steady backup option to use when the left-hander faces southpaws, especially at home in Safeco field; Seager isn’t a disaster against lefties, but he is a below average hitter who will hurt your batting average. (Zach Sanders)

Quick Opinion: Seager is a consistent fantasy performer, contributing at least 20 homers and a batting average around .260 in each of the past three seasons. He may not be a sexy option, but Seager was a top-five third baseman last year and seems likely to repeat his performance.

Jean Segura

Debut: 2012 |  BirthDate: 3/17/1990 | Team: Brewers | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 623 173 12 44 49 74 .294 .329 .423 .329 6.2 5.3 3.2
’14 557 126 5 20 31 61 .246 .289 .326 .272 -16.3 2.4 0.3
’15 516 125 8 21 46 53 .262 .306 .372 .299 -7.6 6.9 1.6

Profile: The most surprising thing about Segura’s 2014 is that some people actually thought his 2013 was for real. Segura started 2013 at a blistering pace, hitting .325/.363/.487 with 11 homers and 27 steals in 32 attempts. The second half was a different story entirely, as he scuffled to an ugly .241/.268/.315 line, going 17-for-25 on the basepaths with just one lonely home run. The power had very clearly been a fluke — minor-leaguers with 26 career homers in 1,755 plate appearances do not magically turn into 15-homer guys once they hit the majors. The declining steals are a less-expected regression. After an 84.4% success rate in the first half of 2013, he’s successfully swiped just 68.5% of his attempts since. Steamer has the 25-year-old hitting .262/.306/.372, with eight homers and 21 steals this year. I think that sounds entirely fair — his true talent level probably lies somewhere in between his 2013 and 2014 production. (Scott Strandberg)

Quick Opinion: If you think of Segura as a borderline top-10 fantasy option at shortstop, you’ll likely be pleased with the results. That sort of dice roll might cost more than it should in most of your upcoming fantasy drafts, though.

Marcus Semien

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 9/17/1990 | Team: Athletics | Position: 2B/3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 71 18 2 2 7 7 .261 .268 .406 .291 -2.8 1.5 0.1
’14 255 54 6 3 28 30 .234 .300 .372 .301 -1.9 -1.2 0.6
’15 571 120 16 9 62 66 .239 .317 .396 .317 3.5 -1.8 2.2

Profile: Oakland had a busy off-season reshaping the roster, and Marcus Semien was brought in from the White Sox, likely, to be the regular shortstop. He’s a nifty little player who does a little bit of everything. Although he likely won’t wow in the batting average category, he has the ability to hit 10-15 home runs, steal a similar number of bases and get on base a ton — which sets him up well to score runs. A plus to owning Semien is the defensive versatility that he provides. He played 26 games at second base and 33 at third base in 2014 for the Sox, although just three at shortstop. That means he could be playable at three different positions in 2015, making him more valuable. With a lack of middle infield depth in Oakland, Semien should receive plenty of playing time, even if he’s a little slow out of the gate in April. (Marc Hulet)

Quick Opinion: Semien is a solid value target in AL-only leagues and a sleeper choice for mixed leagues due to his assortment of skills, versatility, and clear path to regular playing time. He’s even more valuable in leagues that reward on-base abilities.

J.B. Shuck

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 6/18/1987 | Team: White Sox | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 478 128 2 8 39 60 .293 .331 .366 .308 0.1 -10.5 0.6
’14 114 16 2 2 9 12 .145 .168 .209 .165 -11.5 4.2 -0.4
’15 103 24 1 2 8 10 .253 .311 .333 .289 -2.3 -1.4 -0.0

Profile: Shuck emerged as a viable fourth outfielder in 2013 while posting a weighted offense that was just short of league average and a .293/.331/.366 line in 478 plate appearances. However, Kole Calhoun slipped past him on the depth chart in 2014. With irregular work, Shuck looked overmatched. He managed only an 8% line drive rate (20% is average) with a 15% infield fly rate (10% is average). Those explain his dreadful .146 batting average on balls in play. Now with the White Sox, the lefty will have to count on regression to save his career. Shuck was a viable stolen base option back in 2013 — especially in deep leagues. (Brad Johnson)

Quick Opinion: Shuck has one season as a high average, low power fourth outfielder and another as something entirely unplayable. If it all clicks, he has the upside of a very poor man’s Ben Revere.

Moises Sierra

Debut: 2012 |  BirthDate: 9/24/1988 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 122 31 1 1 13 11 .290 .369 .458 .359 1.6 -3.1 0.3
’14 170 37 2 3 9 22 .230 .265 .342 .268 -6.7 -1.8 -0.3
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .235 .289 .378 .296 -0.0 -0.0 -0.0

Profile: Sierra, 26, looks the part of a major leaguer, but he struggles with strikeouts. He has shown league-average offense so far against left-handed pitchers, which points to his most obvious role. The high whiff rate interrupts his ability to produce an acceptable average or on base percentage. He can pop some home runs, but not enough to be considered anything more than a poor man’s John Mayberry. That’s very poor indeed. Especially in fantasy. (Brad Johnson)

Quick Opinion: Sierra doesn’t maintain a viable contact rate, which is why he lines up as a sixth outfielder. Fantasy owners can press /ignore.

Andrelton Simmons

Debut: 2012 |  BirthDate: 9/4/1989 | Team: Braves | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 658 150 17 6 59 76 .248 .296 .396 .303 -8.4 31.6 4.6
’14 576 132 7 4 46 44 .244 .286 .331 .273 -18.3 22.1 2.3
’15 625 146 11 7 57 59 .254 .302 .373 .299 -7.9 28.2 4.3

Profile: After his surprising home run total in 2013, many looked at 2014 as an important year to figure out exactly who Andrelton Simmons was offensively. It looks as if we got some answers — maybe he is not a power hitter or a base stealer. And for fantasy purposes, that is exactly not what Simmons owners or prospective owners wanted to see. There was some hope that Simmons’ homer outbreak the season before could be real and that his low batting average on balls in play that season could regress upwards, which would make him a very valuable fantasy commodity. Unfortunately he struggled and hit only seven homers and stole just four bases in nine opportunities. The amazingly slick fielder looks to be a middling offensive performer, and if you draft him you are really hoping for somewhere around a dozen homers with a couple of steals as well. He makes a ton of contact but he probably would benefit from more patience at the plate, as his batting average in each of the past two seasons of under .250 is not attractive in the fake game. Simmons has more real life value and name value than he does fantasy value, which has me suggesting you pass on him on draft day in standard formats and let someone else take the gamble. (Ben Duronio)

Quick Opinion: Simmons is a great real life player but his fantasy stats are just not there. He hit a good amount of homers in 2013 but did not replicate that last season. Drafting him will be a big gamble.

Jon Singleton

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 9/18/1991 | Team: Astros | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 362 52 13 2 44 42 .168 .285 .335 .283 -9.8 -13.3 -1.3
’15 270 49 10 2 30 30 .213 .317 .389 .315 0.2 -8.0 0.1

Profile: After signing a long-term contract extension that could keep him in Houston through 2021, Jon Singleton was a disappointment in his big league debut. After struggling with strikeouts throughout his minor league career, Singleton seemed to make an improvement while in Triple-A last year, but it did not transfer over to the majors; he struck out in 37% of his plate appearances, worst in the league amongst hitters with at least 300 trips to the plate. Singleton did show some positive signs, though, hitting 13 homers in 310 ABs and walking nearly 14% of the time he stepped to the dish. Singleton is entering his age-23 season, and his combination of patience and power at such a young age is rare, but he still has far too many flaws to be a relevant fantasy option right now. If you’re in an AL-only OBP league, Singleton isn’t a terrible option if he can hit .220, which seems somewhat likely. (Zach Sanders)

Quick Opinion: Singleton has major issues with strikeouts, and he’s not close to being a mixed league player just yet. The 23-year-old could be a serviceable AL-only OBP player, though, if you believe his batting average can reach .220.

Scott Sizemore

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 1/4/1985 | Position: 1B/3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 6 1 0 0 0 0 .167 .167 .333 .212 -0.5 -1.2 -0.2
’14 16 5 0 0 4 3 .312 .312 .438 .327 0.3 0.6 0.1
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .236 .299 .366 .297 -0.0 -0.0 0.0

Profile: Sizemore has barely registered on the fantasy scale since appearing in 110 games back in 2011; a tear of his ACL in his left knee vaporized his 2012 season, and a re-tear of the same ligament virtually did the same for his 2013 campaign. He spent the bulk of last year toiling in Triple-A, only making six major league appearances for the Yankees. Sizemore, who turns 30 in April, just signed a minor-league deal with the Marlins, but even if he were to break camp with Miami, the team’s infield, loaded with offseason acquisitions Martin Prado, Dee Gordon and Michael Morse, looks pretty full right now. An injury could change all that, of course, but for Sizemore, owner of a career .240/.327/.383 slash line, even an opportunity wouldn’t necessarily translate to him having any fantasy value. (Karl de Vries)

Quick Opinion: Even if Sizemore’s knee stays whole, there isn’t an obvious hole on the Marlins infield that he can fill. He’s most likely a waiver wire play in deep leagues after an injury in Miami.

Grady Sizemore

Debut: 2004 |  BirthDate: 8/2/1982 | Team: Phillies | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 381 81 5 6 27 35 .233 .299 .354 .293 -6.8 -10.7 -0.6
’15 496 107 10 6 45 47 .239 .302 .372 .300 -6.6 -8.8 -0.1

Profile: Believe it or not, Sizemore is entering 2015 as a starting outfielder. With the Phillies disassembling their roster, Sizemore will enter spring training with a firm grip on at least a platoon role. If he can remain on the field and build upon his first healthy season since 2008, he could work his way up to trade bait status. The 32-year-old is a shadow of his former self, but that could mean he’ll feature prominently in the Phillies broken lineup. With a tiny bit of speed and patience, he could be a good batting average on balls in play away from being dee-league relevant, especially in OBP leagues. But reduced power, bad health, and an oscillating contact rate make him too risky to bet anything other than a bench slot on him, even in those leagues. (Brad Johnson)

Quick Opinion: Sizemore returned to action last season for the first time since 2011. It wasn’t a great campaign, but he stayed on the field. The Phillies hope he can build upon the health.

Seth Smith

Debut: 2007 |  BirthDate: 9/30/1982 | Team: Mariners | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 410 93 8 0 40 49 .253 .329 .391 .318 2.4 -5.9 1.1
’14 521 118 12 1 48 55 .266 .367 .440 .357 17.2 -8.6 2.6
’15 460 100 11 2 49 53 .249 .334 .405 .327 6.1 -8.6 1.4

Profile: Smith saw just shy of 400 plate appearances against right-handed pitching and a handful against lefties. He actually hit about as well with and without the platoon advantage, but his work against right-handed pitching is the reason the Mariners traded for him this offseason. For his career, Smith has been 23% better than league average against righties, and he should see another 400 or so plate appearances again this year. That gives him value in deeper mixed leagues and possibly a nice option in AL-only leagues. (Brett Talley)

Quick Opinion: Smith can hit right-handed pitching at a well above average level, and he’ll get the chance to do that regularly in Seattle. He should hit around 15 homers, which makes him a good fourth of fifth outfielder in deeper mixed leagues.

Justin Smoak

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 12/5/1986 | Team: Blue Jays | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 521 108 20 0 50 53 .238 .334 .412 .331 1.9 -13.9 0.6
’14 276 50 7 0 30 28 .202 .275 .339 .277 -6.8 -4.7 -0.3
’15 441 93 16 1 54 52 .240 .324 .416 .327 1.5 -7.6 0.9

Profile: Over the course of five consecutive seasons, Justin Smoak provided the Seattle Mariners fans with approximately eighteen truly exciting memories. Everything in-between was pretty much a failure. He takes his act to Toronto where it’s not out of the realm of possibility that he can rejuvenate his career by not hitting in a place where fly balls go to die. But over his 2000+ career plate appearances, he’s been just below average against left-handed pitchers and well below average against right-handed pitchers, so there’s not even much of a platoon advantage to look forward to. There’s definitely power in his bat, and he possesses a decent amount of patience at the plate, but he’s just never been able to string together a steady stretch of production to be useful in both real and fantasy formats. (Michael Barr)

Quick Opinion: Justin Smoak owns a career minor league slash line of .291/.402/.458 and was part of that blockbuster deal that sent Cliff Lee to the Rangers in a six player deal. Unless Smoak can pull a Chris Davis act out of his hat, that’s pretty much all you’ll remember him for.

Jake Smolinski

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 2/9/1989 | Team: Rangers | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 92 30 3 0 12 12 .349 .391 .512 .399 5.5 -1.7 0.7
’15 54 12 1 1 6 6 .240 .310 .369 .303 -0.8 -0.8 0.0

Profile: The Rangers lack a clear left fielder entering 2015, and that makes Jake Smolinski an interesting sleeper in deep formats. Smolinski was exceptional in his rookie 2014 season, hitting .349/.391/.512 in 92 plate appearances. Those numbers were carried by his unsustainable .458 batting average on balls in play, and his minor league numbers suggest his power potential is limited. Still, he stole a few bases, walked frequently, and rarely struck out in the minors. Smolinski was not considered to be much of a prospect, and he could face competition for playing time from Michael Choice, Ryan Rua, and even Mitch Moreland in left field. However, unless the team signs someone else, Smolinski should get a real shot in 2015. His best-case scenario is likely .260 with 15 home runs and seven steals, but that makes him draftable in deep formats. (Scott Spratt)

Quick Opinion: Smolinski’s red-hot 92 plate appearances as a rookie in 2014 could earn him a shot at the left field job for the Rangers this season. His moderate power, speed, and walk rate make him a viable sleeper in deep formats.

Travis Snider

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 2/2/1988 | Team: Orioles | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 285 56 5 2 25 28 .215 .281 .333 .271 -10.7 -3.3 -0.6
’14 359 85 13 1 38 37 .264 .338 .438 .343 10.0 -5.6 1.7
’15 101 23 4 1 12 13 .260 .331 .442 .339 1.8 -2.4 0.3

Profile: The former Blue Jays top prospect with the formerly mammoth power potential has been quite the disappointment over his career. Strikeouts had always been a problem and his power has been inconsistent, while never reaching the elite levels projected. But he enjoyed a sort of breakthrough in 2014, as he cut down on his swings and misses and pushed his strikeout rate below 20%. Impressively, he did that while enjoying a power rebound and posting the highest batted ball distance of his career. Unfortunately, he’ll now have to battle a current top prospect in Gregory Polanco for playing time in right field. Even if he wins the job initially, Polanco is going to be looming, so it’s hard to bank on his first 400 at-bat season. He should be a cheap source of power in NL-Only leagues, but his playing time is going to be a big question mark.(Mike Podhorzer)

Quick Opinion: Snider enjoyed the best performance of his career and heading into his age 27 season, could be on the verge of a true breakout. But since he’ll be battling top prospect Gregory Polanco during the spring for the starting right field job, we might never know if another uptick is coming and could be sustained all season long.

Eric Sogard

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 5/22/1986 | Team: Athletics | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 410 98 2 10 35 45 .266 .322 .364 .303 -4.3 2.8 1.3
’14 329 65 1 11 22 38 .223 .298 .268 .262 -9.7 1.8 0.3
’15 316 71 3 9 27 32 .249 .313 .336 .292 -4.1 2.1 0.9

Profile: Despite almost becoming the “Face of MLB” in 2014, Eric Sogard probably shouldn’t be the face of your fantasy team. Sure he’s grabbed double digit steals in two straight seasons, but hit just .247/.311/.322, equal to 20% below league average. 

Donovan Solano

Debut: 2012 |  BirthDate: 12/17/1987 | Team: Marlins | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 395 90 3 3 34 33 .249 .305 .316 .277 -15.4 3.8 0.0
’14 340 78 3 1 28 26 .252 .300 .323 .281 -10.9 4.1 0.4
’15 64 15 1 1 5 6 .251 .302 .335 .285 -1.6 -0.7 -0.0

Profile: Solano is pretty good defensively, and that’s why he garners the playing time he does. Solano offers next to nothing at the dish. He doesn’t hit for power or average. He doesn’t have any wheels, either. Unless you are in dire need of empty plate appearances, there should be better options out there. (Landon Jones)

Yangervis Solarte

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 7/7/1987 | Team: Padres | Position: 3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 535 122 10 0 48 56 .260 .336 .369 .317 -1.2 -2.0 1.5
’15 284 64 5 1 24 28 .249 .310 .357 .298 -2.6 -0.5 0.6

Profile: Solarte isn’t a star, but he is coming off a rookie season that included 10 home runs, a 9.9% walk rate and 10.8% strikeout rate. With his ability to play multiple positions with a high contact rate at the plate, Solarte is an excellent bench piece. Fantasy owners won’t get excited about his modest counting stats — especially at Petco Park. However, real world fans of the Padres should be happy to have such a useful player on the bench. The strong walk rate is a little surprising considering his relative lack of power. It’s usually hard to draw free passes with an isolated slugging percentage just north of .100. (Brad Johnson)

Quick Opinion: Solarte’s versatility and roughly league average bat should make him valuable major league roster glue for years to come. Fantasy owners may have a less sanguine perspective due to unimpressive counting stats.

Jorge Soler

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 2/25/1992 | Team: Cubs | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 97 26 5 1 20 11 .292 .330 .573 .386 5.2 -1.6 0.7
’15 560 133 23 4 77 66 .262 .322 .463 .343 10.4 -6.7 2.2

Profile: Soler is a fun player to watch. He’s an explosive quick-twitch power hitter with easy plus bat speed and raw power along with just enough huge cuts and erratic stuff to his game that you never know what you might see. The erratic aspects of his game slowly melted away this year as he matured mentally and had his first full year in the system with a full set or reps and without major injuries. Soler was fantastic in his 97 plate appearance taste of the big leagues after demolishing both Double-A and Triple-A. One scout compared him to Yasiel Puig, calling Soler a better hitter but not as fast as Puig. He should be the right fielder from day one this year. Soler’s eventual upside is a .285/.360/.485 slash line. (Kiley McDaniel)

Quick Opinion: Soler’s promising 97 plate appearances in the majors have him in line to open the year as the Cubs starting right fielder. He’s only 22, and could experience the usual struggles prospects face in the majors, but he’s coming off his finest year as a pro.

Alfonso Soriano

Debut: 1999 |  BirthDate: 1/7/1976 | Position: DH/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 626 148 34 18 101 84 .255 .302 .489 .340 8.8 -0.4 3.0
’14 238 50 6 1 23 22 .221 .244 .367 .265 -8.1 -9.8 -1.1
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .225 .270 .387 .288 -0.0 0.0 0.0

Profile: Soriano was but one of several high-profile Yankees who called it quits after the 2014 season, closing a career highlighted by seven straight All-Star Game appearances from 2002 through 2007. Among other reasons, he’ll be remembered for his membership in the exclusive 40-40 club, owing to his fantastic 2006 season with the Nationals in which he slugged 46 home runs and swiped 41 bases. He was, at times, hard-pressed to live up to expectations, particularly after he signed an eight-year, $136 million contract with the Cubs in 2007. But Soriano, the centerpiece of the blockbuster 2004 deal that netted the Yankees Alex Rodriguez, remained quietly productive in the last years of his career; he averaged 33 home runs and 105 RBIs between 2012 and 2013, when he was 36 and 37, and sparked the Yankees upon returning in a midseason trade in 2013. But by the time the Yankees released him in July 2014, his skills had clearly faded; always strikeout-prone, he was whiffing at a nearly 30% pace, was hitting just .221 and had become a defensive liability in the outfield. Soriano enjoyed a 16-year career during which he was counted as both a top second baseman and outfielder, but the time had come for him to hang it up. (Karl de Vries)

Quick Opinion: So long, Alfonso Soriano, and thanks for all the big swings, big steals, and big smiles along the way. 

Neftali Soto

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 2/28/1989 | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 13 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .077 .000 .056 -3.2 -0.1 -0.3
’14 31 3 0 1 1 1 .100 .097 .133 .099 -5.1 0.1 -0.4
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .243 .286 .401 .301 -0.0 -0.0 0.0

Profile: Soto was outrighted off the Reds’ 40-man roster this offseason, so it’ll be a tough uphill climb if the 25-year-old wants to get back to the majors in 2015. Even if he does, the first baseman has a career .071/.091/.095 major-league slash line in his 44 career plate appearances. Miniscule sample sizes aside, Soto was actually seen as a pretty viable prospect a few years ago, when he swatted 30 homers in 414 Double-A PA during the 2011 season. Since then, Soto’s power has simply vanished. In the last three years, he has hit just 31 long balls in 1,354 PA. (Scott Strandberg)

Quick Opinion: Soto is essentially the Double-A version of a Quadruple-A player, in that he shredded Double-A pitching, but never made the adjustment to be able to hit in Triple-A. He’s a Two-and-a-half-A player. This analogy is terrible, but how many of you are really reading Neftali Soto’s player cap?

Geovany Soto

Debut: 2005 |  BirthDate: 1/20/1983 | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 184 40 9 1 22 20 .245 .328 .466 .348 -1.5 4.7 1.0
’14 87 20 1 0 11 8 .250 .302 .363 .297 -1.7 2.3 0.4
’15 182 36 6 1 20 19 .221 .292 .378 .299 -3.5 4.1 0.7

Profile: The 32-year-old featured prominently in the A’s latest postseason collapse. An injury forced him to leave the Wild Card game, leading to seven stolen bases off Derek Norris. Soto is well into the backup stage of his career even though he’s not yet over-the-hill. While he doesn’t draw great grades for pitch framing, he is solid at controlling the running game. In his prime, he was a viable fantasy asset, but now he’s a spot starter off the waiver wire at best — even if there is the slightest possible open window (represented by Tyler Flowers) behind the plate in Chicago. With shaky plate discipline and inconsistent power, he’s unlikely to help fantasy owners in any predictable way. (Brad Johnson)

Quick Opinion: Short of a miraculous resurgence, Soto is entering the twilight of his career. He’s rarely able to achieve the right combination of strike zone discipline and power to be an asset at the plate.

Steven Souza

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 4/24/1989 | Team: Rays | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 26 3 2 0 2 2 .130 .231 .391 .278 -0.8 0.1 0.0
’15 500 110 18 20 59 59 .247 .319 .419 .326 7.7 -7.5 1.8

Profile: Souza started crushing everything he faced in 2012 at 23 years old in High-A. He followed that with huge years in 2013 at 24 in Double-A and in 2014 at 25 in Triple-A. All three of those seasons are two years old for the target age for a prospect to be at each level, so some scouts don’t even totally buy into the performance. Souza is 6’4/225, but some hitters hit a ton everywhere in the minors then hit a few notches worse in the majors. The margin for error is very small and being that big with long arms doesn’t make it easy to make contact in the big leagues. A good offensive outcome for Souza would be something like Matt Joyce — more walks and strikeouts than average with power a bit above average as well — and because Souza has at least average speed, defense and arm strength, that would be an easy everyday player, probably a bit above average. (Kiley McDaniel)

Quick Opinion: There’s a lot to like here with the size, tools and performance. Even if he can’t hit, Souza profiles as a very nice fourth outfielder since he can contribute at all three outfield spots. There’s at least a couple teams that think he’ll be at least an average bat with above average power and some defensive value, and Souza may do that in the big leagues as quickly as 2015.

Denard Span

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 2/27/1984 | Team: Nationals | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 662 170 4 20 47 75 .279 .327 .380 .313 -0.1 12.4 3.4
’14 668 184 5 31 37 94 .302 .355 .416 .341 17.7 -2.4 3.8
’15 637 163 5 23 48 79 .282 .338 .387 .322 4.3 2.7 2.8

Profile: Span seems underappreciated in real life, but his fantasy value seems to be pegged appropriately by most players. And your view of Span probably depends on what you think of his wheels. He swiped a career high 31 in 2014 at age 30. He combined for 37 in the two seasons before, so betting too heavily on a repeat doesn’t seem wise. Essentially, Span is a three category player: he provides value in runs (especially in Washington), steals, and average; his value in OBP might be a little stunted, but his walk rate is decent. Span was able to have his best season in some time by putting the ball in play more often, while still garnering free passes. His approach worked wonders and he even had a little more pop than in years past. But if the steals fall off, is there really anything else there except for banking on him to cross the plate more than 90 times? (Landon Jones)

Quick Opinion: Span is solid, but unspectacular. Expecting him to hit around .280 while swiping 20 or so bags seems like a safe bet. And that can help you, just don’t overpay, because unless he scores a ton of runs that’s all you’re getting.

George Springer

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 9/19/1989 | Team: Astros | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 345 68 20 5 51 45 .231 .336 .468 .352 9.9 -7.9 1.4
’15 609 124 28 15 77 77 .234 .324 .439 .336 10.9 -8.4 2.4

Profile: While there are probably major leaguers who swing with <i>equal</i> vigor, there aren’t any who swing with <i>more</i> of it than George Springer. He’s enthusiastic, is Springer, about hitting the ball with authority — and that enthusiasm has translated to success. For the most part, at least. Over parts of four minor-league seasons, Springer averaged 31 home runs per 600 plate appearances — a pace that would have placed him among the major-league leaders over that interval. Indeed, among major leaguers who recorded at least 300 plate appearances in 2014, Springer recorded the sixth-highest home-run rate (35 HR per 600 PA), right between Giancarlo Stanton and Jose Abreu by that measure. Contact, however, both has been and will likely continue to be an issue for Springer. Ultimately, he profiles as an above-average player anyway, — with his capacity to draw walks, his speed, and his outfield defense compensating for his one clear flaw. Of some interest beyond that, perhaps, is how his footspeed manifests itself over a full major-league season. Having stolen 45 bases (in just 53 attempts) as recently as 2013, Springer recorded only 11 steals across all levels in 2014. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him post a total closer to that latter figure than the former in 2015 given the steep age curve for speed. (Carson Cistulli)

Quick Opinion: Although he’s recorded only 300-something plate appearances, there’s no one in the majors who exhibits decisively <i>more</i> power on contact than Springer. Provided he earns enough walks to compensate for his lack of contact ability, he profiles as an above-average player.

Giancarlo Stanton

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 11/8/1989 | Team: Marlins | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 504 106 24 1 62 62 .249 .365 .480 .368 19.4 -13.1 2.3
’14 638 155 37 13 105 89 .288 .395 .555 .403 41.5 -5.1 6.1
’15 640 151 41 7 104 95 .278 .380 .568 .404 40.2 -4.9 6.0

Profile: How much more can Giancarlo Stanton give us? After putting together his finest season as a pro at 24, there isn’t much room for improvement. Stanton is already one of the best sluggers in baseball, slowly whittling down his strikeout numbers as he maintains his great patience and prodigious power at the plate. Now signed long-term in Miami, Stanton can focus on getting back into game shape after an errant pitch to the face prematurely ended his 2014 season. For all his brilliance and prodigious power, Stanton still struggled against sliders down and off the plate in 2014. If the big righty can improve his pitch recognition in this area and learn to lay off those slide pieces off the plate, his strength and ability to square up just about any other kind of pitch makes him nearly unstoppable. As teams shift their infield defense against Stanton, he can take a page from the Jose Bautista book and go the other way to earn some cheap singles, making him a dual threat as nearly any other pitch could end up in the seats. There is some room for improvement for Stanton, the rare type of player capable of making the adjustments to become an all-timer. (Drew Fairservice)

Quick Opinion: The game’s premier slugger looks to further reduce strikeouts and use the whole field to become an unstoppable power hitting juggernaut.

Chris Stewart

Debut: 2006 |  BirthDate: 2/19/1982 | Team: Pirates | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 340 62 4 4 25 28 .211 .293 .272 .261 -18.5 11.9 0.5
’14 154 40 0 0 10 9 .294 .362 .331 .311 -0.8 4.9 0.9
’15 207 44 2 2 17 18 .235 .301 .316 .278 -5.7 4.3 0.5

Profile: The journeyman second-string catcher has played in seven organizations since 2006 and accumulated just 888 plate appearances. He should serve as Francisco Cervelli’s primary backup, but could lose playing time to Tony Sanchez. With no power, little speed and a career .259 batting average on balls in play due to a propensity to hit the pop-up, he’s that rare zero category contributor. It appears that the only thing keeping him in the majors is his solid pitch framing skills. If his name winds up on your NL-Only roster, you did something wrong. (Mike Podhorzer)

Quick Opinion: Limited power, no speed and an inability to turn balls in play into hits make Stewart a useless fantasy option. He’s a rare example of a player where additional playing time won’t necessarily increase his potential fantasy value.

Drew Stubbs

Debut: 2009 |  BirthDate: 10/4/1984 | Team: Rockies | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 481 100 10 17 45 59 .233 .305 .360 .296 -2.6 -6.3 0.7
’14 424 112 15 20 43 67 .289 .339 .482 .358 10.0 0.0 2.5
’15 454 106 13 17 49 56 .259 .323 .414 .326 -2.3 -2.9 0.9

Profile: It was a good year for Drew Stubbs. He moved to the best hitters’ park in the majors, then lucked/hit himself into a good chunk of playing time. He was fairly selective at the plate, and when he swung, he either missed (which he did a lot) or hit the ball hard –– his fly ball distance was second in all of Major League Baseball last season and represents a dramatic spike for him. That improvement is probably mostly Coors-driven, however, as only Marcel Ozuna had a more dramatic increase in his average homers plus fly ball distance from 2013-2014, and Ozuna is at an age when spikes in power are more common. Stubbs has always crushed left-handed pitching, and continued to do that in 2014. But more pertinent might be Stubbs’s home-road split. He hit .356 with 12 home runs at home, but just .211 with three homers elsewhere. His defense, baserunning, and power have probably earned him a platoon with either Charlie Blackmon or Corey Dickerson, and he should be first on tap for more reps when/if someone in the Rockies outfield (*ahem, Carlos Gonzalez*) makes a trip to the disabled list. Even if he is playing regularly for the Rockies, you should sit him against right-handed pitching on the road. (Robert J. Baumann)

Quick Opinion: Stubbs had a solid season in 2014, though his production was probably mostly due to his home field and luck on batted balls. Still, if circumstances in the Rockies’ outfield lead him to receive regular playing time again in 2015, he should be a solid fantasy start and contribute in at least four categories … when playing at Coors Field, at least.

Eugenio Suarez

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 7/18/1991 | Team: Reds | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 277 59 4 3 23 33 .242 .316 .336 .295 -5.3 3.2 0.7
’15 109 22 2 2 10 9 .227 .290 .345 .284 -2.9 1.1 0.2

Profile: Suarez is a good fielding shortstop with limited hitting ability. The 23-year-old accumulated 277 plate appearances with the Tigers in 2014 and was then traded to the Reds in the off season. In the depressed offensive environment, he may be able to put up okay stats in deep or NL-only leagues. Combine his levels last season, and he hit 12 homers and stole the same number of bases. In 2011, it was 10 homers and 11 stolen bases. Only five shortstops put up double digit steals and home runs in 2014, so he could be a nice sleeper if he gets playing time. Right now he probably won’t be on the MLB roster to start the season as the Reds infield utility player. Kristopher Negron looks to be filling that role for now. If he beats out Zack Cozart for the starting job, he shouldn’t a complete production sink. (Jeff Zimmerman)

Quick Opinion: Eugenio Suarez could put up double digit home runs and stolen bases if he’s an every day player in 2015.

Andrew Susac

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 3/22/1990 | Team: Giants | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 95 24 3 0 19 13 .273 .326 .466 .348 2.9 1.5 0.8
’15 107 21 3 0 11 10 .224 .304 .355 .297 -0.8 1.7 0.4

Profile: Andrew Susac made a great impression when given the chance, posting an impressive .273/.326/.466 line with three home runs and five doubles in just 95 plate appearances. The tiny sample obscures some real problems making consistent contact and an inflated in-play average paints a rosier picture than one can project into the future. Susac showed great patience during his brief time as a minor leaguer, putting up double-digit walk rates at every stop. Only eight big league catchers came to the plate 200 times and managed to post above-average walk rates and isolated slugging numbers. If Susac can join them, he becomes a very valuable commodity for the San Francisco. The Giants are encouraged by Susac’s success with the bat and he’ll have every opportunity to get playing time as they carefully manage Buster Posey’s workload. (Drew Fairservice)

Quick Opinion: The Giants backup catcher impressed in a tiny 2014 cameo. Be wary of his inflated in-play average and strikeouts, but he’s always hit and could play quite a bit in 2015.

Kurt Suzuki

Debut: 2007 |  BirthDate: 10/4/1983 | Team: Twins | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 316 66 5 2 32 25 .232 .290 .337 .271 -11.9 5.7 0.4
’14 503 130 3 0 61 37 .288 .345 .383 .324 -1.8 4.2 2.0
’15 396 92 6 1 38 39 .255 .312 .364 .301 -5.4 8.1 1.7

Profile: The Twins signed Suzuki as a response to the declaration that Joe Mauer would not longer be catching (effective immediately), and the club didn’t want to simply hand the reins to Josmil Pinto, who had mashed in September the year before but wasn’t ready to handle a big league pitching staff. Fast forward a year, and still nobody knows what Pinto do, but Suzuki has inked an extension to stay with the Twins the next two seasons thanks to his best offensive season as a big leaguer. Suzuki hit .288/.345/.383, and not only made the American League All Star team, but managed to convince the Twins to keep him around rather than move him at the trade deadline. In retrospect, Suzuki probably took considerably less than he could have gotten on the free-agent market — two years, $12 million with a $6 million vesting option for 2017 — in exchange for a multi-year deal. He showed good contact skills and was an asset wherever the Twins hit him in the batting order, but he’s certainly not out of the woods after an age-30 revelation. Suzuki hit just .259/.323/.339 after appearing in the Midsummer Classic, including OPSes of just .653 and .659 in August and September, and ultimately the Twins still probably have to find out what they have in Pinto — assuming they don’t already know. Suzuki’s deal isn’t so oppressive that he couldn’t shift to a more part-time mentor role if he doesn’t maintain his production, but it is perhaps a bit more than a strict backup catcher would make. Watch where this goes in the future, as the Twins don’t have any catching prospects anywhere near ready behind Pinto. (Brandon Warne)

Quick Opinion: Suzuki’s overall numbers look pretty good, but he was buoyed by a strong first half and sputtered a bit down the stretch. He appeared to have a short stroke and a good approach for contact for much of the season, but he provides next to nothing in terms of extra-base punch. For a back-end catcher in fantasy leagues that use batting average, Suzuki may possibly be an asset. Otherwise…look elsewhere.

Ichiro Suzuki

Debut: 2001 |  BirthDate: 10/22/1973 | Team: Marlins | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 555 136 7 20 35 57 .262 .297 .342 .281 -14.0 5.5 1.1
’14 385 102 1 15 22 42 .284 .324 .340 .296 -3.6 -5.5 0.4
’15 334 83 2 10 27 30 .266 .303 .340 .284 -8.3 -4.7 -0.3

Profile: The days of a dominant or even fantasy relevant Ichiro might be over. He was unable to find a starting gig as a free agent but he landed in Miami as a fourth outfielder. No longer an everyday player, Ichiro’s .662 OPS since 2011 won’t cut it anymore. The National League will be a better home for his skills as a defensive outfielder who can also pinch hit and pinch run. Barring an injury to Marcell Ozuna, Giancarlo Stanton, or Christian Yelich, Ichiro will get his playing time in those roles. Always known as a premier contact hitter, Ichiro’s 17.7% strikeout rate last year is certainly worrisome (20% is average). Ichiro’s .284 batting average was solid last year but his .346 batting average on balls in play was his highest since 2010 and at 41 years old, he seems more likely to bat .260 than .280. However, if a starter goes down, Ichiro will see the field and in certain NL-only leagues, just a starting OF has some value. (Ben Pasinkoff)

Quick Opinion: Some deeper leagues will still roster Ichiro, but his upside is slim and his downside — as a 41-year-old backup outfielder — is obvious. 

Ryan Sweeney

Debut: 2006 |  BirthDate: 2/20/1985 | Team: Cubs | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 212 51 6 1 19 19 .266 .324 .448 .337 0.8 3.1 1.1
’14 226 52 3 0 20 22 .251 .304 .338 .285 -5.7 -0.6 0.0
’15 156 37 2 1 15 15 .261 .318 .376 .308 -1.5 -2.1 0.1

Profile: Sweeney has played well enough in his first two seasons in Chicago to warrant a third go-around as a Cubs’ bench bat and reserve outfielder. He really does not steal many bases or hit many homers, and his solid OBP has been on a lower tier since his departure from Oakland in 2011. The addition of Chris Denorfia will probably eat away at his already slim 200 plate appearance allotment from the past two seasons. But if you really want a Cubs fifth outfielder on your roster, then sure, Sweeney is the best fifth outfielder they’ve got. Otherwise, his role — both in fantasy sports and in the Cubs’ scheme — will be very small. (Bradley Woodrum)

Quick Opinion: Sweeny had various shots to snare a starting job over the previous two seasons. Now, he figures to be a serviceable fifth outfielder for the Cubs, and therefore a non factor in the fantasy realm.

Nick Swisher

Debut: 2004 |  BirthDate: 11/25/1980 | Team: Indians | Position: 1B/DH
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 634 135 22 1 63 74 .246 .341 .423 .336 10.5 -9.8 2.3
’14 401 75 8 0 42 33 .208 .278 .331 .274 -11.2 -16.0 -1.6
’15 476 97 14 1 51 53 .234 .321 .386 .316 1.2 -12.0 0.5

Profile: Even the staunchest Nick Swisher supporters would have a hard time defending the exuberant 34-year-old after his miserable 2014 campaign — I would know, I’m one of them. Despite a slight regression during his first year in Cleveland, Swisher earned the $14 million average annual value the Indians gave him in the offseason. The following year, though, it all fell apart for Swisher, and his contract now looks to be among the worst in baseball. Swisher struggled mightily through 400 painful at-bats before eventually succumbing to his body’s aches and undergoing surgery on both knees in August. His once-elite walk rate took a dip, he became uncharacteristically overaggressive at the plate and his strikeouts spiked, and he continually beat ground balls into the shift, all of which added up to a .208 batting average and .278 on-base percentage. With the emergence of Carlos Santana as the team’s everyday first baseman and the signing of Brandon Moss, Swisher’s playing time ceiling took a hit. Swisher will bounce back from his 2014 numbers — it’s hard to get worse — and he’s still penciled in as the team’s Opening Day designated hitter. With healthy knees, Swisher will receive 500 or more plate appearances, but he’s far from the safe bet he’s been for the last decade. (August Fagerstrom)

Quick Opinion: You could make a case that Swisher had the worst season of any regular position player in 2014. That he was dealing with injuries in both knees that required surgery could help explain some of his struggles and point towards a bounceback, but at the same time it’s hard to be too excited about a 34-year-old designated hitter coming off double knee surgery.

Matt Szczur

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 7/20/1989 | Team: Cubs | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 66 14 2 0 5 6 .226 .273 .355 .280 -1.3 -1.4 -0.1
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .235 .287 .320 .273 -0.0 -0.0 -0.0

Profile: Despite an unimpressive showing in Triple-A, the ever-unpronounceable Matt Szczur reached the majors for the first time in his career and actually hit better than he did in the minors. That “better,” though, was .226/.273/.355. Szczur (pronounced “Caeser,” not “Scherzer”) was once a top prospect in the Cubs system, but he now looks more like a fourth outfielder on a good day. Granted, 2014 was hardly a good day, but he still fit the bill, so there’s a chance his prospect pedigree will give him some more playing time than anticipated. Just don’t expect too much past a few steals here and there. From a fantasy perspective, there’s little to dream on with Szczur. (Bradley Woodrum)

Quick Opinion: Despite playing in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, Szczur hit only .261/.315/.312 last year. At this point, his once flickering prospect star has faded to the mere hopes of a reserve outfielder. He can steal bases well enough, but it’s doubtful he’ll play enough for that to matter.

Jose Tabata

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 8/12/1988 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 341 87 6 3 33 35 .282 .342 .429 .340 4.8 -4.5 1.1
’14 186 49 0 1 17 14 .282 .314 .333 .289 -4.2 -5.3 -0.4
’15 243 60 3 4 21 26 .275 .331 .383 .318 1.2 -4.5 0.4

Profile: With a wealth of exciting young outfielders, Tabata fell out of the Pirates plans, as he failed to build upon his solid 2013 performance over a half season’s worth of at-bats. With limited power and waning speed, he’s not much of a fantasy option even if he finds himself on a new team. (Mike Podhorzer)

Chris Taylor

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 8/29/1990 | Team: Mariners | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 151 39 0 5 9 16 .287 .347 .346 .313 1.8 6.3 1.4
’15 322 74 3 10 28 33 .254 .315 .346 .297 -2.6 5.2 1.4

Profile: Chris Taylor really wasn’t even supposed to be here today. Blocked by Nick Franklin and Brad Miller, and then sort of by Robinson Cano, Taylor was well down the depth chart for the Seattle Mariners as far as infield options go. Franklin became Austin Jackson and then Miller became incapable of hitting, which gave Taylor an unexpected opening to play shortstop. His slick glove and surprisingly decent bat registered almost a win and a half in just 151 plate appearances. Taylor slashed .328/.397/.497 in Triple-A Tacoma, showing moderate pop and good speed and that translated over to .287/.347/.346 with no pop and little speed in his brief cup in Seattle. The shortstop situation still remains unsettled heading into 2015, with most prognosticators probably giving the edge to Miller simply because of the expectation that his bat will win the day. But keep an eye on whether the club plans to give the Ben Zobrist treatment to Miller, having him play a variety of positions — which will ostensibly provide added playing time to Taylor. Even so, with a platoon role and a light bat (hat tip Edgar Martinez), Taylor has limited value in fantasy circles. (Michael Barr)

Quick Opinion: If Chris Taylor could nail down 550 plate appearances, he could hit about eight home runs and steal 20 bags while hitting for a respectable average. But that’s probably going to have to wait for a trade of some kind or about 2018. Do better.

Michael Taylor

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 12/19/1985 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 25 1 0 0 0 0 .043 .120 .043 .091 -4.4 -1.3 -0.5
’14 33 7 0 0 0 3 .250 .364 .286 .305 -0.5 -1.9 -0.1
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .241 .323 .382 .316 -0.0 -0.0 0.0

Profile: First, Michael Taylor needed a trade out of Philadelphia to make good on his promise. So he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays with Travis d’Arnaud and Kyle Drabek for Roy Halladay. Then, Michael Taylor needed a quick travel agent, because he was immediately moved to the Athletics for Brett Wallace. Then, despite decent plate discipline and power numbers in the minors, Taylor couldn’t rack up even as many as 100 plate appearances over three seperate cups of coffee, and he once again needed a trade. Last fall with the White Sox, the former top prospect got his second-longest look in the bigs — 33 PA — and did enough to sign a minor league contract back with the team. Now he’s 29, though, and he’s stuck behind Emilio Bonifacio and J.B. Shuck on the backup outfielder depth chart. If he gets a chance, he could put up league average power and patience with a few extra strikeouts and be a deep league play. But those chances are starting to run really thin. (Chris Cwik)

Quick Opinion: The former top prospect out of Stanford is starting to run out of chances. If someone gets hurt in the outfield while Emilio Bonifacio is needed on the infield, this Michael Taylor may get his last best shot.

Michael Taylor

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 3/26/1991 | Team: Nationals | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 43 8 1 0 5 5 .205 .279 .359 .287 -1.6 0.9 0.1
’15 368 75 8 15 34 38 .226 .286 .354 .286 -8.5 -4.9 -0.3

Profile: Taylor owns an interesting bat — one that possesses power that blends well with his natural speed. Of now, though, he’s not good enough at making contact to take advantage of his raw skills. Outside of last year’s .313 batting average in Double-A, Taylor’s never hit above .263 at any level over an extended period of time. He will take a walk — that helps, but it isn’t enough until he begins marking more contact. And since the Nationals are pretty well set in the outfield, you get a cloudy playing time situation. Unless Taylor is traded or is filling in for an injured player, he isn’t likely to see a good number of plate appearances. With Jayson Werth’s surgery, there’s a chance he’s valuable to begin the season, but will that opportunity be enough to count on him for the full season?  (Landon Jones)

Quick Opinion: Taylor is an interesting name to watch, because of his power/speed potential, but there are simply too many questions marks to think about him too deeply right now. If he shows growth at the dish, though, things could change in a hurry.

Taylor Teagarden

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 12/21/1983 | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 62 10 2 0 5 3 .167 .180 .300 .209 -6.2 1.3 -0.3
’14 30 4 1 0 5 1 .143 .200 .250 .206 -2.3 -0.1 -0.2
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .209 .278 .358 .283 -0.0 0.0 0.0

Profile: Strikeout rates and depth charts prevented Teagarden from sticking in the majors early on. Inflated batting average on balls in play kept some excited. Taylor Teagarden will only be catching depth for some team in 2015. (Dan Schwartz)

Mark Teixeira

Debut: 2003 |  BirthDate: 4/11/1980 | Team: Yankees | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 63 8 3 0 12 5 .151 .270 .340 .262 -3.0 -0.7 -0.2
’14 508 95 22 1 62 56 .216 .313 .398 .316 -5.4 -3.6 0.8
’15 527 103 22 2 67 62 .223 .314 .414 .323 0.1 -4.7 1.4

Profile: A hamstring injury, a back injury, a thumb injury, a knee injury, a groin injury … another year, another spate of health setbacks for the first baseman, who missed all but 15 games of 2013 due to a wrist issue. Credit Teixeira for playing through the pain, however; he was placed on the disabled list only once, due to a hamstring strain, and managed to play in 123 games. But it’s clear the injuries took their toll on him as the season went on: his weighted on-base average dropped every month, and his offensive output in the second half was 38% below league average. Meanwhile, Teixeira, who will be 35 in mid-April, batted an ugly .216, swung at pitches outside the strike zone more frequently than he ever had before in his career, and finished with his highest ground-ball-to-fly-ball ratio (1.11) since 2008. Still, he had 22 home runs, his percentage of fly balls that left the yard was on par with his career norm, and for a guy who loves hitting at Yankee Stadium (career .880 on-base plus slugging percentage there), he can still provide fantasy owners with some pop — when, of course, he’s able to stay on the field. (Karl de Vries)

Quick Opinion: Teixeira still has the ability to be useful in fantasy, but his chronic health issues should prevent him from being drafted as a starting first baseman in anything but AL-only leagues.

Ruben Tejada

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 10/27/1989 | Team: Mets | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 227 42 0 2 10 20 .202 .259 .260 .236 -12.6 2.7 -0.3
’14 419 84 5 1 34 30 .237 .342 .310 .292 -9.5 7.9 1.2
’15 236 51 2 2 17 20 .243 .315 .319 .285 -4.7 2.7 0.5

Profile: In deep NL-only leagues, which use on base percentage as a category, maybe Ruben Tejada could still provide value, but the Mets will look to upgrade at the position or let Wilmer Flores do his thing at short. Tejada has little to no speed or power, so it would really take more contact, even higher line-drive rates, and a lucky batting average on balls in play to post a respectable batting average. Tejada was tendered a contract, but only to back-up the middle infield. (Dan Schwartz)

Tomas Telis

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 6/18/1991 | Team: Rangers | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 71 17 0 0 8 7 .250 .271 .279 .248 -3.9 -0.9 -0.3
’15 31 7 0 0 3 3 .246 .276 .336 .271 -1.2 0.5 0.0

Profile: With the Rangers trade of Geovany Soto, the team is set to rely on some combination of career backup Robinson Chirinos and 2014 call-up Tomas Telis behind the plate in 2015. As such, Telis has the potential to land substantial playing time. And from a fantasy perspective, he’s somewhat intriguing. He is a switch-hitter, and while he hit for little power in the minors, he did routinely steal between seven and 12 bases at his various stops. The real key to his fantasy value will be his batting average; Telis has low strikeout and high contact rates, but he also rarely walks. He may need to hit .270 to reach base at a .300 clip, but that does not seem out of reach based on his recent minor league performances. If he splits time, he may hit five home runs and steal five bases with a decent average, and he has upside for more. He’s a reasonable flier in two-catcher leagues or deeper formats. (Scott Spratt)

Quick Opinion: Telis has a chance to see a lot of playing time with Geovany Soto out of town, and his contact ability and moderate speed for a catcher make him an interesting flier in two-catcher and deeper formats.

Joey Terdoslavich

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 9/9/1988 | Team: Braves | Position: 1B/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 92 17 0 1 4 11 .215 .315 .266 .266 -3.5 -1.6 -0.3
’14 11 3 0 0 2 1 .300 .364 .500 .380 0.3 -0.2 0.1
’15 106 23 3 1 11 10 .243 .300 .386 .303 -1.0 -2.3 -0.0

Profile: Terdoslavich was once a hot prospect with the Braves after he recorded 58 doubles and 23 home runs in 2011. The Braves attempted to do anything they could to move him up the minor league ladder, as they tried the natural first baseman at both third base and in the outfield. The third base experiment failed miserably, which may have actually been his best chance at getting regular play. He has found a home in the outfield and could make a somewhat useful bench player as a switch hitter that can play both corner outfield spots and first base. Ryan Doumit took his role from him last year but is now no longer with the team. Even so, the Braves have acquired a number of players to compete for both the starting left field job vacated by Justin Upton and the backup role vacated by Doumit. Terdoslavich will be competing with Zoilo Almonte, Jonny Gomes, Kelly Johnson, and Todd Cunningham in spring training for what will likely be two positions. With Almonte and Gomes the favorite to make the team and Johnson able to play more positions, Terdoslavich may need an injury to break the roster out of spring training. (Ben Duronio)

Quick Opinion: Joey Terdoslavich had some buzz around his name after a solid 2011 season, but his performance throughout the minors has not been too impressive since then. He will battle for a bench spot but will likely not get many plate appearances this season despite being a switch hitter with a bit of pop and the ability to play both first base and corner outfield. 

Josh Thole

Debut: 2009 |  BirthDate: 10/28/1986 | Team: Blue Jays | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 135 21 1 0 8 11 .175 .256 .242 .231 -11.0 2.1 -0.5
’14 150 33 0 0 7 11 .248 .320 .278 .276 -6.7 2.2 0.0
’15 30 7 0 0 3 3 .242 .308 .341 .290 -0.7 0.4 0.1

Profile: A few years ago, Josh Thole was supposed to be the Mets’ catcher of the future. Right now, he is the Jays backup catcher of the present. Maybe. After signing Russell Martin, Toronto also has Dioner Navarro ahead of Thole (as of the moment). The Jays might look to trade Navarro to free up salary, which would open up a playing time for Thole. Toronto did pick up Thole’s option for 2015, so they obviously have him in their plan on some level. Either way, he got only 150 plate appearances in 2014, so it is not like he is more than a backup catcher. It is difficult to say much about Thole’s offense given the limited sample size the last two seasons — his strikeout and walk rates improved a bit from 2013 to 2014, but again, the sample size is ridiculously small. Thole does not hit for average, power, or get on base much. Even among backup catchers, he is marginal. A second catcher in very deep leagues only. (Matt Klaassen)

Quick Opinion: If the Blue Jays trade Dioner Navarro, then, well, you probably still should ignore Josh “Bubble Butt” Thole unless you are in a very deep league with multiple catcher slots.

Steve Tolleson

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 11/1/1983 | Team: Blue Jays | Position: 2B/3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 189 43 3 3 16 21 .253 .308 .371 .303 -4.1 -0.1 0.2
’15 134 29 2 3 13 14 .242 .307 .352 .296 -2.5 -0.7 0.1

Profile: What do you call a guy who is below the likes of Ryan Goins and Maicer Izturis on a team’s depth chart? Nothing, since you probably should not be aware of him at all. If Tolleson was 23 instead of 31 then he might be a bit interesting, but he is a career utility infielder, and not much of one at that. He rarely walks, strikes out all the time, and was lucky to get 189 plate appearances for the Blue Jays last year. Who knows, maybe Goins and Izturis will get into a deadly knife fight after a “who sucks more” argument turns ugly during Spring Training and Tolleson will be the last man standing and fall into second base playing time. So there’s that. That’s not much less credible than Goins and/or Izturis providing acceptable production at second this season, right? But seriously, folks… wait, am I joking? Here’s the word: second base at Rogers Centre is a toxic waste dump to be avoided. (Matt Klaassen)

Quick Opinion: Steve Tolleson is not obviously the worst option at second base for the 2015 Blue Jays. He probably is, but we cannot be all that sure. That says something about everything. Avoid.

Carlos Triunfel

Debut: 2012 |  BirthDate: 2/27/1990 | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 47 6 0 0 2 1 .136 .152 .159 .140 -6.4 -1.3 -0.7
’14 16 2 1 0 1 3 .133 .188 .333 .232 -1.1 -0.2 -0.1
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .219 .255 .309 .251 -0.0 0.0 -0.0

Profile: Triunfel signed a minor-league deal with the Giants this offseason. He almost certainly won’t make the team, and even if he ends up in the majors at some point this year, the 24-year-old simply cannot hit. He doesn’t hit homers or steal bases, and his slash line last year in Triple-A was .223/.256/.330. (Scott Strandberg)

Quick Opinion: It is highly unlikely that Triunfel will ever provide any sort of fantasy production, and it darn sure isn’t happening this year.

Mike Trout

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 8/7/1991 | Team: Angels | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 716 190 27 33 97 109 .323 .432 .557 .423 70.3 3.3 10.5
’14 705 173 36 16 111 115 .287 .377 .561 .402 56.9 -8.4 7.8
’15 674 169 31 21 93 109 .297 .393 .538 .403 53.6 4.0 8.7

Profile: What do you get for the man who has everything? Mike Trout finally got his MVP in 2014. oddly coming in his worst overall season. Trout blasted a career-high 36 home runs and his .274 isolated slugging was second best among qualified hitters. His power came at a price, as Trout struck out in more than 26% of his plate appearances, making less contact than his previous seasons and looking especially vulnerable against pitches up in the strike zone. The question for 2015 is one of compromise: can he maintain the power without abandoning the patience and contact skills that make him the on-base machine of years past? The best player in the game has the (otherworldly) talent to offer the best of both worlds, to say nothing of his speed on the bases. He stole just 16 bases in 2014 and drew 27 fewer walks than the previous year. If the low-ball masher can better handle the high stuff and get back on his stolen base horse, the sky is quite literally the limit. (Drew Fairservice)

Quick Opinion: The best player in the game looks to rediscover his speed and on-base skills to become the perfect baseball weapon once again.

Mark Trumbo

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 1/16/1986 | Team: Diamondbacks | Position: 1B/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 678 145 34 5 100 85 .234 .294 .453 .322 4.7 -3.6 2.5
’14 362 77 14 2 61 37 .235 .293 .415 .308 -8.2 -14.4 -1.3
’15 570 127 28 4 79 66 .246 .304 .463 .333 4.2 -12.4 0.9

Profile: To some degree you can write off Trumbo’s disappointing 2014 season because of a foot fracture that kept him out for two and a half months. However, Trumbo was on pace to have his worst season of his four full seasons in the big leagues. The move from the Angels to the Diamondbacks was supposed to have a positive effect on his already above average power thanks to a more favorable home park, but Trumbo was on pace for the lowest homer total of his career. That’s because his home run per fly ball rate rate was only 14.3% compared to 18.8% for his career. The encouraging thing is that his average batted ball distance on home runs and fly balls was in line with what he did in years prior, so it’s not unreasonable to expect that HR/FB rate to bounce back. On the batting average front, Trumbo cut down a bit on his strikeouts but hit fewer line drives, so his average remained under .240. If he keeps the strikeout rate down, he could hit closer to .250, but he’s not hitting .268 again like he did in 2012. Trumbo’s value has always come from his power, and that’s where it will come from again this year. Last year’s injury should make him much cheaper than he was in drafts last year, but he could still have that 35-homer season in him that a lot of people expected last year in his first year in Arizona. Power is a hard thing to find, and Trumbo could be an under-priced source of it. (Brett Talley)

Quick Opinion: A foot fracture cost Trumbo two and a half months last year, and he was on pace for the lowest homer total of his career. But his batted ball distance on homers and fly balls was in line with what he had done in years prior, so he may still have a 35-homer season in him. The injury may make Trumbo cheaper on draft day this year than he was last year, so he could be a really nice value.

Troy Tulowitzki

Debut: 2006 |  BirthDate: 10/10/1984 | Team: Rockies | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 512 139 25 1 82 72 .312 .391 .540 .400 23.1 11.9 5.4
’14 375 107 21 1 52 71 .340 .432 .603 .444 28.6 6.8 5.1
’15 601 158 28 3 92 85 .303 .385 .527 .396 25.2 10.0 5.8

Profile: The story hasn’t changed much with Troy Tulowitzki. When he plays, he’s one of the 10-15 best players in baseball. He has hall of fame talent. But whether the altitude is responsible for breaking his body down, or he’s the baseball version of Glass Joe, or he doesn’t want to push himself to play for the perpetual 70-win ballclub that the Rockies have been of late — or some combination of those three — the bottom line is that he’s rarely on the field for a full season. You look at that, and you think to yourself that perhaps he isn’t worth grabbing in the first round, or spending $40-plus on in your auction. And you wouldn’t be wrong. But you might not be right either, as there simply aren’t that many good shortstops out there. Last year, Tulowitzki only suited up for 91 games, but he still finished third among shortstops in home runs, ninth in runs scored and 11th in runs batted in. His batting average was easily number one. So even if he doesn’t play a full season, and even if he isn’t as red hot as he was last year — when he probably would have walked away with the NL MVP trophy — he’s still going to keep you at the top of the pack at his position. The question becomes then can you afford to roster a backup shortstop who may never play? If you have a deep bench, and can do so, then going big for Tulowitzki is a no-brainer. If you can’t, then you may have to ponder the situation some. Few fantasy seasons are won without a little luck. It’s probably better to count on the luck that would be Tulowitzki staying healthy instead of hoping the shortstop you selected in the 16th round turns out to be a good player. (Paul Swydan)

Quick Opinion: Troy Tulowitzki is rarely healthy for a full season, but he is capable of being so productive whenever he is on the field that it might not matter whether he plays a full season or not.

Justin Turner

Debut: 2009 |  BirthDate: 11/23/1984 | Team: Dodgers | Position: 3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 214 56 2 0 16 12 .280 .319 .385 .309 -1.1 -0.0 0.6
’14 322 98 7 6 43 46 .340 .404 .493 .394 21.5 -1.9 3.2
’15 363 86 5 4 34 36 .264 .325 .379 .313 0.5 -2.9 0.9

Profile: Super utility infielders are typically more real than fake baseball relevant, but Justin Turner gets enough playing time around the diamond to merit ownership in some NL-Only formats. Aside from the leather, Turner improved slowly but steadily in the walks and batting average departments in three consecutive seasons. Turner’s walk rate increased from 4.9% to 8.7%, while his batting average spiked from .269 to .340 over that time frame, but on the downside he also saw a spike in strikeouts from 13% to 18%. 2014’s .340 batting average was likely driven by an unsustainable .404 average on balls in play, so we may not want to expect that out of his again, but life will be good if he can at least settle towards his career .281 number. Turner will retain second base, third base and shortstop eligibility in 2015, making him a valuable asset in NL-Only leagues, but he could make an impact off the bench in 14-team mixed leagues and deeper — especially in short stretches. (Alan Harrison)

Quick Opinion: Thirty-year-old Justin Turner may not produce gaudy counting statistics, but he can hit for a fine average (career .281) and fill in at first, second or third base for fantasy squads.





 

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