With opening night rapidly approaching, the pictures with positional battles and injury concerns are slowly but surely growing more lucid.
Devon Travis (2B-TOR): The Blue Jays officially named Devon Travis as their starting 2B on Tuesday. And the crowd goes wild! While Travis has only played 100 games at the AA level, he has consistently showed an advanced approach at the plate, impressively discerning location and spin. While he will likely bat towards the bottom of the order to begin the season, with an 8% BB rate and 13% K-rate to go with above average speed and basestealing skills, Travis may eventually even work his way up the lineup. Keep an eye on his defense, but as long as he plays adequately in the field, he'll have the gig and produce solid late-round MI value in the majority of leagues.
Dalton Pompey (OF-TOR): The Blue Jays officially named Dalton Pompey as their starting CF on Tuesday. And the crowd goes wild again, this time with Molsons in hand! Pompey, after struggling initially against MLB pitching, made some solid adjustments in the final two weeks of 2015 and has carried those into Spring Training. Pompey posted a 52:84 BB:K ratio in 113 MILB games last year with 43 SBs in 50 attempts. While he'll likely hit some bumps in the road, his discerning eye, speed, and defense will likely buy him plenty of leash. Don't hesitate to roll with him as your #4 outfielder in standard mixed leagues.
Francisco Cervelli (C-PIT): The forgotten man at the catcher position in fantasy this spring appears to be the Italian Stallion, Francisco Cervelli, who is going off the board at #366 overall (29th among catchers!). Cervelli hit 2 more homers yesterday, including 1 off of David Price, to bring his spring total to 4. While his .301 AVG from 2014 was inflated due to a .408 BABIP, Cervelli posted an elite 26% LD rate and a miniscule 22% chase rate. He has posted plenty of solid numbers in his career both at the MILB and MLB levels. While he doesn't bring real power to the table, Cervelli can be asset in the AVG department, and with full time AB's in Pittsburgh, you shouldn't forget about him as a solid #2 catcher.
Jeff Locke (P-PIT): The Pirates named Jeff Locke as their fifth starter, relegating Vance Worley to the bullpen in the process. Locke, who is scheduled to start against the Brewers on April 10th (according to MLB.com), posted a 3.91 ERA/3.90 xFIP in 21 starts last season. While he was able to reign in the walks, his 16% K-rate remained well-below league average, making him solely relevant in NL-only leagues. He struggled against righties last season (.342 wOBA against), which is something to keep in mind either in DFS or leagues with daily transactions. While Locke provides the Pirates with another lefty alongside Francisco Liriano, he doesn't have a particularly long leash.
Chase Anderson (SP-ARI): The Diamondbacks officially named Chase Anderson to the starting rotation, pushing Daniel Hudson (and perhaps Archie Bradley) to the bullpen to start the season. Anderson makes for an intriguing upside play in deeper mixed leagues, as he brings a slightly-above average 21% K-rate with a swinging-strike rate approaching 10%, also a slightly-above average mark. His flyball tendencies are reasons for circumspection, but his HR/FB rate was at an inflated 13% last season. He boasts a well-rounded arsenal and brings K-potential, so don't forget about him in your draft's endgame or if you need a streaming option.
Chris Owings (SS-ARI): So who is it going to be at SS: Chris Owings or the defensive wizard Nick Ahmed? While many in the industry project Ahmed earning the nod, manager Chip Hale hasn't fully committed. Chris Owings, meanwhile, went 1 for 4 with 1 run, 1 RBI, and 1 SB while playing 2B on Tuesday. With trade rumors swirling around Aaron Hill, and the Diamondbacks professed love of the dynamic game of Owings, don't be surprised to see a move that opens up full-time AB's for the youngster. While he struggled with health in 2014, Owings did post 6 homers and 8 steals in 332 AB's to go with a 24% LD rate. If you miss out on MI in the middle rounds, I'd have no qualms about waiting for Owings in the latter rounds.
Steven Souza (OF-TB): Souza went 1 for 4 with a walk and strikeout to continue what has been an inauspicious start with his new team. In addition to the myriad of injuries Souza has battled this spring, he has also posted a .133/.220/.289 line with a 4:15 BB:K ratio in 45 AB's. As his ADP continues to plummet, a wonderful buying opportunity continues to open. Souza has been prolific in the upper-minors, posting nearly a 1.000 OPS over the past two seasons in AA and AAA all the while displaying 20/20 potential. There is a reason the Rays essentially swapped Wil Myers for him, so don't let the spring scare you away.
Jackie Bradley (OF-BOS): The man with the golden glove continues to impress with the stick, as Bradley went 1 for 3 with 2 runs, 2 walks, and 1 K. He now carries a .381/.469/.452 line with an impressive 5:6 BB:K ratio through 42 AB's. While Bradley figures to open the season as outfield depth, seeing mostly late game action because of his defensive prowess, don't forget about him in deeper leagues or keeper leagues, as a trade appears imminent. He has the work ethic and acumen to figure out his woes on offense and just needs the AB's.
Daniel Robertson (SS-TB): The former A's prospect belted 2 homers and drove in 5 against the Red Sox, providing us with a glimpse of the future--one that I see as a not-so-distant one. Robertson posted a .310/.402/.471 line in A+ last season with 15 homers and a 72:94 BB:K rate. While there was some inflation due to the CAL League environments, make no mistake about it: Robertson is the real deal and on the fast track to Tampa. While Asdrubal Cabrera was signed as a placeholder, keep Robertson on your keeper-league radar, as I can see him knocking on the door by season's end and primed to make a 2016 impact.
Blake Swihart (C-BOS): With the unfortunate arm injury befalling Christian Valazquez, Blake Swihart continues to make his case for the opening day roster. The top catching prospect in the game went 2 for 3 with 1 run and 3 RBI and now has 10 hits in 30 AB's. Despite the efforts, manager John Farrell recently indicated that Swihart, because of the Red Sox' addition of Sandy Leon from the Nationals, is likely to begin the year at AAA. However, if Leon's bat--he carried a .653 OPS in his MILB career--proves to be a liability, look for Swihart to see Boston by summertime.
Chad Bettis (SP-COL): With Eddie Butler (shoulder) out with an injury, and the Rockies still on the fence about fireballer Jon Gray, news emanating from Colorado has Chad Bettis earning a spot in the starting rotation. While Bettis was dreadful in 2014 at the MLB level, he was also quite unfortunate (9.12 ERA/4.87 xFIP). Don't read too much into the 10% K-rate, as the 24 inning sample size is simply too small to suggest he won't tap into the 20%+ rate he posted in the high minors. Any lefty that can throw 93+ MPH consistently and mix in multiple secondary offerings has a chance to earn and keep a rotation spot. For those with the ability to stream, keep Bettis in mind in 15+ team mixed leagues and NL-only formats.
Billy Burns (OF-OAK): With Coco Crisp (elbow) likely headed to the DL to start the season, Billy Burns has all but locked up a roster spot for the A's. Burns has had a magnificent spring, gathering 28 hits in 71 AB's with 5 walks, 4 steals, and only 7 K's. Even though he struggled with the stick last season at AAA, he still stole 54 bases in 60 attempts and walked 53 times against 84 strikeouts. With Burns crediting much of his improvement to his switching to a heavier bat, if he can carry this moment into the season, he may present the A's with a dilemma if/when Crisp and Reddick return. He should be own in all formats with a SB category.
Johnny Giavotella (2B-LAA): While nothing has been etched in stone, it appears imminent that Johnny Giavotella will be named the starting 2B for the Angels ahead of Josh Rutledge. Now 27, Giavotella has posted a .305/.378/.438 line in 748 career MILB games with a nearly 1:1 BB:K ratio. He wasn't able to translate this success during the relatively short trials the Royals gave him in 2011 and 2012, but has he ever impressed the Angels' brass this spring (with 16 hits in 46 AB's and a 5:6 BB:K ratio). He makes for a sneaky MI option in 15+ team mixed leagues, and a solid fallback option at 2B in AL-only leagues
Anthony Rendon (2B/3B-WAS): Opinions, opinions, and more opinions. After the venerable Dr. James Andrews confirmed the initial diagnosis of a sprained MCL in Rendon's troublesome left knee, Anthony Rendon decided to seek a third opinion, which he'll be receiving during the next day. Hopefully, this will provide some clarity to the situation, as Rendon has seen his fantasy stock plummet from late 1st rounder at the beginning of March to late 3rd/early 4th rounder in early April. Rendon has had a plethora of lower-leg and foot injuries throughout his career, so this definitely causes reason for caution. However, if the third diagnosis also sees no structural damage, I see him being worth the risk. In the meantime, Yunel Escobar looks to shift to 3B while Danny Espinoza will slide into 2B.
Rafael Montero (SP-NYM): Rafael Montero belongs in the Mets' rotation. While many may look at Montero's sluggish 42:23 K:BB ratio in 44 innings in 2014 and find reason for skepticism, he displayed plenty of control and command in the minors prior to his call-up. This spring he is showing renewed confidence in his stuff, attacking hitters with a well-rounded arsenal, and as a result, has only allowed 4 earned runs and has posted a 14:2 K:BB ratio in 15 innings. Even if the Mets don't trade Dillon Gee before the season, Montero will find his way into the rotation sooner rather than later. Buy.
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