Stroman, Marcus - Tor/P: Marcus Stroman started off the baseball season in style on Tuesday, striking out the first Philly batter he faced on three pitches. He would allow two runs in a second inning that included a poor judgment throwing error, but overall looked good in his first outing of the spring. The electric 5'8" righty is poised to be the ace of the Toronto rotation after going 4-0 with a 1.67 ERA in September after returning from an ACL injury he suffered in March. With arguably the best offense in baseball backing him, Stroman has been labeled as a popular breakout candidate this offseason and could even be considered a dark-horse Cy Young candidate if he continues where he left off in 2015. Fantistics Projection Notes: Excellent command 2.0 BB/9, and at times was a 11 k/9 pitcher in the minors. However the Ks have not translated in the majors. That said they don't need to as long as he is inducing weak contact and heavy GB rates (60% last season). Part of the reason for this is the vertical drop in his secondary pitches, and he has 4 secondary pitches to keep hitters of stride. And he's been successful doing that inducing a sub 24% hard hit rate during his time in the majors. He looks like the real deal.
Pollock, A.J. - Ari/OF: A.J. Pollock has been experiencing some soreness in his right arm that has been limiting him this past week. While it doesn't appear to be anything serious, an injury seems to be the only thing that could slow down Pollock. One of the bigger surprises in baseball last season, the 28-year old broke out in a big way in 2015, showcasing his outstanding power/speed skills (20 HR/39SB). Expected to bat leadoff for Arizona, be sure to monitor Pollock's situation, however it does not appear to be anything serious. Fantistics Projection Notes: Displays a rare combination of bat speed (34 hard hit %) and contact (85%), could be a 20/100/100 guy in the middle of the order, but at leadoff, the SB tradeoff (39) is worth the loss in RBIs.
Pence, Hunter - SF/OF: One of the more enigmatic players in baseball, Hunter Pence received an MRI on his right Achilles on Monday, and while no structural damage was found he was diagnosed with inflammation. This is not good news for the soon-to-be 33-year old who, when healthy, is one of the more productive outfielders in baseball. From 2008 to 2014, Pence had at least 20 HR's, 75 runs and 70 RBI in every season and was a key part of the Giants 2014 World Series run. If Pence can stay healthy he profiles as a Top 25 fantasy outfielder in a what should be another potent San Francisco offense. That is a big if however, and nobody would blame you if you steered clear of him in fantasy drafts.
Capps, Carter - Mia/RP: Hard-throwing righty reliever Carter Capps underwent an MRI on his elbow on Tuesday, quickly putting the Marlins bullpen situation into a state of uncertainty. He of the funky hop-step throwing motion, Capps was outstanding for the Marlins in 2015, leading all of baseball in K/9 with 16.84. Expected to contend for the closer role with A.J. Ramos, Capps has had a history of elbow problems, missing the last two months of last season with a right elbow sprain. While Capps missing time leaves Ramos the closer by default, it certainly weakens an already shaky Miami bullpen.
Herrera, Dilson - NYN/2B: The Mets sure are fond of second basemen in the Pirates organization. When New York let Daniel Murphy sign with Washington it was expected that former Pittsburgh prospect Dilson Herrera would step in and be the starter. Instead the Mets traded starting pitcher Jon Niese to the Buccos for Neil Walker. Don't fall asleep on Herrera just yet, as the 21-year old has done nothing but hit for the Mets organization in the Minors and he is one injury away from showcasing his considerable all-around offensive game (.327/.382/.511, 11 HR, 13 SB in 81 games at Triple-A in 2015). Make sure to keep an eye on Herrera's situation as he may never look back if given an opportunity to play in the big leagues in 2016.
Chapman, Aroldis - NYA/RP: Under the new domestic violence policy, MLB has suspended Aroldis Chapman for 30 games in regards to an incident where Chapman allegedly choked his girlfriend and fired eight gunshots into a garage. The dominant closer will be eligible to return on May 9. This is obviously a serious blow to not only the Yankees bullpen to begin the year, but to Chapman's fantasy value as who knows if he'll be able to regain the closer spot when he comes back. This certainly bodes well for Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances fantasy stock, and it's possible you could get Chapman at a discounted rate if you are willing to wait a month for his arrival.
Perez, Salvador - KC/C: The world champion Kansas City Royals locked up catcher Salvador Perez to a 5-year, $52 million contract extension that includes club options for 2017-2019. The 25-year old has been one of the most reliable catchers in the game playing 138, 150 and 142 games in his past three seasons. While he certainly profiles as one of the better fantasy backstops in the game, most of his value comes from his HR power, while he struggles mightily to get on base (.280 OBP in 2015). While he's certainly one of the better Catcher options, don't break the bank trying to get Perez on your team just because he hit 21 home runs last season, as that may have been his threshold for power production. Fantistics Projection Notes: Expected RBI count should have been closer to 77 last season, and BA has upward mobility as well. 14% HR/FB ratio is legit as his BBS is above average. One of the top options at catcher in most fantasy formats.
Pujols, Albert - LAA/1B: Albert Pujols continues his recovery from offseason foot surgery and hopes to be ready for Opening Day, whether it is at 1B or as DH. The 36-year old had a mixed season in 2015, still showing his outstanding power (40 HR), but setting career lows in AVG and OBP. He still doesn't strikeout much (10.9% K-rate) and as long as he is healthy is still a dangerous hitter in a lineup that features Mike Trout. But seeing as he is always an injury risk due to his nagging feet, Pujols might be better suited from a fantasy perspective as a DFS option than a guy you can rely on for season-long productivity.
Jaso, John - Pit/C: Per the usual team strategy, the Pittsburgh Pirates didn't make a big splash this offseason, deciding to fill out their roster with low-priced value guys, including former Tampa Bay Ray John Jaso. The 32-year old will be playing 1B for the first time in his career for the Buccos, but the team got him because of his underrated bat. An on-base machine (.380 in 185 at-bats in 2015), Jaso historically has struggled against lefties and is currently situated in a platoon with Michael Morse. However, with the short porch in right field at PNC Park, Jaso could see a slight power boost and makes for an excellent DFS play as he should see numerous opportunities to drive in runs batting behind the likes of Starling Marte, Andrew McCutchen and Gregory Polanco.
Profar, Jurickson - Tex/2B: After missing the past two seasons with a shoulder injury, former top prospect Jurickson Profar returned to live game action Monday and things couldn't have gone any better. The 23-year old homered on the first pitch he saw from ace Cole Hamels and made two outstanding plays at SS in the Rangers intrasquad game in Surprise, Arizona. While Profar hopes to earn a spot on the big league roster with continued play like that, he might be forced to spend some time down in Triple-A with a crowded Texas middle infield blocking him from playing time. Between Elvis Andrus, Rougned Odor, Hanser Alberto and the newly acquired Ian Desmond, Profar will likely have to wait for an injury to see consistent time for Manager Jeff Bannister. Make sure to keep an eye on the waiver wire if one of the starters does go down for Texas though, as Profar could make an excellent mid-season pickup.
Cishek, Steve - Sea/RP: Cishek Gets Another Shot At Closing Steve Cishek certainly won't look back fondly on his time spent in Miami in 2015 after 3 successful years with the Marlins. After consecutive 30+ save seasons, the sidearmer blew 5 out of the 9 save chances he incurred at South Beach with a 4.50 ERA and was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. After the trade Cishek improved slightly (2.31 ERA), but still wasn't the same pitcher (4.33 FIP). The Mariners are taking somewhat of a gamble on the 29-year old, hoping he can return to form. Manager Scott Servais certainly won't have a very long leash for Cishek, so be sure to keep an eye on Seattle's other relievers, especially Joaquin Benoit. Benoit has experience closing (saved 24 games for Detroit in 2013) and was in line to be San Diego's closer before the team acquired Craig Kimbrel last season.
Seager, Kyle - Sea/3B: Seager Ready To Catch Fire At The Hot Corner There may not be a more consistent player in all of baseball than Kyle Seager. Four straight seasons of 20+ HR's, 155+ games played and a batting average between .259 and .268. It is time for the 28-year old to take that next step in becoming a heart of the order hitter for the Mariners. While many around the industry are talking about his brother, Corey Seager, Kyle is poised to have a career year in terms of batting average and possibly home runs. The Chapel Hill alum has steadily improved his home run and RBI output and also put up a career best 14.3% K-rate and a .278 BABIP that is several points below his career norm. If you don't want to spend up and draft one of the elite third basemen early, look to grab near elite production out of Seager in an underrated Seattle lineup. Fantistics Projection Notes: Seager was a monster on the road last year, registering a +150 SLG there, this of course limits his HR totals with half the games at home. Despite this his RBI count was much depressed, and a possible move to the middle of the order could net him +20 in the RBI count.
Piscotty, Stephen - StL/OF: Don't Sleep On Piscotty While a lot of people have been pegging teammate Randal Grichuk as a breakout candidate for 2016, watch out for 1B/3B/OF Stephen Piscotty as well. Expected to slide in to the rightfield slot vacated by Jason Heyward this past offseason, Piscotty should bat in the No. 2 spot behind on-base machine Matt Carpenter. An extremely polished hitter who won't wow you with his power or speed, Piscotty should serve as an effective table-setter for St. Louis, with the potential to drive in runs when he gets a hold of the ball. Judging by his average batted ball distance numbers from last season, that is something Piscotty could do a whole lot more than people are projecting for him. The average ball that the 25-year old put into play in 2015 went 304.69 feet, putting right behind superstars Starling Marte, Adam Jones and J.D. Martinez. Another player who has an excellent chance to exceed his projections in 2016, look to scoop up Piscotty at a premium price. Fantistics Projection Notes: Stephen decided he has to hit the ball with more authority, and he showed that in his first MLB experience last season with a 37% Hard Hit rate. As a result he's been more aggressive in his swing, but his plate discipline has played a positive role as well. Yes his Ks are up (24%) and that comes from him swinging harder, but the 305 BA from last year is not sustainable as his 78% contact rate and 1.35 GB|FB rate lend to a lower range.
Molina, Yadier - StL/C: Molina Hopes To Be Ready By Opening Day If there's one thing baseball fans can set their watches to, it is that when Yadier Molina is on the field, the St. Louis Cardinals win baseball games. During the past five seasons the Cards' winning percentage is almost 100 points when Molina is behind the plate than when he is on the bench. Unfortunately Yadi is a shell of his former self as a hitter and probably won't factor into many fantasy squads this season. However, where he creates the biggest fantasy impact is in the St. Louis pitchers he will be guiding through a difficult NL Central. The likes of Adam Wainwright, Michael Wacha, Carlos Martinez, and Jaime Garcia rave about the influence Molina has on them on a game to game basis. Simply put, if Molina is catching, every Cardinals pitcher should see a significant fantasy boost.
Matz, Steven - NYN/P: Ace In The Rough When you pitch in the same rotation as Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard it is difficult to make a name for yourself. Hell even Bartolo Colon casts somewhat of a shadow when you talk about the New York Mets pitching staff. But make no mistake, Steven Matz has all the makings of a legitimate ace on the mound. Armed with a mid-90's fastball, an outstanding change and a solid curveball, the 24-year old was dynamite in 6 starts for the Metropolitans. While he wasn't necessarily as good as his 2.27 ERA would lead you to believe (3.61 FIP), Matz showed the ability to strike batters out (8.58 K/9) while limiting the free passes (2.52 BB/9). With the trio of powerful righties headlining the Mets rotation, Matz could fly under the radar on draft day while offering ace potential.
Conforto, Michael - NYN/OF: Conforto Looks To Build Off Strong Finish To 2015 Michael Conforto has had a pretty easy go of things so far in his brief pro career in the Mets organization, playing in 56 regular season games and 12 postseason games just one year after getting drafted tenth overall in the draft. The 23-year old showed off his excellent power last summer, belting 9 home runs in just 174 at-bats, including a very impressive 17% home run rate on fly balls. Conforto should improve on his 20.1% strikeout rate and he even was a little unlucky with a .297 BABIP. He will need to learn to hit major league lefties, but Conforto should slot in the middle of a solid Mets lineup and is a breakout candidate you could be able to get cheap on draft day.
Draft Advisor: bring our winning strategy (Serpentine / Auction) to your draft. Our player rankings adjust as players are selected, adhering to the changing dynamics of your draft. After a player is selected/drafted, the software will display/suggest the best players remaining. Purchase Today!
