(Note: This is a continuation from Part 1, which was published on 3-27-15)
NL Outfielders
Eric Young, Jr., Atlanta
Young, Jr., is back on radars after appearing to win the early-season centerfield spot in Atlanta. His defense is spotty, his hitting is iffy, but when Young plays, Young steals. In 504 career games, he's produced an impressive 138 stolen bases. More impressively, he's had 76 thefts over the past two years while owning just a .306 OBP in 248 games. He's carried the profile into spring with 5 SBs in 17 games. Don't pay attention to the .321 batting average ... he's a .250 hitter and that's it. Come May, Young will likely have to cede playing time back to the currently-injured, Melvin Upton, Jr., but for now - as a lead-off hitter and every day outfielder with speed to spare - Young is a solid 5th OF. Of course, if you do get him, make sure to cover yourself with a steady vet behind him on your roster.
Juan Lagares, NY Mets
He's known for his leather, but the wood is now catching eyes after Lagares came up with home runs on back-to-back days earlier this week (one of those coming off of presumed Yankees' closer, Delin Betances). That gives him three round-trippers in just 47 March at-bats after having just four homers in 415 at-bats last season. So, let's just say, don't be misled by the sudden power up. He'll man centerfield for the Mets and one interesting scenario has the team batting Lagares 9th in the lineup, hoping to get more men on-base in front of the likes of David Wright, Lucas Duda, and Michael Cuddyer. He could also slot in as the lead-off man if the team goes with a more traditional lineup. He needs to walk more (barely over 4.5% in his career), but he's a sleeper .280, 80 runs, 20 steals guy for this season.
Ender Inciarte, Arizona
Caveat Emptor. If you take a shot on Inciarte in an NL-only set-up, you could get burned. Understand that the Diamondbacks have all sorts of moving parts and that leaves their outfield unsettled. The starting spot (majors or minors, third base or outfield) for Yasmany Tomas is the critical piece. If he's in the minor leagues for more seasoning and defensive improvement, Inciarte sees a lift. But, only a bit of a lift because of the continued presence of David Peralta. Inciarte is little more than a singles hitter, but every time he's on the base paths, he's finding a way to thieve an extra base. He's slapped his way to a near-.400 average this spring, but I doubt that's enough for the Snakes' to give him a legitimate shot.
Randal Grichuk, St. Louis
Grichuk has done everything within his control. He's hit. He's shown some pop. He's good enough in the outfield. He's an accomplished Triple-A hitter with little left to prove. Plus, he hasn't rocked the boat, complaining about a chance to play where it counts. It's that one thing out of his control - a position opening - keeping Grichuk on the waiting list. The team constantly raves about what he can be, but he'll be stuck as the 4th outfielder, for now. There shouldn't be any interest until we see an injury to one of the guys in front of him.
Odubel Herrera, Philadelphia
Who knows what will become of the Phillies this season? They're a total mess with a comical salary set-up in which the highest-paid players are old, past their prime, and just itching to get out of town. Eventually, this will become a place for some younger guys to move up and get some action. That time may actually be right now for Herrera because of an Achilles' injury to Domonic Brown. Of late, Herrera (who can also play 2B) has been getting reps in left-field. At the plate, he's piled up single-after-single (16 of them, with just one XBH in 48 spring ABs) and he's a perfect 5-for-5 on stolen base attempts. Speaking of the number '5,' Herrera is a Rule 5 addition who is entirely unproven at this level. If he's playing, it's because he's with the Phillies; not necessarily because he's worthy of a major league starting job.
Joc Pederson, Los Angeles
The dynamic spring from Kris Bryant has overshadowed everything that Pederson has shown. He's lofted four balls over the wall, four balls up against the wall (i.e., doubles), and touched home plate 11 times. The knock? A dozen whiffs. Still, the Dodgers are comfortable giving him the starting nod for the beginning of the season. Unfortunately for his counting numbers, Pederson will be (correctly) buried near the bottom of the batting order. He has a well-rounded game that profiles as fantasy friendly. He belongs on the draft board in all leagues with more than 10 owners. There could be struggles in year one, but the upside and the overall potential will earn him at least a couple of months on fantasy rosters.
Pitchers
Kyle Gibson, Minnesota
The Twins' right-hander probably took home the title of '2014's Worst 'Good' Pitcher.' He racked up 13 wins despite a 4.47 ERA. Ten of his 31 starts saw him go at least seven innings while giving up 2 runs are fewer, yet his K-rate was an alarming 5.9 per 9 innings of work. In other words, no one is buying on him heading into this year. But, look at the spring results. He has an ERA of 2.75. He owns a WHIP of 1.02. And, his K-Rate is up over 8! Of course, it's a rather insignificant 20 inning blip, but maybe it's a sign that there's more growth to be had here. After just one full season, Gibson has proven that he knows how to keep the ball down with just 12 homers allowed alongside a ground ball percentage of almost 55%. There should be some peripheral improvements this year, but I would expect them to be slight. He's a bench-round depth play.
Daniel Norris, Toronto
The bearded lefty who used to live in a van (down by the rive ... eh, I mean, ... down by the loading dock at a Wal-Mart) has been the talk of Toronto's camp. On the hill, he's reeled off 18.2 impressive innings (2.41 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 21 K's, and no HRs allowed) and off-the-mound he's proven to be a storyline that the Jays' fan base can't get enough of. He's already figured things out enough (we kid), that he has even managed to add a new in-game change-up that took him less than a week to learn (we do not kid). Although it's not official just yet, Norris should be with the squad as they head north. He should be able to get you some punch-outs and I wouldn't be surprised if he's a top story in the month of April. Overall, Norris will likely end up with plenty of K's, but mostly average marks in ERA, WHIP, and wins. This makes him a 5th SP for your draft.
Taijuan Walker, Seattle
Walker's spring effort has reduced to rubble the doubts about his readiness for an MLB job. You can make the argument that he has been the best pitcher in either Arizona or Florida. In 18 innings, the young righty has thoroughly dominated the opposition. He hasn't allowed a single run all spring. His K/BB ratio stands at 19/4. And, he's averaging more than a whiff per inning (21 in those 18 innings). And, yet, as of this writing, the M's have refused to announce him as their 5th starter. In fact, his manager Lloyd McClendon, begrudgingly said 'He's done OK,' when asked about Walker's spring! It's worth reminding everyone that he has made just eight starts at the MLB-level and many within the organization wonder about his maturity. The up-and-down nature of his 2014 (shoulder injury, a load of time at Triple-A, complaints from McClendon) can teach maturity quickly. What can't be so easily taught is the massive skill set that Walker would bring to Emerald City. He should be in the Opening Day rotation, but even if he doesn't make the cut, it would be very smart to find a spot for him after the 15th round in your draft.
Carlos Rodon, Chicago White Sox
Hey, whattaya know, we've got another service time issue in Chicago! This one of the South Side has failed to garner all the attention of what's going on to the North, but it's just as important to the fortunes of the big league club. The White Sox are in-play this season to make a post-season run and Rodon will definitely be a part of any summer success. There are a pair of questions ... When? Where? On the first part, Rodon is 50/50 for the Opening Day roster. Baseball's usual school of thinking says he will start in the minors for 'seasoning' (he's thrown less than 25 professional innings). Then, when the likes of John Danks and Hector Noesi fall flat, Rodon will get the call. Then, we have the question of, where? At the very least, Rodon will get a bullpen shot by mid-May (likely sooner). As a lefty with strikeout stuff, it's probably the fairest spot for him. There's obviously a future starter here, but I've got the sneaking suspicion that Rodon spends a vast majority of his rookie season as the late-inning fireballer that we all can't wait to eventually land in the starting five. Just not in '15.
Kendall Graveman, Oakland
Graveman has landed in a friendlier situation than either Rodon or Walker. The Athletics had an opening for the former-Blue Jay to grab and he's done everything they wanted him to do this spring. The team is so enamored with their offseason add (in the trade involving Josh Donaldson) that they have publicly reckoned Graveman as a full-season rotation contributor, even after guys like A.J. Griffin and Jarrod Parker return from arm injuries. His cutter/sinker combo has made him an extreme ground ball pitcher. That helps ratios in the fantasy game, but it doesn't create an overpowering fantasy hurler. With his inexperience and his lack of lightning bolt-stuff, Graveman is rotation filler. He has the job that Rodon and Walker would kill for, but he doesn't have the upper-end talent to make him a better fantasy bet this year.
Anthony DeSclafani, Cincinnati
Before you get carried away and give DeSclafani credit for winning a rotation spot with the Reds, understand that this is a team that is also giving spots to Jason Marquis and the unknown, Rasiel Iglesias. Still, to be fair, DeSclafani has done all that he's been asked to do, coughing up just four runs in 19+ innings (without a home run allowed, either). He had a taste of big league baseball last season and it was rather sour (a 6.27 ERA in 33.2 innings with Miami). As we head through the season, you'll likely see him cut down on his pitching repertoire, focusing on his top three offerings. He's a pure wild card and in that Reds' home yard, I'd prefer to let him be someone else's long shot for the initial season.
Marco Gonzalez, St. Louis
This crafty left-hander has answered the bell throughout camp, but he's a victim of circumstance. As a member of a lesser-organization, Gonzalez would be on the 25-man roster to start the season. But, in St. Louis, he's firmly planted behind high-end prospect, Carlos Martinez, and the 'yes,-he's-still-here', Jaime Garcia. The entire trio has pitched well this March, but, Gonzalez has minor league options available. Martinez does as well, but after being with the Birds in the two previous years and since he's considered a future star, he'll get one of the big league bullpen slots. That leaves us with Garcia who cannot go to the minors and cannot pitch out of the bullpen. We all know that he'll come up lame eventually, but even when that inevitability occurs, you'll see Martinez head into the rotation ... not Gonzalez. As is, Gonzalez doesn't offer a ton to be excited about in the fantasy universe. Give him a near-year as a member of the St. Louis relief corps before you buy.
David Buchanan, Philadelphia
As noted earlier, there's very little to amp up the anticipation of a Phillies' diehard entering this year. And, I won't lie to you, I don't think Buchanan will offer you some kind of electric charge during the upcoming summer. But, his spring has turned some heads as he's reeled off 16 very good innings with 11 strike outs against a walk total of zero. The unfortunate part of Buchanan's profile is that, despite being perhaps Philly's second-best SP, he offers nothing that will truly make a difference for your fantasy team. Frankly, he's an innings eater who gets ground balls. That's more than enough to make him a part of the Phillies' plans, but don't make the mistake of penciling his name into your own fantasy plans.
You can hear Kyle each weeknight on 'The SiriusXM Fantasy Drive' from 7-10 ET, Sirius 210, XM 87.
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