MLB Spring Training is nearly upon us, and for millions of people worldwide their fantasy baseball preparation has begun in earnest. Here at Sports World News we will break down all 30 MLB teams in terms of their fantasy value. Readers will find the must-own players in every format, sleepers, and hidden gems only necessary for those in very deep leagues.
Today's preview will be on the Washington Nationals.
Must Own
Bryce Harper, OF: Harper was once a phenom considered to be better than Mike Trout. While that kind of expectation has largely faded, Harper is still the 11th-ranked outfielder in fantasy baseball and a Top 35 overall pick. At 22 years old with two seasons of 20 or more home runs already under his belt, there's no reason to doubt his talent.
Injury is the greater concern with Harper, who hasn't played more than 139 games in any of his first three seasons. With a DL-free year, Harper is a good bet for 30-plus home runs with almost limitless upside. At this point, owners have to build in his injury risk though, making his Top 35 slot a bit scary outside of keeper leagues.
Anthony Rendon, 2B/3B: For many last season (myself included) Rendon was a free agent pickup or a late-round flier. He rewarded those owners with an incredible season in which he slashed .287/.351/.473 and blasted 21 home runs. He scored a whopping 111 runs and registered 83 RBI. He was a fantasy MVP candidate if value is taken into account.
Rendon's success wasn't a fluke either. His BABIP didn't spike too heavily, his HR/FB rate didn't experience an unsustainable jump. He just put up great numbers, and is eligible at not one, but two positions in which top talent is scarce. Rendon doesn't have Harper's name value, but he's a Top 20 guy right now in the rankings and he deserves it.
Ian Desmond, SS: Desmond didn't quite have the season many expected in 2014 but he was plenty good enough. Barring injury, Desmond has become a lock for 20-plus home runs and stolen bases, with the potential for a batting average in the high-.200s. Last year his line drive rate dropped while his ground ball rate rose, but he still managed to put up the power and speed numbers.
Even if his average suffers, Desmond is an elite shortstop considering the lack of elite talent there.
Stephen Strasburg, SP: Strasburg, 26, is simply one of the best pitchers in baseball. His 3.14 ERA might have been a tad higher than owners expected, but he finally eclipsed 200 innings pitched and struck out more than 10 batters per nine innings.
He's the sixth-ranked starting pitcher overall, but like some of the names below him, his value may take a hit thanks to the quantity of starting pitching available this season. Still, he ranks among the best of the best so owners with Strasburg will still have a big advantage.
Max Scherzer, SP: Scherzer was this year's big catch in free agency, and the rest of MLB no doubt cringed when he signed in D.C. Scherzer's had better stats than Strasburg the past two years, and ranks as the No. 4 SP heading into spring training for fantasy. Scherzer has a Cy Young under his belt, a 10-plus K/9 for three years running, and 230-plus strikeouts in every year during that span. He's a clear-cut fantasy ace without question, but he's 30, so slight not goes to Strasburg.
Jordan Zimmermann, SP: Zimmermann doesn't have the flash of Strasburg, but it's hard to argue the 28-year-old right-hander wasn't Washington's best starter in 2014. His 2.66 ERA was backed up by the advanced metrics, his K-rates rose, and his WHIP continues to drop. He's listed as the No. 15 SP currently, but he's put up ace numbers for two years in a row. He may not outpitch Strasburg again, but he appears to be a greater value.
Gio Gonzalez, SP: Gonzalez is a good source of Ks when he's going well, and at the end of the year the numbers will look okay. But for stretches of time, it's best not to look. Gio Gonzalez is an up-and-down SP, who should benefit this season from his lower spot in the rotation. Be prepared to deal with DL stints, and bouts of wildness though. Much better for Roto-style leagues rather than points formats.
Drew Storen, RP: The closing job fully belongs to the 27-year-old Storen this year, with not much competition to fret about. Rafael Soriano remains a free agent, and Tyler Clippard has been traded. Unless he implodes, he's unlikely to cede the role to veteran Casey Janssen, who has closing experience but is more suited to middle relief.
Sleepers
Jayson Werth, OF: Sure, he's 35 and has crossed the point of being an "injury risk" into "injury guarantee" territory. But if you plan accordingly, draft him now and just enjoy tossing him in your lineup during healthy times. He's going to start the year on the DL most likely, meaning he'll never come cheaper. Trust me-healthy Werth is fun to own.
Ryan Zimmerman, 3B/OF: Zimmerman is ranked one spot behind Werth in the OF, and they have similar profiles. While he's constantly injured, he hits for solid power and average when he's actually on the field. The switch to outfield should allow him to ease his mind from his defensive woes, and he gives owners some nice versatility. At pick No. 124, how much can he really hurt?
Denard Span, OF: Span is massively underappreciated. Last season he hit .302 and stole 31 bases, while being caught just seven times (this matters in net stolen base leagues). He'll give you next to nothing in the power department, but hitting atop this Nats order should be good for 100 runs. If he keeps those steals up, Span will be one of the best buys you can have. Right now? Barely inside the Top 50 outfielders.
Doug Fister, SP: Fister is just damn solid. He was 16-6 last season with a 2.41 ERA and now he's going to be a fifth starter. That will depress his draft stock a bit, but he's an example of the type of depth later on in starting pitching.
Deep Stashes
Tanner Roark, SP/RP: Roark is the odd man out of Washington's rotation but it isn't because of anything he's done. He pitched just fewer than 200 innings and went 15-10 with a 2.85 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. He didn't strike out an obscene number of hitters, but he was steady and he's in his physical prime.
Things happen during the season, and it's inevitable that Roark gets to start for a stretch of time at some point this year. Until then, he'll be a valuable source of innings out of the bullpen. Right now he's being drafted as the No. 56 SP-that could continue to sink, increasing the value even more.
Rankings compiled by FantasyPros.com.
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