Nearing the end of your draft and still need to round out your teams outfielding corp? I discuss some players that will still be available to you in the 18th round or later of a 10-team redraft league.
Always remember outfield is a deep position and that every year there are a handful of players that become fantasy relevant seemingly out of nowhere.
While considering a 10-team league that utilizes five outfield slots it can be benefitical to you to fill your last slot with a high risk, high reward player. If that player flops there will always be an adquate placeholder available on the waiver wire.
Khris Davis, Milwaukee Brewers
Davis is coming off his major league debut season in which he smashed 11 homeruns in a meager 153 plate appearances. With that said, he’s not going to hit 40-plus homers with a full season of at bats but he could easily top the 25 home-run plateau while giving you a handful of stole bases. Davis is currently being drafted in the 18th to 20th rounds which provides potential owners a cushion for possible sub .260 batting average.
B.J. Upton, Atlanta Braves
It’s simply impossible for Upton to repeat his dreadful, cringe inducing statistical line from 2013 right? I’m hopeful that it is. In 2013 Upton struck out a career hit 33.9 perecnt, that’s a 7.2 percent jump from 2012 as well as posting a career low and simply disturbing .184 batting average.
Even when digging deep into the numbers it is difficult and near impossible to find a bright spot. The lone sparkle I was about to dig up was the .269 average he posted in August after returning from the disabled list. This can be taken with a grain of salt though, as he followed August up with a depressing September in which he slumped to a monthly low of a .106 batting average.
Currently Upton is being taken in the 18th round. If you’re an optimistic soul and can afford to take a risk on draft day Upton is your man.
Upton turns 30 years old in August so he shouldn’t be expected to fully return to his 2012 prominence but he still has the ability to correct his flaws and get his numbers back to a respectable level. I project Upton to hit 15 homeruns and steal 20-plus bases which provides decent value upside for where he is being taken.
Norichika Aoki, Kansas City Royals
It is difficult to accurately quantify the statistical boost a player can get from a change in scenery or being a part of an all-around better offensive. However, it is also hard to deny that Aoki is in store for an uptick in runs scored and runs batted in when he’ll be leading off for a much better overall offense than he was with the Brewers in 2013.
Adam Eaton, Chicago White Sox
As the highest priced of the bunch due to his stolen base potential. Eaton has a decent record of steals throughout his tour of the minor leagues reaching a peak of 46 in 2011 during his ascent to from Double-A to the Major League. With that kind of steal potential it is easy to overlook his pop. With Eaton getting the chance to play 82 games at the homerun friendly confines of U.S. Cellular Field, one could easily project Eaton hit top the 10 homerun mark given a full season of at bats.
Alejandro De Aza, Chicago White Sox
After a breakout 2013, De Aza was able to stake his claim in mainstream fantasy relevance. Much like Eaton, De Aza possess a helpful 10-plus homerun, 20-plus stolen base potential. That said De Aza is entering his age 31 season and could be due for a bit of speed regression. Even with that his price tag is cheap enough to warrant a 20th or 21st round pick if your team is in need of some steals late into the draft.
Corey Hart, Seattle Mariners
After going through operations on both knees and missing the entire 2013 season, it is easy to see why Hart is available at a discount. At the moment Hart is going around the 21st round, a place that is difficult to find 20-plus homerun hitters that hit directly ahead of or behind Robinson Cano. The move to Safeco doesn’t present Hart with the greatest hitting environment but that should only ding his power output slightly. The added first base eligibility is also useful for roster flexibility.
Nick Swisher, Cleveland Indians
It’s difficult to find players with the health and power consistency of Swisher. He’s posted nine straight seasons of 20-plus homeruns and 130-plus games played. However, Swisher is entering his age 34 season and could very well have his string of good health luck come to an end. The 22nd-round price tag is worth what risk his age may present and it’s damn hard to ignore that infectious upbeat attitude, even in fantasy.
Outfielders Worthy of a Very Late Round Flier
Oscar Taveras, St. Louis Cardinals
Taveras is a legitimate top five prospect but had a tough time with an ankle injury which required surgery in late 2013. Taveras sports the ability to be a .280-plus average holder with 15-plus homerun potential to go along with a handful of steals. The possibility of playing every day in the potent Cardinals lineup is worth a final round pick in itself.
Jackie Bradley Jr., Boston Red Sox
After a disappointing debut, Bradley is being overlooked as a fantasy asset. His 10-plus homerun and 10-plus steal potential isn’t something to sneeze at if he can win the everyday centerfield duties out of spring training.
George Springer, Houston Astros
Between Double-A and Triple-A Springer crushed 37 homeruns in 2013. That kind of power is hard to find in the majors right now and it could only cost a very late round pick. As with most big type power types Springer does come along with a super high strikeout rate which will limit his batting average potential.
Avisail Garcia, Chicago White Sox
Garcia possesses intriguing power potential to go along with a handful of steals. If he can hold done a full-time job in 2014 and keep Dayan Viciedo on the bench, Garica has the possibility to blast 15-20 homeruns while maintaining a .280-plus batting average.
Corey Dickerson, Colorado Rockies
The Rockies outfield is still a bit crowded even after they shipped Dexter Fowler away. Given Drew Stubbs inability to hit right handed pitching Dickerson should be able to lock down a nearly full-time job out for spring training. The left fielder has the potential to near the 20 homerun mark if granted enough playing time.
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