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 Atlanta Braves.
Must Own
Freddie Freeman, 1B: Freeman is the consensus No. 8 1B this preseason, but that is misleading. His RBI total fell off a cliff in 2014-he dropped from 109 in 2013 to just 78 in 2014. His slash line remained consistently excellent--.288/.386/.461 and he flirted with 100 runs. Freeman isn't the most powerful hitter, but he's going to consistently bop somewhere in the low-20s or just below that. Basically, we've already seen Freeman's upside and floor. He's consistently very good, and if he has a Victor Martinez-esque power explosion he'll be one of the best buys of your fantasy career.
Julio Teheran, SP: Teheran built on a promising 2013 season last year and made 2014 one to remember. He developed into a young staff ace, making 33 starts and finishing the season 14-13 with a 2.89 ERA. Run support will be lacking this season, and his advanced metrics suggest a bit of luck, but he has wipeout stuff that will make him valuable-especially in keeper formats where his age becomes a major factor.
Craig Kimbrel, RP: Kimbrel is lights out, simple and plain. He's the consensus No. 2 RP, but Aroldis Chapman of the Reds is literally one spot above him. Kimbrel's increased walk rate is something to keep an eye on, but expect 40-plus saves and very few hiccups.
Alex Wood, SP/RP: Wood is not only a promising young arm in his early 20s who posted a sub-3.00 ERA last year in 171 innings-he's got dual eligibility. If you miss out on the top-flight closers, view Wood as a guy you can stick in that RP spot and soak up great stats. In keeper leagues he's especially valuable. He may also be overlooked because of the depth at SP in 2015.
Shelby Miller, SP: Miller was a bit of a disappointment last season, pitching to a 10-9 record with a 3.74 ERA that was fortunate according to his advanced stats. It's always a red flag if the St. Louis Cardinals decide to deal away a young arm, and his strikeouts did dip while his walks rose. He's currently outside the Top 70 SPs though, so the risk is low and the reward is potentially quite high.
Nick Markakis, OF: Markakis is no great shakes, but his situation atop the Braves lineup is a bonus. He will be the clear cut leadoff hitter, and with a little bit of BABIP luck he could push for a .300 batting average. Atlanta's lineup was gutted this offseason, yes, but they'll still score runs and he will be the one the RBI guys are driving home. He also has a little pop, having topped 20 home runs twice in 2007 and 2008.
Sleepers
Andrelton Simmons, SS: Simmons' defensive wizardry is well-documented and thoroughly entertaining. For fantasy purposes, all that means is that Atlanta will keep trotting him out there and give him at-bats. At the plate, Simmons hasn't been worth much. He hit 17 home runs in 2013 which was promising, but he took a step back last year and hit just seven homers.
His line drive and fly ball rates are discouraging, but he is only 25 years old, so there's plenty of time and opportunity for him to improve. He's going on average at No. 284, so there's little risk in a young SS with power.
Mike Minor, SP: Minor was awful in 2014, contributing to his being outside the Top 70 at SP, the deepest position in fantasy baseball. In 147 innings he posted a 4.77 ERA and 1.44 WHIP. A lot of that can be chalked up to a high BABIP, however, since his contact rates didn't change much. In fact-he increased his ground ball rate. If he can rebound to his 2013 form-getting him for a pick in the mid-200s will be a steal.
Deep Stashes
Jose Peraza, 2B/SS: This young buck has wheels. Peraza is expected to reach MLB sometime this season, and when he does he'll be an instant source of stolen bases. He hit .335 with 35 steals in Double-A last year, and swiped 64 bags in Single-A in 2013. He appears to have very little power, but if the average and SBs can be maintained, he'll be a valuable add.
All rankings compiled by FantasyPros
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