2016 Wildcard Bluejays Team Preview

Dallas Kuechel (Hou - SP)

Summary:  It was a fairly lackluster performance last season for Wildcard Bluejays (WB) as the majority of the team struggled to consistently perform and was sabotaged by inactivity.  Still, there were some nice moments and as this teams begins to shed its veteran skin and continue to draft well, those moments could become more and more frequent.   

Offense:  Over the last couple of years, few players have been as consistent as Jose Bautista (Tor - OF), who's 40 homers, 108 Runs and 114 RBI's led the team in all three categories.  Coupling with Bautista is former-MVP Ryan Howard (Phi - 1B), who had a small resurgence last season, veteran hot corner Adrian Beltre (Tex - 3B), entering his 19th year, and fellow Ranger Josh Hamilton (Tex - OF), who will hope for another rebound in Texas.  While this foursome can be potent at times, all are 35-years-old or soon will be and are on a downward slide which should mean a "For Sale Sign" to contending teams.  That is where the old stops and the new begins.  Cubbie Kris Bryant (ChC - 3B,OF) was an excellent draftee 2 years ago and looks to be a legitimate building block moving forward as he teams with fellow-infielder Addison Russell (ChC - 2B,SS) and Francisco Lindor (Cle - SS), both past-draftees of this team.  NL East players Travis d'Arnaud (NYM - C), who will look to improve on a nice 2015 season, and Michael A. Taylor (Was - OF), a toolsy player capable of 20/20 output. After that comes prospects Yoan Moncada (Bos - 2B), arguably the best infield prospect in baseball, Hunter Renfroe (SD - OF), a fast-moving college bat, Austin Meadows (Pit - OF), a talented AA high school bat, as well as nice backup receiver in Jorge Alfaro (Phi - C), who moves to another nice offensive ballpark.  Despite its youthful presence, WB looks a starting bat short which will need to be addressed.  Offensive struggles will likely continue for this team as it moves on to the next generation and moving its vets for some more potential star power might be a nice move though careful drafting will continue to be key to this team's success. 

Pitching:  While WB's pitching staff isn't as great as it has been in the past, it does have some nice pieces including NL Cy Young Dallas Keuchel (Hou - SP).  Draftee Carlos Rondon (ChW - SP) proved to be the correct selection last season as was in-season pickup Marco Estrada (Tor - SP) who provided some valuable numbers, while World Series Champ Edison Volquez (KC - SP) figures to be a steadfast presence behind a good Kansas City offense.  The trio of young flame throwers from Toronto Marcus Stroman (Tor - SP), Aaron Sanchez (Tor - SP,RP) and Roberto Osuna (Tor - SP,RP) are all very talented but there is some uncertainty regarding Stroman's health, if Sanchez will close or start which in turn puts Osuna in flux. JO Berrios (Min - SP) looks poised is contribute this season though the same may not be said about Danny Hultzen (Sea - SP), who has been removed from the Yahoo database.  Relievers Huston Street (LAA - RP) is slotted to close as is Sean Doolittle (Oak - RP) but it remains to be seen how healthy he is after missing most of last season.  Rule-5 pick Yovani Gallardo has yet to sign a contract but it will likely be with a contender, virtually cementing him being retained.  Evansville University lefty Kyle Freeland (Col - SP) should move quickly and remains a very good prospect.  Much of the success of these arms will depend on the situation in Toronto and if Keuchel can repeat his unpredicted success. Yet, adding some talent here, both in the rotation and bullpen, wouldn't hurt anything. 

Draft:  If WB needed a shortstop for the future, this would be a great year to draft 1st overall. Unfortunately, this team already has two of the best young shortstops in the game with Russell and Lindor which leaves it searching for a worthy selection.  If WB doesn't trade down, which might be the smartest move, selecting Andrew Benintendi (Bos - OF), who tore up the minors last season, Blake Snell (TB - SP), likely the most ready top pitching prospect available, or Anderson Espinosa (Bos - SP), many herald him as the next #1 pitching prospect in baseball but won't be 18 until this March. 

Prediction:
RD 1: Andrew Benintendi (Bos - OF) - Under-sized though many consider him a Trout-esque type player
RD 2: Byung-ho Park (Min - 1B) - Big power potential, WB needs a starting bat now and could replace Howard
RD 3: Dexter Fowler (ChC - OF) - Not a perfect player but 20/20 potential is nothing to sneeze at
RD 4: Amir Garrett (Cin - SP) - Former-Rutgers basketball player now focusing entirely on baseball
RD 5: Touki Toussaint (Atl - SP) - Has great stuff and showed it on new team late last season
RD 6: Yovani Gallardo (Min - SP) - R5 Keeper

Prospect Draft:
RD 1: Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. (Tor - OF) -  Stuntin' like his daddy, huge power bat!
RD 2: Michael Kopech (Bos - SP) - Big arm coming into his own with prototypical frame 
RD 3: Ryne Stanek (TB - SP) -  Keeper

2015 Semper Ubi Sub Ubi Team Preview

Evan Longoria (TB - 3B)

Summary:   Semper Ubi Sub Ubi (SUSU) was a surprise contender last season as it suffered some down season from players that are capable of better numbers.  The team lacks power potential and features a fairly large gap in pitching.  If those problems are addressed, look for SUSU to continue its contending ways.

Offense:  SUSU's offense is led by the diminutive though productive 2B Jose Altuve.  Altuve was on the market during the last preseason but SUSU decided against trading him and that decision turned out to be a good one as Altuve managed 56 SB and .341 batting average and ranked as the 5th best player in the game in 2014.  After Altuve, things get a little more lackluster with the surprising OF JD Martinez and 3B Evan Longoria, who is consistent but hasn't up put star numbers.  Speedster outfielders Billy Hamilton and Bret Gardner represents some of the best speed potential in the game while super-utility man 2B/SS/OF Ben Zobrist remains a valuable asset despite finding himself on a new team this season.  Disappointments OF Jay Bruce as well as SS Jean Segura will need to rebound to 2013 numbers for SUSU to continue to be a contender and WS Champ Brandon Belt will need to get better in order to remain rosterable.  Youngsters C Mike Zunino, OF Domonic Brown and OF Jorge Soler remain impressively talented and will be counted to tap into that talent at some point this season.  Prospects OF Clint Frazier and OF Raimel Tapia had nice minor league seasons and are must holds moving forward.  SUSU will need more than most to go right in order to remain productive as it will be hard to count on a guy like Martinez while the the likes of Bruce and Segura squander. Speed is not an issue for this team though power may be as no player registered more than Longoria 91 RBIs last season.  Potentially finding some power potential and getting some insurance at 3B and potentially hedging its bets at catcher with someone like Christian Betancourt (Atl - C), JT Realmuto (Mia - C) or Kevin Plawecki (NYM - C) might be smart here.

Pitching:  Going into the season, no pitcher is hotter than ace and WS MVP Madison Bumgarner but after the lefty SUSU's next best starter was Danny Duffy last season.  The team's most likely next best pitcher is flamethrower Andrew Cashner but his injury history hampers that projection.  Starters Michael Wacha and Chris Archer would likely be the next arms in line though Wacha experienced a decent sophomore slump while Archer did improve his K/9 ratio.  Speaking of K/9 ratio, teammate Jake Odorizzi and his 9.3 K's per game cemented him as a keeper though youngsters Rubby De La Rosa and UK alum James Paxton will need to step it up in the new season.  SUSU possesses some of the best relievers in the game with closers Mark Melancon, Addison Reed and Kenley Jansen, who is now out 8 to 12 weeks as he recovers from foot surgery.  Prospect Tyler Glasnow is close to being big league ready and the lack of legit starters makes Rule-5 selection Kohl Stewart a likely must keep.  As previously mentioned, after Bumgarner the rest of SUSU's starters fail in comparison which doesn't bode well.  Finding high-caliber arms on contending teams or those on the cusp of production will be key to SUSU's future success or failure.

Draft:  SUSU often demonstrates the strategy of drafting the best player available (BPA) and tends to learn towards players that are close rather than those it might wait on to be big league ready.  With that being said, this team will likely still have to choose between addressed it apparent lack of power and its lack of pitching.  Look for SUSU to address the rare power player in that scenario and try its best to fill its pitching holes later through other avenues.

Prediction:
RD 1:  Steven Souza (TB - OF) - New starter is an intriguing power/speed combo at 6'4/225
RD 2:  Brett Cecil (Tor - RP) - Currently the potential Toronto closer
RD 3:  AJ Cole (Was - SP) - Proved to be ready for MLB, all he needs is an opportunity
RD 4:  Braxton Davidson (Atl - OF) - 2014 1st RD pick has highly projectable frame and bat
RD 5:  Kohl Stewart (Min - SP) - R5 Keeper
RD 6:  Raimel Tapia (Col - OF) - Keeper

Prospect Draft:
RD 1:  Renato Nunez (Oak - 3B) - Hit 29 HRs last season, arguably best 3B prospect available
RD 2:  Amed Rosario (NYM - SS) - Mets just waiting on him to progress before calling him up
RD 3:  Monte Harrison (Mil - OF) - 2014 draftee with true 5-tool ability as he matures

2015 Third Day Team Preview

Zack Wheeler (NYM - SP)

Summary:  A lot of things went wrong for Third Day's (TD) players last season but some surprising play from some unlikely sources will make this team fun to watch. On top of all that, if the youth of this team comes through then this team could really be something to see going forward.

Offense:  To be honest, TD's offense probably should have been better last year as it is fairly
talented but was inconsistent.  Outfielder Adam Jones and 1B Victor Martinez were head and shoulders the best bats on the team with new Blue Jay three-bagger Josh Donaldson and 20/20 Brian Dozier, who continues to surprise, as likely the next best.  Martinez, the 7th best player overall in 2014, has since torn his meniscus and will miss 4 to 8 weeks, making him questionable for the start of the season. On top of that, Martinez loses catcher eligibility this season and is 36 year-old.  After those four, the next highest ranked bat is catcher Jonathan Lucroy at 104 overall, which isn't to say this team is lacking talent.  First baseman Billy Butler and  OF Jason Heyward find themselves on new teams though they and 2B Jason Kipnis failed to build on past potential while 1B/3B Chris Davis suffered an untimely suspension for Adderall use and the talented SS/2B Jurickson Profar missed last season opting against shoulder surgery but is now slated to have surgery and could miss all of 2015.  Amazingly, the versatile SS/OF Danny Santana 6th best offensive player last year while fellow Twin OF Oswaldo Arcia may of had a power breakout in 2014. Arismendy Alcantara looks more like a future utility guy while on the Cubs though 3B Jake Lamb may or not start the season in the majors but along with Raul Mondesi, Jr. and uber-prospect Byron Buxton remain very talented.  If Jones and Donaldson repeat, TD's offensive hopes seems to swing on the output of Heyward, Kipnis, Butler, Profar, and Davis while Martinez heals.  Dealing the aging and now hurt Martinez to a contender might be a smart move and a potential steal though the risk might outweigh the return.  Still, there is a lot to like here and age doesn't seem to be an issue, minus Martinez.

Pitching:  Like it's offense, the pieces are there for TD to have a successful staff if all goes right.  The dynamic Chris Sale remains amongst the top AL arms, NL ROY Jacob deGrom looks poised to avoid a sophomore slump while fellow Mets teammate Zack Wheeler has all the talent as long as he is healthy.  Pitcher Shelby Miller partly suffered the aforementioned sophomore slump last season but will look to correct that on the Braves.  The biggest bump in the road is Tyler Skaggs, who will be out all season and will have to face TJ surgery but that losses would be lightened if the likes of the underrated Henry Owens finds himself in Boston, top draft talent and TJ surgery healer Lucas Giolito debuts in Washington, and Arizona bound Archie Bradley find themselves pitching in the majors this season.  The gambles continue with TD's relievers Ken Giles and Kevin Quackenbush who are currently closers in waiting but are seemingly on the cusp of closing.  Getting some help from some quality MLB pitching while it waits on the great arms of Owens, Giolito, and Bradley would help this team, which makes Rule-5 pick Anibal Sanchez a fairly safe keep.  Also, the possible ascension of Giles and Quackenbush to 9th inning duties would surely help as well.

Draft:  With the 2nd overall pick in both drafts, it will be smart to presume TD goes high upside with many of its picks while some slight lean towards pitching.  Assuming Carlos Rodon is previously selected, the young Texas flamethrower Tyler Kolek would be a logical selection with the 2nd pick. If offense is the choice, OF Alex Jackson, SS Nick Gordon and Korean SS Jung-ho Kang as potential options.

Prediction:
RD 1:  Tyler Kolek (Mia - SP) - See above (Josh Beckett clone?), scored an 80 fastball from BA
RD 2:  Michael Taylor (Was - OF) - Many are calling him a big sleeper and is very projectable
RD 3:  Bradley Zimmer (Cle - OF) - Nice pedigree and college bat should move quickly
RD 4:  Jake Marisnick (Hou - OF) - Physical specimen came on late last year, nice ballpark
RD 5:  Anibal Sanchez (Det - SP) - R5 Keeper on good team will help solidify young staff
RD 6:  Henry Owens (Bos - SP) - Keeper

Prospect Draft:
RD 1: Nomar Mazara (Tex - OF) - Likely the best bat available and hard to pass on
RD 2: Gilbert Lara (Mil - 3B) - Projectable international signee with Juan Gonzalez comparisons
RD 3: Andy Ibanez (FA - 2B) - Cuban import may become the best 2B prospect in the game

2015 Wildcard Bluejays Team Preview

Matt Cain (SF - SP)

Summary:  Wildcard Bluejays (WB) spent the majority of last season stuck in rebuilding mode and that trend looks to continue in 2015. Aging veterans remain a mainstay on this team and potential clog as it awaits a youthful rejuvenation that may partly arrive as-soon-as this season.

Offense:  WB's 2014 team offense was almost solely led by slugger 1B/OF Jose Bautista, who had a nice bounce back season and was the team's only 100 RBI bat.  Bautista (age 34) joins faded stars 1B Ryan Howard (age 35), 2B Chase Utley (age 36) and 3B Adrian Beltre (age 36) as the former nucleus of the this once dominant aging team.  Howard was somewhat productive last season but is a shell of his former self and led the league in strikeouts. Fellow Phillies teammate Utley remains rosterable but was not impressive and its unlikely both he and Howard play more than 150 games again this season.  Utley and seventeen-year vet Beltre are both in contract years which may help in the short-term but both are in the twilight of their great careers with Beltre the better of the two.  With his apparent relapse, the storybook tale of OF Josh Hamilton is close to being over as his 32 year-old body has not aged well though when healthy he can be quite good and AL champ OF Alex Gordon (age 31) probably has a few more years of fantasy production.  Catcher Travis D'Arnaud passed his 1st test of full-season action though the same cannot be said of 1B Jon Singleton who will need to improve.  The good news for this team is that there is some help waiting in the wings.  Shortstops Francisco Lindor and Addison Russell remain highly talented and close to the majors with the possibility that Lindor starts the season on the opening day roster.  Prospect backstop Jorge Alfaro remains a talented asset, 2B Eddie Rosario looks to be the logical heir to Utley and young outfielders Hunter Renfroe as well as Austin Meadows ooz upside.  The team's biggest boon is 3B Kris Bryant, who many see as the #1 prospect in baseball, could make an impact this season.  Rule-5 Draftee 1B/OF Chris Carter and his power figure to be valuable going forward and likely a must keep with Howard and Singleton as question marks.  If all goes well, Bryant and Lindor start the season as opening day starters.  If not, WB will need to acquire a vet shortstop like JJ Hardy or Jhonny Peralta to keep Lindor's seat warm and rely on Beltre at least one more year while moving on from Howard or potentially Utley in a trade.

Pitching:  Like this team's offense, its pitching staff has seen better days though it has a better chance at a rebound.  At age 36, Cliff Lee's best days are likely behind him as he couldn't stay healthy last season though he still has some value in the open market.  WS champ Matt Cain still has ace potential but was injured for much of last season.  Jarrod Parker is recovering from TJ Surgery and is on target for a mid-season return while new Red Sox hurler Rick Porcello remains a capable counterpart to a potentially healthy Cain.  Dallas Keuchel was one of the brighter stories from 2014 and both Bluejays Aaron Sanchez and Marcus Stroman proved to be talented in relief and starting, which Sanchez as a potential closing candidate.  Young arms Eddie Butler and  Danny Hultzen should finally have a full-season this year with the same possibility of JO Berrios, who was excellent in the minors last season.  The selection of Dan Haren (34) over Wily Peralta (25) and his 17 wins as keeper is somewhat controversial though Haren might yet prove valuable.  If Sanchez doesn't close, Huston Street remains the team's only closer which will leave WB looking for relief help.  Trading Lee would help this team some and a good seasons from Cain and Porcello would go a long way.

Draft:  Armed with the 1st overall picks in both drafts, WB has some excellent options.  NC State ace Carlos Rondon is likely the strongest selection here with HS arm Tyler Kolek (Mia - SP) a close second.  On the offensive side, Cuban Yasmany Tomas (Ari - 3B,OF) might be a good selection as could be Nick Gordon (Min - SS) and Alex Jackson (Sea - OF).

Prediction:
RD 1:  Carlos Rodon (ChW - SP) - Already MLB ready and a potential ace in the making
RD 2:  Dalton Pompey (Tor - OF) - MLB ready top of the order hitter with a lot of speed
RD 3:  Manuel Margot (Bos - OF) - Speedy slick-fielding outfielder with some nice pop
RD 4:  Chris Carter (Hou-1B,OF) - R5 Keeper hit 37 homers last year and is a good fit for this team
RD 5:  Hunter Renfroe (SD - OF) - Keeper
RD 6:  JO Berrios (Min - SP) - Keeper

Prospect Draft:
RD 1: Yoan Moncada (TBA - SS) - The Cuban import is too talented to pass up in any draft
RD 2: Derek Fisher (Hou - OF) - Like Renfroe, a fast moving southern college bat
RD 3: Ryne Stanek (TB - SP) - Keeper

2015 Hair of the Dog Fred Team Preview

Prince Fielder (Tex - 1B)

Summary:  After a brief hiatus, Hair of the Dog Fred (HODF) has returned to the league and he has come back at a good time.  This is the likely the start of the teams believed to be bonafide contenders in 2015.

Offense:  HODF features a fairly balanced offense in terms of power and speed.  Leading the way is 40 homer beast Nelson Cruz who had his beast season as a 33-year-old and speedster SS Jose Reyes.  Veterans SS Jimmy Rollins, 1B David Ortiz as well as OF Michael Cuddyer continue to defy father time and should have a little bit left in the tank.  Ortiz's heir apparent 1B Paul Goldschmidt had a good season considering his injuries while contemporary 1B Prince Fielder suffered a season ending injury, which makes his presence a potential difference maker this season.  Utility man 2B/3B/OF Josh Harrison likely had a career year last season that will be hard to repeat though 3B David Wright has undergone a severe power outage this is concerning and the same thing could be said about 1B/OF Mark Trumbo.  Cuban import Leonys Martin represents an intriguing skill set of speed and pop while tease 2B/3B Brett Lawrie and C Miguel Montero find themselves on new teams.  Rule-5 pick C Wilin Rosario, who is rumored to get time at 1B, is a fine pick as is playing the wait-and-see game on 2B/SS Wilmer Flores.  HODF's offense is capable of holding its own and will have to do just that.  While there is a large veteran footprint on this team and some potential slumps, all seem to be worthy at this point but counting on them too much could be dangerous.

Pitching:  Armed with aces Johnny Cueto and Jon Lester, HODF forms a very viable duo atop the rotation with ace in name only RA Dickey continuing to be serviceable.  Gio Gonzalez, an ace on many teams, looks to build on his impressive 2014 season while Jose Quintana and Roenis Elias are interesting options to hold onto until something better comes around.  Starters Kris Medlen, who has a new team, and AJ Griffin will only be available during the 2nd half of the season so that will limit HODF's potential starting off.  Prospect Matt Wisler has risen up rankings and the potential of pitching in San Diego can go a long way.  While HODF does roster two relievers, Joe Nathan's leash is shorter than its ever been and Dellin Betances, who has competition for 9th inning duties, has not been guaranteed the closing gig.  HODF has a lot of talent atop of the rotation but is limited in its overall production so adding some more sure bets would be smart.

Draft:  With most of the top prospects likely gone, HODF would likely look to select player that will help it contend now rather than later.  Relievers Joe Nathan and Dellin Betances are not sure things as closer but Luke Gregerson (SD - RP) firmly has a grip of the closer job in Houston.  Outfielders Michael Taylor (Was - OF) and Dalton Pompey (Tor - OF) might also be possible picks.  Look for HODF to look a potential prospect selections later in the draft.

Prediction:
RD 1:  Luke Gregerson (Hou - RP) - Questions at closer make him a nice selection here
RD 2:  Melky Cabrera (ChW - OF) - Forgotten bat that can really produce for a contender
RD 3:  Brandon Nimmo (NYM - OF) - Young prospect bat is starting to grow up
RD 4:  Aaron Blair (Ari - SP) - Big college righty moving quickly with nice K:9 ratio
RD 5:  Michael Gettys (SD - OF) - Projectable HS bat with an advanced approach
RD 6:  Wilin Rosario (Col - C) - R5 Keeper

Prospect Draft:
RD 1:  Kodi Medeiros (Mil - SP) - 12th pick in draft, hard throwing HS lefty should only get better
RD 2:  Austin Wilson (Sea - OF) -  Keeper
RD 3:  Dorssys Paulino (Cle - SS) - Keeper

2015 Mexico City Aztecs Team Preview

Javier Baez (ChC - SS,2B)

Summary:

Offense:  MEX's team is led by prime slugger OF Giancarlo Stanton, who if not for a gruesome facial injury likely would have been the NL MVP last season.  All-Star SS Troy Tulowitzki was also on pace to be NL MVP before a hip injury ended his season early while fellow teammate OF Carlos Gonzalez's season was also cut short by a knee injury though both have superstar ability.  Former-MVPs OF Ryan Braun and 1B Joey Votto both were never 100% last season and it showed though another former-MVP in 1B Justin Morneau had a rejuvenated season on way to the 2014 NL batting title.  AL Champion catcher Salvador Perez was a Top 10 player at his position, backup Alcides Escobar was the 5th best shortstop in the game, and OF Lorenzo Cain had a breakout campaign.  Veteran 3B Aramis Ramirez at age 36 remains a productive player when active while his heir apparent 3B Nick Castellanos will need to improve before taking the reigns.  Cuban OF Rusney Castillo remains an intriguing but unproven asset and the inconsistent yet talented 2B/SS Javier Baez could be a bust or boom player. Prospects SS Carlos Correa is recovering from a broken leg but remains a phenom and OF Josh Bell possess attractive power potential. While this group of bats is very capable, they have failed to stay healthy when it matters.  With the volatility of Baez, adding a reliable 2B would be advantageous though one never knows when of MEX's stars will go down.

Pitching:  The pitching staff of MEX is led by former Cy Young award winner Felix Hernandez who at age 28 has a lot more bullets in the gun.  Fellow Cy Young award winner Zack Greinke remains very productive while starter Jared Weaver remains a worthy #1.  The electric arms of Yordano Ventura Carlos Martinez, though not the biggest guys, should both be members of their respective rotations while lefty Alex Wood should also be in the rotation as well as off his innings limit this season.  2014 Rule-5 pick Lance Lynn was a smart keeper last season and MEX is hoping Clay Buchholtz can repeat past performances as he is just a year removed from being an All-Star.  Hurler Yovani Gallardo finds himself on a new team which may influence his stats somewhat while prospects Robert Stephenson and Alex Reyes work on their crafts in the minors for likely the majority of the season.  Closer Neftali Feliz should be good to go in the 9th inning though reliever Francisco Rodriguez has yet to sign with a team, either to setup or close, and him getting closing duties is paramount.  There is a lot to like regarding MEX starters and the gamble on Buchholtz seems worth the cost.  The real weakness in this staff looks to be its lack of closers which will need to be remedied.

Draft:  While there are not a ton of holes here, there are some including the lack of proven closers as well as depth at second base.  This does not mean that these issues will be addressed in the draft but if potential candidates fall they may get scooped up.

2015 Jackie Treehorn Team Preview

Matt Garza (Mil - SP)

Summary:  Jackie Treehorn (JT) had its best regular season in league history though it was unable to claim another championship as it upset in the semi-finals.  Still, there is a lot to like about this team as it propensity of getting numbers from some surprising sources.  Look for JT to continue its contending ways moving forward.  

Offense:  JT's offense is led by Cuban masher 1B Jose Abreu, who was the team's bounty in the 1st round of last season's pre-season draft. Outfielders Carlos Gomez and Charlie Blackmon are borderline 20/20+ candidates with some question on wether Blackmon will be able to repeat.  World Series champ C/1B Buster Posey ranks amongst top catchers and 3B Kyle Seager was one of the most improved players in the league last season.  Speedster OF Ben Revere was a Top 70 fantasy talent while fellow-outfielder Kole Calhoun was a borderline Top 100 talent last season. Infielders SS Starlin Castro and 2B Kolten Wong both had creditable seasons with Wong ending the year on a high note.  First basemen Eric Hosmer, who is better than he played last season and just signed an extension, as well as 1B Matt Adams, who now has 1B all to himself for the full-season while catcher Matt Wieters works to recover from TJ surgery.  Prospect Mookie Betts was excellent in his 1st MLB trial but will likely lose 2B eligibility next season as he is slated to be in a outfield.  Aside from Abreu and maybe Gomez, there isn't a ton of star power here though Seager might enter that tier at some point.  Finding of drafting some insurance at shortstop and third base might be smart avenues.

Pitching:  Ace Adam Wainwright is the obvious anchor of JT's pitching staff with Jeff Samardzija, who will be pitching for his third team in two years, as logical next best.  Hurlers Homer Bailey and Matt Garza need to once again pitch to their talents while the surprising Matt Shoemaker remains unlikely to repeat last year's crazy success.  Like Samardzija, starter Ervin Santana finds himself on a new team this season while youngster Tyson Ross finally tapped into his impressive potential with his 9.0 K/9 ratio.  Rule-5 pick Mike Fiers is a possible keeper and prospect arm Alex Meyer is very close to contributing on a MLB basis which will be a nice boon for this team.  JT also features some nice closers in Greg Holland, Hector Rondon and Joaquín Benoit which should help contend in saves on a weekly basis.  JT's pitchign staff has some nice highlights and rosters some capable inning eaters but adding a few MLB worthy arms would benefit this team greatly.

Draft:  With the inconsistency of Castro from year-to-year, drafting someone like Jung-ho Kang (Pit - SS) with the final pick in the 1st RD makes a lot of sense as he is slated to start from day 1 and has the power potential worthy of investment.  If Kang is not the selection, Tim Anderson (ChW - SS), Michael Taylor (Tor - OF), Dalton Pompey (Tor - OF) or arms Kyle Freeland (Col - SP) and Touki Toussaint (Ari - SP) might be possible picks here.

Prediction:
RD 1:  Jung-ho Kang (Pit - SS) - Korean import playing SS right away and intriguing power potential
RD 2:  Justin Masterson (Bos - SP) - Playing for a contender, year removed from an All-Star season
RD 3:  Kendry Morales (KC - 1B) - Healthy, powerful and received big contract from AL Champs
RD 4:  Brandon Finnegan (KC - RP) - 2014 1st RD draftee made impact in majors, future starter
RD 5:  Eduardo Rodriguez (Bos - SP) - Projectable lefty prospect with a good future for Red Sox
RD 6:  Mike Fiers (Mil - SP) - R5 Keeper

Prospect Draft:
RD 1:  Yoan Lopez (Ari - SP) - New Cuban signee throws hard and should move quickly to majors
RD 2:  Adam Walker (Min - OF) - Keeper
RD 3:  Mitch Nay (Tor - 3B) - Keeper