2015 Batter Profiles: C

Asdrubal Cabrera

Debut: 2007 |  BirthDate: 11/13/1985 | Team: Rays | Position: 2B/SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 562 123 14 9 64 66 .242 .299 .402 .307 -6.3 -7.7 0.5
’14 616 133 14 10 61 74 .241 .307 .387 .308 0.7 -4.1 1.7
’15 601 132 14 8 61 65 .244 .310 .383 .307 0.6 -5.5 1.6

Profile: As someone who watched most every game Asdrubal Cabrera played in an Indians uniform, I can admit there’s nary a player more frustrating to watch to me. But Cabrera is a better fantasy option than real life, because his bat is actually pretty decent for a middle infielder. He might be more likely to hit 10 homers than match the 25 he put up in 2011, but the power is still good for the position. An early debut perhaps makes Cabrera seem older than he is, but he’s still just 29 and projects as something like a league-average hitter moving forward, which you can live with up the middle. Cabrera has kept the power up by hitting more fly balls each of the last two years, but he’s also moving to a notorious pitcher’s park in Tampa Bay. He might take a playing time cut in his new home in Tampa Bay, if the team needs to look past their one-year stopgap at some point in the season. (August Fagerstrom)

Quick Opinion: Cabrera isn’t a great real-life shortstop, which is why he won’t be playing much more shortstop moving forward, but he’ll qualify at both positions up the middle and actually has a pretty decent bat for the position(s). That being said, he chased more bad pitches than ever last year, and his new fly-ball heavy approach may not be suited for Tampa Bay. You probably don’t want him to start for you in fantasy, but you could do worse, and he’s a solid backup for either position.


Melky Cabrera

Debut: 2005 |  BirthDate: 8/11/1984 | Team: White Sox | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 372 96 3 2 30 39 .279 .322 .360 .303 -9.2 -11.5 -0.9
’14 621 171 16 6 73 81 .301 .351 .458 .354 16.0 -12.1 2.6
’15 624 164 15 6 68 78 .288 .341 .432 .340 9.9 -13.5 1.8

Profile: Melky Cabrera signing with the White Sox just seems right: an enigmatic player signing with an enigmatic team full of enigmas. Or something. Cabrera saved his career with a comeback performance for the Royals in 2011, was a monster for two-thirds of a season in San Francisco in 2012 during which he also got suspended for violating the league’s drug policy, signed with Toronto prior to 2013, which was as disaster season on the field and shortened by injuries related to some sort of tumor. Then in 2014, he came back for another good season. It is tempting to just throw out that bizarre 2013 season, but we can’t. Or can we? His 2014 rates look roughly similar like his 2012 rates without the insanely lucky batting average on balls in play. Indeed, his strikeout and home run on contact rates were even better. Cabrera is 30 now, and even leaving mysterious injury and PED concerns aside, he is on the downswing of his career. He has clearly lost a step or two in the field, and though fielding is not usually a fantasy concerning, it does indicate a decline in his athleticism. However, Cabrera still does what he does well: walk just enough, hit for slightly above-average power, and most of all, get the bat on the ball. Getting .290/.340/.430 with about 15 homers and five steals is decent for a corner outfielder these days. Think of Cabrera as a poor man’s Alex Gordon in fantasy. (Matt Klaassen)

Quick Opinion: After a terrible and injury-ravaged 2013, Melky Cabrera got back to his old tricks at the plate in 2014: a few walks, some homers, and making contact. There is some risk given his past, but even the 30-year-old Melky is a starting outfielder in all but the deepest leagues, even if he is not a fantasy star.


Miguel Cabrera

Debut: 2003 |  BirthDate: 4/18/1983 | Team: Tigers | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 652 193 44 3 137 103 .348 .442 .636 .455 63.7 -14.8 7.6
’14 685 191 25 1 109 101 .313 .371 .524 .384 36.0 -9.2 5.4
’15 655 181 32 2 106 97 .317 .394 .557 .408 44.5 -14.6 5.6

Profile: Few players in baseball are talented enough to mask debilitating injury with their big bat, but that is exactly what Miguel Cabrera did in 2014. His weighted offensive numbers rate 2014 as his worst since 2009 — he owned a 147 wRC+ compared to 176 wRC+ over the previous four years. His isolated power was the lowest mark since he was a 20-year old rookie in Miami. He failed to crack the 30 home run plateau for the first time since 2006. And yet he still ranked in the top 10 among all qualified hitters for wRC+, despite limping around all year on an ankle injury that might prevent him from suiting up on Opening Day. The two-time MVP limped around on an injury requiring extensive off-season surgery and was still one of the best hitters in the game. But what about next year? Does a repaired ankle make him the Miggy of old? Headed into his age-32 season, it is entirely possible that he won’t bounce all the way back to Triple Crown winner/best bat in the game, but there is no reason to expect anything less than 30 homers and a .320/.400/.550 type season. Luckily, the descent from the peak takes an awful long time when you have so far to travel. (Drew Fairservice)

Quick Opinion: When your “injury-ravaged” season still puts you among the elite hitters in the game — Miguel Cabrera still provides reason for optimism when it comes to a 2015 bounce back season.


Everth Cabrera

Debut: 2009 |  BirthDate: 11/17/1986 | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 435 108 4 37 31 54 .283 .355 .381 .329 13.0 3.2 3.1
’14 391 83 3 18 20 36 .232 .272 .300 .257 -12.9 -0.6 -0.2
’15 547 123 5 30 38 59 .250 .311 .335 .291 -7.7 1.9 1.2

Profile: It would appear that Cabrera’s 2013 breakout may have had quite a bit to do with the PED suspension that cut the season short for him. Last year he saw his batting average drop more than 50 points, and he stole half as many bases in roughly the same amount of plate appearances. That could be why he was non-tendered by San Diego and has yet to be signed as of this writing. It’s possible he lands in a situation where he gets some playing time, and he could be a cheap source of speed if that happens. But at this point it seems that Cabrera’s value may have been incredibly short-lived. (Brett Talley)

Quick Opinion: Returning from a drug suspension that cut short his 2013 season, Cabrera was wildly disappointing in 2014. He was non-tendered by the Padres and had not been signed elsewhere as of this writing.


Lorenzo Cain

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 4/13/1986 | Team: Royals | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 442 100 4 14 46 54 .251 .310 .348 .291 -10.1 20.3 2.7
’14 502 142 5 28 53 55 .301 .339 .412 .330 11.4 16.8 4.9
’15 584 143 8 21 55 60 .267 .315 .377 .307 -2.6 8.4 2.7

Profile: Cain was finally healthy and put of the season which people having been expecting for while with a .301 AVG, 5 HR and 28 SB. While not great, it is serviceable, especially the stolen bases. With another full season of playing time, he could see 8-10 HR, 25 SB and .275 AVG. He is going to be in the four or fifth tier of unappreciated outfielders with the likes of Yelich, Crisp and De Aza. These players with good speed and AVG, but non-zero power seem to be great undervalued assets. Cain does have a couple of marks against him. He doesn’t walk much (6% on career), so his value in OBP won’t be as high. Additionally the lack of power worries me. His near ~5% HR/FB over the past two seasons is pretty pedestrian.

Quick Opinion: Lorenzo Cain finally broke out in 2014 because of improved health and opportunity. If healthy, he should produce the same in 2015 with my only concern being a lack of power.


Kole Calhoun

Debut: 2012 |  BirthDate: 10/14/1987 | Team: Angels | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 222 55 8 2 32 29 .282 .347 .462 .351 8.2 -4.8 1.2
’14 537 134 17 5 58 90 .272 .325 .450 .341 15.4 0.3 3.6
’15 634 150 19 9 68 81 .263 .324 .428 .332 13.1 -5.6 3.1

Profile: Former Angel catcher/outfielder Brian Downing was notable in his era for recording the majority of his plate appearances as a leadoff hitter despite possessing more in the way of on-base skills and power than footspeed. Twenty-plus years after the latter’s retirement, Calhoun has inherited Downing’s (metaphorical, not literal) mantle. To wit: in 2014, Calhoun made 103 of his 112 starts in the leadoff spot. Indications are he’ll reprise that same role in 2015. Indications are <i>also</i> that, while he’ll probably exhibit only average-ish on-base skills, that he’ll produce an above-average offensive line overall thanks to his above-average power. As is the case with other Angel batters, Calhoun’s raw numbers will continue to understate his actual offensive value because of his home park. Also, he’s a candidate to lose some starts when the Angels face tough left handers. Ultimately, however, he’s a top-10 major-league right fielder — one originally drafted in the eighth round and signed for just $36 thousand, representing an enormous return on the Angels’ initial investment. (Carson Cistulli)

Quick Opinion: Formerly an eighth-round pick who signed for the baseball equivalent of zero dollars, Calhoun has developed into the Angels’ second-best outfielder. He might not face every lefty, but he’ll have starter-type playing time otherwise.


Alberto Callaspo

Debut: 2006 |  BirthDate: 4/19/1983 | Team: Braves | Position: 2B/DH
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 516 117 10 0 58 52 .258 .333 .369 .312 -5.9 -5.2 0.6
’14 451 90 4 0 39 37 .223 .290 .290 .264 -19.2 -5.7 -1.1
’15 541 120 8 3 48 48 .250 .324 .350 .303 -6.5 -3.1 0.7

Profile: Outside of a 12th inning RBI hit in the American League wild card game, Alberto Callaspo had a rather forgettable 2014 season. He managed to gather 451 plate appearances, while hitting 32% worse than league average. Now an Atlanta Brave, expect Callaspo to see time at both second and third base, as well as the occasional first base appearance. Don’t expect him to carry the Braves or a fantasy team, however. (David Wiers)


Tony Campana

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 5/30/1986 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 54 12 0 8 0 10 .261 .370 .304 .313 1.1 -1.7 0.1
’14 76 14 0 4 5 10 .187 .197 .227 .189 -7.0 -3.3 -0.9
’15 136 30 0 7 10 12 .235 .282 .293 .259 -5.4 -0.9 -0.2

Profile: “This is the tale, of Tony Campana,” is a statement that rhymes with something once sung by Lonely Island. As measured by wins above replacement, Campana was some kind of disaster last season. The no-power lefty has the speed and athleticism to snag 25 or 50 plate appearances a year, but he’s best viewed as a pinch runner. Fantasy owners might target him for a waiver wire steal or two late in the season. (Brad Johnson)

Quick Opinion: Campana has seemingly cemented his role as a pure pinch runner. Without power or superlative defense, he’ll mostly be used as a 28th man.


Eric Campbell

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 4/9/1987 | Team: Mets | Position: 1B/3B/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 211 50 3 3 16 16 .263 .322 .358 .305 -1.2 -0.5 0.5
’15 245 51 4 3 22 23 .236 .315 .344 .298 -2.2 -4.3 0.1

Profile: Eric Campbell is the slightly younger and slightly better Josh Satin whose position flexibility could ensure him a bench role, but his minor league splits present less batted ball luck against righties. Still, it’s been said the Mets are looking for a right-handed outfield bat, and Campbell is capable against lefties and can back up David Wright on the days the Mets captain needs a rest. Keeping in mind that Campbell was in the Pacific Coast League (PCL), it is still impressive that he was able to maintain walk rates that actually equaled or surpassed his strikeout rates for two straight Triple-A seasons. On the other side of the equation, his Isolated slugging percentage in the PCL was only just above the league average, but 40 points below the other PCL players that showed a .375+ weighted on-base average. (Dan Schwartz)

Quick Opinion: Deep NL-only leagues that use on-base percentage as a category — these are the leagues in which Campbell *may* be an asset this year.


Robinson Cano

Debut: 2005 |  BirthDate: 10/22/1982 | Team: Mariners | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 681 190 27 7 107 81 .314 .383 .516 .384 30.6 2.5 6.0
’14 665 187 14 10 82 77 .314 .382 .454 .361 28.8 -2.4 5.2
’15 646 171 18 6 82 81 .295 .360 .461 .355 22.4 3.9 5.2

Profile: Robinson Cano’s first season away from the New York Yankees was a successful one, though certain aspects of the superstar’s game didn’t make their way to Seattle with him. A former Home Run Derby champion who averaged 28 homers a year in his last five seasons in pinstripes, Cano hit just 14 ding-dongs in his first year as a Mariner, and hit the fewest doubles since his 2008 campaign; Cano maintained a .314 batting average, however, turning some of those doubles and dongers into singles. With his power diminished, he was merely a very good fantasy second baseman last year instead of a superstar, finishing sixth in his position and 30th overall in standard mixed league value. Cano’s slugging percentage was actually better in Safeco field last season than it was on the road, so it’s hard to attribute the left-handers loss of power simply to a less-than-helpful change of scenery; instead, it simply could be a product of age, or even just a bit of a fluke season. If Cano can regain some of his pop and hit even 20 homers, he won’t be back amongst the elite, but he will jump back into the top 24. Cano isn’t worth a first round pick anymore, but he’s worthy of consideration in the second, especially if your league employs a Middle Infield slot. (Zach Sanders)

Quick Opinion: Cano lost some of his power last season, and his home/road splits suggest it wasn’t due to Safeco field. Cano isn’t a first rounder anymore, but he should go off the board by the end of the second.


Mike Carp

Debut: 2009 |  BirthDate: 6/30/1986 | Position: 1B/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 243 64 9 1 43 34 .296 .362 .523 .382 11.3 -7.9 1.2
’14 149 22 0 0 13 11 .175 .289 .230 .248 -9.1 -0.6 -0.5
’15 68 15 2 0 8 7 .246 .316 .403 .319 0.1 -1.5 0.1

Profile: In 2013, Carp was a key component of the World Champion Red Sox. Sure, a .385 batting average on balls in play carried his strong offensive performance, but there was reason to believe he could remain a potent platoon hitter. The 2014 season featured what you might jokingly call over-regression. His BABIP slumped to .227 and his isolated slugging percentage quartered from .227 to .056. Some team will give him a chance to earn a job as a left-handed bench bat. While we shouldn’t expect a repeat of 2013, there’s a chance he can provide a few waiver wire starts to fantasy owners. (Brad Johnson)

Quick Opinion: Like a kid on a sugar high, Carp crashed hard in 2014. His power and BABIP luck vanished, leaving him without a viable major league skill. The good news for Carp: he’s now a candidate for a positive sort of regression.


Matt Carpenter

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 11/26/1985 | Team: Cardinals | Position: 3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 717 199 11 3 78 126 .318 .392 .481 .381 41.3 1.3 6.9
’14 709 162 8 5 59 99 .272 .375 .375 .339 12.1 1.4 3.8
’15 629 148 10 5 51 80 .276 .368 .404 .346 15.9 -0.7 3.7

Profile: There’s a non-negligible population of minor-league hitters who exhibit some combination both of plate discipline and the ability to play second or third base. Most of them develop into little more than useful bench players. Carpenter, a former 13th-round pick who signed for merely $1000, owns roughly that same profile. Unlike with some of his peers, however, his walk rates have translated well the majors. Moreover, despite only modest home-run power — he’s averaged just eight homers per 600 plate appearances in his major-league career — Carpenter has exhibited a strong batted-ball profile, recording a career .338 batting average on balls in play (BABIP). That’s on the high end of sustainable marks, but there’s reason to believe it’s reflective of something like Carpenter’s true talent. For one, he’s done it over a nearly 2000-plate-appearance sample. For two, his rate of infield flies per batted ball, which correlates inversely to BABIP, is among the league’s best over the last three years. (Carson Cistulli)

Quick Opinion: Carpenter features perhaps the greatest separation between tools and baseball-specific skills in the majors. He lacks any outstanding examples of the former, but a considerable volume of the latter. An All Star-type season is still a likely outcome from his 2015 campaign.


Ezequiel Carrera

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 6/11/1987 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 21 3 0 0 1 3 .176 .300 .176 .240 -1.7 -0.5 -0.2
’14 73 18 0 7 2 12 .261 .301 .348 .284 0.1 0.2 0.3
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .256 .311 .349 .295 -0.0 -0.0 0.0

Profile: Ezequiel Carrera continues to post impressive offensive performances in the minors with his second straight 43 stolen base performance and an impressive .370 weighted on base average, which was 11th overall for the Triple-A International League. Still, with that effort he joined a sundry of other quadruple-A type of hitters, such as Dan Johnson and Kevin Pillar, atop those leaderboards. Triple-A! By far the worst isolated slugging rate of this group, he led the league in stolen bases thanks in part to the third best on base percentage in the league. Carrera signed a minor league contract with the Blue Jays this offseason. The acquisition of Michael Saunders, prospect Dalton Pompey and another quad-A type option in Kevin Pillar should prevent Carrera offering fantasy value. (Dan Schwartz)

Quick Opinion: A Quad-A, speed-only typecast, Carrera will have to impress the Jays during Spring Training. Expect something approaching 100 plate appearances, a .300 OBP and seven-ish stolen bases in 2015.


Chris Carter

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 12/18/1986 | Team: Astros | Position: DH
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 585 113 29 2 82 64 .223 .320 .451 .337 5.2 -20.9 0.4
’14 572 115 37 5 88 68 .227 .308 .491 .346 12.9 -15.5 1.7
’15 612 119 32 4 84 76 .223 .314 .453 .336 9.6 -15.8 1.5

Profile: Carter had some moments this year when it looked like he could hit better than .230, but settled in to hit .227 with a league-leading 37 homers. His walk rate makes his contact issues more palatable, but don’t expect much growth in the average. He has a one-piece swing, where everything fires at the same time, and he doesn’t have the hand-eye coordination to be able to time up enough balls to hit much better. Maybe he throws up a season or two of .250 averages, but .230 with 25-30 homers is the safer prediction for this year. Kudos to him for hitting more balls in the air in 2014, playing to his strengths as much as possible. He will need to keep going with that game plan to hold his value. He carries some risk if pitchers attack him up in the zone more frequently and force him to level out his swing, which would obviously hinder his power numbers. (Dan Farnsworth)

Quick Opinion: Carter is a solid bet for 25 homers at least in 2015, but there is noticeable downside if pitchers can figure him out. He has no room for the batting average to drop, and he doesn’t have the swing or contact rate to make a lot of adjustments.


Alexi Casilla

Debut: 2006 |  BirthDate: 7/20/1984 | Position: 2B/3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 125 24 1 9 10 15 .214 .268 .295 .252 -5.5 3.6 0.2
’14 4 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 -1.0 -1.7 -0.3
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .242 .290 .325 .276 -0.0 0.0 0.0

Profile: Casilla took most of his reps with the Orioles’ Triple-A affiliate in 2014, and he was less than impressive there, to say the least. After being given a shot to make — and ultimately not making — the team’s post-season roster, his future is uncertain. He hasn’t been a legit option for fantasy purposes since way back in 2008 with the Twins, when he leveraged his contact skills into a .280 batting average. Even then, he was a one-category guy. He’s a player of no consequence for 2015. (Robert J. Baumann)

Quick Opinion: You may never hear about Alexi Casilla again.


Nick Castellanos

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 3/4/1992 | Team: Tigers | Position: 3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 18 5 0 0 0 1 .278 .278 .278 .247 -1.2 -0.8 -0.2
’14 579 138 11 2 66 50 .259 .306 .394 .307 -7.4 -16.3 -0.5
’15 524 127 13 4 58 56 .264 .314 .408 .318 0.0 -11.8 0.6

Profile: Known in the minors for having a solid swing at the plate and a suspect glove in the field, Castellanos struggled with both skills in 2014. One of few young players to see playing time with the veteran squad, there was limited pressure for him to produce with the bat but expectations will be higher in 2015. To be more effective, the sophomore third baseman will need to produce more power (just 11 homers in 148 games), trim the strikeouts (24.2% strikeout rate) and get on base at a more consistent clip (.306 OBP). Castellanos did not make any noticeable adjustements throughout the year; his second half numbers were no better than those in the first part of the season. He deserves to be considered as a starter in AL-only leagues, especially if you’re still holding onto the old prospect reports for the former first round draft pick, but he’s a riskier option in mixed leagues. (Marc Hulet)

Quick Opinion: Castellanos is going to have to up his game both offensively and defensively if he’s going to keep a starting gig at the hot corner on a perennial playoff caliber team. The good news for him is that the minor league system is thin on offensive talent so there aren’t any true in-house threats when it comes to playing time.


Welington Castillo

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 4/24/1987 | Team: Cubs | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 428 104 8 2 32 41 .274 .349 .397 .331 2.7 15.3 3.3
’14 417 90 13 0 46 28 .237 .296 .389 .306 -7.2 15.3 2.2
’15 124 27 4 0 13 12 .242 .310 .390 .312 -1.0 2.8 0.6

Profile: As recently as late December, Welington Castillo appeared to be no higher than fourth on the new-look Cubs’ catching depth chart behind the likes of Miguel Montero, David Ross, and Ryan Lavarnway. By the time you’re likely reading this in early- to mid-March, the 27-year-old backstop has likely been traded to serve in a back-up role for another club intrigued by his increased power output in 2014 (from eight homers in ’13 to 13 in ’14 in the same number of at-bats). The downside to Castillo is that he doesn’t get on base much and he swings and misses a lot. Still, the offensive expectations for catchers is low so he does have some value with the stick so he has a chance to help in deep single-league leagues (depending where he lands) or in two-catcher leagues. (Marc Hulet)

Quick Opinion: Castillo has warts but he offers some power that could be of value to fantasy owners. The big question is where he’ll play and how many at-bats he’ll ultimately receive in The Show in 2015.


Rusney Castillo

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 9/7/1987 | Team: Red Sox | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 40 12 2 3 6 6 .333 .400 .528 .409 4.5 2.2 0.9
’15 399 96 10 10 46 44 .262 .310 .405 .315 -1.1 1.2 1.4

Profile: Castillo signed a massive contract out of Cuba last year, and questions about his bat and makeup have not been answered yet. He should be a valuable big leaguer on account of his defense and speed, but bat speed is not enough for him to deliver value with the bat. His swing plane does not lend itself well to the power that his athletic body could produce, so 10-15 homers is best you can hope for there. His numbers in Cuba do not hint at an elite contact profile either, with a .260 average likely in his future. While he has legitimate speed, he didn’t steal many bases in his home country, and we shouldn’t expect him to all of a sudden have perfect reads stateside. All in all, he could contribute a little bit in each facet of the game, but he’s not a superstar. (Dan Farnsworth)

Quick Opinion: Expect an okay batting average and on-base percentage with below-average power and moderate steals from Castillo. He’s an exciting, explosive player who may very well underperform his impact tools.


Jason Castro

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 6/18/1987 | Team: Astros | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 491 120 18 2 56 63 .276 .350 .485 .361 17.1 6.2 4.3
’14 512 103 14 1 56 43 .222 .286 .366 .291 -10.7 5.3 1.2
’15 408 84 11 1 43 43 .230 .301 .376 .301 -4.0 6.1 1.7

Profile: Castro took a big step backward in 2014 statistically, and the projections will likely view his breakout 2013 as the outlier. He looked out of sorts for most of this season, but he still showed off the swing improvements he made before 2013 in stretches. He likely won’t return to 2013 levels in the batting average department, since an elite batting average on balls in play is not a given for him. The scary strikeout rate he had can be contributed to making changes to his swing on the fly, and regression back to his career norm should be expected. Look for him to split the difference between his best and worst seasons, batting .250-.260 with 15-20 homers and a better walk rate, with some upside if he gets his swing locked in before the season. (Dan Farnsworth)

Quick Opinion: Not as good as his 2013 numbers, but not as bad as 2014 — look for Castro to beat his projections as 2013 was not just a fluke. He’s a better hitter than he was in the minors, and he will show flashes of that again this year.


Starlin Castro

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 3/24/1990 | Team: Cubs | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 705 163 10 9 44 59 .245 .284 .347 .280 -24.3 4.0 0.1
’14 569 154 14 4 65 58 .292 .339 .438 .341 6.9 2.4 2.9
’15 611 154 13 8 63 68 .274 .320 .409 .321 0.4 2.2 2.3

Profile: Starlin Castro appears to be stuck at three wins above replacement — good but not great territory. In three of his last four seasons, the young shortstop has totaled almost exactly 3 WAR, and done so with almost the exact same process: Good but not great hitting, bad but not terrible defense, and mediocre everything else (base running, baseball instincts, etc.). He did set a career-high walk rate (6.2%) in 2014 and matched his career-high homer mark (14 HR) despite having just 569 plate appearances — a four year low. The net result was some exceptional hitting for a shortstop, though not quite the stud his prospect status would have led us to believe. Can his age-25 season be the breakout year in which he turns his contact skills into power skills? Maybe. Or maybe that year is never coming. Until we find out, this 3 WAR version of Castro is still good enough to want anchoring the average fantasy team’s keystone. Good-hitting shortstops are not easy to find, and Castro is probably good. (Bradley Woodrum)

Quick Opinion: His 2014 success may have blurred his 2013 flop, but Castro altogether has been just an above average shortstop. Since that value mostly comes from his bat, though, he is even more valuable to fantasy teams. He’ll only be 25 in 2015 and will once again be well worth the risk.


Garin Cecchini

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 4/20/1991 | Team: Red Sox | Position: 3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 36 8 1 0 4 6 .258 .361 .452 .363 1.0 -1.0 0.1
’15 27 6 0 1 3 3 .259 .330 .371 .313 -0.1 0.1 0.1

Profile: Cecchini was signed out of a powerhouse high school as a bat-first prospect with great feel to hit, but a corner fit defensively. Fast forward five years, and that’s exactly what Cecchini is today. Scouts think he’ll eventually grow into a 15 homer threat with lots of doubles, but the carrying tool here is clearly the bat. His smooth, low-effort left-handed swing has been consistent level-to-level and will make him a lot of money. Cecchini was good in a limited big league look in 2014 and should split time between Pawtucket and Boston next year depending on how the front office juggles all the hitters on the roster this offseason. His eventual upside is a .280/.350/.440 slash line. (Kiley McDaniel)

Quick Opinion: With Pablo Sandoval in town, Cecchini path to the majors is a bit clouded. He’s close to a finished product, but will only get a chance in the majors if an injury strikes.


Francisco Cervelli

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 3/6/1986 | Team: Pirates | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 61 14 3 0 8 12 .269 .377 .500 .385 2.7 2.2 0.8
’14 162 44 2 1 13 18 .301 .370 .432 .358 3.9 2.7 1.3
’15 333 73 4 3 29 30 .246 .312 .342 .295 -4.7 5.4 1.2

Profile: Cervelli, who turns 29 in March, will get the first opportunity of his career to be a first-string catcher after he was traded from the Yankees to the Pirates in November. Acquired mainly for his defense and framing ability, Cervelli has compiled a respectable .278 average over his 785 big league plate appearances, with a .781 on-base plus slugging percentage against southpaws. He offers little in the way of pop, however, evidenced by a career .103 isolated power mark and 10 career home runs. It also probably won’t help that he’s leaving the hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium for PNC Park, a place that typically leans toward favoring pitchers. (Karl de Vries)

Quick Opinion: We’ll see how Cervelli fares in his first full major league season, but it would seem he has little value beyond deep two-catcher formats.


Yoenis Cespedes

Debut: 2012 |  BirthDate: 10/18/1985 | Team: Tigers | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 574 127 26 7 80 74 .240 .294 .442 .318 1.8 -0.1 2.2
’14 645 156 22 7 100 89 .260 .301 .450 .326 9.7 0.4 3.4
’15 600 147 24 7 86 75 .268 .319 .467 .342 12.3 -3.1 3.1

Profile: Yoenis Cespedes was about as advertised in 2014, amassing 22 home runs and 100 RBI while slashing .260/.301/.450 over 152 games. A surprising deadline trade in 2014 sent Cespedes from the Oakland Athletics to the Boston Red Sox, finishing his season with a dip in power and patience. Now a member of the Detroit Tigers, Cespedes will ostensibly hit behind the likes of Victor Martinez and Miguel Cabrera, which ought to provide oodles of RBI opportunity. It’s worth noting that Cespedes isn’t a spring chicken anymore at 29 years of age, although this is also his walk season, assuming the Tigers can’t entice him to sign an extension prior to the end of the year. There is considerable upside and risk with a player like Cespedes who swings at a lot of bad pitches, but also might see some regression off that career low 9.6% home run per fly ball rate. It’s probably best to assume something in the realm of .265/.315/.450 with 22 HR and 85 RBI, and just cross your fingers you get more and not less. (Michael Barr)

Quick Opinion: Home run distance was an issue in 2014 for Yoenis Cespedes, and that might be an even bigger problem headed to Detroit. But in a walk year, hitting in a formidable lineup, it should be another productive season for the Cuban slugger — although because of the marquee name, you’ll no doubt have to pay up for his services. Just keep your expectations reasonable.


Endy Chavez

Debut: 2001 |  BirthDate: 2/7/1978 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 279 71 2 1 14 22 .267 .290 .327 .272 -11.0 -9.5 -1.2
’14 258 64 2 5 23 22 .276 .317 .371 .305 -3.1 -6.5 -0.1
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .252 .293 .336 .280 -0.0 -0.0 -0.0

Profile: For about six straight seasons, Endy Chavez has provided organizational depth for a variety of teams. He used to be really fast and played a solid outfield, neither of which are true anymore. He might be 50 years old, but probably not, although he did play for the Montreal Expos, which is pretty awesome. Don’t put him on your fantasy team because that’s giving up before the season even begins. (Michael Barr)


Eric Chavez

Debut: 1998 |  BirthDate: 12/7/1977 | Position: 3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 254 64 9 1 44 28 .281 .332 .478 .344 2.9 -3.7 0.7
’14 81 17 3 2 8 6 .246 .346 .449 .350 2.4 -1.1 0.4
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .255 .319 .412 .321 -0.0 -0.0 0.0

Profile: This 17 year veteran retired earlier in the offseason. If one wanted to gauge Chavez’s fantasy value in 2015, the term “nonexistent” seems sensible. That was probably true before he retired. (Brad Johnson)


Robinson Chirinos

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 6/5/1984 | Team: Rangers | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 30 5 0 0 0 3 .179 .233 .286 .232 -2.2 -0.2 -0.2
’14 338 73 13 0 40 36 .239 .290 .415 .310 -2.9 13.8 2.4
’15 424 91 12 2 46 44 .236 .296 .378 .299 -7.5 12.2 2.0

Profile: With expected starter Geovany Soto spending most of the season on the disabled list, Chirinos took advantage of the opportunity to grab the everyday catcher job. He posted a respectable .310 weighted on-base average and even displayed some power with a .176 isolated slugging percentage. With Soto now gone, he finds himself solidified atop the Rangers depth chart with perhaps some competition from youngster Tomas Telis. Unfortunately, Chirinos is going to have to hit to keep his job, as he finished very poorly in pitch framing runs this year. Fortunately, Telis ranked even worse over his small sample of play. Chirinos will be entering his age 30 season, so his minor league track record isn’t that useful. But it does provide some hope for decent offense, as he had typically taken a walk at an above average clip and showed good power at times. Better batted ball luck might be all he needs to be a reasonable option in AL-Only leagues. (Mike Podhorzer)

Quick Opinion: Chirinos enters the 2015 season as the likely primary catcher in Texas and brings a bit of pop, though not a whole lot else. He’ll face some competition for playing time, but should prove to be decent in AL-Only leagues assuming he earns the lion’s share of it.


Lonnie Chisenhall

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 10/4/1988 | Team: Indians | Position: 3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 308 65 11 1 36 30 .225 .270 .398 .293 -4.5 -1.3 0.5
’14 533 134 13 3 59 62 .280 .343 .427 .340 11.5 -11.1 1.9
’15 393 93 12 2 47 44 .262 .318 .426 .327 5.1 -4.1 1.5

Profile: Lonnie Chisenhall officially burst onto the scene with a 5-for-5, three-homer, nine-RBI night on June 9 in Texas. It was unfortunately all downhill from there, as Chisenhall slashed just .227/.299/.331 over the final three and a half months of the season. It’s not that the Texas game was his only good game of the year — he was hitting .365/.413/.538 in 176 PA even before that night, but it was that night that convinced Indians fans they had a new Lonnie Chisenhall, until the old Lonnie Chisenhall showed back up. Chisenhall displayed a new approach in 2014, favoring a more line-drive heavy approach at the expense of some of his power. Without any speed or defense, Chisenhall’s entire value comes from his bat, and while his bat improved last year, there are still legitimate concerns that it can hold up at third base at the major league level. Nevertheless, the only real threat to Chisenhall’s playing time is Giovanny Urshela, and he’ll open the season at Triple-A. At this point, Chisenhall looks like a left-handed, five-years-younger version of Chris Johnson, with a bit more power. Interpret that how you will. (August Fagerstrom)

Quick Opinion: Chisenhall had Indians fans screaming with joy that their first-round draft pick from 2008 had finally figured it out when he was legitimately one of the best hitters over the first three months of the season. Unfortunately, the final three months were nearly as bad as the first three were good. Regardless, changes to his approach at the plate in 2014 led to Chisenhall’s best season to date. He remains an unproven commodity with a little upside.


Michael Choice

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 11/10/1989 | Team: Rangers | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 19 5 0 0 0 2 .278 .316 .333 .290 -0.4 0.0 0.0
’14 280 46 9 1 36 20 .182 .250 .320 .257 -14.7 -13.8 -2.1
’15 178 39 5 1 19 20 .243 .314 .390 .314 -1.1 -3.3 0.1

Profile: There appeared to be multiple reasons for optimism regarding Choice’s future as he entered the 2014 season. He’d demonstrated at least average power during his minor-league career while also exhibiting the capacity to play center field. His plate discipline was sufficiently adequate such that it seemed unlikely to collapse entirely against more advanced pitching. Moreover, as a 23-year-old the previous year (2013), Choice had acquitted himself quite well at Triple-A Sacramento, suggesting that he was prepared for the majors. Finally, an offseason trade to Texas increased the likelihood that he’d find a role in the majors. Indeed, while there were multiple reasons for optimism, the reality of Choice’s 2014 season was something more dismal: Choice produced a batting line about 50% worse than league average and ultimately recorded negative wins for the Rangers. That was bad. Still, Choice enters 2015 as just a 25-year-old — one who offers a reasonably well-balanced skill set both offensively and defensively. He’s not expected to start in left field on opening day, but given the Rangers’ lack of options there, will probably find his way to some plate appearances. (Carson Cistulli)

Quick Opinion: The numbers from 2014 are frightening, but likely sell short Choice’s value on both offense and defense. He’s almost certain to improve upon them in 2015, given the opportunity to make some starts for the Rangers in left field, where the team lacks depth.


Shin-Soo Choo

Debut: 2005 |  BirthDate: 7/13/1982 | Team: Rangers | Position: DH/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 712 162 21 20 54 107 .285 .423 .462 .393 40.3 -13.3 5.2
’14 529 110 13 3 40 58 .242 .340 .374 .321 1.6 -16.7 0.2
’15 634 141 16 11 62 86 .264 .369 .417 .351 14.3 -14.4 2.2

Profile: It was a season to forget for the dynamic Choo as it ended prematurely in August due to a bone spur in his elbow that required surgery. He was hampered by an ankle injury all year long that also eventually necessitated surgery. While his power output was down, primarily due to a dearth of doubles, the real disappointment for fantasy owners came in the form of his disappearing speed. After swiping 20 bases in four of the past five seasons, he stole just three in seven attempts. The ankle issue is most certainly the culprit here, but you can never be sure how a player is going to recover and whether the speed will fully return. He still maintains a strong batted ball profile that lends itself to an inflated batting average on balls in play (he hit zero pop-ups all season!), but his health after two surgeries will be the key to how much he rebounds offensively. (Mike Podhorzer)

Quick Opinion: An ankle and elbow injury dogged Choo all season long and clearly affected his performance at the plate and on the base paths. One never knows exactly how a player is going to recover from injury, so the risk is apparent. But the upside remains for all-around contributions that come at a discounted price on draft day.


Matthew Clark

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 12/10/1986 | Team: Brewers | Position: 1B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 31 5 3 0 7 4 .185 .226 .519 .282 -0.9 -1.7 -0.2
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .247 .308 .441 .329 0.0 -0.0 0.0

Profile: Clark has a legitimate power stroke, stringing together six consecutive 20-homer seasons between the American minor leagues and Japan. The now 28-year-old came back from Japan last year and tore the cover off the ball, hitting .304/.376/.548 between Double-A and Triple-A. This earned him a brief audition in the majors to end the season, in which he clubbed three homers in just 31 plate appearances. Unfortunately, Clark is pretty much only a first baseman, and he likely won’t have a major-league roster spot — not to mention significant playing time — without a rash of injuries ahead of him on the depth chart. (Scott Strandberg)

Quick Opinion: Clark is an interesting guy, but he’ll need an Adam Lind injury to be fantasy-relevant in 2015.


Steve Clevenger

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 4/5/1986 | Team: Orioles | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 24 5 0 0 2 2 .217 .250 .261 .230 -2.0 0.5 -0.1
’14 97 20 0 0 8 8 .225 .289 .337 .276 -3.7 -0.7 -0.1
’15 77 18 1 0 7 8 .252 .310 .364 .300 -1.1 -0.7 0.1

Profile: What’s to say about Steve Clevenger? At 29, he appears to be a back-end Quad-A guy. He’s had some pretty consistent success in the minors but has never gotten significant playing time nor hit well in the majors. With the Orioles gathering a number of backstops into the 2015 fold — most of them younger and/or better than Clevenger — he’ll either serve as organizational depth for the Orioles or for some other team. His average defense and decent plate discipline assure that he hasn’t taken his final at bat in the majors, but he’ll probably never warrant a second thought in fantasy leagues. (Robert J. Baumann)

Quick Opinion: You know what they say: A Clevenger without a home is…well…not…quite…fantasy material?


Chris Coghlan

Debut: 2009 |  BirthDate: 6/18/1985 | Team: Cubs | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 214 50 1 2 10 10 .256 .318 .354 .298 -3.9 -7.4 -0.5
’14 432 109 9 7 41 50 .283 .352 .452 .353 13.1 -5.4 2.2
’15 512 113 8 10 44 57 .250 .324 .373 .311 -2.9 -9.8 0.3

Profile: For a Cubs fan base so recently burned by the collapse of platooner Nate Schierholtz, it is surprising to see former Rookie of the Year and current platooner Chris Coghlan assessed with any hope among the faithful. Coghlan, like Schierholtz, is an outfielder without any one prominent talent. He flashes good gap power, but does not hit homers. He runs the bases well, but does not steal bases. He does not make errors in the outfield, but has bad range. And — most eerily like Schierholtz — he is coming off his age-29 season which was also nearly and possibly the best of his career. The tale of Schierholtz ends with an age-30 season that melted into offense that was 50% worse than league average, and eventual release. Perhap Coghlan will defy the 1000 plate appearances immediately preceding his year in Wrigley and suddenly become a productive outfielder again. But unlike the Schierholtz story, the Cubs have a backup plan ready for Coghlan’s possible downturn — Mega Ultra Prospect Kris Bryant, who has been hitting home runs two at a time while also playing third and left field. So really, in the grander scheme, Coghlan’s hope is to be slightly less terrible than Mike Olt, since Bryant is coming for one them. But of course, all this makes Chris a very risky fantasy baseball target. There’s a very good chance he’s a backup by July. @BradleyWoodrum

Quick Opinion: If Chris Coghlan can fend off regression long enough for Kris Bryant to replace Mike Olt, then there’s a chance Coghlan will retain fantasy relevance for the entirety of the Cubs season. But there’s an equal chance that his 2014 success will fade a little and the Cubs will summon Bryant to bench Cogs. In either scenario, though, Coghlan’s offense is a risky bet.


Chris Colabello

Debut: 2013 |  BirthDate: 10/24/1983 | Position: 1B/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 181 31 7 0 17 14 .194 .287 .344 .286 -5.3 -2.6 -0.2
’14 220 47 6 0 39 17 .229 .282 .380 .293 -4.6 -11.6 -1.0
’15 101 22 4 0 13 12 .240 .303 .419 .317 -0.1 -2.0 0.1

Profile: Colabello was a nice story, and got off to a great start in 2014, as he was among the American League’s RBI leaders through the first month of the season. Eventually, he hit the skids and simply didn’t have an answer. Even when he went to Triple-A Rochester, he didn’t hit anything like he had the year before. Outrighted off the 40-man following the season, Colabello has landed with the Toronto Blue Jays in hopes of being their next reclamation success. At his age (31), time is not in his favor. (Brandon Warne)

Quick Opinion: Colabello has big power and a big swing. Unfortunately, that isn’t a good mix in this particular iteration. He’ll be facing an uphill battle to make a difference for the Blue Jays in 2015.


Tyler Collins

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 6/6/1990 | Team: Tigers | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 25 6 1 0 4 3 .250 .280 .375 .291 -1.0 0.7 0.1
’15 130 28 4 2 14 14 .239 .297 .387 .303 -1.3 -1.4 0.2

Profile: Tyler Collins is a lefty power bat with 20 homer potential if he gets enough at-bats with the Tigers. Ideally he will find balance between his power stroke and previous batting average history. Steven Moya is another lefty power bat with more batting average on balls in play potential coming from his own power and speed combination. Detroit’s backup corner outfield situation could wind up being a fun competition yielding fantasy-relevant results from one of Collins or Moya if there’s an injury to a starter or J.D. Martinez regresses hard core. Keep an eye on their balls in play breakdown and batted ball spray, as well as their playing time in the spring. If Collins goes full out power stroke and/or gets pull-happy, the batting average will suffer. (Dan Schwartz)

Quick Opinion: The decision between Tyler Collins and Steven Moya won’t have to come this year, since the Tigers have veteran options in left and right field. But the decision will come soon, and it will have fantasy relevance either way.


Christian Colon

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 5/14/1989 | Team: Royals | Position: 2B/3B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 49 15 0 2 6 8 .333 .375 .489 .378 2.9 1.6 0.7
’15 240 56 4 6 22 24 .255 .304 .350 .293 -4.1 0.2 0.4

Profile: There’s a chance for Colon to be a semi-productive Major League Baseball player in 2015. First, he is going to need an opportunity. He looks to be the Royals utility infielder, so he could see time at second, short, or even third. (He can’t really play shortstop defensively, though.) If he gets the opportunity to play, the 26-year-old righty could put up double digit home runs, 15-20 stolen bases, and something like a .270 AVG. His season might be similar to something a Daniel Murphy or Josh Harrison could do in a luck-neutral year. Colon’s value may take a hit in OBP leagues because of his fairly low walk rate. He’s probably not rosterable in AL-only leagues right now, but be should be immediately if he ends up starting. That makes him a reserve in deep formats. (Jeff Zimmerman)

Quick Opinion: Christian Colon has the chance to be a fantasy asset in deeper leagues if he just gets the opportunity to be a starter.


Tyler Colvin

Debut: 2009 |  BirthDate: 9/5/1985 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 78 12 3 0 10 8 .160 .192 .280 .204 -8.1 -4.6 -1.1
’14 149 31 2 1 18 16 .223 .268 .381 .285 -2.4 -2.0 -0.0
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .215 .267 .355 .274 -0.0 -0.0 -0.0

Profile: Colvin saw fewer than 200 plate appearances in each of the last two seasons and though he’s a reserve behind an oft-injured Michael Morse, he’s 29 and strikes out too much to call a sleeper in any league. (Brett Talley)


Hank Conger

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 1/29/1988 | Team: Astros | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 255 58 7 0 21 23 .249 .310 .403 .312 -1.1 2.3 1.0
’14 260 51 4 0 25 24 .221 .293 .325 .280 -6.7 2.0 0.4
’15 209 43 5 2 21 21 .227 .295 .364 .293 -3.4 3.1 0.7

Profile: The Astros may have landed a steal in trading for exceptional pitch-framing catcher Hank Conger this offseason, but the move may not do much for Conger’s fantasy value. With the Angels, Conger split time with a superior hitting catcher in Chris Iannetta. In Houston, he potentially will deal with the same issue opposite Jason Castro. Castro’s offensive numbers fell back to earth in 2014 because of a 57-point regression to his batting average on balls in play, but his power potential and solid defense will likely keep him in the lineup regularly unless his strikeout totals become a bigger problem. For Conger, that creates a likely 300-plate-appearance cap. And even if he were a full-time catcher, Conger’s ceiling is 10 home runs and little else for fantasy purposes. (Scott Spratt)

Quick Opinion: Conger may have slightly improved his fantasy outlook now that he is sharing time with Jason Castro in Houston rather than Chris Iannetta in Los Angeles, but he offers little fantasy upside.


Brooks Conrad

Debut: 2008 |  BirthDate: 1/16/1980 | Position: 2B
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 34 3 1 0 2 2 .100 .176 .233 .188 -2.9 0.1 -0.2
’15 1 0 0 0 0 0 .217 .281 .372 .288 -0.0 -0.0 0.0

Profile: Conrad has always had big-time power. Unfortunately, he very rarely makes contact, which is a huge problem when your job is to hit baseballs. The 35-year-old utilityman is currently a free agent, and may end up back in Japan, where he spent the 2013 season. (Scott Strandberg)

Quick Opinion: If he does end up back in Japan, even those of you in NPB-only leagues can safely ignore Conrad. He hit just .175/.319/.281 in 2013 as a member of the Hanshin Tigers.


Jose Constanza

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 9/1/1983 | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 31 8 0 0 3 2 .258 .258 .258 .229 -2.8 1.5 -0.0
’14 4 0 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000 .000 -0.8 -0.2 -0.1
’15 107 26 0 4 8 9 .259 .303 .310 .276 -3.1 -2.2 -0.2

Profile: Constanza appeared in only 12 games last year and is nothing more than a back up to a back up outfielder. If he is pressed into starting duty he does have some stolen base potential, but for the most part he is off the fantasy radar. (Ben Duronio)


Carlos Corporan

Debut: 2009 |  BirthDate: 1/7/1984 | Team: Rangers | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 210 43 7 0 20 16 .225 .287 .361 .288 -7.1 3.4 0.4
’14 190 40 6 0 19 22 .235 .302 .376 .303 -2.7 2.8 0.7
’15 154 33 4 1 17 16 .237 .295 .375 .297 -3.3 2.6 0.5

Profile: Carlos Corporan isn’t a bad backup big league catcher, but with Jason Castro and Hank Conger locking down plate appearances in Houston, it’s hard to envision a scenario in which Corporan gets extended run. Even if he does play, he’s not worth owning. (Zach Sanders)


Collin Cowgill

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 5/22/1986 | Team: Angels | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 162 32 4 1 16 18 .211 .245 .349 .261 -7.5 0.4 -0.2
’14 293 65 5 4 21 37 .250 .330 .354 .311 5.3 4.7 2.1
’15 208 43 4 3 18 21 .229 .293 .336 .283 -3.4 -1.2 0.2

Profile: A dismal 2013 season in which he failed to hold onto a job in a barren Mets outfield and then was traded to the Angels may have sealed Collin Cowgill’s fate as, at best, a fourth outfielder. That said, Cowgill performed fairly well as injuries to his teammates netted him 293 plate appearances in 2014. His five home runs and four steals would prorate to close to double digits in a full season, and his .250 average and .330 OBP were solid. The major problem for Cowgill remains the strikeouts. His 25.3% strikeout rate in 2014 was right at his career average. Meanwhile Kole Calhoun’s breakout performance last season makes it clear that Cowgill’s only chance to start every day in Anaheim will be because of an injury. (Scott Spratt)

Quick Opinion: Cowgill bounced back in 2014 after a dismal 2013 season, but a talented Angels’ outfield makes him a fourth outfielder, and one with more real-life value than fantasy value in the event that a starter is hurt.


Zack Cozart

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 8/12/1985 | Team: Reds | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 618 144 12 0 63 74 .254 .284 .381 .289 -12.2 13.1 2.1
’14 543 112 4 7 38 48 .221 .268 .300 .254 -23.5 18.7 1.2
’15 441 98 8 3 39 40 .240 .282 .358 .283 -11.3 10.6 1.4

Profile: Since becoming a full-time player in 2012, Cozart’s weighted on-base average has dropped every year, beginning with an already anemic .298 in 2012 becoming an unsightly .254 mark last year — dead last among qualified shortstops. As if that wasn’t bad enough, after popping 27 home runs between his first two seasons, he smacked just four last year, and it’s not as if he made up for his offensive shortcomings on the basepaths, either, swiping just seven bags. To be fair, Cozart did deal with a minuscule 2.5% home run rate on fly balls, well below his career average, but his average batted ball distance has gone from 272 feet in 2012 to 260 in 2013 to just 256 last year. His line drive rate has diminished each season, and while his strikeout and contact rates have improved, he still posted a terrible 4.6% walk rate. Cozart could still see regular playing time due to his glove, though the Reds’ acquisition of Eugenio Suarez could give the team an alternative. With little reason to see improvement on the horizon for Cozart in 2015, and as he contributes in no category, he’s virtually persona non grata in most leagues. (Karl de Vries)

Quick Opinion: Cozart remains just a middle infield option for NL-only leagues, at best.


Allen Craig

Debut: 2010 |  BirthDate: 7/18/1984 | Team: Red Sox | Position: 1B/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 563 160 13 2 97 71 .315 .373 .457 .363 15.4 -9.1 2.5
’14 505 99 8 2 46 41 .215 .279 .315 .269 -22.2 -5.8 -1.4
’15 209 53 6 1 27 26 .277 .335 .438 .341 2.7 -4.4 0.6

Profile: Craig’s Lisfranc injury to his left foot presents a greater risk to his viability than most, due to his reliance on it in his swing. Lisfranc injuries can be career-threatening with or without the need for surgical intervention. He is very much a front foot-heavy hitter, and if he cannot be close to 100% healthy in the area he has no base to create power from. He is too far into his career to expect significant swing changes to be successful, so his value really is tied to the health of his left leg. Not a defensive asset either, we should see fairly quickly what kind of hitter he’s going to be based on his health. Without knowing his medical info, projections are a waste of time. The most likely scenario is he doesn’t hit for enough power to justify a starting job, maybe carving out a platoon role hitting lefties or off the bench. (Dan Farnsworth)

Quick Opinion: Craig is more of a lottery ticket than some would like to admit, with his statistical outcome tied to his health. Maybe he gets back to 100% and hits like the old Allen Craig, but you cannot count on it.


Carl Crawford

Debut: 2002 |  BirthDate: 8/5/1981 | Team: Dodgers | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 469 123 6 15 31 62 .283 .329 .407 .322 8.9 4.0 2.9
’14 370 103 8 23 46 56 .300 .339 .429 .338 12.2 -0.2 2.5
’15 500 127 11 19 51 56 .273 .317 .411 .321 5.7 -3.9 1.8

Profile: Carl Crawford’s 2014 was his best offensive year since back in 2010, his final season in Tampa Bay, and that made him a valuable player. Despite barely playing in 100 games, he stole 23 bases, popped eight homers, and put up the third-best weighted offense of his career. He’s still wildly overpaid, strictly a platoon player, and all but guaranteed to spend time on the disabled list (this time around, it was six weeks with a sprained ankle), but it was difficult to call his season anything other than a success. He’s nothing like the superstar he once was with the Rays, and there’s no remaining upside as he heads into his age-33 season, but as long as expectations are set properly, Crawford is a nice second-level complementary piece on a good team, and somewhat valuable in deeper fantasy leagues. (Mike Petriello)

Quick Opinion: Once a superstar, then a pariah, Carl Crawford has settled into a late-career role as a nice second-tier outfielder — one who can’t hit lefties or boast durability, but who can still make things happen with his legs and add a decent amount of pop as well.


Brandon Crawford

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 1/21/1987 | Team: Giants | Position: SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 550 124 9 1 43 52 .248 .311 .363 .296 -5.5 10.1 2.3
’14 564 121 10 5 69 54 .246 .324 .389 .309 0.4 7.5 2.7
’15 596 124 9 5 53 52 .234 .307 .350 .290 -7.7 10.8 2.3

Profile: For the second straight year, Crawford basically hit .250 with 10 home runs. But last year he stole five bases compared to one and drove in 69 as opposed to 43. With the boosts in those categories, Crawford came in 13th in our end-of-season shortstop rankings. Maintaining those numbers will determine whether Crawford remains an option at middle infield slots in mixed leagues or whether he’s just an NL-only play. He had just three steals in roughly 1,250 plate appearances prior to last year, so he might not steal five again. And it’s weird that his RBI total spiked so much given that he still hit primarily in the bottom third of the order. He did hit significantly more fly balls and fewer ground balls, but it’s hard to imagine that was solely responsible for 26 more RBI. There’s a chance that there was just some randomness to that. Best guess? He doesn’t maintain those numbers and is only an injury replacement option in mixed leagues. (Brett Talley)

Quick Opinion: Crawford was a borderline starting fantasy shortstop last year, but he’ll have to maintain the bump he saw in steals and RBI to repeat that level of fantasy value. He had just three steals prior to 2014 and the RBI bump is weird because he didn’t move up the batting order. Be wary of him in mixed leagues.


Coco Crisp

Debut: 2002 |  BirthDate: 11/1/1979 | Team: Athletics | Position: OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 584 134 22 21 66 93 .261 .335 .444 .339 17.0 -0.5 3.9
’14 536 114 9 19 47 68 .246 .336 .363 .314 4.6 -13.5 0.9
’15 599 132 13 20 53 77 .251 .328 .385 .318 5.7 -5.7 2.1

Profile: Once again Coco Crisp found himself on the disabled list in 2014, mostly due to neck and hamstring issues, though he did see 536 plate appearances. While he did post the second highest walk rate of his career, for the fourth consecutive season, we saw Crisp’s stolen base totals drop. For the first time since 2009 Crisp failed to gather at least 20 steals, coming in just shy with 19 bags against five times being caught. His 39.4% ground-ball rate is the lowest of any of his seasonal totals as well, and that hindered him from using his still above average speed in the best possible way. If alarm bells are ringing for you at this point, it’d be hard to argue. Now 35-years-old, Crisp simply isn’t the 30+ steal player of the past. When healthy, expect him to sit atop the Oakland lineup and potentially gather a solid amount of runs scored, but without a spike in either his batting average or a return to his speed glory days, Crisp’s value will probably continue the steep dive from the past few seasons. (David Wiers)

Quick Opinion: Between the significant injury history, mixed with his declining stole base totals, Coco Crisp’s fantasy value isn’t what it once was. He should still get into enough games and score enough runs to be drafted, however his rate stats aren’t worthy of an early or even mid-round pick.


C.J. Cron

Debut: 2014 |  BirthDate: 1/5/1990 | Team: Angels | Position: 1B/DH
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’14 253 62 11 0 37 28 .256 .289 .450 .324 1.8 -10.3 -0.0
’15 297 68 9 2 35 32 .247 .287 .404 .304 -0.8 -8.1 0.1

Profile: The rare rookie designated hitter, C.J. Cron also saw a little time at first base (36 games) in the absence of Albert Pujols. The 25-year-old struggled to get on base during his freshman season (.289 OBP) but he showed some impressive right-handed power with 11 home runs in 79 games. Once he learns to make a little more contact, his bat should be even more potent — he showed 25+ home-run pop in the minors. The addition of outfielder Matt Joyce in Los Angeles will potentially cut into Cron’s playing time unless another injury happens to Pujols or Josh Hamilton. The uncertain playing time and defensive limitations hurts Cron’s fantasy value but keep an eye on the situation in LA; he has a chance to be a solid source of power if everything breaks right for him. (Marc Hulet)

Quick Opinion: Cron’s best asset is his right-handed power, but some roster alterations in Los Angeles have a chance to diminish his value in 2015. Monitor the situation and, if he plays every day, consider adding him for some additional roster pop.


Nelson Cruz

Debut: 2005 |  BirthDate: 7/1/1980 | Team: Mariners | Position: DH/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 456 110 27 5 76 49 .266 .327 .506 .359 8.5 -9.7 1.5
’14 678 166 40 4 108 87 .271 .333 .525 .370 24.6 -11.2 3.9
’15 569 129 26 5 79 69 .249 .310 .457 .334 9.1 -15.2 1.4

Profile: Coming off his second-best offensive season at the ripe old age of 33, Nelson Cruz is leaving friendly Baltimore for power-sapping Seattle. Cruz hit 40 homers for the first time in his career and hit for his highest average since 2010, making him the 11th-best player in fantasy baseball last year. While his overall numbers are impressive, Cruz’s splits tell a bit of a different story; after the first two months of 2014, Cruz hit .249 with 20 homers — similar numbers to his previous bodies of work. A move to Seattle will certainly hurt his power numbers, but he wasn’t going to hit 40 homers in 2015 regardless of his situation. Cruz is rarely healthy for a full season, but playing DH for the Mariners could help keep him on the field for longer than usual. Look for Cruz to hit between 20 and 25 homers while batting .250 or .260 in the middle of Seattle’s lineup. (Zach Sanders)

Quick Opinion: Cruz is moving to Seattle, but that’s not the only reason he won’t hit 40 homers again. Look for Cruz to settle back into his normal self, hitting 20-plus bombs with an average around .250 or .260.


Tony Cruz

Debut: 2011 |  BirthDate: 8/18/1986 | Team: Cardinals | Position: C
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 129 25 1 0 13 13 .203 .240 .293 .234 -7.8 1.9 -0.2
’14 150 27 1 0 17 11 .200 .270 .259 .242 -9.9 0.5 -0.5
’15 211 44 3 2 18 18 .228 .279 .327 .270 -7.2 3.2 0.3

Profile: Tony Cruz is the backup to Yadier Molina, who is quite possibly the best catcher baseball. That does not mean Cruz has no chance at playing time. After all, Molina missed more than a month in 2014 with a thumb injury. Still, Cruz is more likely than most backup catchers to be limited to 130 plate appearances or so. Meanwhile, Cruz has shown little cause for optimism in fantasy. His three seasons as a backup amount to close to a full season of plate appearances for a catcher, and he has hit just .225/.271/.310 with three home runs and no steals in that time. He has no value in fantasy. (Scott Spratt)

Quick Opinion: Cardinals’ backup catcher Tony Cruz offers little in the way of fantasy potential. Given that he is behind Yadier Molina, perhaps the best catcher in baseball, he is even less likely to earn the chance to prove that statement incorrect.


Michael Cuddyer

Debut: 2001 |  BirthDate: 3/27/1979 | Team: Mets | Position: 1B/OF
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 540 162 20 10 84 74 .331 .389 .530 .396 24.4 -18.5 2.4
’14 205 63 10 3 31 32 .332 .376 .579 .414 12.9 -5.2 1.5
’15 594 138 19 7 70 64 .255 .315 .418 .323 5.7 -15.3 0.9

Profile: For Cuddy, the main issue is health. He missed significant time in two of his three seasons with the Rockies, but when he was on the field, he was very good. Some time at first base (Mets’ first baseman Lucas Duda is likely to sit against most lefties) could help to keep him stay healthy. He’s moving from the best home park for hitters to a slight pitchers’ park in Citi Field, but his numbers were still good on the road over the last two years, and Citi actually slightly inflates home runs for right-handed hitters. Strangely, Cuddy’s been a ground-ball hitter (grounders go for hits more often than fly balls), and he also hits a lot of line drives (which go for hits the most often), so expecting a batting average of .280 (about his career level) is very reasonable. Despite not hitting a ton of fly balls, his fly ball distance is very good and holding steady –– his 2014 average distance of 294 feet would have put him between Yasiel Puig and Todd Frazier (39th overall) had he been a qualified hitter. The bat still plays when the body can wield it. (Robert J. Baumann)

Quick Opinion: If you’re willing to risk that the 36-year-old will stay healthy in 2015, you could be rewarded with a nice average and more than 15 homers. If other Mets can get on base in front of him, he might reward you with a decent RBI total, as well.


Charlie Culberson

Debut: 2012 |  BirthDate: 4/10/1989 | Team: Rockies | Position: 2B/3B/SS
Yr PA H HR SB RBI R AVG OBP SLG wOBA Off Def WAR
’13 104 29 2 5 12 12 .293 .317 .404 .312 -0.5 0.4 0.3
’14 233 41 3 2 24 17 .195 .253 .290 .242 -15.4 -1.8 -1.1
’15 20 5 0 0 2 2 .253 .289 .387 .297 -0.6 -0.0 -0.0

Profile: Charlie Culberson is the defensive version of a Swiss Army Knife. He played all over the infield in 2014, meaning most owners will be able to slide him into their second, third, or shortstop slots in for the upcoming year. The 26-year-old has both a low floor and a fairly low ceiling simply based on his place on the Rockies’ depth chart and relative lack of success in his 360 at-bats in the bigs. He did flash a bit of the power/speed combination with a full complement of plate appearances at Advanced-A and Triple-A, but it’s unlikely he’ll be earning that many trips to the dish barring some major injuries (which is entirely possible with that Rockies’ infield, actually). (Alan Harrison)

Quick Opinion: Culberson’s multiple position eligibility is appealing for those in deeper NL-Only formats, but most owners probably want to pass on the infielder on draft day and wait for the inevitable injury to render him relevant.






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