The end game can make all the difference in drafts and auctions, finding true sleepers who turn huge profit for fantasy owners. Here’s a look at some fliers in mixed and single leagues who can win you a championship this season.
Mixed League Investments
Ben Paulsen, OF/1B, Rockies
Paulsen was claimed in the reserve rounds of the of the 15-team mixed Tout Wars Expert’s League last weekend (albeit using OBP instead of batting average), but that shows just how low his price is despite fair production in 325 at-bats last season. Paulsen hit .277-11-49, and enters the season as the surefire starter vs. right-handed pitching, while Mark Reynolds will face lefties. Reynolds does remain a threat to Paulsen’s playing time, but he struggled in St. Louis last season. Any regular in Coors Field is worthy of consideration in mixed leagues, and it provides Paulsen 20 home run upside with multi-position eligibility.
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Jose Peraza, 2B, Reds
Peraza’s price has dropped this spring without a place to play in Cincinnati, though it looks like he’ll serve as the team’s super utilityman. That’s rarely a profitable situation in mixed leagues, but the speed and possible future multi-position eligibility still makes him very intriguing. The team is likely to give Peraza playing time at second base, shortstop, third base, and the outfield. Two of those situations are particularly interesting, as Zack Cozart has struggled to stay healthy at shortstop and Billy Hamilton was struggled to perform offensively in center field and is still getting over shoulder surgery. Peraza is hitting .317 with five steals in only 16 games for the rebuilding Reds this spring, and he hit .293 with 33 steals in 118 games at Triple-A last season. Even with initial part-time duty, Peraza is worthy of a flier.
Eddie Rosario, OF, Twins
It’s apparent Rosario didn’t earn respect based on his rookie performance. He went for $2 in Tout Wars, even after making a strong five-category contribution last year. He hit .267-13-50 with 11 steals and 60 runs in only 122 games, and his contribution has been similar this spring. Maybe owners are skeptical after he struggled in the minors in 2014, but Rosario has always been considered a strong prospect since hitting .337-21-60 with 17 steals in only 67 games at Rookie Level in 2011. The stats make him a poor man’s Michael Brantley.
Trevor Story, SS, Rockies
The Story hype continues to churn this spring, hitting .333-4-11, and all but assuring himself the shortstop job in Coors Field until Jose Reyes returns. Still, he can be had for cheap if your opponents haven’t been paying close attention to spring. The upside seems incredibly appetizing after Story became a 20/20 man between Double-A and Triple-A last season, and it’s very possible the weak Rockies will keep Story as a regular even if Reyes does return this season. We currently project his 5x5 mixed league value at $5.51 but he may be had for much less.
Single League Investments
Rubby De La Rosa, SP, Diamondbacks
It’s very surprising De La Rosa is going for $1 in some NL-only leagues this spring. He had a mediocre 4.67 ERA in 32 starts last season because he couldn’t keep the ball in the park, but the stuff and peripherals show upside. He showed good command with a 2.38 K/BB ratio, and averaged better than 94 mph on his fastball. His spring performance has been a tale of good and bad, with a 6.59 ERA in four starts but also 16/3 K/BB in 13.2 innings. De La Rosa certainly showed some flashes last season, with a 4.14 ERA during the second half and a 4.21 ERA on the road. The quality of his arm is exactly what you should be looking for in NL-only leagues. We currently have his NL 5x5 value at $5.89.
Juan Nicasio, SP, Pirates
Talk about spring training hype. Nicasio has pitched himself into a rotation spot this spring after almost having no chance entering the year, but it’s not as if he’s coming out of nowhere. Nicasio was a top prospect in Colorado before taking a comebacker to the head in his rookie season, and has a career 2.15 K/BB ratio in 439.1 innings. This spring he still hasn’t allowed a run, with 15 scoreless innings and a gaudy 24 strikeouts. The great command, along with Pittsburgh’s track record of turning pitcher water into wine, makes him a very intriguing flier if the hype hasn’t gotten ridiculous in your league. Our last cheat sheet had Nicasio at negative-$1, but we are upgrading his projection this week. His value will increase when our next update is published Thursday morning.
Aaron Sanchez, SP, Blue Jays
We still don’t know if Sanchez has locked up a rotation spot, but it certainly looks that way. Sanchez has one of the nastiest sinkers in the game, but he struggled with his command in his first two seasons. After putting on weight this offseason, Sanchez has been electrifying this spring, allowing only three runs in 20 innings with a 19/3 K/BB. In fact, he’s shown the “best stuff I’ve seen anywhere this spring.” Given the repertoire and sudden improvement, the situation can’t help but bring about memories of Roy Halladay’s breakout in 2001. We currently peg his AL 5x5 value at $3.55.
Tyler White, 1B, Astros
White has all but won the first base job, beating out Jon Singleton and top prospect A.J. Reed, among others. He hasn’t received much hype as a prospect due to his sub-par defense, but the bat has been great in the minors. White hit .325-14-99 with 84 walks between Double-A and Triple-A last season, and hit .297-7-31 in 44 games during the Dominican Winter League this offseason. He continues to rake this spring, hitting .368-1-9 in 38 at-bats. The margin for error isn’t great with Reed still breathing down his neck, but White looks like an extremely viable addition in AL-only leagues. He was listed at negative-$2 in our March 24 update, but we're upgrading his projection, and he will be in positive territory when our March 31 issue is released.
-Seth Trachtman