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Kyle Bishop analyzes five young outfielders (OF) with upside. These MLB prospects & potential rookie studs are worth targeting in keeper / dynasty baseball drafts.
The Fountain Of Youth Has Been Found
We continue our look at the best MLB rookies and prospects for the 2015 fantasy season, with our attention turning to the outfield. In case you missed it, yesterday I discussed the top 5 impact rookies/prospects for pitchers this year.
There's a lot to like here, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see one of the players on this list win Rookie of the Year honors. Kicking things off is a guy who should have some stiff competition for that award in his own locker room.
Jorge Soler, Chicago Cubs
For all the hype that Kris Bryant and Javier Baez have received, the best 2015 showing by one of the Cubs' stable of top prospects might come from Soler. He certainly hit the ground running last season, slashing .290/.330/.573 with five homers in just 97 PA.
That performance came on the heels of obliterating both Double and Triple-A. Soler may have a lower ceiling than his cohorts, but he's also got less downside. Unlike Bryant and Baez, Soler's whiff rates have been reasonable at every level. 30 bombs isn't out of the question.
Joc Pederson, Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers made a concerted effort to clear their outfield logjam so Pederson could have a starting gig. That tends to happen when your top prospect obliterates Triple-A to the tune of a .305/.435/.582 line with 33 HR and 30 SB.
Pederson has nothing left to prove in the minors and will be patrolling center field for the Blueshirts on Opening Day. The batting average will likely be on the low side, but given how tough it is to find guys with 20/20 potential these days, that's an acceptable risk.
Steven Souza, Tampa Rays
Though Souza is three years older than Pederson, much of the above paragraph can be applied to him. He's scuffled so far in spring training but still projects to be the Rays' starting right fielder to open the season. David DeJesus lurks and could steal some at-bats if Souza's struggles extend into the regular season. The Rays will likely give Souza a lot of rope to see what they have though, so fantasy owners should take a flier on his power/speed combo.
Rusney Castillo, Boston Red Sox
An oblique injury has sidelined Castillo in the early going. Given the Red Sox's roster crunch and the way Mookie Betts has performed thus far, it's tough to see Castillo starting out of the gate. That uncertainty could make him a sneaky good value if you can land him cheaply, though. If playing time does open up, he's projected to be a roughly league average bat who could reach double digits in home runs and eclipse 20 stolen bases.
Michael Taylor, Washington Nationals
Taylor has a huge opportunity with the news that Denard Span will miss the first month of the season. Even after Span returns, the other two starters in the outfield are Jayson Werth (already hurt, 36 years old) and Bryce Harper (injury-prone). So Taylor's a good bet in terms of playing time, even on a loaded Nationals squad.
Taylor's swiped 88 bags over the last two seasons in the minors and posted above average walk rates. He also flashed some power last year with 23 homers. The 29.5 K% raises a red flag, but like the previous three players on this list, the potential for category juice is enticing. Owners in deeper leagues should be taking a long look at Taylor.
