Brandon Moss: 2015 Fantasy Baseball First Base Sleeper

Joe Davenport takes a look at how Cleveland Indians first baseman (1B) Brandon Moss can help your fantasy baseball team as a sleeper pick in your fantasy drafts for the 2015 MLB season.

 
In 2014, Brandon Moss played the role of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He got off to a stunning start, hitting 21 HR and 66 RBI by the break leading to his first career All Star selection. After the break, Moss hit a horrid .173 with only four bombs and 15 RBI. He did have a hip injury in the second half which led to his poor finish. Despite the poor finish, he has hit over 20 HR three years in a row with 30 in 2013. That is why I'm targeting him as a sleeper in the upcoming season.

Enter 2015. Oakland decided to clean house and Moss was shipped to the Cleveland Indians. Moss is a left-handed power bat and Cleveland just happens to be a perfect park for Moss’s swing. Oakland killed him as a hitter - even he admitted he didn't like hitting at home. Now he is going to be in the middle of a solid lineup with a power alley that plays right in his wheel house. The move to the AL Central will help because the pitching is not as good as the AL West, and the ballparks are friendlier to hitters as well.

There have been some productive left-handed Indians such as Travis Hafner, Grady Sizemore, and Michael Brantley. Most of Carlos Santana’s power is from the left side at home. In 34 plate appearances at Progressive Field, Moss hit .324 which will translate into homers in a bigger sample size. I think he is going to be right at home with Terry Francona as his manager and fits nicely into his new playing situation.

If Michael Bourn stays healthy, Moss should have plenty of RBI opportunities as well. He has a career high of 87 RBI, but, baring injury, he can very likely hit 100 this year. He is increasing his walk rate even though the strikeouts come in bunches at a 26.4% strikeout rate.

In his interview after the trade, Moss sounded excited and in Cleveland there shouldn't be too much pressure from the media. After the Yoenis Cespedes trade last year, there was a lot of pressure to produce power in Oakland. Now Moss just gets to relax and can focus on his style of hitting.
 

In Summary

Moss can be a a productive fantasy player for any roster if he is managed correctly. He's the type of player who can be your team’s MVP or tank your week in any given week. He is going to have first base and outfield eligibility which makes him versatile.

Moss is the perfect sleeper for a disciplined fantasy owner who can ride the hot streaks and sit him during the slumps. We project Moss at .254 AVG, 82 runs, 27 HR, and 109 RBI this year. I think his 2nd half slump last year is going to send him sliding down draft boards which will allow you to take him later than his mid-round range from 2014. Moss will be a nice compliment to a solid draft, so snag him while he's affordable in the middle rounds.