2016 Outfield Prospects and Dynasty Rankings

This is an outfield prospects omnibus, a one stop clearinghouse for all of the profiles I created in the last month. With this post finished, I'll have just enough time to whip through starting pitching before we're too deep into dynasty draft season. You can also read about catchers, first base, second base, shortstop, and third base. Mostly, […]

Los Angeles Dodgers Top MLB Prospects for 2016 Dynasty Leagues

It is crazy to think that a team could spend over $300 million in a single season only to be eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, but that is exactly what happened with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015. Even with Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke going one and two in the rotation […]

Robbie Ray (SP, ARI) - 2016 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Draft Target Mid-Late Rounds in all Leagues CURRENT ADP: 376 ANALYSIS: Having just gotten his feet wet in his first full year in the big leagues, Robbie Ray of the Arizona Diamondbacks looks poised to fulfill the potential that made him a consensus top 100 prospect during most of his time in the minors this […]

Welington Castillo (CA, ARI) - 2016 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Target ~210 CURRENT ADP: 231 ANALYSIS: After showing some promise as a starter with the Cubs the previous two years, Welington Castillo struggled out of the gate last season as the backup to Miguel Montero. He was hitting a minuscule .163 to go along with two home runs at the time of his mid-season […]

Fantasy Studs: Four Players to Targets in Drafts

The feeling you get when a late-round draft pick or early season pickup goes on to become an integral part of your team is one of the best that can come from fantasy sports. It’s happened to all of us, and this year it’s bound to happen again. For this article, however, we’ll look at the […]

2016 Bust Candidates: NL Starting Pitchers to Avoid

The wait is finally over – spring training is in full swing. Of course, here at RotoBaller we’ve been cranking out tons of preseason content for some time now. We might be a little obsessed with baseball ‘round these parts. But that’s okay, because so are you! And what better way to celebrate the advent […]

2016 Outfield Prospects and Dynasty Rankings - NL West Edition

Last time out, the ridiculously deep NL Central was the topic of the day. Now we're moving west to the considerably shallower NL West. We've already profiled the AL Central, AL East, and NL East. Fantasy owners will find few distinguished prospects on the left coast, but there are still a few treasures available - 26 […]

Arizona Diamondbacks Top MLB Prospects for 2016 Dynasty Leagues

The Arizona Diamondbacks have decided that 2016 is going to be their year. They went out and made some big moves happen, such as signing Zack Greinke, trading for Shelby Miller, and acquiring Jean Segura. With pieces like AJ Pollock and Paul Goldschmidt already firmly entrenched in the lineup and a rotation that does not […]

Tyler Clippard Set Up To Be DBacks' Setup Man

Tyler Clippard did not have a great 2015 campaign. His strikeout rate was down, and his flyball rate was up. In 2014 with the Nationals, Clippard had an impressive 10.5 K/9 ratio. However it fell to 8.8 in Oakland in 2015, and then after going to the Mets in the same season it fell to […]

David Peralta (OF, ARI) - 2016 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

BALLER MOVE: Target ~90 CURRENT ADP: 140.3 ANALYSIS: David Peralta served as an excellent protector for Paul Goldschmidt in the Diamondbacks' lineup, turning 517 at-bats into 17 homers, 26 doubles, 10 triples and an impressive .522 slugging percentage-- eighth among outfielders. His 26.7 runs above average on offense was good enough for ninth among outfielders. Peralta […]

Saves & Holds: NL West Bullpen Depth Chart

With the 2016 fantasy baseball season approaching, bullpen depth charts can be tricky to decipher when entering your fantasy drafts. Projections of who will be vital to their respective team and to your fantasy team will be analyzed over the course of the next two months. Below I've identified the projected NL West closers, setup men, and […]

Catchers: Five Draft Day Sleepers and ADP Values

Catcher is a position that can leave fantasy owners in a panic the longer they wait in a draft to pick one. If you find yourself holding out on the position late into your draft, here are five names to keep in mind that are likely to still be hanging around. They might not be […]

Can Yasmany Tomas Step Up In 2016?

The Diamondbacks took a big leap of faith when they signed Yasmany Tomas to a six-year, $68.5 million contract. Unfortunately for them, and for Tomas' fantasy owners in 2015, Tomas did not perform up to the level a contract like that would merit. He was also a disaster at third base so the dual position […]

Welington Castillo A Top 15 Catcher in 2016?

Welington Castillo played on three teams last year, but the third one was the charm. In his first 45 games with the Diamondbacks, "Beef Welington" (yes I really want this nickname to stick) went yard 13 times. That pace was obviously unsustainable, but it was impressive nonetheless. That run he had has him poised to […]

Robbie Ray Poised For 2016 Breakout

Robbie Ray did well for Arizona once the Diamondbacks started giving him regular starts in 2015. His win/loss record won't tell the whole story, much like with his new teammate Shelby Miller. However, Ray posted a respectable 8.4 K/9 ratio, and a 3.52 ERA in 127.2 IP. The one red flag was his 1.33 WHIP, […]

Early Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft: The Fourth Round Pitching Run

The lineup (in draft order): Jacob Bogardus, Brad Johnson, Alex Brock, Harris Yudin, Max Petrie, Josh Leonard, Ross Williamson, Andrew Miller (from The Fantasy Fix), Nick Mariano (myself), Tom Bellucco, Brian Dunshee (also from The Fantasy Fix), and Edward Suletan. We put together a traditional 5x5 redraft 23 round mock with 2 catchers, a corner […]

David Peralta (OF, ARI) - 2016 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

BALLER MOVE: Target in early-to-middle rounds CURRENT ADP: 135 ANALYSIS:  David Peralta was one of the most under-the-radar breakouts during the 2015 season, hitting .312/.371/.522 with 17 homers and nine steals as he played his way into the Diamondbacks' starting left field gig. Only four other hitters managed to hit .300 while also producing an […]

2016 Top Five First Basemen Keeper Values

Now that we're past catcher, it is time to have some fun. In this article I rank the Top Five Keeper Values among First Basemen. These rankings are derived from my 15 step formula. The Keeper Valuation Formula uses the players’ age, draft round, number of teams in the league, current stats, projected stats, games […]

2016 Catcher Keeper Values: The Other Guys

We talked about the top keeper catchers earlier in the week. Now here are some of the most recognizable non-keepers. To see an explanation for my Keeper Valuation Formula, and the 2016 Top Five Catcher Keeper Values, click HERE!   2016 Catcher Keeper Values and Analysis Outside the Top Five Buster Posey SF, 28 - (Second […]

Johnny Cueto Wants $140-160 Million Deal

Free agent starting pitcher Johnny Cueto is looking for a contract in the $140-160 million range, according to ESPN.com. The Arizona Diamondbacks were believed to be at the top of the sweepstakes. They offered Cueto a six-year, $120 million offer that was turned down, according to MLB.com. The right-hander has been one of the better […]

Breakout Outfielders And What It Means for 2016

Welcome back, readers. We've gone through the infield breakouts and busts, now we head to the outfield. The outfield had numerous surprises in the 2015 fantasy baseball landscape. Two of the top 10 outfielders were ranked outside the top 100 going into 2015 (A.J. Pollock, Lorenzo Cain) and of the top 20 outfielders, only five were […]

Phillies Acquire Hellickson From D-Backs For Pitching Prospect

In a quiet but crucial move for 2016, the Philadelphia Phillies acquired starting pitcher Jeremy Hellickson from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for starting pitcher Sam McWilliams, according to Philly.com. The move puts Hellickson’s at the top of the Phillies rotation for 2016. The six-year veteran isn’t coming off a good year but will provide […]

D-Backs Eyeing Gallardo For 2015 Rotation

The Arizona Diamondbacks could be making a run at free agent pitcher Yovani Gallardo, according to ESPN.com. The right-hander opted to decline the Texas Rangers' $15.8 million qualifying offer in order to explore the open market. The D-Backs are the first name to surface to be Gallardo’s new landing spot. The market for pitching is […]

Reds and D-Backs Discussing Trade Involving Phillips For Hill

The Cincinnati Reds and Arizona Diamondbacks have discussed a trade involving Brandon Phillips and Aaron Hill, according to Fox Sports. Phillips has to sign off on any trade, which will make it difficult to move the second baseman. The 34-year-old is owed $27 million through 2017, which means the Reds would likely have to eat […]

Who Ya Got: Cain or Pollock?

In 2015, a pair of outfielders in their late 20s with limited track records of success broke out and became bonafide stars. Neither had posted more than 502 plate appearances in a season, yet each produced seasons that prorated to 6 or more fWAR in 2014 and attracted decent buzz in fantasy circles coming into […]

Future Tense: Who's Struggling In The Arizona Fall League (November 3rd Edition)

Last time around, we looked at some of the hottest players in the Arizona Fall League. This time around, it’s time to look at who isn’t.   Underperformers Of The AFL Mike Yastrzemski, Outfield, Baltimore Orioles A sad reality in baseball is that people seem to think that just because a relative can play baseball, so […]

2015 In Review: David Peralta

Prior to the season, I was preparing to write an article about a deep league outfield sleeper and had narrowed my options down to two players. The one I chose to write about was Michael Saunders, who ultimately played in only nine games thanks to a lingering knee injury. The other candidate? David Peralta. Whoops. […]

Future Tense: The Arizona Fall League, Part V: Salt River Rafters

After the dregs of the Peoria Javelinas, things are looking much better as we move over to the Salt River Rafters, home to prospects from the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Colorado Rockies, the New York Mets, the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Washington Nationals. Sure, this isn’t the deepest team in the league, but it certainly […]

Five Outfield Waiver Wire Pickups & Adds for Week 24

With the advent of football season, many fantasy owners' attentions will be divided. Fortunately for those of you with your eyes still fixed on the prize we've lusted after since April, RotoBaller continues to bring you the same waiver wire analysis that has helped position you for a championship. Whether you need to replace an […]

Recent Prospect Call-Ups and Their Fantasy Values (Edwards, O'Brien)

It was a slow week for prospect call-ups, but two potential difference makers were called up to their major league squads. Both are widely available. Like 99% available. If you are in a very deep format or a dynasty league and are looking to add high-ceiling depth to your roster, keep these two players in mind. Editor’s […]