X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Top 10 Home Run Hitters: 2014 Fantasy Baseball Predictions

Blevine37 at the English language Wikipedia [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

Dingers. Big Flies. Longballs. They're fun to watch. They can change the momentum of the game. Chicks dig 'em. Whether you're playing in a roto league or head-to-head, there is no underestimating the value of having home run hitters on your team. But who will be the top producers in the HR category in the upcoming MLB season? Only time will tell. But in the meantime, here are some predictions for home run totals in 2014.

 

10. Jay Bruce

2012: 34 Home Runs

2013: 30 Home Runs

2014 Prediction: 33 Home Runs

Blevine37 at the English language Wikipedia [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

The Reds' hard-hitting right fielder has shown consistent power in the last couple of seasons, and this year shouldn't be any different. He has been healthy for most of his career, playing in at least 148 games every year since 2010. He's been a Silver Slugger each of the last two seasons, and also received MVP votes in those years. It's helpful that Bruce hits most of his homers to right field, and The Great American Ballpark is a bit smaller on that side than it is in left. The Big Red Machine also looks approximately the same as it did last year, with the only major departure being that of Shin-Soo Choo. In other words, there's not much reason to think Cincinnati's offense should be drastically different than it's been in years past, which bodes very well for Bruce's numbers.

 

9. Mark Trumbo

2012: 32 Home Runs

2013: 34 Home Runs

2014 Prediction: 34 Home Runs

Trumbo was the topic of lots of trade rumors at this year's winter meetings, and he finds himself this year in Arizona, where he will man left field for the D'Backs. At only 28 years old, Trumbo is still in his finery in regards to power production. Last year, Trumbo didn't hit a single home run with a "true landing distance" of fewer than 350 feet, according to ESPN's Home Run Tracker. Arizona's ballpark isn't known for being especially hitter-friendly, but its dimensions in left field are similar to those Trumbo saw during his tenure for the Angels, and Trumbo is essentially a dead-pull hitter. Some might be concerned about him adjusting to the NL; if he were a more complete hitter I might be concerned, too, but Trumbo's approach is pretty much the same no matter who he faces: when he swings, he swings hard.

 

8. Alfonso Soriano

2012: 32 Home Runs

2013: 34 Home Runs

2014 Prediction: 35 Home Runs

Soriano split time last year between the Cubs and the Yankees. He hit exactly half of his total homers for each team, but played only 58 games for the Yankees, as opposed to 93 for the Cubs. This season, Soriano will don the pinstripes all year long and he'll play half his games in a notoriously hitter-friendly ballpark. Soriano is getting up there in years, but will likely slot into the DH spot occasionally since the Yankees have so many outfielders. Barring any serious decrease in PAs, he is certainly capable of hitting homers at the same clip he has the last couple years.

 

7. Giancarlo Stanton

2012:  37 Home Runs

2013: 24 Home Runs

2014 Prediction: 35 Home Runs

Perhaps the biggest question mark in terms of home run production this year is Giancarlo Stanton. When healthy, he's arguably the purest power hitter in the game of baseball. Problem is, he's never played more than 150 games in an MLB season. He missed time for knee surgery in 2012 and for a hamstring injury last year. But this year is different: it's a contract season for Stanton, and if he puts up big numbers he'll be due an even bigger paycheck. In all reality, my prediction of 35 homers might be a bit of an underestimation of what Stanton is capable of producing. Sure, most players might experience difficulty producing torque with injuries to their legs, but Giancarlo is only 24 years old. With good legs under him, he'll enjoy a long career with an abundance of longballs.

 

6. David Ortiz

2012: 23 Home Runs

2013: 30 Home Runs

2014 Prediction: 36 Home Runs

Some more skeptical analysts out there might point to David Otiz's age (38) and health (he has missed time each of the last two seasons) as reasons why Big Papi won't crack the top ten in home runs this season. To those people, I say... you might have a point. At the same time, I have a good feeling about Ortiz in 2014. To Ortiz, age seems like little more than a number. The guy seems as young as ever, and genuinely enjoys playing the game. I think he has another strong season or two in him before we see any serious decline. Ortiz hit 30 jacks last year in just 137 games. If Papi can stay off the DL this year, it will be a big year for him and the reigning champs.

 

5. Paul Goldschmidt

2012: 20 Home Runs

2013: 36 Home Runs

2014 Prediction: 38 Home Runs

Goldschmidt established himself as a high-OBP player with some pop in his bat in his first two years in the league, but emerged last season as a legitimate power hitter. The Diamondbacks added Mark Trumbo this season, who figures to slot in behind Goldschmidt and make pitchers think twice about pitching around the slugging first baseman. Playing to Goldschmidt's advantage is the fact that he has power to all fields: 14 of Goldschmidt's 36 home runs last year found the seats in the right half of the ballpark. He's a skilled hitter who takes what pitchers give him (think Miguel Cabrera) and will confirm this year that he is one of the more dangerous hitters in the NL.

 

4. Edwin Encarnacion

2012: 42 Home Runs

2013: 36 Home Runs

2014 Prediction: 39 Home Runs

Edwin Encarnacion can flat-out mash. And, unlike many other power hitters, he very rarely strikes out. Encarnacion went down via the K only 10% of the time last year, which means he puts the bat on the ball consistently; when he puts the bat on the ball, it tends to go far. Encarnacion missed some time last year to have wrist surgery, but he still managed to hit 36 home runs. After the injury, Encarnacion told reporters that one of his goals was to "try to make it to 40 home runs." In other words, Encarnacion makes it clear that his goal is to hit bombs. There is no reason to believe that Encarnacion will have a different approach this year. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

3. Miguel Cabrera

2012: 44 Home Runs

2013: 44 Home Runs

2014 Prediction: 42 Home Runs

Miguel Cabrera is the best overall hitter on this planet -- or any other planet, for that matter. Reports from Detroit say that Cabrera arrived early for Spring Training and is ready to go. This is great news for the Tigers, who lost a bit of power production when Prince Fielder was traded to Texas. With Fielder's absence, there is no legitimate home run threat to follow Cabrera. At the same time, the Tigers have added some speed to their lineup in Ian Kinsler and Rajai Davis. The Tigers are now a team that can score from second base on a single, or from first on an extra-base hit. For this reason, I think we'll see a slight dip in Cabrera's home run total. Cabrera is a good enough hitter to know what he needs to do in a given situation, and if an opposite field single can score Rajai Davis, Cabrera will find a way to do just that. By my estimation, we'll be hearing Cabrera's name in the MVP conversation again by the end of this season.

 

2. Prince Fielder

2012: 30 Home Runs

2013: 25 Home Runs

2014 Prediction: 48 Home Runs

Prince Fielder's power numbers have been down in each of the last two seasons, playing half his games in Detroit's enormous Comerica Park. Last season was especially disappointing for Fielder, who battled personal issues off the field for most of the year. Now Prince heads south to Texas. I expect Prince Fielder to have a big first month. The Rangers play three games in Boston and three in Seattle, but the rest of the Rangers' April games are played either in Texas, indoors, or in warm-weather cities. Once we're into the warmer months, Prince's production should continue to impress. Ron Washington has Fielder pencilled in ahead of Adrian Beltre, offering Fielder protection he's never had in his career. Not only that, but NBC Hardball Talk recently reported that Fielder is in the best shape of his life. Add in the fact that Globe Life Park is notoriously hitter-friendly, and it's a recipe for lots and lots of big ol' Prince Fielder bat flips.

 

1. Chris Davis

2012: 33 Home Runs

2013: 53 Home Runs

2014 Prediction: 49 Home Runs

Last year, Chris Davis got off to a crazy start and amassed 37 home runs before the All-Star break; he hit just sixteen in the second half of the season. Does Davis' second-half drop off mean his first half was a fluke? I doubt it. You don't hit "fluke" home runs as far as Davis hits his. However, what it does tell me is that nobody should expect Davis to break any records. He is human. Expect Davis to have more consistent power production this year in both halves of the season and to continue to reap the benefits of playing in AL East ballparks that are notorious for yielding home runs to left-handed batters.

*****

There are still some question marks out there as well. What will Ryan Braun do coming off his suspension? How will Yasiel Puig hold up in his first full season at the big league level? They're definitely worth keeping an eye on, but in my opinion they'd be a bit risky to take in the early rounds of your draft. But as far as the ten guys on this list are concerned, if you're looking to add some pop to your lineup on draft day, these are your safest bet.

Thanks for reading, and best of luck to all you RotoBallers out there.




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Joel Embiid17 mins ago

To Miss Friday's Game
Dorian Finney-Smith20 mins ago

Will Play Friday
Miles Bridges21 mins ago

Out At Least One Week
Nicolas Claxton26 mins ago

Back In Action Friday
CJ McCollum35 mins ago

Remains Unavailable On Friday
Rashod Bateman48 mins ago

Added To Week 12 Injury Report
Vince Dunn51 mins ago

Could Be An Option For Kraken Next Week
Cade Cunningham57 mins ago

Ruled Out For Saturday
TOR1 hour ago

Alexander Nylander Joins Maple Leafs On One-Year Deal
George Kittle1 hour ago

Cleared For Week 12
Joel Embiid1 hour ago

Considered A Game-Time Decision
Jason Dickinson1 hour ago

Expected To Play On Saturday
Jerami Grant1 hour ago

Tagged As Questionable For Friday
Cam York1 hour ago

Expected To Return Saturday
Al Horford1 hour ago

Unavailable On Friday
San Francisco 49ers1 hour ago

Nick Bosa Won't Play Against Packers
Mason McTavish1 hour ago

Remains Out On Friday
Brock Purdy2 hours ago

Ruled Out For Week 12
Tage Thompson2 hours ago

Continues To Sit On Friday
Kevin Hayes2 hours ago

A Game-Time Call Friday
Kris Letang2 hours ago

Might Return On Friday
Ladd McConkey2 hours ago

Returns To Practice On Friday
CeeDee Lamb2 hours ago

Cleared To Play In Week 12
Sam LaPorta2 hours ago

Off The Injury Report, Cleared For Week 12
Jake Ferguson3 hours ago

Ruled Out With Concussion
DeVonta Smith3 hours ago

Ruled Out For Week 12
Brock Purdy3 hours ago

Not Seen At Friday's Practice
T.J. Hockenson3 hours ago

Expects To Be More Involved In Week 12
Alexander Mattison3 hours ago

Zamir White Doubtful To Face Broncos
Nico Collins4 hours ago

Set For Increased Workload Against Titans
Mike Evans4 hours ago

Officially Listed As Questionable
Malik Nabers4 hours ago

Questionable For Week 12, Intends To Play
Coby White4 hours ago

Listed As Probable On Friday
Jordan Hawkins4 hours ago

Set To Return On Friday
Sam Darnold4 hours ago

Cleared For Sunday
Brandon Ingram4 hours ago

Available On Friday
Stephen Curry4 hours ago

Probable On Friday Against Pelicans
D'Andre Swift4 hours ago

Gets Questionable Tag For Week 12
Keenan Allen5 hours ago

Lands On Injury Report, Questionable For Week 12
Isiah Pacheco5 hours ago

Ruled Out For Week 12
CeeDee Lamb5 hours ago

Practices Friday, Expected To Play Sunday
Tyjae Spears5 hours ago

Ruled Out For Week 12
Cam Thomas6 hours ago

Available Against 76ers
Shohei Ohtani6 hours ago

In Early Stages Of Recovery From Shoulder Surgery
Joel Embiid6 hours ago

Added To Injury Report On Friday
Tabatha Ricci6 hours ago

Looks To Extend Her Win Streak
Yan Xiaonan6 hours ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Nicolas Claxton7 hours ago

Now Listed As Probable Against 76ers
Dorian Finney-Smith7 hours ago

Upgraded To Probable On Friday
Muslim Salikhov7 hours ago

A Favorite At UFC Macau
Chris Sale7 hours ago

To Have Normal Offseason
Garrett Crochet7 hours ago

Drawing Plenty Of Interest
Song Kenan7 hours ago

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Zhang Mingyang7 hours ago

Set For His Second UFC Fight
Ozzy Diaz7 hours ago

An Underdog At UFC Macau
MacKenzie Weegar10 hours ago

Notches Three Assists Against Rangers
Macklin Celebrini10 hours ago

Tallies Two Assists In Thursday's Loss
Nikita Kucherov10 hours ago

Comes Up With Three Assists Versus Blue Jackets
Sean Monahan10 hours ago

Finishes Thursday's Win With Four Points
Zach Werenski11 hours ago

Enjoys Career Night With Five Points Against Lightning
Jack Hughes11 hours ago

Posts Three Assists Versus Hurricanes
Joonas Korpisalo11 hours ago

Records 21-Save Shutout Versus Utah
Wendell Carter Jr.21 hours ago

Out Against Lakers
Anthony Davis21 hours ago

Available Versus Magic On Thursday
Rui Hachimura22 hours ago

Unavailable Thursday
Carlos Ulberg22 hours ago

Looking To Cement Himself As A Title Contender At UFC Macau
Volkan Oezdemir22 hours ago

Eyes Another Knockout At UFC Macau
Gabriella Fernandes22 hours ago

A Big Underdog At UFC Macau
MMA22 hours ago

Cong Wang Puts Undefeated Record On The Line At UFC Macau
Deiveson Figueiredo22 hours ago

Looks To Extend Win Streak At UFC Macau
Petr Yan22 hours ago

A Favorite At UFC Macau
Yves Missi23 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Friday
Shohei Ohtani23 hours ago

Named National League MVP In 2024
Aaron Judge23 hours ago

Wins American League MVP Award
Alex Ovechkin1 day ago

To Miss 4-6 Weeks With Fractured Fibula
Zach Hyman1 day ago

Expected To Miss 4-7 Days
Kent Johnson1 day ago

Back For Blue Jackets Thursday
Yaroslav Askarov1 day ago

Makes Sharks Debut Thursday
Mikael Granlund1 day ago

Good To Go Thursday
Alexandar Georgiev1 day ago

Returns To Action Versus Capitals
Cody Bellinger1 day ago

Cubs Looking To Trade Cody Bellinger?
1 day ago

Blake Snell Has Met With Red Sox, Dodgers
Chris Sale2 days ago

Wins National League Cy Young Award
Tarik Skubal2 days ago

Wins 2024 American League Cy Young Award
Austin Eckroat2 days ago

Heads To The RSM Classic After Win
Harris English2 days ago

Finding Form Heading To The RSM Classic
Ben Griffin2 days ago

Continues Playing Well Heading To The RSM Classic
Denny McCarthy2 days ago

Returns to The RSM Classic
Ludvig Aberg2 days ago

Looks To Defend RSM Classic Title
Si Woo Kim2 days ago

An Intriguing Option At RSM Classic
Maverick McNealy2 days ago

In Solid Form Ahead Of RSM Classic
Eric Cole2 days ago

Chasing First Tour Victory At RSM Classic
3 days ago

Guardians' Stephen Vogt Named AL Manager Of The Year
Milwaukee Brewers3 days ago

Pat Murphy Named NL Manager Of The Year
3 days ago

Nick Pivetta Declines Boston's Qualifying Offer
Jose Siri3 days ago

Mets Acquire Jose Siri From The Rays
3 days ago

Phillies To Meet With Juan Soto
3 days ago

Luis Severino Rejects Qualifying Offer From Mets
3 days ago

Willy Adames Declines Brewers Qualifying Offer
3 days ago

Teoscar Hernandez Declines Qualifying Offer From Dodgers
3 days ago

Juan Soto Declines Yankees' Qualifying Offer
Luis Gil4 days ago

Wins AL Rookie Of The Year Award
Paul Skenes4 days ago

Named 2024 NL Rookie Of The Year
Brady Singer4 days ago

Reds, Royals Discussing Jonathan India, Brady Singer
Charles Oliveira4 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Michael Chandler4 days ago

Gets Dominated At UFC 309
Karine Silva4 days ago

Suffers Her First UFC Loss
Viviane Araujo4 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Mauricio Ruffy4 days ago

Extends His Win Streak To Six
James Llontop5 days ago

Loses Clear-Cut Decision In Thrilling Fight At UFC 309
Paul Craig5 days ago

Loses Decision At UFC 309
Bo Nickal5 days ago

Remains Undefeated With Lackluster Performance At UFC 309
Stipe Miocic5 days ago

Retires After UFC 309 Loss

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 

Video: Week 12 Booms, Sleepers, and Streamers - 2024 Fantasy Football Start 'Em Analysis

And here...we...go... The YouTube team is dropping fresh fire content for the weekend ahead with our top Week 12 booms, sleepers, and streamers! NFL Network and RotoBaller contributor LaQuan Jones gives in-depth fantasy football advice, breaking down some of his high-upside, sleeper, and value plays as we head into Week 12 of the new fantasy […]


RotoBaller NFL Betting Picks Stock

2024 NFL Week 12 Betting Picks (Premium Content)

All other Premium Tools and Content can be accessed on the premium dashboard. To see ALL of Jamie's bets (and others from RotoBaller experts) then head over to the RotoBaller Discord. You'll find every bet and prop in the #NFL-BETTING-PROPS channel there!   Background My name is Jamie Calandro (@jac3600 on X) and I have […]


DeVon Achane - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL DFS Picks, Injury News

Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em - Week 12 Matchups Analysis

Welcome back, RotoBallers, to another start'em and sit'em piece as we look ahead to Week 12! There will be a whopping six teams on bye this week (Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New York Jets), so that means fantasy managers might need to look deeper on their benches. This Week 12 matchups […]


Josh Downs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

WR/CB Matchups to Upgrade and Downgrade - Fantasy Football Week 12 (2024)

Welcome back to our WR/CB Matchups for Week 12 of the 2024 fantasy football season. For those unfamiliar, this weekly series looks at fantasy football matchups for wide receivers versus the cornerbacks who are projected to cover them. The data we access for offensive and defensive players continues to skyrocket. Though we mainly focus on offensive […]


Houston Texans Defense D/ST Streamers, Rankings, Waiver Wire - Derek Stingley Fantasy Football IDP

D/ST Strength of Schedule: Best Fantasy Football Defense Streamers and Matchups (Weeks 12-17)

Ahh, the good old Defense/Special Teams (DST) position in fantasy football. It is a controversial inclusion in fantasy lineups for some fantasy players, but strategizing around DSTs is one of my favorite aspects of the in-season fantasy football experience. In the article below, I will present the strength of schedule (SOS) for the fantasy Defense/Special […]


NFL DFS: FanDuel Daily Fantasy Football Picks for Week 12 - Top Lineup Plays Include Jayden Daniels, Jahmyr Gibbs, Jared Goff, Puka Nacua

It’s already Week 12, although the end of the 2024-25 campaign can’t come soon enough for teams like the Jaguars, Raiders, Giants, and Panthers, to name a few. On the other hand, clubs like the Bills, Chiefs, and Lions are only a few weeks away from officially punching their tickets to the postseason.   In […]


Braelon Allen - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Best/Worst Fantasy Football Playoff Schedules: Streamers and Starts To Win A Championship (2024)

Planning too far in advance to align your fantasy football players for an optimal playoff performance comes with many pitfalls. However, positioning yourself for good fortune in Weeks 15 through 17 should be a key piece of your strategy if you're in line to make the bracket. Fantasy players still have time to trade for […]


Bo Nix - Fantasy Football Rankings, QB, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

The King's Week 12 Lineup Rankings and Analysis (Premium Content)

RotoBaller senior writer Scott "The King" Engel shares his Week 12 fantasy football lineup rankings for PPR, half PPR, and standard scoring league participants. He also provides an analysis of the rankings at every skill position. Regular starting options are included to highlight that some of your must-start players have a good chance of supplying […]


Courtland Sutton - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Week 12 DraftKings NFL DFS Picks - Main Slate (2024): Anthony Richardson, Brian Robinson Jr., Courtland Sutton, and more

How's it going, RotoBallers? Welcome back to our DraftKings Main Slate article. Known around the fantasy football world as "Bye-Mageddon," Week 12 certainly offers up some unique challenges from a DFS perspective. Don't worry, we'll work through those difficulties to find the best plays we can on this slate. These DraftKings lineup recommendations are based […]


Brian Robinson Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings Running Backs, Waiver Wire Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

Bold Predictions for Fantasy Football Week 12: Tua Tagovailoa, Rhamondre Stevenson, Brian Robinson Jr., Ladd McConkey, Will Dissly

Week 12 is here, and I’m back with another edition of fantasy football bold predictions. This week’s list of bold predictions will include Tua Tagovailoa, Rhamondre Stevenson, Brian Robinson Jr., Ladd McConkey, and Will Dissly. Every week, I will provide some fun and bold fantasy football predictions. While these bold predictions aren’t the most likely […]


Ladd McConkey - Fantasy Football Rankings, Rookies, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Booms and Busts - Fantasy Football Starts and Sits for Week 12 Lineups Include Tua Tagovailoa, J.K. Dobbins, Ladd McConkey

Week 11 was pretty kind to us in this space. We correctly labeled Justin Herbert as a boom pick. He threw for 297 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 65 yards on the ground. It culminated with a QB8 finish. We also nailed Kirk Cousins and Tony Pollard as busts. Cousins and the Falcons […]


Chuba Hubbard - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Week 12 Fantasy Football Busts? Players Who May Disappoint Include D'Andre Swift, JK Dobbins, Tank Dell, Chuba Hubbard, Mark Andrews, Jakobi Meyers

Welcome back, RotoBallers, to our Week 12 fantasy football busts, or players who may disappoint for fantasy lineups this week. It's a strange week in the NFL with six teams taking their bye week. That could mean lineups are gridlocked and fantasy managers don't have the luxury of analyzing matchups to decide their starters. Potential […]


Josh Downs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

PrizePicks NFL DFS Prop Picks - Over/Under Props for Week 12 (Sunday Main Slate)

Hello everybody, and welcome to our PrizePicks NFL DFS prop picks for Week 12 - Sunday Main Slate! The 2024 NFL season is now past the midpoint, and our friends over at PrizePicks have a TON of great DFS plays we can look to take advantage of. Our partners at PrizePicks offer some of the […]