Fantasy Baseball: 2015 Colorado Rockies Fantasy Outlook

Mar 25, 2015; Salt River Pima-Maricopa, AZ, USA; Colorado Rockies left fielder Carlos Gonzalez (5) flies out during the second inning against the San Francisco Giants at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports /

Spring Training is in full swing (pun intended), and the regular season is right around the corner. That means that our fantasy drafts are as well.

2015 Colorado Rockies Projected Starting Lineup:

C: Nick Hundley (.243, 6HR, 22RBI, 1SB with Padres/Orioles)
1B: Justin Morneau (.319, 17HR, 82RBI, 0SB)
2B: D.J. LeMahieu (.267, 5HR, 42RBI, 10SB)
SS: Troy Tulowitzki (.340, 21HR, 52RBI, 1SB in 91 games)
3B: Nolan Arenado (.287, 18HR, 61RBI, 2SB)
LF: Corey Dickerson (.312, 24HR, 76RBI, 8SB)
CF: Charlie Blackmon (.288, 19HR, 72RBI, 28SB)
RF: Carlos Gonzalez (.238, 11HR, 38RBI, 3SB in 70 games)

Hundley’s numbers will likely see an uptick just from playing in Coors Field for 81 games. That said, he has never played a full season in the majors and he has two capable guys (Michael McKenry .315, 8HR, 22RBI in 57 games) and Wilin Rosario (.267, 13HR, 54RBI) backing him up. I would guess that Hundley has a pretty short leash. However, he is the most defensively accomplished one on the squad.

Hundley is best left for deep or two catcher leagues unless his numbers spike from being in Denver. Rosario may still be worth rostering in deep leagues because of his power potential and his ability to play first base.

Morneau is not going to put up MVP-like numbers again, but he had a quietly solid year last year. He can help you in the middle rounds of standard leagues, and he certainly won’t hurt you. His numbers probably won’t get better, especially if Rosario steals some at bats, but they likely won’t get worse either.

LeMahieu was caught stealing as many times as he was successful, and he has little power. He can help out in deep leagues, but is best left alone in anything under 16 teams unless you start two at every position or have two MI slots.

Tulowitzki was having arguably his best season before it was derailed by yet another injury. If the Rockies were in contention, he could have come back in September, but the team had no reason to rush him. If he can stay healthy, he will be a contender for the MVP award. He is going as the first shortstop off the board in most drafts despite his injury history. If he is there in the middle to late second round, he could pay off in a big way.

Arenado is not an upper tier third baseman, but many think that he is just starting to see his power potential. 30 home runs in unlikely, but 25 with near 100 RBI is possible. All that with a good average makes him a solid pick after the elite third basemen are gone.

Dickerson is kind of a product of Coors Field. He hit .111 higher at home, and hit 15 of his home runs there. Still, he is worth taking because he plays enough games there, and, well, a .252 road average is not terrible. Many players hit better at home than on the road. He has the potential to hit 30 home runs – he did in the minors one year – and provide you with a healthy dose of RBI. He is worth a fourth round pick.

Blackmon is unlikely to produce the power that he did last year. He never had more than 13 home runs in any of his minor league seasons. The speed is legit though. Once he picks his spots better, he should be around 40 steals. Couple that with a good average, and double digit home run power, and you have a nice pick in the eighth round or so.

Many people have given up on Carlos Gonzalez after a disastrous 2014 season. That makes him a great buy-low option. He is still in his prime at age 29, and could push the 30-30 threshold again. He has the potential to perform far above where he is being drafted.

Most of the major league ready position players have already been summoned by the Rockies. One that has not is Kyle Parker. A lot of that is because the outfield is crowded. They even have Drew Stubbs (.289, 15HR, 43RBI) as a fourth outfielder. Parker has been working at first base in the minors. Morneau’s contract is up after this season, so you could see Parker up for good later in the year. He has good power, and should be able to hit for a decent average. He should be worth a roster spot in 12 team leagues or larger whenever he gets the call.

Cristhian Adames has proven to be a good defensive player, and has hit well with decent speed in the minors. He is primarily a shortstop, but the Rockies may try him at 2B if LeMahieu struggles. He played all over the infield in the Winter League, and excelled at the plate. He had trouble there in his September call up last year. He can help those of you in deep leagues when he does get the call.

Next: How Does The Rotation Look?

Sep 14, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Jordan Lyles (24) throws to a St. Louis Cardinals batter during the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /

2015 Colorado Rockies Projected Starting Rotation:

Jorge de la Rosa (14-11, 4.10 ERA, 139K)
Kyle Kendrick (10-13, 4.61 ERA, 121K with Phillies)
Jordan Lyles (7-4, 4.33 ERA, 90K in 22 starts)
Tyler Matzek (6-11, 4.05 ERA, 91K in 19 starts)
Jon Gray (10-5, 3.91 ERA, 113K in 24 AA starts)
LaTroy Hawkins (4-3, 3.31 ERA, 32K, 23/26 saves)

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De la Rosa is nothing more than a deep league option right now. He isn’t going to get back to the way he was in his prime. He may be able to provide you a couple of quality starts against lesser opponents, but he won’t help you in standard leagues.

Kendrick is for those of you that are desperate in deep leagues. His number were bad in Philly. What do you think the thin air is going to do to them?

Lyles is a solid back of the rotation option in leagues of 14 or more teams. He showed flashes of being a good pitcher last year. He has had a great spring, and could be worth a streaming look in standard leagues if he pitches well in April.

Matzek also showed promise at times last year. He is worth a look in deeper leagues.

Gray has the potential to be the ace of this staff. He did not have a great spring, but it was better than Eddie Butler‘s, so Gray will open the season as the fifth starter. He will hit triple digits with his fastball and has electric stuff. He is worth taking a shot on in leagues of 12 or more. Those of you in standard leagues should keep an eye on him. He could really help your team if he gets it going.

Butler and Tyler Anderson both dominated in the minors last year. If injuries strike or anyone falters in the rotation, they will be the next in line. Butler probably has the most upside, but Anderson has had the better numbers. Those of you in deeper leagues should pay attention to when these guys are called up.

Hawkins was widely believed to be just keeping the seat warm for Rex Brothers. Brothers had an abysmal 2014 season, which has shaken the club’s confidence in him as a closer. John Axford has closer experience, but was a ticking time bomb in the role. Hawkins will again be a popular trade rumor, but until Brothers proves that he can handle the job, the club likely won’t move him.

Hawkins is a guy you take if you are desperate for saves. He doesn’t strike out a lot of batters, and doesn’t get a lot of save opportunities. His WHIP and ERA also hurt more than they help.

Next: Is Madison Bumgarner Being Overdrafted?

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