New York Yankees Chase Headley: 2016 Fantasy Projections

Chase Headley played in his first full season with the New York Yankees. It was a good season, but can he break through the top-20 among third basemen?

The New York Yankees made some big moves during the offseason. The added depth in the bullpen and solidified their middle infield. Luckily, the team is set on the corners. They acquired one of those pieces during the 2014 trade deadline, third baseman Chase Headley. He had a good 2015 season, but nothing spectacular. But with the depth at the third base position, can he have one more top-20 season before it’s too late? 

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In a time when third base wasn’t what is it today, Headley’s value was inflated. In his six full seasons with the San Diego Padres, he hit 80 home runs, 369 RBI and .269 with 69 steals. He had an MVP-like season in 2012 when he hit 31 homers, 115 RBI and .286. It was, and still is, the only season where he hit over 20 home runs.

He played in his first game with the Yankees on July 22, going 1-for-4 with an RBI. He had six home runs, 17 RBI and a .262 average in 58 games. Last season was a bit of a drop off from a power standpoint. He hit just 11 home runs with 62 RBI and .369 slugging percentage, lowest of his career. He did have 150 hits, most since 2012. Headley finished 20th among third baseman on the Player Rater.

Chase Headley’s power has been declining for the last few years. His isolated power (ISO) dropped from .212 in 2012 to .110 last season. His fly ball, HR/FB and hard hit rates have all dropped between 2014 and 2015, 32.0/11.7/35.5 and 30.4/8.1/27.8, respectively. You would think the short right-field fence would help his power, but that isn’t the case. His pull percentage has also dropped over the last three seasons, 51.3 in 2013 to 44.3 in 2015.

Next: Washington Nationals 2016 Fantasy Preview

The Yankees roster is under construction. There are some aging players that can still hit, when healthy. But the team has recently acquired some younger players to prepare for the future. Chase Headley is on the wrong side of 30 and the numbers show it. The power is declining and the contact isn’t enough for his fantasy value. Third base is very deep this season. I have him outside of my top 20, but there is some promise he can get back into it.

Projections: 128 hits, 13 home runs, 63 RBI, .256 average

Draft: N/A