Fantasy Baseball: 2016 New York Yankees Fantasy Outlook

New York Yankees 2016 Fantasy Outlook:

In year two A.J. (after Jeter), the Yankees enter the season with lots of questions in the starting rotation.  What did they do to address it? They acquired middle infielder Starlin Castro from the Cubs.

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That’s great, you say, but how will that affect my fantasy team? We have you covered. Whether you play in standard leagues, deep leagues, multi-position leagues, dynasty leagues, or anything in between, we will give you the rundown on the players who will be starting at each position. We will also give you a hint of where they should be drafted.

Just in case you missed any:
Baltimore Orioles
Boston Red Sox

New York Yankees 2016 Projected Starting Lineup:

C: Brian McCann (.232, 26HR, 94RBI)
1B: Mark Teixeira (.255, 31HR, 79RBI in 111 games)
2B: Starlin Castro (.265, 11HR, 69RBI with Cubs)
SS: Didi Gregorius (.265, 9HR, 56RBI)
3B: Chase Headley (.259, 11HR, 62RBI)
LF: Brett Gardner (.259, 16HR, 66RBI, 20SB)
CF: Jacoby Ellsbury (.257, 7HR, 33RBI, 21SB in 111 games)
RF: Carlos Beltran (.276, 19HR, 67RBI)
DH: Alex Rodriguez (.250, 33HR, 86RBI)

McCann’s average will hurt you, but how many catchers can hit more than 25 home runs? Maybe Devin Mesoraco if he could ever stay healthy for a full season. That kind of production at catcher may be worth the hit in batting average. McCann is still worth a pick as a top three catcher, which is usually the fifth or sixth round.

Teixeira will hurt your average too, though not as badly as McCann. That said, there is a lot of power to be had at first base. Teixeira is going to be a liability in most standard leagues unless you can afford the hit in average or you plan on punting it entirely.

Castro was left without a place to play for the Cubs down the stretch. He is going to have to adjust to batting lower in the order in New York, but he should have plenty of opportunities to drive in runs and even steal some bases. You can expect a little bump in Castro’s numbers across the board, but he is still not likely to be a factor in standard leagues. In deeper leagues, he will be an asset to your team. He is also worth a look in leagues that use a MI slot.

Gregorius was labeled as a bust in his first season in pinstripes, but his numbers weren’t all that much worse than Derek Jeter‘s in 2014. His defense was impressive, which kept the team happy. Gregorius is never going to be a great hitter. He will have trouble even being a good hitter. He is still relevant in deeper leagues that need a healthy body who plays almost all the time.

Headley is another guy who struggled in New York. At 31, there is no reason to think that he will suddenly get back to the hitter he was. As it stands now, he is not worth a look in standard leagues. At this point he is best left for deep leagues once the 3B pool gets shallow.

Gardner comes under a lot of fire sometimes, and while the average leaves something to be desired, there aren’t a lot of guys that can go 20/20 anymore. Gardner came close last year. Hitting in the two hole seems to suit him. Gardner is worth a look to round out your outfield in standard leagues. You could even value him higher and I would have a hard time arguing. That said, he is a career .264 hitter, so he will hurt you a little bit in that department.

Ellsbury had a miserable year last year when he was healthy. Dig a little deeper though, and you will realize that he was off to a good start before a nagging knee injury hit in May and never let up. Ellsbury is a prime candidate for a rebound year. Though expectations should be tempered some. He is 32 years old. Still, if he slips down past the 10th round, he is definitely worth taking a chance on.

Beltran quietly had a solid year last year. Now, he is never going to hit 40 homers, steal 20 bags, or drive in 100 runs again. He is 38 years old, after all. But he could provide decent value as a bench player in standard leagues or to fill out your outfield in 12 team leagues.

Love him or hate him, and like it or not, Alex Rodriguez is still a fantasy asset. His average sucks, but so do most players that hit 30 home runs. He is likely only eligible at DH in most leagues this year, and if pressed, I would still take David Ortiz to clog my UTIL slot, but there will come a time in the 15th round or so of your draft that you just can’t pass on a sure 30 home runs.

Aaron Hicks, Dustin Ackley, and Mason Williams could all gain value if they carve out a role due to injuries. Williams has the most upside, but as of now, none are relevant.

Next: How Will The Rotation Shape Up?

New York Yankees 2016 projected pitching rotation:

Masahiro Tanaka (12-7, 3.51 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 139K in 154 IP)
Michael Pineda (12-10, 4.37 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 156K)
Nathan Eovaldi (14-3, 4.20 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 121K)
C.C. Sabathia (6-10, 4.73 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 137K)
Luis Severino (5-3, 2.89 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 56K in 11 starts)
Aroldis Chapman (4-4, 1.63 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 116K in 66.1 IP, 33/36 saves)

If Tanaka can stay healthy, he does have the potential to be an ace. As you can see by his WHIP, his ERA might have been a little inflated. Over a full season, 15 wins seems like an easily attainable goal. 200 strikeouts also seems likely. If you are willing to gamble on his health, Tanaka is at worst a number two starter for your fantasy team. Are you willing to pay the “Yankee premium” though?

Pineda’s ERA was a disappointment last year. He still has the potential to be a solid middle of the rotation starter for your fantasy team. That said, you are taking a risk on him. Pineda hasn’t been the same since Tommy John surgery, but this is about the time that pitchers fully recover. He is worth a pick in the 8th round or so. Again, beware the Yankee premium.

Eovaldi showed brief flashes of brilliance last year. Will he win 14 games again this year? Not likely, if his ERA stays above 4. he had some good luck last year, and his WHIP is an absolute killer. He is best left for deeper leagues. You can likely do better in standard leagues. However, if you stream one slot in your rotation, Eovaldi is worth using in the right matchup.

Sabathia is coming off of his worst ever season. Will things get better? Sabathia is 35, and his best years are clearly behind him. I wouldn’t expect him to be as bad as last year, but he wont be relevant in standard leagues anytime soon. Only take a chance on him in deeper leagues.

Severino dazzled in his debut last season, and proved that he can succeed in the majors. He was their best pitcher down the stretch last year, and may end up being their best pitcher this year. His success at the end of last year will drive the price up on him in drafts. I would like to see a little more before using a fifth or sixth round pick on him, but if you like to gamble, he could pay off big.

Chapman has been suspended for the first month of the season stemming from an offseason incident, but he could still lead the majors in saves. No joke. His high strikeout total will make him the first closer off the board. Where should you take him? Well, if you want him, he will go in the late fourth round. Is that too much to pay? Maybe not, since he averages about four strikeouts every three innings.

Andrew Miller, last year’s closer, will close games in April. He is worth taking later in your draft. Just know that he has a shelf life.

Next: What Prospects Are Worth Watching?

We will take a look at a few prospects that could crack the majors for the Yankees this year, and in what type of leagues you should be looking for them in. Let’s get started!

Aaron Judge, OF: If you haven’t heard of Judge, you have never played fantasy baseball before. He is a natural right fielder, and if Beltran struggles, Judge could be up early in the season. The Yankees aren’t enough better than every other team in the division to give away wins anymore. He will be up at some time this year. Do you like to stash prospects in standard leagues? If so, Judge is the guy to stash this year. He could be a special player, and could impact your team from the time he gets the call.

Gary Sanchez, C: Finding room for Sanchez could be difficult since he is blocked by McCann. He hit 18 home runs in 365 minor league at bats last year. He has the potential to hit 20 homers at catcher, as soon as this year if some playing time opens up. He should be on all keeper league radars, and he should be on all standard league watch lists.

Rob Refsnyder, 2B: The acquisition of Starlin Castro makes the future for Refsnyder a little more blurry. He hit .302 with two homers and five RBI in 43 September at bats last year. Now, he will need an injury to make an impact in fantasy leagues.

Ben Gamel, OF: The younger brother of Mat Gamel is going to have trouble finding big league at bats this year. Judge is obviously plan A, but if he fails, they still have Aaron Hicks and Dustin Ackley, two proven options, to fall back on. They also have Mason Williams and Slade Heathcott, who will likely be in the majors before Gamel.

Brady Lail, RHP: Lail is the only starter in the Yankees system that might be ready for the majors this year. That is still a “might.” Lail went 10-6 with a 2.91 ERA last year, and is not a high strikeout pitcher. If he does make the rotation, the chances of him having a fantasy impact are minimal.

Next: Baltimore Orioles 2016 Fantasy Preview

Stay tuned for the rundown of every MLB team before Opening Day!