Pittsburgh Pirates 2016 Fantasy Outlook

Mar 21, 2016; Fort Myers, FL, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Starling Marte (6) bats against the Minnesota Twins during the game at CenturyLink Sports Complex. The Pirates shut out the Twins 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

Pittsburgh Pirates 2016 Fantasy Outlook

Pittsburgh is finally reaping the fruits of their farm system, and they haven’t even reached the pitching part of that yet. They are looking to make another playoff push this year. Their patience last year could reap big rewards for their future.

Pittsburgh Pirates 2016 Projected Starting Lineup:

C: Francisco Cervelli (.296, 7HR, 44RBI)
1B: John Jaso (.286, 5HR, 22RBI in 185 AB with TB)/ Mike Morse (.231, 5HR, 19RBI in 229 AB with MIA/PIT)
2B: Josh Harrison (.287, 4HR, 28RBI, 10SB in 418 AB)
SS: Jordy Mercer (.244, 3HR, 34RBI)
3B: Jung Ho Kang (.287, 15HR, 58RBI, 5SB)
LF: Starling Marte (.288, 19HR, 81RBI, 30SB)
CF: Andrew McCutchen (.292, 23HR, 96RBI, 11SB)
RF: Gregory Polanco (.256, 9HR, 52RBI, 27SB)

Cervelli is a good replacement catcher when your starter gets hurt. He hits for a good average, provides a little power, and will drive in a few runs. He is about as consistent as they get if you don’t feel like taking chances in medium sized leagues. He will be owned in all deep leagues.

The Jaso/Morse platoon will only last until Josh Bell is ready. I would only use either of them in deep leagues that allow daily roster changes. Morse has enough power to make him interesting if he gets a lot of at bats.

Harrison battled injuries last year, so much so that his power and speed were all but gone. The average is still there, and I would almost chalk last year up to bad luck. We all know what Harrison is capable of. It’s enough to take a chance on him in standard leagues in later rounds.

Mercer is an able body, but even in deep leagues, you will be hard pressed to find him worth playing.

David Freese will hold down third base until Jung Ho Kang is ready. He should be back sometime this month, so Freese will have a short shelf life if you decide to use him in deep leagues. Kang is in the second tier of third baseman, and still warrants a selection in the middle rounds of standard league drafts. He has a good shot at 20-25 home runs with a good average and a handful of steals.

Marte is a good bet for a 20-30 season and should hit near .300. That makes him worthy of a fourth round pick or so. Marte is just starting his prime, so the potential is there for even bigger numbers.

McCutchen is not quite the fantasy monster that he was a couple of years ago, but he is still being drafted as such. If he was around in the last second or early third, I would take him. Any higher than that and I think there is better value available.

Polanco still has the power potential, and you know he will help you in steals. He is worth a middle round pick to round out your outfield. The potential is still there for more. Whether it comes this year or not is a topic of debate among fantasy people.

Next: How Will The Rotation Shape Up?

Oct 7, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) throws against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning in the National League Wild Card playoff baseball game at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

Pittsburgh Pirates 2016 Projected Pitching Rotation:

Francisco Liriano (12-7, 3.38 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 205K)
Gerrit Cole (19-8, 2.60 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 202K)
Jon Niese (9-10, 4.13 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 113K with NYM)
Jeff Locke (8-11, 4.49 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 129K)
Ryan Vogelsong (9-11, 4.67 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 108K in 135 IP with SF)
Mark Melancon (3-2, 2.23 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 62K in 76.2 IP, 51/53 saves)

Okay, so maybe Liriano isn’t a dominant starter anymore. He is still a solid number three or four guy in your rotation. The peripheral numbers are good enough that with a little luck he could hit 16 wins or so. He is still a solid pitcher that is always around 200K.

Cole was brilliant last year, and there is a great chance that he can do it again. He is a borderline fantasy ace right now. Getting Cole as your ace isn’t the worst thing you can do for your fantasy team, and he will come a lot cheaper than some others.

We may just have to accept the fact that Niese is an average starter. As it stands now, he is worth a back of the rotation piece in 12 team leagues and maybe as a spot starter in standard leagues.

Locke is mainly an innings eater right now until Glasnow or Taillon is ready. Use him in deep leagues if the matchup is right.

Same with Vogelsong. The 38 year old isn’t fantasy worthy right now, and with the spring that Juan Nicasio has had, I would venture to say that Nicasio will begin the season in the rotation. He could be worth a shot in deep leagues if you want to take a chance on a guy having a hot spring.

Melancon is not an elite closer, but he is near the top of the second tier. Take him with confidence in the middle rounds.

Next: What Prospects Are Worth Watching?

Mar 5, 2016; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow (51) throws a pitch in the second inning of the spring training game against the Atlanta Braves at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports /

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

Tyler Glasnow, RHP: It was everything that the Pirates could to do not bring Glasnow up to help the playoff run last year. Glasnow went 7-5 with a 2.39 ERA in 22 minor league starts last year. The back end of the Pittsburgh rotation is far from set in stone, especially with 38 year old Ryan Vogelsong holding down the fifth starter role. He is worth picking up in all leagues when he gets the call. Dynasty leaguers should be all over him. Glasnow looks the part of becoming a really good fantasy pitcher.

Josh Bell, 1B: Bell will take over at first base sometime this year. The Pirates signed the platoon of Jaso and Morse, but neither of them are going to block Bell once he is ready. Bell hit .317 with 7 homers and 78RBI in the minors last year. He is ready to hit, he just needs to become more smooth at fielding the position.

Jameson Taillon, RHP: Taillon has missed two full seasons with injuries. He finally looks healthy again, and looks to regain his status as the top Pirates prospect. He will likely begin the season in AAA, but he will be up as soon as he proves he is ready. He is worth holding in leagues of 12 teams or more. You standard league players should watch his progress closely.

Elias Diaz, C: Cervelli is a good hitter, but Diaz possesses more raw skill. He will have to prove a lot at the minor league level to supplant Cervelli, but if it happens, he is worth a look in deeper leagues.

Alen Hanson, INF: This year, if and when Jordy Mercer struggles or gets hurt, there is a good chance that Hanson will get the call. He likely wont help your fantasy team much unless you are in a deep league, but he is worth watching. The potential is there.

Next: Can Alfred Morris Bounce Back?

Stay tuned for the rundown of every MLB team before Opening Day, our daily FanDuel picks, and the round by round picks for the NCAA Tournament!

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