St Louis Cardinals 2016 Fantasy Outlook

October 13, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter (13) hits a single against Chicago Cubs in game four of the NLDS at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports /

St Louis Cardinals 2016 Fantasy Outlook

Are the Cardinals still in the fold in the ultra-competitive NL Central? The Cubs and Pirates both made the playoffs last year. Are the Cardinals in the thick of things, even after losing Jason Heyward to the hated Cubs? Let’s find out!

St Louis Cardinals 2016 Projected Starting Lineup:

C: Yadier Molina (.270, 4HR, 61RBI)
1B: Brandon Moss (.226, 19HR 58RBI with CLE/STL)
2B: Kolten Wong (.262, 11HR 61RBI, 15SB)
SS: Ruben Tejada (.261, 3HR, 28RBI in 360 AB with NYM)
3B: Matt Carpenter (.272, 28HR, 84RBI)
LF: Matt Holliday (.279, 4HR, 35RBI in 229 AB)
CF: Randal Grichuk (.276, 17HR, 47RBI in 323 AB)
RF: Stephen Piscotty (.305, 7HR, 39RBI in 233 AB)

Molina’s days as an elite catcher are over. He is 32, and injuries have taken their toll. He is still a suitable backup or a starter when he gets hot, but don’t invest in him before the end of the draft.

Moss has enough power to warrant a look in deep leagues, just be aware of that average. It will hurt you at some point.

Wong helps across the board, making him a nice low-end option in standard leagues. If you miss out on the top tier second baseman, Wong is a great middle round option. He will score you quite a few runs as well.

Tejada is just keeping the seat warm until Jhonny Peralta (.275, 17HR, 71RBI) gets back, likely in late June. Tejada may be useful in deep leagues. Draft Peralta late and stash him on your DL. He was a standard league contributor last year.

The Cardinals have announced that Carpenter will bat leadoff, which means his RBI will take a bit of a hit, but he will score a lot of runs. The power is there, and he is a good pick in the second tier of third baseman if you miss out on a top option.

Right now, I’m not even sure Holliday is a standard league option. I would still take a chance on him near the end of the draft, but his power looks all but gone. Be prepared to drop him for a better option.

Over a full season, Grichuk could hit 30 home runs. He also boasts a solid average. He is worth a look as your second or third outfielder on draft day.

Piscotty doesn’t have the power that Grichuk does, but he hits for a better average. He is worth keeping around at the end of your outfield in standard leagues because the potential is there, and he wont hurt you anywhere in the meantime.

Next: How Will The Rotation Shape Up?

Mar 10, 2016; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Jaime Garcia (54) throws against the New York Mets during a spring training game at Tradition Field. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

St Louis Cardinals 2016 Projected Pitching Rotation:

Adam Wainwright (2-1, 1.61 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 20K in 28 IP)
Jaime Garcia (10-6, 2.43 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 97K in 129.2 IP)
Michael Wacha (17-7, 3.38 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 153K)
Mike Leake (11-10, 3.70 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 119K with CIN/SF)
Carlos Martinez (14-7, 3.01 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 184K)
Trevor Rosenthal (2-4, 2.10 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 83K in 68.2 IP, 48/51 saves)

Losing Lance Lynn (12-11, 3.03 ERA, 1.37 WHIP) for the season to Tommy John surgery hurts. The return of Adam Wainwright helps though. He was dominant in September last year. He is a solid fantasy ace if he can stay healthy.

Garcia was also brilliant last year. He isn’t an elite strikeout guy, but he is a solid number two fantasy starter.

Same with Wacha. He still has some untapped potential whereas Garcia has hit his ceiling. That could warrant taking Wacha a little sooner. There is an outside chance that he will win 20 games this year.

Leake is a solid innings eater that will be a solid producer until their minor league arms are ready. He is worth a spot start in any league, and will be a valuable piece of a deep league rotation.

Martinez is showing what the Cardinals saw in him all along. He racks up strikeouts and posts a good ERA. The potential is there for him to have a really good season. Fifth starter or not, I would bet that he still starts at least 30 games, and wins at least half of those. That makes him a solid three in your fantasy rotation.

Rosenthal is in the upper tier of closers because of the volume of save opportunities and the strikeouts he gets while converting them. His numbers could be similar to Chapman’s this year because of his suspension, and Rosenthal comes cheaper.

Next: What Prospects Are Worth Watching?

Jul 24, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Tim Cooney (66) throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kane-USA TODAY Sports /

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

Alex Reyes, RHP: Reyes will serve a 50 game suspension for marijuana use. He could be in the majors not long after if Mike Leake struggles of if injuries hit. He mowed through AA and the Arizona Fall League last year, and should be in the majors in come capacity in June. Those of you in medium or deep leagues should pick him up whenever he lands a rotation slot.

Marco Gonzales, LHP: With the suspension to Reyes, Gonzales could be the first one called up if a slot opens. He helped the Cardinals out of the bullpen last year down the stretch, but struggled in the majors. He will need to prove himself in the minors again first.

Tim Cooney, LHP: Cooney went 1-0 with a 3.16 ERA in six major league starts last year. He has had the most success of the young Cardinal pitchers in the majors so far, and could begin the season in the majors in the bullpen.

Charlie Tilson, OF: Tilson led the Texas League in hits and stolen bases last year. The Cardinals are loaded in the outfield, but should an injury happen or inconsistent play, the speedy Tilson could get the call. If he does, he is worth a look in all leagues because of the speed factor.

Jacob Wilson, INF: Wilson’s power warrants a look in deeper leagues should an everyday spot for him open up in the majors. His average could hurt, so keep an eye on him before playing him consistently.

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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