Spring Training: Fantasy Players to Watch in the AL West
By Brad Kelly
With spring training now upon us, there are numerous players that fantasy owners should be monitoring. Who in the AL West should owners be focused on?
Pitchers and catchers report this week, initiating the start of the 2018 season. There are still a ton of free agents on the market, storylines to be fleshed out, and more, but this is what every fantasy owner has been waiting for. In this article, we will look at players from every MLB club that fantasy owners should be watching this spring, focusing on the AL West.
Houston Astros: Derek Fisher
The defending champs are nearly set all around the diamond, outside of left field. They have plenty of in-house options, Jake Marisnick, Marwin Gonzalez, and the above, Derek Fisher.
Fisher has the highest upside out of the trio based on his minor league production. Since 2015, Fisher racked up 20+ HR per season along with at least 16 SB per campaign. He tore through the minors and the Astros decided to promote him in 2017, and even carried him throughout the postseason.
Over 166 at-bats for Houston last season, he posted a .212/5 HR/17 RBI/3 SB/.663 OPS. He did not fare well, and his 3:1 strikeout to walk ratio was an ugly indicator moving forward. Yet, even though the AVG might not be there, he is a must watch candidate thanks to his 20 HR/20 SB upside. If he can secure a spot in left with a strong spring, he shapes up to be a great late round flier.
Honorable Mention: Dallas Keuchel
No stranger to injury, Keuchel was battling a foot injury to end the season and it lasted into December. He pitched like a SP1 year, but only made 23 starts. His draft day price tag will be high yet again, but he needs to avoid any setbacks this spring in order to be a smart investment.
Seattle Marines: James Paxton
Stop me if you have heard this before, but James Paxton could not put together a healthy campaign last season. He had all makings of a breakout candidate heading into 2017 and was fitting the bill up until forearm and pectoral strain sabotaged it.
He ended the year with a 2.98 ERA/1.10 WHIP/ 156 K line over 24 starts, which projected over 30 starts, would have placed him in the Cy Young discussions. The change in arm slot in 2016 certainly paid off, yet owners still feel underwhelmed due to the injuries.
Entering into his sixth year, it is make or break time for Paxton. The Mariners have no shot at making any noise in the west if he does not stay on the bump, and fantasy owners could potentially have a fantasy ace that is still being undervalued if he can last a full year.
He has to avoid any setbacks this spring, with the hope that he can finally start and maintain a full year of results because the talent is still evident.
Honorable Mention: Mitch Haniger
Popular sleeper candidate last season was well on his way to having a breakout year until being hit in the face halted all that. He was in line to post a 20+ HR season. If he can have a strong spring, do not be afraid to be bullish on targeting him again as a sleeper this spring.
Los Angeles Angels: Shohei Otani
This is probably the easiest choice in the league, as everyone will have their eyes glued to how Otani looks on both mound and in the box this spring. The Angels have already said that they will use a six-man rotation to accommodate Otani, and for fantasy owners, that was the best news possible.
His situation puts fantasy owners in uncharted waters, so his performance this spring will go a long way in cementing his value. The bat should translate decently enough where the Angels can pass him off as a plausible DH option. But, on the mound is a whole other question.
He has the raw stuff to shine, yet can fantasy owners pay the huge price tag strictly on that alone. It remains to be seen, making him one of the biggest names to watch in terms of fantasy implications.
Honorable Mention: Andrew Heaney
Much like Paxton, it is sink or swim time for Heaney. He looked great in 2015, fell off a cliff in 2016, and required TJ surgery. He was predictably rusty in his first starts back from injury last season, but the Halos need him to either become a fixture of their rotation, or they will have to close the chapter just like fantasy owners.
Texas Rangers: Willie Calhoun
It is hard not to peg Calhoun as one of the best sleepers heading into 2018. Great raw power, good eye at the plate, surrounded by a solid lineup, and playing half his games in one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks, builds quite the resume.
Fantasy owners should be paying him a close eye just to see if the bat and approach validates the hype. Odds are it will, making him a potential 30 HR source that can be had in the later rounds.
Honorable Mention: Jurickson Profar
My oh my how mighty have fallen. Once lauded as the top prospect in the game, Profar has been buried thanks to injuries and lack of performance. With the Rangers having spots open in the lineup, Profar has a chance to stick somewhere if he can have a breakout spring. Keep an eye on him.
Oakland A’s: Blake Treinen
Treinen was making the rounds as a possible sleeper last season in Washington, yet struggled mightily and never secured their closing gig for good. His performance with the Nats saw him involved in a deal with the A’s at the deadline, yet that was all Treinen needed in order to take off.
With Oakland, he ended the year with a solid 2.13 ERA and 13 SV over 38 innings, cementing himself as the Athletics’ closer to begin this season. No one will argue his stuff, he one of the nastiest slider/sinker combos in the game, but owners need to see his command of those pitches improve some this spring.
If he can pitch well and avoid any major blowups before the draft, Treinen will be once again a popular RP target for those owners who miss out on the big names at the position.
Honorable Mention: Dustin Fowler
More known for his tragic debut in which he injured his knee before he could even get an at-bat, Fowler still looks poised to battle it out for Oakland’s starting CF job. It should not be lost on owners that Fowler was creeping onto top-100 prospect lists thanks to his line drive power/speed combo. If he can look good this spring, he turns into an interesting late-round flier.
The AL West in an intriguing division, yet it clear that the AL runs through Houston. The Angels have made the offseason additions to make some noise in the playoff race, while the Rangers and Mariners are going to need some help. The A’s have a solid core of power hitters, so it would not be a surprise to see them play spoiler throughout the league. There are a ton of interesting players and storylines to watch this spring.