Fantasy baseball 2018: Indians’ Bradley Zimmer is the perfect flyer

If stolen bases are in decline, why is Cleveland Indians’ center fielder Bradley Zimmer not more popular?

Speed is a precious resource in fantasy baseball in 2018, but early drafts suggest that the Indians’ center fielder Bradley Zimmer is badly undervalued.

In a year full of exceptional rookie performances, the Indians’ former top prospect failed to ignite the league during his 2017 debut and, as such, is being ignored in fantasy baseball drafts, with his latest ADP down in the 212 range.

The left-hander hit .241 with 15 doubles, two triples and eight home runs in 299 at-bats. This included a horrendous 13-game hitless stretch at the start of August when he went 0-for-32.

In fact, if you exclude August and the 11 days of September before his season was brought to an abrupt end with a broken hand, Zimmer hit a very respectable .284 AVG (.813 OPS). An impressive first Major League campaign.

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Although the former first-rounder is the prototypical five-tool player, it is his speed that is of most interest in the fantasy baseball world. Zimmer is not just fast; he is lights-out fast.

According to Statcast, the four quickest players in the league are Byron Buxton, Dee Gordon, Billy Hamilton and Zimmer.

He swiped 27 bags across two levels, including 18 in 19 attempts for the Indians. Zimmer is the first choice center fielder in Cleveland, so if he gets 500 at-bats, 25-30 home runs look reasonable, and 35-40 looks possible.

He will probably feel more comfortable at the plate in his second taste of Major League action, so an uptick in his OBP should give him plenty of opportunities to utilize his speed. Hitting in the stacked Cleveland lineup, even if it is towards the bottom, will help Zimmer rack up counting stats.

Zimmer is unlikely to post the same stolen base numbers as Hamilton, Gordon or the other elite base stealers, but he hits for power at a level that is not often associated with speed-first players. I like to think of him as the Starling Marte or Buxton that you can get in the 17th or 18th round of a 12-team league.

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He won’t give you monster numbers, but with his developing power, Zimmer could flirt with 20 home runs. Add that to the potential for 40 stolen bases, and you have the kind of upside that every fantasy player should be targeting in all league formats.

With his skill set, a clear path to regular playing time and the Indians’ loaded lineup, Zimmer looks like an excellent choice as a late round flyer.