Carlos Beltran – Beltran rededicated himself this off-season and is primed for a rebound. Limited by a leg injury and later a concussion, he was one of the biggest busts last year. Look for him to approach 30/30 and provide huge value if he falls late 2nd or early 3rd.
Travis Hafner – Fluke injuries have kept his at bats down and, therefore, his overall numbers. After posting back-to-back near 1000 OPS seasons, “Pronk” is one of the premiere hitters in baseball. Count on a fully healthy season and a run at 125 RBI.
Chase Utley – Everyone knows about this budding star, but he still may be a bit undervalued. Last year, he frequently hit lower in the order and didn’t become a true everyday player until June. This year, there isn’t any other middle infielder I’d rather own.
Adrian Beltre – From steal of the draft in 2004 to bust of the draft in 2005, Beltre seems to be an afterthought these days. Still only 26 and with a year of American League pitching under his belt, count on his torrid WBC play to continue into the season. Now, if only he could suffer another bone spur on his left ankle…
Mark Loretta – A torn left thumb ligament ruined last year, but an off-season trade to Boston has his future looking brighter than ever. Moving from Petco to Fenway is great in itself, but add to the fact that his superior on-base skills will be directly in front of Ortiz and Manny, and a league lead in runs scored is quite possible.
Justin Morneau – He can be had for cheap. Last year he dealt with an appendix removal, the chicken pox, a cyst removal, a concussion and finally an elbow injury. This year look for him to quickly move up in the order, settle into the cleanup spot and become the first Twin to eclipse 30 homers since 1989.
Matt Holliday – Way too many outfielders are going before Holliday. The fact that he’s not even an above average player in real baseball doesn’t matter. He plays in Coors and is locked in the cleanup spot right behind Helton. 64 RBI in his final 71 games last year reveals a sign of things to come.
Scott Podsednik – Concerns with his shoulder should drop his price tag even further. Remember, Podsednik had 47 steals in his first 75 games last year, a remarkable pace eventually slowed by what was later revealed to be two hernias. His ability to dominate the rarest category, steals, is unlike any other player out there. If he approaches 80 steals, a very real possibility, his value will be much higher than almost anyone realizes.
Edwin Encarnacion – Although batting average is likely to remain a problem, there is a lot to like here. Playing in hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark, where the most home runs were hit in all of baseball in 2005, as well as a move to the heart of the order mean big things are in store for this spring training standout. He’ll even contribute with 10-15 steals.
Jhonny Peralta – Not only did he split time with the immortal Alex Cora for the first month but he also hit ninth until August. Then he moved to the three spot, an ideal place to rack up runs and RBI in the Tribe’s lineup. It’s where he figures to bat all of this year, making him a great value pick at shortstop.
Casey Kotchman – Someone who figures to go very late in most drafts, Kotchman should receive the majority of time at first base for the Angels this year. He will pound righties and will soon make the Royals look foolish for turning down the Sweeney proposal.
Austin Kearns – It will happen one year. I promise. Finally enabled job security, Kearns showed up to camp in noticeably better shape. Plus, he’s using the Nike Maxsight contact lenses now, which helped take Brian Roberts to a new level last year. At this point, the upside is worth the risk. Go ahead and go after him, even if you’ve been burned before.
Joey Gathright – How much playing time he gets is the key factor here. Whether it’s Huff moving to third to open a spot in the outfield, or a trade to the Marlins, Gathright should get his chance. He has the ability to carry teams in the steal category, make sure he’s on yours when it happens.
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