RADIO
Can Offseason Adjustments Unlock Potential?
Set to be the starting second baseman for the Baltimore Orioles, Jonathan Schoop definitely has the potential to be an everyday fantasy starter in 2015. I don’t believe that 2014 was a good indicator of his entire skill set, as he hit .209 with 16 homers, 45 RBIs, and only 13 walks in 481 plate appearances. Those numbers indicate a free-swinger, which is undoubtedly true.
As a young, unrefined hitter, he’s a sucker for outside breaking balls. He swings at pitches outside of the strike zone about 10 percent more often than league average. He’s a dead-pull hitter - often even pulling outside pitches - which is rarely a remedy for success. However, I think he has much more potential than those Dan Uggla-esque numbers imply.
Schoop will undoubtedly make adjustments in the offseason. Anybody familiar with hitting technique can see the flaws in Schoop’s approach at the plate. I have to imagine that Orioles coaches are working with him to improve his plate discipline (again, a sucker for the outside breaking ball). His average will improve if he learns to go with outside pitches instead of using his above average bat speed to yank everything.
What To Expect in 2015
These are not overnight processes, and I am not delusional enough to think that he is going to completely fix the holes in his swing in one offseason. However, all he has to do to be more useful is improve slightly. Improving to a .260 average would be huge because he has 20-25 home run potential. Getting that kind of power out of the second base spot in your lineup is never a bad thing, especially if you play in rotisserie leagues.
The Orioles never gave up on Schoop either, which is encouraging. He sprinted through the minor leagues, and honestly could have probably benefited from more time at Triple-A. The Orioles believe he is their second baseman of the future. Schoop is a Gold Glove-caliber infielder, which certainly doesn’t hurt his chances of remaining with the Orioles even if it takes some time for him to get going. He made the club out of Spring Training in 2014, and went on to play 137 games in his rookie season despite the abysmal batting average and on-base percentage.
The Orioles are going to need his power to fill in some of the gap left by the departure of Nelson Cruz. Schoop is probably going to start the season at the bottom of the lineup. If he can improve the average, I can see him sneaking into the 5th or 6th spot depending on the Orioles’ needs and injuries. That is still a solid offensive lineup. If he does move up, he’ll have plenty of opportunities for RBIs.
In Summary
Jonathan Schoop has a lot of potential to be an impact fantasy asset at the second base position in 2015. However, his youth and lack of plate discipline need to be addressed before I’m comfortable considering him an everyday fantasy starter. I believe he will make these adjustments in the offseason and start to realize the potential that kept him on the field in 2014. I won’t predict a breakout season, but definitely an improved one.
Projected stat line: .257 AVG, 22 HR, 71 RBI, 65 Runs
