TAP FOR 6 MONTHS OF PREMIUM FREE 💰
X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Dynasty Review: Deep Fantasy League Advice for Week 25

Welcome to the final dynasty review of the 2016 regular season. Starting next week, the format of this article will change, possibly incorporating a new name and focus. I'm still working out the specifics. Don't worry, dynasty MLB coverage will continue on multiple fronts here at Rotoballer.

With minor league baseball phasing out of existence, today's column will cover a number of major league players on the upswing. While prospects are the first love of most dynasty owners, successfully stockpiling major league breakouts can be a surer means to a deep, effective roster.

Editor's Note: Purchase a full season NFL Premium Pass (including DFS Premium), and also get MLB Premium + DFS for free through the playoffs. Premium DFS research, lineup picks, expert lineups, tools and more. You can see screenshots of our NFL Premium and MLB Premium and DFS tools. What are you waiting for?

 

Dynasty Advice for Week 25

Adam Frazier - Pittsburgh Pirates

I'm a big fan Frazier as the next iteration of DJ LeMahieu. The Rockies second baseman thrives in part because he has the support of a Coors-fueled offense. Frazier doesn't have the same park and lineup interactions, but he still shows promise as a dynasty asset.

Let's talk about what he's not. He won't hit for power, and his speed will probably top out around 10 to 15 stolen bases in a full season. He hits frozen ropes to the opposite field, using a high line drive rate to produce a high average. He's just patient enough to produce a high OBP too.

Frazier's value suffers from a crowded Pittburgh infield. He's tied to second base where Josh Harrison receives most of the starts when healthy. Jung-ho Kang and Jordy Mercer have forced Harrison to the right side of the infield. Frazier could shift to the outfield, but it's even more crowded out there. His best hope for starting reps is a Harrison trade or a role shift for Mercer. Frazier has arguably matched Mercer's performance in just one-fifth of the time.

Mike Montgomery - Chicago Cubs

People are noticing Mike Montgomery. The Cubs' sixth starter has tweaked his pitch usage since he was acquired in exchange for Dan Vogelbach. The lefty is on the cusp of a big breakout, inducing whiffs and ground balls like no one else. Monty isn't a finished product which only serves to hide his potential conversion to acedom. Chicago is expected to return their entire rotation, leaving Montgomery as the sixth starter in April. Acquire him cheaply, treat him as a prospect, and reap the benefits mid-2017. Prepare to be patient, developing fantasy pitchers is a fickle business.

Chris Devenski - Houston Astros

Devenski has performed as a much-needed shutdown long reliever for the Astros. He's posted a 2.05 ERA, 2.47 FIP, and 3.75 xFIP in 101 innings to go with 8.29 K/9 and 1.69 BB/9. Nobody has shouldered a workload like Devenski. Only Montgomery has a comparable innings total among relievers, and he made an additional two starts.

The Astros righty deserves a legitimate shot at the rotation next spring, although the club probably prefers him in the swing role. Like many pitchers in the current era, his best pitches are offspeed offerings including a double-plus changeup, a quality slider, and an above average curve. Devenski minimized his usage of the fastball which helped him to limit home runs.

Chad Bettis - Colorado Rockies

In a sufficiently deep format, Bettis has the stuff and run support to be a core contributor. This season, he's made 30 starts with a  4.79 ERA, 6.70 K/9, and 2.68 BB/9. He's pitched particularly well since early-July, although his FIP and xFIP remained steady in the low fours. He only allowed more than three earned runs in one of 13 starts over the period.

Despite the highish season ERA, Bettis is 13-7. I expect the Rockies offense to be the highest scoring unit in baseball next year. Bettis should continue to produce wins and quality starts even if he won't help in rate stats.

Ariel Miranda - Seattle Mariners

When the Mariners acquired Miranda in exchange for Wade Miley, few expected Miranda to immediately outperform the left-handed veteran. Miranda, a 27-year-old Cuban, has posted a 3.88 ERA with 7.03 K/9 and 3.14 BB/9 in 48.2 innings. Ominously, his 5.03 FIP and 5.08 xFIP imply a wall of incoming regression.

Miranda has an interesting repertoire. Most pitchers who throw a split-finger use it as a changeup. Miranda throws a splitter AND a change. And to add to the weirdness, his changeup is better at inducing ground balls.

The southpaw lacks a meaningful breaking ball which really limits his upside. I'd like to see him work on curve he can couple with his fastball. His fastball is well below average so anything he can do push his usage rate below 50 percent is advisable.

Adonis Garcia - Atlanta Braves

The Braves are thought to be looking for an upgrade at third base. Unfortunately, the free agent market is rather thin with only Justin Turner and Martin Prado representing an obvious upgrade to Garcia. There's a good chance he'll be back next year. The club may have more confidence in the 31-year-old following some second half adjustments. He still isn't a world beater, but a .301/.344/.480 line with eight home runs in 245 plate appearances works - especially if he's still batting second ahead of Freddie Freeman.

Freddy Galvis - Philadelphia Phillies

Galvis has served as roster glue for a few years now. In moments of dynasty desperation, you could always count on Galvis to start. He wouldn't contribute much, but you have to play to score. Galvis upped his game this season. He's popped 20 home runs to go with 14 stolen bases. Eight of the 20 homers have come in the last 30 days, hinting at either a fluky temporary surge in production or an actual change.

Galvis still posts terrible average and OBP numbers, but at least he can supply some counting stats now. With J.P. Crawford adjusting slowly to Triple-A (and now recovering from injury), Galvis is unquestionably the top shortstop in the system. We'll see just how long that lasts. This is a case where plus defensive chops can help a fantasy owner.

 

Live Expert Q&A Chats - Every Weekday @ 1 PM and 6 PM EST (DFS)

Fantasy Baseball Chat Room

[iflychat_embed id="c-55" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Bryan Ramos

Orioles Acquire Bryan Ramos From White Sox
Los Angeles Rams

Rams Sign Sean McVay, Les Snead to Contract Extensions
Diego Lopes

Outclassed At UFC 325
Alexander Volkanovski

Dominates Diego Lopes
Dan Hooker

Stopped In The Second Round
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Extends His Win Streak
Los Angeles Dodgers

Mike Sirota Rising Through Los Angeles System
Alfredo Duno

a Name to Watch in Dynasty Formats
Rafael Fiziev

Suffers Second-Round TKO Loss
Tampa Bay Rays

Brody Hopkins Will Attend Big-League Spring Training
MMA

Maurício Ruffy Gets Back In The Win Column
Seattle Mariners

Jurrangelo Cijntje to Focus Exclusively on Right-Handed Pitching
Tommy Troy

Headed to Big-League Camp
Ryan Waldschmidt

Earns Invite to Spring Training
CFB

Gus Malzahn Retiring from Coaching
Morgan Geekie

Extends Point Streak to Seven Games With Big Performance
Nikita Kucherov

Tallies Four Points in Stadium Series Win
Isiah Kiner-Falefa

Pirates Unlikely to Reunite with Isiah Kiner-Falefa?
Masataka Yoshida

Remains Potential Trade Candidate
Chris Kreider

Pots Two Goals in Sunday's Win
Brandon Bussi

Makes History With Another Win
Kristian Campbell

Holding Undefined Role Ahead of Spring Training
Shayne Gostisbehere

Sets Up Two Goals Sunday
Terrence Shannon Jr.

Still Sidelined Without Timetable for Return
Mikey Anderson

Hurt Versus Hurricanes
Pavin Smith

Not Guaranteed Everyday Role?
Isaiah Hartenstein

Cason Wallace, Isaiah Hartenstein Rejoin Thunder Starters
Anthony Cirelli

Fails to Finish Stadium Series Matchup
Eugenio Suárez

Red Sox Did Not Pursue Eugenio Suarez in Free Agency
Jarrett Allen

Explodes for Career Night vs. Portland
Scotty Pippen Jr.

Remains Out Monday vs. Minnesota
JJ Bleday

Could Open Season in Minor Leagues
De'Andre Hunter

Poised for Kings Debut Wednesday
Dennis Schröder

Keon Ellis, Dennis Schroder Could Debut Wednesday for Cavaliers
Joel Embiid

Expected to Play Monday
Christian Braun

Downgraded to Out
Jamal Murray

Cleared to Face Thunder
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic Active Against Thunder
Craig Porter Jr.

Returns From One-Game Absence
Harrison Barnes

Rejoins Starting Lineup Against Magic
Victor Wembanyama

Good to Go Sunday
Blake Wesley

Back in Trail Blazers Lineup
Robert Williams III

Active Sunday
Kobe Sanders

Returns to Starting Unit Sunday
Stephon Castle

Out Sunday Against Magic
Josh Green

Listed as Probable for Monday
John Konchar

Unavailable Monday
Santi Aldama

Ruled Out for Monday
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Iffy for Monday
Eugenio Suárez

Pirates Offered $15 Million to Eugenio Suarez
Carlos Santana

Diamondbacks Expressing Interest in Carlos Santana
Cole Irvin

Inks Minor-League Contract With Dodgers
Jose Siri

Signs Minor-League Deal With Angels
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Signs One-Year Deal With Reds
San Francisco 49ers

49ers Set to Name Raheem Morris Their Defensive Coordinator
Las Vegas Raiders

Raiders Close to Naming Klint Kubiak the Next Head Coach
Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals Finalizing Deal to Make Mike LaFleur the Next Head Coach
Sonny Gray

Set Up for Strong First Season in Boston
Michael Busch

Looking to Repeat Standout 2025 Performance
Boston Red Sox

Red Sox Acquire Pitching Prospect Gage Ziehl From White Sox
Breece Hall

Jets Want to Re-Sign Breece Hall, Could Use Franchise Tag
Troy Terry

Ready to Return Sunday
Victor Hedman

Set to Return Sunday
Connor McMichael

Out Week-to-Week
Kris Letang

Out for Four Weeks
Nico Hischier

a Game-Time Call Saturday
Jack Hughes

Won't Play Saturday
Linus Ullmark

Returns to Action Saturday
Charlie Coyle

Pots Second Career Hat Trick
Filip Hronek

Expected to Play Saturday
Pavel Zacha

Not Traveling With Bruins
Elias Lindholm

to Miss at Least Two More Games
William Nylander

on Track to Return Saturday
Kris Letang

Misses Practice, Uncertain for Saturday
Evgeni Malkin

Iffy for Saturday
Diego Lopes

An Underdog At UFC 325
Alexander Volkanovski

Set For UFC 325 Main Event
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Dan Hooker

Set For UFC 325 Co-Main Event
Mauricio Ruffy

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Rafael Fiziev

Returns At UFC 325
CFB

Texas Lands Wake Forest Transfer Sterling Berkhalter
Kirk Cousins

Falcons Expected to Release Kirk Cousins
Chase Brown

Working on Extension With Bengals
Michael Penix Jr.

Hopes to be Ready for Week 1
Dalton Kincaid

Doesn't Need Offseason Surgery
Josh Allen

Undergoes Foot Surgery
Josh Allen

on Crutches, Wearing Walking Boot
CFB

Michigan RB Bryson Kuzdzal Withdrawing from Transfer Portal
Bo Nix

Expected to Resume Training in 4-6 Weeks
Michael Penix Jr.

Thinks he'll be Ready by April
Cleveland Browns

Browns Hiring Todd Monken as Next Head Coach
Sahith Theegala

Off to Much Better 2026 Start
Gary Woodland

an Intriguing Option at Torrey Pines This Week
Andrew Putnam

Hopes to Keep Momentum Rolling This Week
Matthieu Pavon

Seeks to Return to 2024 Form at Torrey Pines
Luke List

Still Looking For Birdies at Torrey Pines
Jake Knapp

Faces Stiff Challenge at Farmers Insurance Open
Rasmus Hojgaard

Needs to Play Better at Torrey Pines
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Could Struggle at Farmers Insurance Open
J.J. Spaun

A Steady Option At Farmers Insurance Open
Andrew Novak

Looking For More Success At Torrey Pines
Denny McCarthy

A Wild Card At Farmers Insurance Open
Max Homa

Looks To Keep Resurgence Going At Torrey Pines
Joe Highsmith

Struggling Heading Into Torrey Pines
Wyndham Clark

Looks To Carry Momentum Into Farmers Insurance Open
Tony Finau

Aims To Turn Things Around At Torrey Pines
Akshay Bhatia

Looks to Bounce Back at Torrey Pines
NFL

Bill Belichick Won't be First-Ballot Hall of Famer
Si Woo Kim

Looks to Continue Incredible Run at Torrey Pines
Jason Day

has a Good Chance to Keep Momentum This Weekend
Keegan Bradley

has Good Course History at Torrey Pines
Billy Horschel

Isn't a Great DFS Option at Torrey Pines
Aaron Rodgers

Mike McCarthy Says he Wants Aaron Rodgers to Return
Will Zalatoris

Has a Shot to Challenge at the Farmers Insurance Open
Drake Maye

Expected to be Fine for Super Bowl
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF