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Joe Gallina provides his analysis on the top 7 Outfield (OF) keepers for dynasty leagues and 2014 fantasy baseball leagues. These OF keepers should be help in all formats.
If you are part of a dynasty keeper league you are probably hard at work on your roster and asking yourself: "Who should I keep now”? Depending on the rules governing your league, you may need to carefully consider which players should remain on your roster. Remember, you will be looking for players with exceptional value based on their draft position from 2013.
As always there is a huge universe of outfielders from which to choose when you are putting your fantasy team together. Sure, you will be keeping players like Trout and McCutchen, but how will players like Ryan Braun and Nelson Cruz perform after coming off of lengthy suspensions for past PED use? Can Giancarlo Stanton and Yoenis Cespedes bounce back from sub-par years? As a fantasy team owner you’ve got your homework cut out for you, but never fear, because we’re here to help you. We’ve carefully analyzed the outfield position and are happy to present the top 7 outfielders that we feel will add real value to your fantasy team and that you should keep on your 2014 roster. These are the type of players that you chose either in the middle or latter rounds of your draft, or players that you were able to pick up off of your league’s waiver wire. Some of the players on our list finally had their “breakout” year or were considered “sleepers” going into last years draft. We hope the following will help make your decision as to who to keep on your roster a bit easier.
Outfield (OF) Keepers for 2014 Dynasty Leagues
Starling Marte
Age on opening day: 25 B: R, T:R
Starling Marte was given the Pirate starting leftfielder job at the beginning of last season and never looked back. He was a bit streaky last season but he still managed to compile a .280 batting average, while scoring 83 runs and stealing 41 bases. His lack of selectiveness at the plate may take its toll on his batting average and make it difficult to replicate his .363 BABIP, but at 25 years old he is still developing his skills. He will continue to help your team in the runs and stolen base categories and his power numbers should continue to improve. As a player that you probably picked up in last year's draft with one of your final picks, this top 15 fantasy league outfielder should definitely be considered a keeper.
2014 Projection:
AB AVG R HR RBI SB OPS OBP
575 .277 92 15 81 39 .770 .340
Wil Myers
Age on opening day: 23 B:R, T:R
Wil Myers is one player who definitely lived up to the hype. He burst on to the scene, making his big-league debut on June 18, 2013 and finished the season with a .293 batting average, .354 OBP, .831 OPS and .362 BABIP. Oh, and don’t forget he also added 13 homers, 53 RBI and five stolen bases in just 335 at bats. Tampa Bay keeps churning out fantasy jewels and Myers future appears to shine bright like a diamond. He has the potential to develop into a 25 to 30 HR hitter who should drive in 90 to 100 RBI, steal upwards of 10 bases and hit for a .280 to .300 batting average. Maybe you drafted and stashed Myers with your last pick last season, or possibly you timed it perfectly and picked him up off of your league’s waiver wire. However he made it to your roster, congratulations, you definitely have a burgeoning star on your fantasy team!
2014 Projection:
AB AVG R HR RBI SB OPS OBP
550 .285 83 25 95 10 .825 .345
Carlos Gomez
Age on opening day: 28 B:R, T:R
Twitter handle: @C_Gomez27
When it comes to fantasy baseball production, Carlos Gomez can be categorized as somewhat of a late bloomer. Many of us knew he had the potential to be a fantasy superstar, but it wasn’t until last year that he finally proved us right. Drafted in the middle to late rounds last year he had a career season at the magical age of 27. His .284 batting average, 24 homers, 73 RBI, 80 runs scored and 40 stolen bases solidified “GoGo” as a top 10 fantasy outfielder. Although he has demonstrated five category potential, he will need to become more disciplined at the plate in order to maintain and improve upon his batting average from last season. Based on his ADP last season he provides your team with high value and is definitely a keeper.
2014 Projection:
AB AVG R HR RBI SB OPS OBP
565 .280 67 22 84 42 .780 .825
Yasiel Puig
Age on opening day: 23 B:R, T:R
Twitter handle: @YasielPuig
Yasiel Puig had a phenomenal spring last year and the savvy fantasy baseball team owners were salivating as they waited for his eventual midseason call up. When he finally got the call on June 3rd he hit the ground running, and other than a slight hiccup in September where he hit .211, he basically never looked back. Puig finished the year with a .319 average, .391 on-base percentage, .534 slugging percentage and .925 OPS. He also added 19 home runs, 21 doubles, 42 RBI and 66 runs in 104 games. Some wonder if like his fellow countryman Yoenis Cespedes, he might take a step back in his sophomore year, but given the fact that you either picked him up off of the waiver wire or drafted him in the last round or two of your draft who cares if his numbers level off a bit ? He’s still a legitimate keeper and a 5-tool talent who starts this season as a top 15 fantasy outfielder. The only thing that might hinder Puig’s progression is Puig himself. At times last season, Puig's immaturity and attitude problems became very evident and caused Dodger manager Don Mattingly to bench and even replace his talented rookie in the middle of a game. As long as Puig can keep his arrogance and reckless style of play in check, you won’t find much better value for any player in your keeper league.
2014 Projection:
AB AVG R HR RBI SB OPS OBP
555 .290 90 28 82 21 .890 .375
Domonic Brown
Age on opening day: 26 B:L, T:L
As one of the top prospects in baseball a few years earlier, 2013 was an important season for Domonic Brown. Prior to 2013, in his first three major league seasons “Downtown” Brown’s career numbers were nowhere near where they had been expected to be. He had a career .236 batting average, with a .388 slugging percentage, .703 OPS, 12 home runs, 24 doubles and 58 RBI. Brown credits assistant hitting coach Wally Joyner for helping him adjust his swing and helping him to put together a season in which he batted .272 with a .494 slugging percentage, .818 OPS, while hitting 27 home runs driving in 83 runs in 139 games. He has been the subject of trade rumors this offseason which makes you think that the Phillies might feel that he is a “one hit wonder”, or maybe they are concerned that he only hit 4 homeruns after the All Star break last season. Whichever is the case, considering that you may have drafted Brown with one of your very last picks, if you even drafted him at all, it might be best if you tread lightly and hold onto him. At only 26 years of age he might have a bit more upside potential that can help your fantasy team this season.
2014 Projection:
AB AVG R HR RBI SB OPS OBP
525 .270 70 21 79 7 .805 .330
Khris Davis
Age on opening day: 26 B:R, T:R
The Brewers showed that they believe in Khris Davis when they traded Norichika Aoki to the Royals this offseason. Filling in for the suspended Ryan Braun, Davis made the Brewers believe by hitting nine home runs in 33 games and compiling an overall .596 slugging percentage and OPS of .949 last season. If you project Davis’ numbers from 2013, over the course of a full season he would have hit 32 homeruns and stolen 9 bases. Not bad for a player who wasn’t even a blip on anyone’s radar at the start of the 2013 season. Expect him to be considered a sleeper in this years draft but if you picked him up off of the waiver wire last season he is worth keeping since the Brewers have demonstrated that they are serious about getting him in the everyday lineup.
2014 Projection:
AB AVG R HR RBI SB OPS OBP
485 .276 70 25 74 10 .810 .885
Christian Yelich
Age on opening day: 22 B:L, T:R
Christian Yelich, a free agent pick up for many of you, debuted on July 23rd last season and quickly showed why he was the 23rd pick in the first round of the 2010 amateur draft. On the plus side, he showed poise at the plate working deep into counts, batted .288, was 10 for 10 in stolen base attempts and he had a .370 on base percentage. On the negative side, Yelich needs to hit left-handed pitchers better than the .165 batting average he posted against southpaws last season. Still progressing at only 22 years of age, he has the potential to become a 20-20 candidate and his tremendous upside should make him a keeper on your roster
2014 Projection:
AB AVG R HR RBI SB OPS OBP
565 .279 80 14 46 20 .750 .360
