6 years agoJake Bauers will get a change of scenery entering his first full season in the major leagues after being traded from the Tampa Bay Rays to the Cleveland Indians in December. He should be locked into regular at-bats as the team’s first baseman, surrounded by quality bats such as Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez. There are still plenty of questions surrounding just how valuable Bauers will be, however, as he hit only .167/.281/.307 in 192 post-All-Star break at-bats. He showed surprising pop -- his 13.8 percent HR/FB was the highest of his career at any level -- but still had a 43.8 percent groundball rate, likely capping his power potential. His average batted ball exit velocity of 86.8 was also below the major-league average, suggesting that he benefited from unearned home runs and providing more reason for skepticism surrounding his power output. His six stolen bases appear to be a strong contribution, but he had just a 50 percent success rate and could get the red light if his inefficiency continues. If anything will help Bauers maintain fantasy value, it’s his strong plate discipline as he continued to show the ability to draw walks once he hit the majors. That will give him the chance to stick in the lineup, get on base, and profit from a strong surrounding batting order. Currently being drafted outside of the top 250 players in early drafts, Bauers is worth a flier given his positive team context and multi-position eligibility.--Daniel Marcus