3 years agoA model of consistency in today's MLB, Abreu churned out another productive season in 2021, posting a .261 BA, 30 HR, and 117 RBI while playing in 152 games. It was a step back from his 2020 MVP season, but expecting him to repeat such outlier numbers was unrealistic anyway. Instead, fantasy managers were treated to a reliable slugger in the middle of a potent White Sox lineup. The biggest concern prospective Abreu drafters might have is age, as Abreu will turn 35 before the 2022 season begins, and some may fear the specter of time will finally begin to erode Abreu's physical skills. While players in their mid-30s always offer increased risk of injury or decline, there's little in the underlying numbers that suggest Abreu is approaching an age cliff. His 21.7% strikeout rate and 74.8% contact rate in 2021 are in-line with his career norms, and Abreu has continued to pulverize baseballs, posting a 92 MPH average exit velocity and 49.3% hard hit rate last season, putting him the top 10% of the league for hard contact. Managers need not fear injury for Abreu, who has played in at least 90% of his team's games in all but one of his MLB seasons. He'll likely see increased time at DH in 2022, ceding starts at first to youngsters such as Andrew Vaughn and Gavin Sheets, further insulating him from the threat of injury. With an NFBC ADP of 70, Abreu also presents a significant tier drop at the first base position, as the next first baseman off the board is Ryan Mountcastle at pick 112 (As of Dec. 2021). Abreu might not be a sexy pick, but those who draft him should expect another solid season of 30-ish home runs and a .260-.275 batting average, along with plenty of RBI chances in the heart of the White Sox batting order.--Elliott Baas - RotoBaller