Now that we are two weeks and counting into the season, it's a good time to take a look at some of the early surprises and disappointments around baseball. These are our early season Risers and Fallers.

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Fantasy Baseball Risers

Trevor Story (SS, COL) - What else is there to be said about Story's start to his Major League career? Story has mashed seven home runs in his first nine games in the Show, grabbing all the headlines around baseball up to now. The 23-year-old shortstop went yard six times in his first four games, with four of those coming on the road. During his Minor League career, Story typically hit twice as many doubles as homers, but some of those balls may be able to leave the yard in the thin air of Coors Field. The downside, as is usually the case with power hitters, is the strikeouts. Story whiffed over 27% of the time in 2,307 Minor League plate appearances, and has struck out 15 times in 41 plate appearances this season. Expect the pitchers to begin adjusting soon.

Eugenio Suarez (3B/SS, CIN) - The Venezuelan infielder showed what he is capable of in 2015, hitting .280 with 13 home runs and 19 doubles in 372 at-bats for Cincy. He's off to a rip-roaring start in 2016, whacking four dingers to go along with a .352 average through nine games. He hit three times as many doubles as homers in the Minors, but if some of those translate to home runs as they have been so far, Suarez will thrust himself into the conversation of top shortstops around the game.

Jeremy Hazelbaker (OF, STL) - Hazelbaker got an opportunity to play when Thomas Pham hit the disabled list, and has seized the opportunity to the fullest. Hazey is sitting on a .481 average, including three multi-hit games in his last four starts. Ride his hot hand while you can, but don't be shocked to see this continue. Hazelbaker hit .313 with 50 extra-base hits in 403 at-bats between Double-A and Triple-A a year ago. He's got seven extra-base hits in 27 at-bats for the Redbirds this year.

Tyler White (1B/3B, HOU) - White beat out Jon Singleton for the first base gig in Houston out of Spring Training, and has rewarded the Astros' decision-makers by hitting .438 with three home runs and 10 RBI out of the gate. White is a high on-base and average guy who will pop double-digit homers in the Houston lineup if he remains healthy. The 25-year-old hit .311 with a .422 on-base percentage in 1,205 Minor League plate appearances.

Nomar Mazara (OF, TEX) - As is often the case, Mazara has been inserted into the line-up due to another player's injury, that player being Shin Soo Choo in this case. Mazara is a 20-year-old Dominican outfielder who the Rangers are extremely high on. Mazara hit .284 with 13 home runs and 22 doubles in 409 at-bats in Double-A in 2015. In five games with the Rangers in 2016, Mazara is 8-for-20 with one homer and just three strikeouts. If someone in your league drops him when his first slump hits, grab him.

Vince Velasquez (SP, PHI) - If the baseball world wasn't sure who Vince Velasquez was, it knows now. Velasquez was utterly brilliant in a 16-strikeout, complete-game masterpiece against the Padres on Thursday. The 23-year-old right-hander has not allowed a run in 15 innings this year, and could be a fixture at the top of the Phillies rotation for years to come. As The Eagles used to say, there's a new kid in town.

Kenta Maeda (SP, LAD) - Maeda has yet to allow a run over 12 innings in two starts in Tinseltown, and has shown great control with eight strikeouts and just two walks. The 28-year-old Japanese import has induced 22 ground balls against 15 fly balls. Maeda may have an advantage in that Major League hitter do not have much of a scouting report on him, which could give the pitcher a bit of an edge during the first portion of the season.

Jerad Eickhoff (SP, PHI) - Eickhoff is another member of the rebuilding Phillies rotation who has looked pretty good in the early going, although his first two outings have come against the light-hitting Padres and the struggling Mets offense. Eickhoff struck out nine Friars over seven shutout frames in a win earlier this week. The 25-year-old right-hander struck out 475 hitters in 578.1 Minor League innings, and should be able to come close to that rate in the Show. He doesn't have the greatest home park for pitchers, but his strikeout ability should mitigate that somewhat.

Carlos Rodon (SP, CWS) - Rodon has been very impressive in his first two starts, and looks to be a solid complement to Chris Sale at the top of the White Sox rotation. The 23-year-old southpaw posted a 3.75 ERA in 139.1 innings in his first turn around the league in 2015, and has built on that to start 2016. Rodon has allowed just two earned runs over his first 13 innings with 12 strikeouts. The White Sox offense is noticeably improved from a year ago with the addition of Todd Frazier, so a few more wins could be in the offing for the sophomore.

Brandon Finnegan (SP, CIN) - The 23-year-old southpaw was thrust into the World Series as a rookie out of TCU in 2014 with the Royals, and has parlayed that experience into a starting role with the Reds this year. Finnegan has flashed some strikeout ability to start 2016, punching out 14 hitters over 12.2 innings in two starts. His college pedigree combined with the strikeout ability as a left-hander make Finnegan one to watch going forward.

Ross Stripling (SP, LAD) - Stripling followed up his seven and one-third inning no-hit performance with another six strong innings against the Diamondbacks. The 26-year-old right-hander allowed two runs with five strikeouts and just one walk. The Texas A&M product struck out 213 batters in 235.1 innings in the Minors, and held hitters to a .231 average. He is a true pitcher. Although he does not light up the radar gun, if he can approach his Minor League productivity, Stripling could be around for a long time.

 

Fantasy Baseball Fallers

Prince Fielder (1B, TEX) - Fielder is off to a rocky start in Arlington, hitting just .175 through 11 games, but owners should not be looking to jump off the bandwagon with him. Fielder has played in at least 157 games in nine of the last ten years, and if he is able to come close to that in 2016, he should be able to fall somewhere around his career numbers of .286 and 26 home runs per season. For now, be patient with the veteran.

Alex Rodriguez (DH, NYY) - Now 40, Rodriguez sits 12 home runs away from 700 for his career, but has not looked like the man who experienced a renaissance a season ago by mashing 33 home runs while playing 151 games. A-Rod has just one homer and eight strikeouts in 25 at-bats out of the gate and has also been given a few days off by manager Joe Girardi. While he should be able to reach the 700 HR threshold this year, it remains to be seen how many games it takes to get there.

Miguel Sano (3B/OF, MIN) - Sano was predicted by many as one of the year's breakout candidates, but thus far Sano has only been a disappointment. The April temperatures in Minnesota are not exactly ideal, but Sano is just 4-for-28 with 15 strikeouts in the early going. Sano popped 18 home runs in 279 at-bats a year ago, and should warm up when the weather does. Just don't rely on him to turn things around just yet.

Freddie Freeman (1B, ATL) - The Braves are in full rebuild mode and Freeman's statline is not going to be helped by that fact. The veteran first baseman is hitting a putrid .080 (2-for-25) with nine strikeouts to start the year. Freeman is still young at 26 and could very well be a huge part of the Braves next contending squad, but until he is surrounded by some more capable hitters his value will be down. A 20-homer season is certainly possible for Freeman but temper your expectations.

Shelby Miller (SP, ARI) - Miller has gotten off to a rather poor start for the Diamondbacks after making 33 starts for Atlanta a season ago. Miller has given up 10 earned runs in just 11 innings so far, and will need a decent result his next time out against the Padres to restore confidence with his owners. He had a terrific 3.02 ERA in 205.1 innings a year ago, and with improved run support could win north of 10 games in the desert.

Steven Matz (SP, NYM) - The Mets much-heralded left-hander was rocked for seven runs while recording just five outs in his first start, and will need to make some mechanical adjustments. Matz had a 2.27 ERA in 35.2 innings for the Amazin' Mets in 2015, and is locked into New York's rotation for the foreseeable future. Conisder benching him for a start until he makes the necessary adjustments; however, dropping him could prove to be a major mistake down the line

R.A. Dickey (SP, TOR) - Dickey has historically been a slow-starter, and such is the case again in 2016. The 41-year-old knuckleballer has surrendered nine runs in 10 innings, and generally does not start to make his impact until later in the season when the summer heat kicks in.

Justin Verlander (SP, DET) - The 33-year-old veteran was touched for seven runs on 10 hits against the Pirates his last time out, and may be starting to show some wear from his 2,121 career innings-pitched. His innings-pitched has gone down every year since 2012, and Verlander may have to make some changes to his overall approach to pitching in order to continue to get hitters out in the Majors.

 

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