*The original posted rankings have been edited to include the players I initially missed.

Today I conclude the Injury Report series and add a few more names to the list of injured players worth stashing in various fantasy leagues. Part one and part two of the series can be found by clicking on the hyperlinks.

Danny Duffy

Injury: Torn UCL

Surgery Date: June 13, 2012

Anticipated Return: Most likely June as a year is standard recovery time from Tommy John surgery, but Duffy believes he's ahead of schedule and is shooting for a mid-May return.

Duffy became the first of the Royals recent crop of highly touted pitching prospects to reach the show when he debuted on May 18, 2011. He had an up and down rookie season, flashing exciting stuff in some starts, while struggling in others, and that resulted in a mediocre overall line. However, because he's a young southpaw with a plus fastball and a track record of success in the minors, he went into last season with some breakout potential. Unfortunately, Duffy's season was cut short as a result of his elbow injury. He made six starts last year and struck out better than a batter per inning (9.11 K/9), but he struggled with control (5.86 BB/9). His ability to miss bats makes him an intriguing arm worth stashing in dynasty leagues, but he's unlikely to help owners in yearly leagues.

Relevant Leagues: Dynasty leagues with DL spots.

Andrew Cashner

Injury: Lacerated tendon in his thumb.

Surgery Date: December 2012.

Anticipated Return: The recovery time is three months, and he's expected to start the year on the DL.

A hunting accident resulted in Cashner's right thumb being cut by a friend. The injury isn't expected to have any long-term consequences, but it will delay the start of his season. Cashner began last year working in relief for the Padres, but was sent down to the minors in June so that he could get stretched out and work as a starter. He made five starts for the Padres, but missed time with a lat injury. Questions about Cashner's ability to stay healthy make his future role murky, but whether he starts or works at the back of a bullpen, he's an exciting young pitcher. He throws an upper-90s fastball that can hit triple digits and backs it with a slider and changeup that also get empty swings at an above average rate according to Brooks Baseball. When batters do make contact with his pitches, they often punch them into the ground (he had a 56 percent groundball rate according to Baseball Prospectus). For a cherry on top, he also calls PETCO Park home. Cashner is not only an excellent DL stash choice in long-term keeper leagues, but one that can payoff in yearly leagues as well.

Relevant Leagues: All but shallow leagues as long as there are DL spots or a large bench.

Scott Baker

Injury: Torn UCL

Surgery Date: April 17, 2012

Anticipated Return: Spring training

I'm cheating a bit on this one. Cubs general manager Theo Epstein has stated that Baker's rehab has gone according to plan, and Baker hopes to jump into the throwing program in spring training. If things go smoothly, he'll open the year in the Cubs rotation, but even a minor setback could land him on the DL to start the year and that's why he's included here. Baker lives in the strike zone, rarely walking batters (2.10 BB/9 for his career). He also uses a deep pitch repertoire that includes three fastballs (fourseam, sinker, and cutter), two breaking balls (slider and curveball), and a changeup to get opposing batters out. He's not a big strikeout pitcher, but in his last healthy season (2011) he finished with the best strikeout rate of his career (8.22 K/9). It wasn't just his strikeout rate that was a career best mark, he also finished with his best ERA (3.14) and WHIP (1.17), and the advanced metrics liked his work as well (3.45 FIP, 3.61 xFIP, 3.77 tERA, and 3.44 SIERA). Expecting him to repeat a career year while also coming back from major surgery would be foolish, but he doesn't need to repeat his best work to be helpful to fantasy teams. Baker will be aided by moving from the American League to the National League. Keep Baker's name in mind in the last few rounds of drafts.

Relevant Leagues: All but shallow leagues as long as there are DL spots or a large bench.

Joakim Soria

Injury: Torn UCL

Surgery Date: April 2, 2012

Anticipated Return: Soria is hopeful he'll return by late May.

Soria is attempting to comeback from his second Tommy John surgery. The Royals declined to pick up his option after he missed all of last season, and the Rangers inked him to a contract with the intent to have him setup for Joe Nathan. Nathan successfully returned from his own Tommy John operation to close for the Rangers last season. Soria was lights out as the Royals closer from 2007-2010, but struggled through a down year in his last healthy season, 2011. Upon further scrutiny, the gap between what he was doing in his brilliant seasons and his down year wasn't as great as his ERA would suggest. He missed bats, kept his walks in check, but dealt with a career worst home run-per-flyball rate (HR/FB) and career worst strand rate. If he regains his pre-surgery form he should be capable of handling a high leverage bullpen role for the Rangers. Such a role would make him a valuable option in holds leagues, and it could put him in line for some vulture saves, or more, if Nathan struggles or is forced to miss time.

Relevant Leagues: 14 team or larger mixed leagues and AL-only leagues with more than two DL spots, or 12 team mixed leagues and AL-only leagues that count holds with two DL spots.

Michael Pineda

Injury: Torn labrum

Surgery Date: May 1, 2012

Anticipated Return: He's expected to be ready to return by May or June.

Pineda's start to his Yankee career got off to a disastrous start. He failed to throw a pitch in the regular season and eventually went under the knife. Unfortunately, the surgery was on his shoulder, and return to full strength from surgery to repair a torn labrum has a much lower success rate than returning from Tommy John surgery on the elbow. Jay Jaffe took an in-depth look at major-league pitchers who underwent labrum surgery in the hopes of find an appropriate comp. There have been success stories for pitchers coming back from this surgery, and Pineda was a tantalizing young pitcher coming off an outstanding rookie season with the Mariners at this time last year. He's a total wild card, but one that awards his drafters a potential windfall on their late round or low auction dollar investment.

Relevant Leagues: Most leagues, with the exception of shallow mixed leagues, that have two DL spots or more.

Neftali Feliz

Injury: Torn UCL

Surgery Date: August 1, 2012

Anticipated Return: Late this season.

After three dynamite seasons in the Rangers bullpen, Feliz was converted back to a starter last year. He pitched in eight games, starting seven. His 3.16 ERA suggests it was a seamless transition, but his 4.85 BB/9 and 7.80 K/9 required a miniscule BABIP and high strand rate to shine. He has an electric arm, and while it may be enticing to the Rangers to attempt to use him as a starter again, it may be in Feliz's best interest to allow him to grip it and rip it out of the bullpen again. Geoff Young attempted to tackle the issue of Feliz career path may look like over at Baseball Prospectus. Some of the possibilities he suggested are intriguing and would make Feliz a dynasty league option, but he's not a player to get excited about stashing in re-draft leagues.

Relevant Leagues: Dynasty leagues only.

Brandon Beachy

Injury: Torn UCL

Surgery Date: June 21, 2012

Anticipated Return: Middle of June.

Between all of 2011 in the majors, and a big chunk of 2012, Beachy accumulated 237.2 innings of superb work in the bigs. How he succeeded in each of those seasons was drastically different. In 2011 he had a staggering strike rate of 10.74 K/9 with a solid 2.92 BB/9 and an extremely low groundball rate. Last year he missed fewer bats, 7.56 K/9, walked a few more batters, 3.22 BB/9, but made huge gains to his groundball rate. He benefited from a .200 BABIP last year, and his 2.00 ERA overstates how good he was, but Beachy was in the process of validating that he was more than a one hit wonder. He'll have an opportunity to pick up where he left off this year at some point. Now is as good of time as any to remind readers that every pitcher's recovery is different from Tommy John. If all goes smooth Beachy may be able to help fantasy owners down the stretch run.

Relevant Leagues: All leagues with DL slots and larger mixed leagues or NL-only leagues with large benches.

Every year I'm shocked at how few owners that I play fantasy baseball with fail to take advantage of disabled list (DL) spots. This seems odd because owners don't often leave a bench spot unfilled, so why DL spots? The cost of drafting a player that will open the season on the DL is often cheap. If you know who is hurt and the extent of their injury, and you can stash a player that pays off later in the season. In head-to-head leagues, the payoff can be huge. Below is a list of some of the notable players who may qualify as stash options to start the year. I'll be rolling out more players in the coming days.

Colby Lewis

Injury: Torn Flexor Tendon

Surgery Date: July 27, 2012

Anticipated Return: Hopeful to return around the All-Star Break.

Lewis was in the midst of a season that would have rivaled his breakout return to the states if not for the elbow injury shortening his 2012 campaign. His flyball approach will keep his home run total high, but if he regains his control he can be a useful back of the fantasy rotation arm. His fastball velocity was has dropped each of the past two seasons, so hopefully his rehab to return to the hill will help him find those missing ticks. His money pitch was a put away slider, and if that pitch returns with the bite it had prior to surgery he should be fine.

Relevant Leagues: 12 team mixed leagues or larger and AL-only leagues with two DL spots or more.

Dan Hudson

Injury: Torn UCL

Surgery Date: July 9, 2012

Anticipated Return: Manager Kirk Gibson floated an August return but Hudson defiantly believes he'll be back earlier.

It is still early in the rehab process, and while Hudson's hard work and optimism are admirable, a July/August return is probably more realistic than anything earlier. He struggled with the long ball last season, and while his 7.35 ERA was in part the product of bad luck, all of the advanced measures of his performance agreed that he regressed from his solid 2011 campaign. He's young enough that he remains a moderately interesting stash option in large keeper and dynasty formats, but he'll have his work cut out for him in helping re-draft owners.

Relevant Leagues: Large mixed keeper and dynasty leagues and large NL-only leagues with two or more DL spots.

Alex Rodriguez

Injury: Torn labrum, bone impingement, and cyst (hip)

Surgery Date: Scheduled for January 16.

Anticipated Return: Rodriguez's lead surgeon is hopeful he'll return shortly after the All-Star Break but cautions it could take longer.

The much maligned A-Rod took a lot of heat for his postseason struggles, and it's now clear that he was playing injured. That said, he was coming off his second consecutive season in which he failed to hit at least 20 home runs, and the rest of his stat line did little to pick up the slack. He's 37 years old, and it's possible he'll turn 38 (his birthday is July 27) before he sees the field again. It's unwise to expect him to recapture much more than a smidge of his former offensive prowess. Third base lacks depth, so it's possible he could make a modest impact in 2013, but I wouldn't bank on it.

Relevant Leagues: 14 team or larger mixed leagues and large AL-only leagues with more than two DL spots.

Cory Luebke

Injury: Torn UCL

Surgery Date: May 23, 2012

Anticipated Return: Midseason.

After an introduction to the majors as a reliever, Luebke turned heads starting for the Padres from the end of June in 2011 to the end of the season. According to FanGraphs data, he pitched 100.2 innings as a starter that year, walking 29 batters and striking out 111 which helped him record a 3.31 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. That eye popping finish made him a favorite sleeper of many last year, which made it all the more disappointing when Luebke wasn't able to make it out of the month of April healthy. He made five starts in 2012, and in those starts he retained his low walk rate, saw his groundball rate up significantly, but his strikeout rate dropped from 9.92 K/9 in 2011 to 6.68 K/9. When healthy he'll call pitcher friendly PETCO Park home again. He'll also be 28 years old when he returns to the bump. The package of past performance, friendly home confines, his age, and the success rate of pitchers returning from Tommy John makes Luebke a potential fantasy asset to owners in leagues of all sizes.

Relevant Leagues: All leagues with DL slots and larger mixed leagues or NL-only leagues with large benches.

Ryan Dempster signs with the Red Sox

Liriano is a maddeningly inconsistent pitcher that looks brilliant for stretches of time, and completely lost at other times. Dave Cameron wrote an excellent piece that, not exclusively, looked at Liriano failing to pitch to his peripherals. In short, Cameron insinuated that Liriano may be an outlier, and that things such as his poor strand rate for his career may be more than random variance. While I don't disagree with that assessment, I do think Liriano is a worthwhile gamble in fantasy leagues. Also, for those that didn't click on the link and read the entire article, Cameron concluded that the gamble on Liriano isn't a bad one for the Pirates.

Liriano will be pitching for an National League team for the first time in his career, and that should help him. That move is no small deal, and Derek Carty examined the actual impact in an article for FanDuel back in August of 2011. The numbers have probably changed a bit if you include pitchers who have changed leagues since the study was conducted, but the point remains the same, the change is a positive one for pitchers.

The reason for gambling on Liriano is simple, he misses bats in bunches. He has struck out more than a batter per-inning in two of the last three seasons. Amongst qualifying pitchers, Liriano has the sixth highest strikeout rate (8.95 K/9) from 2010-2012. Some Justin Verlander guy ranks one spot behind him on that list. Not everyone on that list is a stud (Bud Norris ranks eighth and Jonathan Sanchez ranks ninth for instance), but it's a good starting point since strikeouts account for 20 percent of the pitching categories in standard leagues.

Liriano needs velocity to post his gaudy strikeout rates, and he had it last year. Brooks Baseball had his fastball cooking at just under 94 mph last year, which isn't far behind his fastball velocity in 2010 (which was just above 94 mph), and is almost 1.5 mph higher than it was in 2011. It shouldn't come as a surprise then that his worst strikeout rate, 7.44 K/9, in the last three years came in 2011.

All wasn't great for him last year though, as he struggled with walks (5.00 BB/9) and his groundball rate was way down. The groundball rate drop could be a result of coaching, as Baseball Prospectus had him sporting a 47 percent groundball rate with the Twins and a 42 percent rate with the White Sox. Liriano was acquired by the White Sox at the end of July. In the month of July, as a member of the Twins, he threw his four-seam fastball just 16 percent of the time, leaning more heavily on his sinker and throwing that 35 percent of the time. Those rates changed dramatically in August, as a member of the White Sox, and he threw his four-seam fastball 25 percent of the time versus throwing his sinker just 21 percent of the time. By September, he was back to throwing his sinker slightly more than his four-seam fastball, so it remains to be seen which fastball he prefers to throw this year.

As nice as his plus velocity fastball is, his slider and changeup are his strikeout weapons. He used his slider 66 percent of the time he had a left-handed batter in a two strike count, and he even used it over 50 percent of the time against right-handed batters with two strikes. According to Brooks Baseball's data, 117 of 228 at-bats that ended with a slider resulted in a strikeout, some resulting in ugly swings such as those highlighted by Sam Miller back in June. The silliness of his slider overshadows a stellar changeup that ended 23 of 90 at-bats in a strikeouts. Liriano has all the talent necessary to turn in a year similar to 2010 this season, and the Pirates and his fantasy owners hope he'll turn back the clock and dominate after putting on the black and yellow much like his new teammate A.J. Burnett did last year.

The other three pitchers mentioned above are much less likely to succeed with their new clubs, but there is chance each has value at some point this year. Bonderman is probably the hardest to project given the fact he's had the lengthiest layoff of the bunch. He hasn't thrown a pitch in a game that counts since 2010, and he was not good that season. He was unsigned for 2011, and he spent all of last year recovering and rehabbing from Tommy John surgery he underwent last April. In his best years, he relied almost exclusively on a low-to-mid-90s fastball and a slider, rarely throwing his below average changeup. It's unlikely his changeup will miraculously be better upon his return, and his signing with the Mariners is significantly less exciting with the changes being made to Safeco Field. Still, with recent crazy success stories for former top prospects that struggled their first go-round like Colby Lewis and Ryan Vogelsong fresh and in our memories, it doesn't hurt to keep tabs on Bonderman from a distance.

Kazmir's fall from grace was swift, and it has been years since he's been relevant in the big leagues. He hasn't thrown a pitch in affiliated ball since 2010 as a member of the Angels Triple-A Salt Lake team. Kazmir was awful in that abbreviated season, but continued his attempt to get back to the majors last year pitching for the Sugar Land Skeeters of The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. His final season line in 2012 doesn't inspire much confidence he can bounce back, but the 90-94 mph fastball he reportedly displayed in the Puerto Rico Baseball League this winter is encouraging. His 4.37 ERA and 1.59 WHIP in winter ball aren't pretty, but his eight walks and 27 strikeouts in 22.2 innings are good for solid rates of 3.18 BB/9 and 10.72 K/9. The Indians rotation is in flux, and a strong showing in spring training might allow Kazmir to crack it. His left-handedness may earn him a bullpen role should he fail to win a starting job in the spring.

Harden pitched in the majors most recently of the three pitchers that signed minor-league deals, starting for the A's on September 25, 2011. He made 15 starts for the A's that year, and finished with a staggering strikeout rate of 9.91 K/9. His walk rate was 3.38 BB/9, the best rate of his career, but he was undone by gopher balls. He served up 17 home runs in 82.2 innings pitched, seven allowed while pitching in the home run suppressing O.co Coliseum in Oakland. Harden missed all of last year while recovering from surgery to repair a torn right shoulder capsule. In his career, Harden has been on the disabled list six times due to shoulder problems. Suffice to say, he'll have questions to answer in regard to withstanding the rigors of pitching and regaining his pre-surgery form.

When he has been healthy, Harden has lived off a two pitch mix of a four-seam fastball in the low-to-mid-90s and a changeup that resides in the mid-80s. He is a flyball pitcher with a groundball rate of only 34 percent each of his last two seasons in the majors according to Baseball Prospectus's data. His flyball approach would fit Target Field when it opened and had a park factor home run index of .641 (1.000 being neutral) as calculated by ESPN, but that rate rose to .913 in 2011, and rose yet again last year to 1.031. Stat Corner, which uses rolling three-year data, gives the park a home run index factor of 78 (100 being neutral) for left-handed batters and 103 for right-handed batters. One year of data probably isn't sufficient to label it a slightly home run friendly park, but the last two years should dispel any thoughts that it is a ballpark where all flyballs go to die. Twins general manager Terry Ryan has indicated that the team will evaluate whether Harden will start or relieve in camp, and that he believes he has the stuff to work in either role. Harden's ability to strike batters out (9.20 K/9 in his career) at a high rate makes him a potentially useful fantasy pitcher in either role, but he'll have to prove his health before he can be considered even a sleeper in AL-only leagues and large mixed league formats.

Jackson has been a workhorse over the last five years, totaling just under 1,000 innings, and ranking 19^th in innings pitched during that time frame. A big part of the reason he's been able to pile up innings is that he's stayed healthy. His injury history section on his Baseball Prospectus player page tells the whole story. He hasn't been on the disabled list since 2004, and he hasn't suffered from any shoulder or elbow injuries.

Beyond staying healthy, Jackson was able to tally his innings due to pitching well enough to stay in a rotation. That said, he hasn't pitched well enough to remain in any one place for consecutive full seasons over the last five years. He has pitched for six teams since the start of the 2008 season. Jackson has been consistent in some ways, and inconsistent in others. His xFIP has been in the 3.7s for each of the past three years, and his walks per-nine innings pitched (BB/9) has been below three in three of the last four years, but his strikeout rate and groundball rate have fluctuated year-to-year. Last season hints that Jackson may be putting it all together. He recorded his best walk rate (2.75 BB/9) and strikeout rate (7.97 K/9) of his career. Jackson also had a healthy groundball rate of 49 percent in 2012 according to Baseball Prospectus. His biggest problem last year was an unkind home run rate. A little bit more luck on flyballs could lead to a big season in 2013.

That's always been the story with Jackson, though, that this could be the year. It's easy to understand why. He teases with performance on the diamond, but it's his stuff that is the real tease. Jackson's power repertoire features two mid-90s fastballs, a changeup, curveball, and wipeout slider. His slider is easily his best pitch. He uses the pitch as a put away offering against both righties and lefties, using it over 10 percent above the baseline with two strikes according to Brooks Baseball. Many fastball-slider pitchers fair better against same handed opposing hitters, and Jackson fits into that group. Jackson had a 20 point True Average (TAv) platoon split last season. Of the 23 home runs Jackson allowed to opposing hitters last year, 16 were to left-handed batters. Jackson's changeup and curveball have helped him “get by,” against left-handed batters, and if he's ever able to kick his play up a notch against them, he'll become a very good starter. As it stands, he's a back of the fantasy rotation option in medium size or larger mixed leagues.

Pierzynski was one of the most shocking fantasy studs last year. From 2009-2011 Pierzynski smacked 30 home runs, but in 2012 he ripped 27 home runs, the second highest total at the catcher position. The 27 home runs were nine more than his previous career high of 18 that he hit all the way back in 2005. Quite an amazing feat for a catcher playing in his age 35 season. It also looks like a once in a career type season for Pierzynski.

He was helped greatly by a home run-per-flyball rate (HR/FB) that was more than double his career rate coming into the year. Pierzynski has spent the last seven seasons playing in home run friendly U.S. Cellular Field, but he shouldn't be hurt moving to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. The two parks have a nearly identical home run park factor for left-handed batters. When Pierzynski's home run total drops into the teens this year, it will be the result of his HR/FB rate regressing closer to his career norm, not a change of ballparks. Pierzynski's fantasy stock is up, but let someone else overpay for his services this year. It's more likely he drops out of the top 10 at the catcher position this year than that he repeats as a top five player at the position. He's a viable option at catcher in all but the shallowest of leagues, and even in those leagues, he's worth drafting on the unlikely chance his 2012 season is something more than an aberration.

Morales is now in a position to get everyday at-bats with his new club. After missing most of 2010, and all of 2011, Morales was able to tally over 500 plate appearances last year. He didn't play at a level that matched his 2009 breakout, but it did resemble his brief 2010 season in many ways. The most notable difference between his pre-injury and post-injury play was a spike in his strikeout rate. Morales struck out in 22.2 percent of his plate appearances last year, a new career worst, nearly three and a half percent higher than his previous worst. It's possible that the spike was a result of Morales shaking off the rust of his lengthy layoff, and a return to a strikeout rate in line with his previous norms this year wouldn't be shocking.

Morales's power remained intact, for the most part, but his home run total was suppressed a bit by a groundball rate north of 50 percent. He would greatly benefit from lofting the ball, and previously did in 2009. He hit fewer worm burners that season and was able to pop 34 home runs. Because he has shown the ability to loft the ball and tap into his power in the past, I believe there is a chance he can do so again in the future. He leaves a tough ballpark to hit home runs in, and heads to Safeco Field, which has historically been even more difficult to find the seats in. Safeco Field has been tougher on right-handed power than left-handed power in the past, so as a switch-hitter, Morales shouldn't feel the brunt of the home run reducing nature of the ballpark. Most importantly, he'll be aided by the club's decision to move the fences in.

He isn't a patient hitter at all. His career walk rate is 6.6 percent, and was even lower than that last year. Gamers in leagues that count on-base percentage should keep that in mind. Morales joins a lineup that is inferior to the Angels. Oddly enough, he could benefit from that by hitting in a more favorable lineup spot with his new squad than he would with his previous team. He should see the bulk of his playing time at first base, with Jesus Montero serving as the club's primary designated hitter, and John Jaso getting the bulk of the time behind the plate. That leaves Justin Smoak as the odd man out. Smoak had a disappointing season in 2012, again failing to live up to the top prospect billing once bestowed upon him. A big September teased that he may begun to turn the corner, but it appears he'll have his work cut out for him earning the playing time necessary to prove he's broken through. Morales is a corner infield option in large mixed leagues and AL-only leagues.

Vargas joins the Angels, where he'll presumably bump Garrett Richards from the rotation, and serve as the team's fifth starter behind Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson, Tommy Hanson, and Joe Blanton. His approach to pitching is one that I generally avoid in fantasy. Vargas doesn't strike many hitters out (5.84 K/9 last year and 5.75 K/9 for his career), and he doesn't induce many groundballs (40.2 percent groundball rate last year and 36.5 percent for his career). What he does best is pound the strike zone. His 2.28 BB/9 ranked 31^st amongst qualifying pitchers last season. He's also a reliable source of innings, having eclipsed 200 innings pitched in consecutive seasons. His approach worked at Safeco Field, where he sported a 2.74 ERA last year and a 3.46 ERA from 2010-2012, but it didn't travel well on the road, where he had a 4.78 ERA last year and a 4.53 ERA from 2010-2012.

His flyball rate helped him serve up 35 home runs last year (1.45 HR/9), but so did a 12.8 percent HR/FB rate. His HR/FB rate has fluctuated throughout his career, so it's possible he could get lucky this year like he has in some of his seasons past. If he does, those flyballs that fail to leave the yard stand a good chance of being caught. As it stands, he's going to be backed by an exceptionally rangy outfield that features Bourjos, Mike Trout, and Hamilton. Vargas's fantasy value is limited to AL-only leagues, and spot start status in large mixed leagues.

Pena moves from Tropicana Field, which had a park factor for left-handed home runs of 85 (100 being neutral) over the last three years according to Stat Corner, to Minute Maid Park, which had a left-handed home run park factor of 106 over the same time frame. With that in mind, I expected the ballpark dimensions to be significantly more favorable for left-handed pull power (which is where Pena gets all of his power) at Minute Maid Park than at Tropicana Field, but as you can see at ESPN's Home Run Tracker ballpark overlay that isn't really the case. Regardless, the park factors don't lie, and Pena should find his new digs more homer friendly.

Pena struggles with contact, as you can see in his plate discipline data, but last year looked more like a bad year than an alarming cliff season. One thing that does stand out, and looks flukey, is a spike in infield flyball rate. His infield flyball rate last year was 16.5 percent after sitting just below 10 percent in 2010 and 2011. The rate was a career worst. Baseball is a game of inches, and those inches were unkind to him last year. A regression to his normal infield flyball rate should earn him a few more hits, perhaps even a few more taters. He should return to the 25-plus home run territory this year, which makes him a cheap source of power for owners in large leagues that can stomach his poor average.

Myers was named the 2012 Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America. BA recently ranked him atop the Royals top-10 prospect list, as did the prospect staff headed by Jason Parks at Baseball Prospectus. Myers crushed the ball at both the Double-A and Triple-A level, but failed to taste his first Cup of Joe in the bigs. The Royals continued to trot out Jeff Francoeur in right field, and allow Myers to marinate in the minors after roster expansion in September. It's unclear if Myers would have supplanted Francoeur in right field to break camp with the Royals this year, but that's not important now that he's a member of the Rays. Myers has no one blocking him in Tampa, but it's still possible he could begin the year in the minors if the Rays hope to delay starting the clock on his service time. Regardless, he should be in the major league lineup early in 2013.

Myers brings a developing skill-set to the table that fits well in the middle of an order. He's patient enough to work walks at a high rate, and he really tapped into his power last year. However, Myers is not the type of can't-miss-uber-prospect that both Mike Trout and Bryce Harper were going into last season. That's not to say he can't be a solid fantasy player in 2012, but it does serve as a reminder that Trout and Harper aren't the norm. There will be an adjustment period for Myers. How rough that adjustment period is depends on how exploitable the holes are in his offensive game, and how he's able to work through them. That won't be clear until the games are played, but expecting smooth sailing is wishful thinking.

One thing that's worth noting is that Myers isn't really helped or hurt by the change in his home ballpark. According to Stat Corner's three year ballpark factors, the home run index for Kauffman Stadium and Tropicana Field are roughly a wash. Equally important, or perhaps more important, is that the home run index factors are nearly identical between the ballparks for both right-handed and left-handed batters, and both ballparks are more favorable for right-handed power. Myers is still one of the most desirable prospects to own in large keeper leagues and dynasty formats. For this year, Myers should be drafted in large mixed leagues as an upside play that might be capable of hitting 20-25 home runs and straddling the line between performing like a fourth and fifth outfielder.

Bauer had a very good first full-season in pro-ball, but it would seem he has been passed in the Diamondbacks front office's view by fellow prospects Tyler Skaggs and Patrick Corbin (who is, by definition, no longer a prospect). At least that's what the Diamondbacks will have you believe. There has been speculation since the deal was consummated that the team didn't care for his unorthodox training regimen, and that he resisted changing it to appease the organization. Of course, that's just speculation.

Moving on to what we do know, Bauer isn't a prospect without flaws. While he has an impressive strikeout rate, and the goods to miss bats, he is inefficient and had a walk rate of 4.2 BB/9 in Double-A and Triple-A combined last year. That rate rose to 7.2 BB/9 in a miniscule sample of 16.1 innings in the majors. Part of the reason for Bauer's rise in walk rate in the majors could be that he was dealing with a groin strain, making his tiny sample even more worthless to look into. One positive of his “struggles,” is that it could drive down his price in keeper leagues and yearly leagues.

Bauer should benefit from being traded. For starters, the Indians are in dire need of starting pitching reinforcements, while his previous employer, the Diamondbacks, were flush with rotation candidates. He also moves from launching pad Chase Field, to Progressive Field. Not all is great, though, as the move from the National League to the American League isn't ideal. Derek Carty took an in depth look at the impact of changing leagues for pitchers at FanDuel in August 2011.

More important to Bauer's short term, and long term, fantasy outlook than his change of leagues is his ability to tighten up his control. It's questionable just how much he'll be able to improve his control with his unorthodox mechanics. Doug Thorburn broke down Bauer's delivery in late October, and harshly, but accurately, graded Bauer's balance, posture, and ability to repeat his delivery well below average. Bauer's high strikeout rate will allow him some wiggle room in regards to his walk rate, but piling up strikeouts and walking batters at a higher than average rate will run his pitch counts up quickly. There are likely to be growing pains here, and it's unwise to draft Bauer as more than a lottery ticket late that should provide strikeouts, but may provide little else, in yearly leagues. Bauer is a much better buy in deep keeper leagues where owners can be patient with the development process.

Upside: .300/.400/.450, 12 HR

Downside: .265/.360, 5 HR. Even more downside if his walk rate does not bounce back.

The World Series is over and for the standard redraft roto GMs out there, the season has been over for even longer. However, the end of the fall classic brings about an entirely different roto beast: The Keeper Leaguers!

Deciding on who to keep, what values can you get in trades, what positions do you need to upgrade and all at what cost? Oh, yeah, and prospects -- the great unknown! -- who is for real and who is the next Brandon Wood (sorry Brandon, I'm still not over you). It's a complicated decision making game almost (if not) more complex than the regular fantasy baseball season. And keeper league GMs LOVE IT!

I'm in a great keeper league --10 teams, OBP instead of AVG, deep enough rosters that there is still plenty of skill involved in in-season pickups -- and I have found that this league LOVES to trade. After all, acting like a real GM while the real GMs are meeting in California is part of the fantasy. While it is rare that we see star players being traded for star players in this day-and-age, our keeper leagues allow us to do just that. Troy Tulowitski for Jason Heyward? Sure! Michael Bourn for Wil Meyers? Why not?

However, one thing that I have found throughout the years is that I just don't go trade crazy over the winter. There are a few reasons for this, and reasons that might end up saving your fantasy kepeer league team in the long-run...

1. I like my players - I drafted/traded for these guys for a reason. I know that Justin Upton had a down year and that Eric Hosmer failed to even come close to living up to expectations, but I still really like both over the next 5-plus seasons. The only way I would deal one of these two would be if the opposing GM was willing to pay full price, which rarely happens after a down year. And I completely get it. Heck, I am trying to do the same thing.

2. I don't even consider "throw-ins" - Adding stacks of middle-of-the-road starting pitchers just doesn't do it for me. When I do get an offer with a bunch of throw-ins, I always respond by taking those names out of the equation and presenting how I actually look at the trade. Unless you are in a dynasty league and need bulk over Braun in order to rebuild, I see no upside.

3. It's still waaaaaay too early  - A lot can happen between now and the start of spring training. Trades, injuries, changes in lineup construction and offensive support for starting pitchers...the list goes on. I want to see Derek Jeter running at full speed before I consider making a deal for him, just like I'd want to see Michael Pineda throwing in the upper 90s again before I even consider buying low.

4. I'm picky - That's just how I am. If I don't feel like I'm coming out ahead on a deal, I have major reservations about pulling the trigger. This ties back into point #1: I like my players.

How do you approach offseason trading?

• Jarred Cosart (Astros) has been named the starting pitcher for the East Division squad. His numbers aren't pretty (7.36 ERA and 2.00 WHIP in four starts spanning 11 innings), but as I repeat time and time again, they are only a small piece of the puzzle in evaluating a prospect. Cosart has the type of lively arm that make his low strikeout totals puzzling. He's inconsistent, but the stuff is good enough to make him worth dreaming on in dynasty leagues.

• Kyle Gibson (Twins) is opposing Cosart, starting for the West Division squad. His stellar play to start the AFL season has twice earned him recognition in the AFL Updates (October 17 and October 26). A messy start in which he allowed six earned runs in two innings pitched on October 29 drags down his AFL total line, but positive reports on his stuff outweigh one bad game. His innings will be limited next year, as he continues his comeback from Tommy John surgery, but he should reach The Show in 2013, and should be back on dynasty league radars.

• Mark Montgomery (Yankees) is a strikeout machine out of the bullpen. In 64.1 innings split between High-A and Double-A this year, he struck out a staggering 99 batters, helping him earn a 1.54 ERA and 0.89 WHIP. He's following up the minor league season with a silly AFL showing, striking out 15 batters in 8.1 innings and tallying a 1.08 ERA and 0.72 WHIP. Hudson Belinsky wrote about Montgomery in the September 17, Monday Morning Ten Pack. Montgomery uses his fastball and slider to miss bats, and Belinsky speculates that he might have a chance to earn a spot in the Yankees' bullpen next year. If he does reach the big leagues next year, he could be a source of holds depending on the teams usage of him.

• Gary Brown (Giants) had a rough AFL debut in 2011, but is playing better in his second go-round. In 43 at-bats, he is slashing .326/.388/.395. He's a speedy outfielder who can help fantasy owners in stolen bases if he gets on-base enough to make the most of his 80-grade tool. Jason Churchill recently stated that Brown could be a trade candidate if the Giants sign a long term center fielder this offseason. He may get to the majors in 2013, but isn't the type of elite prospect to expect instant success.

• Anthony Rendon (Nationals) is getting on-base at a solid rate (.363), but isn't putting much of a charge into the ball (.098 ISO). In 51 at-bats, he has just five extra base hits, all of which are doubles. He is walking at a high rate, 13.6 percent, and isn't striking out a ton, 16.9 percent. The most important thing is that he's healthy, and gaining professional baseball experience. He's a very desirable fantasy baseball prospect, and now might prove to be a buy-low period in dynasty leagues.

• Tommy Joseph (Phillies) is at home in the AFL, literally, as he was born in Phoenix, Arizona. He hasn't received many at-bats, totaling only 29, and his stats don't jump off the page. They weren't all that gaudy in the minor league season either, but as a young (21 years old) catcher with plus power potential already playing in Double-A, he remains a notable fantasy baseball prospect in dynasty leagues.

Tommy Hanson – 2012 Projection;  14 Wins 3.10 ERA, 180 K's, 1.20 WHIP in 180 innings

Actual;  13 W, 4.48 ERA, 161 K, 1.45 WHIP, 174.2 Innings.

Hanson did not meet expectations this year which shouldn’t be surprising considering his injury history. A Disastrous July and August did him in this year.  Miss.

Corey Hart – 2012 Projection;  .285 AVG, 29 HR, 80 RBI, 7 steals, .340 OBP and .850 OPS in 540 AB's.

Actual; .270 AVG, 30 HR, 83 RBI, 5 steals, .334 OBP, .841 OPS in 562 AB.

Upon further review, I forgot to project a runs total for Hart. Upon even further review, I nailed this projection. Hear that trumpet sound? That’s me tooting my own horn.

Carlos Santana – 2012 Projection; .270 AVG, 28 HR, 89 RBI, 70 Runs, 5 Steals, .360 OBP and .830 OPS in 550 AB's

Actual; .252 AVG, 18 HR, 76 RBI, 72 Runs, 3 steals, .360 OBP, .785 OPS in 507 AB’s

I thought I was going to have missed pretty badly on Carlos going into this series, however the damage wasn’t as bad as I anticipated. Still a miss though. Can I take solace in the fact that I wasn’t the only FB365 mind to be high on Santana?

Paul Konerko – 2012 Projection; .300 AVG, 30 HR, 95 RBI, 82 Runs, .370 OBP, .860 OPS in 550 AB's.

Actual; .298 AVG, 26 HR, 75 RBI, 66 R, .371 AVG, .857 OPS in 533 AB’s.

Another hit here. I love it when a plan (trending decrease in flyballs and increase in line drives) leads me to make a correct projection.

Corey Luebke – 2012 Projection; 11 W, 3.18 ERA, 170 K, 1.10 WHIP in 155 IP

Actual; 3 W, 2.61 ERA, 23 K, 1.16 WHIP, in 31 IP

Tommy John surgery ended his season way early, but it looked like he got off to the start he needed to meet my projection. Can’t take a hit or miss here though. Incomplete!

I went 2-2 here, since Luebke has an incomplete. Up to 13-14-2 on the series.

• Billy Hamilton (Reds) continues his transition from shortstop to center field, but little in the way of free information is available in regards to how looks. Mark Sheldon, in an article at the Reds official website, points out that Hamilton worked with former Major League outfielders Eric Davis and Darren Bragg in the team's organization's instructional league prior to the AFL. He also points out that Hamilton has all the tools to be an outstanding defensive outfielder, including blazing speed and a strong arm. Repetition would seem to be the most important thing for Hamilton turning his raw tools into useful defensive skills. The faster he takes to his defensive transition, the faster the time table to the big leagues, where fantasy gamers can enjoy all of Hamilton's stolen base goodness. Not surprisingly, Hamilton is tied for the league lead in stolen bases with six, and has been caught stealing just one time. The rest of his stat line isn't particularly pretty, but it's not alarmingly bad either.

• Javier Baez (Cubs) is tied for the league lead in home runs with four, and more importantly, his strikeout rate has toned down quite since the last update. Baez struck out eight times in his first 25 at-bats and failed to walk. He has since walked twice, and struck out just two times in his last 25 at-bats. I had this exchange about Baez with Bernie Pleskoff on Twitter. Not shocking, but he essentially mentioned Baez is showing his youth. If you aren't following him, I'd strongly suggest it, as he's providing great AFL analysis. Free information from a former pro scout for the Astros and Mariners is too good to pass up, don't be a fool.

• Nick Franklin (Mariners) continues to put bat to ball, he has only six strikeouts in 34 at-bats, and the result is a strong .324/.395/.559 slash with a couple of taters. Middle infielders with offensive skills are gold in fantasy baseball, and Franklin has a chance to be an above average offensive contributor there.

• Brian Goodwin (Nationals) is still smoking the ball, hitting .333/.409/.667 in 39 at-bats, and has drilled a home run and added a pair of doubles in his last five games. Three strikeouts on October 18 have inflated his strikeout total since the initial AFL look in last week, as he has six in his last 17 at-bats in that time frame. This illustrates the fluctuations in performance in a small period of time, and serves as a reminder not to overreact to miniscule samples. That said, Goodwin's strikeout rate warrants monitoring, as I pointed out previously, his strikeout rate sky rocketed after moving up from High-A to Double-A this year. The tools are there for him to be an across the board fantasy contributor from the outfield in fantasy games. He isn't in the same class of recent Nationals prospects such as Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper, but few are. Goodwin was in the 2012 Nationals 5x5 Prospect Rankings, and it's a safe bet to assume he'll be back there when we begin rolling those out for 2013.

• Fun AFL stat, in 36 at-bats, shortstop prospect Didi Gregorius (Reds) has zero strikeouts. His offensive skill set isn't sexy, but he's near big league ready, and is waiting behind Zack Cozart if he falters or suffers an injury.

• Jonathan Schoop (Orioles) didn't light the world on fire as a 20 year old in Double-A this season, but he didn't embarrass himself either. He finished the season stronger than he started it, and he's following that up with a solid start in the AFL. Schoop has three extra base hits, one of which is a home run, in 27 at-bats, and is hitting .333/.500/.556 with seven walks and seven strikeouts overall. He spent time at second base (88 games) and shortstop (39 games) this year, and has also played third base in the minors in the past. Schoop has played second base, shortstop and third base in the AFL, and his defensive home remains up in the air. The clearest path in the near future would be second base, but at 21 years old, there is no rush if he needs another full year of minor league seasoning. His fantasy value would be aided by sticking in the middle infield, but there are enough positive future offensive projections circulating around reputable prospect outlets that he'd remain fantasy relevant at the hot corner.

• Kyle Gibson (Twins) continues to cruise, leading the league in strikeouts with 19 in 13 innings pitched. He has allowed one run, two walks, and 13 hits, and is sporting a dental floss thin 0.69 ERA and 1.15 WHIP. Peter Wardell, a Baseball America Intern covering the AFL, wrote about Gibson in an excellent Hot Sheet piece last Friday. Gibson's fastball is sitting in the low-to-mid-90s, his change-up has good velocity separation in the mid-80s, and Wardell gushes about his slider, calling it a “legitimate put-away,” pitch. Pitching at Target Field in the future enhances his fantasy value, and he should be back on fantasy gamers radars.

• The Giants are playing in the World Series, meanwhile, one of their top prospects, Heath Hembree (Giants), is pitching well in the AFL. He has made five appearances, allowing one run on five hits and a walk with eight strikeouts. At his best, Hembree looks like a future closer. At his worst, his struggles with control prevent him from pitching effectively. Hembree's fantasy value is tied to him recording saves, and with Sergio Romo pitching well in the closer role, and Brian Wilson rehabbing with an eye on returning by Opening Day next season, there doesn't appear to be an immediate opening. Things can change in a hurry in bullpens, though, so keep tabs on Hembree.

• Oscar Taveras (Cardinals) is doing what he does, demolishing baseballs. He has hit two home runs in the last week playing in the Dominican Winter League, and is up to a sizzling .364/.417/.727 slash in 22 at-bats. The outfield prospect is on the short list of most desirable fantasy prospects to own in dynasty and keeper leagues.

• Evan Gattis (Braves) is still raking in the Venezuelan Winter League. In the last week, he has added two more home runs and a pair of doubles to his totals. All that power isn't coming with the usual requisite high strikeout total, as he has just six in 45 at-bats.

• Wilmer Flores (Mets) had arguably his best offensive season as a pro this year, when you factor in his level of competition (he split the year between High-A and Double-A). Unfortunately, his defense doesn't profile to a premium position, putting further pressure on the bat. As good as his season was, the bat lacks the type of projection to profile well in a less demanding defensive position. Regardless, Flores is continuing his “breakout,” season with a solid showing in the Venezuelan Winter League thus far. He has tallied 43 at-bats, hitting three doubles, one home run and triple slashing .326/.408/.465 with a respectable 5-to-7 walk-to-strikeout ratio. If something changes in his future projection, either more favorable reports of his defense on the left side of the infield, or a boost in his offensive projection, he'd be a lot more interesting. In the mean time, he's a fringy fantasy prospect.

• Yasiel Puig (Dodgers) underwent surgery to clean out an infected elbow, and Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times reports he's unlikely to play in the AFL at all at this point. Tough blow to Puig, as he would have had a chance to get playing time against upper minor league caliber pitching, and showcase his plus power in a hitter friendly environment.

• Nick Castellanos (Tigers), who is playing in the outfield in the AFL, is hot at the dish. He's hitting .400/.464/.640 with one home run and three doubles through 25 at-bats. Castellanos started his transition from third base to outfield during the minor league season, playing in 51 games in right field for Double-A Erie. If he makes a relatively smooth transition to the outfield, his bat could get him to Detroit early in the 2013 season.

• Nick Franklin (Mariners) is second in the AFL in batting average, hitting .500 with two doubles and one home run in 16 at-bats. Most importantly, he has just two strikeouts. Franklin struck out 106 times in 535 plate appearances across two minor league levels, not an alarming rate (19.8 percent strikeout rate). However, there was a stark difference in strikeout rates between Double-A, 15.9 percent, and Triple-A, 25.5 percent.

• There is a three way tie for third in home runs in the AFL with two, between a trio of interesting prospects, Javier Baez (Cubs), Jonathan Singleton (Astros), and Brian Goodwin (Nationals). Baez has yet to walk, and has struck out eight times in 25 at-bats, but the power (he also has hit two doubles), is pretty impressive for a 19 year old facing the most advanced pitching he's seen in his young professional career. Singleton has a relatively clear path to the bigs, and he's seizing the opportunity to strut his stuff, slashing .292/.370/.667 in 24 at-bats. Goodwin's season was a tale of two levels. He was excellent in High-A, hitting .324/.438/.524 in 266 plate appearances with more walks (43) than strikeouts (39), before struggling in Double-A, hitting .223/.306/.373 in 186 plate appearances. He had a staggering rise in strikeouts, with 50 in Double-A. That's 11 more strikeouts in 80 fewer plate appearances. Thus far, he has six strikeouts in 24 plate appearances.

• Catcher Mike Zunino (Mariners) is continuing his excellent professional debut, slashing .304/.333/.696 in 23 at-bats with two doubles, two triples, and one home run. Expect the buzz to reach a fever pitch in Spring Training next year, and for good reason.

• Rymer Liriano's (Padres) minor league season was a mixed bag of good and bad. He's putting together a well rounded AFL campaign, hitting .375/.400/.583 with two doubles, one home run, and three stolen bases (zero caught stealing) in 24 at-bats. His well rounded skill set makes him a top notch dynasty league fantasy option.

• Johnny Hellweg (Brewers) has pitched in three games, all in relief. He has yet to allow an earned run in four innings pitched, with two walks, two strikeouts, and a save. If the Brewers intend on developing Hellweg as a reliever, he could be on the fast track to the big league team. According to The Brewer Nation, the organization still views Hellweg as a starting pitcher.

• Reports on relief pitching prospect Aaron Barrett (Nationals) are hard to come by. Barrett had some sparkling numbers pitching in Low-A and High-A this past season. He totaled 51.2 innings, walking 14 batters, and striking out a whopping 73 (12.7 K/9). He finished with a 2.09 ERA and 0.93 WHIP. He's off to a good start in the AFL. Barrett has made three appearances (four innings), walking zero batters, and striking out four. He has yet to allow an earned run, but has given up two unearned runs and given up six hits. Bryan Kerr, of MASN, wrote about the 6-foot-4 right-handed pitcher on Monday. Kerr got some excellent quotes from Potomac pitching coach Chris Michalak, who had glowing reviews of Barrett's fastball. Barrett has pitched in high leverage innings in the minors, but until more reports about his secondary pitches surface, it is tough to peg Barrett's ceiling, and what his fantasy value could be.

• Two of the top pitching prospects in the AFL, Jarred Cosart (Astros) and James Paxton (Mariners), squared off on Monday. Baseball America intern Peter Wardell was at the game, and tweeted about Cosart's stuff, as well as Paxton's. For those that didn't click the link, he reported that Cosart's fastball sat in the 94-98 mph range, his change-up had great velocity separation at 81-82 mph, and his curveball featured good shape. As usual, though, Cosart failed to miss bats in spite of his plus stuff. He has pitched 7.1 innings in the AFL and struck out just three batters. Meanwhile, according to Wardell, southpaw Paxton sat at 90-94 mph with his fastball, with a “steep breaking,” curveball and a swing-and-miss change-up that was in the low-80s. Paxton's numbers are stellar in two starts (six innings). He has allowed only one earned run on four hits and two walks with 10 strikeouts. Missing bats hasn't been a problem for Paxton, as a pro, but his control has been erratic. As I pointed out in the Peoria AFL preview, Paxton's control was much better post All-Star Break. If he can maintain the control gains, he should reach the majors in 2013.

• The most impressive pitching statistics in the AFL belong to Kyle Gibson (Twins). Gibson has pitched 10 innings, in two starts, allowing one earned run on 10 hits and zero walks, with 16 strikeouts. Gibson's 2011 season ended we he underwent Tommy John surgery. He's continuing to battle back, and build up his innings, after pitching 28.1 innings in the minors this year. 1500 ESPN Twin Cities reports that Gibson was throwing his fastball between 93-95 mph in his most recent start, and backing it with solid offspeed offerings. They also noted that all of Gibson's non-strikeout outs came via the groundball. This isn't shocking, as Gibson is no stranger to inducing groundballs. Minor League Central has his groundball rate at 52.3 percent over the past two seasons. Gibson's control has always been good, but he has proven to be a bit hittable throughout his career, allowing roughly a hit per-inning. From what I've read in the past, it would be unwise to chalk up his hittability to plain old bad luck. Gibson's play is encouraging, and given the fact he has pitched in Triple-A each of the past two seasons, it doesn't seem like a leap to suggest he should reach the majors this upcoming season.

• Oscar Taveras (Cardinals) looks to continue his assault on baseballs in the Dominican Winter League. He has just eight at-bats thus far, hitting a single and double in them. He's in the conversation for best hitting prospect in baseball, and he'll almost certainly be patrolling the outfield in Busch Stadium sometime in 2013.

• Aaron Hicks (Twins) is off to a scorching start in the Venezuelan Winter League. The tool shed outfielder is hitting .412/.444/.529 with two doubles and two stolen bases in 17 at-bats. He's coming off his most impressive season as a pro, and the ceiling is very high for Hicks.

• As well as Hicks is hitting, he isn't putting up the most impressive stat line of the prospects playing in the Venezuelan Winter League, that distinction belongs to Evan Gattis (Braves). Gattis is crushing the ball. In 19 at-bats, he has smashed four doubles and one home run, and is slashing .316/.348/.684. His power hasn't come with the usual requisite gaudy strikeout totals, as he has struck out only two times. Gattis's missed substantial time during the minor league season due to injury, but looks to continue his unlikely march to the majors. For those unaware, Gattis is a 26 year old prospect that is in just his third year of professional ball, and has an unusual story. He committed to play baseball at Texas A&M, but never played a game there. He took four years off from baseball, spent time in drug rehab, and ultimately played at Texas-Permian Basin. The Braves nabbed him in the 23^rd round, and he has battered baseballs for the better part of his pro career. It should be noted that he has also been old for every level, and because of his unusual path, he doesn't have a good comparison of a player who has reached the majors and found success. All the Braves can do is continue to challenge him and see how he responds. He was drafted as a catching prospect, but he began to see significant time in the outfield this year to speed up his ascent to the big leagues. The retirement of Chipper Jones could result in Martin Prado shifting from left field back to the hot corner. If that's the case, the path becomes much clearer for Gattis to get to the show. I repeat, his case is unique, so it's all a guessing game at this point, but Gattis's bat is worth speculating on in dynasty leagues.