Draft Week Miscellany

Ups, Dows, and Back & Forths

Mar 24, 2025

∙ Paid

FAN MAIL FROM SOME FLOUNDER?

Actually, this is my Marshall League draft sheet from Saturday’s long auction. It’s a league with very unusual scoring, so the prices are of no use to anyone, but I thought the sea of chicken scratch might be of seasonal interest.

My team is the Mamies, named after Bo Belinsky paramour Mamie Van Doren.

KEEPING UP WITH THE NOLAN JONESES

Rosters are settling, and we’re checking in.

DaShawn Keirsey, Twins: According to local reports, the Twins have told Keirsey he’s made the team. That means Austin Martin heads back to Triple-A. Both performed okay, but Keirsey is the more natural outfielder at this point. The Twins were working with Martin this spring on his outfield play, moving him away from the infield. Keirsey didn’t reach Triple-A until he was 26 years old, but he hit last year and produced power and speed at that level. In AL Only a small bet could pay off, though he has no clear path to playing time except as a sub. With Harrison Bader in at DH, the Twins have an OF sub already for when someone needs a blow. Or Byron Buxton gets hurt. $4

Addison Barger, Blue Jays: There’s an intriquing note at MLB.com about the Blue Jays roster, noting that Barger had a strong spring but lost out to Alan Roden because the Jays need outfielders until Daulton Varsho comes back. That could be in a couple of weeks. It isn’t clear to me how Varsho returning, when either one of Myles Straw or Nathan Lukes gets sent, somehow opens room for Barger to play third base? Right now Ernie Clement and Will Wagner are something of a platoon at the hot corner, and why would they not continue if they’re doing a good job? Barger is not an action item right now, the MLB.com story doesn’t really add up, but he was once a bit of a prospect and is now coming into his prime years. He’d make a fine AL only reserve pick.

Gunnar Henderson, Orioles: Reality finally bites and it seems Henderson and the Orioles recognize he isn’t going to play Opening Day. He is progressing in his rehab and might be able to play in practice games soon, but the increased risk he’ll reinjure himself has me dropping his bid price to $33. Maybe he’ll miss a week, but maybe he’ll miss weeks longer. Take the discount if its offered. $33

Kody Clemens, Phillies: He’s made the team. I think this is the first time he’s done so out of Spring Training. He’ll be the backup in the corner outfield spots and first base. Edmundo Sosa takes the rest of the infield, while defensive whiz Josh Rojas covers center field. Clemens has enough power to be an end of AL only bench pick at the corner.

Victor Scott, Cardinals: He’s vanquished Mike Siani, who did not hit a lick during camp, and should be the Cards regular centerfielder. He’s a fine fielder and has maximum speed, so he should steal bases to the extent he gets on. He didn’t last year, but he’s still learning and is coming off a camp in which he hit four homers. Not bad for a slash and run contact hitting type. He’s not a slam dunk as a prospect hitter, but he’s shown enough in the second half last year and camp that he might work it out. $9

Hunter Bigge, Rays: Was sent down last week despite a very good camp and a great run for the Rays after they acquired him from the Cubs. He’ll work in relief and not really worth drafting but might make a sweet pickup if you have pitching problems.

AJ Smith-Shawver, Braves: He’s made the rotation, which has me kicking myself after letting him slide too far in Tout NL. He’s exactly the sort of cheap starter who might work in a Perfect Staff, because if he gets off to a good start he’ll hold it and if he doesn’t he’ll get bounced when Spencer Strider returns. It’s all going to come down to limiting walks and long balls, and he’s done both in Spring Training this year.

Nolan Jones, Guardians: He started out as a Clevelander, went to Colorado for two very different years, and is now back in Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh-Hi-Oh! He’s had a productive and powerful bat in 2023, and not so powerful last year. Part of his great 2023 performance was an unnaturally mile-high BABIP, and you can track his batting average decline last year with the declining BABIP. And part of his struggles last year were due to injuries. Still, not that much to get excited about Cleveland, but you should see more power than he showed last year. I have him projected in Colorado to his .263, but I think that might have been optimistic even for there. He does take walks however, so there’s that, and he can run. Way to go Oh-hi-Oh! $10

Tyler Freeman, Rockies: He moves to the Rockies to play second base. He makes lots of contact, so might elevate his batting average at altitude, but doesn’t hit too much in the air and even less hard, so don’t expect the homers to pop, but depending on just how many at bats he gets he’s going to have more value than he would have had in Cleveland. $4

Ian Anderson, Angels: He had a promising season in 2021, but he walked too many then and he hasn’t toned down that issue since. He’s walked 20 hitters in 20 ST innings this year, for instance. He wasn’t going to make the Braves so they dealt him rather than lose him on waivers. Maybe the Angels can fix him.

Jose Suarez, Braves: Rather than lose Anderson they dealt him for Suarez, who has no options left, too, but has a better chance of slipping through waivers. Why not trade for someone with options? Baseball’s mysterious ways.

Hayden Birdsong makes the Giants rotation after a great camp, while Landon Roupp apparently goes to the bullpen after having a fine camp himself. Both have struggled with allowing walks in the past, but were nearly perfect during Spring Training. Either or both are breakout candidates this year.

Yuli Gurriel and Brandon Lockridge are now, or soon will be, Padres backups. Both appear to be weakside platoonists with Gavin Sheets and Jason Heyward respectively. Gurriel is closer to 41 than 40, while Lockridge has defense and speed. The Padres may be the least deep team in the game, mostly because the distance between the White Sox' bad bench and bad starters is less. So, more falloff in SD.

Chase Meidroth, White Sox: Didn’t make the Opening Day roster for the White Sox, though they clearly wanted him to. He walked a lot, but the contact he made was weak, leading to a sub-.500 OPS. Jacob Amaya is apparently the starting shortstop for the Sox, until Colson Montgomery is ready. Amaya has a solid glove and decent speed and a history of making contact at the lower levels. He struck out a lot in 78 major league plate appearances last year.

Kyle Gibson, Orioles: He held out long enough and he’s gotten paid. Teams need guys to throw the innings, and Gibson has done that over the years despite declining velocity and a general lack of domination. He might be streamable in AL Only because the offense behind him should be productive, and wins count (usually, except in some leagues).

Eloy Jimenez, Rays: Sent down, but he has opt outs on May 1 and June 1, if he’s not been called up. He didn’t do much to excite the Rays during camp, but he did drop 25 pounds before camp opened in a bid to stay healthy, and so far has. He hit 31 homers his rookie year, back in 2019.

Matt Thais beat out Omar Narvaez for the backup catching job with the White Sox, but with two top catching prospects in Triple-A his time might be limited. Kyle Teel is probably ahead of Edgar Quero at this point, in part because he’s got stronger defensive tools. Either might make a good late reserve round pick in AL Only.

Last year, Jose Miranda took over at third base when Royce Lewis went down on Opening Day, and he was an offensive force in the first half of the year. Injuries wore him down and he struggled in the second half, but it looks like the opportunity is happening again. He’s a solid contact hitter when he’s on, unexciting but professional. Don’t forget him if you need an endgame play.

Kristian Campbell, Red Sox: He’s made the team despite a weak camp. Maybe this is only going to last until he either hits the lights out or Rafael Devers can play the field, but he’s a top minor league prospect and the first of the Red Sox big three (also, Marcelo Meyer and Roman Anthony) to make it to the Show. So, a little aggressive is in order, but success this year for him is not assured. $6

Brandon Drury, Free Agent: He looked like he was going to make the White Sox and after a very down year was having an excellent Spring Training. It was easy to see him becoming one of the better hitters on the White Sox and a nice fantasy surprise. But he fractured his thumb and rather than convert his NRI into a major league contract while he rehabs, the Pale Hose released him. Keep an eye on where he signs next. He’s a deep sleeper now, for sure.

You Just Might Be a Fantasy Baseball Player

Don Drooker used to update his masterpiece every year, but he’s retired from the deep fantasy game and blogging. Still, revisiting the last iteration of You Just Might Be a Fantasy Baseball Player is a good way to kick off draft week.

Click here to read.

FOR SALE

Rotoman’s Fantasy Baseball Guide A-Z 2025 is out. You can buy it now!

Buy the softcover book from IngramSpark by clicking here. It’s $19.99. Order it online by clicking the link and be emboldened to bypass the Amazon monster.

Buy the softcover book ($20) or Kindle book ($10) from Amazon by clicking here.

The Kindle version is also available for free for Kindle Unlimited subscribers.

Buy the PDF file by clicking here. All the content with little of the carbon. It is $12 and available immediately via a link on the confirmation page, for easy browsing.

HOUSEKEEPING

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