Top 5 Players To Avoid In Fantasy Baseball

As people are making their final decisions before fantasy baseball drafts, there are always going to be certain players who seem to rub people the wrong way. Maybe they are being overhyped way too much, or perhaps they are starting to show some signs of aging. Whatever the case may be, here is a look at 5 players who probably should not be drafted unless they slip quite a bit in your individual draft.

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Dee Gordon

After making the All-Star team last year, it looked like Gordon finally figured out how to play at the MLB level. He was one of the most consistent hitters in the National League during the 1st part of the regular season, but he cooled off quite a bit in 2014 down the stretch. Why did that happen? Well, he was no longer getting as lucky with this batting average on balls in play, and he does not have the plate discipline to get on base in other ways. He is now switching coasts, going to the Miami Marlins as part of a deal. He does play a premium infield position, but he just seems to be due for a bit of a down season.

Freddie Freeman

Poor Freddie Freeman has to look around the clubhouse in Atlanta and see that he is one of the only guys left from just a few seasons ago. It seems like Atlanta is going through a rebuilding process, but Freeman is the only guy staying with the team for now. He is a very productive hitter, but a lack of support in the lineup is going to really mess with his numbers. He doesn’t hit enough home runs to really bring true standout value in fantasy baseball, so other options at 1st base are better.

Jose Altuve

Much like Gordon, Altuve is a light hitting infielder who is pretty solid in fantasy baseball because of his ability to create offense with his legs. However, he is a much more accomplished hitter than Gordon right now, and he is probably the best overall player on the Houston Astros heading into the season. With all that being said, it would be a little bit silly to say that Altuve will easily hit .341 again. If he is not able to get on base as much, he is not going to have the opportunity to swipe 56 bases either.

Justin Verlander

At the beginning of spring training, Verlander really did not look the same. He is coming off a pretty mediocre season by his standards in 2014, and the recent news about him having to miss starts in spring training are really starting to scare fantasy baseball owners in general. However, he still gets drafted higher than he should simply because of his name. Avoid him at all costs unless he slips towards the end of the draft. There are so many other starting pitchers in a better situation than him right now.

Andrew Cashner

The San Diego Padres seem to be getting quite a bit of recognition now that they have some more firepower on the roster. That means more and more people find out about the numbers Cashner has been putting up in recent years. They look to be pretty good on paper, but injury issues and a lack of strikeouts have some people worried. He is someone who really benefits from Petco Park, and that has overrated him at least a little bit. He’s hoping for another solid year, but to many other pitchers can bring just as much value to the table.

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