Qualifications and assumptions:
Players eligible for the list must be 24 years old or younger on opening day of the 2015 season and have at least 75 MLB plate appearances or 50 MLB innings pitched to date. The rankings are based on a standard 5×5 roto league (AVG,R,RBI,HR,SB) (W,K,ERA,WHIP,S) and players are ranked based on the best five-year fantasy outlook.
1. Mike Trout (Age: 23) OF
2014 Stats: 705 PA, .287 AVG, 36 HR, 115 R, 111 RBI, 16 SB
Trout saw his stolen bases and average dip considerably from his 2013 season, but he is still without question the best player in fantasy baseball. An elite five category producer.
2. Bryce Harper (Age: 22) OF
2014 Stats: 395 PA, .273 AVG, 13 HR, 41 R, 32 RBI, 2 SB
After a disappointing and injury riddled 2014 campaign, Harper will look to take the next step towards superstardom in 2015. Having just turned 22 years old, Harper still has many years to develop into a hall of fame type player. He has all of the tools to have a 30 HR/100 R/100 RBI/20 SB kind of year but needs to avoid the injury bug. This is the same guy who posted a 22 HR/98 R/59 RBI/18 SB year as a 19 year old.
3. Yasiel Puig (Age: 23) OF
2014 Stats: 656 PA, .296 AVG, 16 HR, 92 R, 69 RBI, 11 SB
Coming into 2014, many believed that Puig was bound to regress after blasting onto the scene in 2013. However, Puig continued to progress as a hitter and contribute to all five categories. Puig’s HR/FB% was down 10% from his 2013 season and I believe with some positive regression that he can hit 25 dingers next season.
4. Anthony Rendon (Age:24) 3B
2014 Stats: 683 PA, .287 AVG, 21 HR, 111 R, 83 RBI, 17 SB
Rendon is a five category producer at a premium position. He will hit in the middle of the order in one of the best lineups in baseball for many more years.
5. Jose Altuve (Age: 24) 2B
2014 Stats: 707 PA, .341 AVG, 7 HR, 85 R, 59 RBI, 56 SB
Altuve had a breakout year in 2014. He increased his batting average by sixty points and stole 21 more bases than his previous career high of 36. With a .360 BABIP last year, expect some regression in batting average and stolen bases. Even with some regression, he is still a top option at 2B for 2015.
6. Jose Fernandez (Age: 22) P
2014 Stats: 51.2 IP, 4 W, 70 K, 2.44 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 0 SV
After losing most of his 2014 season to Tommy John surgery, Fernandez is expected back sometime in 2015 to reestablish himself as the best young pitcher in baseball. Loaded with one of the deadliest wipeout sliders in the game and a lethal fastball, the Marlins will need to be careful not to rush their young star back too quickly. Fernandez posted an impossible 12.19 K/9 during his limited 2014 season. For comparison, Clayton Kershaw posted a 10.85 K/9.
7. Manny Machado (Age: 22) 3B
2014 Stats: 354 PA, .278 AVG, 12 HR, 38 R, 32 RBI, 2 SB
Already establishing himself as the best defensive third baseman in the league, Machado seems poised to make the jump into an elite hitter. Many scouts think Machado is not far away from turning his AL leading 51 doubles in 2013 into homeruns as he matures.
8. Julio Teheran (Age: 23) P
2014 Stats: 221 IP, 14 W, 186 K, 2.89 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 0 SV
Teheran cemented his ace status with another terrific season in 2014. He is not the greatest strikeout pitcher just yet with a 7.57 K/9 in 2014, but if he can pick up a few more K’s a game we could be looking at a future Cy Young contender.
9. Wil Myers (Age:23) OF
2014 Stats: 361 PA, .222 AVG, 6 HR, 37 R, 35 RBI, 6 SB
Myers is coming off of a putrid 2014 season which was plagued by a wrist injury suffered in the beginning of the year. He finds himself sneaking into the top 10 because of his prodigious power potential to all fields. Power is the toughest skill to find in your drafts and Myers has the potential for 30+ homeruns as a 23 year old.
10. Javier Baez (Age: 22) SS/2B
2014 Stats: 229 PA, .169 AVG, 9 HR, 25 R, 20 RBI, 5 SB
Baez finds himself in the top 10 for the same reasons as Myers, power.Baez is Jose Bautista at shortstop. He will not hit for a great average, but don’t expect him to hover at the Mendoza line either. I expect Baez to hit around .240-.250 next season and provide 25+ HR’s at a premium position. His value might also receive a bump if he acquires multiple position eligibility at second or third base.
11. Gerrit Cole (Age: 24) P
2014 Stats: 138 IP, 11 W, 138 K, 3.65 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 0 SV
Cole anchored the pirates to a playoff berth in 2014 providing a strikeout per inning and great command. He has big strikeout potential and plays on a solid team that will provide him with run support.
12. Michael Wacha (Age: 23) P
2014 Stats: 107 IP, 5 W, 94 K, 3.20 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 0 SV
Wacha is another player who saw his 2014 season cut short due to injury. He is the next in command of the Cardinals potent pitching staff and has the opportunity to study under one of the best veteran pitchers in baseball, Adam Wainwright.
13. Nolan Arenado (Age: 23) 3B
2014 Stats: 467 PA, .287 AVG, 18 HR, 58 R, 61 RBI, 2 SB
Arenado joins Rendon and Machado in the next wave of rising third baseman. He benefits from playing 81 games in Coors field and should hit for average and solid power.
14. Marcus Stroman (Age: 23) P
2014 Stats: 130.2 IP, 11 W, 111 K, 3.65 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 0 SV
Stroman may have the filthiest stuff of any young pitcher outside of Jose Fernandez. Stroman posted a 2.84 FIP in 2014 which put in top 20 in all of baseball. Stroman will have plenty of run support from his next year and will look to lead the Jays staff to a playoff berth in 2015.
15. Christian Yelich (Age: 22) OF
2014 Stats: 660 PA, .284 AVG, 9 HR, 94 R, 54 RBI, 21 SB
Yelich is one of the most exciting young players in baseball. He posted phenomenal numbers in his rookie campaign as a 22 year old. While the power numbers are not quite there yet, he has the frame to add some muscle and could be one of the top outfielders in baseball in a few years.
16. Jorge Soler (Age: 22) OF
2014 Stats: 97 PA, .292 AVG, 5 HR, 11 R, 20 RBI, 1 SB
Soler dominated in his short time with the Cubs at the end of the 2014 season. He is in a great situation in Chicago and should hit in the middle of the order with fellow all-world prospects Javier Baez, Kris Bryant, and the blossoming Anthony Rizzo.
17. Yordano Ventura (Age: 23) P
2014 Stats: 183 IP, 14 W, 159 K, 3.20 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 0 SV
Ventura had a very productive rookie season with the Royals in 2014. The flame throwing right-hander was a consistent contributor all year and had flashes of brilliance. He will need to work on his control and a third pitch if he wants to leap into the SP1 tier, but Ventura is a rare talent.
18. Billy Hamilton (Age:24) OF
2014 Stats: 611 PA, .250 AVG, 6 HR, 72 R, 48 RBI, 56 SB
Hamilton surprised many of his doubters in 2014 by posting a .292 OBP in 2014. While not great, it was good enough to give him many opportunities to steal some bags. He is an elite contributor to the stolen base category and could win you the category any given week in H2H leagues.
19. Marcell Ozuna (Age: 24) OF
2014 Stats: 612 PA, .269 AVG, 23 HR, 72 R, 85 RBI, 3 SB
Ozuna posted a phenomenal 2014 campaign with the fish and was a big reason for their surprising success in 2014. Oddly enough, Ozuna is still not on many fantasy players radar. He is one of my favorite sleeper picks this year and I expect him to produce to similar levels with some upside in 2015.
20. Oswaldo Arcia (Age: 23) OF
2014 Stats: 410 PA, .231 AVG, 20 HR, 46 R, 57 RBI, 1 SB
Arcia is another case similar to Ozuna. Both players strikeout too much, but in a 5×5 league that does not matter. Look past the strikeout numbers and you will see a 23 year old slugger capable of hitting 30 homeruns in 2015.
21. Zack Wheeler (Age: 24) P
2014 Stats: 185.1 IP, 11 W, 187 K, 3.54 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 0 SV
Wheeler is an elite strikeout pitcher. If Matt Harvey can find his way back to form, the Mets are looking at a potentially great pitching staff. Wheeler needs to work on his command and the run support won’t always be there, but he has the ability to move himself a lot higher on this list.
22. Gregory Polanco (Age: 23) OF
2014 Stats: 312 PA, .235 AVG, 7 HR, 50 R, 33 RBI, 14 SB
Polanco is still very much a raw hitter. He needs to develop an advanced approach to the plate and is still clueless against lefties with a .171 average in 2014. With that said, he has the tools to become a 20/20 player over the next few years.
23. Mookie Betts (Age: 22) OF/2B
2014 Stats: 213 PA, .291 AVG, 5 HR, 34 R, 18 RBI, 7 SB
Mookie was one of the best stories of 2014. The 5’9 155lb 2B/OF absolutely dominated the minors and forced the Red Sox to call him up. Mookie will provide great numbers in batting average, runs, and stolen bases, and will most likely have multiple position eligibility.
24. Kevin Gausman (Age: 23) P
2014 Stats: 113 IP, 7 W, 88 K, 3.57 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 0 SV
Gausman was huge for the O’s in 2014. He was able to provide them with some stability every fifth day and gave them a chance to win each outing. He will need to improve his strikeout numbers and WHIP to make the leap into SP1/2 territory.
25. Salvador Perez (Age: 24) C
2014 Stats: 606 PA, .260 AVG, 17 HR, 57 R, 70 RBI, 1 SB
The only catcher to make the list. Salvador Perez will need to step up his already solid production in 2015 to fill the hole left by Billy Butler. Perez is capable of a .280/20 HR/80 RBI from behind the dish but will need to work on his patience at the plate.
