Fantasy Profile: Mike Moustakas, 3B, Kansas City Royals

Welcome back to the 2015 Last Word on Fantasy Baseball Guide.  Over the next several months we will be releasing player profiles, projections, position rankings, and a number of other articles that will help you dominate your fantasy league this season. Whether you play rotisserie or head-to-head; whether you have a standard draft, a snake or an auction league, and whether its keeper league or a one-year deal; we have all the fantasy information you need.

For the rest of our fantasy baseball profiles and articles, please check out our Fantasy Baseball Guide Page.

Fantasy Profile: Mike Moustakas, 3B, Kansas City Royals

LWOS Ranking 23, Captain’s Value: $0.66

If you are a fantasy owner trying to fill the 3B slot late in the draft, one player to consider is Mike Moustakas.  If fantasy baseball rankings were determined by spring training numbers alone, Moustakas would be a sure fire first-round pick.  Over the past two seasons, he has posted a combined .411 AVG, and showed remarkable power (1.210 OPS).  These tremendous numbers in March have usually pushed Moustakas up the fantasy cheat sheets as owners made their final preparations for their drafts.  Unfortunately for Moustakas owners over the past two seasons, he has only managed a .223 AVG and 13 HR per season over the last two seasons.  This performance has made Moustakas a perennial drop player in April or May depending on his owner’s patience.  His splits have been equally as poor on the home and road, and against both left and right handed pitching.

So do fantasy owners have any reason to once again invest in the Royals third baseman?  Moustakas was a highly touted prospect when he was called up in 2011, and let’s keep in mind he is only 26 years old entering this season. He belted 36 HRs in 2010 across AA and AAA levels with a .999 OPS.  He continued his minor league success in 2011 slugging .498 in Omaha before his mid-season call up, and in his first full season in the majors in 2012 he hit 20 HR.  As further signs of promise Moustakas has lowered his strikeout rate each of the past two seasons (20.2% in 2012, 16.1% 2013 and 14.8% last year), while raising his contact rate (78% in 2012, 82% 2013 and 84% last year).  Last year, he also posted a career best 7% walk rate, and had an abysmal .223 BABIP.

Although there is the concern that Moustakas has less job security than in the past, there are also signs that he is becoming a more patient hitter that may very well produce a career year in 2015.  If a fantasy owner finds themselves needing to fill their 3B spot in the late rounds, Moustakas may be worth a late round investment in a deep mixed league or AL only format.

Main Photo