Xavier Avery

Avery likely will not hit well enough at the MLB level to warrant consideration as a starting outfielder, but due to Baltimore's ravaged outfield he made his debut ahead of schedule and went through two short stretches where he played almost every day. Avery showed off his speed, his best tool, by swiping 28 bags at Triple-A. The Orioles shored up their outfield in the offseason and that should mean that Avery starts the season in Triple-A. With Endy Chavez out of the organization, Avery should get a chance to get his feet wet at the MLB level again in 2013, likely as a fourth outfielder once promoted.

Avery's rough minor league career continued in 2011. In a full season at Double-A, Avery's contact issues lingered, as he struck out in 24.9 percent of his at-bats, leading to a .259 average. He simply doesn't have the skills to get beyond the low batting average, either, as he walked in fewer than 8.0 percent of his at-bats and hit only four home runs in 626 plate appearances. At age 22, he is young, so he can still make it if he can improve in a second go-round at Double-A in 2012. Long term, his greatest asset to fantasy owners will be stolen bases if he's able to hit enough to avoid being used as a fifth outfielder with a good glove.