Corey Hart

The Brewers had hoped that Hart would be the team’s primary first baseman in 2013 after moving to the position late the previous year, but his recovery from right knee surgery took much longer than planned, and he was eventually lost for the season after injuring his left knee in June. Hart showed promise defensively at first base, so it’s likely he will stick at the position moving forward. The Mariners signed Hart to a one-year deal with heavy incentives in December, where he should receive an opportunity to join the heart of the Seattle lineup. As a right-handed power hitter, he'll face a significant downgrade in terms of his home park with the move from Miller Park to Safeco Field.

Hart played almost exclusively in right field in his career prior to last season, but he took over for an injured Mat Gamel at first base in May and shined both offensively and defensively. Hart tallied 30 home runs last season and finally settled into the fifth spot in the batting order, where he is ideally suited. Hart has averaged 29 home runs the last three seasons, and while he does not provide speed like he did in the past, he is a good bet to produce in the power categories again, especially playing for another big contract in 2014.

Hart put together a very good 2011, hitting .285/.356/.510 with 26 home runs in just 130 games. He's no longer much of a threat to steal double-digit bases, but his power numbers have held steady while his plate discipline seems to have stabilized over the last two seasons. Hart will start in right field for the Brewers in 2012 and hit in the middle of the order.

Hart turned a great first half of 2010 into an All-Star selection and a new three-year contract extension. Overall, he hit .283/.340/.525, but had just a .802 OPS with 10 home runs in the second half of the season. That second-half line is more likely what should be expected in 2011. What's more concerning from a fantasy aspect is that he stole just seven bases in 2010 and had the fewest attempts of his career. Keep that in mind when valuing him for 2011.

Hart continued his downward spiral from an impressive rookie season by hitting .260/.335/.418 in 2009 with just 11 stolen bases. Fantasy owners were able to live with the subpar batting average in 2008 because of his 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases. His home-run total dropped to just 12 in 2009 and he missed a month of the season due to an appendectomy. The Brewers have been trying to trade Hart and that still may happen before the start of the season. It's unlikely that he'll be able to keep his everyday job this season if he can't improve his consistency at the plate.

Hart hit .289/.327/.504 before the All-Star break and just .239/.263/.396 to finish the season. His .437 OPS in September contributed heavily to the Brewers almost choking away a playoff spot. Hart's plate discipline all but vanished in 2008 where he walked just 27 times in 657 plate appearances. He still possesses a rare combination of home-run power and speed that makes him very valuable to fantasy owners so the potential is still there. At 27, he's in his prime and could make a big turnaround in 2009.

The Brewers put Hart into the starting lineup in the beginning of June and he never looked back. Hart hit .292/.338/.568 after the All-Star break with 14 home runs and seven stolen bases. The Brewers would like to see him be a little bit more patient at the plate, but he'll begin the season as the starting right fielder.

The Brewers kept Hart on their opening day roster and then managed to get him just 48 at-bats while bouncing him between Triple-A and the majors. He finally got a chance to play every day in September and responded by hitting .287/.333/.525 in 101 at-bats that month. The Brewers are still looking to make room in the outfield for Hart and would love to move Geoff Jenkins to open up a spot in right field. If Jenkins gets traded, expect Hart to be playing in right field every day. He could be a good sleeper pick.

Hart had an incredible season at Triple-A Nashville last season. He struggled after he was called up to Milwaukee, but has great potential. He played last season in center, but has also spent lots of time at right, third and first. The Brewers may use him as super-utility player to get him at-bats, so he probably won't have a starting spot when the season begins.

Hart had a productive 2004 season at Triple-A Indianapolis, hitting .281 with 29 doubles and 15 home runs. He also showed unusual speed for his size by swiping 17 bases. His chances of making the club this spring took a hit with the trade for Carlos Lee and that probably means Hart will spend another year at Triple-A. That isn't all bad because he will need to learn how to take a few more walks before he can make the jump to the major league level.

Hart was named Southern League Player of the Year in 2003 despite not having eye-popping numbers. At 6-foot-6, he's having a tough time adjusting to a move from first base to third base and may eventually end up in the outfield. He also has unusual speed for his size, stealing 52 bases in his last two minor league seasons. Hart's downfall is his plate discipline, as seen in his 28/101 BB/K ratio last season. He will start the season at Triple-A and could be a late season call-up.