AL FAAB Factor: Memorial Day Edition

Normally on Sundays, I'd be writing and posting the AL FAAB article, highlighting and analyzing players who are worth picking up (or occasionally, trying to talk you out of throwing too much of your budget at a player likely to draw high bids). However, with the MLB season held in suspended animation like a bug in amber, there are no FAAB or waiver periods to worry about. At least I hope not – there's probably a couple of leagues out there that drafted early and might be plowing ahead anyway, but spending any portion of your budget right now would just be silly, when things as fundamental as the number of games that will be played and the size of big-league rosters are still up in the air.

That doesn't mean, however, that there aren't players and roster situations worth discussing in the meantime. Each week until the season is finally ready to begin, we'll take a look at players gaining or losing value, to prepare you for that eventual first FAAB period.

Starting Pitcher

Reynaldo Lopez, White Sox: Lopez is one of those frustrating pitchers who, by old measures, seems to have everything he needs to be an ace. His stuff lacks spin, though, and is thus more hittable than it "should" be. Last year was a rough one for the right-hander, but even as his ERA and WHIP tanked, his K/9 and swinging strike rate took a step forward. Lopez has been putting in work to improve both his pre-game approach and his ability to put a bad pitch or outing behind him rather than lingering on the negative, and more consistent performances from him certainly couldn't hurt. Even if he begins to put it all together, Lopez might never be more than a mid-rotation starter, but that would still be better than what he delivered in 2019.

Ryan Yarbrough, Rays: While there's been a lot of focus on pitchers who might have jobs that otherwise wouldn't as part of what seems likely to be a fairly chaotic 2020 campaign, let's not forget about the guys who already have some experience navigating through chaos when it comes to their roles. Yarbrough has arguably been the poster boy for Tampa's flexible approach to deploying its staff, starting in 20 of his 66 appearances over the last two years but still averaging over four innings a game, and racking up 27 wins with palatable ratios along the way. There's been some chatter about him becoming a more traditional starter this year, which ironically would likely hurt his fantasy value as he'd have fewer opportunities to scoop up wins in long relief, but in a season where their other starters may not be fully stretched out by go time and there could be fewer off days, Yarbrough could be most valuable to the Rays in exactly the role he's now used to.

Relief Pitcher

Deivi Garcia, Yankees: Another top prospect likely to land in taxi squad limbo in the absence of a minor-league season, Garcia is a short, 21-year-old right-hander with plus stuff but uncertain control, and while he'll probably wind up in the bullpen, the Yankees haven't given up on developing him as a starter just yet. An occasional long relief role to get his feet wet in the majors seems like the best-case scenario for 2020, but Garcia's arsenal is good enough that if he begins to find the plate more often, his dynasty value could shoot up again to the heights it reached in the first ha;f of last season, when he was busy whiffing 87 batters in 53.2 Double-A innings barely out of his teens. This is the kind of guy to target for a bench spot in a deep redraft league, someone with sky-high upside who's easy enough to drop if he's not yet ready for the majors.

First Base

Jared Walsh, Angels: One way big-league clubs could try to take advantage of expanded rosters is by experimenting more with two-way players. The initial rules set up for them basically ensured only Shohei Ohtani was going to get a two-way designation for 2021, which will then allow the Angels to list him as a hitter on their roster but still use him as a pitcher whenever they want. If the standards are relaxed in a shortened season, however, he's not the only Angel who could gain that flexibility. Walsh slugged 36 homers in 98 games for Triple-A Salt Lake last season with a .325/.423/.686 slash line, and while there is plenty of PCL inflation in that performance, his stick could be good enough to stick on the bench in the long run, plugging in at first base and DH when needed. He's also been used as a lefty reliever, posting mediocre numbers in five innings in the majors last year and marginally better numbers over 13 innings at Salt Lake. As a pitcher, he'll never be more than a mop-up sort of guy, but as a power bat off the bench who can be used as a mop-up guy in situations that don't meet MLB's definition of a blowout, and who doesn't count against the team's pitcher limit, Walsh becomes a little more interesting.

Second Base

Jahmai Jones, Angels: While he isn't in the Jo Adell class of prospects, Jones' athleticism still gives him some sheen, although he's struggled to make consistent contact or turn his speed into stolen bases in the minors the last couple of years. The Angels won't want him to lose development time, so if the minor-league season gets washed he's a likely taxi squad candidate, and his particular skill set could earn him more actual playing time than you might expect. In the long run, a career along the lines of Delino DeShields might be his ceiling, but that's still a player with some occasional fantasy utility.

Third Base

Jose Rojas, Angels: Unlike Jones, Rojas isn't viewed as a prospect at all, as he's already 27 years old after being a 36th round pick in 2016 and has yet to make his MLB debut. He's coming off a big year at Salt Lake, though -- .293/.362/.577 with 31 homers in 126 games – and he's been posting solid batting averages throughout his minor-league career. He was used as a utility player in 2019, getting at least a dozen starts at first base, second base, third base and left field, and that defensive flexibility makes him a prime taxi squad candidate, even if the Angels aren't overly concerned about continuing his development. Rojas is the kind of player who might pop up out of nowhere and have a good run in the majors if he gets a chance, and in a strange season like the one we seem headed for, there will be more chances available for surprises than you might think.

Outfield

Arismendy Alcantara, Angels: OK, one more Angel. Alcantara hasn't seen big-league action since 2017, but the 28-year-old posted strong numbers at Triple-A Syracuse last year in the Mets' system, slashing .294/.358/.508 with 13 homers and 16 steals in 18 attempts. That's on par with the numbers he was putting up in the high minors for the Cubs in the middle of the last decade, before flopping in stints with the A's and Reds. He might never be more than a Quad-A guy, but Alcantara's defensive versatility and power/speed potential make him someone to keep an eye on if he emerges from the taxi squad, and it's not like Brian Goodwin is a lock in right field.

Randy Arozarena / Manuel Margot, Rays: Kevin Kiermaier has been the anchor of the Rays' outfield defense, but he's never put it together as a hitter, has trouble staying healthy and is set to make over $24 million in 2021 and 2022 while in his early 30s. In other words, he's exactly the kind of guy a smart, frugal front office will be looking to trade. If Kiermaier does get moved at some point, Manuel and Arozarena are his likely replacements. Margot was the centerpiece of the Craig Kimbrel trade between the Padres and Red Sox back in 2015, but he never lived up to his prospect hype in San Diego, and his career so far is similar to Kiermaier's – regular IL stints, strong defense, inconsistent offense. Arozarena, who came over from the Cards along with Jose Martinez, made his big-league debut as a 24-year-old last season after a breakout campaign for Triple-A Memphis in which he slashed .358/.435/.593 over 64 games. Both guys offer plus speed and stolen-base potential in a starting role, but if you're looking for upside rather than just cheap steals, Arozarena's the better target for a reserve spot. 

Designated Hitter

Bobby Bradley, Cleveland: Fun fact – Bradley actually led the International League in homers last season with 33. His performance in his major-league debut was much less impressive, and the 23-year-old strikes out too much to ever be an asset in batting average, but that's become much less of an issue for fantasy GMs in recent years as the batting average of the entire player pool trends downward. Bradley has little left to prove in the minors, so a taxi squad spot seems like the worst-case scenario, and Cleveland was desperate enough for more power in their lineup that they signed the wildly inconsistent Domingo Santana. Carlos Santana is also now 34, and while he might be the next David Ortiz or Nelson Cruz and just keep slugging into his 40s, the cliff could be coming for him much sooner than that. As a prospect, Bradley's basically been tossed in the dustbin, but as a low-BA slugger who brings back semi-fond memories of Russell Branyan, he could yet have some value.