Chris Owings

Owings' January move to the Rockies theoretically makes him a more appealing fantasy option, as any player who gets regular at-bats in Coors Field has a good shot to provide some value. While his defensive versatility helps his chances of winning a bench spot, his weak bat may wind up mattering more. His career .241/.284/.365 slash line in 647 games isn't close to good, but it's far better than the .139/.209/.233 line he managed in 67 games for the Royals and Red Sox last season. While his .222 BABIP can take some of the blame for that number, Statcast gave him an expected batting average of .179. Owings will have to take a significant step forward if he's to earn a significant role this season, something that's unlikely to happen in his eighth year in the big leagues.

For three weeks, Owings was on pace for another decent season, playing nearly every day, split between the infield and outfield. Unfortunately, it was all downhill as the utility man was eventually farmed to Triple-A Reno for a while in August. When it was over, 2018 was by far Owings' worst season. He needed a late surge to nudge over the Mendoza Line. Looking under the hood: while Owings did fan more than in recent seasons, he was snake bit, as his low .265 BABIP doesn't reflect a solid 22.3% line-drive rate in tandem with an above-average hard-hit mark. In terms of power, it seems 2017's 12.2% HR/FB is the outlier with every other season checking in at half that level. Owings runs a little, though his success rate wasn't as high as usual. Normally eligible at a few positions, Owings enters 2019 at third base only in standard leagues. After signing with the Royals, Owings' playing-time outlook has brightened.

A broken finger, suffered on a botched bunt attempt, ended Owings' season in late July, and he underwent a second surgery on the finger in November. That second procedure has clouded his status a bit for Opening Day, and Owings' skill set is not worth taking a big gamble on anyway. The 26-year-old walked at just a 4.4 percent clip in 2017, nearly identical to his marks from the previous three seasons, while his strikeout rate jumped roughly four percentage points to 22.5 percent (.313 wOBA). Owings did most of his damage at home, posting a dismal .219/.247/.343 line away from Chase Field. The uptick in power may be real given the likelihood of a new ball and Owings' return to a more pull-happy approach (39.1 percent Pull%). He also has good instincts on the basepaths to go with moderate speed, but playing time concerns abound. His best chance to see the field is at second base, where he will compete with Brandon Drury for starts.

Owings was a versatile player for the Diamondbacks in 2016, as he filled a hole in center field and at short stop. His 47 starts in center were especially useful, as Arizona dealt with a rash of injuries to outfielders. Prior to last season, Owings hadn't made an appearance in the outfield at the MLB level, but he played well and could be an option there again in 2017. However, he's more valuable to fantasy owners as a middle infielder, though he's expected to fight with new arrival Ketel Marte and holdovers Brandon Drury and Nick Ahmed for reps there with A.J. Pollock returning to center field. When he's in the lineup, Owings doesn't offer much pop, but he does provide decent speed (21 steals last year and 16 in 2015). Playing time will determine his overall 2017 value, but he figures to at least be a cheap source of steals.

Owings, who primarily played at shortstop in 2014, made the transition to second base in 2015 to make room for Nick Ahmed. His main fantasy contribution last year came in stolen bases, as he swiped 16 in 20 attempts. Beyond that, however, Owings wasn’t much of an offensive threat. He batted .227 across 552 plate appearances, while scoring 59 runs and driving in 43. Owings also had just four home runs. For a guy who didn’t display much power,he struck out way too often, whiffing 26.1 percent of the time. Once a promising prospect in his own right, Owings could be pushed for playing time in 2016 by prospect Brandon Drury, especially if Owings continues to struggle at the plate. For now, he isn’t a player to consider in most formats, though if he does start to hit, his speed at a relatively scarce position could make him an interesting option.

Owings earned a spot on the Diamondbacks' Opening Day roster and was the team's primary shortstop for the first three months of the season before left shoulder soreness derailed his rookie season. He returned to the roster in September and shifted to second base, starting 18 of 20 games before the injury shut him down for good. While the team insisted that the injury was merely a bruise, Owings had surgery to repair the labrum in his non-throwing shoulder in early October. The offensive production in Year 1 was a significant drop from his production at Triple-A Reno in 2013, but his numbers prior to the first instance of his shoulder woes in June (.277/.313/.458, six homers, 7-for-7 in stolen base opportunities) project favorably for a middle infielder over a complete season. If he's healthy when spring training begins, Owings' combination of power and speed will make him an intriguing sleeper in 2015.

Owings had a fantastic 2013 in Triple-A Reno, hitting .330 and stealing 20 bases. His aggression at the plate hasn't hurt his batting average yet, and it may not be an overwhelming problem given his combination of speed and ability to make hard contact. In the short term, Owings' problem is organizational depth at his position. Despite the fact that he played shortstop and second base last year, he has plenty of hurdles on the depth chart so long as Didi Gregorius and Aaron Hill are in town. He may be a major trade chip for the Diamondbacks, but Owings could end up back at Reno to begin the season awaiting his chance for regular playing time in Arizona.

Owings spent most of 2012 as a 20-year-old at Double-A, where injuries limited him to just 310 plate appearances and 69 games. Plate discipline continues to be a concern (3.5 percent walk rate) for the former supplemental first-round pick (2009), but he fields his position well and is ultimately expected to develop average power as he matures. The departure of Stephen Drew via trade in July makes shortstop a significant area of short and long-term need for Arizona, so Owings could be in the mix as early as 2014 depending on how things materialize this season. He'll likely head back to Mobile to try and conquer Double-A and solidify his place as part of the D-Backs' long-term plan in the middle infield.