Curtis Granderson

Closing out the final season of a four-year deal he signed with the Mets in 2013, Granderson provided pop and a veteran presence in the clubhouse before a midseason trade to the Dodgers. After the move to Los Angeles, his strikeout rate jumped and his overall numbers took a hit thanks to a .161/.288/.366 line over his final 36 games. After struggling in the first two rounds of the playoffs, he was dropped from the 25-man roster prior to the World Series. Granderson is still capable of handling right-handed pitching if you look past the low batting average (.214), thanks to his 14.6 percent walk rate (.337 OBP) and ability to punish mistakes (.470 SLG). The Blue Jays signed Granderson to a one-year deal in January, and it's expected that he'll share time in the corner-outfield spots, likely on the large side of a platoon.

The Mets continue to hit Granderson leadoff despite a subpar OBP with meat-of-the-order power. To wit, in 2016 both Granderson and Jedd Gyorko hit 30 homers with 59 RBI, checking in as the only two batters in the last five seasons to hit more homers than RBI-minus-homers. The odd thing is Granderson's walk rate is well above average; it's his traditionally low BABIP that torpedoes his average, hence OBP. Driving the low BABIP is a high flyball rate, but that of course supports swatting at least 20 homers in nine of his past ten seasons, only falling short in the injury-riddled 2013 campaign. For fantasy purposes it doesn't matter where Granderson hits, what he'll gain in RBI he'll lose in runs if moved down in the order. Despite entering the twilight of his career, Granderson is durable, garnering at least 629 plate appearances in nine of the past 11 seasons. If you have a batting average buffer, Granderson remains a great source for cheap power.

Some were about ready to write Granderson off after another sub-.230 campaign in 2014, a year in which he slugged a career-low .388 in 654 plate appearances, but he rebounded in a big way at the age of 34. His strikeout and walk rates were pretty much right in line with his marks from the previous year — his walk rate ranked sixth in the NL — but Granderson laid off far more pitches out of the strike zone, with his chase rate falling to 20 percent after hovering near 30 percent the previous three seasons. The more disciplined approach to pitches outside of the zone allowed Granderson to make contact at a career-high clip, and a lot of it was hard contact. He maintained his spot atop the order for the entire year, falling two runs shy of 100 and finishing just outside the top-20 among outfielders in 5x5 rotisserie value. The skills have been eroding over the past few years, but his adjustments in 2015 have given Granderson new life as a fantasy asset.

The Mets' big splash in free agency following the 2013 season came with the addition of Granderson, who signed a four-year, $60 million contract. In addition to the financial commitment, the Mets gave up their second-round pick to sign him, since the Yankees had made Granderson a qualifying offer prior to his departure. Granderson finished April with a .136/.252/.216 line, but hit .244/.339/.420 from May 1 through the end of the season. He showed signs of progress with his plate discipline last season as well, dropping his strikeout rate to 21.6% – his lowest mark since 2009. He also displayed power on a level similar to his final season with the Yankees (.161 ISO), and turned his heavy volume of playing time into 20 home runs. Turning 34 in March, Granderson is unlikely to return to the 40-homer level he reached in back-to-back seasons in the Bronx, but he should continue to provide cheap power and run production near the middle of the Mets' lineup as the team's regular left fielder in 2015.

Granderson had an amazingly star-crossed year in 2013, missing half the season with a forearm injury sustained when he was hit by a pitch in spring training, then breaking a finger when he was again hit by a pitch just eight games after his return. The Mets signed Granderson to a four-year, $60 million deal in December, a change that removes the short-porch in right field that Granderson enjoyed during his time playing half of his games at Yankee Stadium. A heavy pull hitter, Granderson's low average in 2012 and 2013 may be indicative of things to come thanks to the defensive shifts that opposing teams utilize against him, but with health, a return to the 25-30 homer range in the heart of the Mets' order seems reachable.

Granderson's power numbers have made his low batting averages tolerable, even as his overall production decreased dramatically between 2011 and 2012. He hit just .187 over August and September of last season, struck out 195 times on the year, lost 45 points of OBP and 105 points of OPS over 2011, and stole just 10 bases after putting up 25 the previous year. Granderson is likely to be out through mid-May after breaking his forearm while being hit by a pitch, but it's the type of injury that should allow him to return at full strength once the bone heals. He should still put up 20-25 home runs when he returns, albeit with a low batting average and overall declining skills.

Granderson had an unbelievable 2011, hitting 41 homers, driving in 119, stealing 25 bases and leading the majors by a significant margin with 136 runs scored.  Much was made of Granderson's work with hitting coach Kevin Long starting in late 2010, and the improvement he made against lefties in particular is very real, as he hit .272 with 16 homers in 191 at bats against lefthanders.  Granderson remains something of a batting average liability, hitting .262 in 2011 after languishing in the .240s the previous two years. While some regression is likely, Granderson has taken a legitimate step forward, and should remain one of the top outfielders chosen on draft day.

Nine home runs in August helped masked what was a somewhat lackluster debut in pinstripes for Granderson. His batting average sunk even further from a disappointing 2009 mark (to .247), and for much of the year he didn't demonstrate the type of power many expected from him in hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium. However, the mechanical tweak that led to his hot August is reason for optimism entering 2011, and a healthier campaign (he was limited to 136 games last season) should improve his hitting totals. You'll still probably have to deal with some batting average woes, however.

Many looked at Granderson’s 2009 campaign as a disappointment due to his lackluster .249 batting average, but the center fielder still managed to help out fantasy owners by connecting for a career-high 30 home runs along with 20 stolen bases. The drop in battling average was due to an atrocious .183 clip against lefties. Granderson struggled against southpaws earlier in his career, but he managed to hit .259 against them in 2008, so a bounce back in batting average is possible. Granderson will once again be a top-notch fantasy option due to his power/speed combination, and his value should increase -- likely with more runs scored in a potent Yankees lineup -- even with the possible struggles in batting average.

Granderson took another step forward last season despite missing time with a broken hand to begin the year. He fell only one home run short of his 2007 total in 59 fewer at-bats, and also improved his eye at the plate, cutting down on his strikeouts while increasing his walks. Granderson also had his best season ever against left-handed pitching, posting a .259 average with five home runs. That helps to alleviate some of our concerns from years past that Granderson might be destined to be platooned. The only area where Granderson regressed was with his stolen base output. He could swipe a few more bags this season but Granderson's production at the plate makes him valuable even if he settles in around 10-15 stolen bases again this year.

Granderson was able to cut down on his strikeouts last year, leading to quite the breakthrough season. He still struggled against lefties however, hitting only .160 in 119 at-bats. The Tigers did platoon Granderson somewhat last season but they may have to consider going with something a bit more strict down the road as he's showing very few signs of improvement. He's also a bit miscast as a leadoff hitter and probably should move down in the order although that doesn't appear to be in Detroit's plans for 2008.

Granderson won the starting center field job in Detroit last spring and was installed as the team's leadoff hitter mostly because they lacked any other solid candidates for the job. He performed well in his first year in the majors but he'd really be better off hitting lower in the order since his excessive strikeout numbers often had the Tigers starting innings with one out. Granderson doesn't stand out in any specific category but is a solid outfielder who provides a little pop and a few stolen bases. If he can cut down on the strikeouts a bit he might even contribute with a better average in 2007.

Granderson has been penciled in as a nearly full-time center fielder for the Tigers this season. He'll lose some at-bats to the speedy Nook Logan, but since Granderson is the superior hitter, he'll end up with the vast majority of playing time. Granderson flashed some solid power in limited at-bats last season but never really got his running game going after swiping 22 bags at Triple-A. He may run a bit more as he gets more comfortable in the majors.

Granderson is widely considered the Tigers top hitting prospect and should start the 2005 season at Triple-A Toledo. If he performs well, he could get called up to the majors early in the season, where the Tigers will give him a chance to show he's ready. When the Tigers finally tire of Alex Sanchez, Granderson should get the call.