Alex Dickerson

Dickerson provided a glimpse of what it might look like "if he could only stay healthy," posting a 151 wRC+ in 52 games around a stay on the paternity list. The oft-injured outfielder fanned just 17.6% of the time while walking at a 9.4% clip. His Statcast levers were all in the red, which by their measure is great. It's important to note the Giants kept Dickerson in a strict platoon as only 10 of his 168 PA came against left-handed pitching. If he's able to avoid injury and produce at a similar level, Dickerson is mixed-league worthy. While most of his underlying metrics were on par with career marks, his HR/FB skyrocketed to 20.8%, essentially twice his career rate heading into 2020. The early market doesn't trust Dickerson's 2020 campaign, presenting an intriguing buying opportunity in drafts. Build in an escape route in case of injury or power regression.

If we could turn injuries off, Dickerson would be drafted in most fantasy leagues. He has hit 16 home runs with six stolen bases and an 18.4 K% in 483 big-league plate appearances. The harsh reality is that injuries are a part of the game, and Dickerson has been bit hard by the bug; those 483 plate appearances have been spread over four calendar years. He did not play at any level in 2017 or 2018 as he had back surgery followed by Tommy John surgery. Dickerson also missed time in 2019 with oblique issues. After being traded to San Francisco in June, Dickerson once again showed flashes on the field with a .290 average, which prompted the Giants to bring him back for 2020. He figures to occupy the strong side of a platoon when healthy. Given his history, we should not expect anything close to a full season of availability.

On the heels of a 2016 campaign with the Padres in which he hit 10 homers with a 15.4% strikeout rate (285 PA), Dickerson had some buzz as a sleeper, but injuries have prevented him from appearing at any level over the past two seasons. In 2017, recurring back issues kept Dickerson sidelined and forced him under the knife. Last year, it was an elbow injury, eventually diagnosed as a UCL sprain. He had Tommy John surgery in late March. Dickerson, now 28, was outrighted at the end of the season and opted for free agency, only to return to the Padres on a minor-league contract. The landscape in San Diego has changed a lot since Dickerson was last healthy, but helping his cause is the fact that he's a left-handed hitter. If something were to happen to Franchy Cordero or Travis Jankowski, Dickerson could find his way back to the major leagues.

Dickerson has had back problems since he was 15 years old. Believed to have a chance to break camp with the Padres to open 2017, a back injury instead kept him sidelined from the entire season, eventually resulting in June surgery. Dickerson appeared to be a capable hitter in 2016, especially by the standards of Petco Park, as he showed power with 10 home runs in just half a season's worth of playing time. The Padres currently have a lot of young talent jostling for three spots in their outfield, but if Dickerson shows up to spring training healthy, that pop he showed in 2016 should be enough to earn him an audience in San Diego. Dickerson will be just 28 in 2018, but we'll have to see if he can maintain his power with a surgically repaired back.

Dickerson quietly improved his plate discipline in 2016, cutting his strikeout rate to a career-low 11.3 percent at Triple-A El Paso before posting an impressive 15.4 percent mark in his first prolonged opportunity as a big league player for the Padres. With a combined 20 homers between the two levels, including a top-deck moonshot at Rogers Centre in July, Dickerson showed the raw power necessary to be a regular in left field. Not surprisingly, his batting average plummeted after he left the hitter-haven of El Paso, and his pull-heavy tendencies may be enough to chip away at the BABIP expected from a profile that also features a steady hard-hit rate (34.1 percent). As a left-handed bat with pop on a San Diego roster in need of thump, Dickerson should receive every opportunity to earn the starting job against righties during spring training.

Dickerson had two stints with the big league club in 2015, but a hip injury after his September callup limited his chances to make a significant impression at the major league level. Still, the 25-year-old put together a strong enough campaign at Triple-A El Paso to warrant more serious consideration for the upcoming season. Dickerson was one of the biggest offensive contributors on the Triple-A roster, putting together a strong .307/.374/.503 line with 12 home runs and an eye-popping 36 doubles. The knock on Dickerson's big league potential as a first baseman is a lack of raw power, as he managed just 12 home runs in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. He worked primarily as a corner outfielder in the minors last season, which could help his chances of making the Opening Day roster, but there are other outfield prospects in the Padres' system with higher ceilings than Dickerson. He has a clearer path as a first baseman following the trade that sent Yonder Alonso to Oakland.

Dickerson was named the 2013 Eastern League Rookie of the Year, batting .288/.337/.494 with 17 homers and 68 RBI in 451 at-bats for Double-A Altoona. That showing encouraged San Diego to trade for the first baseman/outfielder in November. A standout with Indiana University, Dickerson offers gap power but questions persist as to whether he can hit for power at the big-league level. At age 23, Dickerson needs to produce right away to keep his prospect status. The Padres currently have a logjam in the outfield, but if the left-handed hitter continues to produce, the team will find room for him. Most likely, San Diego will start him at Double-A with an in-season promotion to Triple-A possible, based upon Dickerson's performance.