J.B. Shuck

Shuck spent the 2016 campaign split between Triple-A Charlotte and the White Sox, although he definitely saw more success in the minors. While at Triple-A, the outfielder batted .299 with a stellar 7.6 percent strikeout percentage and 92 percent contact rate. This was a stark contrast from his numbers on the South Side, as he could only muster a .205/.248/.299 slash line in 224 at-bats with Chicago. Due to this weak showing, the 29-year-old was subsequently designated for assignment following the conclusion of the season. Shuck has some qualities to call home about, like his historically outstanding contact rate and his ability to play all three outfield positions, but his modest hitting abilities at the major league level may make it difficult to maintain a full-time spot with his new club, the Twins, who have more promising options in the outfield. Until he can bring his bat up to par with other big league-caliber players, he likely will command little to no value in the realm of fantasy baseball.

Shuck made the big league roster out of camp in his first year in the White Sox organization, but never made much of a splash. He spent much of the year as the team’s fourth outfielder, rarely starting on consecutive days, and fell into a much smaller role once Trayce Thompson arrived. When he did play, Shuck demonstrated above-average on-base skills, above-average glove skills and negligible power. It looks like he may never again see the 478 plate appearances he logged for the Angels in 2013. He will contend for a reserve outfield role in 2016.

The Angels gave Shuck 437 at-bats in 2013, but he wasn't a part of the team's plans last season and managed to see just 22 games with the big club before getting traded to the Indians in September. At 28, he's unlikely to land in a situation where he'll play as much as he did two seasons ago, and even if an unexpected stretch of playing time were to fall into his lap, Shuck's limited pop and mediocre ability as a basestealer wouldn't translate into useful production anyway. The White Sox claimed Shuck off of waivers in November, putting him on track to spend 2015 in Charlotte at Triple-A, or on the south side of Chicago as the team's fifth outfielder.

Shuck began the 2013 season as an outfielder off the bench, but began seeing regular playing time when Peter Bourjos fractured his wrist in late June. Curiously, the above-average plate discipline Shuck has offered during his career fell away in his first season with the Angels (5.6% walk rate), but his high contact rate (87.5%) allowed him to finish the season with a .293 batting average. While one would expect the batting eye to return next year for Shuck, the outfielder simply has no power, as he hit only two home runs in 478 plate appearances with the Angels in 2013, and has only seven in his 558 games played in the minor leagues. While it is possible that he could expand his stolen base output next season, Shuck was basically a one-tool player in 2013, and doesn't look to have a very good chance of supplanting Kole Calhoun in 2014. Instead, he will probably reprise his role as an extra outfielder.

The Astros called up Shuck late last year and he added a little electricity to their lineup. He hit .297 in 108 games at Triple-A, but the best place for him to learn his trade now is probably the majors. Shuck plays hard in the field and exhibits good on-base skills, but with no power and not much speed, he may have already reached his ceiling as a fourth outfielder. He figures to be in the hunt for playing time as the Astros assess what they actually have in the high minors. If he gets playing time, he may be able to swipe a few bags, but nothing else is guaranteed - bid accordingly.