Ryan Braun

Braun proved to still be a quality hitter in 2018. His walk rate fell to 7.6%, leading to a significant drop in on-base percentage. In fact, his OBP has fallen 50 points over the past two seasons. But Braun continued to hit the ball with authority, posting a 10.8% barrel rate, which was an improvement on the previous season. Some bad luck did him in early on and in the end he posted his lowest-ever batting average, but his xBA from Statcast was an excellent .294, and Braun showed he can still run a little with 11 steals in 16 attempts. He ended up batting third for much of the Brewers’ push for the postseason, which speaks to how highly manager Craig Counsell views him. There have been whispers about a potential trade for a couple years now, but that has not come to fruition yet. If Braun remains in Milwaukee, expect him to serve as the regular left fielder, but he will get ample rest in order to stay healthy.

Injuries have taken their toll on Braun the last few seasons, and as a result of them in 2017, he played just 104 games. They also surely contributed to him finishing the season with an .823 OPS -- above average for most players, but the lowest mark of Braun's career. That is still good enough for him to hold down the Brewers' starting left field job, but at age 34, chances of him bouncing back to his previous level of production are not good. Plus, with the Brewers picking up both Christian Yelich and Lorenzo Cain during the offseason, the team will be able to give Braun as much rest as they would like. Braun will still hold value as the No. 3 hitter in a quality lineup and his ability to steal bases -- he reached double figures again in that category for the 10th time in 11 seasons -- but with him seeing more rest days than most and not providing the pop he used to, he should be looked at more as a complementary piece for fantasy teams rather than the early-round cornerstone he used to be.

What we saw in 2016 was as close to the old Ryan Braun as we've seen since his 2013 PED suspension, and more relevantly, since the injuries that limited him to just 61 games in 2014. Braun finished with a .305 average and 30 home runs, the first time he reached either of those marks since 2012. While he lacks the explosive pull power that made him great in his young age, he has developed into one of the best opposite field hitters in baseball. According to FanGraphs, Braun owned a .446 batting average and .732 slugging percentage to right field, both ranking in the top 10 in the major leagues.

Braun looked hurt (and played like someone who was hurt) to begin the 2015 season, and it looked like a repeat of his down 2014 season was underway. At the end of April, however, Braun turned it around and looked much like the Braun of old for the rest of the season, as he hit a robust .293/.367/.529 with 24 homers and 27 doubles from April 28 on, covering 116 starts. Braun notched another 20-20 season, giving him four such seasons since his call up in 2007. He is tied with Carlos Gonzalez for second in the majors in 20-20 seasons in that span, and only Hanley Ramirez (five) has more. Braun's MVP days are likely behind him, but he was back to an All-Star level in 2015, and most importantly, he started to show he could pull the ball with authority, making him one of the most dangerous hitters in the league once again. Braun underwent a back procedure in the offseason, but said he expects to be 100 percent for camp.

Braun appeared in 135 games last season after playing in just 61 the year before, but he was limited by injuries for the second year in a row, and finished with an OPS far below the career .938 mark he owned entering 2014. Braun underwent surgery to repair a nagging thumb injury during the offseason and reported feeling much better, but the Brewers may not be able to determine whether the procedure was successful until spring training. Even in a down year, Braun put up above-average power numbers and stole 11 bases, however, every component of his slash line has fallen in each of the last three years, and he no longer carries the first-round grade he previously owned. The lineup around Braun remains strong, so the counting stats should be there if he stays healthy, even if his days of providing elite production are over.

Braun was routinely selected among the top five picks in 2013 fantasy drafts, but he let down both his owners and fans by accepting a 65-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs and finishing the season with just 61 games played. He'll get a fresh start in 2014, at least from a fantasy perspective, but questions linger regarding how much of his top-end production from seasons past was artificially enhanced. Despite the uncertainty, the fact remains that Braun owns a .938 career OPS. He'll move to right field this year but almost certainly remain the third hitter in a quality lineup. Braun could slide a bit in drafts due to questions about his numbers, as well as his general unpopularity among certain owners, but few players in his range on cheat sheets possess his upside, making him a tantalizing late first-round option.

Question marks surrounded Braun's fantasy value as he faced a 50-game suspension prior to last season, but he won his appeal and did his best to silence his doubters, putting up another monster season that mimicked his MVP campaign from the year before. Braun provides a rare combination of power and speed, and he has topped both 100 runs and 100 RBI each of the last four seasons. With no doubt regarding his status entering the 2013 campaign, and an impressive track record to boot, Braun will be worthy of a top-five selection in nearly all formats.

Braun won the National League MVP award with a .332/.397/.557 batting line in 2011. A .352 BABIP certainly had something to do with those offensive stats, but he's also been able to increase his walk rate each year in the majors. Braun also stole 33 bases in 36 attempts, which was a career high. The loss of Prince Fielder from the middle of the lineup may have an impact on Braun's offense and some regression should be expected, but he still needs to be considered one of the top fantasy outfielders in 2012. Braun won his appeal in February following a positive test for PED use during the 2011 playoffs, and should once again be considered a top-five pick in most mixed formats.

Braun shook off a slow start to the 2010 season to finish strong, hitting .304/.365/.501 with 25 HR and 14 stolen bases. While those numbers look good, it is the third season in a row where Braun's slugging percentage has decreased. The encouraging part is that he hit .364/.440/.583 over the last two months of the season with nine home runs and 39 RBI. Some people may fall asleep on Braun because of his season totals, but expect a bounce back season from the left fielder.

Braun led the National League with 203 hits in 2009 and continues to be one of the better hitting outfielders in the league. He increased his walk rate and decreased his strikeouts while also stealing a career-high 20 bases. Braun was one of only six players in the NL to top 100 runs and RBI. He did all of this prior to his 26th birthday, and there's not really any reason to expect anything less from him again in 2010.

Braun was on his way to a stellar sophomore season, hitting .300/.341/.592 through the end of August, when a rib injury contributed to a .208/.304/.356 September. His conversion to left field was a success both from a defensive perspective and in that it didn't appear to affect his offense. He still needs to be more selective at the plate, though he improved in that area dramatically during the second half of the season. His third base eligibility is lost this season which may reduce his value just a little, but his bat combined with stolen bases are still going to make him one of the top options in the outfield.

Braun led the NL with a .634 SLG on his way to winning the Rookie of the Year award. There is no doubt that he's one of the better hitters in the league, but he still has room for improvement at the plate. His great year was buoyed by a .367 BABIP which likely isn't sustainable so he'll need to learn to be more selective at the plate. A move to left field also appears to be imminent, which means he could lose his third base eligibility after the 2008 season.

Braun is one of the top hitting prospects in the minors, but has drawn negative marks for his defense. The Brewers are going to give him every chance to handle the hot corner and then will move him to the outfield as a last resort. GM Doug Melvin has said that Braun will be given the third base job if Corey Koskie can't return from post-concussion syndrome or gets hurt, so he's not far away from getting his big league shot. Expect him to be with the Brewers at some point in 2007 and the starter at third base in 2008.

Braun played as well as any 2005 first-round pick last summer, hitting .349 with 10 HR in a combined 189 AB between rookie-level Helena and Low-A West Virginia. He should move fast through the farm system and could be part of the Brewers by 2007.