25. Kyle Schwarber, Chicago Cubs
If you can hit they'll find a position for you. Kyle Schwarber, 22, is the epitome of that philosophy. He's a subpar outfielder, but he makes up for it with a big bat. The rookie hit .246 with 16 home runs, 43 RBIs and 52 runs in just 69 games last season. His additional eligibility at catcher is a big boost to his value. Only six catchers hit more than 16 home runs last season, and they all played in at least 110 games.
24. Yasiel Puig, Los Angeles Dodgers
After an incredible rookie season followed by an All-Star year in 2014, Yasiel Puig struggled to stay on the field because of a hamstring injury that landed him on the disabled list twice in 2015. And when he was on the field, he wasn't nearly the player he was in his first two seasons. In 79 games, he hit .255 with 11 home runs, 38 RBIs and 30 runs. But he's 25 and his first two seasons make it easy to overlook the lousy one.
23. Corey Dickerson, Tampa Bay Rays
In a somewhat surprising deal, the Rockies traded Corey Dickerson to the Rays in January after signing Gerardo Parra, creating an overcrowded outfield. Dickerson exploded in his first full season in the big leagues in 2014. He hit .312 with 24 home runs, 76 RBIs and 74 runs, and seemed slated to repeat those efforts in 2015. But the 26-year-old was limited to 65 games because of plantar facitis and, later, broken ribs. But now that he's leaving the hitter-friendly Coors Field, his power numbers could take a dip.
22. Matt Kemp, San Diego Padres
In his first season with the Padres, Matt Kemp lived up to expectations. He eclipsed 100 RBIs for the first time since 2011 when he finished second in National League MVP voting with the Dodgers. Kemp played in 154 games, his most since 2011. His .265/.312/.443 slash line isn't great, but if he can hit 20-plus home runs like he's done six of the past seven seasons, he'll continue to be a solid fantasy producer.
21. Carlos Gomez, Houston Astros
After two straight All-Star seasons in Milwaukee, Carlos Gomez had his worst season since 2011. Gomez battled injuries all season with the Brewers and was eventually dealt to the Astros at the deadline after a trade to the Mets fell through because of his hip injury. Gomez, 30, combined to hit .255 with 12 home runs, 56 RBIs, 61 runs and 17 stolen bases in 115 games with the Brewers and Astros. If he's healthy, Gomez has the potential to be the 20/20 guy he was in 2013 and 2014.
20. Jason Heyward, Chicago Cubs
Jason Heyward is on his third team in as many seasons. The 26-year-old signed an eight-year deal with the Cubs this offseason after hitting a career-best .293 with 13 home runs, 60 RBIs, 79 runs and 23 stolen bases with the Cardinals last season. Aside from a 20/20 season with the Braves in 2012, Heyward has struggled to be a consistent speed and power threat, but his other numbers are strong enough to keep him a top-20 talent.
19. Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles
Adam Jones had played in at least 159 games per season dating to 2012, but he was limited to 137 in 2015 because of a combination of a sore right shoulder, sore wrist, sprained left ankle and concussion-like symptoms, which explains his slightly lower numbers across the board. Jones hit .269 with 27 home runs, 82 RBIs and 74 runs despite health issues. At 30, his durability may have started to decline even without injuries, but after so many issues last season, it's even more of a concern.
18. Justin Upton, Detroit Tigers
After missing the playoffs for the first time since 2010, the Tigers made big moves in signing free agents Justin Upton and Jordan Zimmerman and trading for Cameron Maybin. Upton, now on his fourth team since 2012, hit .251 with 26 home runs, 81 RBIs and 85 runs with the Padres last season. He also got back on track with 19 stolen bases after just 16 combined in 2013 and 2014. Upton, 28, is a legitimate 20/20 threat.
17. J.D. Martinez, Detroit Tigers
Since joining the Tigers in 2014, J.D. Martinez has been a stud. His batting average dropped off slightly from his hefty .315 in 2014, but in his first full season in the big leagues, Martinez, 28, put up big-time numbers. He hit 38 home runs with 102 RBIs and 93 runs in 158 games last season, and his .282 average was nothing to scoff at. With the protection of Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez and now Justin Upton, J.D. Martinez is a great option as a second-tier outfielder.
16. Lorenzo Cain, Kansas City Royals
The Royals' speedster turned in a career year to help them win their first World Series title in 30 years. Lorenzo Cain had career highs in average (.307), home runs (16), RBIs (72) and runs scored (101), while matching his career-best 28 stolen bases. Cain, 29, hadn't hit double-digit home runs at all in the big leagues before last season, but he did it twice in the minors, so he has the potential to be a 20/20 player.
15. Chris Davis, Baltimore Orioles
Chris Davis went back to leading the league in home runs with 47 after a power dropoff in 2014, but also led the league in strikeouts with a career-worst 208. Overall, he looked much more like the 2013 version of himself, who was named an All-Star for the first time and finished third in American League MVP voting, than the 2014 version of himself, who hit below the Mendoza line. His inconsistency makes him a risky pick, but his power gives him upside, and he also qualifies at first base.
14. Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers were bit by the injury bug often in 2015, and Ryan Braun was just one of the many victims. He had a bounce-back season after serving a PED suspension in 2013 but missed 13 of Milwaukee's final 15 games after suffering a herniated disc. Braun underwent offseason surgery, and while he said he's slightly behind schedule, he expects to be ready for Opening Day. The 32-year-old hit .285 with 25 home runs, 84 RBIs, 87 runs and 24 stolen bases in 140 games last season, and if he can stay healthy he could jump up to a top-10 outfielder.
13. Nelson Cruz, Seattle Mariners
Nelson Cruz didn't suffer in moving to pitcher-friendly Safeco Field after hitting a league-best 40 home runs in 2014 with the Orioles. Quite the opposite. Cruz bested his then career-high with 44 home runs in 2015 and brought his average up over .300 for the first time since 2010. For the first time in his career, he eclipsed 90 runs and RBIs in the same season, but the slugger turns 36 in July.
12. Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado Rockies
The oft-injured Carlos Gonzalez had a bounce-back year in 2015 after playing in just 70 games in 2014 because of a string of injuries, most notably a knee injury that shut him down for the season in August. Gonzalez played in 153 games -- the most of his career -- last season. He hit .271 with a career-high 40 home runs, 97 RBIs and 87 runs. Injuries always will be a concern for the 30-year-old, but he has top-15 value when healthy.
11. Yoenis Cespedes, New York Mets
Yoenis Cespedes was the Mets' MVP in the second half of the season. He hit .287 with 17 home runs, 44 RBIs and 39 runs in 57 games after getting traded from Detroit at the deadline. The Mets re-signed the slugger, who hit 35 total home runs and eclipsed 100 RBIs and runs in the same season for the first time in his career, to a three-year deal this offseason. Cespedes, 30, has played on four different teams since 2014 -- but that doesn't affect his fantasy value.
10. George Springer, Houston Astros
After a strong rookie year in 2014, George Springer dipped in power but drastically improved his average in 2015, boosting it by 45 points. He was limited to 102 games because of a concussion in May and a fractured right wrist that kept him out two months. The wrist injury could have contributed to his power drop -- he hit four fewer home runs in 93 more at-bats. In a full season, Springer has 20/20 potential after hitting 16 home runs and 16 stolen bases in an injury shortened 2015.
9. Charlie Blackmon, Colorado Rockies
It was almost a repeat to his breakout 2014 from a percentage standpoint. Charlie Blackmon had a slash line of .287/.347/.450 last season, all within 12 points from 2014. But the biggest difference for the lefty was his 43 steals, up from 28 in 2014. Blackmon, 29, has the potential to be a top performer in all four major offensive categories.
8. Mookie Betts, Boston Red Sox
The 23-year-old is one of the best young players in the game. He hit .291 with 18 home runs, 77 RBIs, 92 runs and 21 stolen bases in his first full big-league season. Hitting atop a young, talented Red Sox lineup, Mookie Betts should have no trouble maintaining, and even bolstering, those numbers.
7. Starling Marte, Pittsburgh Pirates
Starling Marte came up short of the breakout season he was expected to produce in 2015, but he still put up solid numbers. He hit .287 with career-highs across the board in home runs (19), RBIs (81) and runs (84). He stole 30 bases for a second consecutive season, and despite a slight drop in plate discipline, Marte, 27, could be in for that breakout season in 2016.
6. A.J. Pollock, Arizona Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks wisely agreed to an extension with A.J. Pollock this offseason to avoid arbitration, giving them two of the best all-around position players in the league. Pollock had a strong but injury plagued 2014, but he put doubters to rest with a breakout 2015. He was one of just four players, along with teammate Paul Goldschmidt, with a 20/20 season as he hit 20 home runs and stole 39 bases. Pollock, a Gold Glover who also hits for average, is a true five-tool player.
5. Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays
So much for Jose Bautista starting to decline. The 35-year-old slugged 40 home runs for the first time since 2011 and led the AL in walks with 110 in 153 games last season. His batting average dropped from .286 to .250, but that's closer to his .257 career average anyway. Bautista also had a second straight season with at least 100 runs and 100 RBIs. That run production isn't likely to slow down while he sits in the middle of a stacked Blue Jays lineup surrounded by reigning AL MVP Josh Donaldson and Edwin Encarnacion.
4. Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins
Before suffering a fractured hamate bone in his left hand on June 26, Giancarlo Stanton was on pace to have the best season of his career. In just 74 games, he hit .265 with 27 home runs, 67 RBIs and 47 runs. The 26-year-old may be labeled as "injury prone" -- he's never played in more than 150 games in a season -- but most of those have been flukey.
3. Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates
For the most part, Andrew McCutchen put up the type of numbers we've come to expect of him last season. For the second time in his career, he eclipsed 90 runs and 90 RBIs in the same season, and while his batting average (.292) dipped below .300 for the first time since 2011, he maintained his over .400 on-base percentage. The biggest slide for McCutchen was in his stolen bases. He had just 11 on 16 attempts and saw a dip for a second straight season. He's still on the right side of 30, but it's not likely he'll be back in the 20s for stolen bases like he was earlier in his career.
2. Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals
In his fourth big-league season, Bryce Harper really came into his own. The NL MVP winner led MLB in on-base percentage (.460), slugging percentage (.649) and OPS (1.109) and led the NL in home runs (42) and runs (118). Harper, 23, also hit a career-best .330 with 99 RBIs. With his improved plate discipline, the youngster is capable of hitting well over .300 with his already-proven power for years to come.
1. Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
After winning the AL MVP award for the first time in 2014, Mike Trout had another dominant season in 2015. He hit a career-high 41 home runs while eclipsing 100 runs scored for a fourth straight season. He also led the AL in slugging percentage (.590) and OPS (.991). Trout, 24, is just getting started as the game's best player.
- Newsday