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With 2021 MLB Opening Day only weeks away, it is a perfect time to discuss fantasy baseball and what should you do in your fantasy draft. After a 60-game sprint last season, this season could be one of the best with the talent across Major League Baseball.
When it comes to fantasy baseball, there will be a lot of good players at various positions that you could possibly wait for over another. At the same time, we also have to beware of players, who might not live up to their new season expectations or what they did during the short 2020 season. We are going to discuss three potential outfielders, who could be busts this season in fantasy.
Randy Arozarena, Tampa Bay Rays
The young outfielder was the star of the postseason in 2020, slashing an incredible .377/.442/.831 with 10 home runs and 14 RBI. Anytime the Rays needed a big hit, it was Arozarena, who helped save the day or gave his squad a major lift.
Surprisingly, Arozarena’s postseason stats were better than his regular season stats. In 23 games, he only slashed .281/.382/.641 with seven home runs and 11 RBI. With all that being said, what can we expect for an encore this season?
Fantasy Pros has his ADP set at 59 and projects the 26-year-old to hit .270 with 24 home runs and 70 RBI. Meanwhile, Baseball Reference projects Arozarena to slash .256/.344/.477 with 15 home runs and 39 RBI. Between the two, I’m more inclined to lean towards Baseball Reference’s projections and would advise caution with the Rays outfielder.
Dominic Smith, New York Mets
With Major League Baseball allowing NL teams to have a designated hitter, it allowed more players to prosper and their production skyrocket. One of those players, who saw his stats take an uptick was Dominic Smith. The 25-year-old slashed .316/.377/.616 with 10 home runs and 42 RBI in 50 games last season.
Based off those stats, Smith has an ADP of 111, but beware buyer because he may not have a great season. For starters, the NL will not have the DH this season, which means that Smith will be playing left field. The former first round pick’s defense is still a work in progress and could lead to him being switched out in the later innings. If that happens, he’ll lose some at-bats over the course of this season.
Mike Yastrzemski, San Francisco Giants
Last season, Yastrzemski had a nice 2020 campaign for the Giants, who were competing for a playoff spot in the final weekend of the regular season. The 30-year-old outfielder slashed .297/.400/.568 with 10 home runs and 35 RBI.
Fantasy Pros has Yastrzemski’s ADP slotted at 117, but he might not be able to live up to that rankings this season. Fantasy Pros projects the third-year outfielder to hit .258 with 24 home runs and 75 RBI this season. While Baseball Reference has him slugging .265/.346/.490 with 24 home runs and 74 RBI. The power numbers would be career-highs for Yaz, but seeing the batting average dip would be slightly disappointing.