We have come to the end of the position player section of our initial rankings. Initial rankings are based primarily on past results. That obviously causes some tensions with players that are either clearly on the rise or clearly on the decline. There will be time to look at future projections, but for now we will stick with the past. Rankings are based on three and five year averages in the five major categories and including walks as the sixth category.

Even though the rankings are based primarily on past performance, there will still be some adjustment for what we know to be true. We will pick up the right fielders in the second half of the alphabet. As we have done at every other position, we will take a look at up and coming right fielders in another article.

Nick Markakis—Atlanta Braves (.280, 10.0 HR, 73.7 Runs, 64.0 RBI, 2.0 SB, 67.7 BB)

3 Year 5 Category- 16

3 Year 6 Category- 9

5 Year 5 Category- 20

5 Year 6 Category- 13

Every successful team needs guys like Markakis. Unfortunately for the Braves, they didn’t have anyone better than him for most of the season, but the future looks brighter in Atlanta. A full season of Dansby Swanson and Matt Kemp should help. He isn’t a starting fantasy player anymore, but he is a steady performer to add to your bench. Rank: 17^th

J.D. Martinez—Detroit Tigers (.301, 27.7 HR, 73.0 Runs, 82.0 RBI, 3.3 SB, 44.0 BB)

3 Year 5 Category- 4

3 Year 6 Category- 4

5 Year 5 Category- 13

5 Year 6 Category- 17

Many people may think the ranking below is too low for Martinez and given his last three seasons I might agree. However, the Tigers appear to be in sell mode and there is some uncertainty as to whether Martinez will stay in Detroit. A move could end up benefitting him, but Detroit is a pretty darn stout offensive team, so it probably wouldn’t help. Rank: 7^th

Hunter Pence—San Francisco Giants (.275, 18.6 HR, 74.4 Runs, 74.8 RBI, 9.0 SB, 43.8 BB)

3 Year 5 Category- 10

3 Year 6 Category- 14

5 Year 5 Category- 7

5 Year 6 Category- 8

Pence’s strength used to be his durability. He has lost much of two seasons (out of the last three) to nagging injuries. None of them are long-term concerns but one of the concerns for aging players is durability. Pence is closer to his mid-thirties than he is to thirty. If healthy he should be good for his customary 20 home runs and 10 stolen bases. He is still a fantasy regular in that situation. Rank: 9th

Stephen Piscotty—St. Louis Cardinals (.289, 14.5 HR, 57.5 Runs, 62.0 RBI, 4.5 SB, 35.5 BB)

3 Year 5 Category- 13

3 Year 6 Category- 18

5 Year 5 Category- 14

5 Year 6 Category- 18

Every great organization has a distinct identity and Piscotty is a great example for the Cardinals. They have high profile players like everyone else, but most of their great players have been home grown. Saying any organization has the best player development department in the sport is pure opinion, but the Cards have to be in the conversation. Piscotty could be a fantasy regular this season. Rank: 16^th

Gregory Polanco—Pittsburgh Pirates (.250, 12.7 HR, 70.7 Runs, 57.0 RBI, 19.3 SB, 46.0 BB)

3 Year 5 Category- 14

3 Year 6 Category- 13

5 Year 5 Category- 17

5 Year 6 Category- 14

Polanco took a huge step forward last season and his final ranking reflects that. Combining 22 home runs with 17 stolen bases makes him one of the few two way threats in right field. If he takes a next step it will be in his ability to consistently make contact. Otherwise, he is pretty close to complete package fantasy wise. Rank: 11^th

Yasiel Puig—Los Angeles Dodgers (.271, 12.7 HR, 55.7 Runs, 50.7 RBI, 6.3 SB, 39.0 BB)

3 Year 5 Category- 17

3 Year 6 Category- 16

5 Year 5 Category- 18

5 Year 6 Category- 19

The late Paul Bear Bryant once said that, “potential means you ain’t done nothing yet.” A part of being in the big leagues means you have the capability of doing great things on the field. Puig has done great things on the field, but that’s not what makes you great. What makes you great is the frequency with which you do great things. For Puig, it simply doesn’t happen often enough. Rank: 18^th

Josh Reddick—Houston Astros (.272, 14.0 HR, 57.7 Runs, 56.0 RBI, 6.3 SB, 38.7 BB)

3 Year 5 Category- 11

3 Year 6 Category- 11

5 Year 5 Category- 19

5 Year 6 Category- 16

Reddick has found his level in recent seasons and that’s a good thing for him and for the teams that employ him. He mashes right-handed pitching and plays Gold Glove quality defense. Unfortunately, that limits him to 120-130 starts per season. That has a way of depressing the counting numbers. Rank: 13^th

Steven Souza—Tampa Bay Rays (.236, 16.5 HR, 58.5 Runs, 44.5 RBI, 9.5 SB, 38.5 BB)

3 Year 5 Category- 21

3 Year 6 Category- 21

5 Year 5 Category- 22

5 Year 6 Category- 22

In order for some players to rank in the top ten or top twenty there have to be players like Souza around. If he got to play in 150 games instead of 120 games he might put up better numbers. It might even be worth a bench slot, but given what we have seen to this point I wouldn’t bother. Rank: 22^nd

Giancarlo Stanton—Miami Marlins (.264, 30.3 HR, 64.0 Runs, 82.0 RBI, 5.7 SB, 59.3 BB)

3 Year 5 Category- 7

3 Year 6 Category- 6

5 Year 5 Category- 8

5 Year 6 Category- 7

Stanton has the talent to be the number one right fielder in the game. If healthy, he could easily hit 50 home runs and add 100 walks as well. He’s been hurt three years in a row. Sooner or later it becomes a question of when and not if. Unfortunately, attendance is part of the grade, but we will be a little optimistic. Rank: 5^th

Yasmany Tomas—Arizona Diamondbacks (.273, 20.0 HR, 56.0 Runs, 65.5 RBI, 3.5 SB, 24.0 BB)

3 Year 5 Category- 19

3 Year 6 Category- 22

5 Year 5 Category- 16

5 Year 6 Category- 20

Tomas and Jake Lamb represented the pleasant surprises for the Dbacks last season. That season may represent the ceiling for Tomas, but even if he levels out there the Dbacks will end up getting good bang for their buck. Some might be tempted to bet on even better production from Tomas but I wouldn’t. Rank: 20^th

Mark Trumbo—Free Agent (.251, 27.7 HR, 64.3 Runs, 77.7 RBI, 1.7 SB, 38.3 BB) 

3 Year 5 Category- 12

3 Year 6 Category- 16

5 Year 5 Category- 10

5 Year 6 Category- 12 

The fact that Trumbo is still unsigned is proof that teams are little wiser than they used to be. Not many years, a team would have given Trumbo a four or five-year deal with long money on the strength of his 47 home runs last season. Now, he will probably have to settle for a single season and fantasy players should treat him the same way. He deserves a starter’s spot, but just barely. Rank: 12^th

Danny Valencia—Seattle Mariners (.278, 13.0 HR, 50.3 Runs, 49.0 RBI, 1.3 SB, 28.0 BB) 

3 Year 5 Category- 24

3 Year 6 Category- 24

5 Year 5 Category- 24

5 Year 6 Category- 24

Valencia hit for the Blue Jays and they put him on waivers. He hit for the Athletics and they traded him for a bag of magic beans. He is now on the Mariners, but he is listed on the bench on their depth chart. All he does is hit and he can’t seem to play consistently. It’s baffling to say the least, but rankings have to be based on actual production and not on what production would happen if teams had a lick of sense. Rank: 24th