AL FAAB Factor: Mid-May Edition

This is our weekly look at American League free agents. We have two goals for this article:

1. Identify likely free agents and discuss their strengths and weaknesses.
2. Estimate how much of your free-agent budget you should bid on them.

One size does not fit all, and we could never hope to encompass all league structures, so bids are based on:

• 12-team league (either AL or Mixed, we'll specify)
• 5x5 categories
• $100 FAAB budget

Starting Pitching

Chris Capuano, Yankees– Capuano (quad) will come off the DL and pitch against the Royals on Sunday. From there he figures to stay in the rotation and take the spot of Chase Whitley (elbow). Last season as a starter between the Yankees and Red Sox, he had a 4.25 ERA (3.85 FIP) with 55 strikeouts and 19 walks over 65.2 innings. He likely needs to be owned in AL-only formats until he proves otherwise, while in mixed leagues, owners can take a wait-and-see approach. This week he'll get the Rangers at home. Mixed: $1; AL: $4.

Buck Farmer, Tigers – With Shane Greene getting an MRI on his elbow, it might be a good idea to throw a few dollars at Farmer this week. He has a 3.32 ERA (2.33 FIP) with 47 strikeouts and 15 walks over 38 innings down at Triple-A Toledo and looks every bit ready to step in, if needed. He's the top pitching prospect in the Tigers system, which might not be saying much, but given the numbers he's putting up in Toledo, he looks like a legit prospect. At minimum he's worth stashing in AL formats, as an opportunity should find him sooner rather than later. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Kevin Gausman, Orioles – Gausman is dealing with a shoulder injury, but thankfully his MRI came back clean, which means once he can throw again he'll be stretched out as a starter in the minors. This is really what the team should've done with him back in spring training, as it never made much sense to use him in the bullpen. The need for him is real now, as Bud Norris is lobbing up batting practice to opposing hitters with his 9.88 ERA, 18 strikeouts, and 13 walks over 27.1 innings. Keep an eye on Gausman's shoulder and stash him where possible, as last season as a starter, he had a 3.57 ERA (3.48 FIP) with 88 strikeouts and 38 walks over 113.1 innings. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Andrew Heaney, Angels – Heaney had nine strikeouts with three walks and just one earned run allowed over seven innings this week at Triple-A Salt Lake, giving him a 3.62 ERA (2.50 FIP) with 36 strikeouts and 10 walks over 37.1 innings on the season. There is still no clear rotation spot for him to take, but it's clear he's trending back in the right direction, which is a good sign for the prospect. Keep him on your radar and continue to stash him where possible. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Brian Johnson and Eduardo Rodriguez, Red Sox – Justin Masterson hit the DL this week with shoulder injury. Steven Wright will take his place, but he isn't the answer to the question of how do the Red Sox improve their rotation. That answer likely lies with Johnson and Rodriguez, both of whom are showing they're ready at Triple-A Pawtucket. Johnson has a 2.72 ERA (3.45 FIP) with 39 strikeouts and 16 walks over 36.1 innings, while Rodriguez has a 2.86 ERA (2.41 FIP) with 34 strikeouts and five walks over 34.2 innings. Of the two, Rodriguez is considered the prospect, while Johnson is a more polished product without Rodriguez's high ceiling. Keep both in mind when bidding this week. Both Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Lance McCullers, Astros – McCullers will come up from the minors to start against the A's on Monday as the team deals with yet another blister to Brett Oberholtzer. At Double-A Corpus Christi, McCullers had a 0.62 ERA (2.03 FIP) with 43 strikeouts and 11 walks over 29 innings, blowing away the competition and earning himself a brief promotion to Triple-A Fresno before he got the call to Houston. If he pitches well, he'll stay with the team, and if not, he'll head back to Fresno, which was the original plan anyway. He's a former first-round sandwich pick, so he's got some pedigree to him, though he's not considered one of the team's elite prospects. He should bring the strikeouts, but after that it's anyone's guess, so bid with cautious optimism. Mixed: $1; AL: $5.

Matt Moore, Rays – Moore is close to going on a rehab assignment as he makes his way back from Tommy John surgery. The last time we really saw him was in 2013, when he had a 3.29 ERA (4.10 FIP) with 143 strikeouts and 76 walks over 150.1 innings. He's always battled command problems, so I'm not overly optimistic as command is often the last thing to come back to a pitcher coming off the surgery. Still, he's a better option than Erasmo Ramirez and thus shouldn't have a problem finding a rotation spot when he's ready. Mixed: $1; AL: $5.

Chris Young, Royals – Another week, another lights-out start for Chris Young, who now has a 0.54 ERA (2.37 FIP) with 14 strikeouts and five walks over 16.2 innings. This obviously won't continue for much longer, but it does go to show how the veteran can help the Royals and fantasy owners. Last season he had a 3.65 ERA (5.08 FIP) with 108 strikeouts and 60 walks over 165 innings. If he's still available in any AL-only formats, fix that. He gets the Cardinals this week at home, so buyer beware if you're going to stream him. Mixed: $3; AL: $12.

Relief Pitching

Jake McGee, Rays – McGee (elbow) was activated from the DL this week and figures to factor into high-leverage situations almost immediately. It's not clear if the team plans to ease him back into the closer's role or leave that to Brad Boxberger, who has been strong this season with a 1.29 ERA, 20 strikeouts, six walks, and 10 saves over 14 innings. A mix-and-match approach with the two seems more likely at first. Last season McGee had a 1.89 ERA (1.80 FIP) with 90 strikeouts, 16 walks, and 19 saves over 71.1 innings. He needs to be owned in all leagues that count saves. Mixed: $12; AL: $25.

Shawn Tolleson and Keone Kela, Rangers – Neftali Feliz blew his third save of the season Saturday night, as he gave up three earned runs with one walk and no strikeouts over one inning. The outing pushed his ERA to 5.51 (4.24 FIP) and starts to raise questions as to whether he's the right man for the job. I don't think he is, as he's shown poor command this season (2.14 K/BB) after showing even worse command last season (1.91 K/BB). He also simply has trouble keeping the ball in the park. He is doing a much better job missing bats than he did last season, but he's still walking too many batters to be successful. Meanwhile, Tolleson has a 3.86 ERA (2.65 FIP) with 22 strikeouts and three walks over 16.1 innings and Kela has a 2.55 ERA (3.43 FIP) with 15 strikeouts and seven walks over 17.2 innings. Of the two, Tolleson is the better option to replace Feliz. The Rangers are a bad team, which might lengthen the leash for Feliz, as the team has more invested in him to be the team's closer. Still, Feliz needs to get things turned around or we may see Tolleson or Kela closing games out soon. Tolleson Mixed: $1; AL: $4. Kela Mixed: No; AL: $2.

Catcher

Jett Bandy, Angels – It might be nothing, but Bandy is hitting a robust .365/.431.619 at Triple-A Salt Lake with four home runs over 73 plate appearances. He's 25 years old and is not considered much of a prospect, so there's likely no need to stash him, even in AL-only formats. Still, what he's doing is noteworthy, as most catchers haven't shown that level of success in the high minors. I'd consider him a candidate to be promoted, but the team has Carlos Perez up right now and they're not likely to discard veteran Chris Iannetta anytime soon. Mixed: No; AL: $1.

John Jaso, Rays – The swelling in Jaso's wrist is nearly gone, which means we're likely to see him start a rehab assignment soon. A career .259/.359/.399 hitter, Jaso figures to come back to the team as an option at DH and perhaps catcher, where he is eligible. On the 60-day DL, he'll most likely be back within a month. If he's available in any AL-only formats, now is the time to stash him, as he's a much better hitter than what most owners are throwing out there at catcher today. Mixed: $2; AL: $8.

James McCann, Tigers – Alex Avila got a third opinion this week and will not get surgery on his knee – he'll opt for rehab instead – so we'll see him back this season, but not anytime soon. In the meantime, McCann should remain a solid option in AL-only formats and in deeper mixed leagues. So far this season, he's hitting .250/.262/.350 with one home run over 62 plate appearances. Last season at Triple-A Toledo he hit .295 with seven home runs over 460 plate appearances. Pick him up if he's still available, especially if your league uses two catchers. Mixed: $3; AL: $10.

Carlos Perez, Angels – This time last week, Perez was starting to eat into starter Chris Iannetta's playing time, but now he has seemingly taken over the job fully, as he's started seven of the last nine games behind the dish for the Halos. Perez, who hit .361/.418/.556 with two home runs over 79 plate appearances at Triple-A Salt Lake, has started out going 7-for-22 with one home run. Expect him to continue to earn the majority of playing time over Iannetta going forward, making him at least mixed-league worthy in two-catcher formats. Mixed: $2; AL: $8.

First Base

Chris Colabello, Blue Jays – Who might be the 2014 Chris Colabello in 2015? It might be Chris Colabello. He's off to a quick start with a .471/.500/.647 batting line and one home run over just nine games. Last season with the Twins, he hit .295/.343/.484 with three home runs in April before regressing quickly and getting demoted to the minors. He figures to get extended playing time, as Michael Saunders is out at least a month with a knee injury and Jose Bautista's shoulder is still ailing him enough to keep him in the DH role. Like last season, Colabello could fade quickly, but for now he's worth adding in all formats until he slows down. Mixed: $3; AL: $12.

Marc Krauss, Angels – Krauss was brought up from Triple-A Salt Lake last week and figures to serve as first base and outfield depth. At Salt Lake he hit .281/.405/.458 with two home runs over 116 plate appearances. A career .197 hitter over 359 plate appearances, even if he were to find playing time due to injuries, he's unlikely to do much with it. Mixed: No; AL: $2.

Jesus Montero, Mariners – Montero is proving himself in the minors once again, hitting .346/.370/.504 with four home runs over 138 plate appearances at Triple-A Tacoma. It might not take much more for him to come up, as the Mariners are near the bottom of the AL in scoring. If you're wondering where he'd fit in, it's at DH, as Nelson Cruz has started nine of his last 10 games in right field, leaving DH to Brad Miller (.253) and Rickie Weeks (.192). Panned for being out of shape in the past and struggling when he's come up before, Montero should be considered a post-hype sleeper who still has potential, especially because he's still just 25 and is no longer catching. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Mitch Moreland, Rangers – Moreland (elbow) was activated from the 15-day DL last week. Since then he's started every game at first base and moved Kyle Blanks into a part-time role. A career .254/.319/.430 hitter, Moreland has below-average power for a first baseman. Still, he needs to be owned in all AL-only and deep mixed formats, as he should continue to get steady playing time, though if Moreland doesn't show much soon, Blanks may get some of his playing time back. Mixed: $2; AL: $8.

Jonathan Singleton, Astros– In Singleton's last five games at Triple-A Fresno, he has five home runs to help push his batting line to .264/.379/.612 with 11 home runs over 145 plate appearances. Last season he was on a similar tear, as he hit .267/.397/.544 with 14 home runs over 239 plate appearances before he was promoted to the majors and continued to hit for power, but with far too much swing and miss in his bat, as he hit only .168. I'm somewhat skeptical that he's learned much from this time around (his third stint in Triple-A) because of how badly overmatched he looked last season, but there's no denying he has earned another shot. The only question now is where does he slot into the Astros' lineup? Chris Carter is hitting .150 with five home runs over 131 plate appearances this season, so perhaps Singleton could play first base, allowing Carter to share DH duties with the also-streaky Evan Gattis, who is hitting just .181 with six home runs. For now, get Singleton stashed away in all AL-only formats and deeper mixed leagues, as he's roaring to come back up for his second chance. Mixed: $1; AL: $4.

Second Base

Tommy Field, Rangers – Following Rougned Odor's demotion, Field was brought up from Triple-A Round Rock to take his starting job. In his first five games, he's gone 4-for-15 with a home run. At Round Rock, he hit .298/.373/.538 with five home runs and two stolen bases over 118 plate appearances. He has more power than speed, but that's still not saying much about his skill set, which is mediocre at 28 years old. He'll be a stopgap replacement until Odor is ready to come back up or until Adam Rosales eats into his playing time for the starting job, which looked to be Rosales' until Field was brought up. As is, Field has value in AL-only formats because of the playing time, but that's about where his value starts and ends. Mixed: $1; AL: $4.

Nick Franklin, Rays – Franklin was activated from the 15-day DL on Saturday after dealing with an oblique injury that cost him the first six weeks of the season. Coming into the season, Franklin was expected to start at second base when he returned from injury, but Logan Forsythe is hitting .296/.364/.488 with four home runs over 140 plate appearances. It doesn't make much sense to mess with what's working, which means Franklin may see more time at shortstop, as Asdrubal Cabrera is hitting just .209/.266/.318 with one home run over 139 plate appearances. Either way, Franklin doesn't have a clear path to starting full-time, at least not yet, which lessens his value across the board. Last season between Triple-A Tacoma and Triple-A Durham, he hit .271/.366/.412 with 11 home runs and 11 steals over 466 plate appearances. Mixed: $1; AL: $4.

Reynaldo Navarro, Orioles– Navarro was brought up from Triple-A Norfolk this week to take the roster spot of Ryan Flaherty, who hit the DL with a groin injury. In his first two games up, he started at second base and went 1-for-7 with a home run. He's not likely to see extended time at the position as the team continues to juggle Steve Pearce and Jimmy Paredes in NL parks, there. Still, if he hits, he'll find his way into the lineup, as he's a traditional second baseman, while the others are not. Over three Triple-A seasons, he hit .303/.363/.428 with five home runs and two stolen bases over 337 plate appearances. Mixed: $1; AL: $4.

Rougned Odor, Rangers – Odor was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock this week following a start that saw him hit just .144 with one home run over 103 plate appearances. Despite that, I still think he's the team's best answer at second base this season, as Tommy Field, who came up to replace him, is a mediocre replacement and Adam Rosales isn't much better. It might take Odor a month or so to get himself straightened out and his confidence back up, but I wouldn't give up on him completely for 2015. Last season, when he was still on his ascent, he hit .279/.314/.450 with six home runs over 138 plate appearances at Double-A Frisco. Keep an eye on him at Round Rock. Mixed: No; AL: $2.

Jose Pirela, Yankees – Brought up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last week, Pirela has gone 5-for-17 with one double as the occasional starter at second base. It should be a full-time gig for Pirela, but the team refuses to let Stephen Drew be put out to pasture. Last season at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Pirela hit .305/.351/.441 with 10 home runs and 15 stolen bases over 581 plate appearances. Only 25, he should be an upgrade over Drew and find playing time as long as he continues to hit or as long as Drew continues to slump. Mixed: $2; AL: $8.

Carlos Sanchez, White Sox – Last in the AL in runs scored, the White Sox opted to shake things up a bit last week, optioning Micah Johnson to the minors and bringing up Sanchez from Triple-A Charlotte to replace him. At Charlotte, Sanchez hit .344/.368/.466 with two home runs and five stolen bases over 137 plate appearances. He has almost no power and limited speed, so he'll need to put the ball in play to earn his keep. I'm a little surprised the team hasn't opted to see what Emilio Bonifacio can do with the job, but then again, he hasn't hit a lick this season. For now, Sanchez needs to be owned in AL-only formats as long as he's getting playing time. Mixed: $1; AL: $5.

Shortstop

Carlos Correa, Astros – I've waited long enough, maybe even too long, to write up Correa here, as he is now in Triple-A Fresno, just one step away from the majors. Arguably the best prospect still in the minors, the 20-year-old Correa is a precocious talent that is knocking on the door of stardom. He can hit for average, has emerging little power, and can steal bases. At Double-A Corpus Christi this season, he hit .385/.459/.726 with seven home runs and 15 stolen bases over 133 plate appearances. He should be a superstar by the time he settles into the majors. For now though, he's at Fresno, adjusting to a new challenge. There's an obvious spot for him right now, as Jed Lowrie (thumb) is on the DL and won't be back until around the All-Star break, but the Astros are doing fine without him, which makes the need for Correa less immediate. As talented as he is, even if he were to come up today, there is no assurance that he'd help fantasy owners, as he has just 149 plate appearances above High-A (see Mike Trout's first time up). Realistically, I expect to see him up sometime in August, though he could easily beat that if he continues to terrorize pitchers in Triple-A like he has everywhere else. He may not be worth picking up in 12-team mixed leagues yet, but in just about anything deeper than that, he should be owned. When he comes up, the hype will be loud, so stash him now if you can. He's coming up this season; it's just a matter of when. Mixed: $3; AL: $15.

Francisco Lindor, Indians – A report came out last week that Lindor isn't expected to come up from the minors anytime soon, as he's batting .262/.347/.357 with one home run and seven stolen bases over 146 plate appearances at Triple-A Columbus. This obviously throws some cold water on his value for this season, but then again, have you seen what Jose Ramirez is doing to keep Lindor in the minors? He's hitting .178/.219/.244 with one home run over 100 plate appearances and he's struggling defensively too. As soon as Lindor starts to warm up, this is going to be his job, I think the organization just doesn't want him pressing at Columbus. If anything, this might make Lindor more readily available on waiver wires and temper the bidding. In AL-only formats, he should have value the second half of the season. Mixed: No; AL: $2.

Chris Taylor, Mariners– Brought up from Triple-A Tacoma last week, Taylor continues to see steady playing time at shortstop for the Mariners, though he has struggled to get going offensively, hitting .143 in 28 at-bats. Brad Miller was struggling before Taylor came up, but has since started to hit and hit for power, so he may share the position with Taylor. For now, Taylor needs to be owned in AL-only formats, but don't bid him up thinking he's got the job locked up, as Miller is looking like a better option little by little. Mixed: $1; AL: $4.

Third Base

Mike Aviles and Giovanny Urshela, Indians – Lonnie Chisenhall has struggled this season with a .221/.264/.372 batting line over 123 plate appearances. It doesn't help that he has a .232 BABIP, but it's getting to the point that he might need to sit more often, especially against lefties. Aviles is currently on the restricted list as he tends to a family matter, but should be back with the team Monday and might find himself he beneficiary of Chisenhall losing playing time. Without much power or speed, Aviles is not likely to be much of an upgrade over Chisenhall, though he could see time at shortstop given Jose Ramirez's woes. In the minors, Urshela was activated from the DL after dealing with a back injury and has since gone 10-for-30 with a home run over eight games at Triple-A Columbus. Last season between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus, he hit .280/.334/.491 with 18 home runs over 528 plate appearances. He figures to be the third baseman of the future for the organization, so keep an eye on him, as a few more weeks of hot hitting might get him promoted. Aviles Mixed: $1; AL: $4. Urshela Mixed: No; AL: $2.

Outfield

Jackie Bradley, Red Sox – Bradley was brought up from Triple-A Pawtucket this week to help the team now that Allen Craig is in the minors. Somewhat predictably, he is 0-for-11 with two walks, as he has struggled mightily every time he has come up and now owns a career .192/.266/.273 batting line over 543 plate appearances. Bradley has shown he can hit in the minors, especially Pawtucket, but until he shows he can make the needed adjustments in the majors, he's not a fantasy option, even in AL-only formats. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Rusney Castillo, Red Sox – A report came out this week that Castillo is showing he's not ready for a promotion to the majors, as he's still making mistakes on the basepaths and defensively. Still, he's hitting .308/.361/.462 with two home runs and four stolen bases over 65 plate appearances at Triple-A Pawtucket. The team brought up Jackie Bradley this week, but he's a zero offensively, and the next time that Shane Victorino gets hurt, it'll likely be Castillo they turn to, so don't get discouraged if you're a Castillo investor. Remain patient. Mixed: $1; AL: $4.

Eduardo Escobar, Twins– As the Twins have dealt with injuries to Jordan Schafer (knee) and Oswaldo Arcia (hip), the team has brought up players to help the team, but it's Escobar who has defensive versatility and he has started to see his playing time pick up. On Saturday he went 4-for-4 with two doubles, as he pushed his season batting line to .263/.288/.394 with two home runs over 104 plate appearances. He's not anything special, but he qualifies at third, shortstop, and in the outfield in most leagues, which helps his value. Last season he hit .275/.315/.406 with six home runs over 465 plate appearances. If he can just repeat that, he'll help the Twins as they deal with all these injuries and new faces. Mixed: $2; AL: $8.

Aaron Hicks, Twins – Hicks was brought up from Triple-A Rochester this week to help the team when Jordan Schafer hit the DL with a knee injury. He's a career .204/.293/.313 hitter with nine home runs and 13 stolen bases over 556 plate appearances, so owners shouldn't be expecting much from Hicks. Really, he's a downgrade from Schafer, who is much more of a stolen-base threat than Hicks. Unless Hicks has learned to hit major league pitching since the last time he was up, owners in mixed leagues can ignore him. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Josh Hamilton, Rangers – This is the last call for owners to grab Hamilton (shoulder), before he really ramps up his rehab and we see him make his season debut for the Rangers. Right now he's at Double-A Frisco, where he's set to play four games and then be re-evaluated. At that point we might see him with the Rangers or move his rehab back to Triple-A Round Rock. Either way, he's getting close and needs to be picked up if he's available. Given Hamilton's age, the wear and tear he's put on his body (on and off the field), and his declining power, I wouldn't expect much from the slugger. He's fortunate to land back in Texas in a hitter's park, but don't expect the gaudy stats we saw last time here was there.Mixed: $7; AL: $25.

Dalton Pompey, Blue Jays – I still believe Pompey has value this season despite his recent demotion to Triple-A Buffalo. So far he's hitting just .226 there, but this week he had a game where he went 4-for-5 with a steal and three runs scored, which is promising sign. He essentially skipped Triple-A on his way to the majors, as he only played 12 games there last season, but figures to get more time there this time around. It might take until the All-Star break, but I think we'll see him back soon enough, so keep tabs on him if you're in an AL-only league. Mixed: No; AL: $2.

Eddie Rosario, Twins – Rosario was brought up from Triple-A Rochester last week to take the place of Oswaldo Arcia (hip) when he was placed on the DL. So far Rosario has gone 7-for-30 with a home run, stolen base, one walk, and 12 strikeouts. The strikeouts are a glaring problem, as Rosario is showing far too much swing and miss in his bat. This isn't all that surprising, considering he hit .242/.280/.379 with five walks and 17 strikeouts over 100 plate appearances at Rochester before his promotion. There's no timetable for Arcia's return, but he is hitting in a cage, so he's not too far off from a rehab assignment. When he's back, expect Rosario to go back to Rochester unless he starts to turn things around at the plate soon. Mixed: $1; AL: $4.

Preston Tucker, Astros – I somewhat dismissed Tucker last week, thinking that he would go back to the minors once George Springer (concussion) was back, but instead the team sent Robbie Grossman packing and opted to keep Tucker up. He has rewarded the team, going 7-for-21 with four doubles and three runs scored. He's being switched between left field and DH and will continue to see playing time as long as he hits, which is exactly what he did at Triple-A Fresno, before he was called up. At Fresno, he hit .320/.378/.650 with 10 home runs over 111 plate appearances. If he's still available on your waiver wire, give him a look in AL-only and deep mixed formats. Mixed: $2; AL: $9.

Note: If you have anyone else you'd like me to discuss, just drop a line in the comments section.