Jarren Duran

Two years ago, Duran was quite an interesting prospect, but his star has fallen far after a pair of unsuccessful attempts to establish himself at the big-league level. His .645 OPS in 58 games last season at least represented a step up from his .578 OPS in 33 games the year prior, but it was nowhere near good enough for a player whose speed hasn't translated into even average defense in center field. Duran can't claim to have gotten particularly unlucky, as his .219 xBA was a near match for his actual .221 batting average. His strikeout rate fell by over seven points compared to his major-league debut but still sat at 28.3%, while his 7.7% barrel rate was merely average. A modest step forward on both sides of the ball could turn Duran into a competent big-league regular, but he's now 26 years old, so a modest step may be as much as it's fair to expect. If he earns a role, his speed should help fantasy teams, but his performance suggests that even a bench spot isn't a lock.

The time to cash out Duran in dynasty leagues was in early July, prior to his MLB debut, when some were valuing him as a top-50 prospect. While his value has fallen since then, there's still an argument for getting what you can for him this winter. His .258/.357/.516 slash line at Triple-A looks fine for a hitter with his combination of above-average raw power and plus-plus speed, but Duran's 23.3 K% was a poor mark at that level for a player who turned 25 in September. Given the gap between Triple-A pitching and major-league pitching, it should not have come as a surprise that he went on to log a 35.7 K% and 3.6 BB% in his first 112 MLB plate appearances. In addition to significant hit tool concerns, Duran's outfield defense is quite poor, so it's difficult to see a contending team like the Red Sox gifting him playing time in the short term. They will very likely bring in one, if not two superior outfielders after the lockout, and even players of Christian Arroyo's caliber could get playing time over Duran barring some major improvements in the field or at the plate.

Few teams were better at leaking impressive footage of their prospects at the alternate training site than the Red Sox, and Duran had his share of highlights that captured burgeoning power. His 70-grade speed is the main reason he is a prospect of note for dynasty leagues. Unfortunately, he's a shaky defender in center field, even with that speed, so he needs to hit. He used to be a slash-and-dash leadoff type, but after overhauling his swing, he is now able to launch balls out to the pull side. Duran was a strong contact hitter in the lower levels, but his new swing requires more precise timing, which puts his eventual batting averages into question. He performed poorly as an age-appropriate hitter at Double-A and in the Arizona Fall League in 2019, and now that he is entering his age-24 season, it's time for him to produce at the plate in games against pitchers from outside the organization.