Marcelo Mayer

Mayer mastered Double-A (142 wRC+ in 77 games) after struggling at that level in 2023 (63 wRC+ in 43 games), but after another injury-marred season, his fragility is starting to become his most discussed quality. His 91 games in 2022 represent a career high, and perhaps fittingly, he was promoted to Triple-A in early August but never got into a game for Worcester due to hip and back injuries. He slashed .307/.370/.480 with eight home runs, 13 steals, a 19.7 percent strikeout rate and an excellent 31.5 percent hard-hit rate as a 21-year-old repeating Double-A. Mayer's best skills are his shortstop defense, followed by above-average power and a potentially above-average hit tool. He has multiple years with double-digit steals in the minors, but Mayer's pure speed is average at best, so we can't bank on him making a notable impact in stolen bases. Even if Mayer reached his realistic fantasy ceiling, he'd be a fringe top-15 fantasy shortstop due to the lack of a standout tool, and his durability issues make it difficult to sell him as a potential compiler in the Dansby Swanson mold. He'll be an option this summer if he's healthy and Trevor Story is hurt or struggling. Read Past Outlooks