Mauricio Dubon

Dubon was ticketed for a utility role, playing mostly at second base, and after impressing the Giants in summer camp, some center field. By season's end, Dubon took over as the regular center fielder. Since he also played eight games at both second base and shortstop, he may qualify at three spots in some formats. Considered a line drive/gap hitter who makes decent contact, Dubon added a couple ticks of exit velocity and several degrees of launch angle, but it did not alter his power as only nine of his 43 hits were of the extra-base variety. In addition, he was successful on only two of five stolen-base attempts. Dubon offers a bankable batting average floor with the ability to muster low-teens homers and steals with ample playing time. He could also fall back into a super-utility role. If it appears Dubon will play every day, his multiple-position eligibility puts him in play as an endgame pick in mixed formats.

The Brewers traded Dubon away at the deadline despite their shortstop (Orlando Arcia) being one of the weaker players in their lineup and despite getting nothing more than a few months of Drew Pomeranz in return, suggesting that the league as a whole didn't have a particularly high opinion of the 25-year-old. However, Dubon performed capably in his first 30 career games, hitting .274/.306/.434 with four homers and three steals, and appears to have an everyday role at second base heading into this season. Playing time will make Dubon relevant in deeper leagues, but he might not do enough at the plate to have broader appeal. Scouts see Dubon as someone who should hit for a decent average while stealing a handful of bases but who isn't likely to hit for much power. Unless that power comes around, Dubon's fantasy utility will be capped.

Dubon reached Triple-A for the first time in 2017 and posted a .739 OPS over 58 games. However, he showed he was capable of much more in 2018, posting a .922 OPS over 27 games and putting himself in the conversation for a spot on the big-league roster. Unfortunately for him and the Brewers, Dubon tore his ACL in May and was lost for the rest of the season. The good news for both parties is his recovery has gone as expected, and he will be ready for spring training. He is not a true burner, but Dubon has above-average speed and excellent instincts that could lead to 20-steal seasons. It's unlikely he will show as much pop as he did last season -- he can thank the hitter-friendly conditions in the PCL for that -- but he does own a career .300 batting average at the minor-league level. He will open the year at Triple-A, but his ability to play shortstop and second base should result in him debuting in the majors sometime this season.

2017 marked Dubon's first year with the Brewers after coming over in an offseason trade, and although he did not hit nearly as well as he did the year before, he still impressed in the speed department, stealing 30 bases for the third season in a row and finishing with a career-best 38 swipes. It's unlikely he will ever do much in the power categories, but his speed and ability to handle both the shortstop and second base positions make him a virtual lock to get a shot in the big leagues. The Brewers added him to their 40-man roster over the offseason, so that will likely happen at some point in 2018. However, the team is relatively deep at the two middle infield spots, so his season figures to begin at the Triple-A level, and several things would need to occur for him to see regular playing time for the big club.

Dubon's path to MLB was hastened this offseason when the Red Sox traded him to the Brewers in the deal that returned relief pitcher Tyler Thornburg. With Boston, Dubon was blocked in the middle infield, and even the organization's experiment with him at third base was fraught with traffic. There should be a quicker path to the majors as a shortstop, his best position, in the Milwaukee organization. Dubon is a high-contact guy who performed well at both High-A and Double-A (.840 OPS). More attention would have been paid to his productive year had Dubon not spent time with more heralded prospects, Yoan Moncada and Andrew Benintendi. He actually showed some power in Double-A, clubbing six homers in 62 games with the Sea Dogs, but there's nothing in his past to suggest the power is here to stay. His defense and speed (30-of-37 steals) are enough to get him to the majors. Whether he continues to hit is the major question entering 2017.

Dubon, 21, has been a good contact hitter since joining the Red Sox organization, and he continued along the same path in 2015. He began the season at Low-A Greenville, registering a hit in 14 of his first 16 games on his way to a .301/.354/.428 slash line in 58 games for the Drive, including 22 multi-hit games. He fell off some after a promotion to High-A Salem, experiencing the predictable challenges and a big drop off in power moving up a level. He was hitting just .231 at Salem in late July, but showed signs of adjustment, going on a .328 tear in August / September. Dubon also showed off his speed, swiping 30 bags in 37 stolen-base attempts. Defensively, Dubon has the arm to handle shortstop and should get back there full time after Boston parted with Javier Guerra in the Craig Kimbrel trade. Dubon will start at High-A Salem this season with a promotion to Double-A Portland expected later in the season.

Dubon, a native of Honduras who moved to California in 2009, was drafted in the 26th round of the 2013 draft. He's a skinny kid, but has a frame that projects some growth. Dubon's got some refining to do in the field, but has plenty of arm to play shortstop. At the plate, he shows surprising pop. Dubon stays back and generates good bat speed. He's just beginning to develop an approach.