Player data courtesy of fangraphs.com. The internet leader in baseball analytical data.
I believe that players who play multiple positions are a precious commodity in fantasy baseball. It is important to carry two or three players on your roster that can play at least two positions or more. I am not talking about high end talent like Buster Posey and Kris Bryant. I am talking about good players that you could get in the middle rounds that could start for you and play multiple positions. That is why I complied this list. Here are ten players you should consider drafting at some point in your draft.
Joey Gallo, Rangers (1B/3B/OF/DH): Gallo will drive you nuts offensively. He hit 41 home runs and drove in 85 runs last season but he also hit .209 and struck out 36% of the time. Despite that, he is eligible to play four positions in most leagues and hits enough that he can be top ten in any of the positions he plays. Personally, I love Gallo and plan to draft him in my standard leagues. I also like him in DFS. I am O.K with the strikeouts and the limited category production because of his bat and versatility.
Marwin Gonzalez, Astros (1B/SS/3B/OF): I am going to draft Gonzalez in both of my leagues and not only that, I am going to draft him early. Why? He plays every day, plays multiple positions and hits in a great line up. Not only that, he produces. Gonzalez hit 23 home runs and drove in 90 runs last season. He hit .303 and slugged 530 which isn’t great but good enough. Those numbers coupled with that versatility make Gonzalez had to pass up on.
Eduardo Nunez, Red Sox (2B/SS/3B/OF): Nunez will start the season at second base as Dustin Pedroia recovers from a knee injury. Nunez flashed some power last season when he was traded to the Red Sox. Between the Giants and the Red Sox, Nunez hit 12 home runs and drove in 58 runs. He hit .313 and stole 24 bases. Nunez may not play every day but there is good cross category value there. If nothing else, Nunez could be a valuable bench piece.
Brandon Drury, Yankees (2B/3B/OF): The Yankees traded for Drury because of his infield versatility. He can play second and third base and has played in the outfield as well. Drury will start the start the season as the everyday second baseman but could eventually transition to bench role. Either way, Drury will play enough and produce enough that he warrants drafting late especially in AL only leagues.
Alex Avila, Diamondbacks (C/1B): Guys like Avila and Buster Posey are valuable because of their offensive production but they are also valuable because they can play catcher and another position. Posey is one of the best players in the game. Avila is not but he is a good player who will be the starting catcher for the Diamondbacks and hit in the five or six spot. If you going to wait on drafting a catcher, you might want to consider Avila because of his power potential and versatility. As an added bonus, Avila was a 2.5 win player last year. You wouldn’t think that based on the fact that he played for two teams last season.
Chris Taylor, Dodgers (2B/SS/OF): Taylor had a career year with the Dodgers in 2017 hitting 21 home runs and driving in 72 runs. He also stole 17 bases and scored 85 runs. Taylor was essentially a five win player for the Dodgers last season (His actual WAR was 4.7). Like Marwin Gonzalez, Taylor hits in a line up that plays to his strengths offensively and offers protection. Taylor could surpass his numbers from last season. Taylor will go in rounds 6 through 8 in 12 team leagues and rounds 10 through 12 in standard leagues.
Matt Carpenter, Cardinals (1B/2B/3B): Carpenter will once again hit in the middle of the Cardinals line up. A line up that is better with the additional of Marcel Ozuna. He will have protection. The versatile veteran will look to bounce back after a subpar 2017 season. Carpenter hit 23 home runs but only drove in 69 runs and hit .241 on the season. On the other hand, he did draw a career high 109 walks last season. Carpenter offers great versatility and he is still a solid cross category producer in fantasy.
Yangervis Solarte, Blue Jays (2B/1B/3B): I am a huge fan of the switch hitting utility man. Solarte has bounced around between the Yankees, Padres and now Blue Jays but he has some value because he will start at second base for the Jays. Solarte does have some power in his bat. He hit 18 home runs and drove in 64 runs last season playing at Petco Park. Those number could go up dramatically playing in a launching pad like the Rogers Centre. An added plus with Solarte is he doesn’t strike out much. He is a patient hitter. Solarte would be a terrific late round value.
Daniel Descalso, Diamondbacks (2B, 1B, OF): Laugh if you want but Descalso had a decent season in 2017 for the Diamondbacks. Manager Torey Lovullo uses him enough that he warrants consideration in 12 team leagues and NL only leagues. Descalso is a super utilityman who not only can play multiple positions but also provide some pop offensively. He hit 10 home runs and drove in 51 runs last season. More importantly, he got 344 at bats. If you are in a deeper league with more bench spots, Descalso is worth drafting.
Ben Zobrist, Cubs (2B/1B/OF): The 37 year old Zobrist is not the same player he was back in the day. Age and injuries have derailed one of baseball’s most versatile players. Despite those issues, Zobrist still hit 12 home runs and drove in 50 runs last season. He only hit .232 however in 435 at bats. That’s bad. Do I still think Zobrist has value? Yes. Would I draft him in a standard league? No. I would only draft him in an NL only league. I think he is worthy of consideration as a free agent in standard leagues. I wouldn’t bother with Zobrist in DFS.