Prince Fielder (1B-TEX)

Injury – He suffered a neck injury and underwent a cervical fusion at C5-6 in May 2014 which ended his season. 

2014 Season – It was immediately apparent that something wasn’t right with Prince Fielder from the start of the season.  After being traded to Texas, it was expected that he would thrive with the Rangers and possibly approach 40 home runs again.  However, he was never able to generate any power which was the result of his neck injury.  He finished the season batting just .247 with three home runs and 16 RBI in only 42 games. 

Reason For Optimism  

  • Fielder has had plenty of time to heal and should be able to generate his prolific power now that his neck injury is no longer an issue.
  • Last year was an anomaly as Fielder had played in all 162 games for the previous three seasons and never less than 157 games since his rookie year in 2005.
  • The Rangers were decimated with injuries in 2014, and with everyone back and healthy he should be able to anchor a deep and talented lineup.
  • Fielder is still just 30-years old and is still in his prime.

Reason For Concern

  • He underwent a major operation with cervical fusion which could limit his range of motion both at the plate and in the field..
  • Fielder has never been bitten by the injury bug before, so there is no history to rely upon in terms of his ability to bounce back.
  • Despite only being 30-years old, he has put a lot of mileage on his body which may not recover as quickly as others of the same age.

2015 OUTLOOK – Fielder had been one of the most consistent players for the past nine seasons before suffering from his neck injury.  He has always been reliable to play every day along with hitting for both power and a decent batting average.  He returns to a lineup that will feature several other players also coming back from injuries such as Shin-Soo Choo, so we will finally get to see what Fielder can do in the warm Texas air with a powerful lineup surrounding him.  Because of the injury, his value has decreased which means he can be had for a bargain in fantasy baseball drafts.  He may never approach 50 home runs again, but smashing at least 30 long balls is certainly well within reach.  The batting average started to slip in 2013, so he may not approach .300 again.  However, he will generate enough power and run production to worthy of being your starting first baseman after the top names are already off the board.

If you are wondering the best way to evaluate players such as Fielder so that you can be prepared for your draft, then be sure to find out how to get your free copy of the incredible 2015 Fantasy Alarm Baseball Draft Guide.

Michael A. Stein, Esq. is the Chief Justice of Fantasy Judgment, the industry's premier dispute resolution service, and co-host of the Fantasy Alarm Podcast.  You can contact him at michael.stein@fantasyjudgment.com or on Facebook and Twitter (@FantasyJudgment),