Out with the old, in with the… old? Everyone knows that is not how the saying goes, but for the purposes of this article, let’s roll with it. The following names, sorted by position, are ones that are well known to the fantasy baseball universe. However, they will each be donning new threads in 2018, and with that obviously comes different lineup situations, changes in hitting or pitching environments, and possibly even an unfamiliar league to navigate.

The importance of knowing and analyzing the “old faces” that have moved on to “new places” this offseason should not be underappreciated heading into fantasy drafts, so let’s get to breaking down the extensive list of players that have done so over the past few months.

*This article will be updated periodically to reflect the latest relevant MLB news

**Don’t forget to check out the MLB Free Agent Tracker for even more coverage of the Hot Stove action this winter.

Catchers

Welington Castillo (CWS) – Castillo popped 20 homers last season for the Orioles and needed only 96 games to do so. Despite reaching that mark for the first time in his career, Beef has averaged 25 deep drives per 162 games since 2014. Power from the catcher spot is what typically makes him useful for fantasy purposes, but in 2017, he also set new career highs in batting average (.282) and OPS (.813). It would not be surprising to see 20 or more home runs from Castillo once again in 2018, so drafting him as a Top-10 backstop is well within reason.

Chris Iannetta (COL) – From one former Diamondbacks’ catcher to another, Iannetta made the most of his one-year stop in Arizona. During his age 34 season, Iannetta hit 17 homers with an .865 OPS across 316 plate appearances. Those marks were each the second-highest of his career in their respective categories and best since 2008 with Colorado. Iannetta has rejoined the Rockies after six years and could turn out to be a serious bargain in fantasy drafts.

First Basemen

Matt Adams (WSH) – Adams put up career highs in home runs (20) and OPS (.841) in 2017. The vast majority of his production came while he had an everyday role with the Braves from late-May through the end of July. Now with the Nationals, Adams could find starts difficult to come by barring an injury to starting first baseman Ryan Zimmerman. He’s got plenty of power, but Adams doesn’t have a clear path to the at-bats needed to make him fantasy relevant in 2018.

Yonder Alonso (CLE) – Long removed from the scouting reports that made him a highly-touted prospect several years ago, Alonso finally broke out at age 30 last season. Splitting time between Oakland and Seattle, he launched 28 bombs while laying down a .266/.365/.501 slash line. Alonso’s peripheral stats suggest he sacrificed some contact for power in 2017 and there’s certainly some logical skepticism to be had on whether or not he can replicate the production going forward. The Indians seem to think he can, and the lineup they will make him a part of should afford a wealth of opportunities for Alonso.

Adrian Gonzalez (NYM) – The days of A-Gon being a premier run producer seem long gone, but he is only one season removed from batting .285 with 90 RBI for the Dodgers. That’s not to suggest he will step into the middle of the Mets’ lineup and rebound from a weak 2017 season. Rather, it’s simply to point out that he is a notable acquisition. Gonzalez appears to be little more than a viable insurance policy for the Mets if they deem it necessary to send young Dominic Smith to Triple-A for more seasoning.

Ryon Healy (SEA) – Healy is certainly not an “old” face, but he has already staked out a reputation for power. He has smacked 38 home runs across 221 games since debuting with the A’s on July 15, 2016, and now he’ll get the chance to line up in a Seattle batting order anchored by experienced All-Stars like Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz. Healy could well prove to be 30-homer bat available in the last couple rounds of mixed-league drafts.

Carlos Santana (PHI) – Yonder Alonso has already been highlighted above, and what made him a necessity for the Indians was the departure of Santana to Philadelphia. It was a bit of a head scratcher when the Phillies came to an agreement with Santana back on December 20, as young thumper Rhys Hoskins was widely expected to be the club’s first baseman for years to come. Now, Hoskins is slotted in at left field and Santana at first. In any case, there’s little reason to think the latter won’t continue to produce similarly to the track record he has laid out. Over the last eight seasons in Cleveland, Santana has posted an .810 OPS with 25 homers, 85 RBI and 83 runs scored per 162 games. 

Second Basemen

Starlin Castro (MIA) – Castro made his way to Miami as part of a deal that sent a certain MVP to the Bronx in early-December. There have been plenty of rumors that Castro could be dealt again before ever even appearing in camp, much less the regular season, for the Marlins. During the last two seasons with the Yankees, Castro has been a fairly decent fantasy option for the most part. However, in the event that he does remain in Miami, his prospects for 2018 do not appear too bright in a much weaker lineup and far less hitter-friendly atmosphere.    

Ian Kinsler (LAA) – How much tread does Kinsler have left on the tires after 12 big-league seasons? The four-time All-Star put up one of the best seasons of his career in 2016, but his numbers, aside from his 22 home runs, fell significantly last year. Even with a poor .236/.313/.412 slash line in 2017, Kinsler was still able to come up with 90 runs and 14 steals along with those homers. He is slated to set the table for what should be a strong Angels lineup in 2018. The idea of him batting in front of names like Trout, Upton, Pujols, and even Ohtani makes Kinsler quite intriguing. A Top-10 season at second base that included 100 runs and 10-15 steals would not be shocking.

Yangervis Solarte (TOR) – Solarte is capable of manning all four infield positions and has been quietly solid with the bat over the past three years (.270/.324/.435) in San Diego, so it’s not surprising that teams came calling for his services this offseason. The Blue Jays acquired him in exchange for a couple of prospects less than a week into January. Solarte could be in line to see plenty of at-bats while moving around the Toronto infield, making him a nice late-round depth piece, possibly even in mixed formats.

Third Baseman

Chase Headley (SD) – Headley made a brief MLB debut with the Padres way back in 2007. He then spent the next six and a half seasons in San Diego before being traded to the Yankees in the middle of 2014. If you’re old enough to remember it, Headley’s tremendous 2012 campaign that saw him post an .875 OPS with 31 homers, 115 RBI and 17 steals remains a mystery in an otherwise very average big-league career. Can a return to San Diego jog his memory? Don’t count on it. He is little more than a middle-of-the-road, league-specific option.

Evan Longoria (SF) – Long the face of the Tampa Bay franchise, Longoria was dealt to San Francisco after spending the first 10 seasons of his career with the Rays. Longoria has proven to be one of the most durable players in baseball in recent years, as he has played at least 156 games in each of the last five seasons. During that span, he has also put up a .265/.325/.457 slash line while averaging 26 home runs and 87 RBI per season. The three-time Gold Glover will obviously bring strong defense to the hot corner for the Giants and those previously mentioned stats provide a reasonable projection at the plate. You can do better at third base, but you can also do much, much worse.

Shortstops

Zack Cozart (LAA) – After a banner year in 2017 that saw him mash his way to a .933 OPS and .251 ISO with 24 homers across 122 games, Cozart agreed to a three-year, $38M pact with the Angels this offseason. The big question here is if the 32-year-old, who is expected to make a transition to third base in 2018, can come maintain last season’s form. Many are skeptical, and considering that Cozart entered 2017 with a career .674 OPS and .139 ISO, the doubts are warranted. A move from Great American Ball Park to Angel Stadium only adds to the sentiment. So which hitter will Cozart be during the upcoming season? It makes sense to expect him to land somewhere in the middle of his past performance.  

Aledmys Diaz (TOR) – An All-Star during his rookie season of 2016, Diaz went through some serious, almost across-the-board regression last year. The Cardinals traded him to Toronto back on the first day of December, and it appears highly probable that he will be used in a utility role from the outset of the 2018 campaign. Although, given the rich injury history of shortstop Tory Tulowitzki, Diaz could find his way to regular playing time at some point this upcoming summer.

Freddy Galvis (SD) – Galvis is not often sought at the shortstop position in fantasy drafts, but it may be surprising to many out there that he has actually been rather productive for the over the last three seasons. In that stretch, the 28-year-old switch-hitter has averaged 13 home runs and 14 stolen bases while playing at least 151 games every year. Granted, his .253/.295/.375 slash line in that same time frame is nothing to write home about, and speaking of home, he will now make his in pitcher-friendly Petco Park. Galvis certainly has NL-only appeal, but not much in mixed-league drafts.

Outfielders

Jay Bruce (NYM) – The Mets acquired Bruce via a deadline deal back in 2016 and dealt him to Cleveland just over a week into last August. Now, the club has brought him back to New York on a three-year, $39M that somewhat feels like a steal for a proven slugger that has belted 69 home runs since the start of 2016 and at least 30 in five of the last seven seasons. Bruce will slot back into the middle of the Mets batting order and likely be there in the middle rounds of fantasy drafts for those in search of homers and RBI.

Lorenzo Cain (MIL) – In late-January, Cain inked a five-year, $80M deal to return to the club that gave him his first taste of the big leagues back in 2010. Reportedly, it was that fifth year that won the bidding for the Brewers. Cain will turn 32 just a few weeks into the 2018 season, but as displayed in Kansas City last summer, he is still a dual-threat producer with the bat and a solid center fielder. In 2017, Cain put together a .300/.363/.440 slash line with 15 homers and 26 steals. He has hit .300 or better in three of the last four seasons, and there’s little reason to think he cannot duplicate his across-the-board stats during the upcoming campaign. 

Dee Gordon (SEA) – Gordon has never played outfield at the big-league level, but the Mariners traded for him back on December 7 with the idea of making him their everyday center fielder and likely leadoff man. That second role is one in which he is very familiar. They say speed doesn’t slump, and for Gordon, that theory has rang true over the past few years. Since the start of the 2014 season, the two-time All-Star has hit .304 while throwing down 162-game averages of 65 steals and 105 runs. Few rival him in the speed department and he will be setting the table for what should be a stout Seattle lineup in 2018.

Matt Kemp (LAD) – Kemp was dealt back to the club with which he spent the first nine seasons of his 12-year career, as the Dodgers sent four players to Atlanta in exchange for him. This was not a move that reflects a desire by the Dodgers to make Kemp an integral part of their 2018 roster, but rather one that was motivated by luxury-tax implications for the club. Kemp is not expected to be in a Dodgers uniform by the start of the 2018 regular season. He will be updated accordingly in this article.

Andrew McCutchen (SF) – The Pirates got awfully busy in mid-January on setting up what appears to be a rebuilding project, as they traded away ace Gerrit Cole to Houston just two days before sending McCutchen to San Francisco. From 2012-15, McCutchen finished in the Top-5 of N.L. MVP balloting (1st in 2013) every season while putting together a .313/.404/.523 slash line with an OPS+ of 157 across that time frame. The five-time All-Star has not quite been the same consistent offensive force the last two seasons, but he is still a difference maker both in the field and with the bat. McCutchen’s 28 homers in 2017 are the second-highest total of his career to date, and if it weren’t for a dreadful month of August, he might very well have set new career highs in a few categories. The Giants have been starving for offense in recent years, but they have certainly made a strong attempt to address that with the additions of McCutchen and Longoria. 

Marcell Ozuna (STL) – One of three All-Stars traded away by the Marlins this offseason, Ozuna, like his former teammate that will be highlighted a bit later, is coming off a monstrous campaign. The five-year big leaguer earned an All-Star selection in 2016 and had been a mostly solid performer prior to 2017, but nothing close to the elite production he provided last season. After dealing a package of prospects for him back in mid-December, the Cardinals are hoping for something similar to the .924 OPS and 37 homers that Ozuna recorded in 2017. That may be wishful thinking for a guy that smashed his previous HR/FB measures while actually lowering his flyball rate and increasing his groundball rate from the year before. It is not difficult to imagine a drop-off of 5-to-10 home runs for Ozuna in 2018, but he is still a good bet for a Top-25 season among outfielders.

Stephen Piscotty (OAK) – A 2016 campaign that saw Piscotty put up an .800 OPS with 22 home runs, 85 RBI and 86 runs only led to disappointment for fantasy owners in 2017, as the third-year big leaguer struggled around two DL stints and a two-week demotion to the minors. The Cardinals acquisition of Marcell Ozuna highlighted above made Piscotty expendable, and the A’s quickly came knocking. Piscotty is slated to take over at one of the corner outfield spots in Oakland and certainly fits the mold of a bounce-back candidate. If you can grab him late in a standard mixed-league draft, do not hesitate. There is upside to be had at the right price.  

Denard Span (TB) – Frequently solid but rarely spectacular, Span was a part of the trade that sent Evan Longoria to San Francisco. Span has actually combined double-digit homers with double-digit steals in each of the last two seasons, but failed to deliver more than 12 in either category during 2016 or 2017. The veteran center fielder will likely shift to left in Tampa. More importantly for fantasy purposes, Span should land in his familiar leadoff role for the Rays, making him a worthwhile AL-only option. 

Giancarlo Stanton (NYY) – Arguably the biggest headline this offseason was Stanton being dealt to the Yankees on December 11, potentially forming what could be viewed as somewhat of a modern day “Murderers’ Row” with the likes of Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez. Stanton finally managed to stay healthy during his MVP campaign of 2017, and that led to him showcasing his full capabilities as an MLB slugger, as he led the bigs with 59 long balls and 132 RBI alongside a tremendous .281/.376/.631 slash line. The idea that Stanton is now leaving a park that tends to stifle home-run potential in favor of one that consistently ranks among the most homer-happy in the league is truly scary. Stanton is a cinch Top-5 overall selection in mixed fantasy drafts this year. 

Christian Yelich (MIL) – The fourth player in this section that has spent the past few years in Miami, Yelich, along with Cain (above), will be a part of the new-look Milwaukee outfield in 2018, and what an exciting duo they have the potential to become. It seems likely at this point that Yelich and Cain will complement each other atop the Brewers’ batting order during the upcoming season. Obviously, huge things are expected of Yelich after his new employer gave up a talent-laden group of prospects to acquire him from the Marlins. Since the beginning of the 2016 season, Yelich has posted a .290/.373/.460 slash line while averaging 21 homers, 39 doubles and 14 steals per 162 games. Going from Marlins Park to Miller Park, the possibility of 25-30 home runs certainly exists, as does a second straight 100-run season in what could be an incredibly dynamic offense this year. 

Starting Pitchers

Jhoulys Chacin (MIL) – Chacin signed a free-agent contract with the Brewers just before Christmas and figures to slot right into a mid-rotation spot with his new club. Following some injuries and inconsistencies from 2014-16, the 30-year-old righty got his career back on track in San Diego last season, as he won 13 games alongside a 3.89 ERA – 3.01 after May – across 180.1 innings. However, it’s Chacin’s home-road splits from this past year that are cause for concern as he prepares to take up residence in Miller Park’s much more hitter-friendly environment. In 2017, he posted an ace-like 1.79 ERA over 16 starts at Petco Park but an ugly 6.53 mark in the same number of outings on the road. Chacin could be worth a roll of the dice during the last couple rounds of mixed-league drafts, but he is best suited for NL-only formats out of the gate.  

Tyler Chatwood (CHC) – Chatwood has finally gotten out of Colorado where he has spent the past six years and owns a career 5.17 ERA across 254.0 innings. What makes him an interesting fantasy option now that he has joined the Cubs is his performance on the road over the past couple of seasons. Since the start of the 2016 season, Chatwood has worked to a 2.57 ERA and 1.17 WHIP over 157.1 innings. He is set to slot right into the No. 4 spot in the Cubs rotation for 2018.

Gerrit Cole (HOU) – Cole was in the trade rumors for quite a while before the Pirates finally pulled the trigger on a deal that sent him to Houston on January 13. The 27-year-old right-hander won 19 games and finished fourth in N.L. Cy Young Award balloting back in 2015, but he has largely struggled to regain consistency since a triceps issue cost him a month in the middle of the 2016 season. Cole turned in the highest ERA (4.26) of his career in 2017, and that came as a direct result of his home-run rate more than doubling. On the positive side, the strikeouts (8.7 K/9) were there as was his velocity. It remains to be seen exactly how the Astros’ rotation will shake out, but Cole will be in it right behind a pair of aces in Justin Verlander and Dallas Keuchel. With some of the pressure to carry a staff off him, Cole could be on the cusp of a significant rebound if he can reign in the homers.

Mike Fiers (DET) – Speaking of the Astros, Fiers has spent the past two and a half years with them delivering mixed results. The 32-year-old righty is one of those hurlers that brings the good with the bad and is quite streaky. He figures to slide right into the top-half of the Detroit rotation, and merits interest in AL-only formats based on his strikeout potential (career 8.5 K/9) alone. The rebuilding Tigers will rely on Fiers for plenty of innings.

Doug Fister (TEX) – Following a fairly forgettable season for the Astros in 2016, Fister did not get back into big-league action until he joined the Red Sox late last June. He was anything but consistent during the second half of 2017, but he did turn in some strong efforts for the injury-plagued Boston rotation in August and early-September. The Rangers thought enough of Fister’s performance last year, which included a career-high 8.3 K/9, to bring him in off the free-agent market to help round out their 2018 rotation. As far as fantasy consideration goes, 2014 was the last time Fister really warranted much.

Brandon McCarthy (ATL) – As he so often has throughout his career, McCarthy fell victim to injury in 2017. The towering right-hander entered last summer’s All-Star break with a 3.12 and 1.13 WHIP through 14 starts, but he would make just five appearances (two starts) during the second half, allowing 14 earned runs over 14.2 innings. McCarthy was dealt to Atlanta in mid-December as part of the Matt Kemp trade mentioned earlier and the Braves hope he can provide steady veteran leadership for their young staff. If his health holds, McCarthy could be a nice NL-only option with some fringe appeal in mixed formats. 

Matt Moore (TEX) – Moore posted a serviceable 4.21 ERA, 7.7 K/9 and 1.35 WHIP inside the pitcher-friendly confines of San Francisco’s AT&T Park last season, but he was absolutely atrocious on the road (7.22 ERA), and now he will head to one of the most offensively-inclined environments in the game. The Rangers have made multiple moves in hopes of shoring up their rotation this offseason. There is ample evidence for doubt that Moore will actually help in that pursuit.

Relief Pitchers

Brad Boxberger (ARI) – In 2015, Boxberger saved 41 games for the Rays and earned an All-Star selection. However, that was before injuries derailed him, and the subsequent emergence of Alex Colome finished him as the closer in Tampa Bay. Boxberger pitched quite well in 2017 after his season finally got going on June 30, as he worked to a 3.38 ERA and a 40-to-11 K/BB ratio across 29.1 innings. The six-year big leaguer was dealt to Arizona back on November 30, and though he’s likely behind new teammates Archie Bradley and Yoshihisa Hirano in the pecking order for saves out of the Diamondbacks’ pen, Boxberger’s experience in the role makes him a factor in the conversation.  

Steve Cishek (CHC) – Wade Davis and Hector Rondon are officially gone from the Cubs’ relief corps, replacing them are Cishek and Brandon Morrow – more on him later. It will be interesting to see which respective roles the Cubs’ new late-inning tandem will be given, but headed into camp, it seems that Cishek will be utilized in a setup role in front of Morrow. It is worth keeping in mind, however, that Cishek recorded 25 saves in 2016 and has 121 for his career.

Luke Gregerson (STL) – As things stand in mid-January, Gregerson certainly appears to be the most rational option to close for the Cardinals. Further, the St. Louis front office has made it known that it views Gregerson as the man for the job. The nine-year veteran’s 2017 performance doesn’t lend much support to that stance, but last season is far and away the outlier of his impressive career to this point. Gregerson saved 31 games in 2015 and added 15 to that total in 2016, posting a nice 3.19 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 9.6 K/9 between those two campaigns for the Astros. If he is officially given the role in St. Louis, it’s fair to place him right in the middle of the pack among closers during fantasy drafts.

Wade Davis (COL) – Davis has been one of the best late-inning hurlers in the game over the past four seasons and the Rockies are now going to pay him as such. The three-time All-Star has made his home at Wrigley Field and Kauffman Stadium in recent years, and both of those venues play quite differently than the extremely hitter-friendly environment of Coors Field. Davis had a strong season for the Cubs in 2017, but he did surrender six homers, which is double the combined amount he gave up during the previous three seasons. Heading to the thin air of Denver, he will obviously need to straighten things out a bit on that front. Even considering those slight precautions, Davis should still be viewed as an upper-tier closer going into fantasy drafts.

Jim Johnson (LAA) – Just don’t. Johnson did notch 22 saves for the Braves in 2017, but he also posted a lofty 5.56 ERA and fell out of the role after blowing his eighth save chance on July 29. As things stand in mid-January, Johnson is by far the most experienced late-inning reliever in the Angels bullpen. Even still, at best, he is probably sitting third in line for the closer’s job.  

Mike Minor (TEX) – Minor is a real wildcard headed into 2018. After winning 30 games and working to a 3.94 ERA across 87 starts for the Braves from 2012-14, Minor did not make a single appearance in the bigs in 2015 or 2016 due to health issues. All that is in the distant past, however, as the 30-year-old southpaw put together a terrific bounce-back campaign last season, fashioning a 2.55 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 10.2 K/9 over 77.2 innings out of the Kansas City bullpen. Minor also picked up a half-dozen saves this past September. All of that success landed him a lucrative three-year deal with the Rangers, and reports suggest that he will get a crack at becoming a starter once again this spring. Even if he does not earn a rotation spot, Minor could pay dividends for fantasy owners in a closer or relief role as he did in 2017.

Brandon Morrow (CHC) – As mentioned above, Morrow is poised to take over as the Cubs’ closer in 2018 after signing a two-year, $21M contract in December. Injuries threatened to ruin Morrow’s career from 2012-15, but the rocket-armed righty began an impressive comeback in late-2016 with the Padres and completely reestablished himself with a strong 2017 for the Dodgers. Last season, in a setup role in front of Kenley Jansen, Morrow delivered a 2.06 ERA (1.55 FIP), 0.92 WHIP and 50-to-9 K/BB ratio across 43.2 innings. In addition, he did not allow a single roundtripper and averaged a career-high 97.7 mph on his heater. It’s easy to imagine Morrow becoming an elite, or close to it, fantasy asset this year.

Addison Reed (MIN) – Reed will carry 125 career saves, 19 of which came last season, with him to Minnesota, but he seems most likely to begin the season as the Twins top setup man due to another free-agent signing the club made this offseason. Since the start of the 2016 season, Reed has been excellent while spending time with the Mets and Red Sox, posting a 2.40 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 9.8 K/9 across 153.2 innings. Even though he may not be a source of saves out of the gate in 2018, Reed will still be worth a late-round selection in many drafts, particularly as a potential handcuff to the oft-inconsistent 40-year-old below.

Fernando Rodney (MIN) – Despite the frequent derision of many a fantasy analyst, Rodney just keeps piling up saves. Despite an elevated 4.23 ERA across 55.1 innings in 2017, he recorded 39 saves, bringing his career total to 300. Rodney missed plenty of bats (10.6 K/9) and kept the ball in the yard (0.5 HR/9) in 2017. If those trends continue, he will likely be in the closer role for the Twins throughout 2018. However, as alluded to above, there is a strong option waiting in the wings if Rodney struggles.

Joakim Soria (CWS) – The White Sox acquired Soria in a three-team trade that went down shortly after the calendar flipped to 2018. The veteran journeyman has not been regularly deployed as a closer since prior to the non-waiver trade deadline in 2015, but he does own 204 career saves and posted a serviceable 3.70 ERA along with a 64-to-20 K/BB ratio across 56.0 innings for the Royals last season. Soria could be challenged for the ninth-inning role by new teammates such as Nate Jones or Juan Minaya. However, the good money seems to be on Soria winning the job this spring.  Â