Hamstring and abdominal injuries limited Drew to just 46 appearances last season, his lowest total since breaking into the majors back in 2006. His strikeout (19.8 percent) and walk (7.5 percent) rates were pretty much in line with his career marks, but Drew hit for less power than even before (.105 ISO), which is especially troubling when you consider that 2017 was an all-time year for power production in Major League Baseball. Drew's hard-hit rate fell by a whopping 10 percentage points to 31.2 percent, and his O-Contact rate declined dramatically as well -- when Drew swung at pitches outside of the zone, he was far more likely to come up empty. Drew has graded out as a net negative in the field in three of the last four years, so his appeal as a big-league bench piece is limited. He may have to settle for a minor-league deal in free agency.
The 33-year-old utility man posted a solid season with the Nationals in 2016, slashing .266/.339/.524 in 165 plate appearances. With MVP finalist Daniel Murphy holding down second base for Washington, Drew mainly offered infield depth off the bench for manager Dusty Baker. Although the lack of plate appearances held him back from matching his home run and RBI totals from previous years, the lefty showed he can still hit the ball with some pop, posting the highest slugging percentage of his career thanks to 20 of his 38 hits going for extra bases. Drew especially heated up late in the season, slashing .275/.388/.425 the final month of the season after missing extended time due to an ear issue. He returned to the Nationals over the offseason, so he'll likely fulfill a similar reserve utility infielder role in 2017.
Drew suffered through a miserable 2014 campaign with both the Red Sox and Yankees, slashing just .162/.237/.299 in 85 games between the two rivals, but there was hope that the 2015 season would be different after having the benefit of a full spring training. Though his power returned — his 17 home runs were behind only Brian Dozier and Robinson Cano among second basemen — Drew once again struggled to get above the Mendoza Line. A vestibular concussion ended the 32-year-old's season prematurely, as he missed the final two weeks. The expectation is that he will open 2016 in a utility role after inking a one-year deal with Washington. He's also lost shortstop eligibility in many leagues after making 15 appearances at the position in 2015, but it's possible he could regain that eligibility and see more time than expected if Trea Turner fails to live up to the hype upon arrival.
Drew passed on a $14.1 million qualifying offer from the Red Sox last offseason, testing the waters of free agency while seeking a multi-year deal elsewhere. The decision backfired, as teams were unwilling to give him a suitable contract and forfeit an early-round draft pick to acquire his services. When Will Middlebrooks landed on the DL and Xander Bogaerts was moved to third base, Drew signed a one-year, $10 million deal with the Red Sox in late May – getting the pro-rated amount of the qualifying offer that he passed on – but having to find a way to get back into game shape and start hitting big league pitching without the benefit of spring training. He never got on track, and was eventually traded to the Yankees for Kelly Johnson at the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. Defensively, he's still a viable shortstop. However, it's not clear what infield position he'll play after re-signing with the Yankees. Still, there's reason to believe that he might be able to rebound at the plate with a normal progression through spring training.
Drew had a nice bounce-back season in 2013 that should get him a multi-year offer. His percentages don't jump out, but his 13 homers and 67 RBI were among the best at his position, and his glove played well all year long. In between a dreadful April (.154) and his epic struggles in the postseason (6-for-54, 19 strikeouts), Drew was a pretty competent hitter in the lower third of Boston's order. An average hitter with good pop for a shortstop, Drew should be a safe selection in fantasy leagues as long as a finds a home.
Drew started the year still rehabbing his ankle after a gruesome injury suffered in a slide at home plate in 2011. After struggling to hit after his return in late June, the Diamondbacks sent him to the A's, who were very much in need of a shortstop. He had a few big hits for the A's, but really did not hit well for them either. The A's opted not to exercise Drew's $10 million dollar option, making him a free agent. The Red Sox signed Drew to a one-year deal in December. He is a tough guy to project as he has shown some nice flashes during stretches of his career, but he's played in just 165 games over the last two seasons. Drew appeared to be settling in again in September for the A's as he hit .275/.342/.451 with five homers and 14 RBI over 26 games, numbers on par with his last full healthy season in 2010 (.278/.352/.458) with Arizona.
A gruesome injury in July turned out to be a season-ending fractured ankle for Drew, and the D-Backs' offensive production at shortstop suffered the rest of the way. His numbers were down across the board before the injury and it may have been the byproduct of an abdominal strain that slowed him down during spring training. Whether that injury was related to the groin woes that slowed him last season is unclear, but Drew had surgery to repair a sports hernia in October and was unable to run or participate in baseball activities at press time. Watch his progress closely during spring training, as Drew should come at a discount on draft day and would be worth the risk as he's playing for a long-term contract in 2012. His combination of power and speed remains intriguing as he heads into his age-29 season.
For the second consecutive season, Drew improved his walk rate (10 percent) and returned to his form of being the upper-tier fantasy shortstop that he was in 2008 when he swatted 21 homers. Still in his peak at age 28, Drew may never become the elite offensive force many projected him to be as a top prospect, but he's an above-average hitter with an ability to handle shortstop better than most at his position. Considering that he hit 11 homers in 267 at-bats after the All-Star break, we wouldn't be shocked by a 20-25 homer campaign, and his seemingly undeserved "bust" label should keep the acquisition price low on draft day.
Nearly 10 percent of Drew's flyballs landed in the bleachers when he hit 21 homers in 2008, but that number shrunk to 6.3 percent last season and resulted in a power outage to the tune of 12 long balls. At 27, Drew is entering his prime and it wouldn't be all that surprising to see him push his way back into the 15-20 homer range on the strength of an improving eye at the plate. The D-Backs continue to move him around in their lineup, despite the fact that he's been very productive when given the chance to lead off. Other than his continuing struggles against left-handed pitching (.200/.237/.336, 8:26 BB:K in 140 at-bats), there's still plenty to like here even after a disappointing 2009 campaign. Drew still has the tools to firmly entrench himself as a top-10 option at shortstop.
In a classic case where the numbers don't tell the entire story, Drew emerged as a consistently productive option in the leadoff spot for manager Bob Melvin. Atop the Arizona lineup, Drew maintained a .313/.361/.528 line with 11 homers and 39 RBI in 335 at-bats when deployed from the leadoff spot. The power surge is definitely encouraging, while the only lingering questions that Drew needs to answer will focus on his plate discipline, as his walk rate tumbled down to six percent after he walked 10 percent of the time in 2007. He'll never be a regular thief on the basepaths, but 20-homer power with double-digit steals potential in the middle infield should peak plenty of interest at the draft table.
Across the board, Drew fell well short of expectations in 2007. Prior to the All-Star break, he went deep just four times (76.5 AB/HR), before settling in and driving the ball out of the yard more frequently in the second half (29.6 AB/HR). The dip in batting average was expected -- albeit to a much lesser extent than the eventual results -- after he hit .316 during the final two of months of 2006. Drew's .271 BABIP mark is a good indication that he'll be able to bounce back, after posting an equally fluky .396 mark during his rookie season. If the second half power rate is carries into 2008, look for 15-20 homers and double-digit steals with the potential for improvements in RBI, especially if he's able to bat sixth or seventh, where he enjoyed of most his success last season.
As nice as the batting average and power were, Drew's strikeout rate and K:BB changed dramatically when he moved from Triple-A to the majors. That's a sign that he was overmatched, and may not sustain the .314 AVG. Even at .270, he brings enough power to be a good fantasy shortstop, with 100-run and 100-RBI potential in a good D'backs lineup.
A first-rounder in the 2004 draft, Drew finally signed in May 2005 and kicked off his pro career with guns blazing in the high-A Cal League. He was a bit less impressive in a brief, injury-marred Double-A stint, but put up great numbers again in the Arizona Fall League. With a strong spring, Drew could be the Opening Day starter at shortstop for Arizona, but he might not be ready that quickly. In an ideal world, the Diamondbacks would let Drew start the year at Double-A and then call him up before September. It'll be very interesting to see which super-prospect Arizona moves from shortstop first, Drew or Justin Upton. Drew can settle that question by nailing down a regular job by yearend.
Drew was Arizona's top pick in the 2004 draft, but has neither signed with the Diamondbacks nor re-enrolled at Florida State. If Arizona does sign him before the 2005 draft, there's a slim chance he could see major league action this year, although he probably wouldn't be ready. Still, he's a five-tool prospect, so hang onto him in your keeper league for now.
The brother of Braves’ outfielder, J.D. Drew, he’s a five-tool athlete with power potential and outstanding defensive instincts. May not be suitable as a major league shortstop, and scouts question whether he’s hungry enough to excel in the pros. He's a Scott Boras client, which will make him very difficult to sign.
