Danny Santana

Santana was one of the biggest fantasy surprises of 2019. The utility man opened the season at Triple-A after signing a minor-league deal with the Rangers. He earned a promotion to the big club in mid-April and eventually became a fixture in the lineup, hitting .283/.324/.534 with 81 RBI and 81 runs over 511 plate appearances while playing everywhere except pitcher and catcher. The switch hitter was one of nine players to post a 20-20 season, belting 28 home runs -- he hit just 13 over his previous five seasons combined -- and chipping in 21 steals across 130 games. Santana could stand to improve his plate discipline (4.9 BB%, 29.6 K%) and the track record is not there, but this kind of power/speed combination is increasingly difficult to find in today's game. After the Rangers traded Delino DeShields Jr., GM Jon Daniels said Santana is likely to get the bulk of the playing time in center field in 2020.

Santana cracked the Twins' Opening Day roster last year, but he hit just .200/.231/.360 over the first month and was ultimately designated for assignment. After the Braves scooped him up, Santana continued to struggle around a pair of DL stints (bacterial infection, quad strain). In 2014, Santana hit .319 with seven homers and 20 steals in 101 games, but that's a long time ago in baseball. He hasn't flashed anything close to that level of performance since. Santana continues to be plagued by a poor batting eye -- he had a 23 percent strikeout rate last season, with his chase rate falling just shy of 40 percent, and a 4.5 percent walk rate. The Braves brought Santana back on minor-league deal and he could push for a utility role, but there's little to see here beyond his speed.

Santana filled a utility role last season after failing to win the starting shortstop job in 2015. He profiles best as a center fielder due to his speed but can play three infield positions in a pinch. However, his fielding proved inadequate at shortstop when pressed into regular duty. He struggles to make contact and doesn't walk. His .319 batting average in 2014 looks like a distant BABIP (.407) mirage. In the two seasons since, he has managed a combined .259 OBP in 525 plate appearances. He offers speed on the basepaths, but even that aspect of his game is trending in the wrong direction, as he was 12-for-21 (57 percent) on stolen-base attempts last season after swiping at a 78 percent clip in the previous two seasons. With Byron Buxton plugged in as the Twins' clear center fielder for the foreseeable future, Santana will have to attempt to make the team in a utility role. If he succeeds, his speed makes him worth an endgame play in AL-only leagues.

Santana began last season as Minnesota's starting shortstop, but struggled both at the plate (.541 OPS) and in the field (16 errors), resulting in a demotion to the minors in July. He bounced back to hit .322/.348/.500 at Triple-A in August before filling a minor bench role with the Twins in September. Santana hit .319 in 2014, but that seemed fluky even as it was happening. After Santana spent 2014 mostly in center field, the Twins were determined to move him back to shortstop, but he's graded out poorly at the position by nearly all defensive metrics the past two seasons. His future may be as a utility player and he'll likely compete for a bench role this spring. Santana offers speed for fantasy purposes and could bounce back as he's just 24, but he needs to make better contact and learn to draw walks to have any chance at finding a regular role.

Santana made quite the impression with a blistering rookie season and may become a cornerstone of Minnesota's rebuilding effort. The Twins aggressively promoted Santana in May after just 24 games at Triple-A. Once in the majors, he was given a shot at the starting center field job despite never regularly playing the position, with the Twins desperate for production. Santana took advantage of the opportunity, hitting .328 in his first month, and never slowed down (.314/.346/.483 in the second half). He was erratic in the outfield as he learned the position, but he showed outstanding range, a product of his excellent speed. It's not clear if he'll remain in the outfield, as the Twins still gave him occasional starts at shortstop and are contemplating moving him there permanently this spring. Santana's got a strong arm and good quickness, but it's not clear if he has the consistency to hold the job given his many errors at the position in the minors (36 errors in 2013). However, his 34 games played at shortstop likely qualify him as a shortstop in most formats, increasing his fantasy value. It's not clear he can sustain his level of success at the plate given that he had a low walk rate (4.4%), a high BABIP (.407) and with his major league success exceeding anything he did in the minors. But it's also possible he's just coming into his own at age 23 and could improve. Wherever he plays in 2015, his infield eligibility and speed on the base paths will make him a top fantasy option at shortstop.

Santana hit .297/.333/.386 last season for Double-A New Britain and may have put himself in position to reach the majors in 2014. Santana has good speed (30 stolen bases) and a strong arm, but he makes too many mistakes (36 errors) and doesn't draw walks. He doesn't strike out much and makes good contact, however. A strong start at Triple-A could see him called up for a utility role and the lack of top middle-infield prospects in the Twins organization could give him a shot at a larger role.