Jordy Mercer

Mercer's overall numbers dropped last year, including his playing time due to injury. By the advanced metrics, Mercer was about as below average (roughly 15%) as he had been over the prior two seasons. He simply lost the ability to compile his numbers as he played 30 fewer games. When he did play, his walk rate dropped and his strikeout rate was a career-worst 20% for the season. Mercer will have a job as long as he continues to play above-average defense, but he will be a bottom-of-the-lineup hitter in a bad Tigers lineup, with zero upside. He will get rostered in single-league formats because the quantity of at-bats is still valued, but understand that there will not be much coming from them.

You do not even need to squint that much to see that 2017 Mercer was the same guy as 2016 Mercer. It is crazy to see consecutive batting averages and on-base percentages that close to one another while the slight bump in slugging comes from two more doubles and three more home runs. He is a decent counting category contributor in NL-only leagues as he can chip in some homers, runs and RBI, but he gives you nothing in steals and is a zero sum game in both batting average and on-base percentage leagues. Mercer should once again hit near the bottom of the lineup in 2018, as that walk rate over the past two seasons is more him accepting his walks batting ahead of the pitcher than any growing skill. He had 52 walks last year, 28 of which came while he hit eighth in the lineup and another 12 hitting in front of the backup catcher. Shortstop prospect Kevin Newman had a rough 2017, but is still close to the majors, and the Pirates will soon be looking to upgrade that position, one way or another.

Mercer likely means more to the Pirates than he does to fantasy owners. The shortstop finished third in the NL with a .985 fielding percentage, captaining an otherwise mediocre infield defense. He hit .283 with a respectable .750 OPS through July before fading once again down the stretch. Mercer played in 149 games, matching his career high, and suffered a forearm injury to his throwing arm caused by overuse in August. The shortstop continued a career-long trend of hitting better against southpaws (.290/.378/.451) than righties (.252/.314/.355), batting leadoff against certain left-handed pitchers. The 30-year-old, who is eligible for arbitration for the first time in 2017, still has no real competition for the starting shortstop spot, though first-round pick Kevin Newman is beginning to make waves in the minors.

For the second straight season, Mercer got off to a terrible start. He batted just .192 with no homers and nine RBI through the end of May but continued to play because of his steady defense. After June 1, Mercer hit .269 in 288 plate appearances but the power never showed up. He hit only three home runs with 34 RBI on the year, down from 12 HR and 55 RBI in 2014 (his ISO dropped from .120 to .076). Eventually the team will look for better offensive production from its shortstop position, putting Mercer in a somewhat precarious spot going forward.

Manager Clint Hurdle stuck with Mercer during a horrendous two-month stretch to open last season, when the shortstop batted below the Mendoza Line (.190/.227/.261) in his first 152 plate appearances. That confidence was rewarded, as the 28-year-old slashed .280/.335/.437 with 11 homers and 49 RBI the rest of the way. Hurdle moved Mercer into the No. 2 spot in the lineup on occasion against tough lefties, but for the most part batted him eighth. Mercer likely won't cost much in drafts and has no competition at shortstop, two selling points in fantasy. The former Oklahoma State closer makes for a cheap endgame pickup who'll start more games than a majority of NL shortstops.

Opinions are mixed as to whether Mercer can play defense well enough to take over the everyday reins at shortstop in 2014. He lacks range and was often replaced in the late innings last year. Mercer's overall line of .285/.336/.435 in 333 at-bats was boosted tremendously by his ability to crush left-handed pitching. The shortstop hit .410 with a 1.152 OPS against southpaws, albeit in 78 at-bats. Mercer, who has hit as many as 19 homers in the minors, belted eight in 2013 (including seven away from PNC Park's spacious left field). It's quite likely he slips under the fantasy radar heading into 2014, but has upside based upon how much action he sees.

Mercer became a forgotten man at the youthful age of 25 in 2012. He played in 42 games for Pittsburgh but collected only 62 at-bats. He's got pop in his bat -- seven of his 13 hits went for extra bases -- and he's solid in the field. Unfortunately, he'll likely spend another year on the bench or at Triple-A with $5 million-plus starter Clint Barmes on the books one more year. Mercer may never hit better than .250 or so in the majors, but he did hit 19 minor league homers in 2011. For that reason, he's worth keeping an eye on in case Barmes gets hurt or traded.

Mercer combined to slug 19 homers and drive in 69 runs split between Double-A and Triple-A in 2011. The 2008 third-round draft pick doesn't project to hit for average -- he has a career .262 mark in four minor league seasons -- but his power potential and defensive ability give him some play. The free-agent signing of Clint Barmes probably wiped out whatever chance he had of starting 2012 with Pittsburgh. Another solid season in the minors could earn him a recall during the summer. Mercer will turn 26 in August and the clock is ticking. The Pirates have Chase d'Arnaud, Josh Harrison and now Mercer battling for backup time. As a result, there's little reason to jump on him in fantasy leagues.