Odubel Herrera

Herrera cost himself most of the season after violating the league's domestic violence policy in mid-May. While the victim declined to press charges, the league suspended him for the remainder of the season without pay. Even before that punishment was finalized, the Phillies were making moves as if they'd moved on from Herrera, indicating that they had no desire to bring him back in 2020 due to his actions. Indeed they DFA'd Herrera in January. He'd been performing as a very expendable player prior to the incident, hitting just .222/.288/.341. The 28-year-old's career .276/.333/.423 slash line (102 wRC+) is perfectly adequate for a starting center fielder, but that may no longer reflect his abilities. He hasn't recorded an above-average slash line since 2016 and hasn't graded out as a positive defensively by either DRS or UZR since 2017.

Herrera hit a career-high 22 homers in 2018, but his season was largely a disappointment. He hit just .255/.310/.420, good for a career-low 97 wRC+, and stole just five bases. It wasn't a completely lost season, but there are reasons to be concerned for the future. He slipped down in the order as the season wore on and also lost playing time to Roman Quinn. Quinn could continue to steal at-bats going forward, or the Phillies could spend money on a big outfield bat. Herrera is still too good to be reduced to a fourth-outfielder role, but he could be something less than an everyday player and remain in the bottom half of the order unless he can get back to his previous form. A reversal of his 55-point BABIP drop could turn things around for Herrera, though it's possible that his .290 BABIP is his new normal as he increased his pull rate by eight points, leaving him vulnerable to shifts, against which he hit just .230 after posting a .345 mark in 2017.

Since hitting the majors in 2015, Herrera has supplied OPS marks between .765 and .781, but he's been far from the consistent producer that narrow range implies. The outfielder was especially prone to hot and cold spells in 2017, turning in a .256/.292/.393 first-half slash line before rallying with a .323/.378/.551 line after the break. Even amid his big second half, Herrera didn't draw walks at the clip he had a season earlier, resulting in him finishing with a .325 OBP that partially explains his stark downturn in steals. Herrera was able to save face by hitting balls harder and in the air more frequently than ever, but it translated to a huge spike in doubles rather than more home runs. With the Phillies dismissing Pete Mackanin -- who had frequently voiced his displeasure with Herrera's baserunning -- the 26-year-old could resurface as both a power and speed threat, but be prepared to endure crests and troughs with any production he offers.

Herrera entered camp last season with the starting center field job locked down after an impressive rookie season as a Rule 5 pick in 2015. He was an on-base machine early on, walking 22 percent of the time in April and continuing at a solid clip in May and June before seemingly abandoning his newfound patience in July when he walked just 5.9 percent of the time. Herrera also struggled against lefties last season, hitting just .236 with a .599 OPS in 144 at-bats after hitting .293 with a .720 OPS against southpaws in 2015. The downturn is primarily BABIP driven as Herrera had a .402 BABIP against lefties in 2015 and a .321 BABIP in 2016. Despite those warts, Herrera has plenty of fantasy value thanks to his blend of power and speed. If he can rediscover his approach from the first half of 2016, he can be an across the board asset, as he should be hitting in the top third of the lineup. He inked a team-friendly five-year, $30.5 million extension this offseason, ensuring a regular role going forward.

Herrera turned out to be a steal for the Phillies as a Rule 5 pick from the Rangers last offseason. He had never played above Double-A prior to last season, but Phillies scouts had liked what they saw from him in winter ball. He hit .297 with eight home runs and 16 stolen bases while learning the finer points of playing center field in the majors, after having spent the majority of his time at second base throughout his minor league career. His batting average may be a bit of a mirage as his .388 BABIP is likely unsustainable, and his 24.0% strikeout rate is too high for a player whose game should be more focused on getting on base than driving the ball out of the park. Despite those issues, Herrera is an attractive target for stolen bases. He figures to see more at-bats this season and his coaches will no doubt work with him on deciding when to run, which should cut down on his caught stealing totals. His upside is 30 steals if everything comes together.

Herrera was taken by the Phillies from the Rangers during the Rule 5 draft in December. A 23-year-old utility type, most of his opportunities would likely come at second base or in center field, while the Phillies' lack of depth in the outfield could open up playing time if he proves capable of making the leap from Double-A to the big leagues. As a 22-year-old last season, Herrera hit .321/.373/.402 with 12 stolen bases over 96 games with Frisco, but he'd likely begin in the bottom third of the order if he pushed his way into a more prominent role for the Phillies. Herrera earned MVP honors in the Venezuelan Winter League as well, hitting .372 with six home runs and eight steals over 58 games for La Guaira.